Chapter 45

Gabriel's POV

I saw the word danger flashing in front of my eyes,in bright red capital letters. And then I heard this voice asking me exactly what I was doing.

Which in turn made me ask myself what I was doing. I wasn't acting our of logic, goodness, why was I cradling her in my arms like that,it wasn't what I had meant when I said our relationship was strictly physical. I meant physical in the sexual sense,nothing more. The last thing I needed was for either of us, mostly her, to develop feelings. That would just not end well. So after a while I cleared my throat and then I lifted Layla off of me and placed her next to me on th couch. 

She sat, looked at me in search of my eyes I think,but I wasn't going to let her find them . There was absolutely nothing to see in them.

" I'm gonna head to my room to finish up some work, find me if you need anything, " I said as I stood and began to walk away. 

I never once looked at her. ME! Gabriel Germaine, I avoided eye contact with a pretty girl because I found her too alluring, too tempting...too dangerous for my well being.

The instant I got to my room I headed to the bathroom and turned on the faucet, splashing water on my face then looking at myself in the mirror.

" What are you doing?" I asked myself in the reflection. But the question remained unanswered. 

Had I made the wrong decision when I decided to pursue the attraction I had for Layla?

I thought about it for a while but then I shook my head. " It was just a momentary lapse, won't happen again!" 

I was going to make sure that it didn't, and the best way to do that was to never start any conversation with her that would likely lead to any emotional reaction. Unless it was sex related of course. Everything else was out of the picture. Blowing out a breath, I walked into my bed room and lied down on the sheets, but then I sat up immediately after. She was all I could smell. Also not good to have her scent on my sheets....But why was she affecting me the way she was. And why couldn't I go ten minutes without thinking about her? 

Grabbing my keys, I decided to head out, not sure where I was going. But maybe a nice drive would help me clear my head a bit. 

She watched me as I walked past her but didn't ask me anything. And I wanted to walk out without saying a word but she needed an explanation, I couldn't just leave her in there all alone with no clue of where I was going. So I told her I had to run a couple of errands and headed for the elevator, all the while still evading any eye contact with her. For the longest while I had wanted for her to look me in the eye, to be the one to go to me I stead of me going to her, and now that she had taken a step and done just that, I was filled with fear. 

I drove around with no particular place to go, and throughout I was thinking. Layla Kendrick was stronger than she let on, and once you got past that shy and timid exterior you'd find someone who had gone through unimaginable pain and still found a way to move on. 

My only worry was that everything she had gone through would make her more likely to read at things between us the wrong way. And I didn't want to have to hurt her in the long run. 

Especially since I still really wanted her, each passing second the craving I had for that girl doubled in on itself. 

I don't know how long I drove around for, but by the time I got back, I found Layla and Cassie in the living room. They had been conversing but the talk ended upon my arrival, Cassie turned to me and her jaw almost dropped for some reason. Then she stood and extended her arm towards me.

" Um..hi, "

 " Hello Mrs. Adams, " I replied with a broad smile, shaking her hand and asking her how her ride had been.

" Oh it was great, thanks by the way, "

" Don't mention it! "

I turned to Layla and she shot me an angry look, probably because she had been planning on going to visit Cassie and not the other way round. 

I looked at the little baked goods set out on the table and I suddenly felt hungry. So I went to the kitchen and poured myself another mug of coffee and proceeded to sit on the couch across from theirs. 

" Well don't mind me, go ahead and interact. Pretend I'm not even here, " I told them on realizing that neither was talking. 

They turned to each other but still kept quiet.

" So Cassie, tell me, what are your thoughts on Layla's marriage?" I asked after a while. 

She turned to Layla and raised her brows, then looked slowly back at me. I was certain she knew the true status of Arden's and Layla's relationship. 

She however tried to convince me otherwise.

" Well, I mean, it was really rushed and unexpected...but I want the best for her, " she smiled at Layla nervously and Layla smiled back. She had good acting skills I must admit.

" And if Arden makes her happy then I'm okay with that, " she proceeded to reach out for Layla's hand for dramatic effect. I nodded and smiled.

" That's very noble of you. "

Later I would be having a little chat with Layla about having gone against our agreement. Personally I didn't care that she had told Cassie, it didn't really matter that she had. But I just wanted a reason to mess with her a bit later. And she had promised to not tell anyone about the truth behind her fake marriage. 

I watched as Cassie looked from me to Layla, and there were unsaid words there. And I suspected that she was Layla's confidant, and she most likely already knew about us as well,I couldn't be sure but I guessed that she did, otherwise why would she be looking at me like she knew something. 

Yet another thing to use against Layla later on, telling Cassie about her and Arden was one thing,but then telling her about us was something else entirely. And the latter would warrant a punishment. I started choosing it right that instant. Just incase I turned out to be right and she had actually told Cassie everything that had occured between us.

Later I realized that they were kind of uncomfortable in my presence. so I decided to take my leave and let them catch up. They seemed very relieved when I did so, and on my way to my bedroom I heard Cassie loudly whisper the words " Gosh! He's so hot, you're lucky! "

Layla quickly shushed her, but my suspicions had already been confirmed. 

Layla's POV

" Come on, he can't hear us now. So tell me exactly what happened?" Cassie asked for the third time. Crossing her legs on the sofa and biting though a cupcake. She stared at me expectantly.

" I can't tell you that, " I protested. My entire face a shade of pink. Her eyes widened and she swallowed the cupcake. 

" Wait! Don't tell me that you actually did it! "

" What? No! " She shrugged, and I realized that she actually looked disappointed. Laughing, I sliced into my Pie and took a bite. 

" Okay then, since you won't tell me then I'll ask and you can either nod or shake your head. Cool?" 

" Just let it be, "

" Na ah! I gotta know. "

She was really serious. I buried my face in my hands and asked her to go ahead and ask me. 

" Let's see, well you didn't do it, so I'm guessing you gave him a hand job?" She asked with her brows raised....I shook my head. Angry at myself for suddenly thinking about what she had said. I had been trying to avoid those thoughts.

" Oh man, you gave him a blowjob, didn't you?" I shook my head again and my mind grew wilder. Those were things I had never even thought of doing before, I had never had the desire to even attempt them...but everything was so different with Gabriel. It's only that I lacked the courage to initiate anything.

" Okay...." Cassie seemed confused for a while. Then something must have snapped inside her mind and she threw me a suspicious glance. 

" I think I get it now, " she wiggled her brows and I laughed. 

" He was all up in there, wasn't he?" she inclined her head to my center and I didn't reply. Which affirmed her suspicions. 

" How was it?" she pressed and I said it was okay. An extreme understatement of course.

" It was wonderful huh?" 

She leaned her back against the armrest of the couch and sighed . Probably imagining what might have happened last night.