Chapter 19 #3
“Yes, that will be exciting for her. You’re looking forward to it too, aren’t you?”
As I retreat, he follows slowly, until the doorframe presses into my back.
“Yes. Rome is really beautiful,” I breathe.
“Mhm, it is.” He stops when I can’t back away any further. My heart pounds in my throat, my body craving more. So much more. I don’t want to go back to my bed. Alone. Just me. Nobody else. Couldn’t I just stay here? With him. That would be so much better. Being with him.
“Kim?”
“Yes?” His voice snaps me out of my spiraling thoughts.
“It seems to me you don’t want to leave. Am I right?”
I feel caught. My hand slides blindly along the doorframe.
“Sorry. You must be tired and—”
“I’m not tired.”
“…want to sleep and—”
“Not at all.”
“…I’m just bothering you…”
“You’re not.”
“I’ll just… what?” Not bothering him? I fall silent as he steps even closer than before.
“Why do you think you’d ever bother me?”
A moment later, his hand finds mine. Gently, he holds it, and suddenly we’re so close our bodies almost touch. God, he smells incredible… I feel dizzy and intoxicated by him.
“I just thought…” I whisper, stumbling over my words, unable to finish my sentence.
“You overthink things when it comes to me.”
Gabriel closes the last sliver of space between us, pressing me softly against the doorframe, brushing his lips against my cheek.
I gasp, surprised, and raise my free hand to place it on his back.
Gabriel holds my other hand firmly and pulls me even closer, placing it on his back so that both his hands are now free to touch me.
His warm lips trail from my cheek to my neck, my loose hair tickling me as the rough stubble of his jaw scrapes my skin. I gasp again, this time right into his ear. Gabriel hovers near my lips, hesitating, not quite kissing me.
Our eyes lock, just as they have so often in this breathtaking moment. My hands rest on his bare back; his fingers caress my neck, my throat.
He wants me…
Me.
I mean, he wants ME, right? Not because I happen to be present and he wants a woman. Any woman. But me—Kimberley Prescott. His assistant. The woman still on trial week. The woman who knows he lied about being with his mother, while he was really in a hotel room with an “upgrade.”
What am I supposed to think?
Does he truly want me… or am I just a convenient way to keep from being alone tonight?
But the bigger question really is: does it even matter to me?
When he kisses me, it feels like a release.
All my doubts vanish, and my body longs for so much more than just his lips.
It’s those gentle kisses of his that I’ve missed so much.
Not just being kissed by a man again—but by him.
I wanted to feel him again, the way I did that night when he spoke to me at the Midnight Lounge and took me home with him.
Suddenly I hear something behind me. Gabriel must have heard it too, because he pulls away.
I have to draw a deep breath; I hadn’t expected him to just stop like that.
I turn and see Rosie’s bedroom door moving.
And then there she is, in her nightgown, unicorn plushie in her arms, yawning and half-asleep.
She rubs her eyes and pads barefoot into the living room.
Immediately, I step away from Gabriel and walk toward her.
“Can’t you sleep? Do you want a glass of water?” I ask as Rosie looks at me in surprise.
“I didn’t know where I was…”
Well, that can happen when you wake up in a strange place.
“You’re here in Rome. Remember? We flew to Italy today,” I explain.
“Mhm…” Rosie still isn’t fully awake. She glances around, trying to orient herself. Gabriel turns on the light in the living area. It takes me a moment to adjust, and Rosie squints against it too. I kneel down beside her while she looks around.
“We’re in the hotel. In the evening, we played here and went swimming in the pool. Remember?”
“Oh, right.” She yawns. “Can you sleep in my bed with me tonight?”
“Of course.”
She turns to Gabriel too: “You as well? I don’t want to sleep alone…”
“Of course. Come on. We’ll sleep in my bed. It’s big, the three of us will fit.” Gabriel holds out his hand to her, and she takes it. I follow quietly, noticing his apologetic glance. Naturally, Rosie comes first. She shouldn’t feel afraid—she deserves sweet dreams.
I switch off the living room light and slip into bed next to Rosie. Gabriel lies down on the other side, so Rosie is in the middle. She yawns again and—swear to God—falls asleep almost instantly.
Well, that was quick. But then again, it’s been a long day: first the flight, then hours in the pool, the games in the hotel room, then the delicious buffet dinner, and now she even woke up during the night.
Yeah, that’s a lot for such a little angel.
