The touch of his lips made her body tingle.
Her mouth connected with his, and Gabriela was in complete shock. Her eyes closed slowly and she felt her heart almost flying out of her chest.
He savored her vanilla taste,the passion between them making them forget where they were.
Miguel didn't kiss her like it was the first time - it was like he had put their lifetime kisses together for this single, exact moment.
Every soft bite on her lip sent ripples through her chest and butterflies in her tummy.
She didn't know how to stop him.
Daniela's fingers twitched. The nurse gasped.
"Doctor! Doctor!" She ran.
"The patient over there," She pointed to Daniela's bed. "She's...moving." The doctor was struck with surprise. He was accompanied by three other nurses who walked with urgency to her bedside.
All he wanted to share with her was exposed in the kiss. Her lips parted. His tongue delving into her mouth made her shake with desire.
His tension matched with her maddening patience. His hands went from cupping her cheeks to the back of her neck and the moan into his mouth made him lose control.
Daniela's big toe was moving back and forth, like she was struggling to come back to life.
The doctor examined her.
"She's going to wake up." The nurses exchanged glances.
"Should we call Miss Flores?"
"Not yet. Monitor her signs."
Miguel tasted so dangerously good, but she badly needed oxygen. She held on tight to his shirt's fabric, exploring him with caresses that made him grow more reckless. His tongue rolling with hers caused her heart to hammer harder in her chest. His touches leaving her back to her waist made her heart flutter.
Gabriela pinched him. He broke the kiss with a growl, hurt.
"Is she still moving?" The doctor asked.
"No." The nurses chorused in a sad tone.
Awkwardness took over and Gabriela's face was down, staring at her shoes.
"I...I shouldn't have. I'm sorry. I should leave now..." She turned and ran to the living room.
She took her bag and ran out of the house, embarrassed. Miguel smiled briefly.
He felt that was easier than actually confessing his feelings.
~~~~
Isabella and Gabriela were watching a movie and they hadn't said a word to each other.
Isabella had thoughts of her sister running in her head, while Gabriela – couldn't stop thinking about the moment of pleasure that she put an end to, unwillingly.
Her eyes were fixed on the screen, but her mind was exploring and still not getting over his taste. His lips crashing against hers was one that was impossible to forget.
She tried to shake the thought off because the more she remembered, the faster her heart rate. That day had been full of embarrassments and amusing stuff, enough to send urine down her pants.
Breaking the kiss – it felt like the worst mistake she ever made.
How could she cut off something she was enjoying so bad? Why did her emotions love to cheat her and take away the things she held dear?
She had always wanted this, right? She was convinced by now that he had been dying to have her so how could she put a stop to it at that moment?
She bit her lips regretfully and felt guilty.
"I wonder what will happen after Gwendolyn's release from jail." Isabella finally spoke.
"Gwendolyn...'s release? Did she go to jail?" Gabriela was puzzled.
"Yeah! She was accused."
"Oh. I didn't see that."
"I understand. I've also been lost in thought. Tell me – what occupied your mind? The driver said you were with Miguel the entire day.."
That name made her heart pound.
"Yeah. I was...His twin cousins are here for our graduation which is still months away. I discussed with them for hours. They are very cute and fun to be with." Her grin was tense.
"Oh. And..." Isabella had a childish smirk on her face.
"And...nothing. All went well. I'm just stressed."
"Stressed?!" Isabella yelled with a disappointed tone.
"That's a lie! Something must have happened. You can't be so lost in your thoughts for no damned reason!" Isabella continued, shaking her head dramatically.
Gabriela hissed.
"Isabella, I'm tired. Can we stop talking about this? I already told you I'm fine and nothing happened so let's just watch this movie." Her voice was lazy and relaxed.
Isabella pouted, staring at the screen.
"Well, I'll still find out." A few minutes later, Gabriela's phone buzzed from the other sofa and Isabella rushed to get it. She stared at it with intrigue.
"Its a text."
"My phone. Now." Gabriela's voice was commanding. Isabella chuckled.
"Girl, chill. I wanna see who its from."
"Might be Dad." Gabriela guessed.
"Miguel!" Isabella's exclaim made her eyes widen.
"Give me that phone, right now!" She rose up, bellowing in anger. Isabella dodged it and walked towards the dining.
Her eyes were fixed on the screen, wanting to read out the text. Gabriela followed her.
What if he had sent something about the kiss? She wasn't having Isabella tease her – not this time.
"Sorry, you must have been extremely flustered. We'll..." Gabriela snatched the phone before she could finish.
She returned to the sofa, embarrassment washing all over her.
"Flustered about what? Tell me what he is saying." Gabriela feigned ignorance.
"What the fuck, Gaby? What is Miguel talking about? I need to know!" Isabella's shouts were no different from a desperate little kid who wanted candy.
"Gabriela, what does Miguel mean?" Every mention of his name did dangerous things to her.
Especially when she couldn't get their kiss out of her mind. Isabella plopped on the sofa, very close to Gabriela and faced her. Her look was fierce and her voice sparked more command.
"Gabriela Flores. What did Miguel do to you that made you flustered?" Gabriela closed her eyes and sighed.
She couldn't believe she was going to say this.
"Why do you look like you're about to write an Office Studies test? I'm asking you - "
"We kissed and I got...I just ended the moment because I got...urm...flustered. That's the word!" She half yelled at Isabella.
Isabella's eyes flew wide open. She gasped in excitement.
"Oh my...what the...." Gabriela avoided her striking, yet mischievous gaze.
"H..how? How did it happen? When did it happen? Where did it happen? Why did you have to get flustered? You've been thinking and hoping for this day, right? Then why did you break the kiss? I'm so disappointed in you!" Isabella was over-dramatic.
"I'm disappointed in myself, Isabella." Gabriela's voice was melancholic.
