A breathy snort in the next row of trees told her a real beast was very close. She stopped walking and stood still, terror streaking along her nerves.

It couldn’t really be a ghost. The foreman come to investigate a report of trespassing?

The hoofbeats moved farther away, and she pressed her hand to her pounding heart. Almost at the road. The roar of a tanker passing at high speed didn’t sound any less appealing than the mysterious horseman, but at least it was familiar.

Suddenly a huge black horse crashed through the trees right in front of her. At the sight of her it whinnied and reared high in the air, hooves flailing. She shrieked and the rider turned the horse hard in a circle and brought it to a panting halt.

Naldo.

He jumped down, holding the reins.

Her blood pounded in her brain as she stood there wordless, rooted in the sandy soil. Naldo’s face wore a stony expression. His hair wet with perspiration and tossed by the wind, his white dress shirt flung open at the collar, he looked wild-and dangerous.

“Where are you going?” His deep voice thundered with accusation.

She straightened her shoulders. “I’m leaving. You won’t see me again.” She swallowed. “I apologize for all the harm I caused. It wasn’t intended.”

Naldo stared at her for one intense second then blew out an exasperated blast of air. “You think you can just leave?”

She blinked rapidly. “I deeded you the land. I know the land is all that’s left now. I’m sorry.” Her legs felt weak. How could she think that one lousy acre of land would make up for the loss of the gems, the cottage, the orchards…

“The land?” His mouth curved into a snarl of disgust. “You really are crazy.”

The horse jerked at the reins and Naldo soothed it with a word, then turned back to her, eyes blazing. “You think it’s all just about the money?”

The force of his stare made her shiver. “I know you must think I’ve behaved badly.”

“Yes.” He nodded. A strange spark appeared in his eyes. “You’re damn right. For someone so smart, you act very dumb sometimes.”

Anger tightened her muscles as her heart started to break right in two. Naldo hated her. “Don’t insult me. I know I owe you. I’ll pay you back. I made a mistake. Anyone can make a mistake.”

“A mistake? Only one? Let’s see…refusing to maintain your van, refusing to mow the grass, insisting on keeping the gems, refusing to take the very large amount of money I offered you, accusing my sister of arson-”

“Are you going to sue me?” She held her chin high, proud of the way she kept her voice steady.

“I probably should.” He petted the neck of his restless horse again. His eyes glinted with a strange look she’d never seen before. “But I wouldn’t dare.” He let out a chuckle. “You’re far too dangerous as an opponent. Lord knows, next time I go up against you I might lose my shirt.”

He looked like he was in danger of losing his shirt anyway, with the buttons undone in front to reveal a broad strip of tan muscle. A stray rush of heat made her cringe.

“You love this place, don’t you?” Naldo’s question, spoken softly, took her by surprise.

“Yes,” she whispered, without thinking.

“That’s why you couldn’t leave. Why you wouldn’t take the money.” His eyes narrowed as his head tilted very slightly.

Tears rose in her throat, and she gulped them away. She nodded, afraid to speak and have her words come out pathetically teary.

“You truly are crazy, Anna.” He shook his head. His majestic brow furrowed. “I offered you four million dollars. Do you have any idea what most people would do for four million dollars?”

She shook her head, still afraid to speak.

“And you wouldn’t take it. It just wasn’t quite enough for you.” He looked at her steadily, black eyes boring into her.

“I know you think I’m greedy,” she protested, as the silence threatened to steal her last breath.

“I know you’re greedy,” he responded. He took a step forward. “So am I. We’re alike, you and I.” He stared at her with force. “We both want it all and can’t settle for anything less. It’s not in us.”

Her heart thumped painfully as he took another step toward her and dropped his horse’s reins. The intense look in his eyes stole her breath. Did he mean to destroy her? To exact revenge in the way that only a man with the wealth, power and influence of a De Leon could?

He could make sure she never worked again. That she never had a penny to eat with. That anything she might achieve could be seized in reparation for the terrible mistake of crossing Naldo De Leon.

The fire in her flickered back to life. “I know you must hate me. And why not? I’m hard and tough and unfeminine. I’m ambitious and aggressive and competitive and all those things that women aren’t supposed to be.” She lifted her chin. “I’m a bitch. There I’ve said it. It’s nothing I didn’t already hear a hundred times from my ex-husband.” She paused and sucked in a shaky breath. “You can hate me all you want, and trust me, you won’t hate me as much as I hate myself right now, but don’t poison your life or mine by seeking revenge on me.”

