A Spanish Inheritance

‘But he’s impatient,’ he murmured. ‘And so am I!’

The next step was her last. As the stallion surged forward Ramon hoisted her off the ground and settled her in front of him in one seamless move.

‘Relax. Relax!’ he rasped, his arm a steel band around her waist.

‘How can I?’ Annalisa wailed, wondering how she came to be balanced on the horse at all as it launched itself over the wall and thundered across the field.

‘Lean into me,’ Ramon breathed against her ear. ‘Don’t fight it. Wrap your hands round his mane. Like this,’ he encouraged, his strong fingers directing her movements. ‘That’s better,’ he said approvingly. ‘Now we can go faster!’

‘No!’

But Ramon was harder to curb than his stallion, and his passion infected her. Only moments later she was begging him to go faster. He only reined in when they came up to the stone arch that marked the entrance to the finca.

‘That was—’ Annalisa exhaled deeply and sagged, lost for words.

‘Almost as good as sex? Or just very good, but not that good?’

If there had been any warmth at all in his voice she might have responded, but instead she pulled away as he moved to lift her down.

‘Not had enough yet?’ he murmured, wheeling the horse around.

There wasn’t much choice—she was under his control for now, Annalisa realised, tightening her grip on the mane as she made a futile attempt to distance herself from Ramon’s warm body.

‘Lean against me,’ he ordered. ‘You’ll hurt him, sitting so far forward—or is there some reason why you can’t?’

‘You haven’t shaved,’ she said primly.

His familiar laugh ran a bolt of sensation through parts already rubbed tender by the horse.

‘I don’t remember you complaining before.’

‘Where are you taking me?’ she said, struggling to remain immune to his potent masculinity.

‘They’re your orchards,’ he said, reining in to point over the fence. ‘You should know.’

Annalisa stared in amazement. In the few weeks since Enrique had wreaked havoc with his radical surgery it seemed that a miracle had occurred. ‘I don’t understand,’ she murmured.

Lush green foliage cloaked every branch, and half the village seemed to be busily employed clearing and digging, clipping and spraying.

‘That’s because all your life you have lived fifteen hundred cooler miles north,’ Ramon said. ‘Here in Menorca everything happens much faster.’

There could be no safe comment on that, she thought.

‘So you see, Annalisa,’ he went on. ‘You should have had more faith. All it took was some sunshine, dung—’

‘How romantic,’ she murmured under her breath.

‘I thought you’d be pleased,’ he said mildly.

‘Anything else apart from dung?’ Annalisa demanded suspiciously.

‘Sunshine.’

‘And?’ she pushed, levelling a cool amber gaze on him.

His beautifully shaped lips tugged down at each side. ‘Rather a lot of water.’

‘From where, exactly?’

‘Why don’t I show you?’ he suggested, nudging the horse into a turn. A few strides further along he showed her where trenches had been dug around the trees. ‘Until a proper pipe can be laid underground we have cobbled together this arrangement,’ he said.

‘We?’

‘The water can only come from one source.’

‘You,’ she said coldly.

‘Of course,’ he agreed. ‘Would you like to see what else has been done while you were away?’

Her mind was in turmoil. He couldn’t just march in and take over the running of her property each time she was away… But on the other hand, thanks to his water, the orchards were thriving. ‘Of course I’m interested,’ she said.

Swinging his leg over the stallion, Ramon jumped to the ground. ‘Here,’ he said, holding Dardo steady as he reached up to help her down.

She hesitated a moment, then slid into his arms. Pulling away quickly, she tried to concentrate on what he was saying.

‘A galvanised pipe runs from my well down the length of your orchard. A series of hoses are connected to the pipe, so each evening we can irrigate a certain number of trees. As more channels are dug so more water can be supplied.’

‘And what is this going to cost me?’

‘I’m sure you will be able to satisfy all my demands.’

‘I hope you’re right,’ Annalisa murmured, weighing up the huge storage tank that now stood in place of a rickety old barn. If it was a case of Just hand over your shoreline in return for everything that had been done, he was in for a big disappointment.