Harts of Arizona Series

by Yahrah St. John

  “How about a ride?” Amar asked. “The stables have a great trail, or so I’ve heard. I’d love to share it with you. Spend some time together. Just you and me.”

  Rylee let out a tortured sigh. What a morning she’d had, and it wasn’t even nine AM. “Yes they do, but I’ve got to call my girlfriend first. Tell her what happened.”

  “Oh, yes, Camryn.” He was so eager to get Rylee alone and get his hands on her, he had momentarily forgotten she hadn’t come alone.

  Rylee nodded. “Go ahead and arrange the ride. I’ll be inside shortly.”

  “Sure thing.”

  As soon as Amar had walked back into the stables, Rylee pulled her cell phone out of her jeans pocket and dialed the hotel. Camryn answered on the third ring. “Hello.” She sounded out of breath.

  “Camryn, it’s Rylee.”

  “Oh, you’re in deep trouble, missy,” her friend replied.

  “Why?”

  “Well, Jeremy called to tell me he’s leaving and going back to Tucson and that it might be best if I come back with him since you might be otherwise engaged.”

  “Oh!”

  “Don’t start backsliding now, Miss Hot to Trot. You made your decision, or should I say your bed, and now you have to lie in it. And” — she threw several pieces of clothing into the bag while she cradled the cordless phone in the other — “and you better come back with some juicy stories to tell me since you’re cutting short my first Derby trip.”

  “You don’t have to leave, Cam.”

  “Bullshit! Do you think I wanna be the third wheel while I watch you and Amar make doe eyes at each other? No thank you. I’ll go back now and see if I can’t calm Jeremy down. He’s seeing red now. He said he saw you two making out like rabbits.”

  Rylee laughed. We were going at it like sex-crazed teenagers, she thought. “I’m so sorry, Cam. I know how much you were looking forward to this trip and showing off your new hat.”

  Camryn shrugged. “The Derby comes every year. There will be another time for me and my fabulous hat. But you …” She stopped packing long enough to say, “You need to enjoy yourself and just live in the moment.”

  “That’s what I’m doing.”

  “And I’m proud of you. Just be safe, okay? I’m going to leave you a box of condoms in your lingerie drawer. That way I know you won’t forget about ‘em.”

  Rylee chuckled again at her dear friend. “Thank you, and you know I love you.”

  “And I you. Now get off this phone and go have some fun. You only live life once!”

  Amar procured an Arabian stallion to ride and a beautiful palomino with a gold coat and white mane and tail for Rylee. The horses were waiting for her as soon as she returned back to the stables from her call.

  “Everything all taken care of?” Amar asked as she walked toward him. As he lifted her onto the horse, he enjoyed the view of her curvy backside as she swung her leg over. His mind instantly wandered to what it would be like when she swung her leg on each side of him and rode him like there was no tomorrow.

  “Yes,” she said as he walked over and joined her by jumping astride the Arabian. “Camryn is on her way back to Tucson with Jeremy.”

  Amar smiled. It was impossible not to hide his relief as he’d been contemplating his way out of the scenario, but clearly Rylee understood their need for it to be just the two of them. “I hope they have safe travels.”

  “I just bet you do,” Rylee said as she gave a little hitch and the palomino heard the cue and took off walking.

  Amar followed behind her, and several minutes later they’d left the stable grounds and were headed onto the horseback riding trail.

  It was a beautiful sunny day with a few puffy clouds on the horizon, but that didn’t dull Amar’s spirits. He and Rylee were finally alone with no interruptions. He’d wanted this since the first night in the hotel when he’d spotted her in the restaurant and then again at the stables. He’d never had such a strong reaction to a woman before and even though it scared him, he wasn’t walking away. Instead, he’d done everything in his power to ensure their fate.

  “What are you thinking?” Rylee asked when she looked up and found they’d stopped and he was staring at her.

  “I’m sorry?”

  “What were you thinking about just now?”

  “Honestly?”

  “That would be preferred.”

