“Donor?” His aunt Mimi passing by overheard her question. “This is Beck’s baby. He convinced me to ask everybody we knew for funding to build the stable, find decent ponies and hire staff who are experienced in therapeutic riding. Despite all his hard work, he won’t let me give him any credit for it.”
“When you first heard about my idea, you said it was a waste of time.”
“That was before I saw what good it does.” Mimi sniffed. “I was wrong, and I’m woman enough to admit it. Riding a horse for these kids—well, it’s something magical.”
“Magical,” Ashley echoed, seeing the brilliant smile on the boy’s face as he ambled around the ring. To be physically constrained almost every minute of your life, and then lifted free from your boundaries high into the air, the master of a powerful animal and the master of your own destiny, even for a short time, must be wonderful.
And it was Beck who had seen the simple magic in riding a horse. She flung her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. “You knew, didn’t you? How much this would mean to them. And their families.” The gentle sniffling of the boy’s mom echoed through the stable.
Surprised by her affectionate onslaught, Beck patted her back. “Oh, hey, anyone would have done it. We’d been talking for years about doing something like this.”
Mimi gave a loud snort. “Yeah, but you were the only one who got off your ass and did it.”
He shrugged. Ashley took a deep breath and kissed him on the mouth. His lips pulled into a smile and he returned her kiss.
The kiss went on and Ashley overheard Mimi clear her throat. “Ah, young love. Now cut it out.”
Ashley jerked back and stared into Beck’s eyes. He looked as startled as she felt. Love? She quickly stepped away, unwilling to glance again in his direction.
Mimi slapped Beck on the shoulder and caught sight of a stable hand who was slacking off. “Hey, is that what I told you to do?” She stomped off and left them standing there awkwardly.
Beck broke the silence first. “Come meet the horse I picked for you.”
“Oh, okay.” She trailed behind him as he stopped in front of a big black horse.
“This here is Widowmaker,” he said in a thick drawl.
“What?”
“Just kidding. His name is Dodger, and he’s as gentle as they come.”
“But he’s so big.” She couldn’t help a bit of nervousness.
“You’re tall, honey. If I put you on a smaller horse, your feet might drag on the ground.”
“If you’re sure…”
He turned her to face him. “Ashley, I would never let anything happen to you. You believe me, don’t you?”
Warmth swelled in her chest.
“Good.” After fitting them with riding helmets, he showed her how to put her foot into the stirrup and boosted her into the saddle, his hands cupping her butt.
She grinned down at him for once. “Do you help everybody onto their horse in that way?”
He grinned back. “Only Diego.”
Ashley burst into laughter, making her horse shuffle sideways and swish its tail. She froze and he chuckled.
“Just brushing away some flies, honey.” He patted her calf, the muscle already protesting from the unfamiliar position. The stablehand had brought out a big black horse for Beck, who vaulted into the saddle with his customary grace.
“What’s the name of your horse?” The animal snorted and danced as Beck quickly brought it under control.
“Diablo.”
She laughed at his joke. Devil, indeed. “No, really.”
“Yes, really. He’s pure devil. I don’t think anybody’s told him he’s not a stallion anymore.”
“Oh.” To emphasize his badass reputation, Diablo reared up on his hind legs. Ashley gasped, but Beck easily pulled him back down.
“Ash, he needs to run off some steam. I’ll take him around the ring a few times.” He gestured to the stablehand, who took Dodger’s bridle so he wouldn’t follow.
Beck guided Diablo to the ring, where Mimi opened the gate for him. “Run the sass out of that boy, Beck. He tried to bite Javier twice today.”
The stablehand who held Dodger muttered a Spanish imprecation against the feisty horse. Ashley giggled and the stablehand blushed when he realized she’d understood him.
Beck and Diablo burst into the ring, the animal’s hooves kicking up dirt as he tore around in a circle. Mimi whooped as they thundered by.
They were a study in contrasts, the blond man on the ebony horse, the golden angel subduing the devil. She watched in fascination as the horse gradually settled and slowed under Beck’s guidance. They trotted out of the ring back to Ashley and the stolid Dodger.
