Chapter 51 It Might Just Be an Impulse
She'd admit it; she was extremely nervous.
And she'd also admit that despite herself, she couldn't suppress the flutter of expectation within her. Especially as his lips drew closer and closer to hers, she felt a real urge to lean in and kiss him.
But, for an entire minute. The anticipated kiss never happened.
With a click, Gabriel's deep, sultry voice resonated in her ear, “All buckled up. Remember to always fasten your seatbelt.”
He was just fastening her seatbelt. ‘Fool’, she thought. She'd been overthinking it.
Quite embarrassing. Jessica’s face flushed a deep red. She hung her head, too mortified to even open her eyes.
“I can't believe how embarrassing this is, Jessica. What in the world were you thinking?” In that instant she hung her head, she scolded herself a hundred times over.
Worse yet, even after securing the seatbelt, Gabriel didn’t move away. Instead, he lingered close by, enveloping her in his presence.
His breathing was like a net, tightly enveloping her. Jessica felt mortified and could only hope he'd return to his seat soon.
But of course, whatever she feared most seemed to be happening.
"Did you think I was going to kiss you?" Gabriel's gentle voice caressed her ear, and her heart started racing at his touch.
Chaos reigned. She was utterly disoriented. She never knew he could be so charming.
"No," she said with her eyes closed, obviously determined to never admit it. It was embarrassing enough already; she didn't want to deepen the mortification.
"That's right - I was just buckling the seatbelt for you." Suddenly, he reached out, and his cool fingers tenderly lifted her chin. His intense gaze fell earnestly upon her face.
Seeing her eyes closed, her long lashes fluttering like tiny fans, Gabriel could no longer resist. He dipped his head and captured Jessica's lips with his own.
When Jessica realized what was happening, her lips were already pressed into a softness. Soft like a marshmallow. His lips, initially cool with a hint of chill, soon warmed up.
When her senses finally back, Jessica was dazed, her expression blank. Her hands, still uncertainly resting on the seat, didn't know where to move or even how to react. Her palms were sweaty from nervousness, dampening everything they touched.
Her head buzzed for a moment before she managed to regather her thoughts, opening her eyes wide in perplexity, she began, "Didn't you just say... you weren't going to..." kiss me?
But before she could finish, Gabriel's kiss overwhelmed her words.
The next moment, he pressed his hand against the back of her head, assertively pulling her into him. Jessica's thoughts dissolved away, and she simply followed his lead, surrendering to the kiss.
Days later… Jessica received an unexpected call. The conversation was filled with tension.
"Look at the other sons-in-law, showering their in-laws with luxury cars and mansions, or handing them stacks of cash to live it up. Meanwhile, I'm the laughing stock, penniless like a beggar," he lamented.
"Carter, you have some nerve," she snapped back. "The Waltons have given you enough dough over the years to afford several mansions. But you, you just had to blow it all on your gambling habit. I've told you, that not one cent of the money you've lost to gambling is coming from me."
"There's no use in calling again; I'm broke." With that, Jessica hung up the phone.
The next call came ten minutes later. An unknown number. True to her rule, Jessica didn't answer unfamiliar calls and swiftly disconnected.
But the caller was persistent, dialing her number several times.
Finally, suspecting it might be a debt collector, she cautiously answered, "Hello...?"
"Hello, is this Miss Jessica?" The voice on the other end was surprisingly polite.
"Yes, speaking."
"This is the hospital. Your father, Mr. Carter, has collapsed. He's just been rushed in for emergency treatment. It's serious. Please bring money and come to the hospital immediately."
"All right, I... I'll be right there," Jessica replied, her voice trembling.
She felt limp all over. Despite her deep-seated hatred for Carter's gambling, which had left her and Giselle destitute since childhood, her concern overtook her upon hearing he was ill.
He was her father, after all. The ties that bind, even when broken, remain connected.
Grabbing her things and her bank card, Jessica hurried to the hospital.