  “I was thinking about you,” Amar replied.

  “Oh!”

  “I was thinking how beautiful you are and how lucky I am that you’ve agreed to spend the remainder of your weekend with me.”

  A wide smile took over Rylee’s face. “How else could I get to know you beyond the charming persona?”

  “Do you think me insincere?”

  She shook her head. “No, not at all, or I wouldn’t be here. But I would like to know what moves you, what’s important to you, beyond our mutual attraction for each other.”

  “Fair enough.” Amar gave his Arabian a kick and they took off again as he mused over her question. They had several quiet moments looking over the lush landscape and trees before Amar finally spoke. “I’m moved by how people still value what I and my company bring to the table. And what’s important to me is loyalty, honesty and trust. It’s been difficult to find people who have all those qualities.”

  His answer must have given Rylee pause because she was introspective before she asked, “Is that why you don’t have a large entourage? My impression, or what I’ve seen, is that sheikhs’ sons always have lots of people around them.”

  “Usually that’s the case, but I have found that I can only trust a few in my inner circle.”

  “You mean one — Sharif.”

  “I agreed to Sharif for my father, but make no mistake about it, he’s got bodyguards looking after me. They are just in the shadows.”

  Rylee stopped her horse. “Seriously?” She looked around her. “I don’t see anyone.”

  “My father is a stubborn man. He only allows me to think that I have freedom.”

  “You’re taking it all in stride.”

  “What can I do? It comes with being his son, even if I am a bastard.”

  Rylee stopped her horse at a small clearing, and before he knew it, she’d jumped down, still holding the reins to her palomino. “Don’t talk about yourself like that!”

  Rylee seemed appalled by his choice of words, so Amar slowly dismounted his horse. He grasped her reins and after he’d tied both horses to a nearby tree, he joined Rylee in the clearing that overlooked several mountains and valleys.

  “Why? It’s what I am.” He tucked several curly strands of her hair behind her ear that had blown free from her cowboy hat. “My father was not married to my mother when she had me.”

  “That may be so, Amar,” she said, looking up at him with big brown eyes, “but it’s so negative to talk that way.”

  Amar shrugged and walked back to the horses to pull out a blanket and several canteens of water before walking back over to her. “It’s what I’ve been called my whole life. I guess it doesn’t affect me like most Americans.”

  “You’re American?”

  “Yes.” He smiled and grabbed her hand as he walked her to a spot underneath a shady tree. He shook out the blanket and kneeled down on it. He held his hand out to her and she grasped it and joined him on the blanket. “Anyway, what moves you?” he asked, still holding her hand as he lay down. “What’s important to you?”

  “Well, that’s easy,” Rylee answered as she sat. “Horses move me, and I don’t mean that in the literal sense. I’ve always been curious about big, beautiful animals, even though I had to learn how to treat other animals, and I do, on my family’s ranch. But horses have a special place in my heart, and that’s why I specialized as a horse surgeon.”

  “Not an easy field for a woman to get int
o.”

  Rylee nodded her agreement. “Not at all, but I was determined, despite my father’s objections.”

  “Sounds oddly familiar.” Amar knew what it was like to go against his father’s ideas of what he should be doing with his life. Owning an Internet publishing company and several television and radio stations seemed trivial to the Sheikh, who was used to oil and big business.

  “And family is everything to me,” Rylee finished. “I love them all dearly.”

  “You have brothers, yes?”

  Rylee glared at him. She knew he’d done his research, so the question was moot, but she humored him. “Yes, I have two brothers — Noah and Caleb. Noah’s the eldest and Caleb is the youngest and a hell-raiser.”

  Amar laughed. “I can commiserate. My youngest brother, Tariq, is a handful, but I think it’s because he knows all the responsibility falls to the eldest, so he can live life as he pleases.”

  Rylee smiled. “My brother Noah, being the eldest, is very focused on the family. He’s loyal to a fault. You couldn’t find a more honest or trustworthy man. He’s someone I can count on, always has been.”