His color was high and his expression gleeful as he brought the subdued horse alongside Ashley’s. The stablehand dropped the bridle and moved away. “Ready?”
“Not for that.” She pointed at the sullen Diablo, who looked as if he were dying to take his revenge on the puny human on his back.
“Believe me, Dodger won’t pull that stunt. He’s a walking couch.” He clucked to the horses and they ambled along a riding trail shaded by huge oaks draped in Spanish moss. Once they were out of sight of the stable, Beck guided the horses to a stop. “Come here.”
He leaned over his saddle with acrobatic ease and kissed her, his warm mouth moving over hers. She dropped her reins and grabbed his shoulders. Fortunately Dodger didn’t take that as a signal to bolt. The air was still and heavy with the rich scent of trees and soil and a blue jay cawed overhead. They were along in paradise, an Adam and Eve complete with their own devil.
And he made his presence known, shuffling Beck away from her. He laughed and handed Ashley her forgotten reins. “Spoilsport.”
“Oh, well, so much for my fantasy about making love on horseback.”
He laughed harder. “Sorry, the students use these trails. Besides, Diablo is too skittish and Dodger isn’t strong enough to bear both of our weights.”
She adjusted her helmet. “I see you’ve already considered the logistics.”
“Of course.” He ran a gloved finger over her cheek. “Being with you is all I think about. But not just making love. I want to show you all sorts of wonderful things.” He gestured to the woods around them. “Like my horses, like this trail. And I want to learn about the things you love, too.”
“Teddy will be pleased.” She couldn’t resist teasing him.
He groaned. “My rival for your affections. Can you forgive me for being an ass?”
“I was flattered.” She patted his thigh. “And don’t worry, Teddy will come around. Just offer him a sunflower seed.”
“The key to his heart. And what is the key to yours?”
She laughed uneasily. Just being himself was enough, and maybe too much. “How about a guided tour of this lovely wilderness? I’m more a city girl, you know.”
He recognized her attempt to keep things light and went along with it, moving the horses into a steady walk. “Come on, city girl. I’ll show you the wonders of nature.”
Beck was a wonder of nature himself, one she was unable to resist.
10
“OH, MY GOSH, that was the most wonderful thing ever!” Ashley jumped off the saddle into Beck’s waiting arms. Her eyes were shining, her cheeks flushed with pleasure.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” He couldn’t help himself and kissed her laughing lips. Like the kids he taught, Ashley had been apprehensive at first, but as she and the horse got to know each other, she relaxed and even expressed disappointment when they turned the horses home to the stables. She would have stayed out all day if he’d let her, but he knew she’d be stiff and sore the next day if they did.
“I can’t believe how much fun I had.” He set her on the ground and her legs wobbled a bit. “Wow. That’s a lot of exercise.” She tucked her arm through his. “No wonder you have such nice legs, Beck. And a nice ass in those pants,” she whispered, pinching his butt cheek through his riding breec
hes.
Beck heard a funny wheezing sound and turned to see Aunt Mimi choking back laughter. He raised a brow and she quickly patted her chest. “Hay fever.”
Hay fever, his ass. Well, at least Ashley liked it. The riding, not his ass. Although he was glad she liked that, too.
“When can we go again?” She unstrapped her helmet and tucked it into a row of cubbies along the stable wall.
“After you give your muscles a few days to recuperate.”
“And I thought I was in good shape.” She gave him a mock pout and burst into laughter.
He made sure Mimi was out of earshot. “Maybe I can take you for another kind of ride.”
“What, in your car?”
“Uh…” He realized she was teasing him and had to kiss her again.
“You’re frightening the horses,” Mimi called. “Stop playing kissy-face and get that girl some lunch.”
Beck looked up in annoyance, but his aunt was right. “Do you want to eat at the club?”
A spark of mischief lit her eyes. “No. This time, it’s my turn to treat you to lunch.”
BECK WONDERED where on earth Ashley was taking him for lunch. They had driven away from the wide-open spaces of the stable into West Palm Beach. The narrow bungalows were on top of each other, and a mix of tourists and locals strolled along the sidewalks, stopping to consult maps and drinking what looked like iced coffees. He didn’t think he’d ever been in this part of town before.