She searched his face for his reaction. His brows had lowered and his eyes narrowed to dark slits. A storm cloud of angry emotion covered his features.

“Damn it, Anna-” His eyes flashed.

She had no idea what he was about to say next, because he grabbed her around the waist and arrested her lips with a brutal kiss.

Heat surged through her, roaring along her limbs, firing her heart and lungs. As Naldo’s tongue pushed into her mouth, she pressed herself against him, desperate to hold tight to his hard body. Thoughts deserted her in a wash of stinging relief at being in Naldo’s arms again.

Nothing mattered but being here, right now, in Naldo’s angry, hungry embrace. His long fingers shoved into her hair, gripping her skull, pressing her face to his with feverish intensity.

She heard his groan, low and coarse, and felt the strength of his feeling in the way he held her like he couldn’t ever let go. She clung to him even tighter.

“I love you, Naldo.”

She didn’t care if he knew. If he’d mock her for it. All the mistakes she’d made stemmed from that simple fact.

“I know.” He pulled back a few inches, holding her face in his hands, his eyes and lips inches from hers. His hot breath tickled her skin. “I love you too, Anna.”

Her heart tightened into a fist as feelings too powerful to name or comprehend surged through her.

Naldo pushed a strand of hair roughly but tenderly off her face. Passion burned in his eyes. “I love the way you fight for what you want, that you can’t settle for less.”

He lowered his lips to hers and kissed them. His touch was gentle, but the force of his emotion stung her. He pulled back again, his breath and hers coming in unsteady gasps.

His broad thumb caressed her cheek. “I know you love the estate. I’ve seen it in your eyes, and in the way you couldn’t sell out and give up your home here, even for more money than most people ever dream of.” His black eyes shone. “Stay here with me, Anna.”

Every nerve in her screamed the word yes, but it didn’t emerge from her mouth. Her brain was more cautious. “I don’t want to be your girlfriend, Naldo. Here at your discretion, until you tire of me.”

“Of course you don’t. That’s why I love you. All-or-nothing Anna.” Humor flashed in his eyes, then faded. “When they told me you’d gone-” He shook his head and blew out a breath. “I need you, Anna. I need you here, with me.”

Still holding her hand he lowered himself heavily down onto one black-suit-pant-covered knee in the sandy soil.

Anna’s pulse pounded at her temple as her hopes soared far beyond any safe level.

He took her hand, which was shaking like an orange blossom. “Anna.” His face was solemn. “I love you and I promise to care for you and cherish you always if you will do me the honor of becoming my wife.”

His words swam in her brain and she wasn’t sure she’d understood them right. He held her gaze with frightening intensity. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes.” The word flew from her mouth, and in an instant Naldo was on his feet, enveloping her in his strong embrace.

Tears streamed down her cheeks and she wasn’t even embarrassed.

Naldo’s big hands roamed over her back, chafing her skin through her T-shirt, sending shivers of happiness through her. “You belong here, just like I do.”

His strong arms wrapped around her and held her tight. She pressed her cheek to the hard muscle of his chest, tears wetting his shirt and skin. “I do. This is the only place I’ve ever felt at home, and you’re the only man I’ve ever truly loved.” Her voice emerged as a whisper.

Naldo threaded his fingers into her hair. “Sometimes you have to lose something to know how much you need it.” His voice resonated with emotion. “I don’t ever want to lose you again, Anna.”

She shuddered at the realization of how close she’d come to losing Naldo along with everything else. “I’m so sorry about the trees and the jewels and the cottage. If only I’d…”

“Shh.” Naldo put his finger on her lips. “They’re just things.” He kissed her wet lashes and drew in a ragged breath. “They have no value compared to a lifetime together.” He buried his face in her neck, his breath hot on her skin, and she hugged him with all her might. Her heart swelled painfully and she wondered if it could just burst from too much joy.

“I’m glad to be home.” She breathed the words into his warm, fragrant skin. Birds chirped in the trees and the horse nickered peacefully nearby as Naldo held her steady in his powerful embrace.

The warm sun and gentle breeze kissed their skin, and Anna could almost feel herself sending down roots into the rich, fertile soil, drawing strength to grow a vigorous new branch on the four-hundred-year-old family tree planted here.