Page 6 of Unforgettable Billionaire (The Hardcore Novels: Special Editions #3)

When we arrive, Aurei shakes hands with a small man who isn't much larger than I am, then he introduces me to Paolini. "He runs the Ranch. Excuse me for just a second," Aurei says and walks away.

Paolini explains. "He's looking for his horse, but he won't find him. We haven't brought him in yet."

"I was raised on a ranch," I tell him. "Tell me about your daily operation while we wait for him then."

"Ah! Very good," Paolini says, then launches into their routine on the Ranch as we watch Aurei look into each stall.

When he returns, he asks. "So, where is Caesar?"

Paolini grins. "He's still out to pasture. We will round him up later today and give him a bath. He will be ready for you in the morning."

"Has anyone ridden him since I've been gone?"

Paolini chuckles, "Hell no. I couldn't persuade anyone to try, and my hip won't allow me to anymore."

Aurei laughs, "I'll be prepared for the worst then. Which pasture is he in?"

Paolini points and says. "The back forty, boss."

"We're going to walk down there. I want to show Siri the training area."

"Take a rope and halter. You never know with him. He may have missed you enough to come to you."

"I will."

"Nice to meet you, Siri."

"You too, Paolini."

Rope and halter slung over Aurei's shoulder.

We walk down towards the trees behind the stables.

As soon as we enter them, the noise from the world evaporates into peacefulness.

Only an occasional song of a bird joins the sound of Aurei's deep voice as he tells me stories of his summers growing up among his cousins.

I walk blindly forward with my head turned, watching him going in and out of the shadows.

The sun's rays kiss his hair and flash his halo, then they disappear, leaving only darkness, only reappearing in an instant.

That's how he is. The light and dark are equally the reality of Aurei.

I smile at him, and he stops talking. "What? Am I rambling on too much about myself?"

I stare at him without answering, and he stops in the sun to study me studying him.

His dark eyebrows cut his face in two, defining his angular features.

The light accentuates his straight nose.

The sun rests on his broad shoulders, and the shadows enhance the angle falling to his narrow waist. "No, I can't get enough of you. "

"I was talking too much about myself." He looks sheepishly at me. His perfect lips turn into a perfect smile, and his white teeth almost glow with the sun's brightness. He takes the halter and rope off his shoulder and switches sides.

"I want you to know, Maximus Aurelius Moore, that I'm truly happy right now. Walking peacefully with you in the woods of Italy. It's like I fell into a dream, and if I am dreaming, Sugar Bare, I don't ever want to wake up. My heart sings with the joy of being in this moment."

"Come here." He commands.

His soft green gaze fills my eyes with peace and love, and his beautiful smile greets me with hope and happiness as I obey, collapsing onto his chest. He reaches one hand around. "Oui!" He pinches my ass, and I jump closer to him.

"You're not dreaming. This is real." His hand cups my ass and holds me against him.

"That feels real...." I giggle. "Big."

He lowers his lips to mine and whispers. "Shh. Don't move. Caesar is watching us."

"What?" I whisper too.

"Caesar is watching us." He says again. "He is standing in the shadows behind you."

"Where?" I start to turn my head and look.

"Don't move means don't move." He tells me softly, forcing my mouth back to his and sticking his tongue between my teeth.

I try to focus on the delightful feeling of him filling me, but I'm more curious about Caesar. I open my eyes to see Aurei looking out at the woods, so I release his tongue. "Is he still there?" I ask in a soft voice.

"Yes. When I release you, slowly glance back. Try not to spook him."

When he lets me go, I do as I'm told. "I don't see anything but blackness."

"Look down at the ground for his hoofs. Can you see them?"

"Oh yes, there he is." I can see his hoofs standing in a pool of sunshine. Following them up, I can barely make out the outline of a black beast standing still as a statue. I whisper, "He's a big boy."

"Yes, he's a Friesian Horse. He stands 17 hands." Aurei relaxes his embrace, and I turn slightly to look at this monster horse.

I hear him snort air like a deer. "He's a cautious one."

"Yes."

"How do you catch him?"

