Gabriel's Inferno (Gabriel's Inferno #1)(133)

“I know I shouldn’t have. But you had this wonderful smile. I was seventeen and stupid, Gabriel.”

“Stupid or smitten?”

Julia rested her eyes on the floor. “I think you know.”

“Rachel took pictures with her phone while she was visiting. This one is my favorite, which is why I framed it.” He examined her closely. “Don’t you like it?”

She seemed flustered. “You look nice.”

He took the photo out of her hand and carefully placed it on top of the dresser. “What are you thinking? Tell me.”

“The way you looked at me while we were dancing…I don’t understand.”

“You’re a beautiful woman. Why wouldn’t I look at you?”

“It’s the way you looked at me.”

“I look at you like that all the time.” He kissed her softly. “I’m looking at you like that right now.” He brushed her hair back from her face. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

After changing into what would serve as her pajamas, she stood in the doorway of the bathroom, backlit in white light.

“Stop,” said Gabriel. He had returned to the room during her absence and was lying in bed, staring at her.

Julia looked down at her clothes and fidgeted. She hadn’t known what to wear. Most of her pajamas were too juvenile to wear in front of him, and she didn’t own any lingerie for sleeping. Not that she would have been brave enough to wear lingerie to bed with him. So at this moment, she was clad in a dark blue t-shirt, which was large enough to hide her chest, and a pair of athletic shorts that had Saint Joseph’s University’s logo on the front.

“You’re exquisite.”

She made a face and reached over to switch off the light.

“Wait. Standing there, in the light, you look like an angel.”

She nodded to indicate that she’d heard him before silently joining him.

Gabriel immediately pulled her into a warm embrace, and as he did so, she realized he was wearing a t-shirt and shorts too.

They were quite a pair. But now their naked legs could tangle together blissfully under the sheets. He kissed her tenderly and leaned back on the pillow, sighing in pleasure as she rested her head on his chest, wrapping her arm around his waist.

“I’m sorry you’re lonely, Julianne.”

She appeared puzzled by his non sequitur.

“Earlier this week when we were talking on the phone, you mentioned that you feel isolated, that you don’t have any friends.”

She winced in remembrance.

“What if I were to buy you a kitten or a rabbit? Someone to keep you company at your apartment.”

“Gabriel, I appreciate the thought, but you can’t just throw money at my problems.”

“I know that. But I can spend money to try to make you smile.” He kissed her again.

“Kindness is worth more than all the money in the world.”

“You shall have that. And much, much more.”

“That’s all I want.”

“Stay for the weekend. Here. With me.”

She hesitated only for an instant. “Okay,” she whispered.

He seemed relieved. “How about a fish? They’re the new companion animal.”

She laughed. “I don’t think so. I can barely look after myself, let alone another poor creature.”

He lifted her chin so that they could see one another. “Then let me look after you,” he whispered, eyes intense and unblinking.

“You could have any woman you want, Gabriel.”

He furrowed his eyebrows. “I only want you.”

She rested her head against his chest and smiled.

“Being without you, Julianne, is like enduring an endless night without stars.”

Chapter 22

Two almost lovers were tangled around each other, their naked legs entwined in a large bed under an ice-blue silk duvet and white Frette sheets.

The woman mumbled in her sleep, moving fitfully, while the man remained still, enjoying the pleasure of her company.

He could have lost her. Lying next to her, he was conscious of the fact that their evening could have ended very differently. She didn’t have to forgive him. She didn’t have to accept him. But she did. Perhaps he could dare to hope…

“Gabriel?”

He didn’t answer, for he thought she was still asleep. It was three o’clock in the morning, and the bedroom was shrouded in darkness, a darkness made visible by the lights of the city’s skyline diffused through the blinds.

She rolled over so that she could see his face. “Gabriel?” she whispered.

“Are you awake?”

“Yes. It’s all right, darling, go back to sleep.” He kissed her lightly and stroked her hair.

She propped herself up on one elbow. “I’m wide awake now.”

“So am I.”

“Can I — talk to you?”

He quickly mimicked her position. “Of course. Is something wrong?”

“Are you happier now than you were before?”

Gabriel looked at her for a moment and gently tapped her nose with his finger. “Why the deep question in the middle of the night?”

“You said you weren’t happy last year. I was wondering if you are happy now.”