Page 34

Sam

Sam hopped onto the three-rail fence surrounding the training ring. “How’s Russet’s progress?” he called to Ash, who was currently riding a dark bay gelding around the paddock.

Ash slowed his mount and guided him over to where Sam stood. Russet instantly nudged his black muzzle into Sam’s chest. Sam shot out a hand to the top rail to keep himself from being shoved backward by the over-affectionate beast. He gave the happy horse a generous scratch under his jaw.

“Ready for his new home,” Ash said. “He’s a healthy weight now, and his skittishness is completely gone.”

“Poor lad,” Sam crooned to Russet. “You just want to be loved, don’t you, boy?” He could relate to the sweet lad.

The horse let out a rumbling whicker and then proceeded to try to nibble off Sam’s ear. He chuckled and leaned away from the ticklish sensation skittering over his skin.

He found Ash’s gaze. “You almost done here? I want to hear how last night went.”

Ash’s cheeks reddened lightly, and Sam’s eyebrows lifted. “I already told you when you were assisting me into my riding attire that she said yes.”

“That tells me nothing,” Sam said with a roll of his eyes. “Did she make you work for it? Get down on your knees and beg?” He bounced his eyebrows. “Get down on your knees and…other things?”

Ash pulled Russet away from the rail and gently kicked him into a trot. “I’m taking Russet for a ride. We’ll have to talk later,” he called over his shoulder.

“I’ve been feeling a ride,” Sam called back. “I’ll join you.”

Ash didn’t respond, but Sam didn’t miss his friend shaking his head. Pshh. Ash knew better. It wasn’t that easy to deter Sam.

Twenty minutes later, they were riding side by side on the path that led to Willow Grove.

“All right. Stop redirecting. I didn’t go through all that trouble dragging that mattress up there to not get details.

I wedged myself in the stairwell for a good thirty minutes before I was able to pry the bleeding thing free. ”

Ash’s lips twitched. “Thank you for that, by the way.” Ash caught Sam’s eye quickly before looking ahead again. “Came in quite handy,” he said quietly. “And the candles were an amazing touch. Had no idea you were such a secret romantic.”

Sam shrugged indifferently, even as his gut squirmed.

Ash said it as a jest, but the truth of it was, Sam wasn’t just a secret romantic, he was a complete sap.

Courtship? Spoiling the person he was with?

Affectionate gestures? Sam loved it all.

He just…would never have someone to do those things for.

It wasn’t as though he was going to do those things for the casual liaisons he had in the local village.

And a true relationship—love—wasn’t for him.

His heart tightened. He’d blindly trusted others to love him in the past. He wasn’t ever making that mistake again.

And he definitely wasn’t giving someone else that kind of devotion only for them to turn around and abuse it.

Betray him. But Ash…Ash deserved to finally find his happiness, and Sam was more than willing to offer up his romantic gestures for his friend.

“Of course,” Sam said. “I knew you had quite a bit of groveling to do. It was the least I could do to help my best mate out.” Sam winked to cover up the ache in his chest.

Ash studied him for a moment, and Sam knew his friend was seeing more than he let on. But blessedly, he let it slide. Ash seemed to have a knack for knowing when to prod and when to pull back. All his years working with horses had him more perceptive than most.

“She let me off much too easy. I had this grand speech planned, noting all the ways I botched things and my apologies, a sunset picnic… But it all fell apart when I saw her.”

“I’m not surprised. You’re a milksop for that woman.”

Ash smiled sheepishly. “Can you blame me?”

Sam’s thoughts drifted to a different Jennings sibling. No, he couldn’t blame Ash. There was something about that family. They were extremely hard to resist, had this magnetic pull.

It was blasted annoying.

“Anyhow,” Ash continued. “I said something, I don’t even know what. I swear it was as though I’d drank a decanter of whisky. I have no recollection of my speech, just tried to explain how much I loved her, and hopefully sounded somewhat coherent. I lose my mind around that woman.”

“Love makes you daft. It’s a fact.”

Ash chuckled. “It is most definitely true. But she was happy with what I managed to string together. She said yes as soon as I asked the question.”

Ash fell silent, and Sam glanced over to find his friend smiling stupidly. “What’s that look for?”

The smile vanished, and Ash tried to look as if he had no idea what Sam was talking about. But failed miserably.

