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I wanted to feel more than the brush of them against my skin. I wanted to feel his arms wrapped tightly around me. I also wanted to be held, loved, and cherished as I once was with him, and have these last ten years be nothing more than some terrible nightmare I was finally able to wake up from.
His touch didn’t linger, neither did the warmth my wish provided. Within seconds, he had the shirt over my head and tossed into a pile on the floor. The air hit my skin and goosebumps rose immediately. I removed my panties and soon followed him to the shower.
I could already see the steam coming from his side, and I was thankful when he turned on the other set, but at a less scalding temperature. I was so touched he remembered. After he tested the water a few times, he finally turned to me.
“I think it’s how you like it. Do you need me to help you wash up?”
I shook my head. “No, and thank you. Not just for this, but for everything.”
I then flashed a watery smile and stepped under the heavy spray of water. He quickly got undressed and I had to force myself not to look at him. He’d always been athletic, so it shouldn’t have surprised me that he would still be in such incredible shape. The boy I once knew and loved had turned into a man, and a stunning one at that.
I swallowed hard, then focused on my shower. My entire body had been cleaned during my period of unconsciousness, but I still took the time to run the bath sponge over all the bruises I could see before finally turning the water off.
Gabriel had turned his off as well, and before I could even exit the shower stall, he pushed past me and had a large bath towel waiting when I stepped out. The man I’d been with last weekend wasn’t the true Gabriel. This one in front of me was.
My heart clenched in my chest, but I kept any outer expressions to myself as I allowed him to wrap it around me. Once it was secured, he grabbed another and soon had my hair wrapped in it, too. He then lingered, causing me to look up at him. When our eyes met, neither of us said anything, yet we didn’t need to. Gabriel wasn’t looking at me with disgust as I had once thought he would.
Had I been so wrong back in Portland? Could this man have still loved me, even after what I’d been through?
I blinked, and he did too. Just like that, the moment was gone. “I’ll get you another shirt and some boxers to put on.”
Then, he was gone. I watched him exit the bathroom, then return seconds later with what he promised. I took the clothing and smiled once more.
“Thank you.”
By the time I had towel dried myself off and gotten dressed, he was already in a pair of sweats himself. I picked up the one discarded towel, then pulled the other one loose from my hair. Gabriel had a comb, but I shook my head at his offer of it, and used my fingers to untangle the long strands instead. I then put both towels into the hamper and followed him into the bedroom.
“I wanted to—” I began, but was cut off by the sound of a doorbell. Gabriel started toward the door and panic filled me. “Gabriel. No!” I cried out, then rushed to the door, putting my body between him and it. “You can’t answer that.”
He let out a small chuckle. “It’s okay, Harper. It’s either the pharmacy with your prescription, or it’s dinner.”
“D-dinner?” I stammered. I know he had to think I was on something, especially by the way he was eying me.
“Yes. I’ve ordered us a pizza.”
It was the perfect cover. George, and whoever else he might’ve involved could lay in wait, then disguise themselves as a delivery man to gain access to Gabriel. Even if they suspected I had sold them out, no one would question someone bringing us dinner.
“Please, no.”
“Harper,” Gabriel said, the concern growing on his face. “Do you not like pizza anymore? I could order something—”
“No, it isn’t that. I... ahh... You’re in danger. They could be back to—”
He grinned, then pulled me into his arms. “I don’t know why you’re so paranoid. I understand today was traumatic, but no one is going to hurt you. I’ll make sure—”
“It’s not me I’m worried about.” I didn’t know how many times I’d tried telling him that.
Each time I tried, he brushed me aside. I know it sounded far-fetched, but it was real. Today was not a singular occurrence. George would be furious with me for having his son locked up, and would use Gabriel to make me pay.
“I’m going to be fine. Come downstairs with me, and you’ll see.”
I still wasn’t convinced, but there was no way I was going to let him go down there alone anyway. I moved out of his way, then took his offered hand, and we made our way down the long staircase. The person on the other end rang the doorbell again, just as Gabriel got there.
When he opened the door, I finally remembered to breathe. An older man was there with a paper bag that looked to have come from a local pharmacy. Gabe quickly scribbled his signature on the forms, then went to close the door. Before he could say or do anything, the buzzer sounded once more. This time when he flung open the heavy oak, a college-aged girl stood there with our food.
Gabriel retrieved it, and when he closed the door, I could breathe a bit easier. “It’s a good thing your prescription came when it did. I believe Dr. Peterson said something about taking it with food.”
I wasn’t so much worried abut the medicine, or food, but as the tomato scent of the sauce wafted toward me, my stomach growled. Even if eating was the last thing I wanted to do, I knew I had to if for no other reason than to keep up my strength. Knowing that, I followed him to the kitchen.
