Chapter 26
Nicole woke up the next morning with a strange but comforting awareness settling over her body.
Something warm and solid was wrapped around her.
Strong arms held her close, firm but gentle, anchoring her in place.
Her head rested on something hard yet surprisingly comfortable, rising and falling in a steady rhythm.
She lifted her head slowly, blinking sleep from her eyes.
Her breath caught.
Her head had been resting on Gabriel’s chest.
He was still asleep, his arm securely wrapped around her as if he had pulled her closer sometime during the night. The realization sent a wave of heat rushing to her cheeks. They were tangled together in a way that felt far too intimate for two people who were supposed to be pretending.
How did we end up like this?
Her mind drifted back to the night before—the shared wine, the kiss, the warmth of his body beneath her when he pulled her onto his lap. Her heart beat faster just thinking about it. Waking up like this made it feel less like a contract and more like something real… something dangerously real.
Nicole carefully shifted, her movements slow and cautious. She didn’t want to wake him. A part of her wanted to stay exactly where she was, wrapped in his arms, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing. But her bladder protested, insistent and impossible to ignore.
With quiet determination, she gently untangled herself from his arms. His grip loosened slightly in his sleep, as though he noticed her absence even unconsciously. She froze for a moment, watching his face, waiting to see if he would wake.
He didn’t.
Relieved, she slipped out of bed and hurried into the bathroom.
After taking care of her business, Nicole stepped back into the bedroom. The room was quiet, the morning light soft and muted. Since it was Saturday, there was no rush, no obligations pulling her away. She climbed back into bed, careful not to disturb him.
She turned onto her side and found herself staring at Gabriel.
Up close, he was even more handsome than she usually allowed herself to notice.
His full eyebrows framed his face perfectly.
His nose was straight and defined, and his lips—God, his lips—were soft-looking even at rest. His eyes were closed now, peaceful, calm, but she knew how distracting they were when open.
Those brown eyes had a way of holding her attention, making her forget what she was saying mid-sentence.
She could stare at him all day and never get tired.
Any woman would feel lucky to have a man like him in her life.
Her thoughts drifted again—back to the way his lips had felt on hers the night before, how easily her body had responded to him. Her heart clenched.
God help me…
She was falling for him. Deeply. More with every passing day.
The realization scared her.
Gabriel stirred slightly in his sleep, shifting closer.
Nicole reacted instantly, closing her eyes and pretending to still be asleep.
Moments later, she felt his arm slide around her waist again, pulling her gently toward him.
It was instinctive, unguarded—like he needed the contact without even realizing it.
She relaxed into him, placing her hand over his arm. Her fingers traced slow, absent strokes along his skin. The simple contact made her feel warm and heavy, safe in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time. Sleep claimed her again before she could overthink it.
Nicole woke up for the second time to an empty bed.
The warmth beside her was gone.
She sat up slowly, a small flicker of disappointment passing through her. She reminded herself not to get used to waking up like that. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.
Her gaze drifted to the nightstand—and she froze.
A bouquet of red roses sat neatly arranged beside a box of chocolates. A folded note rested on top.
She reached for it, her fingers trembling slightly.
“Thanks for last night’s dinner. I enjoyed it.”
A soft smile spread across her face.
He had noticed.
He had appreciated it.
Gabriel was… sweet. Thoughtful in ways she hadn’t expected.
She picked up a bar of chocolate and took a small bite, savoring it. As she stood to head for the bathroom, something else caught her eye.
A giant teddy bear.
Her eyes widened.
“Oh my God—”
She squealed, running toward it and wrapping her arms around the plush toy, burying her face against it. It was ridiculous, childish even, but she didn’t care. Her heart felt too full.
How am I not supposed to fall even more in love with him?
After cuddling the teddy for a while, she finally pulled herself away and went to the closet to pick out a dress. She showered, letting the warm water calm her racing thoughts. Afterward, she dressed in a strapless grey midi dress and applied light makeup.
She left the room in a hurry, eager to find Gabriel.
Nicole went straight to the study, convinced she would find Gabriel there, but the room was empty. The faint scent of his cologne lingered, but there was no sign of him. She stood there for a moment, wondering where else he could be if not buried in work as usual.
