She stared at him, horrified. What was she saying? What was she doing? She was making a fool of herself in front of this—this arrogant, deceitful, lying, cheating——
And, all at once, she knew why he had come.
‘You know about El Corazon,’ she said slowly, her eyes on his.
‘That you’re giving it away? Yes.’
“You’re unbelievable!’ Arden wrenched her hand free of his. ’Did you really think you could come here and—and sweet-talk me into changing my mind and giving you the finca instead?’
‘I came here to ask you a question, Arden.’ Conor leaned back against her desk, his arms folded over his chest. ‘Why did you decide to give away the ranch you so desperately wanted?’
‘Me?’ Arden laughed bitterly. ‘I never wanted El Corazon. You were the one who—’ She broke off in confusion, realising she’d said too much. ‘It’s none of your business,’ she said, starting past him, but Conor caught hold of her wrist and stopped her.
‘The day you ran away——’
‘I never ran away!’
‘You ran off, like a frightened child, querida.’ His mouth twisted. ‘And I reacted like a stubborn one and let you go.’
‘listen, Conor, this analysis is fascinating, but——’
‘That day, when you left me, you said you’d never wanted me, that it had been the ranch you’d wanted all along.’
‘I never said...’ He began to smile and she flushed. ‘You’re twisting everything that went on that day, dammit!’
‘Ah, mi amor.’ He bent his head and brushed his mouth lightly over hers. Arden jerked her head away, but not before her heart had given an agonizing leap. ‘We must do something about that wicked tongue of yours,’ he whispered softly, cupping her chin in his hand so that she had no choice but to meet his emerald gaze.
‘Conor, this won’t work. You’re trying to—to confuse me, to make me agree to give you the ranch, but——’
‘That was part of our trouble, sweetheart.’ He smiled and slipped his arms around her. ‘I was so positive I knew what you were up to, and you were absolutely certain you understood my every move.’
She stiffened in his embrace. ‘I heard everything you and Linda said to each other that day. So if you’re going to try and pretend I misunderstood—’
‘Yes.’ His smile vanished. ‘It took months before I let my head do my thinking instead of my heart. When I did, I began to think you must have been in the hallway, listening to Linda.’
‘And to you,’ she said coldly.
He nodded. ‘And to me—and misinterpreting every word.’
‘Listen, Conor, you’re wasting your time. I told you, I know what you want. You’re hoping you can convince me that—that you care for me, so that you can make me sign the ranch over to you, but——’
‘Why on earth would I do that,’ he asked, gently drawing her unyielding body closer to him, ‘when you’ve already done all the work for me?’
Arden stared at him blankly. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘I’m talking about all the red tape involved in giving the finca to Friends of the Forest, sweetheart.’ Conor linked his hands behind her back and grinned
. ‘Of course, I’d make my lawyers happy, duplicating all those documents, but——’
‘Duplicating what documents?’
‘Arden, mi amor, you’ve stolen my idea.’ He smiled, bent to her, and kissed her. ‘And I love you for it.’
‘Have you gone crazy, Conor? I don’t understand anything you’re saying!’
‘It’s very simple, querida. Do you remember the day of the fiesta? I made you sleep with me the entire night.’
‘You made a bet you knew I’d lose,’ she said, her cheeks flaming.