Angela didn't have a choice—well, she did, she could obviously get an Uber, but that would seem too much, especially with her brother and father around. She didn't need to be questioned why she'd refuse to ride with Gael.
He brought a Cadillac Escalade with him this time, similar to the one he owned back in New York, but it had a different interior. She didn't ask, thinking that making small talk wouldn't help her at the moment, so she just kept quiet.
Riccardo was the one who drove the vehicle, just like Gael said earlier. The latter increased the temperature in the SUV, considering it was pretty cold outside. It wasn't very toasty, but it was cozy enough to sit in the backseat. "Is that okay?" he asked, and she nodded.
There was a good one-foot distance between them, and he all but desired to pull her flush to his side, but he didn't want to drive her away if he forced it. So he suffered in silence, his hands itching to do what he wasn't supposed to do. She wasn't too distant during the party, but that wasn't what he was used to anymore. Gael missed touching and hugging her however and whenever he wanted, so this invisible barrier between them was a pain in his ass.
Who'd have thought he had this much self-control?
While they rode in silence, he'd glance at her from time to time, watching her watch the view from the window as they drove in the traffic. Nothing caught her gaze—even the bright light from the post they just passed by didn't faze her.
Sometime later, he noticed a small movement to his left where Angela was sitting. When he turned to look, she swayed a little, her head slowly falling towards the window. His reflexes kicked in, and before he knew it, he had his hand outstretched, catching her head before it smacked against the glass.
He hissed and sighed, gently pulling her towards him and laying her head on his shoulder. He wasn't taking advantage or anything… He's only being a good and helpful citizen.
Okay, maybe he was, but he didn't give a flying fûck.
***
The SUV pulled up in front of her building at eleven in the evening. Angela had been sleeping for half an hour already, but Gael didn't wake her up, wanting to keep her on his side longer. So he told Rick to park the vehicle by the curb for a while longer.
To give them some privacy, Rick alighted the car and stood by the entrance of the building while checking in with the security.
Angela's soft breathing accompanied the silence in the backseat, her chest rising and falling. Gael stayed in the same position for several minutes—just staying still, an arm wrapped around her while she slept. It felt good like this even though he was the only one aware of what's happening. He wanted to keep her there with him where he knew she'd be safe, right under his wing.
There were so many things he wanted to do for her—so many things he wanted to show. What they had couldn't just end like that, could it?
With these thoughts in his mind, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Twenty minutes later, Angela woke up, and the first thing she sensed was the familiar scent that lulled her to sleep a couple of nights ago. It was his smell that she loved so much. She'd missed it last night. And there it was again...just right under her nose. She wanted to nuzzle against the comfortable pillow she was laying on just to inhale more of it and getting another dose.
As her eyes fluttered open, they landed on his jaw, and she thought she was dreaming, feeling the urge to scratch her nails along his scruff. Her gaze traveled up and saw the rest of his face. His eyes were closed, and he was breathing softly. What a beautiful creature sent from heaven.
Her chest decided it was the right time to ache. There was no way she could share this man. It was painful just to think about it. But her selfishness was too small compared to the responsibility that's weighing on his shoulders. Family comes first, after all.
Angela let out a sigh, and that woke him up. His lids slowly opened, and beautiful grey eyes met hers. She instantly sat upright, noticing that they were outside her building. "Sorry. I fell asleep. Why didn't you wake me up?"
He rotated his neck and massaged his shoulder that was becoming numb. "You looked like you could use some shut-eye...and I didn't want to."
She swallowed. "Thanks for bringing me home. I'll...um... Goodnight."
"I'll walk you to your door," he said as he got out of the vehicle, not giving her a chance to refuse him. All she could do was bite her lip.
The doorman greeted her and Gael as they entered the lobby. She'd signed him in the day after she gave him the code to her door so that he didn't have to wait for approval to go up to her floor. He and the doorman were friendly like they were buddies. It made her feel as if she was the guest and he was the tenant instead.
As they reached her floor, they walked towards her door, passing by the new neighbor's unit. There was shouting behind the closed door, and she furrowed her brows, wondering if Mrs. Robinson was okay. She hadn't seen her since that day she left the casserole, though the older woman taped an envelope on her door the next day, which contained the recipe she said she'd share. Angela had meant to drop by and give them a basket of goods, but she hadn't had the chance.
"You didn't have to walk me all the way here," she said as they arrived at her door.
"I wanted to make sure you reach your apartment safely."
"Thank you." She nodded, subconsciously rubbing her fingers together to ease the tension that had been present between them since early that evening.
After a few beats, Gael rubbed his nape and sighed. "Look… Angel… I'll be there tomorrow." She drew her brows together as he added, "I want to be there."
"But you're supposed to go home. Your family is expecting you."
"They can wait."
She couldn't lie. Her heart fluttered, but at the same time, she didn't like being in this predicament that he'd have to choose between her and his family. She leaned against her door to support her weight, any moment now, and she'd want to crawl in her bed.
"Despite our situation, I appreciate that you'd be willing to do that. But you can't sacrifice your time with your family for me…" Fudge. That hurt more than she thought it would. "I can't accept that."
Gael's intense stare bore into her, creating ripples of emotion that shook her core—she had to clench her hands to keep herself up as her knees started to buckle.
Then he softly chuckled, lowering his stare for a brief second before looking at her again. He inched closer, so close that she could feel the heat radiating from his body.
He looked into her eyes, and she could see her reflection in his. He cupped her face and caressed his thumb against her cheek as he spoke in a voice so smooth and low, "My family's important, but so are you. It's never a sacrifice for me when it's for you because I'm not forced, Angel. I'm doing what I want because I decide to do so."
Was it just her, or did her heart and soul leave her body? She swore she could see them dancing before her eyes, showered with little fireworks that crackled around them. Angela had never experienced being drunk like this before.
"It's a choice, love. Not a sacrifice." Gael leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.
Her breathing hitched, and she only realized what happened when he pulled away, saying, "I'll see you in the morning, Angel."
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