“I think she’s already asleep,” I whisper.
“Yeah. Out cold.” Gabriel rolls onto his side and switches off the nightlight, leaving the room in darkness.
“Is it alright with you if I sleep here too?” I ask.
“Of course.”
My hand rests on top of the blanket. A moment later, I feel his hand touch mine. He holds it gently. It’s a small, simple gesture—but it makes me smile. We can be close this way. Very close—and yet still so far apart…
We don’t speak. But in my head, thoughts spin wildly. Would it have stayed at just a kiss? Or would we have spent the night together?
The next morning, I wake up in a rather crazy way: Rosie is bouncing on the mattress like it’s a trampoline.
“Wake up, wake up! It’s been bright outside for ages!
” she shouts gleefully, bouncing as I blink in shock, disoriented, not even knowing where I am or what’s happening.
Gabriel’s side of the bed is empty—leaving the perfect playground for her.
She bounces happily, dives into the pillows, and springs back up again.
“Oh, I see that, I see that…” I mumble, laughing softly.
Yeah, it may already be light out, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready to get up. The hotel clock says it’s just after eight. Practically the middle of the night, considering it’s Saturday and this whole trip to Italy feels like a vacation.
“Come on! Get up! You have to get dressed, we need breakfast, and then we have to go!” she giggles, tugging the blanket off me.
I’m still in my robe, yawning sleepily. Honestly, I’d love to remind her how sweet I was last night, staying with her when she didn’t want to sleep alone…
but she’s a kid. She’s probably already forgotten.
“Yes, I’ll get up right away,” I promise, rubbing my eyes. “Where’s Gabriel?”
“He already showered and making breakfast.”
Ah, so I hadn’t imagined that smell of coffee after all. Rosie snuggles against me briefly, then taps my nose with her little finger.
“You’re such a sleepyhead.”
“Yes, I am,” I admit, hugging her tight. Rosie giggles adorably—right as Gabriel peeks into the bedroom.
“You got her up,” he praises Rosie for her success.
“Yes, I did,” she answers proudly. “Now she’s not snoring anymore.”
“What?” Snoring? Me? No way.
“Yes, you were. Like a bear!” Gabriel bursts out laughing and Rosie joins in.
“I don’t snore…” I sit up, feigning shock, my mouth agape at the two of them, who are clearly enjoying themselves. Gabriel roars with laughter, and Rosie squeals, imitating my supposed snoring.
“Like a bear, huh?” I raise my arms, making claws with my fingers, growling, “Groar!” and grab the little munchkin. I know she’s ticklish—so now she gets thoroughly tickled. Rosie shrieks and giggles uncontrollably until Gabriel comes to her rescue.
“Oh no, a tickle bear! I’ll save you!” Gabriel cries, wrapping his arms around me. I immediately let go of Rosie, who bounces on the bed again, pointing at me.
“You caught her!” Rosie cheers as Gabriel’s hands settle on my stomach.
“Got you,” he whispers into my ear, sending a pleasant shiver down my spine. Gabriel is so warm, and his strong arms hold me tight against him.
“I surrender,” I play along theatrically, which only makes Rosie laugh harder.
“We defeated the Snoring Bear!” Rosie jumps on me and hugs me, so I wrap my paws—well, my hands—around her lovingly.
“And what do we do with Mama Snoring Bear now?” Gabriel teases.
“Well… we feed her. Then she’ll go back to sleep!”
Ah, so that’s Rosie’s plan?
“Feeding sounds perfect. So, what’s for breakfast?” I ask.
“Only coffee and tea, but the hotel buffet is already open,” he replies, then turns to Rosie. “Do you think they’ll let a bear into the buffet here? She’ll eat all the guests’ food!”
“Oh no!” Rosie cries in mock horror.
“I’m starving!” I shout dramatically, laughing.
“She’ll eat all the pancakes!” Rosie giggles, rolling across the mattress.
“Yes, I’ll eat all the pancakes!” I roar with laughter.
Gabriel lets go of me, and I immediately pounce on Rosie again, tickling her mercilessly. We collapse into giggles while Gabriel stands, smiling at us sweetly.
“Well, ladies, I hate to break it to you, but I’m already dressed and you’re not. So… who’s going to get all the pancakes? You—or me?”
Now that hits like a shock. Rosie and I stare at each other in panic. We know perfectly well he’ll eat everything if we don’t hurry up. Quick, quick, quick!
