Bluegrass Seduction (The Bluegrass Billionaire Trilogy Book 1) by Alice Ward, Jessica Blake

Deal?” He laughed and hugged me.
    “Deal!”
    “Okay, now go away. I’ll be in touch.”
    I left Brandon gathering up his laptop and briefcase and got into my car. On the horizon were heavy, dark clouds, drooping like leaves that were trying to hold back the winter that wasn’t far behind. I shivered, knowing my riding days were soon to be curtailed.
    My cell rang and I grabbed it up, keeping one hand on the wheel. It was Worth. “Hello there,” I said in the most neutral tone I could manage.
    “Busy?”
    “Just left my attorney at the home,” I filled him in.
    “As a patient or as a promoter?”
    “Very cute.” I couldn’t tell if he was teasing me nicely or being a jerk.
    “Have an hour or so?”
    I thought about it a moment and decided whether to rush home and ride Carlos before the weather came in or whether Worth deserved another chance. “Okay, where do I meet you? I’m not in dinner clothes,” I informed him.
    “Good, because I wasn’t talking dinner. In fact, business wear is just fine. Meet me on Morley Road at Lexington.”
    I thought momentarily. “That’s the McLean farm,” I pointed out and wondered what was going on.
    “See you there,” he finished the conversation and the line went dead.
    Now, what’s he up to? I rolled my eyes and began to reconsider. The clouds were building even more and I wasn’t dressed for rain. Nevertheless, I’d promised myself to trust him so I drove to the McLean place and saw him waiting for me. I pulled in behind his car and he came back, offering a hand to help me out of the Mercedes.
    “Hi,” he said, kissing me briefly, but warmly. At least I was definitely feeling warmer after his lips left mine.
    “So, what’s going on?” I asked and looked toward the looming skies.
    “We’re not going far, don’t worry. I won’t let you get wet.” He gestured to the land in front of us. “You know this place?”
    “Of course, it’s the McLean farm. I hear they’re in some trouble, though, so it might not be for long.”
    “You hear correctly and you’re right, it won’t be theirs for long. For less than twenty-four hours, as a matter of fact.”
    “How do you know that?” I looked up at him. Even in my heels, he towered over me.
    He bent low and kissed me full on the lips. “It’s mine. Or, it will be as of tomorrow morning.”
    “What?” I squealed. “You bought this? Oh my god, Worth, that’s wonderful. It’s a beautiful farm! The barns could use some work and the house, well… but the land is prime and I think it’s all fenced. You could build a whole Steeplechase course and still have plenty of pasture land. Oh geez, you’ve got frontage on two sides and it would be perfect to build training rings and not block anything off!” Thunder droned in the distance. I turned and saw Worth leaning against the fence, grinning.
    “I’m glad you like it,” he said.
    “I love it! You lucky dog!” I gave him a congratulatory hug, but he would not let go.
    Instead, he scooped me up and held me against his chest, kissing me at the same time. “I’m not going to lose you, Auggie girl. I want you with me. Marry me and live here with me?”
    I pushed against his shoulders so I could lean back and look at his face. Was he teasing me? Was he really serious? One look at his face and I knew… he was serious.
    “Will you marry me, Elizabeth August Langford?” he repeated.
    I could hardly catch my breath and my mind was whirling like a tornado. There I was, all prepared to give him another piece of my mind and instead, I was in his arms and the recipient of a marriage proposal. I quickly weighed the impact. Mother would be aghast, so that was a definite positive. I could move away from home yet be close to Dad and best of all, I could have a house of my own, and plenty of land to build anything I wanted.
    Best of all?
    Was I missing the link here? I would be married to this man. I would become Auggie LaViere and everything that was connected to