“Almost there.” She pointed at the next corner. “Turn right, and it’s the first restaurant on the left.”
Beck pulled his red convertible into the tiny off-street lot, glad he’d left the truck at home. He hoped his car would be safe in that neighborhood.
Ashley must have read his mind. “Don’t worry, Beck. This block’s pretty safe during the day, and you’ll be able to see your car from the restaurant.”
“Never crossed my mind.”
She winked at him and hopped out as soon as the top was fastened.
Beck took her hand and escorted her into the tiny storefront restaurant. Sabor de las Islas, the neon sign read—Taste of the Islands. That sounded good—he liked Caribbean food. A bell rang as they stepped inside, and the teenage host greeted them. “Table for two?” That was probably their only open table; the place was packed.
Beck was about to reply in the affirmative when a piercing shriek echoed from the kitchen and a plump middle-aged woman, her salt-and-pepper hair pulled into a bun, sprinted toward them. He shoved Ashley behind him in case the cook was running amok with a carving knife.
Ashley gurgled with laughter and elbowed past him. “Mama Rodríguez!”
The older woman enveloped her in a fierce hug. “Ay, Ashley, mi preciosa! Mi cielo!” She peppered her endearments with smacking kisses and unleashed a torrent of Cuban-accented Spanish. Beck, being used to Argentina, only understood about half of it, but to his shock, Ashley replied fluently in the same dialect.
“And who is this young man?” Her friend abruptly switched into English.
Ashley introduced him as her friend, Beck Emery. He was weirdly disappointed at the bland description. It wasn’t as if he wanted to be introduced as her boyfriend, or even more mortifying, lover, but still…
“And this is my dear friend Letitia’s mother, Señora Magdalena Rodríguez, and her husband, Señor Guillermo Rodríguez.” A cheerful gray-haired cook waved at them from the kitchen. “This is their lovely restaurant.” The señora beamed with pride.
Beck took her hand and bowed over it using his best etiquette. “Señora, it is a pleasure.” He decided, what the hell, and planted a kiss on the back of her hand.
She giggled, and not to be outdone, yanked him into a hearty hug, kissing him on both cheeks. “Ay, Ashley, such a nice young man. Why haven’t you brought him before?”
He put his arm around Ashley’s shoulders. “Letitia only introduced us a short time ago.”
“My Letitia?” Her black eyes sparkled and dimmed. “She called me this morning about Paolo’s father. So ill, poor man. Ah, but you are here today and you will have the best meal of your life.” She guided them to a cozy booth for two in the corner and hurried away, yelling instructions to her husband in the kitchen.
Beck took his first deep breath in several minutes. “Wow, I can see where your friend Letitia gets her energy.”
“You should see them at the holidays. I need a week to recover.” She looked fondly after Señora Rodríguez, though.
“And they took care of you when you were young.”
She pointed to the ceiling. “Right above our heads. At first, we lived across the hall from each other in the two little apartments. Once I moved in with Tisha, she and I did our homework in the booth by the kitchen and rolled napkins around silverware, wiped tables, that sort of thing.”
Beck tried to compare his childhood with Ashley’s and failed. He had worked in the stables to take care of his own ponies, but that was hardly the same thing. Suddenly he felt inconsequential and maybe even unworthy.
Señora Rodríguez brought out two icy glasses with mint sprigs. “Mojitos for you. Now that Ashley is old enough to drink rum.”
Ashley rolled her eyes. “I’ve been old enough for several years now.”
Señora Magdalena scoffed. “Eh, you’re still a baby. Now drink, drink.” She bustled away and returned with several plates. “Ham croquetas—croquettes, in English—tamales con puerco, marinated olives and mariquitas de plátanos—plantain chips.”
Beck barely had room for his drink on the table. “Are they joining us for us lunch?”
She gave him a wry grin. “This is only the appetizer course—just for us.”