In record time, Rosie and I have freshened up in the bathroom, dressed, and are ready at the hotel room door—where Gabriel is already waiting like the gentleman he is.
Rome is warmer and more pleasant than London, so Rosie and I end up almost twinning in a mother-daughter look: both in red pleated skirts.
She wears hers with white pantyhose, ballerinas, and a matching white sweater.
I’ve got nude pantyhose, black boots, a white blouse, and a black blazer.
Gabriel, meanwhile, has gone casual: blue jeans and a black sweater.
On a man, that always looks fantastic. We head for the breakfast buffet and then on to the museum.
But what would a trip to Rome be without gelato?
Rosie and I treat ourselves to two scoops—in cups, not in waffle cones.
That evening back at the hotel, I give Rosie a little insulin to stabilize her levels before the device beeps.
“You’re so good at that. It hardly hurts at all when you do it,” she praises me.
“I’m glad to hear that,” I say, pulling out my own insulin so I can inject myself too. But I notice her curious gaze. “Have you ever tried giving an injection yourself?” She shakes her head. It would be good for her to learn—just in case. “If you want, you can practice on me.”
“What if I hurt you?” she asks, worried.
"It's not that bad. I've had doctors who couldn't give injections properly. Besides, you need to practice. If you’re careful, nothing can go wrong.” Rosie’s full of curiosity, though a little nervous.
She kneels on the bed, and I carefully show her how to hold the syringe. Quick as that—the needle is in.
“See? That didn’t hurt at all.” Well, maybe a little, but she’s doing great. “Now press down slowly.”
She takes such care—it makes me admire her. “Wow, that was wonderful,” I praise, beaming as she pulls the needle out again.
“Did it really not hurt?” she asks eagerly. I shake my head and tuck the syringe safely away. Rosie is delighted, glowing with pride.
“You’re a natural,” I tell her, making her smile even brighter.
“I think I want to be a doctor. And then I’ll find a cure for diabetes, so all kids can eat sweets all day long!”
Now that’s ambition.
“That would be amazing. Honestly, I can’t think of anything better,” I say dreamily.
Of course, such a wish may not be realistic—but who knows?
Maybe it is. I want to encourage her dreams. Tomorrow she might want to be an astronaut, or work with animals.
Whatever it ends up being, the most important thing is that Rosie is happy and lives her life to the fullest.
Gabriel and I read her a bedtime story. She’s fast asleep in no time, and soon after we quietly leave her room.
In the living area—dark, except for the light from our bedrooms—we come dangerously close again. We don’t speak, but our eyes say everything.
Could I possibly manage to banish Caroline from his life? If he had me, he wouldn’t need her anymore, would he?
“I love my job,” I whisper, as he takes my hand in his. “Not for the money, but for the memories I get to create. In a few years, I’ll look back fondly at how it all started.”
“You mean your job?” he asks, brushing his thumb gently across my hand—a tender touch that makes me smile.
“Yes, that too. But also, how sweet Rosie was as a little girl. Soon she’ll start school. Then she’ll be a teenager. She’ll fall in love. Get married. Have children of her own…”
“Slow down,” Gabriel whispers with a soft laugh. “One thing at a time. That’s many years away.”
“Her life could go in two completely different directions. She could grow into a strong young woman full of self-love and confidence—or she could break, if she stays with her mother.” I sigh softly, squeezing his hand to show how much I treasure his touch. “We’ll make it work.”
“And what about us?” he asks me outright.
“Us?” I smile back at him. His eyes shimmer, catching the faint light. Maybe I see a flicker of hope in them. Who knows?
“Yes, I mean…” he begins—but we’re interrupted yet again, as if cursed, as if fate refuses to let us enjoy one quiet moment together.
Gabriel’s phone rings in his bedroom. “Damn it.” He drops my hand instantly and goes inside. I follow, closing the door so Rosie won’t wake up. “My sister,” he mutters. “At this hour?”
Of all people—it’s her. He glances at me, then at the display.
“Maybe she just wants to know how Rosie’s doing in Italy? After all, yesterday was her first flight.”
“Honestly? I’d be happy if Catherine worried about Rosie. But that’s probably not the case.” He gives me a sad smile and answers the call.
Yeah… I’d be happy too if her mother truly cared. I can see in his eyes how much he wishes she did. After all, Catherine is Rosie’s mom. And you only get one mother. She’s irreplaceable.