Ravishing Royals Box Set: Books 1 - 5

by Holly Rayner

  Ashley’s pulse raced, but she focused on staying calm.

  Squee!

  “Hmm,” she said. “I think that sounds vaguely familiar. Are you seeking dog walking services, Mr. Endrizzi?” she asked.

  “I’m afraid I’m not at this time,” he said. “However, I was wondering if you might be available for dinner this evening, my treat?”

  He was asking her on a date. Was he really asking her out on a date? Her whole body tingled with excitement.

  “Oh, I think I might be able to swing that,” she said, playing it cool. At least, she hoped she was playing it cool. She hadn’t considered herself cool, well, ever.

  “Great,” he said, his voice cheerful. “Can I come pick you up tonight around six?”

  “That sounds perfect,” she said.

  “Okay, see you then,” he said.

  “Bye,” she said.

  She ended the call and stared at her phone in happy disbelief.

  “I take it that was him,” Sarah said, her tone amused. Ashley glanced up at her with wide eyes.

  “He just asked me out to dinner. I’m going on a date!” she squeaked.

  “Is David going too?” Sarah asked.

  Ashley’s heart sank. While she would have loved for David to join, a part of her wanted to see what it would be like to be a grown-up, alone, with a handsome man at dinner. Also, by the time they finished, it would be well past her son’s bedtime.

  “I don’t think so. Oh Sarah! I’m so sorry to ask with almost no notice, but—”

  “Yes, I can watch David tonight. Don’t think twice about it,” Sarah said.

  Ashley replaced her phone and gripped her friend’s hand in appreciation.

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

  Sarah squeezed her friend’s hand and released it.

  “You’re welcome. I love David, and also he goes to bed early, so I can basically catch up on all my shows at your place. It’s a win all over.”

  “I do have a great cable package,” Ashley said with a chuckle.

  They turned into another neighborhood, and Sarah cleared her throat.

  “I don’t want to be the rain on your parade, Ash, but can I advise you to be a little careful?”

  Ashley cocked her head.

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “We’ve been friends our entire lives. I’ve watched you suffer through your parents’ divorce and every bad relationship you had afterward. You had a pretty regular pattern of self-sabotage for a long time, and at every beginning you have this excitement about you. I love seeing you happy, but I hate seeing you sad, and you’ve had enough heartbreak in your life. I just don’t want to see you hurt again.”

  Ashley realized then just how lucky she was to have a good friend in Sarah. They had been in kindergarten together, and from that moment on the two had been the best of friends. Sarah was right—she had been with Ashley through every hardship, and she had been a steadfast friend though it all. Ashley would be wise to take her advice.

  “Thanks for looking out for me,” Ashley said. “I know that I’ve had a tendency to jump into things in the past, but you know after I brought David into my life that stopped.”

  “Yeah, like full stop. There has to be some balance between dating around like crazy and going cold turkey, right?” Sarah asked.

  “I didn’t go cold turkey. Men stopped being interested in me the moment they realized a child was involved,” Ashley said, her voice peppered with bitterness. She truly struggled to understand why it had been so difficult to find a man that wanted to be a part of a family. She had single-handedly built a good life for her and David, and any man would be lucky to join in their situation. At least, she thought so.

  Maybe Matteo did, too.

  “Right. Well, all I’m saying is, be careful. I get that it’s exciting to meet a handsome man that seems to get on well with you and David, but he’s from Europe, right?”

  “Right,” Ashley said.

  “So, at some point he’s going to have to go back,” Sarah said, ever reasonable.

  Ashley shook her head.

  “I know it doesn’t make total sense,” she said. “But something just feels right about it. After all this time, dating the wrong men over and over, it feels good for something to actually fit, you know?” she said.

  Sarah mulled that over for a moment as they continued their walk, heading in the direction of the school.

  “So, what’s he look like?” Sarah asked.

