“Same question back to you.”
“Since I don’t remember a past I do know that I would love a little girl racing through the woods on horseback. I think my mothering instinct manifests itself on horses these days.”
“Well its sounds to me like we are a perfect match.” His eyes lit up and he looked over hopefully, laughing.
“You don’t give up easily. But seriously, Shane, we have been skirting around an important issue. What if I have someone looking for me right now or planning my funeral?”
“You mean like a husband out there somewhere?” Shane looked crestfallen.
“No, I don’t think I was married. I don’t have a ring, afterall. But I could have someone special.” She sighed and leaned back against the tree.
“Yes, the chances that you have someone special, or a number of someone’s trying to be special, are about 100%. An amazing woman like yourself probably left a lot of broken, worried hearts back wherever you came from.”
“So, you see, that is why I really can’t—”
Shane interrupted her. “Don’t say it—I know. Let’s just pretend we are two friends in a beautiful place, having a great day together.”
“Okay, great idea.” Larina was relieved. She smiled happily as she walked over and sat down beside him. “I do miss the comfort of your arms around me.” She looked up at him and raised her eyebrows. “Now that we understand we’re just friends.”
Shane sighed and smiled as he put his arm around her and pulled her close to his side. “I can be a friend, a good, reliable friend.” He leaned over and kissed the top of her head.
Shane didn’t realize it, but this was exactly what Larina needed. If he wants to impress me, he is working it perfectly. She smiled and yawned. She felt herself drawn to him even more and started to hope there wasn’t someone else. Someone who would separate her from the comfort and peace she was feeling, at this moment, with a man she wanted to be close to and maybe share that legacy with.
“What are your future plans, then?” Shane asked. “How can I help?”
For the first time, Larina tried to look toward the future. She knew she couldn’t just continue to float in the present. It was true; she could have family and friends who were suffering due to her disappearance. As soon as she finished helping her wonderful Argentine family, she would have to go to the States and search for her past. Right here, in this moment, thinking about her past did not elicit the fear she normally felt.
“I don’t know,” she replied, “but it’s time I at least started thinking about it.” It’s usually terrifying for me to think about my past for whatever reason but I haven’t had such a bad reaction lately.
Shane tapped his chin. “So, I don’t even know your real name. Shall we guess what it is?”
Larina thought that was a fun idea. “Well, I hope it’s something elegant like Olivia or Elizabeth.”
“What if it’s Matilda or Esmeralda?” Shane laughed. Larina loved his teasing.
They laughed about possible names until they ran out of options. “I don’t know, but I am sure it’s a name that I will love.” The sun warmed them while a cool breeze kept them comfortable. She yawned and snuggled down close to him, happy to have the comfort and peace she needed. She relaxed completely for the first time since she’d woken up on that raft.
Shane held her close as she eventually drifted off to sleep in his arms.
* * *
Shane was about to fall asleep himself. He had been holding her for about an hour, feeling a great peace. This is the woman I want. He knew he could be setting himself up for a huge disappointment, but she was worth the risk. He would do everything he could to help her and hopefully make her a permanent part of his life.
As he had these thoughts, he looked over to his right, and his body tensed and stiffened. Coming out of the trees about ten feet away was a large jaguar. Shane wasn’t sure just how to handle this. He had no weapon to defend himself with if the predator decided to attack. He squeezed his arm tighter around Larina and whispered. “Larina, quiet. Look. Shhhhh.” He pulled her closer to him as she slowly woke up.
She opened her eyes and took a quick intake of breath. She sat up a little straighter, slowly looking up into Shane’s eyes and raising her eyebrows. He raised his in response. I have no idea what to do.
They stayed as quiet as they could, not moving. The jaguar turned toward them and stopped, standing perfectly still and sniffing. He was staring right at them for what seemed like an eternity. His fur glistened in the sun. The hairs on his back raised aggressively. This close, they could see the thick, tan base of fur with black and golden spots. They heard a slow rumble of a growl, not unlike a cat purring. Was this cat going to make friends?
Shane couldn’t help but snicker. Larina looked up at him, alarmed. This was not the time for jokes, apparently. He made a goofy face and smiled. It seemed playing possum was their best defense. Larina seemed to be in agreement.
After a long time, the jaguar walked over to the river and started drinking. He then walked along the bank away from them walking further up the river and behind them, only turning back once to check on their position. Shane whispered, “Apparently he isn’t hungry for American Prime.”
Larina punched his side. “We could have been killed, funny guy.” They both turned to look over their shoulder toward the jaguar just as he slipped quietly back into the woods.
Shane stood up and helped Larina to her feet. She took the ribbon out of her hair and retied it. “Now that‘s amazing. We were that close to a beautiful animal in the wild.”
“A little too close. He had to be 200 pounds. We are lucky to be standing here in one piece. That cat probably does damage to Jared’s livestock.”
He looked down at Larina, loving her more. He watched as she fixed her long, beautiful hair. He wanted to run his fingers through her silky long ponytail. Instead, he impulsively reached out to put his hand around her waist to pull her close. He caught himself just in time and lowered his hand.
