The door no sooner had closed than Sophia swung to confront Cassandra. “Did you guys plan to stay in the cabin? That’s just so romantic.”

Cass gasped. “No, of course not. We barely…” She caught herself just before she spilled the beans and smiled nervously. “No. We would’ve said something if we planned a getaway. And besides,” she fingered the chambray shirt tail, “I would’ve packed some clothes.” Though she had to admit, she was rather fond of Matt’s shirt. Maybe he’d let her keep it when she left—as a memento.

Sophia danced a few steps away, her arms wrapped around her body in a hug. “I wish I’d thought of something like this. Maybe then that darn man would notice me.”

Cass followed her gaze to the unmade bed and hurried to straighten the covers before the men came in, her cheeks flaming. The cool air on the back of her thighs reminded her she had no pants either. No wonder Matt’s sister had gotten the wrong idea. Plumping the last pillow, she glanced over her shoulder, saw that Sophia was staring out the window, and quickly hopped into her jeans, inhaling sharply at the clamminess along the seams. Her shirt had fared better, but was splotched with mud so she tied the ends of Matt’s shirt into a knot, straightened the collar, and called it good.

Sophia’s words bothered her. It might not be her place to say anything, but she’d grown to like the younger woman. She didn’t want to see her do something she’d later regret.

“Sophia…” Cass hesitated, unsure what to say.

She whirled around, a human dynamo. “Did you see the way he held me when we rode into the yard? He cares. I just know he does, the dratted man.”

She stomped across to the coffee pot and splashed the steaming brew into a tin cup. “Want some?” She continued talking and pouring without waiting for an answer. “I’ve done everything short of baring my soul and he still doesn’t get it.”

She brought the cup over and handed it to Cassandra. “He thinks I’m too young to know my own mind, but that’s not true. I love him and I’m almost sure he loves me back. Age has nothing to do with it, why can’t he see that?”

She looked so heartbroken. Cass wanted to go out there and knock some sense into Tony, instead she set the cup down and wrapped the girl in a hug. “Have faith, honey. He’ll come around.”

Sophia chuckled and stepped back as the men came through the doorway. “Yeah, but will it be while I can still have his babies?”

Cass stood rooted to the spot as Matt entered, gazing at her quizzically, and Tony followed behind, hat in hand.

Babies.

Golden-haired, brown-eyed little replicas of the man she’d fallen in love with. The man looking at her as though she’d just lost her mind. The man she had lost her heart to—Matthew Shaughnessy.

“Everything okay?” he asked, moving closer to take the cup from her limp fingers. He tipped her chin to see her expression better and frowned. “What’s going on?”

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them smiling. “Nothing’s wrong. We were just deciding whether to make you guys walk home, or if we were going to double up and let you catch a ride.”

She stepped back and his hand fell away. “I voted on letting you take a hike,” she teased, anxious to deflect his attention. She wanted to decide what she was going to do, but that wasn’t happening any time soon. First, they needed to figure out a way home with only one horse. Then, she might find this was nothing more than a fantasy and they could all get on with their lives.

“Oh, you did, did you?” Matt feinted and grabbed her around the waist, dragging her to him amid screams of laughter. “I should kiss you for that,” he mock-growled, his eyes glowing his amusement.

“Hey, you two. Break it up,” Sophia called. “Save it for the bedroom.”

Matt’s gaze heated and Cass waited breathlessly, her pulse throwing a riot in her chest.

“You tempt me, Princess. You really do.” He skimmed her mouth in a feather-light kiss that promised even as it failed to deliver, and then let her go so he could turn away and tease his sister.

Cass stared at his broad back, her equilibrium gone. She touched a finger to her lips, still throbbing from their brush with fire. If he ever focused all his attention on winning her over, she’d surely go up in flames. The man was lethal.

“You look like I feel.” Tony smiled sympathetically. He nodded toward brother and sister arguing over the last of the coffee near the stove. “Those Shaughnessys pack a punch.”

Yes, they most certainly did. It was like the time her father had taken them to the fair and they’d ridden the Ferris wheel. It had exhilarated, thrilled, and scared her to death. And she’d bugged him repeatedly to take her back. She was addicted.

Like now.

She considered Tony watching Sophia with a hopeless look. “You love her, don’t you?”

He turned startled blue eyes on her. “How did you…?” He sighed. “That obvious, huh?” Matt glanced their way and Tony nodded, his mouth grim. “It doesn’t matter how I feel. She’s too young to know what she wants. Besides,” he laughed, but it was hollow, “she’s going off to see the world, Matt’s orders.”

Cass’s heart broke for the tall cowboy who’d fallen for the boss’s sister. It wasn’t easy wanting someone you couldn’t have. They should start a club; Shaughnessy Suitors Anonymous.

“You guys ready?” Matt asked, his face mysterious in the half-light.

Cassandra nodded. Time to get back to the real world.

She followed Sophia out the door, careful to avoid touching Matt who was holding the door open. “Are we all going to walk then?”

She didn’t mind a stroll, but a five-mile trek wasn’t her idea of a good time. At least the rain was gone, that was a blessing. It had left the earth greener, with dormant flowers springing to life across the floor of the valley even as she watched. It truly was breathtaking here. She would miss it when she returned to Canada. And she wasn’t going to think about that right now either. Jeff wanted her to remain in the U.S., but her dad needed her home. He wasn’t getting any younger. It had been the two of them for so long, she couldn’t imagine leaving him all alone.

“Now that the storm has passed I was able to get through to the rest of the search party. They’re waiting for us on the other side of the crevice.” Matt smiled at her. “What do you say, Princess? Time to go back to the real world?”

Cass started, his words almost exactly what she’d been thinking. Guess it had been a dream for both of them.

Heart heavy, she nodded and with a last glance at the old cabin, followed Sophia onto the trail.

* * *

By the time they arrived back to the ranch it was late afternoon. Cassandra’s thighs were killing her, but at least she’d overcome her fear of horses on this trip. Something to be happy about. The group had grown more moody and quiet the closer they came to civilization. Cass remembered going to a distant aunt’s funeral one time and experiencing the same sort of pall. As though everyone was waiting for the other shoe to fall.

It was discovered the master had been found and the courtyard came alive. Children ran alongside the horses, laughing and chattering in a blend of English and Spanish. Men stopped what they were doing to wave them home, and the women smiled shyly from the doorways of their cottages, some with gurgling babies perched on their hips.

Consuela hurried from the hacienda, long skirts swaying and hands clutched in a prayer of thanks. “You’re back,” she cried, her eyes suspiciously bright. “Your grandmother, she worried about you, but I knew better. You’re too stubborn to let a little bad weather hurt you. I told her you’d be all right.”

Matt swung down from the saddle and swept her into a hug. “Only the good die young, Tía, I’ll be around forever.” He laughed.

She giggled and slapped his arm. “Put me down before you hurt yourself. Your grandmother is anxious to see you.” She sent a warning look to Cassandra. “And she has company.”

Puzzled, Cassandra turned toward the hacienda. Her heart catapulted into her throat. Her tall, less-than-amused fiancé was wheeling Matt’s grandmother across the flagstones.

Jeff.