This feeling- like we’re the only two people who matter. I’ve felt it since I met him, and no matter how much time passes, it never fades.
Like some quiet magic that hums just beneath the surface, waiting to be spoken aloud.
He’s not just the guy who hired me to be his daughter’s nanny. He’s…more. And I don’t know what that means yet, but I can’t shake it.
I take a breath, my fingers tracing the edge of the napkin as I look up at him. “Gab, can I be completely honest with you?” His eyes soften, and I can tell he’s waiting for me to speak the words that have been building up inside.
“Of course. What’s on your mind?” he asks, the warmth and patience in his voice making me feel like I’m safe here with him.
“I’ve been thinking a lot since that day in the kitchen,” I say, my voice quieter now, almost like a confession. “And I need you to know how I feel about you. My feelings for you…well, they’ve only grown. I didn’t plan for it to happen, but I just…I can’t keep pretending there’s nothing here anymore.”
I watch him lean forward, his gaze locked onto mine. It’s almost too much—the way his eyes search mine, like he’s lookingfor something. My pulse quickens, and I feel this pull between us that’s magnetic.
It’s like gravity shifted in that moment, and all the air in the room condensed around us.
I’m not sure how long we stay in this moment—this fragile, delicate space—but then, without another word, he moves to my side of the table.
And then, he kisses me.
I wasn’t ready for how intense it would be. How…electric it would feel. His lips are soft, but there’s something behind it—something fierce, as if he’s been holding back for too long.
His body presses into mine, and I can feel every inch of him. I melt into the kiss, letting him pull me closer, deepening the connection between us.
“Gabriel,” I breathe, barely able to catch my breath between kisses. My hands find their way to his shoulders, and I tug him closer, if that’s even possible.
He kisses me harder like he’s trying to prove something, to show me everything he feels without speaking a single word. And for once, I don’t need him to explain anything.
I just want this. I wanthim.
When he finally pulls back, I can’t help but smile, my heart pounding in my chest. There’s something different now—something unspoken between us that feels like a new beginning.
“I’ve been waiting for you to do that again,” I admit, my voice low and full of relief. “I thought I was going to have to live without ever knowing what your lips on mine felt like again.”
He grins, a little breathless, his hand still resting on mine. “Well, I don’t plan on spending another day without kissing you again, Bumper. Not if you want to see where this goes as much as I do.”
I nod, a slow warmth blooming inside me, like a spark finally catching fire. “I want that too. I have for a while… if we’re still being honest,” I whisper, my voice soft as I lean my head gently against his shoulder.
His breath fans against my hair, and the quiet hum of the restaurant around us feels like the soundtrack to this new chapter we’re starting together.
When we leave the restaurant, I feel Gabriel wrap his arm around me, and I know things have changed between us. It’s not just the kiss, though. That’s been a long time coming. It’s everything—the way he holds me, the way he speaks to me like he’s never been sure about anything in his life.
“Where does this lead us?” I ask suddenly feeling the weight of everything. “I mean, I haven’t met your family yet, and…what about Aura? Oh my gosh, Gabriel, what about Aura?”
“Bumper,” he says, “You haven’t met my family yet because you’ve turned down every invitation I’ve given you for the past four days. I’ve asked you to join us for dinner so many times, but you keep turning me down. I want you to meet them—I want them toknowyou.”
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, and for the first time, I feel a little more at ease. “And Aura?”
“Aura loves you. You’re already her favorite person. That’s all that matters to me.”
His words settle over me like a warm blanket, and for the first time in days, I finally feel like everything might actually be okay.
Not just in this moment, but maybe… for the future too.
I’m not just his nanny anymore. I’m something more.
We walk to the gate of his family’s villa, hand in hand, and I inhale the night air, feeling a sense of possibility—of a future with him.
The stars above seem brighter somehow, like they’re blessing this new path we’re stepping onto together.