“Thank you, Shane. I need a friend right now. It means a lot to me.” She reached up and kissed his cheek. She might be playing “just friends,” but I need to tell my heart so it stops pounding and I can catch my breath.
”Friends. You have that and more if you want.” He raised his eyebrows and chuckled. He couldn’t stop trying.
She laughed and grabbed his arm. “Let’s get back to our lunch. I’m starving.”
As they climbed back to flat ground, Shane pushed her sideways just a little. She recognized a challenge and started running. The race was on. He passed her, yelling, “Last one there fixes lunch.” She put on the speed and barely caught him as they reached the ATV.
“Looks like a tie to me.” Shane leaned back against their vehicle.
“No, you know I passed you.” She bent over to catch her breath.
“Okay, fine, but that means I choose who eats what.” He was giving his best peevish look.
“Now you’re acting more like a brother.” Larina laughed, but then became thoughtful. “I wonder if I have a brother. It seems I must, your current behavior feels familiar.”
“Oh yeah?” Shane grabbed her and swung her around, pinning her against the car. He leaned in. “Now if I were your brother, this is where I would tickle you until you begged for mercy.”
“Yes, this is sounding very familiar.” She ducked down and twisted away, running to the other side of the ATV.
Shane stood at the opposite side from her, gauging how far she would push this. “You really don’t want to mess with me.” He stood back, a challenge on his face.
She reached into the food basket on the seat next to her and threw a piece of frosted cake, hitting him in the head. Larina yelped and started running.
Shane took off after her. When he caught her, he just scooped her up and kept running right into the lake. It was deep, even this close to shore; they both went under.
Larina came up, and Shane swam close, making sure she was
okay. “I warned you,” he said. Larina was laughing and treading water.
“I guess I can swim.” She looked over and her eyes softened as she swam toward him and into his arms. His foot touched the bottom as he held her close. She reached up into his embrace and pressed her lips to his. He was surprised, but gladly returned her kiss.
Her lips were warm, soft, her wet clothes pressed against his. He deepened the kiss then paused and pulled back, not wanting to take things too far. His heart full of questions, he joked, “That was very friendly of you, Larina.” He reached down and kissed her forehead as he backed away.
She came closer into his arms and said, “Just one more.” As she reached up to his lips, he smiled and slowly bent down to kiss her, lingering with little kisses at the side of her lips. Then he covered her mouth again and slowly kissed her, fully savoring every moment. Shane felt her melt in his arms.
He carried her slowly out of the water and set her down gently when they reached the truck. “Let me just say, if this is your definition of friends, I am all in.” He took a towel out of the bag and handed it to her. He stood back, smiling speculatively at her.
She dried herself off as best she could. Her face was flushed as she tried to explain. “Well, I did get carried away there. If you hadn’t thrown me in the water, this probably wouldn’t have happened.”
Shane pulled his tablet out of the car and started writing.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I am taking notes.” He continued to write.
“About what?” She tried to take the tablet away, but he raised it high over her head.
“It says, swim often.” He burst out laughing.
She tried to punch him, but he grabbed her in his arms and swung her around. When he set her back down, he was serious. “I do not regret today. It will be a memory that I will cherish and relive over and over. But I will respect your wishes—I can return to being the obnoxious brother at any time.”
“It seems to be a talent.” She laughed and then got serious. “Thanks, Shane, I loved today, and I do like you a lot, even all your incarnations! Friend, brother, more… “ her face turned a charming pink. “Let’s eat—this looks delicious.”
“Just know that the cake you threw at me, well, that was your piece, not mine.”
Larina burst out laughing. “Not if I find yours first.” They both lunged to reach into the basket.
Chapter 7
T he next day, Shane had a meeting with Jared Cortez in his office. He signed a contract to purchase the black stallion. They made all the arrangements to have the horse air-shipped to his ranch in Texas.
Jared looked at him speculatively. “How did you like our countryside?”
Shane knew Jared was really asking about Larina, but his natural instinct was to protect her. “It was amazing. As we reached the valley, we were both breathless with its beauty. We met a 200-pound jaguar. Fortunately he wasn’t hungry.”
“Oh yes, old Diablo, he is not as much trouble now as he was years ago.” Jared put his paperwork in the desk and shook Shane’s hand. “We should be ready to ship him in two days. You are welcome to stay to see him off, but I assume you’ll want to be ready on the other side when he arrives.”
“Yes, I’ll spend today becoming familiar with the stallion.
“I see you have made many friends while here,” Jared said while walking out of the office in front of Shane. Shane wondered if his cowboys had been privy to his and Larina’s fun at the lake.
“The truth is, Jared, I am impressed with the caliber of people you surround yourself with here. They are talented and knowledgeable. It’s been a privilege to get to meet them. You have a beautiful ranch.”
Shane left Jared at the house and walked over to the stables to see his new prize stallion. Larina was in the stall with Caballo. “Good morning, Shane.” Her eyes brightened as he walked over.
“Good morning. You look fabulous.” Shane smiled but didn’t feel like it. He was leaving, and he hadn’t accomplished his goal of winning her over. How could he go back to the States and leave the love of his life down here in Argentina?