"We usually herd him up, but he might come to me when we go to the practice field."

"Do I need to do anything to help?"

"No. He either will or he won't."

"He's not trained like a dog then?" I can't help the poke.

Aurei chuckles, "No, only Flash comes when you whistle."

"That's right, because I'm the Horse Whistler," I say, making Aurei chuckle again.

We casually stroll down the path, arm in arm, and I glance back. When Caesar steps out of the shadows into the sunshine, all I can say is, "Holy Hades."

He is a beast! His long, arched neck holds his well-chiseled head high.

His shoulders are powerful, and he measures every inch of 68 inches at the withers.

His muscular body has strong, sloping hindquarters.

His thick mane and tail are long and wavy but unkempt and full of twigs.

Still... "Grandeur" is the first word that pops into my brain as he makes his way to the path.

When he steps onto it, I see his long, silky hair on the bottom half of his legs.

Wow! He is every bit a stud as his master. "Aurei, he is black and beautifully wild," I whisper as I turn to watch the elegance and grace of this magnificent beast following us. "And Caesar suits him."

"I'm afraid I have neglected him trying to tame another Wild Thang's tail. He needs a bath and a brush. Bad!" He winks that killer wink.

We walk the rest of the way in silence, and now and then, I look over my shoulder to see if Caesar is still there.

Aurei never looks back. Caesar keeps the exact distance between us.

When the trees begin to thin, Aurei slows down, then stops before we reach the edge.

Curiosity gets the better of me, and I walk forward alone a few more yards leaving the path behind and stepping out from the woods into full sunshine.

The sight before me takes my breath away.

Standing at the top of a small hill, the practice area spreads before me.

Looking down into a natural bowl-shaped valley with a flat floor.

Bright green grass covers everything except the center circle—a small retaining wall defines the arena area.

There are a few aged trees that provide adequate shade sprinkled around.

I stand stunned by the sheer beauty and majesty of it.

I turn around to tell Aurei, but he isn't there. Neither is Caesar.

They are making their way down the gentle slope on the right side.

Caesar is right on his heels now, following like a faithful friend.

Aurei smiles at me when he sees me watching with my hands to my mouth.

I can't help the feeling that wells up inside me at the picturesque sight of my Golden God and his Dark Warhorse.

He's my hero. How did I ever exist without him?

When they reach the circle, Aurei continues through a small break in the wall to the center, but Caesar hesitates and stands at the edge.

Aurei turns to face him. He doesn't try to coax him.

He simply stares with respect, and Caesar appears to be doing the same.

His head is held high, and like his master's, his posture is also perfect.

Then Caesar drops his head and sniffs the ground where Aurei entered.

For a moment, I think that he will begin to graze, but then he paws the ground.

I smile because I know the horse is thinking hard about giving in and going in.

I walk down the slope to sit under one of the trees to watch and wait.

No telling how long Caesar will take to decide. Wild and free or tamed and controlled. I know how you feel, buddy. I know how you feel!

When Caesar finally steps in, he walks with his head down. Aurei holds his hand out now, and when Caesar stands before him, he raises his head and sniffs it.

I know how you feel now too. I can't resist him either.

Aurei rolls his hand over very carefully and rests it on the side of Caesar's face as he eases up to the big horse.

His head drops, and I know he is whispering soft words of love to him.

As he reaches for Caesar's neck, he drops his shoulder and allows the rope to slide off onto his forearm and then into his hand.

Caesar's head jerks and bobs, but he doesn't bolt.

He stands tall and proud. His tangled mane, fluffed from freedom, gives him a look of pure power.

As Aurei runs the rope up along his withers, Caesar flares his nostrils and tosses his head, but he stands still.

Aurei neither hurries nor flinches. His calm and control settle Caesar down as the rope falls over the horse's neck.

Aurei strokes him as he reaches around to grasp the other end, and just like that, Caesar is caught.

Aurei puts the halter on with one hand while holding the rope with the other and then leads him to the edge of the arena.

The bonding between them was poetry in motion, and I feel honored to have witnessed it.

Aurei calls up to me. "Come down and meet my faithful friend."