AllFreeNovel
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“You are the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.” Slowly, I guide her over to the full-length mirror so that she can see us in there.
Chewing her lower lip, she stares at our reflection and rests her hands on my wrists to brace herself to me until we're locked together. “You have good taste.”
I smile. “I chose you, after all.”
She stiffens. Like butterflies in a storm, her hands flee mine and she walks away from my grasp, stroking her dress. Her cheeks glow pink and she does everything she can to avoid my eyes.
And in that moment, both of us know.
This arrangement of ours.
This impending fake marriage.
All of it suddenly risks becomingveryreal.
27
EMILY
The smellof hay permeates the air, along with the wild notes of soil and nature and sweat. Some people might find it unpleasant, but not me, because I know exactly what it is.
The fragrance of horses.
“Are these all yours?” I whisper, unable to mute my envy. The stable is massive, containing enough stalls to comfortably house the thirty horses I can count.
“Yes.” Konstantin beams proudly at the animals. “My family has owned horses for as long as I can remember.”
“They’re beautiful.”
His smile broadens. “I take it you like horses.”
“They’re okay.” I shrug indifferently.Fuck yeah, I like horses.
“Do you have a favorite breed?”
“The Friesian.” I say it automatically, proceeding to blush as I give myself away. “Okay, fine, I love horses.”
Konstantin’s glance is warm as fresh bread. “That breed is actually—” he stops for a moment, his smile widening. “My favorite as well.”
We stare at the barn in a beat of awkward silence before I clear my throat. “Why are we here?”
“The wedding venue is best viewed on horseback.”
My blood ripples like bubbles in a glass of champagne. “We’re going to ride them?”Yes! Yes! Yes!
I haven’t been on horseback since that one time in college when I went to the rodeo with Nadia.
“How far are we from the venue?”
“About a twenty-minute ride.”
“There can’t possibly be enough horses here for everyone—not unless you’re only inviting a handful of people. How will others be getting to the venue?”
“Once you see it, you’ll understand.”
I push out my jaw. “Don’t you ever get sick of being so cryptic?”
Konstantin shakes his head with a laugh and starts heading toward the stables. I follow behind him, my annoyance washing away as we draw closer to the animals. They poke their heads out of their stalls, their big, intelligent eyes studying us.