Uh-oh. Beck was glad he didn’t have dinner plans since it looked as if he wouldn’t need to eat until tomorrow. More dishes followed—rice with chicken, spicy shredded beef, giant meatballs and grilled fish with garlic and lime. He ate some of everything, the food tasting better than anything he’d eaten in four-star restaurants.
Ashley ate heartily as well, making sensual little moans as she chewed her food. Beck shifted uneasily, the fullness of his stomach quickly joined by fullness slightly south of there. “You have a piece of rice at the corner of your mouth.”
Her tongue came out to flick at the grain, and he almost groaned. Unfortunately, Señora Rodríguez arrived with their desserts and caught him gawking. She gave him a sidelong glance and cleared away the dirty dishes.
“Bien, we have flan, cake de mango, coconut cookies and our house specialty, tres leche cake—cake of three milks. And Ashley, please stop in the kitchen before you go. Lalo, Sylvia and Ignacio want to say hello because it has been such a lo-o-ong time since you visited.” Mama Rodríguez’s guilt trip was quickly spoiled by a wide grin and a pat to Ashley’s cheek.
Ashley smiled at her and Letitia’s mother quickly kissed her on the forehead. “Mija preciosa.” She hurried to the kitchen.
Ashley sniffled a bit and Beck took her hand across the table. Señora Rodríguez had called Ashley her precious daughter. “I don’t know about you, Ash, but I think I’m going to give my pony a hernia trying to carry me around tomorrow.”
He knew he had successfully lightened the mood when she squeezed his hand in return. “Your poor horse definitely won’t be happy after you try these desserts. Cuba’s main crop is sugarcane, so their desserts come in three categories: sweet, sweeter and make-an-appointment-at-the-dentist-for-your-new-cavities sweet.”
Beck laughed and let her feed him bites of each treat. Señora Rodríguez was an obvious romantic, only bringing one fork for the two of them. The three-milks cake was a new favorite for him. “You’ll have to bring me this cake, Ash. I think I want it for my birthday.”
She tilted her head. “When is your birthday?”
He realized he didn’t know hers either. “July second. And yours?”
“November twelfth.” They both fell silent. July was four months away and he didn’t know if they would still be toget
her. He didn’t even know what would happen at the end of the polo tournament. He was supposed to fly to New York to discuss business matters with his mother, and then Diego had asked him to fly to Buenos Aires for a tournament.
He decided not to worry about the future. It would settle itself, as it always did. But the thought of Argentina reminded him of something. “Your friend Letitia is married to Paolo Saavedra de Léon, right?”
“I bet you’re wondering why her parents still run this place considering Tisha’s married to one of the richest men in Patagonia.”
“It did cross my mind,” he admitted. They could have hired a hundred people to work here, even to expand into many restaurants across South Florida.
“Because they have their pride. They are happy for Letitia to have married Paolo, but only because she loves him and he loves her. He could have been the richest man in the western hemisphere and they wouldn’t have given their blessing to her marriage if there wasn’t love between them.”
Beck considered that radical idea for a few minutes as he nibbled on a coconut cookie. From what he understood, his parents had been thrown together by their respective families at an early age, leading to their engagement and marriage. They spent most of the year apart, his father on his sailboat in the Caribbean and his mother at their home in the Hamptons. Rumors had circulated about various marital indiscretions, but Beck figured the less he knew, the better. And Beck’s cousins had married and divorced several times each, the initial flare of passion quickly burning to ashes. “Some say love and marriage are mutually exclusive.”
Ashley shrugged. “If I hadn’t known Tisha’s family, I would agree. But as you can see—” she gestured at the pass-through kitchen window where Señora Rodríguez was chatting with her husband. She tucked a stray gray curl of hair under his white hat, her affection for him obvious.
“Eh, my favorite song!” Letitia’s mother cried, turning up a raucous salsa tune on the radio. “Bailamos! Everybody dance!”
And damned if everybody didn’t. Tisha’s parents burst from the kitchen, executing a complicated salsa move right in the middle of the restaurant. The busboys grabbed the waitresses, some old enough to be their mothers, and even the customers abandoned their meals to shake their rears.
Knowing the Score Page 10