Chapter 4: Chapter 4

"Still cold?" he asked as he hugged her.

Her forehead furrowed and she bit her lip. She would have liked to joke that his hug was not effective but ... maybe he would take her joke seriously and would break away from the hug. She sighed and whispered, "Cold but not m-much."

She was stunned when her teeth chattered again. Such embarrassment. She then remembered the previous gnashing of her teeth earlier as she stared at Gideon. She bit her lip hard as her cheeks burned red.

Jewel snorted and erased the scene from her mind. Gradually, the cold subsided specially when Gideon's arms tightened around her and he gently stroked her back.

"You're okay now?" Gidon asked.

She blinked. "What do you think?"

He laughed. "Let's stay like this for a little while. I like your warmth." Gideon drew a breathe. "This place is as cold as Mantalongon."

Her forehead furrowed at what he said. "Mantalongon? Isn't that in Dalaguete?"

"Yeah."

"You've been there?"

"Mmm."

"What?"

Gideon laughed. "What do you think, Jewel?"

"Seriously, Hernandez. I'm asking you. Why are you asking me back? Are you firing my fire back?"

"You said that."

Her eyes widened. "And it's you who act like a child now," she teased.

Gideon shut his mouth and did not say another word. So she waited for him to speak but he didn't speak anymore. She was confused. Was he offended by what she said?

She bit her lips. "Sorry, my bad."

"You're offending me each day, and you aren't sorry. What differs now?" Gideon asked softly.

She felt him stroked her back again so she hid her smile and took a deep breathe. "Well, I uhm ..." She sighed. "You've saved me."

"Mmm. It's good to know that you know that word."

She smiled at what Gideon said. There was a warm feeling welling up in her heart. At that moment, she hugged Gideon back. "Be thankful that I'm good enough to say sorry."

Gideon's body tensed but relaxed eventually. "No one's good, Jewel. Only God," he whispered.

Jewel went silent after she heard his words. She just kept her mouth shut. She didn't know but there was something inside her that didn't want to hear about God.

Her ears ached with words related to God. It started when she stepped into Senior High School. That was also the time when she started reading erotica. Then her eyes widened at sudden realization.

'I forgot! Today, Ara will announce about her new book. I can't wait to read another book! I'm sure, that will be more sexier than the first series. But first, I should survive this cold. Gideon's heat helps.' Jewel thought.

She sighed again and buried her face in Gideon's chest. She felt Gideon's body relaxed at her attempt. His wet T-shirt was unnoticeable in her palm because his body was hot. The warmth that Gideon brought was more comforting.

She smiled to herself. The heroines in the novels she'd read, did they feel the same way too when their male leads hug them? She bit her lip.

'What am I thinking?' she thought.

Suddenly, the bed scene in a book she was reading came to her mind. Her forehead furrowed. There was something below her belly that wanted to come out as she imagined the scene. And she felt like dripping wet.

Her thoughts were interrupted Gideon let go of her. "Come on," he said.

She was stunned for a moment. And swallowed hard. It was as though a bucket of ice cold water was poured upon her. She remained rooted in the spot, confused, stilled, and somewhat hot...

Someone touched her cheek and stared at her face. "Jewel. Are you okay?"

It was only then that she finally realized that the sun had risen in the east and that the light had chased the darkness away.

The face of her father and mother appeared in her mind and she tightly closed her eyes. She's good as dead meat.

"My parents... they will scold me again," she whispered worriedly which Gideon heard. She stared confusely at him when he suddenly laughed. "What's funny?" she asked.

Gideon kissed her on the forehead and smiled at her. "Is that what you've thought in the past minutes? I thought something had happened to you. I'll take care of your parents. Let's go and you might get sick from the cold."

"Minutes?" she asked, even more confused.

Gideon nodded and guided her forward. He took the reins of the horse attached to a tree. "Good girl," he smiled at Gina.

But Jewel was still in daze. "Minutes? What do you mean by minutes?"

Gideon took her hand and they walked forward together. "I've been calling you but you seemed lost in your thoughts. When I look at you, you glared at me." Gideon laughed. "If looks could kill, then I'll be dead."

Her forehead furrowed. She didn't remember glaring at Gideon. She touched her nape and softly massaged it.

Gideon looked at her. "Where does it hurt?"

"My shoulder is a little heavy," she moaned.

"Move closer."

She rushed closer to Gideon. She felt his hand grip her shoulder. Instantly, the pain subdued. Gideon put a little pressure on that part.

"Better?" he asked.

"Y-Yeah, the pain is gone."

His forehead furrowed but smiled at her. "Let's hurry up."

They walked ahead for minutes before they saw a knight on horseback running closer to them. The knight stopped the horse a few meters in front. Then he climbed down and removed the hat on his head to greet them.

The man looked at her. "Miss Laine, your father and mother are looking for you." Then he turned to Gideon. "Sir, your father called. He said he was going to the Casa. The Mayor will be waiting for you there."

Gideon nodded. Jewel looked at the young people happily shouting in the distance. They were catching dragonflies.

"Take Jewel back to mansion. I'll go straight to the Casa," Gideon said.

She suddenly looked at Gideon and shook her head. "No."

Both Gideon and the knight turned their heads to her and she felt small in their gazes, but she held her head high.

The corner of Gideon's lip rose. "Have something to say, Jewel?"

Her forehead furrowed even more. "You should change your shirt," she said with conviction in her voice. It was a voice technique she used to order the maids around and she was not sure if Gideon would take it nicely or would be offended.

But Gideon nodded, a smile was still on his lips. Even the knight smiled and looked down. "Sir, shall I take Miss Laine ... or will you?"

"She's on me," Gideon said with a smile.

Jewel released a sigh of relief. As much as possible, she didn't want to cause trouble in front of those men as she needed Gideon to shield her from her Dad later.

Gideon adjusted the saddle behind Gina before getting on the horseback. He then offered his hand in front of her. "Give me your hand, Jewel."

She looked at the knight. He smiled and bowed slightly to her. "Be careful Sir Gideon, Senyorita," he said before riding the horse back to mansion.

"Jewel."

Her attention returned to Gideon. "Don't call me Jewel."

"What do you want me to call you then?"

"Laine."

Gideon smiled. "But I like to call you Jewel."

"Whatever," she muttered to herself and gave her hand to him. Gideon helped her to sit in front.

"Comfortable?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah."

Gideon began directing Gina to walk back to mansion. Jewel bit her lip when the fog passed between the two of them.

"It's quite cold," Gideon commented.

"I told you. It's freezing cold."

He laughed. She was surprised when he hugged her from behind and pulled her closer. A small smile tugged the side of her lips.

She leaned against his chest. She took a deep breath and averted her eyes from the Sacadas of Hasyenda Mangubat. She caught them murmuring with each other while smiling from ear to ear, and sometimes glancing at her and Gideon. She knew that some gossip began circulating when Gideon arrived at mansion few days ago.

Gossip might not die sooner. She closed her eyes.