“Out with it. That expression was far too telling. No one smiles like that unless there’s something delicious to share.”

Ash ducked his chin and laughed softly. “I admitted to her that I had already written to her family to join us before I even asked her to marry me. Let’s just say she appreciated my initiative.”

Sam leaned over and slapped Ash on the back, a wide grin on his face. “Happy for you, mate. Don’t know anyone who deserves his happy ending more.”

Ash cocked his head and lifted his brows incredulously. “You must not have looked in the mirror much lately.”

Sam chose to ignore that.

“No, but really. Yes, you deserve it, too, but have you looked in a mirror lately? You look like you’ve been run over by a mail coach. The bags under your eyes could rival the grain sacks in the stables.”

“I had trouble sleeping,” Sam said vaguely.

Trouble sleeping because he’d been wrapped up in a certain lord until the wee hours of the morning. But what was a man to do? Bentley was a force to be reckoned with. That man didn’t tire. Sam was feeling every one of the nine years he had on Bentley. Oh, but it was worth it.

“Was someone perhaps busy…tending to another lord? All night long.”

Well, then. Apparently, Ash was very perceptive today.

“I don’t kiss and tell, Ash.”

“You do realize that is exactly what someone says when they have been up to something scandalous. You spent all night with Bentley, didn’t you?”

Sam lifted a shoulder and let it drop.

“You did!” The grin splitting Ash’s face was blinding. “The night before and last night? You rogue !”

Sam gasped theatrically. “Are you strumpet-shaming me? Maligning my pure virtue?”

“Quite the opposite. I’m encouraging more scandalous behavior. Continue on in your strumpet ways. And let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

Sam pumped his eyebrows. “I can see if Bentley’s into that sort of thing, but I don’t know, Ash… I’ve never looked at you in that way.”

Ash’s expression went dry as dust, and his gaze lifted heavenward. “Help. Not participate in.”

Sam grinned and winked at his best mate.

“So… What’s going on there?” Ash asked, his blue eyes blinking expectantly at Sam. Well, come on now, out with it.

Sam pressed his lips tight together and blinked right back. I’m not tellinggg.

“Really? You’re going to give me nothing?”

Sam let out a sigh. “I don’t know what’s happening, Ash. That’s the honest truth. If I ever make sense of it, you will be the first I speak to of it. The only one I’d speak to about it. But I just…” He trailed off, and they were silent for a beat.

“You just…” Ash prodded.

Sam growled in frustration. “I don’t know,” he burst out. “That man is exasperatingly tempting. I cannot resist him. He’s almost as bad as Cook’s raspberry tarts.”

Ash let out a sharp laugh. “If he’s as good as her raspberry tarts, we’re all in trouble. Those things are sinfully delicious.”

A self-deprecating laugh tumbled out of Sam. That was exactly what Bentley was. Sinfully delicious. And Sam had no idea what to do with that.

The majestic willows of Willow Groove loomed in the near-distance—Sam squinted—and two mounts grazing. His pulse picked up in his throat. Which meant…

“Looks like my future duchess had the same idea as us,” Ash said, his tone lifting to an eager pitch.

Sam snorted, and Ash scowled at him. Sam winged a brow. “Future duchess? Can’t help yourself from saying it every chance you get, can you? Besotted much?”

His friend grinned. “I have to keep saying it aloud, or I won’t believe my good fortune.” And then, proving how besotted he truly was, Ash encouraged his horse into a canter and hurried over to his future duchess.

Ash was already dismounting by the time Sam caught up with him. Ash pulled back the cascading branches and disappeared inside the shroud.

“Don’t wait for me or anything,” Sam grumbled.

He hopped off his mount, ensured the horses were grazing happily—perhaps taking his leisurely time in doing so, and not because he was avoiding anyone—and finally approached the willow.

He rolled his neck. He wasn’t avoiding Bentley.

It was just…Sam didn’t know what to do now.

There was no animosity to cling to any longer to distract him.

Sam had never faced a paramour the day after, unless it was slipping out of bed in the early morning hours, which Sam preferred to do before the other person was awake.

He never wanted to do anything that would lead to feelings . On either end. Sam knew well what a shattered heart felt like. He didn’t wish that on anyone else, either.

He supposed he’d do what he always did.

Hide behind a facade of flippancy.