  “And Caleb?”

  “Caleb’s all heart. He cares about family too, and I know if push came to shove, he’d protect me against anyone; but he can be a bit unreliable at times.”

  “And your parents?”

  “Isaac and Madelyn,” Rylee said, “have been married for thirty-six years and are as in love with each other as they were on the day they married.”

  “I can see the love you have for them in your eyes. It’s admirable.”

  “You don’t feel that way about your family?” Rylee said, staring directly at him.

  “Afraid not,” Amar said truthfully. “I’m only close to Tariq, I guess because he doesn’t see me as a threat or competition. But my other brother …”

  “Is he the oldest?”

  “The oldest that the Kingdom of Nasir recognizes.”

  “So you’re older than him?” Rylee surmised correctly.

  Amar nodded. “But because I’m a half-breed and conceived outside of marriage, I’m not of noble blood.”

  “Has it been hard for you being American and black in that culture?”

  Amar leaned down on the blanket and rested his head on his forearm. “You have no idea, but let’s talk about a more pleasant topic.” He grasped one of her arms and pulled her down on the blanket beside him.

  “Like what?” She turned on her side to look into his midnight eyes.

  “Like if you’ll be my date this evening to the Julep Ball.”

  “I remember Camryn mentioning it, but I really hadn’t thought about it.”

  “Meaning you don’t wish to attend?”

  Rylee smiled. “No, it just means I don’t have anything to wear. Camryn and I had started shopping, but we hadn’t found a gown yet.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”

  “And how will you do that?”

  Amar wrapped a hand behind Rylee’s neck and pulled her closer until their lips were inches apart. “Well, first, I have to become acquainted with your lips.” He kissed her softly on the mouth. “And then …” — his other hand slid down her curves — “I need to become acquainted with every inch of you so I can ensure your dress has the proper fit.”

  “Is that so?” Rylee was breathless as he leaned down to nuzzle her neck.

  “Oh, yes,” he said, returning to her mouth. He kissed her as he’d always wanted — unrushed and unhurried. He wanted time to fully explore her lips and tongue. He wanted to melt under her heat, hear her heartbeat, smell the fragrance that was uniquely hers, sweet and floral.

  Rylee pressed her lips against his as he gently covered her mouth with exploratory kisses. When she had kissed him earlier, Amar sensed she’d been holding back, but not now. Her kisses were tantalizingly slow and sweet and ever so satisfying that Amar let out a low moan. The lower half of him sprung to life, and he pressed himself against her middle. Rylee responded by grinding against him.

  He grasped both sides of her face and dove his tongue inside her mouth, and she met him greedy kiss for greedy kiss. She began pulling his shirt from his britches so she could stretch her hot hands over the expanse of his back. This simply fueled Amar into action, and he reached down to lift his shirt over his head until he was bare-chested.

  Rylee looked up at him through passion-glazed eyes, and Amar reached for the buttons on her blouse and began undoing them with trembling fingers. When he’d freed the last one, her shirt fell open and revealed a lacy bra. Amar fondled one full globe and felt a chocolate nipple harden underneath in response. He knew he shouldn’t, but he had to have a taste and lowered his head to lick the nipple through the lace bra.

  “Ah,” Rylee moaned, and that was Amar’s undoing. He pushed aside the fabric and with his tongue tantalized the bud which had swollen at his earliest touch. He laved it with his wet tongue and then moved to the other breast and loved it with equal attention. Rylee’s moans grew louder as he teased and licked each nipple. She became so loud that Amar lost all thread of time and space and reached to take off her jeans. He unzipped them far enough so he could reach his hands inside past the matching lace panty until he touched the core of her womanhood. His finger slid inside her warmth and found she was already moist for him. But he wanted her wetter. He slid a finger inside her and searched.

  “Oh!”

