Hired as His Fake Fiancée

CHAPTER NINE: THE WINTER RIDE.

NORA

‘Roses, choses, closes, coses, hoses, noses, pos…’

I tried myself in reality by reciting words that rhyme, but the warmth from Gabriel, the kind that was new to me yet kept me wanting more, derailed my thoughts.

‘This is a business deal and nothing more.’

My back leaned into how firm his chest was. I could only imagine the abs beneath and how strong and defined they were. I closed my eyes and shook my head, trying to get rid of the nasty thoughts, but closing my eyes didn't help matters at all.

His hands surrounded me as he pulled the reins. The winter breeze is freein,g yet the heat passing from his chest to my back is scorching. I felt Gabriel’s mouth close to my ear, and my breath hitched, my back straightening instantly in response.

“Sit straight,” he whispered in my ear.

I cleared my throat and tried to pull my sitting posture to the correct form.

“Good.” He was still lingering too close; breath from his nose and open mouth was fanning my ears and cheeks gently. I tried not to show how affected I was. If anyone mentioned my rosy cheeks, I could blame it on the weather.

“...I will ride; all you have to do is trust me,” he finished. I had zoned out, thinking about how inappropriate it was for me to be in this position with him, all the while he was giving instructions on how we were supposed to ride.

Lucky for him, I already knew how to ride a horse. My grandfather had signed me up for classes when I lived with them. “Nora, as a lady, you should know how to ride a horse. You are the granddaughter of a duke after all.”

“Okay,” I let out a breathless sound, disguising it as professionalism. The one I couldn't seem to keep so close to him.

Lawrence gets on his horse and begins to ride; we all follow behind, Aurelia, Evelyn and then us.

“You know, brother, it’s so adorable that you have to babysit your fiancée,” Aurelia spoke as we made it out of the small gates into the compound of the King's estate.

“Oh come, Aurelia.” Evelyn smiled, her eyes cast on us. “They make such a cute couple, and cute couples should do cute things together.”

I push their remarks to the back of my mind. If we were to go head-to-head in a competition, they would never win against me. I was trained by a professional at that. I never rode for fun; I rode for acceptance into the Thorne family.

They had lived in luxury their entire lives; even now, they had no idea what it was about.

Evelyn kept on glancing back at us. Surely unimpressed by the sight before her eyes. The way Gabriel held me up with his back and his hands around me must be pissing her off. If she loved him this much, then why did they get divorced in the beginning?

I tried to keep my mind on the pace of the horse. I had to trust Gabriel; he knew what he was doing. After all, he grew up in this kind of wealth.

Suddenly, Evelyn swerved in our direction, a little too close. Her horse kicks out, startling the horse we were on. Ours was spooked trying to maintain balance.

In that moment, my hand flew to the reins, my instinct to save us taking over. Before I can do anything, Gabriel already has the situation under control.

“Oh my god!” Evelyn stopped her horse in the distance as we closed the gap between us. “I didn’t mean to. I am sorry…”

The smile that was cracking behind her mask and the way her eyes cackled were enough to tell me that she had meant to cause an accident.

Gabriel didn't say a word; he just shot her a look of disdain and continued to ride. Was Gabriel using me to get Evelyn jealous? He was known as the man who doted on her a while back, so it is only natural that he still had those feelings lingering for her.

We pass her, continuing in our slow gallop that seemed intentional. I didn't want to think that Gabriel was riding so slowly because I was with him.

My eyes catch Julian watching us with that same warm smile. It made sense for him to watch us ride since he was the stable manager. He gives a little wave, and I know that Gabriel would eat my ear off if I dared wave back, so I just returned it with a small nod.

By the time we get back to the stables, Evelyn and the King family have returned to the mansion, leaving Gabril and me.

He helps me down from the horse, his hand on my waist, steadying me. I try not to let the warmth overtake me. My body is still shaking from the adrenaline of the ride and the almost accident, as well as his proximity to me throughout the ride.

I try to pull away from his firm grip on me, but instead, he pulls me closer, eyes searching mine.

“Gabriel?” My voice trembled in my throat as I pushed it out. “What are you doing?” I whispered.

I saw something in his eyes soften, and I looked around; there was no one here to put on a show for, so why was he doing this to me now?

“You have to let go so we can go in for…”

“Nora,” he cut me off, his voice as cold as I was used to.

So I didn't fall more for him; he had to stay as cold as I always knew him. The imagination of my crush on him had to remain a fantasy I couldn't live out.

"You almost grabbed the reins, Nora. Where did an assistant learn to seat a horse like a pro?"

I froze my breath hotching in my throat at that very moment. Was I about to get exposed just on my second day here? He could never know that I am a Thorne.

‘Think, Nora! Think’