“From a bull.”
“A bull?”
“It was an angry bull.”
He blinked, stunned by her confession. “My stars. I…I’m sorry.”
She snorted. The way his face became so suddenly animated made her heart twist in strange knots.
“I am only teasing, Lalo. Rafa is fine. He did get stuck by a bull horn, but he’ll recover.”
Lalo let loose a breath. “So we aren’t engaged then?”
“Not yet. We will be, though. My papá cannot deny you now.”
“You said he’s…I lost the duel.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“I was there, señorita. I was shot.”
She smirked. “But no one else knows that. You were seen as the last man to leave the field. Rafa ran away, granted it was for a good reason, but you stood your ground. You are the victor. And I am your prize.”
They stared at each other for a moment. A current thrummed through her core. She had to force her eyes to stay put. To not flick down to his chest and abdomen. She may have seen otherboys in el pueblo with their shirts off before, but none made her cheeks feel flushed.
She cleared her throat. “I will help you search for answers, and in exchange you will be my doting fiancé. Just until I can find a way to convince my parents I am more than capable of taking care of myself.”
He had the nerve to appear perplexed. “Proper women cannot live without a husband.”
“Who said I cared a lick about being proper? I am here, aren’t I? Practically in the arms of my sworn enemy.”
“What about your father?” he asked. “He’ll never approve of our betrothal. I’m quite certain he hates me.”
“You can leave that to me, my love.” She reached up and tapped him on the nose.
La familia Fuentes is the pillar of Del Oro, Abundancia. You will not pass a shop or home in el pueblo that a Fuentes hasn’t had a hand in helping.
History of Del Oro, California.(1803) [Excerpt]
CHAPTER 15
Lalo
Lalo jolted at her touch.His body fizzled with energy. He was alone in a room with someone who would happily stake him, and yet he could only focus on the way her touch made him feel…and her mouth.
Even when she was scowling, which was often, the corners of her lips turned up as if they were in on a joke that she wasn’t aware of.
“Why are you staring at me like that?” she snapped.
“Like what?”
She simpered. “You are gazing at me as if you wish to kiss.”
He choked on his own saliva. “Of all the ridiculous notions. You are the one who keeps touching me! If I didn’t know better, I’d thinkyouwished to kiss. In fact, I should run out of this room just as I am and scream to the world that you are trying to seduce me.”
“You wouldn’t dare. A scandal like that would ruin your sister’s reputation as well.”
“You are despicable,” he said.
