Chapter 11
Gabriel
“Fainted?”
“Hmm.”
A confused expression spreads across her face as she looks around the bedroom. After last night when she fainted in my office, she scared the crap out of me. There was no way that I would have just stayed there until she woke up so I made sure that she was okay and brought her to my apartment.
The guest bedroom is not set up yet, so she slept in my room while I took the couch in the living room which I have to admit wasn’t too bad.
“Is this your bedroom?”
“Hmm.”
“Can you stop with these answers? Hmm.” She mocks my answer and I break out a smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude but I need to leave.”
“You are not going to work.”
“Wha- Yes, I am.”
“You are not. Especially not after the faint episode last night.”
“I was tired, it’s nothing serious.”
“And I don’t care.”
“And I don’t care if you care, and I am sorry if I wasted your time but I need to leave there is a lot of work that needs to be done at the office and-“ I watch her closely as she panics and gets up from the bed but not before she makes sure it is made. She throws the blanket over the bed and flattens it to make sure there are no wrinkles. I realise she panics even more when she looks at her watch and her eyes widen as she sees the time.
“Where are my shoes?”
“Outside.”
“Okay great.” She points up two thumbs up and takes her bag with her and starts walking out.
No fucking way is she leaving for work now. She is mental if she thinks I am letting her leave.
I stop her by gripping on her wrist, pulling her closer and she looks up at me with a confused expression. I find myself admiring her more and my eyes wander to her pink plump lips that I am desperate to kiss.
She bats her eyelashes at me, looking up to me with an innocent look.
The tension between us is maddening, she is making my blood boil and rush faster to my dick.
“You are staying.”
She opens her mouth to protest against my command but I just raise my eyebrow at her and she clamps them shut.
“Now leave the bag here and let's walk to the kitchen.”
“Why?”
“Breakfast. Do you always overthink everything?”
“Most of the time.”
“Why?”
“Anxiety and you are not making my anxiety any better by making me breakfast and saying I can stay off from work today because it is not working and I need to work because have you seen how far behind we are with the paperwork for next week and we are only half finished and it is stressing me out beyond. Stop looking at me like that.” She complains as I am just mesmerised by her as she is talking and it makes me realise that she could complain to me for hours because her talking might be better than any podcast.
“Like what?”
“Like-” she stutters. “I don’t know. You are looking at me weirdly. Sorry.”
She grows shy as she can't describe how I look at her and if I am honest, I have no idea how I am looking at her.
What I do know is that she is driving me crazy with her presence. She just woke up and yet she looks more beautiful than ever and if I could, I would never go back to work and have her here with me for eternity because that is how crazy she is driving me.
She is making me want to do things I would have never wanted to do.
Like jump off a fucking cliff or even fire that Logan guy from work for fucking flirting with her the other day. She might blind me anytime she is around, but I am not fucking blind to see when someone else tries to flirt with her.
“Like what, Elena?” I challenge her, needing to hear the answer from her even if I know it all too well. I pull her closer by her wrist so that we are eye level and I can smell her faint lavender perfume that has worn off but is still there.
Fuck.
“Four.” She mumbles. “That’s four times you have said my name.”
I smile. “Still keeping count?”
“It’s becoming a habit.”
“Good. Keep counting.”
“Why?”
“Because it is a reminder for you how I occupy your mind when you don’t want me to.” I whisper into her ear and she shudders, her breath hitches at the same time and goosebumps rise on my skin at her sweet sounds.
Fucking hell.
I feel her pulse beat harder under my fingertips where I am holding her and her chest rises up and down as if she just ran a marathon and is in desperate need of oxygen. To say I am as fucked as her is an understatement because in comparison to her, I don’t think I am breathing.
She has taken my breath away with just her being her.
“Fine. Just breakfast and no work. I have a lot to do at home.”
“I will drive you.”
“I can manage.”
“Your car is not here.”
She looks at me with an angry expression that soon enough softens and she lets out a huff of air. “Fine. Just breakfast and then you will drive me to my car.”
“I will drive you to your apartment.”
“And how the hell will I get to work, smart ass.” She whisper-shouts at me. “Sorry.”
“I will pick you up.” I whisper back just to fuck with her.
“You will not. My apartment is completely different and you’d have to pass the office to get me.”
“Well, how do you know that?”
“Well, I-“ She stops mid sentences, her words not coming out.
“Are you stalking me, love?”
“N- no. Just thought because you know.”
“I don’t, so care to enlighten me?”
“No. No more games and flirting with you. Bring me to my car after breakfast.” She shouts, still keeping her voice in a low whisper.
“Games and flirting, huh?” I tease her, a knowing smirk brightens up on my face.
“Why are you whispering?” She changes the subject and I laugh at her.
“I don’t know, why are you whispering?”
“Because you are.”
“Are we seriously going to argue about this?” I ask her, now in a normal tone.
“Yeah, we are.”
“This is the weirdest conversation I have ever had.”
“And I frankly don't care. Bring me to my car or else I’ll walk.” she taunts and I arch my eyebrow at her and a small smile curl on her lips.
I stop breathing at her small smile. “Fine. Pick me up at 8.30 sharp. One minute late and you will see me walk to work.” She finally caves in at my offer but adds a mild threat by the end.
“You wouldn’t.” I challenge her.
“I know a shortcut and it’s a twenty-minute walk. Could be beneficial for me.”
“I will be there, don’t worry. I wouldn’t miss the chance of picking up my fiancé for work.”
“You are getting too comfortable with that name to my liking.”
“Would you prefer a wife?”
I know I would.
“I would prefer you say my name.”
“And I would prefer you screaming mine but we can’t have everything.” I lean down to her ear and from my view I can see her eyes widen in shock at my words. The sound of her hitched breathing sends blood straight to my dick.
She slowly turns her head to my direction; our gazes align with one another.
She looks up at me and her lips part.
“You really have to stop that.”
“Stop what?”
“You know. The talk.”
“What talk?”
“This one.”
“Evidently, I do a lot of talking with you and only you but which one are you referring to, sweetheart.”
“Just stop talking.”
“Why?”
“Because your voice is driving me crazy.”