After a brief pause, she stepped back into the hallway and found the house administrator. When she asked about Gabriel’s whereabouts, he informed her that Gabriel was in the indoor gym.
The moment she heard that, Nicole headed there immediately.
As soon as she entered the gym, her eyes landed on Gabriel.
He was standing near one of the machines, tilting his head back slightly as he drank from a bottle of water.
His white sweatshirt clung to his body, damp with sweat, outlining every hard line of muscle beneath the fabric.
His hair was slightly disheveled, his breathing steady but heavy from exertion.
There was something raw and effortless about the way he looked that made her pause for half a second.
So this was how he kept himself fit.
Without thinking too much about it, Nicole ran up to him and hugged him tightly from behind, ignoring the sweat entirely. The warmth of his body and the firmness of him beneath her arms startled her in the best way possible.
“Thank you,” she said softly, holding onto him.
Gabriel stiffened in surprise at first, clearly not expecting the sudden contact.
Small arms were wrapped tightly around his torso from behind, and it took him a second to register that it was Nicole, then he relaxed.
He hadn’t imagined she would be this excited about the gifts he left for her — or the warmth spreading through him at her touch.
She slowly released him and moved around to stand in front of him, her eyes still shining.
“So this is what you do during the weekends?” she asked, glancing around the gym. “You know, I’ve always wondered how you look this fit when all you do is work, work, and work.”
Gabriel raised an eyebrow slightly.
“How did you know I was here?” he asked.
“You wanted to keep this a secret from me?” she replied lightly, avoiding his question. “Too bad. I know about your little… secret now.”
He rolled his eyes at her answer, but there was amusement in his expression. As he looked at her more closely, something seemed to cross his mind.
“You promised you were going to work out every pound you gained from eating all those junk foods,” he said, a teasing smirk forming on his lips.
Nicole’s eyes widened instantly. She took a few steps back on instinct, but Gabriel mirrored her movement, stepping forward just as casually, his smirk never fading.
“But I haven’t gained any extra pounds,” she said nervously.
“You sure about that?” he asked, stepping closer, his smile turning almost dangerous.
“I— I mean… yes. I’m sure,” she replied, suddenly wishing she had waited until he was done with his workout before coming to look for him.
They were standing very close now, their faces only inches apart. Nicole could feel his presence too strongly—his warmth, his scent, the way his attention was completely focused on her. Her heart began to race as her thoughts scattered.
“What if I said I want you to do a little exercise?” Gabriel said quietly.
His minty breath brushed against her face, making her inhale sharply, as they were only a few inches away from kissing.
Instinctively, she placed her hand against his chest, not pushing him away, but creating just enough distance to steady herself.
His chest was firm beneath her palm, and the contact only made things worse for her concentration.
Before either of them could say anything else—
“What are you two lovebirds doing here? I’ve been looking all over for you.”
Helen’s voice cut through the moment, startling both of them. They immediately straightened, stepping apart.
“Your engagement party is tonight, and you’re both here having fun?” Helen continued. “You can continue your make-out session later, after the party.”
Nicole felt her face heat up instantly.
“Mom, we weren’t doing any of that, and you know it,” Gabriel said defensively.
“But you were about to kiss,” Helen replied casually. “That makes no difference.”
She took Nicole gently by the hand before either of them could argue further.
“Come on, honey. Let’s get you prepared,” Helen said, already guiding her out of the gym.
Only then did Nicole fully remember the engagement party.
She recalled noticing how busy the maids had been earlier but hadn’t connected it to anything specific.
Now, as they stepped back into the living room, it all made sense.
The room looked beautiful—more beautiful than usual.
Extra decorations had been added, giving the entire space a celebratory elegance.
“Where are we going?” Nicole asked when she realized they were heading toward the front door of the mansion.
“We’re going to get you some body treatments and a new makeover,” Helen replied excitedly.
“But I thought I did that yesterday,” Nicole said, surprised.
“This is for your engagement party,” Helen replied, glancing at her. “You don’t plan on looking like this tonight, do you?”
Nicole quickly shook her head. She knew whatever makeup or hairstyle she could do on her own wouldn’t compare to the guests they were expecting or the importance of the occasion. Letting Helen take charge felt like the safest option.
So she said nothing more and allowed herself to be led forward, trusting Helen to handle the rest.