  They approached the gate that lined the schoolyard and joined a small group of parents and caregivers. After walking so many blocks, Ashley’s charges were quite content to take a rest. She pulled a few bowls and bottled waters from her backpack and set them up with a drink, which they lapped up with enthusiasm.

  “He’s super tan. His eyes are this stunning green color—they just pop. And his hair is thick and black I think, though it might be dark brown. Depends on the light, really.”

  “Wow,” Sarah said. “Does he have a brother?”

  Ashley laughed as the school bell rang and a tidal wave of children poured from the building. David caught sight of her and waved, and Ashley waved back with a big smile.

  She lived for the moments when she was reunited with him.

  “Mom! Auntie Sarah!” David said. He ran up and wrapped his little arms around them both. “I learned a new word today!”

  “Oh, yeah?” Ashley said, picking up the water bowls and replacing them in her pack. “What’s that?”

  “Brontosaurus,” he said.

  “That is a very big word,” Sarah said as they headed in the direction of the dogs’ home. That day Ashley was walking dogs from the same owner, which made drop off and pick up nice and convenient.

  Sarah wrapped an arm around David’s shoulders as they walked.

  “I missed you, kid,” she said, ruffling the boy’s hair.

  David stared up at her, his green eyes narrowed.

  “I saw you like two days ago, Auntie Sarah.”

  She shrugged.

  “Yeah, so? I like when we hang out. So much so that I’m going to hang with you while your mom goes out tonight.”

  David glanced up at his mother, and Ashley tried to hold back her glee. While she was beyond excited, she didn’t want to give David any ideas about where things could go with Matteo. If Sarah was right, and this went in any way like her past relationships, the last thing she wanted was for David’s little heart to break, too.

  It was her job to protect him, and she always would.

  “Where are you going, Mom?” David asked.

  “I’m getting dinner with a friend.”

  “With Matteo?”

  Keen little man, he was.

  Ashley considered her answer. She didn’t want to lie, but she didn’t want him to feel left out, either. In the end, she opted for honesty with her son, as ever.

  “Yes. We’re going to have some grown-up conversations. Very boring. You wouldn’t like it.”

  David considered that for a moment, then looked back at Sarah.

  “Do you provide dessert options?” he asked.

  Sarah’s laugh echoed all around them as Ashley walked the dogs up to their front door and released them back into their house.

  “What kind of question is that? You know I always provide dessert,” Sarah said.

  “How about two desserts?” he said.

  Sarah winked at him.

  “You know we keep our secrets to ourselves,” she stage-whispered.

  Ashley fake-glared at them both.

  “You mean to tell me that your auntie gives you two desserts when she comes over?”

  David shrugged.

  “I tell you that every time. We don’t keep secrets from each other, Mom.”

  Sarah gasped in mock horror.

  “You mean to tell me you’ve been giving me away this entire time? Rude!” Sarah said.

  David shrugged again, one strap of his backpack sliding off his li
ttle shoulder. Ashley replaced it as they reached the house. She unlocked the door and David burst inside, headed straight to his room to play before dinnertime.

  “And you think giving him two desserts is worth it, huh?” Ashley said.

  Before Sarah could answer for herself, Ashley’s phone buzzed, and she pulled it out to find the mystery number had sent her a text.

  It was Matteo.

  Do you like seafood?

  She opened the message and tapped in her response.

  I love it. Looking forward to…

  Her thumbs hovered over her phone as she considered her message, then she deleted it and restarted.

  Love it. See you soon!

  She tapped send, then looked up at her friend, who was grinning at her with her arms crossed.

  “Oh, shut up,” Ashley said.

  She could feel the heat in her cheeks, and, ignoring her friend's playful gaze, she headed to the kitchen to start making a meal for David. Sarah poured them a small glass of wine each and handed one to Ashley.

  “A small dose of liquid courage?”

