Diego shrugged. His lips pressed down attractively. “If we don’t get out of here soon, the jet will have landed.”
“Do you care?”
He considered this for all of two seconds. “No. But as I’m supposed to be landing this thing…”
Laughing together after everything they’d been through was the best therapy. It brought them close enough to see the promise of tomorrow in each other’s eyes.
~~o0o~~
They dried themselves, dressed, and Diego was back in the cockpit in time to land the jet smoothly. She was keen to get back to the tech department to find out what the mission had achieved, and they agreed to meet up again at the stables. It felt like the most natural thing in the world to link fingers when they disembarked.
“You told me you know how to ride. Would you like to now?”
Shading her eyes against the sun, she stared up at Diego. “Yes, I would.”
“They told me you’re good with horses,” he explained, “but I haven’t seen you in the saddle yet.”
“Haven’t you?” She raised a brow.
He grinned and shook his head. “Not riding the way I mean. We could go out later. With you on a pony this time,” he suggested deadpan. “That’s if you’re not too tired?”
“You’ve restored me,” she teased, keeping the humor alive. “Just don’t give me a mule to ride,” she warned as Diego gave her a lingering kiss before they parted. “I’m confident on a horse. You don’t see me riding only because my tech skills are more use to the team.”
“I’ve got a bay gelding my stallion will tolerate.”
“How about the bay tolerating your stallion?” she countered.
Diego laughed. “I hope you’re not drawing comparisons between you and me and the horses?”
Angling her chin, she gave him a look. “And what if I am?”
He smiled slowly. “I’d have to teach you the error of your ways.”
“Please,” she said, and with a toss of her hair, she left him to climb into the back of the staff SUV.
“Move over, small fry—”
She turned around with surprise to see Diego. He’d ignored the chauffeur-driven limo that had arrived to take him back and had swung in beside her instead.
“We’ll drive back together,” he said with a shrug. “Okay with you?”
She stared into his eyes and saw warmth and heat and humor, and…love? “Okay with me,” she confirmed, feeling happier than she could ever remember.
~~o0o~~
His stallion was snorting and prancing, impatient for his exercise, when Celina arrived in the sun-bleached stable yard ready for her ride. “You should let Rose train him,” she commented, referring to the Irish horse whisperer and constant companion of his Argentinian Romani colleague, Dante. Everyone agreed that Rose could turn the devil’s mount into an obedient pony.
“Mount up. We’ll take our chances.” He was teasing her. He would take no chances with Celina’s safety. The horse he’d chosen for her was a stable companion for his, and though his stallion was notoriously temperamental, the bay was calm, and the two animals were lost without each other.
“Nice horse,” she approved, stroking her mount’s firm, silky neck.
Once again, she impressed him. Springing lightly into the saddle, she adjusted her stirrups without anyone’s help. “Shall I lead the way, or will you?” she asked.
He dipped his head. “Is thata serious question?”
Being confident on a horse proved to be a masterly understatement. Celina could ride like a demon. “Is there anything you can’t do?” he shouted to her as they galloped across the scrubland.
“Keep up with you?” she shouted back.
