Damn. I could easily get used to this.

The mansion glowed in the afternoon sunlight as we lounged in the infinity pool. There was something incredibly serene about Raplen. Time seemed to move slower and everyone was just calm and chill. I sipped on my pink lemonade and watched the trees sway in the cool breeze. The lush green landscape was a lot different from Chicago. Here they had pine trees and a weird tree with rainbow leaves. I also spotted a couple of roses bushes near the tennis court. The estate felt like a secluded country club rather than the residence of a bachelor prince. At least the paparazzi managed to keep their distance. Eric told us that the Royals had a respectful relationship with the paps here. It was refreshing for a change. I also had it up to here with our fans. Raplen fans, however, were much laid back. No one was trying to climb the mansion walls trying to get to us. My ears were still suffering from our recent trip to Rio.

Cassie jumped into the pool with a big splash, disrupting the calm atmosphere. Why the hell did I agree to hire her? Seriously. She swam over to me and fingered my hair.

“Hey, handsome.” She grinned. “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?”

She bobbed up and down in the water before getting rid of her bikini top. “I heard nudity was a thing here. Everyone just loves being naked. I’m an advocate for Free the Nipple by the way. Have you heard of that campaign?”

“Nope. Can’t say I have.” I shrugged nonchalantly.

“It’s all about discovering your sexuality as a woman and baring your soul to the world.” She ran her fingers up and down my arm.

“Okay.” I moved my arm and finished the rest of my drink.

Her incessant flirting is getting out of hand.

I needed to have a word with our producer. Cassie had to be replaced before she fucked up the dynamic of our group. We worked incredibly hard on creating our brand. If she stayed much longer, she would ruin everything.

“Hey! Where are you going?”

I brushed her off and climbed out of the water.

I padded barefoot past Guy and Calvin who were drinking beer by the pool. I needed to find Danny and apologize to him on behalf our bassist. He can be such an idiot sometimes. I only wanted the prince to try the protein shake. Period. No one was trying to play games or trick him. He seemed like a sensitive guy who probably drank the shake out of politeness.

We had a very interesting conversation back in the kitchen. He was just fucking adorable. I could easily tell that he was into me. He knew so much about the world and it showed. I suddenly spotted the handsome prince going inside a long building so I decided to follow him. The building turned out to be a state-of-the-art stable. I was amazed by how clean and airy it was. The lighting was also warm and inviting. A couple of horses reared their heads in greeting.

It must be freaking amazing to be in the presence of these magnificent creatures. We once shot a music video featuring a bunch of white horses. It garnered more than fifty million views on Youtube. Speaking of views, I was very much enjoying the way Danny’s ass moved in those jeans. He had a firm round butt and broad shoulders that made my cock throb inside my swim shorts.

I could feel myself hardening with each step I took. I needed to get out of here before the prince caught me. I tried to tiptoe past a large horse with a shiny black coat but he suddenly reared up and scared the hell out of me.

“Fuck. What the hell?” I jumped backward, drawing attention to myself.

Danny turned around and laughed when he saw my expression. “Ah. I see you’ve met Diablo.” He said. “He is not yet trained, so be careful not to get too close to him in the future.”

“Sure. Yeah.” I took a deep breath and made a beeline for him. “Listen, I wanted to apologize on behalf of my idiot band mates. We never meant to offend you in any way. I offered you that protein shake because I genuinely thought you might be interested in trying it.”

“Oh, no worries. It’s all water under the bridge.” He smiled.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. It was my fault anyway. I hate spinach with a passion but I was too stubborn to say no.”

“Really? I never pegged you for a stubborn guy.”

“Oh, you have no idea how stubborn I can be. Much like Zeus over there. Now he’s the epitome of stubbornness.” He motioned for me to follow him.

“Were you always this passionate about horses? Your stable is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t smell of horseshit at all.” I let out a nervous chuckle.

“We have a modern ventilation system installed. Plus, my stable hands are remarkable people.” He gushed. “We specialize in breeding horses and we occasionally take in abused cases as well.”

He walked over to a sack filled with apples and offered me two. “One for you and one for Zeus.”

The chocolate brown horse greeted us with a shake of his head and a cute neigh. “How long have you been doing this?” I held out the apple to him and he instantly opened his mouth to take it. He slobbered all over my palm, making Danny laugh. He had a great laugh.

“Right after graduation, so almost eight years ago. It took me a while to learn about running such a risky business. Raplen is filled with breeders with far more horses and decades of experience under their belts. My parents warned me against it. They thought it was such a commoner thing to do. Luckily, I proved them wrong. There’s no shame in choosing to make a living, even if you’re a royal.”

“Wow.” I was impressed by his ambition. He was more than just a pretty face for sure. “You must have faced a fuckload of scrutiny over your decision to work and run a stable.”

“Yes. I did.” He nodded, playing with Zeus’s mane. “Growing pains are normal for any business. Being in the public eye is both good and bad. It helps me market my brand but at the same time, the smallest mistake can harm my image.”

“I can only imagine.”

“Caring for these animals is worth every penny.” He smiled. “They are strong yet sensitive creatures. They’re also extremely loyal and loving.”

The passion in his voice was just too damn irresistible. And the next thing I knew I was closing the distance between us and pulling him into a kiss right then and there. I parted his lips with my tongue and explored that sweet, sweet mouth of his. He froze for a few seconds before kissing me back. His hands tangled themselves in my hair as I deepened the kiss. Our tongues did an erotic tango as I tasted every inch of his lips. He was too fucking delicious. I just wanted to swallow him whole.

Our kiss was long and passionate. I never wanted it to stop. Danny suddenly pulls away with a stunned expression on his flushed face. “Holy shit you’re gay.”

I pressed a finger against his swollen lips to shut him up. “Shh. No one knows about this. No one.”

“Except me.” He whispered.

“Except you.” I stroked his cheek. “Just you.”

I gave him a saucy wink before turning around. Every single part of me wanted to ravage him right there, right now.

Fuck. I had to calm my erection down before anyone else noticed.