  Ashley took the proffered glass, but she realized that she didn’t feel nervous at all. Just excited. It was a refreshing feeling, honestly. While Sarah was right to have reservations, given his long-distance status, Ashley knew that any man that would make a journey across the world to honor his father’s wishes had a good heart, an adventurous heart.

  Certainly a heart she wanted to get to know a bit better.

  She sat on the couch and watched a show with Sarah, the two of them comfortably chatting as old friends do. When the show ended, Sarah glanced at her watch.

  “You should start getting ready,” Sarah said. “Where did he say he’s taking you?”

  Ashley hesitated. “He didn’t say.”

  Without knowing where they would be going, how could she know how to dress? What on earth was she going to wear?

  “Well, what did he say?” Sarah asked. “We can deduce how to dress you from that.”

  Ashley read the text out loud, and Sarah nodded.

  “Okay, well no place that has seafood is going to be bummed about a little black dress. You can get away with that anywhere. Why don’t you wear the one you put on for Jane’s surprise party last month?”

  Ashley released a breath, relieved to have her friend there for support and good ideas.

  “Did I tell you that I love you today?” she asked.

  Sarah laughed. “No, but the feeling is mutual. Come on! If you’re going to go on a rare and glorious date, we need to make the most of it.”

  The women leapt off the couch and headed to Ashley’s bedroom, where she pulled out the dress from her closet and reached for a matching pair of flats.

  “Ashley, come on. Wear heels, just for tonight.”

  “I don’t like heels,” she protested.

  “Is he tall?” Sarah asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Then you’ll be that much closer to his face. You can kiss easier!” Sarah said.

  Ashley threw a pillow at her friend and they laughed.

  “Flats it is,” Sarah conceded. “Let’s go do your makeup.”

  Ashley peeked in to find David building a parking lot for his trucks, and then headed to the bathroom with Sarah in tow. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d worn makeup…probably Jane’s surprise party. As a dog walker, she didn’t need much beyond comfortable shoes and practical clothing for the outdoors. As a mother, the requirements were pretty much the same.

  Sarah pulled out a makeup bag and began sorting through it, then she cracked her knuckles.

  “Okay, lady. Prepare to become glamified!”

  Chapter 10

  Ashley

  The doorbell rang just as Sarah put the finishing touches on Ashley’s eye makeup. Ashley heard rather than saw David leap up from his playing and sprint down the hallway to throw open the front door.

  “Matteo!” he said.

  “Hi, little buddy,” Matteo said, his lilt extra adorable when he was talking to David.

  Ashley’s stomach erupted in butterflies, and she met Sarah’s gaze in the bathroom mirror.

  “Have fun tonight, okay?” her friend said.

  Ashley nodded, and she stepped from the bathroom and walked down the hall. When she reached the entryway, she stopped in her tracks, stunned.

  Matteo was dressed in a tailored gray suit, his hair perfectly styled. In spite of this, he had scooped David up into his arms and was tossing the boy around as he giggled gleefully.

  “Higher! Higher! To the ceiling!” David said, and Matteo complied.

  His eyes darted to her, and he instantly set David down, his gaze intense as he took her in.

  Oh, yeah. There was something there.

  “Hey! Why did you stop?” David protested.

  “Because it’s dinner time, and your mom has to go,” Sarah said, coming out from the bathroom to join them.

  Her presence jarred Matteo from his reverie, and he cleared his throat.

  “You look lovely,” he said.

  “So do you,” Ashley replied, gesturing to his suit.

  Matteo shrugged, almost in a self-conscious way. What on earth could he ever be self-conscious about? The man was perfection personified.

  “My mom never wears makeup. She must really like you,” David said.

  “Okay,” Sarah chimed in, stepping forward to place a hand on David’s shoulder. “That’s good for now, David. Why don’t we go see to some chicken nuggets, and then we can talk about that dessert.”

  “Two desserts,” David said.

  If there was one thing David never forgot, it was conversations involving sweets.