"He kissed you. That proves he likes you as much as you do." A wistful smile appeared on Gabriela's face.
"It still can't change the fact that I was so lame and...stopped him. He should have went on and on until my lips bled and I was out of breath. I've dreamed of those rough kisses all my life." She hugged her knees, resting her chin on it.
"Oh dear." She sighed. Isabella placed an arm around her shoulder.
"Don't get so worked up, okay? He cares so much about you. He wouldn't be texting if he didn't."
"Right. You're absolutely right," She paused, her mind hinting something.
"I think I know why I broke the kiss."
"Dad....he's been such a hero in my life for so many years. Since Mom died, he doesn't seem to stop advising me on different issues, especially falling in love. He says boys are a distraction to being a success story and most of them are only concerned on what's underskirts. He says I should focus on making money and building my own career, rather than spending my time going on expensive dates, breaking up, moving on and then have ten on my ex list, afterwards get someone to spend my entire life with. Someone that might be the opposite of what every girl wants. Michelle told me that since she had patched things up with Miguel, she had always wanted him to have a girl who would be with him....who would stick to him. I can only wish to be that girl, but I can't. I don't wanna be the daughter Dad doesn't want. Dad doesn't want me to date someone who would..lie, use me and dump me like I mean nothing."
"Do you think Miguel can do that to you?"
"We're just friends, Isabella. I mean – we were just friends until he kissed me. But, he's someone I really trust. Dad wouldn't see it as a bad idea to date Mr. Jackson's son....but its not the time yet. He'll think I'm losing focus on things that really matter. I was planning to confess my feelings to him on our graduation."
"Really?" She nodded. Isabella laughed heartily and clapped, teasing her.
"Gosh, he must have tasted undeniably sweet!"
"Yeah, just like I imagined it." Isabella squealed and cuddled her friend tight.
"The point is – you broke the kiss because of Mr. Alejandro's orders not to date anyone in your college years and not to mix pleasures with school work and Flores Corp. Girl, you're the smartest I've ever known. Prove it to him that you can do all three, conveniently. As long as you trust him to make you happy, go ahead...that's my priority. Your smile." Isabella pinched her cheeks and they laughed.
"You don't trust Rafael – was that why you turned him down?" Isabella's smile vanished.
"Yeah." She nodded.
"I can't date Rafael. I made a mistake by thinking he was the one for me. He's just a flirt. A playboy. I don't believe in whatever he says. All he calls me are just flattery. He can't have indepth feelings for any girl. He wants them on his bed, that's all."
"If you two are meant to be, life will put you through a test. If he passes the test, then he's trustworthy."
~~~~~
Gabriela was on a video call with Michelle on her laptop till the clock struck midnight.
"That man is really gonna give me a hard time in Lumi's Kitchen. I hope I don't ever get in trouble with him." Gabriela smiled.
"I hope so too. I knew you could do it."
"Miguel didn't call to ask how the meeting went. He's having so much fun with his cousins." Michelle rolled her eyes.
Miguel.
Everyone she spoke to were so obsessed with that name – they can't stop mentioning.
They had no idea how the name made her feel.
"Did you meet them?"
"Yes. I met them and we – fought at first but got along later."
"Great! By the way, Isabella texted a few minutes ago saying you might have something to tell me." Gabriela clenched her fist under the table.
"Why did she...I was going to tell you, though. She didn't have to give you hints." Michelle chuckled.
"I'm all ears."
Gabriela bit her lower lip, nervousness written all over her face.
"Um, are you okay, Gaby?" Michelle asked. Her cheeks flushed.
"No!" She cried out and clicked red. Michelle was confused.
"What's wrong with her?"
Gabriela saw that Isabella had posted a selfie just a minute ago and her fingers were flying on her phone screen, to dial her contact.
"Hey, Isabella. Don't you dare tell anybody else what we discussed, huh?" She sounded mad.
"Okay..." Isabella grinned mischievously.
"Wait. Not even Diana and Carissa?"
"Why do they need to know about it?" She didn't let her say one more word. She just hung up and threw her phone on the sofa, hitting the bed.
She kicked and yelled dramatically, throwing pillows and messing up her hair.
Gabriela fell asleep, face first in no time.
~~~~~~~~
Gabriela groggily opened her eyes, winced at the harsh sunlight streaming through the window, straight into her face. She threw her arm over her eyes, trying to block it out. Ugh, why did she forget to close the curtains last night? She stretched her arms above her head, feeling her joints crackle with a satisfying yawn. Her hair, oh boy, it felt like it had a life of its own. She ran her fingers through the tangled mess, trying to make sense of the chaos on her head.But her mind was still stuck on that weird dream she just had. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it lingered, like a fog that refused to lift. Shrugging, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and planted her feet firmly on the ground. Time to start the day, she thought, as she stood up and shuffled towards the bathroom.As she walked, her eyes caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her hair was even wilder than she thought – it was like it had been put through a blender and then left to dry in the sun. She chuckled, laughing at the absurdity of it all. Guess it's gonna be a bad hair day, she thought, grinning at her reflection.
The kiss flashed before her eyes and she blushed.
Wait a minute....
Did the dream have anything to do with their kiss?
The Sea Queen had told Sophia that with the Sea Prince, they were about to solve a problem – they were about to miraculously bring someone back to consciousness.
Gabriela found it super cringe.
She said Sophia didn't feel a sense of belonging with the sea Prince, she felt awkward.
All she wanted to do was savor his taste rather than be in his castle of emotions.
If she told Isabella, she'd say it was about Miguel.
"True love's kiss heals." Was the last thing she heard from the Sea Queen before she woke.
"True love's kiss heals." She repeated.
"Ridiculous." She chuckled.
"It can't be about us, right?"