Too Late Mr. White! I'm Married To Your Rival Now novel Chapter 167

Aria's POV

Aiden raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "Are you afraid?"

"What's there to be scared of?" I retorted, a spark of defiance in my eyes. I figured if we fell, at least we'd fall together.

"Alright!"

The moment Aiden agreed, he clicked his tongue and called out a command. Chaser, his stallion, bolted instantly. The wind shrieked past my ears, and I could feel my heart hammering faster and faster with each passing second.

Chaser accelerated, and a wild thrill shot through me. I glanced back at Aiden, suddenly tempted to throw caution to the wind—but a sliver of sense prevailed.

When Aiden finally pulled on the reins to bring Chaser to a halt, a sharp pang of disappointment hit me that our exhilarating dash was over.

"That was exhilarating!" I exclaimed, still buzzing from the adrenaline.

Aiden looked genuinely surprised. "You enjoyed it?"

I turned to meet his dark, unfathomable eyes, suddenly feeling bold. "I loved it." I answered with absolute conviction, then immediately backtracked, a sudden flush of shyness creeping up my neck. "I had no idea riding could be so much fun."

Aiden stared at me for a long moment, his gaze intense and unreadable. Finally, he spoke: "It's getting late. I'll bring you back again next time."

"I'd love that!" I replied, already looking forward to our next adventure together.

---

The moment Aiden helped me off the horse, my face felt hot and flushed.

Because I always have this image in my head of us having sex in the wild.

It was the first time I had ever been in that environment and it was so exciting.

I couldn't control my blushing. Especially with three pairs of eyes watching us like we were some kind of show.

Thankfully, Ryan, Ethan, and Michael were tactful enough not to comment on Aiden lifting me down from the saddle. After handing the horses back to the staff, Aiden glanced at the three men. "Something else you needed?"

"Since we rarely get together like this," Ryan said, turning to me instead of Aiden, "Aria, how about joining us for dinner?"

I suddenly found myself put on the spot. It would be rude to refuse, but I also didn't want to make decisions without considering Aiden. "I don't mind," I said, glancing at Aiden to gauge his reaction.

My meaning was clear—the ball was in his court.

Ryan caught our exchange and looked like he was fighting an eye roll. I could almost hear him thinking: "Why are you deferring to him for a simple dinner invitation?"

He turned back to Aiden. "Well? Aria's on board."

Aiden gave Ryan a sideways glance and took my hand. "I don't mind either." He paused for effect before adding, "Just don't complain when we make you feel like a third wheel."

Ryan: "..."

Ethan: "..."

Michael: "..."

Me: "..."

As one of the supposed participants in this public display of affection, I felt mortified. My scalp tingled with embarrassment. Was Aiden actively trying to get punched?

While we all stood there speechless, a female voice broke the awkward silence. "Lucas, Ryan, Ethan, Michael."

Ryan's face lit up with obvious relief. "What a coincidence, Elena."

Elena Pierce nodded. "You're all still here?"

"Just discussing where to eat," Ryan replied, shooting Aiden a look that screamed revenge. "We were about to head out for dinner."

As I predicted, Elena immediately jumped in. "Would you mind if I join? I came alone today and had plans with a friend for dinner, but they just canceled on me."

She turned to look directly at Aiden and me. "Actually, I never properly thanked Lucas for his help last time. Let me treat everyone to dinner tonight, what do you say?"

"Sounds great to me. Free food is my weakness," Ryan said with a grin.

Ethan and Michael exchanged glances but remained silent.

Aiden's expression shifted slightly as he looked at Elena. "My appetite isn't great today. Perhaps another time."

The atmosphere became noticeably tense.

Elena, however, acted as if she hadn't noticed. "No problem, next time then. I won't keep you all." She turned and walked away.

I watched her retreating figure, lost in thought. Was Elena really just being friendly, or was there something calculated about her appearance? Why did it feel so deliberate?

While I was distracted, a warm touch on my cheek startled me back to reality. "What—what is it?" I asked, blinking up at Aiden.

"You had something on your face," he said simply.

I instinctively touched my cheek where his fingers had been. "Here?"

"I got it," he replied.

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