Chapter 165
Aria’s POV
I’d never been horseback riding before, so calling myself a fish out of water was a massive understatement.
When Aiden returned from his call, I noticed everyone else had already mounted and ridden off. He waited for me, a pile of unfamiliar protective gear cradled in his
arms.
“Sorry about that,” I jogged over. “My assistant just had to confirm my schedule for the next few months p>
“How many gigs do you have coming up?” he asked, his deep voice a low rumble that instantly sent a jolt through me.
“Not many, just two,” I admitted, meeting his gaze. Most were already off the books, especially the international ones. Frankly, globe-trotting felt like a chore this year.
Aiden held out the knee guards. “Come here. I’ll get you set up p>
My face instantly flushed. “I can handle it!” The last thing I needed was him on one knee, fussing over my gear with half the riding club gawking. The weekend crowd was hefty, and I was already drawing enough attention as Aiden Carter’s shiny new wife.
His eyes crinkled with amusement, but he offered the guards without argument. The sheer weight of them nearly made me fumble. I hoped he hadn’t noticed my graceless grab, but when I stole a peek, his intense gaze pinned me.
I dropped onto a nearby bench, scrutinizing the knee guards with growing bewilderment. Up? Down? After a full minute of rotating them in my hands, I threw my hands up in exasperation.
“Aiden,” I admitted, cheeks blazing. “I have no earthly idea how these things work p>
Without a word, he plucked the guards from my hands and knelt before me. “Extend your leg,” he instructed, his voice dropping an octave, a gravelly whisper.
I obeyed, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs as his proximity consumed me. “It’s fine,” I tried to sound casual. “First-timer here. Zero clue p>
“Left leg first, Mrs. Carter,” he emphasized my title, a hint of something possessive in his tone.
The way “Mrs. Carter” rolled off his tongue nearly shattered my composure. I yanked my gaze away, stretching out my left leg. “Right p>
When he moved to help with the back support, I didn’t even think to resist.
His arms curved around my waist, and though he never quite made contact, I swore
I felt the ghost of his touch. My eyes traced his features – those impossibly long lashes, the sharp line of his nose, those perfectly sculpted lips p>
Lost in the delicious distraction, I didn’t realize he’d looked up until a warm press bloomed on my forehead. His lips. He’d kissed my forehead! My fingers flew to my mouth, trembling.
“Too tight?” he asked, his voice as smooth as if he hadn’t just short-circuited my entire system.
“N-no, it’s fine,” I stammered.
“Good p>
His dark eyes lingered on my lips for a heartbeat, a raw intensity sparking in their depths that had my stomach doing aerial acrobatics. Then, just as abruptly, his expression cleared, and he announced, “Hang on a sec,” before shrugging into his own gear.
I couldn’t help but appreciate how the back support hugged his narrow waist. A wicked thought flickered: what would it feel like to run my hands along that lean frame? I quickly averted my gaze.
Once Aiden was geared up, he took my hand. “Let’s pick out a ride p>
Clueless as a lamb at a wolf convention, I simply let him lead. As we approached the horses, a stable hand presented two options – a smaller, gentle-looking mare, practically labeled ‘beginner-friendly,’ and beside it, a magnificent black stallion, a commanding presence of muscle and grace.
“Which one catches your eye?” Aiden asked.
My gaze locked onto the black horse.
Nearly two meters tall, with powerful, sculpted legs and a coat that shimmered like polished obsidian, he was a creature of myth. “He’s absolutely stunning,” I breathed, then, with a sigh of resignation, pointed to the mare. “But I should probably go with her p>
To my surprise, Aiden chose the black stallion. “We’ll take Chaser p>
“Oh, no, I don’t think my meager riding skills can even look at that one,” I confessed, my voice laced with genuine panic.
Aiden’s eyes softened. “I’m not comfortable letting you go solo on your first time out. We’ll ride together until you get the hang of it. Sound good p>
A wave of relief washed over me. “More than good!” Then, a sudden realization: “Wait, will an instructor be teaching me?” I hadn’t spotted any trainers around.
“I’ll teach you,” he stated, a playful glint in his eyes.
“I’m terrified,” I admitted, half-joking.
The stable hand chuckled as he untied the horse. “No worries, Mrs. Carter. Mr. Carter is quite the equestrian p>
“That’s not what I meant,” I clarified, a flush creeping up my neck. “I’m worried I’ll be spectacularly awful p>
“If you don’t nail it today, we’ll try again tomorrow,” Aiden said calmly, leading Chaser closer. “Say hello p>
“I have no idea how,” I confessed.
Aiden guided my hand to Chaser’s neck, finding a sweet spot.
When the horse’s tail gave a contented swish, a thrill shot through me. “Hello, Chaser. This is my first time, so please be gentle with my delicate ego.” The words felt ridiculous, and I instantly avoided Aiden’s gaze.
Aria’s POV
His gaze snagged on my flushing ear, a silent challenge before he began showing me the ropes of mounting. Chaser loomed taller than I’d anticipated; I was sure I’d never conquer him, but Aiden’s strong hands effortlessly hoisted me onto the horse’s broad back.
Before I could even find my balance, his solid warmth pressed against my back as he swung himself into the saddle behind me. His arms, reached around me for the rems, his hot breath ghosting against my neck as he murmured, “Easy there. Chaser’s got a soft spot for you. And trust me, I won’t let you hit the dirt p>
A shiver raced down my spine, and it certainly wasn’t about gravity. The familiar woody scent of him enveloped me, filling my lungs with every ragged breath Oh, I was, nervous alright but the horse was the least of my worries. Aiden Carter was practically a second skin, his granite chest molded to my back, his powerful thighs bracketing mine.
“Ready for a stroll?” he murmured, his lips so close to my ear the words vibrated
straight through me.
My brain short-circuited. “F-fine. Whatever you say, boss p>
A subtle shift from Aiden, and Chaser surged forward. Around us, other riders, including Julian and Ethan, were already tearing across the field, clearly itching for a
race.
A few agonizing minutes later, having barely regained an ounce of composure, I risked a slight turn of my head. “Alright, professor. Time for lessons. The nerves? Vanished.” Total lie. His arms cinched around me stole every last thought, but dammit, I was going to try.
Aiden, it turned out,
surprisingly patient
was a
instructor detailed, thorough, and utterly wasted on me. I, on the other hand, was a walking, breathing monument to distraction The
summer sun had us both in minimat
gear, leaving me hyper-aware of
every flexing muscle of his core
against my back. Our thighs
brushed, hands occasionally
tangling on the reins – each point of
contact a live wire. Combined? Sensory overload.
Deeper into the trail we went, and Aiden’s arms drew tighter around me. “You’re a natural,” he murmured, his lips just barely brushing my ear. “But you’re wound tighter than a spring. Loosen up, sweetheart p>
Easy for him to say, when every inch of his hard-planed body was a perfectly molded contraption against my own. When his hand landed on my hip to correct my posture, my breath hitched. His fingers, hot as embers, lingered just a beat too long, scorching a brand through the thin fabric of my riding pants.
“Like this?” I choked out, my voice embarrassingly thin. Instead of answering, his lips pressed to the tender junction of my neck and shoulder. My entire body sparked with electric pleasure, and Chaser, picking up on my sudden tremor, nickered softly.
“Sorry,” I managed to whisper, unsure if the apology was for the horse or the man currently wrecking my equilibrium.
“Don’t apologize,” Aiden’s voice rumbled, a deep current of raw desire. “Just feel p>
And God help me, I did.