Page 24 of Caught By the Bratva Beast

While sex is off the table, kissing never was.

However, when he backs away, I don't know what to think.

“You're my guest here, Pearl. I would never let anything hurt you. I can assure you that when you get on one of my horses, you're going to be safe and secure.”

“I half-expected you to make a joke about going for a ride.”

His hazel eyes shift in the sunlight streaming through the skylights. At first glance they’re grey, but then they turn green, warm, and bright as he laughs and opens one of the stall doors, gesturing to a horse that's already saddled and ready to go.

“This is Prancer. He's a good old boy and he'll keep up with the hunt, but you don't have to worry about jumping with him. He’s too docile to even think about tossing you from the saddle.”

“Please tell me you have a horse named Rudolph in here.”

“No, but at one point I had most of the other eight reindeer,” Maxim smirks, taking my hand and leading me closer to the horse, holding it out flat so the horse can sniff me. “I was an idiot when I was younger, and I made a bet with Nikita. He told me that if I lost this particular bet, my horses would have to be named after Santa's reindeer. I was able to avoid Rudolph, but all of the others were put in here.”

I can't help the laugh that escapes me as I run my hand over Prancer’s nose. His fur is soft beneath my touch, the short roan strands sliding against my hand.

“Let me help you up,” Maxim says. “Put your foot in the stirrup here and grab the pommel. You're going to lift yourself and use your momentum to swing your other leg over. Once you're in the saddle, find a comfortable position.”

I do as he says even though I've been on many horses before, Prancer is much taller than all the others. He remains still as I settle myself in the black leather saddle. I love horse riding, and I hope that I don’t get too carried away and let my pretentious naivety slide away.

Maxim hands me the reins. “Prancer is an easy horse. He responds to the slightest of touches. If you want him to go, press your heels into his sides gently. If you want him to stop, tug straight back on the reins.”

I know that, but internally I'm hoping that I won’t make a fool of myself as Maxim leaves to get on another horse. He looks at me when he’s seated, and there’s something about seeing him on a horse, desire rushing straight to my core, building a warm fire in the bottom of my stomach.

He leads the way out of the barn and down one of the trails into the forest.

The trail is pleasant at first, though it takes some time to find my seating. I rock with Prancer as he walks. The deeper we get into the woods, the more colorful birds I see floating around the treetops. A bunny runs along the path, darting out in front of the horses before disappearing into the bushes, but to my relief, neither of them rear.

Maxim smiles as he looks over at me. “See, I told you that he was a good horse.”

“I didn't doubt you for a second. I've no reason to think that you lie to me. At least none that you've given me.”

“And yet I have reason to think that you would lie to me about everything, quite frankly. Who you are, what you do for a living. Where your family comes from, what you want out of life. I have no reason to believe that you would tell me the truth about any of it. “

“You know that I'm in escort.”

“And I'm the one who had to find that out, you didn't volunteer that information.”

“You didn't volunteer the information that you work for the Brava.”

“No, I suppose I didn't tell you that. Can you blame me though?” Maxim gives me a charming smile and my gaze drags down his toned arms, biceps bulging as he moves the horse expertly, jumping over a fallen log. His tattoos stand out even more when the muscles flex.

Maybe once, just for one night, I could imagine having those arms wrapped around me.

I nudge my heels into Prancer’s side, moving him a little faster, pulling back on the reins, and letting him sail over a little log, joining Maxim on the other side. “Did you think that you weren’t going to have to tell me about what you do? Don't you think you should tell the woman you want to sleep with that you're a criminal?”

“You’d be surprised how many women would consider that a turn-off. As you can imagine, I doubt that many women want to know that they're sleeping with a criminal. And even if they do, then they just want me for whatever I can get them. You were the first person who didn't seem to care. Not once did you fawn over me. You didn't ask me for anything.”

“Oh, there’s still time yet. I might still hold you that trip to Japan.”

A muscle flexes in his chiseled jaw. He looks over his shoulder at me. “You might not have to ask.”

We enter a clearing, the long grass brushing against Prancer’s knees before it gets a bit shorter, chewed down by whatever roams the woods.

Maxim looks over at me with a boyish smirk.” We're going to race.”

“I told you that I can barely ride, and yet the first thing you think about doing is racing. I'm going to end up getting thrown from the saddle. Is that what you want?”

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