Matt’s easy smile fell away as quick as the clouds scurrying over the horizon. They’d have to head back soon, or risk getting caught in some of Texas’ famed women weather—cold and miserable. Served him right for thinking she was any different from all the others. Her only concern was money and he needed to keep that in mind.

He swung Goliath around and pointed to the north. “Hidden Valley is just beyond that ridge. If we hurry I can show it to you before the storm breaks.”

Cassandra stared at him for a moment, then slowly nodded. Her disappointment made him itch beneath the skin. What did she expect? That ring was his guarantee she would stick around long enough to fulfill her part of the bargain. And, no, maybe he wasn’t playing fair, but when it came to his abuela there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to make her happy. She spent far too much time fretting about him instead of taking care of herself. He wished like hell there was more he could do, some gamble he could make that would give her a few more years on her beloved ranch, but failing that he would give her the only other thing he could—peace of mind.

He waited for Cassandra to start along the faint trail created by livestock and deer in their search for water during the long months of drought. She was no doubt stressed with the planning of her upcoming wedding—he swallowed the bad taste in his mouth.

“Tell me about your fiancé,” he called to her stiff back. “The real one. If he’s anything like me, he must be quite the catch.” He didn’t want to analyze his relief when she turned in the saddle and gave him one of those you’re-crazy smiles.

“His name is Jeff, he’s a dentist, and yes, he’s pretty special.” She reached down and patted Cleopatra’s neck.

Matt was happy to see her much more relaxed than when they had started.

“I’ve known him for two years. We met at a charity dinner my father had been invited to attend. He was sweet and attentive and we clicked.” She stopped and waited for Matt to catch up. “He’s not going to understand why I’m here. I should be in Vegas, with his family, preparing for the wedding.” She gave him a helpless glance. “How am I going to explain what my father has done, Matt?”

Without thinking, he reached out and grasped her hand. “If he’s the man you say he is, he’ll understand. I know this is hard for you, but after meeting my grandmother, can you see why I had to do it?” Her opinion mattered to him. She was caught in the middle of an impossible situation and yet she’d stepped up without a quibble to clear her dad’s debt and help Matt with his family.

There was a lot to like about this woman.

She frowned and tugged her hand free. “I don’t feel good lying to your grandmother. She’s a sweet old lady and deserves better from you than this charade of an engagement. How is she going to feel if she finds out the truth?”

Matt scowled. “She’s not going to hear it from me. Her dearest wish is to see me happily married with a passel of kids for her to spoil. Failing that, I plan on making damn sure she thinks I’m in love,” he spat the word out, “and about to marry the woman of my dreams. Lucky me, that turned out to be you.”

She was the most aggravating woman on the planet.

Cass placed fisted hands on rounded hips, and her shirt pulled taut over the undeniably perfect mounds of her breasts. He could tell by the apple-red blush staining her cheeks and the sparks shooting out of her incredible ocean green eyes, if she was on the ground she’d have stamped her foot.

Passion flared, chasing away the anger as though it had never been. Ignoring her outraged gasp, he leaned over and yanked her out of the saddle and into his arms. Goliath shied at the sudden burden, taking a couple of quick sidesteps that brought them up hard against Cleo. In defense, she turned and bit Goliath’s neck. He reared, throwing the humans on his back to the ground, screaming his anger. Matt rolled, using his body to protect Cassandra. He took a hard hit to the shoulder and then the horses were gone, reins trailing the dirt, racing across the meadow as their ancestors had centuries earlier.

Matt dropped his head and cursed. He was an idiot. They were stranded. And if that wasn’t good enough, a few drops of rain landed on his back, reminding him of the storm brewing to the east.

Cass groaned and Matt hurried to roll to the side, relieving her of his weight.

“Are you okay?” he asked, reaching out to brush a smear of dust from under her shocked eyes.

“What happened?”

Maybe she hit her head.

“We were thrown off…”

“Not that,” she growled, rather adorably. “Before your big, dumb horse knocked us to the ground. Why did you grab me?”

Matt tried not to take offense at her words about his prized stallion. And he sure wasn’t about to admit he’d been physically attracted to her in a moment of insanity.

“Snake,” he said the first thought that came to mind. “I saw a snake.”

She screeched worse than his horse had and practically climbed into his armpit.

Of. The. Injured. Shoulder.

Matt hissed, blue and white lights strobing in his vision, his nose filled with vanilla-scented silky hair, and his arms bursting with warm, willing woman. He nuzzled her ear and she went completely still.

“What are you doing, Matthew Shaughnessy?”

He laughed, and then groaned at the resulting pain. “If I have to tell you darlin’, I’m not doing it right.”

She peered up at him, her expressive eyes exasperated. “We’re a little bit old for necking in the grass, Matt.” Her gaze grew wide. “How are we going to get home?”

He couldn’t resist teasing her. “I guess we’ll just have to live on love.”

She frowned, not amused. “Seriously, we can’t just stay here forever. Will your sister know where to look for us?”

“I told her where we were going.” He smiled and kissed her furrowed brow. “Don’t worry, sweetheart, we’ll be home by nightfall.”

He let her go, watching as she rose and wiped her pants down, keeping an eye out for the mythical snake.

He’d told the truth; they would be found. The search would start as soon as Goliath and Cleopatra trotted into the homestead looking for their evening feed. Until then—he grimaced as he clambered to his feet, cradling the bad arm—they needed to find shelter from the rain.