Page 2 of The Sheikh's Defiant Girlfriend

When he turned onto a dirt road, Amir wished he’d had the idea earlier. He’d have driven his Land Rover rather than his Mercedes sedan.

“Amir.” Soraya’s voice was threatening now. When they were children, that tone made him wary. She often followed up by stomping on his foot, spilling something in his lap, or otherwise making him pay for his troublemaking ways. The worst was when she’d silently walk away, because he knew then that she would dream up some particularly devilish revenge.

He tried to deflect her ire.

“Horseback riding is spectacular at sunset.”

* * *

Soraya finally allowed herself to look around. Until now, she’d been so busy being annoyed with Amir she hadn’t registered he wasn’t driving her to her home.

Amir parked in front of a stable. A mansion stood a hundred yards away, and horses looked up from white-fenced paddocks nearby. The place was fancy, and at least at first glance, it looked remarkably clean. Amir got out of the car and came around to open the door for her. She reluctantly got out, but only because the car would soon become unbearably hot now that Amir had turned it off and the air conditioner was no longer running.

He led her to the barn, where a woman met him with the familiarity and deference an employee used with an employer.

“Good evening, Miriam. I’m sorry for showing up unannounced like this, but I had a sudden urge for a sunset ride. Could you please help Soraya with some riding clothes?”

“Of course, Sheikh. Miss, if you would come with me. This way,” the woman said and gestured to Soraya.

“Is this really necessary?” Soraya asked Amir.

“Unless you want to ride in your work clothes,” he replied and winked at her. She narrowed her eyes at him. She’d asked if this whole excursion was necessary, but as usual, he interpreted things the way he wanted. “Come on, Soraya. Where’s your sense of adventure?”

Growing up, Amir would make fun of how boyish she was. Back then, she did have a sense of adventure. Now, between school and work, she was usually too tired for adventure, too focused on getting her degree and starting her career so she could forge her own way in life. She did kind of miss having fun. If Amir wanted to take her on a short adventure, why shouldn’t she take him up on the offer? It didn’t mean they were dating.

Soraya followed Miriam into a small changing room with lockers made of rich wood where stacks of riding clothes in all different sizes waited for riders. She changed quickly and headed outside. Amir was already there waiting for her.

He’d changed out of his business suit and into more traditional garb—loose white trousers and a white tunic. The wind ruffled his wavy dark hair, and for a moment, she wished he’d grow a beard so he’d look more like a Bedouin chieftain and less like the womanizing partier he was. In her weaker moments, she longed for a strong, silent man to sweep her away. Amir could never be that man, though. Not only was he a notorious playboy, but he was also almost never silent.

“Have you ever been horseback riding?” Amir asked her.

“No, I haven’t,” Soraya replied in the calmest way possible. She had never been on a horse, and her heart was racing at the thought of it. She’d always wanted to go riding, but now that she was faced with the opportunity, she was scared she would fall off. She did not want Amir to know. It would ruin her reputation as a strong, independent woman.

“You will have to ride double with me, then.”

Falling off would be much better than riding with you.

“I don’t think so, Amir. I’m sure I can figure it out. Just give me the slowest horse in the stable.”

“I wouldn’t want you falling off and hurting yourself,” Amir said with a grin. He was plotting something, she could tell. No logic in the world would dissuade him from having her up behind him in the saddle. One of the trainers led a beautiful gray horse toward them. She pranced as she walked and tossed her head, but she stood still when the trainer stopped in front of Amir. Amir took the reins and mounted the horse in one graceful motion. He stroked the horse’s neck and then offered Soraya his hand. She stared at it for a moment, then at the stirrup he’d taken his foot out of so she could use it. The saddle wasn’t big enough for two people. She would have nothing to hold on to, and once she was up, no stirrups for her feet.

“I don’t think this is the best way to learn to ride.” She tried again. “I suspect I’m more likely to slide off the horse’s rump while riding double with you than to fall from my own saddle.”

“I won’t let you fall. Come on,” he said to her. She reluctantly gave him her hand and slid her left foot into the stirrup. It took two hops and a solid pull from Amir, and then she was sitting behind him on the horse. “You’ll have to hold on to my waist,” he said to her.

Soraya frowned. This was not ideal. He had practically kidnapped her. She’d only gotten into the car with him because he’d promised to take her home. Had she known he would drive her all the way out here, she would never have come with him. Now, they were sharing a horse, and she had to hold on to him.

She could get off. She could just nope right on out of this ridiculous situation. Hell, she could let him go riding by himself and drive herself home in his car. That would serve him right. She was sure he could summon a driver or a helicopter or something to get himself back to the city.

He looked over his shoulder at her, and his charming, mischievous grin was gone. Instead, the corners of his mouth tipped up just the slightest bit, and his teasing brown eyes had softened to an expression that almost looked likelonging.

“Let me show you something I love,” he said. “My favorite time of day in my favorite place.”

She slowly wrapped her arms around him. Amir smiled as she pressed her body against him, and she glared just enough to show they werenoton the same page about this arrangement.

“All right,” Soraya said. “Let’s go.”

As the horse started to walk forward, Soraya’s nerves fluttered. She convinced herself not to look down. She was sure that seeing the ground moving beneath her would only make her dizzy. After a few strides, she caught the horse’s rhythm and relaxed, moving with the horse, and everything else eased.

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