  Rylee began to pant and squirm, but he didn’t stop, couldn’t stop. He began to stroke her using his fingers. Slow at first, then in and out, then faster and faster until Rylee began to buck on the blanket. Amar covered her cries of pleasure with his mouth; he wanted to taste every inch of her. He would like nothing better than to pull her jeans down her legs and plant his mouth at the apex of her femininity until she came again, but the time wasn’t right.

  He couldn’t just take her out in the middle of the pasture without any romance, not to mention he didn’t have any protection on him. He hadn’t planned on making her come, but he did. The sound of her sweet release was calling to everything male in him to bury himself in her sweet heat. But she deserved better than a quick roll in the hay. Or should he say grass?

  “Dear God, Rylee, I want you so bad,” Amar whispered, pulling his hands out of her jeans and sitting up on the blanket.

  Rylee was silent for several long minutes, no doubt catching her breath, before she said, “And I hear a ‘but’ in there.”

  “You do,” he answered, looking down at her. She looked so beautiful and sexy, having just had an orgasm, that it pleased him as much as it had her. “But I want our first time to be right, to be special.”

  “Who knew you were such a romantic.” Rylee sat up. She pushed her bra back into place and began buttoning her shirt.

  “I am,” Amar said. “Plus, I want more than a quickie. I want all night with you, Rylee. Can you handle that?”

  She turned to look at him. “The question is can you?”

  Rylee stared down at the box that was just delivered to her hotel room. She’d returned several hours ago to prepare for the Julep Ball that evening. She’d gone to a nearby salon and had her hair and nails done because she wanted everything to be perfect. At the last minute, she’d thrown in a bikini wax in preparation for the night she would spend with Amar.

  After nearly making love with Amar out in the open this afternoon, there was no doubt in Rylee’s mind that she and Amar would combust tonight. She was both excited and somewhat nervous. She was sure Amar had many lovers, and she wondered if she would live up to his playboy expectations.

  Rylee snapped out of her anxiety and looked down at the Robert Cavalli designer gown that had been delivered to her door. It was a gorgeous gold-metallic gown that would show off her brown skin, which she’d dusted with bronzer.

  She picked up her cell phone and dialed Camryn. Her
best friend was sure to have landed in Tucson by now, and Rylee needed her advice.

  “Hello?” Camryn answered.

  “Hey there.” Rylee tried to sound unfazed even though she was far from feeling that way. “How was the flight? How’s Jeremy?”

  “Oh, just fine. I kept to myself mostly as Jeremy was in a foul mood and wasn’t much company. He spent most of his time on the phone on ranch business. He barely spoke when he dropped me off. I’m back at my apartment now.” She walked to her refrigerator and removed a can of Diet Coke.

  “I’m sorry about that, Cam. It’s not you. It’s me he’s upset with. I hurt him badly.”

  Camryn popped open the can and took a swig. “That’s life, and he’s going to have to get over it. So what’s new?”

  “Nothing!” Her voice sounded high-pitched even to her, and sure enough, Camryn picked up on her anxiety.

  “You’re a bad liar, Rylee. Something obviously happened after I left, so what gives?”

  “If you call nearly having sex with Amar outside in an open pasture, then I would say something happened.”

  “Omigod!” Soda sputtered out of Camryn’s mouth, spraying everywhere. “Wow! I can’t leave you for a few hours, and you’re at it like rabbits, just like Jeremy said!” Camryn laughed as she walked over to the counter and grabbed a paper towel. “I’m glad I got out of there when I did, otherwise I would have been collateral damage in Amar’s quest to take you to bed.”

  “Cam, I don’t know what came over me. First, we’re talking and the next minute, he has his hands down my jeans.”

  “Oh!” Camryn’s hand came to her mouth as she wiped it with the paper towel.

  “I know, it was completely impulsive.”

  “Did you guys—”

  “No, Amar stopped,” Rylee said. “Can you believe that? He was the clear-headed and romantic one telling me he wants our first time together to be special.”

  “Well, I’m glad clearer heads prevailed. So I assume you’re calling because you’re going to the Julep Ball this evening and have nothing to wear.”