Page 11 of At the Sheikh's Pleasure
“Why isn’t it possible?We’re here.”She pointed to the room.“What I wish to see is the other side of that locked door.”
“There’s no hurry.You mentioned your love of horses last night, and so an excursion has been prepared for you.”
He could see she was torn.She hated being told what to do.She liked to be in charge because, he guessed, she’d been denied it growing up.But she’d chosen the wrong person to boss.There was no way she was going to get the better of him.
“Horses, Rosana,” he used her name for the first time.She appeared not to notice.“The desert.How long is it since you’ve been riding through our lands?Too long, I should imagine.You know there’s nothing like it.”He’d captured her attention and could see the exact moment when her expression changed and she gave up resisting.
“But,” she gave one last attempt, “I… have work to do.”
“And the work will be done.Later.”He grinned and shook his head, enjoying the challenge of getting her to change her mind.No mean feat.“Consider it as part of the hospitality we would extend to any member of the royal family.”
The thought obviously reassured her a little.“Okay, I’ll come.”
She smiled for the first time, and his heart thumped heavily.It wasn’t desire he suddenly felt for her, but something far more complex at that glimpse into the soul she kept hidden from the world.It was he who looked away this time.
“Good,” he said, as he followed her outside the throne room and closed the door.For the first time, he wondered whether he wasn’t getting himself into something deeper than he’d imagined.
Chapter5
Rosana wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but she knew for sure that it hadn’t been this.The lodge where the country’s famed Arabian horses were bred and trained was a state-of-the-art modern complex.Her father’s stables were antiquated compared with these.She looked around the place wide-eyed as they drove into the compound.
“You look surprised,” he said.“I take it that this is different to your own family’s stables,” he continued.
She turned to him.Conversation on the car ride out to the lodge had been surprisingly easy.But she was aware she didn’t want to give anything away about her country.She needed to remember who she was.She had to make sure she didn’t drop her guard.Zaire’s legendary charm had re-appeared, and she realized it was working its magic on her.She felt the most relaxed she’d been for a long time.
“Itisdifferent,” she said, unable to look him in the eye.“Very different,” she conceded.She felt a flutter of disloyalty.“But of course, our operations are very established and based on buildings and ways of doing things which have existed for centuries.”She continued looking in front of her, aware that he’d glanced at her.He knew she was trying to cover up that what she saw before her was far superior to that of her home country.
“And, of course, your father’s stables have produced many fine animals.”
“Yes.”She looked back at the buildings they’d passed, horses being trained and people going about their business.“But this is on another scale entirely,” she conceded.“I’ve seen nothing like it.”
And she hadn’t.From the gleaming state of the buildings to the bright eyes of the horses, nothing was out of place.It was easy to see the money and care which had gone into the stables.Despite her intentions, Rosana felt herself softening to this man.She’d always believed you could tell a person by the way they treated their animals.It was certainly true of her father and, in the opposite way, it appeared to be true of Zaire.
A group of men immediately approached Zaire and greeted him.Rosana was surprised when Zaire introduced her to them.Again, this was not something her father would have done.After conversing for a few moments, two horses were brought forward.
Zaire stopped talking and came over to her as she patted the horse who’d been selected for her to ride.
“I especially asked for this horse for you.I thought you’d enjoy her.I hear you’re an excellent horsewoman.”
She glanced at him sharply, wondering where he’d heard that.She hadn’t ridden since she’d left her home country.“Really?I doubt that.”
Zaire gave a surprised grunt.He was obviously unused to anyone doubting him.“It’s true,” he said, stepping forward and rubbing the horse’s nose, “my assistant had to dig deep to find anything out about you.”He glanced at her.“But even so, word of your excellence travels, sheikha.We have heard of your prowess as a rider and didn’t wish to insult you with an inferior animal.”
She shrugged and turned her attention back to the horse.There was no point refuting it because she had been an excellent horsewoman.“I haven’t ridden in years.”
“Then perhaps you’d prefer a less lively horse?”
The horse responded to her touch, and she shook her head.“No, this one will do.What’s her name?”
“Adira”
“Adira” she murmured.“She certainly looks like her name—noble, beautiful, and powerful.”She stepped back and looked at the mare.“Adira is definitely the horse for me.”
Adira’s eyes weren’t fearful, but strong and direct, and intelligent.Rosana felt as if she was being assessed.She leaned into the horse and spoke in a slow and lowered tone, rubbing her neck to reassure her.As she continued to speak in a gentle voice, she gave Adira the opportunity to see her and inhale her scent, and to gain confidence in her.Adira’s ears pricked up and her eyes widened to begin with, but then she settled and Rosana took the reins and smoothed and briefly massaged her neck.
Adira looked away as if she no longer had any interest in assessing Rosana and had given permission for her to mount.Which she did, with the help of a groom, grateful that her maid had somehow summoned up a beautiful set of riding clothes for her to wear.
And then it happened.One moment she’d been Sheikha Rosana, prideful and contained, intent on her purpose, the next… She was a woman, astride a beautiful, powerful horse and the facade with which she confronted the world had vanished.
