Chapter 157 LONG ENOUGH

Chapter 157 LONG ENOUGH
GABRIELLA

He pulled away slowly and searched my face again. "So..." A small smile tugged at his lips again. "Are we finally on the same page?"

I blinked. My throat suddenly felt dry. For the first time in my life, I genuinely had no idea what to say.

"Seriously," he murmured. "Say something, Ella."

I swallowed. "What exactly do you want me to say?"

He let out a dramatic sigh. "You really want me to spell it out?" His eyes stayed locked on mine. "How about..." He cleared his throat theatrically. "'Yes, Samil. I feel the same way. Yes, I like you too.'" A grin spread across his face. "Try that."

I rolled my eyes, fighting the smile threatening to betray me. "There's no way I'm admitting I like you."

The words left my mouth. A beat later… I froze.

His smile grew even wider. "I think," he said smugly, "you just admitted it."

"Oh, stop making that face." I tried glaring at him but it didn't work. If anything, his grin only grew.

"Whatever." I pushed lightly against his chest. "Let me go."

"I love you, Ella."

The words stopped me. Again. I looked up at him. "You're crazy."

"Probably." He smiled without looking away. "But that's because you drive me crazy."

His hand slipped gently around my waist again, drawing me just a little closer. "I want to kiss you again." His voice softened. "Can I?"

Every sensible answer disappeared. Part of me still remembered Isaiah. The history. The guilt. Everything we'd been through. But somehow… None of that was standing between me and the man in front of me anymore. Because whenever Samil looked at me like this… My heart answered before my mind ever had the chance.

A shy smile escaped despite myself. "You're unbelievably annoying. You know that, right?”

His brow lifted. "Is that a yes?"

I looked away, feeling my cheeks burn. "...Whatever." It came out barely above a whisper.

It was all the permission he needed. Samil smiled. Then, slowly… He closed the distance between us once more and kissed my lips.

He kissed me like a man who'd spent far too long imagining this moment. There was nothing hesitant about him anymore. His mouth claimed mine with a hunger that stole every coherent thought from my head, his lower lip brushing against the skin around my chin, before he deepened the kiss. I met him halfway without thinking, giving back everything he was asking for. Every heartbeat. Every breath.

His hand slid to the back of my neck, fingers threading gently through my hair as he pulled me closer until there wasn't an inch of space left between my chest and his.

His body was still warm from the fever. I should've been telling him to slow down. Instead, every part of me answered him instinctively. My body betrayed every sensible thought I still had left, leaning into him as though it had already made its choice long before my mind ever did.

When he finally broke the kiss, it wasn't to move away. His lips wandered across my cheek instead, brushing the corner of my mouth, kissing it before trailing lightly along my jaw. A soft laugh escaped me when his fingers caught in my hair while trying to tuck it behind my ear.

"Dammit..." Samil laughed quietly. His forehead rested against mine. "Please do that again."

I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. Or the laugh that followed.

"There it is," he whispered, smiling right back. "That's the one."

His lips found mine again. This time the kiss felt slower. Warmer. Like we were learning each other instead of trying to make up for lost time.

His hand stroked lazily down my back, sending a shiver through me, while mine drifted almost absentmindedly to the front of his shirt. Before I realized what I was doing, my fingers had already slipped to the first button.

The moment I started undoing it, his hand closed gently around my wrist. "Hey..."

He was breathing almost as hard as I was. "Just so we're clear." His thumb brushed lightly across my skin. "I'm not letting this become one of those moments you wake up tomorrow pretending this never happened."

I looked up at him, surprised.

He smiled, though there was something unusually serious behind it. "I'm yours now." His voice was quiet. "And I'm hoping... you're willing to be mine." He held my gaze. "No more running."

A laugh escaped me despite the way my heart was racing. "Seriously?"

His brow lifted. "What do you mean, seriously? I'm completely serious." Then the corner of his mouth curved into that familiar smile. "And yes..." he added. "That includes Mr. Isaiah.”

I lowered my head, unable to hide the laugh that slipped free. Samil laughed with me, the sound warm enough to make my heart stumble.

"I think," he said, glancing around the living room, "we're going to have to continue this somewhere else."

I lifted a brow innocently. "Oh?"

His eyes drifted to the armchair we were practically squeezed into. "This chair is way too small for the two of us."

I bit back another smile. "'Continue?'" I echoed, pretending not to understand when I completely did. "Continue what exactly?"

He narrowed his eyes at me. "You know exactly what I mean."

"I don't think I do."

A quiet chuckle escaped him as he shook his head. "You're impossible."

Before I could tease him again, he stood. Then, without the slightest warning, one arm slipped behind my back while the other slid beneath my knees.

"Samil!" I yelped, instinctively wrapping an arm around his shoulders as my feet left the floor. "Yeah?" he answered, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

"Put me down. I can walk."

"I know." He smiled without slowing. "But I don't feel like letting you."

I rolled my eyes, though the smile on my face refused to disappear. "You're unbelievable."

"So I've been told." He adjusted me comfortably against his chest before starting toward the hallway. His gaze found mine again, softer this time. "And besides..." The corner of his mouth lifted into a teasing smile. "I've waited long enough to have you in my arms."

For once… I couldn't think of a single smart remark to throw back at him.