Chapter 25

Chapter 25
Finished with her final stretch, Joslyn stole a glance at Gabriel, who was in the process of packing up his gym bag. Their eyes then met, and the intensity of his gaze in that moment sent a shockwave through her body, like it had been doing all the while.

She couldn't shake the memory of the heated glances they had been exchanging all morning, the silent but palpable attraction hanging thick in the air between the both of them.

Something had obviously shifted between them in the past week since Joslyn spent the night at Gabriel's apartment. He’d taken care of her, not just that night alone but the next day as well by being there for her physically and emotionally when her father, Timothy, had been absent like usual.

This shift appeared to have brought Joslyn and Gabriel closer this past week, close enough that the idea of giving in to this spellbinding desire between them seemed even more tempting.

With a fluttery feeling deep in her stomach and a distinct ache further southward, Joslyn knew that she needed more than just a cold shower to cool down. Perhaps making use of her rose toy wouldn't hurt either. It wouldn't hurt at all. She walked to the locker room to retrieve her bag, ready to rush home away from the obvious tension.

However, as Joslyn arranged her belongings, she heard the locker room door creak open and before she could turn around to see who it was, Gabriel's familiar voice filled the space.

“Hey, sorry. I forgot something in my locker,” he said, his voice close behind her.

Startled, Joslyn felt a tingle run down her spine as he reached past her to the locker above hers. His arm brushed against hers, sending a jolt of electricity through her body and earning a gasp from her. Their bodies pressed close for a brief moment with a charged strain hanging between them like static in the air. She shut her eyes to savor their contact, feeling his warmth against her skin.

“Jos,” Gabriel suddenly whispered, his breath a heated one which sent a shiver down her spine.

Inhaling sharply as though taking a breath after being submerged in water, Joslyn snapped out of her feverish thoughts, gathered her stuff, and hastily made her exit from the locker room, not looking back.

She stepped out of the gym, merely stopping to catch her breath after entering the elevator, but her relief was short-lived when Gabriel joined her before the doors slid shut, cocooning them in the metallic space. The atmosphere promptly crackled, the tension between them intensified by the confined area and their close proximity.

With each second that ticked by, Joslyn’s mind spun chaotically until she found herself turning around to face Gabriel, who was already staring at her.

Meeting her gaze, he leisurely raised one of his eyebrows, his full lips tilting up in a tiny smirk that drew Joslyn’s attention to them as he said softly, “Something tells me that you're trying to avoid being alone with me.” He then turned his body to face her, leaning his face closer to hers before he whispered, “Tell me, darling, are you scared that I might say ‘fuck it’ to my patience and take you up against the nearest wall or…”

Gabriel took a moment to gauge the look in her eyes, his smirk widening at what he saw there. “Perhaps, from that look in your eyes, should I be scared of you losing control instead? Hm?”

Joslyn stared directly at Gabriel, his murmured words passing right through her to her rapidly disintegrating restraint. Her gaze shifted subtly to Gabriel’s lips again, watching just in time to catch his tongue taking a quick lick over them, and that was all it took for Joslyn’s self-control to finally snap.

Unable to resist anymore, she leaned in all the way and pressed her lips against Gabriel’s, her skin instantly pebbling with goosebumps as the culmination of weeks of suppressed emotions and longing was finally reached.

As their lips parted, tongues gingerly brushing against each other, it felt like dipping a toe into warm water and testing the temperature before fully immersing oneself. Joslyn unconsciously allowed a quiet moan to slip free at the rush of emotions enveloping her, gradually increasing as she realized how utterly intoxicating the kiss was.

She felt herself submerging wholly into the kiss, letting it consume her completely. Their lips slid smoothly against each other, tongues constantly meeting in a delicate, long-awaited tangle of desire. Joslyn's heart pounded in her chest, the feeling almost overwhelming as she lost herself in the moment.

When they, finally yet reluctantly, pulled away, Joslyn's head was spinning, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she tried to collect herself. Gabriel's eyes were ablaze with desire, his gaze riveted on her with an intensity that made her heart race even faster.

For a moment, they simply stood there, lost in the aftermath of their kiss. Then, with a shaky exhale and a warmth rising in her cheeks at her earlier brazenness, Joslyn managed to mumble, “Uh…that was…um, to thank you? For all that you did for me this p-past week.”

The silence that ensued after her words was so loud it echoed around the elevator, and although the expression on Gabriel's face showed that he wasn't pleased with what she'd said, he let out a soft chuckle. “Really? Well, if that's the kind of gratitude I'd get, perhaps I should help you out more often.”

But then, his expression shifted, growing more serious. “Joslyn, I didn't do it because I wanted anything from you in return,” he said earnestly. “You don't need to thank me, and especially not in that manner. I wouldn't, in any form, want to take advantage of you or your situation.”

But before Joslyn could respond, the elevator doors slid open, revealing the hallway beyond. Gabriel turned to her, a tight smile playing at the corners of his lips. “Take care, Joslyn,” he said softly, before stepping out of the elevator and disappearing down the hallway.

Joslyn watched him go, a knot forming in her stomach as she wrestled with her conflicting emotions. She’d kissed him because she longed for it, out of genuine, maddening desire and not just gratitude. But now, she was left wondering if she had crossed a line by downplaying what she had really felt; if she had ruined things for them.

As Joslyn walked into her apartment afterwards, she closed the door behind her and leaned against it, closing her eyes. Her head throbbed with the weight of her thoughts, each one adding to the dull ache behind her temples.

She knew she needed to clear her mind, needed to wash away the confusion within her, and also the residual sweat from her workout. And thus, she headed straight for the bathroom, craving a cold shower.

Peeling off her clothes and stepping under the icy spray, Joslyn let out a shuddering breath as the water cascaded over her, washing away the tension that had built up inside her.

As she stood underneath the stream of water, Joslyn couldn't help but replay the kiss in her mind over and over again, each moment etched into her memory with startling clarity. It had been so electrifying, and now she found herself questioning everything.

But amidst the uncertainty, one thing was clear: she couldn't stop thinking about Gabriel, about the way his lips had felt against hers, and about the way his eyes had sparkled with desire.

All she could do was wait and see where fate took them.