Read Online Taming the Tycoon by Amy Andrews - Free Book Online Page B

her calling as a NASCAR driver. Nathaniel ratcheted “lethal” up several notches by changing into jeans and a T-shirt and, forgoing his crutches, helping his mother with some heavy lifting and carrying despite her protests over his injury.
    At one point, a fence needed fixing and he stunned Addie by performing the job with brisk competence. Somehow she hadn’t pictured him at home in this environment. A boardroom, sure. The stock exchange, a flashy London gala—absolutely.
    Not down on the farm.
    For a moment, as she watched his biceps strain and the denim covering his legs pull taut, she pictured him in full cowboy garb complete with belt buckle and a Stetson pulled low over his face.
    Flannel shirt blowing open…
    Sweat glistening on his pecs…
    Hip dips peeking out above his low-rider jeans…
    Luckily, a curious alpaca called George chose that moment to sniff her neck and halted thoughts that had dropped somewhat south of Nathaniel’s imaginary buckle. Like, did cowboys go commando ?
    The animals were quite entrancing, really. Two hundred woolly, long-necked creatures strutted around regally, grazing as if they were giraffes on the savanna of Africa instead of odd-looking creatures in the middle of the English countryside. She loved their long lashes and strange soothing hum that sounded as if they were singing to each other.
    It was a surreal experience made even better by her two chatty safari guides who obviously adored their herd and knew every one by name. Addie was amazed at the energy of the two older women and utterly caught up in their passion. Their plans for the farm and their monthly market stall where they sold the fleece were interesting and Addie asked endless questions as she helped them prepare the evening meal.
    They even took her vegetarianism in their stride. Eunice had dozens of vegetarian cookbooks from her own flirtation with veganism years before. She regaled Addie with stories of her failed cooking attempts as she whipped up a delicious vegetarian risotto as if it were no more trifling than making a marmite sandwich.
    “I just couldn’t give up bacon, Addie, no matter how hard I tried,” she’d lamented.
    Addie admitted bacon had been hard for her, too.
    They ate out on the large terrace that overlooked beautifully manicured gardens sloping down to the pasture fence. They watched the alpacas graze as the sun slowly set and Addie felt as if she’d been dropped into the middle of a Salvador Dali landscape.
    Where nothing felt familiar but everything seemed right.
    It was hard to believe it was almost nine when they gathered the dishes and retired indoors. Addie was tired and pleasantly full but the thought of going up to a bed made for rolling around in with a man who looked like he’d been hand-picked for the activity made her reluctant to mount the stairs. And when Nathaniel excused himself to spend some time on the computer, it gave her the perfect opportunity to stick around with his nearest and dearest.
    Eunice smiled as Addie joined them in the sitting room with a tray of hot chocolates she’d made for each of them. “Sit here, my duck,” she said, shifting her knitting slightly and patting the cushion next to her on the chintzy two-seater. Addie passed the mugs then sat.
    Eunice tutted. “Nate works too hard.”
    “I know,” his mother sighed.
    She peered over her glasses at Addie, her knitting needles clacking. “Fancy neglecting a sweet young thing like you,” she mused, then flicked her gaze to her daughter. “When you’re so obviously in love with each other.”
    Addie almost choked on her hot chocolate, missing the faint quirk of Eunice’s mouth. Their deception weighed heavily on her conscience. It had seemed a necessary evil back in London, but she hadn’t been expecting Nathaniel’s family to be so damn…nice.
    “Well, it’s just the beginning, really. We’re just—you know—taking each day as it comes.”
    Addie had been reaching for vague but was