Chapter 133
Chapter 133:
Seeing her teeter on the verge of tears, Miriam assumed Wesley’s sharp tone had rattled her. She stepped closer, her voice warm with reassurance. “It’s fine, dear. I should’ve planned the room assignments better. Sleep here for now, and I promise the best and largest guest room will be ready for you by tomorrow p>
Gabriela stared at her, stunned. Tomorrow? She was expected to stay here another night? Spending even a single night here had her pulse hammering so wildly she could hardly breathe. Another day under this roof and she might not make it to the end of the holidays—never mind the return to work. “No need to trouble yourself p>
“It’s fine,” Miriam cut in with brisk warmth. “Just get some sleep. I’ll run an extra quilt over to Wesley p>
Quilt in hand, Miriam stepped out, a nagging thought tugging at her. Earlier, her gaze had drifted to Gabriela—those elegant curves, that unmistakable hourglass frame. Her face was another kind of rare beauty entirely, the sort that lingered in memory. And yet, with such a breathtaking woman right here, Wesley had still chosen to sleep in the study.
Could the rumors be true—was Wesley really not interested in women? Was that the real reason he had never shown the slightest spark of interest in Gabriela?
The servant responsible for parking Wesley’s car vowed to hunt down the source of the rumors. Crouching around the corner, he caught every word of Miriam’s under-the-breath musings. The shock nearly knocked him backward. Miriam and Wesley were practically family. He never imagined the rumors about Wesley had started with her.
Well, he wasn’t about to invite trouble. With a wary glance over his shoulder, he melted into the shadows and slipped away.
Meanwhile, Miriam smoothed the thick quilt across the study, her brow faintly furrowed. After a pause, she asked with quiet insistence, “Why not just stay in the same room with Gabriela p>
A𝖽𝗱𝗂𝖼𝗍𝘪𝘃𝘦 𝘀t𝗈𝗿i𝖾s 𝘰𝗻 𝘨𝘢lոo𝘷е𝗅𝘀.com
Wesley let out a slow, measured breath, his gaze steady as he answered, “Keep things natural, Miriam. And for heaven’s sake, don’t frighten her p>
Miriam’s brows lifted in surprise. From the sound of it, he hadn’t managed to win Gabriela over—so that was why he was choosing to sleep in the study. A spark of inspiration flashed through her mind, bright and sudden.
Unaware of any schemes brewing beyond the door, Gabriela remained frozen in place, hesitant to move. Only after several long moments did she dare inch toward the bed. She could still picture Wesley standing there not long ago, sliding off his jacket with unhurried ease. Though he had left, the cool, commanding air he carried seemed to linger in the room, wrapping around her like an invisible shroud.
A charged, almost tangible energy clung to the air—the sheer presence of Wesley, the man who had set her pulse racing only hours earlier. Forcing steady breaths, she lowered herself to the bed’s edge, her tender ankle allowing no other option. The mattress cradled her in decadent softness, far more luxurious than she’d imagined.
After battling the pull of sleep for half an hour, her resistance faltered; with her eyes drifting shut, she surrendered to the comfort and let herself sink into slumber. The moment she did, the earlier scene replayed vividly in her mind—Wesley’s shirt hanging loose, revealing the firm, sculpted lines of muscle that carried both strength and an unspoken sense of safety. Even his waist had looked strong and lean.
She pressed her palms over her face, a ripple of regret tugging at her. Why on earth had she covered her eyes with her hand? Would it really have mattered if she had stolen a few more glances?