The Man's Outrageous Demands Page 0,7

riding. His other arm took the reigns and the horse responded immediately to his unspoken command.

She could feel the muscles in his legs against the backs of hers and she wanted to reach down with her hands and verify with her fingertips that the muscles were flesh and blood and not hard steel. But she didn’t dare. She kept her hands locked in front of her on the saddle horn, terrified that any movement of her body would give away her feelings to this mysterious man.

“Relax,” he said and his arm around her waist tightened slightly as if to reassure her. But it didn’t. It only made her aware of his arm on her stomach where no man had ever touched. Then her mind drifted to the strong chest against her back and the shivers started up again.

It seemed like an eternity before they finally reached the stables. Max was leaning against the stable fence talking with one of the horse trainers. Marabeth noticed that his eyes narrowed slightly when he saw the two of them riding into the stable yard. He walked up and immediately reached up to lift her down from Sam’s horse.

“What happened out there? I’ve never seen you fall before.”

“Oh, just not paying attention to Beauty,” Marabeth said, smiling slightly for her brother’s sake, then moving off towards the stable to see to her horse.

Sam climbed down from the stallion and watched Marabeth walk away. He was grateful to her horse for riding off. He had the opportunity to hold that incredible beauty close to him and he’d definitely felt her trembling in his arms. He wanted her. And what was more important, she wanted him. Sam was experienced enough to know the difference between sexual tension and fear. She’d been aware of every move of his body, just as he had been of hers.

They would be good together, he thought with satisfaction.

He was slightly concerned because she was a princess and he respected her title and the position she held within the government. But the woman had been engaged to another man. She understood what the world was really all about.

“She’s usually not that clumsy,” Max said, also watching Marabeth walk into the dimly lit stable and disappear into Beauty’s paddock. “I’m not sure what happened out there, but thanks for giving her a ride back,” he said to Sam.

“No problem,” Sam said and turned to start unsaddling his own horse.

“Leave that for Jimbo,” Max said, waiving to a man who was running towards the big horse with a carrot in both hands. “We have more details to discuss.” Sam nodded and passed the horse off to the professional trainer, then followed behind Max.

Chapter 2

Marabeth stayed low for several days. After two embarrassing interludes with Sam, and some very curious feelings she didn’t want to explore too deeply, Marabeth was grateful for the busy routine that kept her rushing from one appointment to another as she made personal appearances.

“Stacy, are we ready for the party?” Marabeth asked, talking to the director of the palace day care. It was a relatively small area within the palace where the staff members could bring their children during the day and be assured of quality care. Marabeth stopped by the center at least once a week to read stories with the children or to fill in for a teacher during an emergency. Marabeth loved this area of the palace. It grounded her in a way that nothing else could. The children here were all too small to understand titles or politics or obligations. They wanted hugs and kisses and funny stories or someone to play with. Occasionally, they needed a kiss on a scratch or a bruise and didn’t care who gave it to them, as long as their arms were gentle around them.

Marabeth organized parties for the children on special occasions. Right now, it was Valentine’s day and there were already decorations up around the room with hearts and dangling cupids hanging from the ceiling. There was pink lemonade and a large cake in the shape of a heart. Marabeth had arranged to have a clown suit delivered and one of the teachers was going to dress up as the clown and deliver heart shaped-helium balloons. The kids were all very excited and the feeling was contagious.

“Oh, your highness. Thank goodness you’re here,” Stacy said, carrying a small infant in one hand while she held the baby bottle in the other.

“What’s wrong? Did the cake not come?”

“No, it