Arden began to smile. ‘You mean, the whole town’s turned out for a birthday party for a little girl?’
‘Any excuse is a good one in my country. My people love to eat, to dance, to fight the bulls—’
‘Here? Today?’ She shook her head emphatically. ‘I don’t want to see that, Conor. I know it’s very Spanish, I know that lots of people think it’s noble and beautiful and poetic, but—’ He began to laugh, and she glared at him. ‘If you tell me one more time that I’m behaving like a gringa,’ she said, ‘I’ll—’
‘I’m laughing at your description of a Costa Rican bullfight,’ he said, hugging her closer to him. ‘Noble? Beautiful? Poetic? No. I don’t think so, querida.’
‘Whatever you call it, I’ll hate it!’
‘What’s that North American expression? Something about putting your money where your mouth is?’
“There’s no point in betting that I’ll change my mind,’ Arden said positively. ‘I promise you, I won’t.’
‘In that case, what have you to lose? Let me take you to the fight. You can watch for five minutes and then we’ll decide who wins the wager.’
‘I’ll watch for one minute. That’s all it will take you to lose.’
‘Agreed.’ Conor stopped walking and swung her towards him. ‘Now, what shall we wager?’ He grinned. ‘It should be something meaningful, don’t you agree, querida?’
She could feel her breath catch. El Corazon, she thought, he was going to ask her to wager El Corazon...
‘Something of great importance to the both of us.’ He took her face in his hands and tilted it to his. ‘What I suggest,’ he whispered inches from her mouth, ‘is one night in my bed.’
Arden’s eyes rounded. ‘What?’
‘If you lose the wager, you must spend the night with me. The entire night, from just after dinner until it’s time for breakfast.’
She stared at him. ‘But—but then, everyone would—’
‘Everyone would know that you belong to me. Yes. That’s right.’ Conor smiled. ‘But you’ve already assured me, there’s no risk of you losing our wager.’
She stared at him. ‘And what do I get, if I win?’
He smiled. ‘Anything your heart wishes, querida,’ he said, and before she could answer, he tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and walked her into the heart of the fiesta.
The mayor’s daughter was a pretty little girl with a tumble of dark curls and a shy smile. She greeted Conor solemnly, but once she’d opened the small, gift-wrapped box he took from his pocket, she shrieked with delight, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him.
‘A teddy bear pin,’ Arden said with a little smile as she and Conor melted into the crowd. ‘How did you know that would be the perfect gift for her?’
He shrugged. ‘She’s adored teddy bears ever since she read Winnie-the-Pooh.’
‘Ah.’ Arden linked her arm through his.
Conor’s brows lifted. ‘And what does that “ah” mean, señorita?’
‘It means,’ she said archly, ‘that you’re not quite the stubborn, macho fool I thought you were.’
‘My God,’ he said, ‘the woman gave me a compliment.’ He stopped dead and tapped a man brushing past them on the shoulder. ‘Amigo,’ he said, ‘mi amor just gave me a compliment! Can you believe it?’
The stranger laughed as Arden ducked her head against Conor’s shoulder.
‘You’re awful,’ she whispered, but the two simple, wonderful words kept repeating inside her head. My love, he’d said, my love...
‘What will it be?’ She glanced up. They were standing at a charcoal brazier topped with at least half a dozen kinds of foods she’d never seen before, all of which were sending out aromas that made her mouth water. ‘Do we begin with emnpanadas? Or with gallos?’ Conor clucked his tongue. ‘Or those puposas. They look terrific. What do you think?’
Arden smiled. ‘I think I’ve spent too much time eating safe gringo foods since I’ve been in Costa Rica. You decide and surprise me.’
Conor smiled back at her. ‘With pleasure, querida.’