His Irresistible Darling - Sarah Randall Page 0,117

his face, she’d seen enough. The man had already told her that he hated attention and he evidently needed rescuing.

Ditching her David Attenborough commentary, she used stealth to approach them unseen before slipping her hand around Matt’s backside and putting her hand into the back pocket of his jeans, kissing him on the cheek and being secretly thrilled that he hadn’t jerked away from her touch. “Hey honey, just thought I’d see what was taking you so long, I’m so thirsty. Hi.” She turned to the viper, fixing her best professional smile to her lips and offering her hand. “I’m Anastacia, or Ana as Matt prefers to calls me. Pleased to meet you,” she said, charmingly offering her hand.

The Village Viper gawped for a moment before her eyes widened with recognition and she accepted defeat. She shook her hand and backed off. “You too. See you at the Ball, Matt.” She slithered off back under her rock.

“You’re welcome,” she whispered in his ear, turning back to their table and re-settling herself in the comfy chair, pleased with a job well done.

Matt joined her with the drinks, his expression dark. “You shouldn’t have done that,” he complained, shaking his head. “That’s Phyllis Armer, she’s harmless, just lonely.” His eyes darted around the room as if to make sure there was no one around. “Her husband ran off with the mobile hairdresser a few years back. She owns the ladies’ dress shop in the village.” He sighed, shaking his head again. “Now we’ll have to deal with the fallout of the whole village thinking there is something going on between us.” That muscle in his jaw was twitching again, as she tried to ignore its increasing appeal.

“You said you hated attention and I thought she was giving you too much. So anyway.” She started, in order to change the subject, not willing to get into yet another argument with him. “What’s happening with this Ball she mentioned?”

Matt stared at here for a moment as if he had something on his mind or was trying to figure out some puzzle before he recovered.

“Er, the village has an annual Christmas Ball to raise funds for a local children’s home. It’s held in the village hall and all the locals club together to help with all the arrangements. It’s the day after tomorrow.”

“Sounds like fun. Am I invited?” she enquired, making no apology for being pushy.

His eyes widened slightly before he shrugged his shoulders. “You’d want to go to the Village Ball? Our Village Ball?” He raised his brow as if in disbelief.

At her nod, he continued. “Sure, if you like. Pip and Mrs H will be going and no doubt you’ll have the rest of the villagers falling over themselves to speak to you.”

Such enthusiasm. “Oh, I thought you said that they wouldn’t care less about me. I was looking forward to the anonymity,” she teased.

They spent the next hour or so chatting comfortably about safe subjects like their jobs and hobbies and it was clear to Ana that horses were Matt’s passion, not just something which obviously paid well. His passion was horses, hers was fashion.

“So there’s quite an age gap between you and Pip?”

“Hmm, she was our parent’s little mid-life surprise. My father wanted another Aston Martin and he got a baby girl.” Matt paused and gathered his thoughts. “She took our mother’s death badly so she’s taking some time off from university at the moment ‘till she decides whether she’s going back. But of course she is going back to university, whether she knows it yet or not. I’m just giving her some time out. Her tutors are being very understanding and making allowances.”

“You look out for her. That’s nice.”

“Of course.” He shrugged his shoulders again. “She’s my little sister. My family. It’s my job and I promised our mother.” Matt glanced down at his glass, breaking their eye contact, but not before she caught their sadness, highlighted against the dark shadows beneath his lower lashes.

Ana was surprised by his powerful declaration about Pip. Despite her limited experience with men she knew it was rare for a man to speak so passionately and protectively about his little sister. It was clear that he adored his sibling and her heart ached to have someone care for her with such devotion. What would that kind of love and protection feel like? Yes, she had Alix, but it wasn’t the same as proper family.

He sighed heavily and shook his head as if to dispel