Larina came closer and looked into his eyes. “You are sad.”
He looked away from her, toward the stallion. “Well, on a happier note, I am the proud owner of a beautiful animal. They are air-shipping him in two days.”
“So, you will be leaving soon, then.” Larina’s eyes teared as she looked away.
“Look, if I give you my cell phone, will you at least keep in touch?” He knew he sounded desperate, but what else could he do? She didn’t have any means of communication. He couldn’t really have Jared running a phone out to her every time he wanted to talk, which would probably be daily.
“I don’t know how long I will be here, Shane. It’s not fair to either of us to pretend we have a future. I keep thinking what if I have someone back in my past, someone important.” Shane knew what was coming. She’d had a fun weekend, but that was all. “I really don’t want to take your phone; we have to say goodbye.” That was it. He had failed.
“I had to try, Larina, and I haven’t given up yet. Not until you remember.”
“What do you want to do today, then?”
“Swimming?” He gave her a knowing smile and waggled his eyebrows.
She pushed him away and laughed.
“Actually, could you give me some pointers on how to go about training this horse?” He asked, serious now. “And he needs a name.” He knew he was not only leaving the love of his life but also an expert with amazing talent for horses.
“Well, Shane, as I don’t even know my own name, I am probably not the best person to ask.” Larina walked over to a bale of hay and sat down.
Shane was afraid to ask, but he had to know. “Do you want to stay friends?” He walked over and sat down next to Larina.
She leaned into him. “What I want is not important under these circumstances.”
The rest of the morning, Larina and Shane were in the stall with the nameless stallion. She told him everything about the horse and its training. The more she talked, the more confident she seemed. He was sure she’d been an expert in the field.
They had dinner with the Juarez family.
“Marie, this is excellent, thank you.” Shane drank down the rest of the punch.
Marie blushed and said in halting English, “We are happy to see you.” Shane was delighted with her family. He felt so at home and relaxed. Marie and Larina seemed like sisters. This humble home was full of contentment and peace, something his parents needed more of.
“Andrew, I have purchased the black stallion. What do you think of him?”
Andrew seemed pleased to be consulted. “He is the best. But let me ask Papa.” He ran out back for a few moments before running back in. “He said that the black is the strongest of Mr. Cortez’s stock.” Andrew then excused himself to go out and help his father.
After dinner, Larina walked with him out to the front stable. They stepped into the shadows, and he took her into his arms. “I wish you would agree to my offer.”
“Which one, horse trainer or wife applicant?” She chuckled. He leaned back to look at her face.
“Well now, what I would really like is both.” He kicked the hay off his boot and took his hat off.
“Hmm, do you offer benefits?” She smiled coyly with a raised eyebrow.
Shane was excited as he considered where this conversation was going. “What did you have in mind?”
She leaned into him, putting her arms around his neck as he bent down to reach her lips. She clung to him tightly as he pulled her closer. Even though she was saying goodbye, he knew she couldn’t deny the attraction between them. He just hoped that when she did remember her past, she wouldn’t forget about him.
“Shane, I will miss you.” Larina leaned into his arms.
“I’m not ready to say goodbye yet.” Shane kissed the top of her head. “ The helicopter will be here in a few minutes.”
He turned and walked toward the Cortez home, not looking back. His luggage was packed and sitting in the foyer. One of the housemen carried it out to the truck. He could hear the thumping of the helicopter as they drove out into the pasture. Shane climbed in, and, as the helicopter rose up, he looked down at the lights of the ranch, reliving their last moments together. He frowned. That kiss definitively felt like a forever goodbye.
Chapter 8
Larina watched the helicopter until it was out of sight. She went back into the stables and started brushing Caballo. For a few wonderful days, she had wished for a future with Shane. She smiled as she pictured his goofy face while facing the jaguar. He gave her hope and security. But she was not free to have those feelings. How would she explain her feelings for Shane to that someone in her past?
“Caballo, don’t you even think about leaving me.” Larina patted his neck. She was still worried that Mr. Cortez would decide the horse was more trouble than he was worth and sell him to the next buyer.
Marie walked into the stables. “Venir querida.” She gave her a hug, and they walked home together. Now my future is as blank as my past.
After a week of horse training went by, Mr. Cortez asked to speak with Larina. “You have great talent with these majestic animals.”
“Thank you, I do feel drawn to them.” Larina hoped her work was an asset for her adopted family.
“I have another customer coming from the States. His name is Carson, and he’s a good friend. Would you be willing to show the horses he is interested in for me?” He smiled kindly.
“Did he tell you what type of horse he was looking for? Is he breeding for sports or racing?” Larina was all business now. will leave all that for you to find out when you meet him. He will be arriving this afternoon.” He turned and walked back toward his home.
Later that day, the ranch truck stopped to pick up Larina before they drove out to meet the helicopter. As Carson unfolded his tall, lanky frame and climbed out of the helicopter, Mr. Cortez stepped forward to embrace him. “Carson, you’ve stayed in our hearts all these years. Welcome to our hacienda.” He directed his men to take care of the luggage. “So good to see you.”
Her Billionaire to Remember (A Texas Ranch Romance Book 5) Page 5