  “Uh-huh,” Sarah said. She glanced up at Matteo.

  “I’m Sarah, Ashley and David’s friend. It’s nice to meet you.”

  Matteo held out his hand and she shook it.

  “The pleasure is all mine. Thank you for helping out so that I may get some time with this beautiful lady,” he said, his gaze once again warm upon Ashley.

  Sarah cast a glance in Ashley’s direction, then stepped back with David in tow.

  “Any time. You kids have fun and take your time. I don’t know if David’s made it clear enough, but Ashley really doesn’t get out much—” Sarah said.

  “Okay, I think that’s enough of that,” Ashley interjected. “Thank you, Sarah. David? Come here.” She stepped closer to Matteo, but turned and knelt down as David ran over and wrapped his arms around her.

  “Be good for your auntie. No staying up too late, and try not to eat so much sugar your tummy hurts, okay?”

  “Okay, Mom. I love you.”

  “I love you to the moon and back.”

  “Bye, Matteo,” David said, waving as he headed back toward the kitchen with Sarah.

  “Bye, David,” Matteo said.

  He held open the door for Ashley to walk out, and when she did, she realized she should have definitely brought a coat. Then she noticed a sleek black car parked in her driveway and forgot all about it.

  “You have a car?” she asked.

  Matteo led the way, circling around to her side and opening the passenger door for her.

  “I was able to access one with my free time today. I figured if I’m taking a lady out, I should do it right, no?”

  “Oh,” Ashley said.

  As she brushed past him to slide into the car, she caught a whiff of what smelled like expensive cologne. Paired with his natural clean scent, it was one of the most intoxicating things her nose had ever encountered. She wanted to hug him and just breathe him in. Instead she waited for him to close the door, which he did, and headed over to join her from the driver’s side.

  He buckled his seatbelt and then glanced over at her with a gleam in his eye.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  It was an invitation and a challenge, though she had no idea what he was challenging her to. Whatever it was, Ashley was in. The more time she spent with Matteo, the more she wan
ted to follow him to the ends of the earth.

  “Always,” she replied with a small smile.

  His hand twitched on the steering wheel, and for a moment she wondered if he was going to hold her hand. She wanted him to. She wanted to reach out and touch him with every fiber of her being. Instead, she placed her hands firmly in her lap as he put the car into drive and pulled out of the driveway.

  “Did you have a nice day?” he asked.

  “I did. Not a big crowd to be walked, but we made some great loops, and David had a good day at school as well, so that always makes mine a little brighter.”

  “What did he learn today?” Matteo asked.

  He was always so inclusive of David. It warmed her to her very core when he did that.

  “He learned a new word. Brontosaurus,” she said.

  He chuckled. “Ah, yes. I used to love dinosaurs when I was a child. At one point I wanted to become an archeologist.”

  “Why didn’t you?” Ashley asked.

  He shrugged. “It wasn’t really a viable option.”

  She waited for him to clarify. When he didn’t, she was left to wonder just what kind of life Matteo had lived, and what brought him to this exact moment. Obviously he wasn’t lacking financially now, but maybe when he was a kid, his parents couldn’t afford college or something. Ashley knew exactly how that felt… Her parents fought about who would have to pay for her education, and in the end neither bothered to help her at all.

  “What are you thinking about?” Matteo said, glancing at her.

  “My parents,” Ashley said. “Memories have a way of sneaking their way in from time to time.”

  “Yes,” Matteo agreed, his voice quiet. “They most certainly do.”

  He pulled into a small parking lot outside a dockside restaurant, and Ashley gasped.

  “Are you seriously taking me to La Belle Mer?”

  He frowned. “Is something wrong with the place? I did extensive research into what might be the best place in town.”

  Ashley let out a breathy laugh. “Something wrong? It’s the best restaurant in a hundred miles. People usually have to wait months to get a reservation.”

  “Ah, well. I was fortunate that when I called, an opening just happened to come up,” he said.