‘I didn’t know what she was referring to at the time, but now I’m guessing that it was placing her daughter for adoption. She appeared to live an incredible life, and I believe she did, but it wasn’t because her life was perfect. She wanted me to know that she understood my pain.’
‘Your friend, did he die playing polo?’
Benjamin took such a deep breath that his shoulders lifted. ‘He was training one of his horses and they both fell. His horse crushed him in a totally freak accident.’
‘I’m sorry.’
His smile was tight, but she could see the softness in his eyes that told her how much he cared, how much it still hurt. Which was why it was on the tip of her tongue to tell him about her mother.
‘One day you’ll tell me about what you’ve been through?’ he asked. ‘When you’re ready?’
Rose stared at him, almost ready but then suddenly not. She didn’t want to talk about what she’d lost, not today. Not with him. ‘I will.’
‘So, what did you think of the polo?’
He turned away from her and lifted his shirt over his head, leaving her to stare at his golden, muscled back. Rose was suddenly very much in need of her bottle of water. He changed into an identical shirt before turning back to her.
‘It was impressive,’ she said. ‘You were impressive.’
He raised a brow. ‘You figured out the rules.’
‘I did.’
They stood for a moment, him seeming to consider her as they stared at each other, and when he held out his hand for her now-empty water bottle, she found herself placing her palm against his instead of the bottle.
Benjamin’s lips curved at one corner. ‘You’ve had too much to drink,’ he murmured.
‘I have,’ she whispered back. ‘Which I’ll have you know is very rare for me.’
‘If you hadn’t,’ he said, taking a step closer to her, ‘I might kiss you.’
Rose waited, catching her bottom lip beneath her teeth as she stared up at him, waiting,hoping, for him to kiss her. But instead of pressing his lips to hers, he leaned in close and whispered against her ear, his breath soft and warm against her skin.
‘You know, I’m still hoping to change your mind about Argentina.’
Rose swallowed. ‘What are you hoping to make me think?’
A smile teased across his mouth. ‘That there’s nowhere more in the world you belong.’
14
THE SANTIAGO FAMILY ESTATE, ARGENTINA, 1939
Valentina lay beneath the ceibo tree, gazing up at the green leaves as she nestled closer to Felipe, the sunlight barely able to filter through the thick canopy above. Their horses were tethered nearby, happy to rest in the morning sun while their young riders stretched out on the grass at the farthest corner of the sprawling farm. From the very first morning that she’d learnt to ride with him, it had become a daily occurrence, so long as the weather was fine, and it had become the one thing that Valentina looked forward to the most.
‘I wish we didn’t have to go back,’ Valentina murmured, turning on her side and staring at Felipe. She propped herself up on one elbow, her long dark hair sliding over her shoulder and brushing his face. ‘I wish we could stay here all day.’
He lifted his hand and skimmed his fingers across the bare skin of her arm, trailing from her shoulder all the way down to her wrist. Felipe didn’t say anything straightaway, instead leaning towards her and catching her lips against his, kissing her so softly she felt she might melt into his arms when they went around her.
‘If your father caught us?—’
Valentina reached down and stroked his hair from his cocoa-brown eyes. ‘Then why don’t we just tell him? Wouldn’t it be better for him to know? I don’t want to keep what we have a secret anymore.’
Felipe’s eyes widened. ‘Tell him?’
She stole another kiss as one of the horses nickered, starting to become restless after so long waiting to be ridden back. They’d been out for longer than they should have, which meant they’d probably have to gallop home now so she didn’t get into trouble, but sometimes she dreamed about not returning in secrecy, of telling her family about Felipe and the love she felt for him. After all these years of loving him, she was ready.
‘Yes, I think we should tell him. I think you should ask for his permission,’ she whispered against his cheek. ‘How long are we supposed to wait?’
