Arabian Nights - The city time had forgot - completed

Chapter Sixteen

Easier said than done, since the mare kept moving around. After the fourth tempt, she finally got into the saddle. Only to be told to get down again, she frowned at him.

"You should be happy I'm up here," she complained.

"And you need to get up the first time, every time." And she slid down and kept doing it, until she got up on the first try, her legs aching.

"I see, this is my punishment, you cruel meanie." She gave him warning daggers.

"I would give you a massage later,' he promised. "We will have to ride hard and fast. I need you to get used to the gait." He took off without warning. She swore and tightened the reigns, turning around, all of three hundred and sixty degrees, twice.

"Oh, come on, you've got to be kidding me, and you're doing this on purpose. Hassan!" She yelled as he disappeared out of sight. "Show off!" She nudged the horse forward and in the right directions, she hoped, then picked up speed and galloped after him, but still no sight of him. "How could you do this to me?" She wailed, and then mumbled under her breath. "He was supposed to keep me safe, and what, he rides off." She eased back to a trot, looking around, surrounded by darkness and sand, her heart pounding. Then she heard hooves behind her and spun around, relieved as Hassan came up beside her, and pulled up at her side, doing his usual rearing.

"Hassan that was mean," she swiped out with her hand and missed.

"And you have to keep up with me, my love. I cannot keep coming back for you."

"But you didn't, you were behind me. You took off so fast without warning, I had no chance of catching up," she pointed out annoyed.

"Actually, I was hiding and watching."

"Oh," colour flooded her cheeks. "So you saw your trick horse at work?"

"She was only doing what you told her to do," he smiled.

"I did not," she protested. "Why would I want to go around in circles, while you race off, leaving me behind in your dust."

"I see this is going to be so much fun. I think we would start with rein control." He cupped her chin in his hand, guiding her across and planted a kiss on her mouth. "Do you think you can ride back to the palace?"

"I'd rather ride with you," she whispered. "I did ride all the way over here," she pointed out. Sighing, he dropped her chin, wrapped his arm around her waist and eased her over to sit sidesaddle in front of him.

"Better?" She nodded, snuggling up against him. He held her tightly against him, wrapping her reins around the saddle, then took off, whistled, and Rising Star followed. Elena peered over his shoulder.

"So it's a trained horse."

"Better behaved than you," he noted softly and was poked. "Elena," he growled in warning.

"Then don't be so rude."

"And no more running off." She nodded, tilting her head up as his come in and kissed her long and slow as they rode across the desert sand. Her arms snaking around his neck.

Arriving back into the palace grounds, he lowered her down to the ground and joined her, pulling her back into his arms, kissing her again. "I could do this all day," he breathed against her softened lips.

"You promised me a massage," she reminded him.

"Go to your room. I would join you, when I have seen to the horses."

"You don't want me to help?"

"Not this time." With another brief kiss, she was gone, heading back towards her rooms.