Santa Fe Fortune & How to Marry a Matador

gotten hold of a giant balloon that was lifting her into space. “I’m glad that you think that, Dan. I find you pretty fascinating too.” With that, Gwen centered the fingers of her right hand on the gold wedding band and gave it a tug. It rose to her knuckle and stopped. She tilted her head at Dan. “Want to help me with this? I think it’s stuck.”
    Dan shot her a grin that sent wild butterflies fluttering.
    “That, Ms. Marsh, would be my pleasure.”
    Nesting her fingers in his, Dan helped her with a small jerk that sent the ring sliding.
    Gwen shook her head sadly at the outdated piece of jewelry in her palm, then closed it in her grip. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do this,” she said with a grin. And then, with a fierce, long lob, she sent it arching into the Rio Grande River.
    “Hey, people!” Gwen shouted merrily at the kayakers, who probably couldn’t hear her anyway. “I’m free! I’m totally free!”
    They smiled and waved back at what they may have presumed to be a nutty woman, but Gwen didn’t care. Suddenly, she felt Dan’s arms around her as he pulled her close, snuggling her back against his chest. “I’m glad that you’re free,” he whispered, his breath tickling her ear. “I’d hate to think of myself as falling for a married woman.”
    He spun her to face him then, and Gwen knew she was in heaven, caught between the river and his stunning blue eyes. “I’ve waited a long time to do this,” he said, his voice husky with desire.
    Gwen was glad he’d steadied his arms around her, supporting the small of her back, because in this very instant she felt her knees giving way. Dan drew her closer, their mouths just a whisper apart. “God, you’re a beautiful woman,” he said, bringing his lips to hers.
    At first, his kiss touched on her lightly, but then it deepened into a sweeping intensity that sent electricity rocketing through her. Her face was on fire, and her belly stirred with a primitive hunger that had nothing to do with food. Gwen wasn’t sure how long they stood there on that ledge overlooking the Rio Grande. All she knew was that she thought she heard hoots and hollers and resounding bouts of applause echoing from down below them in the canyon.

Chapter Eight

    Dan’s BlackBerry rang as they approached town.
    “Good timing,” Gwen said with a grin.
    “Couldn’t be better,” Dan agreed, thinking that Gwen had picked an even better make-out spot than he’d planned. He must have enjoyed kissing that sumptuous mouth for over an hour. He just hoped those kayakers weren’t uploading the event on YouTube.
    “Hello?” he said into his phone. “Really? That’s super.”
    “Megan says your canvases are in,” he told Gwen. “Looks like everything arrived in order.”
    Gwen beamed at him as he quickly finished up, telling Megan they’d be by shortly.
    “Mind if we stop by the gallery?” he asked Gwen, thinking she wouldn’t. “I’d like the artist to double-check things personally. If it all looks fine, I’ll ask Megan to come in early and hang them on the back wall as a series.”
    “Do you think Megan will care?”
    “About getting up early? Yes, probably. About the extra bit of cash that will be added to her paycheck, not one bit.”
    Gwen laughed lightly in a musical way that Dan knew he could get used to.
    “Thanks for taking me to Taos,” she said, warm brown eyes sparkling.
    Dan smiled softly at this sweet, wonderful woman. “I’m glad you had a good time.”
    A crimson blush streaked her cheeks. “I had better than a good time,” she said seductively.
    “Yeah,” he said, already a bit wistful the memory. “Me too.”
    “Dan,” she said after a bit, “is there something special I should wear?”
    “Wear?” he asked, suddenly thrown off kilter by the change in tack.
    “Tomorrow, silly. For when the buyers come by.”
    They came to a stoplight, and Dan scanned Gwen from her head to her ultra-sexy toes.
    “It’s a Friday, so we’ll get more than our usual flow. It would be good if we could introduce you as our feature artist and have some sort of small reception.”
    “That would be lovely,” she said with an excited grin. “Are you sure you can pull something together so last-minute?”
    “Megan’s very good at these things. She usually puts out wine and cheeses on Fridays anyway. No reason she can’t add a fresh bouquet of flowers and scatter around some of your business cards. You do have business