Page 37 of Her Royal Cowboy Billionaire

She threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you. I was so afraid you were going to say we had to live at the palace.”

“I fully intend to divide my time between Montana and Batrovia. I’m not giving up on my breeding program.”

She wiggled against him. “This just keeps getting better and better. Now, though, you said you had a surprise for me.”

“I do. Come with me.” He kissed her gently and then took her by the hand.

He took her to an elevator about thirty feet from her suite and pressed the button for the first floor.

Sergei was with them, but he stayed quiet and almost out of mind, except for instances like when he exited the elevator first and, after making a scan of the area, determined it was safe and nodded to Alex. Then he melted into the background again.

Alex pulled her along a corridor to the outside.

There, she saw a large building she recognized as an arena—a horse arena.

She stopped and stared; her eyes were wide. “You have horses here? Where? Do you have a Western saddle? Do you have an animal that Erin can ride?”

He laughed. “Yes, I have horses here. On the other side of the arena. Yes, I have Western gear, including a saddle and yes, there are two horses that are suitable for Erin. Gregory rides them although, Erin is the better rider. If you can help Gregory, I would appreciate it. You are an excellent teacher infinitely better than I. I was going to hire a tutor, but if you wouldn’t mind…”

“Of course not. I will continue with Erin’s lessons, and I can’t think of any reason that Gregory can’t take lessons at the same time.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him. She wanted to taste him but pulled back because Sergei was there, and she didn’t want the kiss to become too carnal.

Alex looked down at her, his eyes sparkling.

“We’ll have to marry soon. I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to resist seducing you. I want to make love to you more than anything.”

Her body felt electrified, and she laced her fingers with his. “I would like that, too.”

They started walking again. “Then we are getting married as soon as Mother can arrange it. I believe it will help her come to grips with Father’s death if she has something good to keep her occupied.”

“I believe it will help some, but it won’t help her at night when he’s not there to hold her. I’m not counting Nicolai as her husband. Or the times she’s alone with only her thoughts for company. She needs time to grieve. I don’t want to belittle her need to do so. You must grieve as well. I know that right now the demand for vengeance fuels you, but when that is gone, you will still have to grieve. All of you require that, from the youngest, who probably doesn’t really understand, to your mother…the oldest. I want to help you with that, in whatever way I can.”

“Mother is not the oldest. My grandmother, my father’s mother, is still alive. I need to go see her. She is pretty spry for an eighty-five-year-old.”

“Why didn’t I meet her today?”

“For the same reason you did not meet my sisters today. They were otherwise occupied, but you will meet everyone at breakfast tomorrow.”

This is moving so fast. I feel like I’m on a runaway train. I need to slow down. I’ll ask Alex if we can go riding tomorrow. If he can’t go, perhaps Sergei can take me. I’ve got to get away from here for a while before I go insane.

CHAPTER9

Alex’s set of rooms were right next door to the suite he’d given her and Erin. Michele lay in bed with Erin, waiting to make sure she was asleep.

Erin had her own bedroom, but didn’t want to sleep there and slept with Michele.

She’d gone to bed with her and when she was sure her daughter was fast asleep, Michele rose, grabbed her robe and went out to the sitting room to be with Alex.

“What are your plans for tomorrow?” Alex sat next to the armrest on the sofa.

She sat cuddled into his side, with his arm around her shoulders, holding her close. “I was hoping we could go riding. I miss it, and so does Erin. We haven’t missed a full day of riding in years. Can you take us? Please?”

“Unfortunately, my darling, I cannot. I have meetings tomorrow concerning Father’s funeral. Heads of state from all over the world will come to pay their respects.”

“I can’t imagine having to deal with all of them or of all you have to do. Where will they be coming from? You said all over the world, but where exactly?”

“Yes, all of Europe, Japan, the United States, Canada and many more that I cannot even think of right now. The logistics of keeping all the countries from sitting with their political foes takes a long time.”

“I guess I hadn’t realized all that you have to do. I’ll wait until you can go with us. Do you need an executive assistant to help you? I’m not bad at it. I was an office assistant in my younger years.”