Soliman, Wendy - The Name of the Game (BookStrand Publishing Romance) by Wendy Soliman Page B
Authors: Wendy Soliman
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low, gravelly drawl.
Matt removed the exquisite emerald and diamond ring from the box and slipped it onto the ring finger of her right hand. It was a perfect fit.
“I measured your finger with a piece of string when you were asleep,” he explained, looking inordinately pleased with himself.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, her voice choked with emotion. “Thank you.” She threw her arms round his neck, almost strangling him in the process.
“No more beautiful than you deserve,” he told her, gently extricating himself from her death grip. “And, just so you know, the next ring I buy for you won’t be for that hand.”
“You’re moving too fast for me. We have several obstacles to overcome before we start thinking like that. Besides, I don’t want to tempt fate by planning too far ahead.”
“Okay, let’s just think about today and put everything else on hold. We deserve a break.” Ashley wasn’t going to argue with that. “What shall we do with ourselves?”
“Well, first off I need to go to the yard, check Lucius, and make sure he didn’t pick up any little injuries that I didn’t detect when we got home yesterday. I also like to do my own mucking out at the weekends. The girls have too many to do, so I take the time to do a more thorough job when I can.”
“I’ll come and help.”
“What!” Ashley thought she’d misheard him. “You’re kidding, right?”
He kissed the end of her nose. “It’s high time I met this horse of yours.”
“Okay,” she said, aware of the doubt in her voice. “If you’re sure.”
“And afterward, you and I, and Freckles of course, are invited to my mother’s for lunch.”
Ashley shook her head. “No, not that. I don’t think I’m r eady to—”
“Nonsense.” He cut her protests short with a kiss that instantly distracted. “I’ve told her all about you, and she wants to get to know you.”
“But—”
“I’m sure you’ll like her, and besides, I want to show you off. I’ve had enough of hiding.”
“Well, I suppose, if that’s how you feel.” Ashley felt elated and, at the same time, terrified. What if she didn’t pass muster? “Matt, are you absolutely sure about this?”
“Sure I’m sure. Now come on lazy-bones, let’s go and sort that horse of yours.”
Two hours later, Ashley was freshly showered and had changed into clean jeans and a casual white top. She now sat beside Matt in his top-of-the-range Jaguar, plagued by nerves. Freckles regally occupied the backseat as Matt drove them to Lingfield.
“Stop worrying!” he said, removing one hand from the wheel and placing it on Ashley’s thigh. “She’s very easy going and will love you almost as much as I do. I guarantee it.”
Ashley screwed up her features. “That’s easy for you to say.”
“I know how her mind works.”
“Mothers don’t encourage women who entice their sons away from their families, Matt. It doesn’t work that way.”
He chuckled. “You don’t know my mother.”
He turned the car into a sweeping gravel drive, and a short time later, an old but fastidiously restored rambling farmhouse came into view. It was surrounded by open paddocks in all directions. Ashley gasped.
“Matt, it’s gorgeous! You grew up here?”
“Yeap, I guess I was pretty lucky.”
“And some.”
The house was surrounded on all sides by overflowing flower borders, and lawns that led to the obviously well-maintained paddocks she’d already noticed, enclosed by neatly painted post-and-rail fencing.
“How much land is there?”
“Over twenty acres. It’s currently the sole preserve of the four thoroughly indulged horses kept here. Oh, and a few of a neighbour’s sheep. Mother borrows them from time to time to clean up the paddocks.”
“Sensible lady.”
Matt rolled his eyes. “You have no idea.”
It was far grander than Ashley had anticipated. She was conscious of her casual clothing and hair, still damp from the shower. She wished now that she’d
Matt removed the exquisite emerald and diamond ring from the box and slipped it onto the ring finger of her right hand. It was a perfect fit.
“I measured your finger with a piece of string when you were asleep,” he explained, looking inordinately pleased with himself.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, her voice choked with emotion. “Thank you.” She threw her arms round his neck, almost strangling him in the process.
“No more beautiful than you deserve,” he told her, gently extricating himself from her death grip. “And, just so you know, the next ring I buy for you won’t be for that hand.”
“You’re moving too fast for me. We have several obstacles to overcome before we start thinking like that. Besides, I don’t want to tempt fate by planning too far ahead.”
“Okay, let’s just think about today and put everything else on hold. We deserve a break.” Ashley wasn’t going to argue with that. “What shall we do with ourselves?”
“Well, first off I need to go to the yard, check Lucius, and make sure he didn’t pick up any little injuries that I didn’t detect when we got home yesterday. I also like to do my own mucking out at the weekends. The girls have too many to do, so I take the time to do a more thorough job when I can.”
“I’ll come and help.”
“What!” Ashley thought she’d misheard him. “You’re kidding, right?”
He kissed the end of her nose. “It’s high time I met this horse of yours.”
“Okay,” she said, aware of the doubt in her voice. “If you’re sure.”
“And afterward, you and I, and Freckles of course, are invited to my mother’s for lunch.”
Ashley shook her head. “No, not that. I don’t think I’m r eady to—”
“Nonsense.” He cut her protests short with a kiss that instantly distracted. “I’ve told her all about you, and she wants to get to know you.”
“But—”
“I’m sure you’ll like her, and besides, I want to show you off. I’ve had enough of hiding.”
“Well, I suppose, if that’s how you feel.” Ashley felt elated and, at the same time, terrified. What if she didn’t pass muster? “Matt, are you absolutely sure about this?”
“Sure I’m sure. Now come on lazy-bones, let’s go and sort that horse of yours.”
Two hours later, Ashley was freshly showered and had changed into clean jeans and a casual white top. She now sat beside Matt in his top-of-the-range Jaguar, plagued by nerves. Freckles regally occupied the backseat as Matt drove them to Lingfield.
“Stop worrying!” he said, removing one hand from the wheel and placing it on Ashley’s thigh. “She’s very easy going and will love you almost as much as I do. I guarantee it.”
Ashley screwed up her features. “That’s easy for you to say.”
“I know how her mind works.”
“Mothers don’t encourage women who entice their sons away from their families, Matt. It doesn’t work that way.”
He chuckled. “You don’t know my mother.”
He turned the car into a sweeping gravel drive, and a short time later, an old but fastidiously restored rambling farmhouse came into view. It was surrounded by open paddocks in all directions. Ashley gasped.
“Matt, it’s gorgeous! You grew up here?”
“Yeap, I guess I was pretty lucky.”
“And some.”
The house was surrounded on all sides by overflowing flower borders, and lawns that led to the obviously well-maintained paddocks she’d already noticed, enclosed by neatly painted post-and-rail fencing.
“How much land is there?”
“Over twenty acres. It’s currently the sole preserve of the four thoroughly indulged horses kept here. Oh, and a few of a neighbour’s sheep. Mother borrows them from time to time to clean up the paddocks.”
“Sensible lady.”
Matt rolled his eyes. “You have no idea.”
It was far grander than Ashley had anticipated. She was conscious of her casual clothing and hair, still damp from the shower. She wished now that she’d
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