Read Online The Royal Elite: Ahsan (Elite, Book 2) by Danielle Bourdon - Free Book Online
Authors: Danielle Bourdon
Tags: Romance, Contemporary, Action, romantic suspense, spy, Royal, seduction, passion, Intrigue, control, Exotic, Cabal
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instead? I realize it's too hot to ride yet, but I'm in the mood to see the horses.”
He frowned, then cleared the expression from his face. “Of course.”
“I'll still change—these clothes aren't suitable for being around horses—and be right back down.” She paused, one hand on the banister.
“I'll be waiting.” Ahsan rubbed his fingers over his whiskered jaw as Sessily ascended to the second floor. He found it impossible to look away from her whenever she was in sight. After she disappeared down the hall, he paced a lazy circle, puzzled at her actions. His staff wouldn't have interacted with her unless she'd summoned them, and she hadn't. Who else?
Perhaps she'd had a phone call from home. Trouble in the family. One could never tell.
True to her word, she didn't take long to change. Appearing in denim that fit low on her hips, held in place by a suede belt, she was just finishing doing up the last button on a matching suede vest with no sleeves. The outfit accentuated the minute span of her waist and the subtle curves that begged a man to touch. She'd piled her hair high, a few straggly wisps resting against her throat.
“Ready?” he asked, resisting the urge to loop his arm possessively around the low of her back.
“Yes. How many horses did you say you have?” She turned her face up to him and fell into step at his side.
“More than a hundred. You?” Senses on high alert, he discerned from the forced lilt in her words that she was struggling to maintain a happier facade. The pleasing roll of her accent sounded strained instead of sultry.
“Not nearly that many. Thirty or so.” She paused, then said, “Did you get your love of them from your family?”
“We've always had them, but most of my family only rides occasionally, leaving the breeding, training and raising to others. I decided I wanted to do it all.” Exiting out the back doors, he guided her through the gardens, past the pool, and around a few sitting areas. Water trickled over rocks and the wind rustled palm fronds to and fro.
“I see. Why did you move out here, away from the rest of civilization?”
“Because I like my own space and solitude.”
“Forgive me, but I overheard a few guests mention you last evening. Your father is the Emir, correct?”
“Yes.” He glanced aside while they left the last archway and headed across the flat land toward the stables. Horses nickered in the distance and somewhere a dog barked. Sessily's expression turned thoughtful.
“I don't know how far you are from your family, your mother and father, but...don't they miss you? My family always stayed close together, living within a few miles of each other.”
“They're on the other side of the country. Let's put it this way, Sessily,” he said, leading her through two doors at the furthest end of a long stable. The sunlight cut out, only streaming in through a few stall windows. Several horses poked their heads out from their stalls, eyes glistening and curious. “I'm something of a black sheep where the Afshar's are concerned. I go my own way, which is usually the opposite of everyone else.”
He expected her to tease him, to throw some harmless, candid quip about his status into the mix. Instead, she surprised him and frowned.
“I'm not sure what you mean, you go your own way.” She glanced at him, then laughed when one of the horses pressed its nose against her arm. Pausing to croon, she petted the animal's nose and jaw, eliciting a few quiet nickers and a stomp of a hoof.
The change that came over Sessily while she baby-talked the steed was a heartfelt emotion. Loving, adoring, sweet. Not like the distracted frowns from earlier at lunch and during the tour. He leaned an arm high against the stall, allowing her to greet the horse at her leisure.
“I mean that I don't subscribe to their way of life. For the most part, I do my own thing in regards to relationships, culture, and religion.”
“Give me an example. I'm not familiar
He frowned, then cleared the expression from his face. “Of course.”
“I'll still change—these clothes aren't suitable for being around horses—and be right back down.” She paused, one hand on the banister.
“I'll be waiting.” Ahsan rubbed his fingers over his whiskered jaw as Sessily ascended to the second floor. He found it impossible to look away from her whenever she was in sight. After she disappeared down the hall, he paced a lazy circle, puzzled at her actions. His staff wouldn't have interacted with her unless she'd summoned them, and she hadn't. Who else?
Perhaps she'd had a phone call from home. Trouble in the family. One could never tell.
True to her word, she didn't take long to change. Appearing in denim that fit low on her hips, held in place by a suede belt, she was just finishing doing up the last button on a matching suede vest with no sleeves. The outfit accentuated the minute span of her waist and the subtle curves that begged a man to touch. She'd piled her hair high, a few straggly wisps resting against her throat.
“Ready?” he asked, resisting the urge to loop his arm possessively around the low of her back.
“Yes. How many horses did you say you have?” She turned her face up to him and fell into step at his side.
“More than a hundred. You?” Senses on high alert, he discerned from the forced lilt in her words that she was struggling to maintain a happier facade. The pleasing roll of her accent sounded strained instead of sultry.
“Not nearly that many. Thirty or so.” She paused, then said, “Did you get your love of them from your family?”
“We've always had them, but most of my family only rides occasionally, leaving the breeding, training and raising to others. I decided I wanted to do it all.” Exiting out the back doors, he guided her through the gardens, past the pool, and around a few sitting areas. Water trickled over rocks and the wind rustled palm fronds to and fro.
“I see. Why did you move out here, away from the rest of civilization?”
“Because I like my own space and solitude.”
“Forgive me, but I overheard a few guests mention you last evening. Your father is the Emir, correct?”
“Yes.” He glanced aside while they left the last archway and headed across the flat land toward the stables. Horses nickered in the distance and somewhere a dog barked. Sessily's expression turned thoughtful.
“I don't know how far you are from your family, your mother and father, but...don't they miss you? My family always stayed close together, living within a few miles of each other.”
“They're on the other side of the country. Let's put it this way, Sessily,” he said, leading her through two doors at the furthest end of a long stable. The sunlight cut out, only streaming in through a few stall windows. Several horses poked their heads out from their stalls, eyes glistening and curious. “I'm something of a black sheep where the Afshar's are concerned. I go my own way, which is usually the opposite of everyone else.”
He expected her to tease him, to throw some harmless, candid quip about his status into the mix. Instead, she surprised him and frowned.
“I'm not sure what you mean, you go your own way.” She glanced at him, then laughed when one of the horses pressed its nose against her arm. Pausing to croon, she petted the animal's nose and jaw, eliciting a few quiet nickers and a stomp of a hoof.
The change that came over Sessily while she baby-talked the steed was a heartfelt emotion. Loving, adoring, sweet. Not like the distracted frowns from earlier at lunch and during the tour. He leaned an arm high against the stall, allowing her to greet the horse at her leisure.
“I mean that I don't subscribe to their way of life. For the most part, I do my own thing in regards to relationships, culture, and religion.”
“Give me an example. I'm not familiar
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