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“No, beta. You need to stay here because Veer is going to be here soon, and you’re the only person who can keep him and Dheer from fighting over the past,” said her mother.
Isha flushed and shot me a pleading look.
“Diya needs me right now, Ma,” she yelped.
I wanted to help her out because I knew Veer would growl and snap at her if she even looked in his direction. My brother had decided to blame the whole Shekhawat family for Dheer’s defection, and Isha took the brunt of his hatred because she was the only Shekhawat he got to meet regularly. But right now, I needed to be alone. I wanted some time to think about what I wanted to do. I was so sick of other people trying to arrange my life. It was time I sat down and figured out a solution to my problem because I was no damsel in distress. This princess could rescue herself, thank you very much.
“No, Aunty is right, Isha. You know Veer is still upset with Dheer…”
“Rightfully so,” inserted my mother, with a disdainful sniff. “The Shekhawats have treated you dreadfully.”
“Enough about the past, Raji. Look to the future,” scolded Nandini Devi.
I gave Isha an apologetic smile and tiptoed out of the room while my mother argued with both the Rani Mas. I slipped out through one of the side doors that led into the garden, and for a while, I walked over to the paddocks to see the horses being exercised.
Dheer’s stables were famous for breeding champion racehorses, and I had always wanted to see them in action. There were seven horses out on the racecourse now, being trained for the upcoming Derby season, with jockeys and grooms timing them.
I leaned over the fence to admire them, and a few curious ponies came to check me out. As I petted them, a horse and its rider galloped past me into a large section of the paddock that was fenced off. I felt hot all over as I realised that it was Dheer on his big black horse. And he was shirtless.
The horse was quite a handful and kept trying to unseat Dheer, who held on to his seat stubbornly. The sweat gleamed over his bare skin and his muscles rippled as he tried to control the horse who was having what looked like a tantrum.
“What’s going on?” I asked a groom who was passing by.
He shot a worried glance at the horse and shook his head.
“Ji, Pasha is upset because Hukum was too late for their early morning ride. He won’t let any of us near him when he’s upset. Hukum is the only person who can handle him.”
The horse went up on his hind legs and pranced about angrily, and I gasped as it looked like Dheer was about to fall off. But he held on stubbornly, leaning forward to whisper in the horse’s ear until he calmed down. When the horse finally stood still, Dheer kicked him in the flanks and they set off at a fast gallop, going around the enclosed space as Dheer put him through his paces.
I watched them spellbound, all my worries forgotten as I enjoyed this bond between a man and his horse. Just then, one of the grooms went running over to Dheer with a phone in his hand. Dheer dismounted and handed the reins to the groom, as he walked back into the stables to take his phone call. The groom clambered into the saddle and took a calmer Pasha around the paddock a few times before he led him towards the stables. As they rode past me, Pasha turned his head to look at me, and skidded to a halt, sending his rider flying over his head before he came trotting up to me like a happy puppy.
I yelped in surprise, but the groom picked himself up and dusted himself off with a laugh.
“Don’t worry, Baisa, he’s always up to some mischief,” he called.
Pasha shook his head and harrumphed at the groom before he turned to me and began nosing around the pockets of the jeans I had borrowed from Isha. I squealed in delight as he headbutted me in the abdomen gently.
“I have nothing for you, honey. I’m sorry,” I said, reaching out to pet him on his forehead. He had a white star on his black forehead. Pasha stood still as I traced the star and petted him gently. He was gorgeous, and a complete adorable brat, I decided, as he turned his head to give me better access to the side of his neck.
“I’ll get you some apples next time,” I promised.
“He’ll hold you to your word because he’s a greedy bastard,” growled Dheer from behind me, and I tensed in surprise.
When I turned around, I let out a sharp breath, because he was still not wearing a shirt. He towered over me and I could feel myself blushing like an idiot. I dealt with half-naked men every single day in my line of work. None of them had ever affected me like this, even though most of them were better looking than Dheer.
I backed away until I felt the fence digging into my back and Pasha snickered in my ear knowingly.
“I didn’t mean to intrude,” I stammered.
“I’m glad you’re here,” said Dheer. “I wanted to speak to you.”
I didn’t know how we could have a reasonable conversation when his eyes devoured me so hungrily. What the fuck was he up to?
He took a few steps until we were toe-to-toe. With the fence and the horse behind me, I had nowhere to escape. All I could think about was the sweat that was gleaming off his bare skin, and how I wanted to lick it off.
I cleared my throat and forced myself to look away.
“I’m listening,” I said hoarsely.
