Chapter 96 What's the Hurry
Exhausted! The few hours spent at the birthday banquet had drained her more than a full day's work, not to mention the busy day at school. As she relaxed into the seat, fatigue washed over her, and within moments, Teresa's eyes closed, and she drifted into a deep sleep.
As her breathing eased into a gentle rhythm, Gabriel slowly opened his eyes. Still draped over Teresa, he couldn't help but curve his lips into a smile at her peaceful slumber. Carefully sliding his hand under her head, he cradled it against his chest and nestled her cheek into his neck. Wrapping his arms around her, he planted tender kisses on her forehead and hair.
"Take it slow, keep it steady, and head straight back to our home," Gabriel instructed the driver in a hushed tone.
"Yes, Sir," the driver responded, steering the car towards the direction of the Garcia family estate.
Under the dim and flickering light, Gabriel's eyes shone bright as flames as he gazed at the little lady in his arms, his heart swelled with an exquisite joy he'd never felt before. Holding Teresa felt like holding the entire world, a sentiment he'd never had for anyone or anything, he cherished her.
Teresa was the greatest gift that he had ever gotten; he promised to treasure her like a precious jewel, to hold her dearly in the palm of his hand for a lifetime.
The car glided smoothly toward the Garcia family estate, reaching the grand mansion just past eleven at night. Croissant was already fast asleep.
After her vacation, Victoria went back to work and took up Croissant's care once more. Nothing in the mansion was lacking, not even childcare, yet Victoria's background as a nursery teacher had played a major role in Croissant's development. It was not surprising that the Garcias wanted her to stay on to help with the child's upbringing.
With Victoria and Mason around, the little one was content, drifting peacefully to sleep after Victoria's nightly tales.
Teresa was simply exhausted, and her guards around Gabriel had completely fallen. So, as the car entered the Garcia estate and came to a halt, she showed no signs of waking.
Once the car was parked, Gabriel lifted Teresa with the utmost care and stepped out of the vehicle; then he entered the main building.
"Is Teresa..."
"Shh!" Katherine and Raymond got home first and saw Gabriel carrying Teresa inside. Just as they were about to ask what was wrong, Gabriel quickly gestured for silence and mouthed "She's asleep" before heading upstairs with Teresa in his arms.
"Look at your son, how sweet he is to his wife. Take a leaf out of his book," said Katherine with a teasing glare at Raymond, after Gabriel ascended the stairs with Teresa.
Raymond just grunted a response, "Alright, time for bed!"
Katherine gave him another pointed look and followed.
---
The next morning, at 7 a.m.
Teresa would normally be awake by this time, but not today. No alarm, no disturbances, just the expansive silence of the bedroom, so she stayed blissfully asleep.
Half-asleep, she felt a weight on her waist, something heavy. Groping around, she reached out, pushed away the object, then turned over and snuggled back into sleep.
But as soon as she rolled over, the weight, as if it had legs of its own, crawled back onto her waist and tightened its hold. Drowsily, Teresa reached out again, and...
Something wasn't right; it felt like...
Her mind exploded into awareness, and in the next second, her eyelids snapped open.
The curtains were so effective at blocking out the light that everything she saw was shrouded in unfamiliar shadows. What was this place...?
Suddenly remembering, Teresa's gaze dropped to see a man's arm under her neck, and as she slightly lifted the covers to peek inside, she saw more than just an arm across her waist; there was also a leg entwined with hers. But what really caught her off-guard was the realization that she was only wearing a silk nightgown.
With the slightest movement, she could feel the heat of the man's chest against her back and the rhythm of his breath, so clear against her neck.
"Gabriel!"
The instant she realized who it was, Teresa let out a startled cry and sat bolt upright in bed, grabbed a pillow, and started walloping the still-peacefully sleeping man beside her.
"You jerk, you pervert, what did you do to me last night?" she yelled while furiously hitting him with the pillow.
She was fuming and utterly downhearted. After all, the driver was meant to have brought her back to the Bennetts', so how in the world did she wind up waking up in Gabriel's bedroom, sharing his bed, and curled up in his arms barely clothed?
After Teresa let out a startled yelp which roused Gabriel from his feigned slumber, he remained still, taking a few hard hits with the pillow before he opened his eyes, caught the pillow in mid-swing, and with a devilishly sexy smirk, cooed, "Morning, honey!"
At that moment, his grinning face wasn't the only impish thing about him; his voice was husky and exuding sexy appeal.
"Morning my foot!" Teresa glared at him; frustration emerged across her face. She let go of the seized pillow and picked up another to continue her assault, "You scoundrel, you jerk, why did you bring me here'? Why in your room? Why did you have to sleep with me, huh?"
"Babe!" Gabriel parried another pillow blow, a mock tragic look on his face, "We're married, aren't we? Sleeping together is natural, right?"
"Natural my eye!" Fuming without a pillow weapon left, Teresa launched her leg at him, "Gabriel, you scumbag, you backstabber, I want a divorce!"
