Too Late Mr. White! I'm Married To Your Rival Now novel Chapter 164

Aria's POV

I couldn't help the heat rising to my cheeks when Aiden's eyes drifted to my earlobe, which I knew was turning red under his gaze.

"Next time, you should just look at my abs instead," he suggested, his voice dropping to that dangerously seductive tone. "I'll let you see them for free."

My heart stuttered when he continued, "After all, I like you—"

I snapped my head up, meeting his dark eyes. My pulse went wild as I recalled his earlier words: "I like you too." Was he actually confessing to me? Just like that, so casually?

I was about to blurt out "I like you too" when he finished his sentence: "—like how irresistible you look in bed."

His finger traced my collarbone where I knew he'd left marks earlier. The realization hit me like a bucket of cold water. Of course. He only liked having sex with me. Nothing more.

"Stop overthinking," he said, his playful expression shifting to something more serious. "Let's have lunch. We have things to do this afternoon."

I forced enthusiasm into my voice. "Right! Food! Let's eat!" Just another little disappointment to push aside.

After lunch, exhaustion hit me hard. "I need to rest for a bit," I told Aiden, expecting him to let me go off alone.

Instead, he scooped me up into his arms and carried me straight to the bedroom. "I'll join you," he said, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Aren't we going horseback riding later?" I protested quickly. "We shouldn't, um, do anything else." God knows I wouldn't have the energy for riding horses afterward.

He didn't put me down, but his lips curled into a smirk. "I can see how badly you want me, but unfortunately, I meant sleep. The noun, not the euphemism."

Nestled in his arms as we rested, I felt his steady breathing and warmth enveloping me. It felt... safe. Intimate in a way that had nothing to do with sex. My heart swelled with something dangerously close to happiness.

An hour later, I woke up and hurried to apply some "no-makeup makeup" before changing into athletic wear. I was debating whether to wear a cap when Aiden knocked on the door.

I tossed the cap aside and opened the door to find him dressed casually—which somehow made him look even more attractive. Damn it.

"Ready to go?" he asked, his eyes doing a slow sweep of my outfit.

I bit my lip nervously. "Is this okay for horseback riding? It's my first time."

"It's perfect," he said, his eyes meeting mine with unexpected sincerity.

"Should we head out? Are Jim and the others already there?" I asked, checking my phone.

"No rush. They haven't arrived yet." Aiden's face remained impressively neutral as he lied through his teeth. "Did you put on sunscreen?"

"Yeah, I did." I couldn't help thinking how weirdly considerate he was being.

"It's pretty sunny. Do you have a hat?"

I spun around and grabbed the baseball cap I'd just discarded. "Right here!"

He gave me a quick once-over. "Let's go then."

"Yeah," Michael jumped in. "Ethan wanted to meet Aria properly."

Ethan's expression screamed internal suffering, but he played along. "Right! I've heard so much about you from old Aiden the skinfli—I mean, from Aiden. No weird intentions, just wanted to meet my buddy's wife."

"No problem," I said, embarrassed by all the attention.

My phone rang, saving me from the awkwardness. "Sorry, I need to take this. You guys go ahead."

As soon as I stepped away, I could hear their conversation shift.

"You absolute asshole, Aiden!" Ethan hissed.

"I thought you wanted to meet my wife?" Aiden replied, sounding completely unapologetic.

"I never said that!"

"I already met her last night," Jim added, sounding confused.

"Careful with all that showing off," Michael warned. "Happiness has a way of backfiring."

"Fuck off," Aiden responded eloquently.

I pressed the phone to my ear, trying not to smile. Was this his weird way of showing me off to his friends? Strangely enough, I didn't mind at all.