Page 65 of Royal Caleva: Luis

Bridget approached them, dangling riding helmets from the straps hooked over her fingers. “These are adjustable. I can help you make sure they fit properly.”

“Thanks, but we know how to make them tight,” Grace said.

“If you don’t mind, I’ll check them,” Bridget said with an apologetic smile. “It’s my job to protect you from getting a concussion too.”

“Are you riding with us?” Eve asked as Bridget helped her strap the helmet on tightly.

“No. I’m not a pro on horseback. The folks going with you are experts.” Bridget moved to check Grace’s helmet.

“Where are they?” Grace asked.

“Already mounted and waiting,” Bridget said. “They’ll stay ahead and behind so you shouldn’t really notice them once you’re on the trail. But don’t worry, they can get to you fast.”

Eve had not been worried until Bridget said that, but the strong security made sense since both the king and the crown prince would be with them.

“All set,” Bridget said, rapping Grace’s helmet lightly with her knuckles.

A black SUV swept up to the open side of the courtyard and stopped. Two more SUVs parked just behind it, the doors swinging open to disgorge men and women in dark suits who spread out around the stable.

One guard stepped up to the first SUV and tapped on the window before opening the back door.

Eve nearly gasped as Luis stepped out of the car dressed in tan riding breeches that outlined every muscle in his thighs, tall, shiny black boots, and a blue polo shirt. A riding helmet was tucked under his arm, and he held a pair of gloves and a riding crop.

Delicious heat rippled through Eve’s body as she devoured the stretch of fabric over his wide shoulders and the long stride that carried him toward her. His gaze was locked on hers, and his smile carried all kinds of wicked messages.

Beside him walked Raul, who was dressed in similar riding kit. The two tall, powerful men with their strong family resemblance made a striking pair.

Suddenly, the activity of the stable came to a halt as everyone either bowed or curtsied to the arriving royals. Everyone except Eve and Grace…until they noticed and hurriedly bent their knees.

“Ay, none of that,” Luis said as he came up to them. He winked. “You are Americans.”

The momentary stillness ended as everyone went back to their tasks. It was weird.

“Do you even notice when all these people do it?” Grace asked with a sweep of her hand around the courtyard.

Raul shrugged. “Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It is a sign of respect to what we represent, not to us personally, so we accept it in that spirit.”

Eve wasn’t so sure that the respect was not personal. The Calevans she had spoken with were very enthusiastic about the royal family.

“Welcome to my surprise outing,” Luis said, once again looking at Eve with that caress in his eyes. “We’re going up into the mountains to see if we can find dragons for you.”

“I’m excited just to go riding,” Grace said.

“As am I,” Luis said. “Raul and I are playing hooky.”

“Oh, yeah,” Raul said, grinning. “We blew off some epically boring meetings.”

Eve started to feel guilty but pushed the feeling away. Luis would not shirk any important duties. Instead, she worried about staying on the horse on a mountain trail. She hadn’t ridden more than half a dozen times in the last ten years, so her horseback muscles weren’t in shape.

Luis said something in Spanish to the grooms holding the horses. They laughed and responded too swiftly for Eve to understand.

“You are riding Cielo,” Luis said to Eve. “And Grace will ride Estrella. Sky and Star.” He checked the tightness of the girth on Cielo before lacing the fingers of both hands together to provide a step for Eve to put her foot in to mount her horse.

She hesitated a moment. It seemed wrong to put her dirty boot on a king’s hands.

“Eve?” He bent to lower his hands.

Praying she hadn’t stepped in any manure, she gently slid her foot into his grip and grabbed the saddle. He lifted her with a surge of power that made her feel like she weighed no more than a cobweb, yet he stopped her at the right moment to swing her free leg over the horse’s back. As she settled in the saddle, she looked down and found herself mesmerized by the sun illuminating the pale blue of his eyes and glinting on the silver in his hair while it painted the sharp-angled bones of his face with light and shadow. He was breathtaking, and she got to touch him again tonight.

---