Falling For My Ex's Dad (Clarissa and Gabriel)

Chapter 115: Her New Reality

Gabriel's POV I sat across from the bed, watching as Clairessa stirred from sleep. She stretched beneath the sheets, letting out a soft yawn as her eyes shot open. Damn, she looked stunning in the morning. Her curls were scattered, spread across the pillow. Her eyes, still heavy with sleep, blinked lazily as she rubbed them. The movement was innocent yet deeply seductive. The early sunlight slipping through the curtains made her skin glow. Her gaze finally found me, and when she realized I'd been watching her, she smiled shyly and covered her face before peeking at me through her fingers. "How long have you been watching?" Her voice was soft and drowsy. "Long enough." I stood and walked over to the bed, sitting beside her. Gently, I pried her fingers away from her face, pressing a soft kiss against her forehead. "Good morning, my sweet." "Good morning," she whispered back. I wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. Her warm, bare skin pressed against mine, sending a rush of heat through my veins. But she subtly tried to pull back-shy and unsure. My brow furrowed, "What's wrong?" I brushed my fingers over her cheek, forcing her to meet my gaze. She dropped her gaze. "I'm sure I look like a mess," she muttered, running her fingers through her tangled hair. I grinned. "A sexy, hot mess." My fingers traced the wild strands. "I find every version of you attractive, especially knowing your hair is messy because of what we did last night." A deep flush spread across her skin, her cheeks turning a delicate shade of pink. She looked away, biting her lip. "You..." she stammered. I chuckled, brushing my lips against her ear. "Me? What about me? That I made you scream my name? That I had you begging for more?" She gasped, swatting my chest playfully. "Gabriel!" I laughed, catching her wrist, and pressing a kiss to her pulse point. "You better get used to me watching you wake up, so you're not always shying away. This is your new reality, Clairessa." Her lips parted, her breath catching. "My new reality...?" I nodded, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "Mmhmm. Waking up in my bed, naked. Wrapped up in my sheets. Being the first person I see in the morning." My fingers traced the curve of her jaw. "I like watching you sleep. Seeing you so soft and peaceful... but I think I love watching you wake up even more." Her eyes darkened, and she swallowed hard. "You're impossible." I gave her a knowing smile. "And you love it." For a moment, I just studied her face-the way her lips parted slightly, the way her breath quickened under my gaze. Then, my eyes trailed lower. The faint bite marks on her neck caught my attention, and my smile faded. "Was I too rough last night?" My tone dropped as I reached out to turn her neck gently, checking for more marks, but there was none. Her body shivered beneath my touch. She wiggled playfully, a teasing smile forming on her lips. "Everything seems to be in place. I'm fine, Mr. Storm." My jaw tensed. I wasn't convinced. My fingers traced the red, faded mark. "Does this hurt?" "No... it doesn't," she replied, amused. "Would you tell me if it did?" I asked. She held my gaze and nodded. "Of course. And you, Mr. Storm, need to stop treating me like I'm fragile, especially the morning after we had sex." I took her hand in mine. "My sweet... I know all of this is new to you, and I must commend you for being such a fast learner." "Well, I've had a great teacher." "Most certainly, you do..." I murmured, lowering my head and placing a soft kiss on her hand. "But still, we have to be careful. I never want to push you too far." Her hand reached up to caress my jaw, and I leaned into her touch. "And you wouldn't. All we have to do is communicate." "And I'll try my best to always be open." I pointed toward the living area where an array of food was served. "Breakfast. You'll need your strength after last night-and for the things I've planned for tonight." "Gabriel..." She let out a breathless laugh, shaking her head. As she settled at the table, she glanced at me. "Did you make this?" I gave her a half-smile. "Not even close. That was all Maria." She picked up a fork, grinning. "Well, it smells amazing." "Eat up." I stood in front of the mirror, running a hand through my hair, watching her through the reflection. She tilted her head, her eyes dragging over me-curious and admiring. “You're dressed already." Her gaze trailed slowly over me, lingering on my chest, my broad shoulders, the way my shirt hugged my body, then down to my brown pants before flicking back up. I could see it in her eyes-the unspoken appreciation. And I loved it. She looked at me like I was the most handsome man to ever exist. I watched her bite her lip, and my ego soared. "You look really... nice." I flashed her a wide smile. "Thank you, Miss Hartwood. I always want to impress you," Inoveldrama

replied, my eyes darting to hers before returning to the mirror. She inhaled slowly. "You surely do... every single time," she murmured, leaning forward, her fingers brushing the rim of her coffee cup as if she needed something to steady herself. "So tell me, where are you off to?" "I have a meeting at the golf club. Otherwise, I'd be in bed all day, keeping you occupied." Her features turned into mock outrage. "Gabriel Storm spending all day in bed... I bet that's unheard of. Maria would be shocked." I laughed heartily. She had a way of making me feel younger, lighter-like nothing else mattered but being with her. "It would have been an exception just for you." "How romantic," she replied, rolling her eyes, though the way she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear told me she liked hearing it. She took another bite of her toast, chewing thoughtfully. "I guess I have to eat up and get dressed as well." I strode back to the table, resting a hand on the chair beside her, leaning just enough to invade her space. "No, you don't." She blinked up at me, her throat working as she swallowed. "It's the weekend. There's no need to be in a hurry. I want you to stay. Let Maria help with whatever you need." She hesitated. "That offer sounds enticing... but I must leave." She sighed. "I have a workload from Sandy. I don't want to disappoint her." I scoffed, in disbelief. "You're underestimating me, Clairessa. I own the company. I could give you the month off- hell, the year-and no one would dare question me. So I insist. Rest here, in my home." Her face softened at first, then defiance flashed in her eyes. "I like earning my place. I don't want to be seen as the woman who gets special treatment just because she's sleeping with the boss." I exhaled. "I doubt anyone would think of you that way. Your work speaks for itself. And our relationship is completely private.” “Exactly why I don't want to draw attention to ourselves." I arched my brow. "Would it be so bad if people knew we were together?" She gave me a pointed look. "Yes, Gabriel. Horrible." I forced a brief smile, deciding not to push the matter further. It was a first -having a woman who didn't want to be seen on my arm. Most would kill for the privilege, but she... she wanted no part of that attention. And while I fully supported keeping our relationship a secret, a part of me-maybe my ego-was slightly bruised that she didn't want anyone to know about us. My mind couldn't help but wonder. Wasn't she proud of me? Was it our age difference? Or maybe, like she said, she wanted respect for her work without it being tied to me. I understood that. Whatever the case, what we had was good, and it was working well. So I was sticking with it. She broke my thoughts. "By the way, about my car... It's been helpful having Dario drive me to work and back, and I'm grateful. But I don't want to overstep. When will I get it back?" I crossed my arms, my gaze fixed on her. "You're not overstepping. You're mine now-wanting to make things easier for you comes with the territory." Her lips parted, a grape hovering halfway to her mouth. "Like... my boyfriend?" I saw the uncertainty in her eyes, the need for clarity. Without breaking eye contact, I leaned in and plucked the grape from her lips with my teeth. "You could call me that. But I prefer something more fitting. 'Boyfriend' feels juvenile to me. I'd say I'm your man. And you're my woman." Her eyes lit up. "Okay, my man. So when am I getting my car back?” “Later today. But don't just think of it as your car... think of it as a bigger surprise." Her smile faltered. "Gabriel, what does that mean?" I pressed a kiss to her forehead. "My lips are sealed." She called my name as I walked out, but I didn't turn back. I decided to let her wonder.