He held her hand as he drove home, his eyes had tears in them. He didn't want her to see them so he kept his eyes on the road.
She looked so worn out and tired so when he pulled into the driveway and parked he carried her inside and up to their bedroom. She was so light in his arms and he loved the way she put her arms around his neck, her head resting on his shoulders.
A feeling of warmth filled his heart as he laid her on the bed. She didn't protest when he undressed her and put her nightgown on.
"I will go down and get you something to eat and then we'll go to bed."
She smiled warmly at him when he covered her with the blanket, she loved this warm and caring side of him.
They ate in bed, he also had a bowl of fruit for her.
Her eyes went wide and her hand went to her stomach.
"I think I felt the baby moving," she said happily, her face lighting up.
"No way," he said and placed his hand where hers was. "I don't feel anything."
"Gabriel, I hate the way Sergio treated you growing up. I don't understand how a father could be that way. You won't be that way, you're better than he is."
He rubbed her stomach, he looked at her.
"I give you my word I'll never lay a hand on our child or you. My life will be devoted to keeping you both happy and safe. My parents will never be allowed around our baby. I'm going to make an appointment for you tomorrow to see the doctor, it's time for another scan."
"Do you want to know the sex?" she asked, her hand on top of his as he caressed her belly.
"I'll leave that up to you," he answered.
"Then no, I want to be surprised."
"OK, but it's going to be a boy."
"What makes you think it's going to be a boy?.
"Because I say it's going to be."
She laughed. "Just because you say so doesn't make it true. What if it's a girl?"
"I will still be happy, a little you running around would make my life complete." He kissed her and put his arms around her. "Now go to sleep."
✨✨THE NEXT DAY✨✨
He made sure she had a hearty breakfast before heading to the doctor's office.
There he was pleased that the new scanner was in place. When the woman came in to do the test Paige smiled.
"I see you got a new machine."
"Yes, thanks to...." She stopped talking when Gabriel shook his head. She had forgotten he didn't want it known that he was the one who bought it, though she couldn't imagine why he wanted it kept a secret.
"Yes, we finally got it and it works so much better." She then began the test.
"Here we go" she points to the screen, there is your baby."
"My God, you can really see it," Gabriel said, squeezing Paige's hand.
"This is the top of the line machine and if I turn on this button you can hear it's heartbeat much louder and clearer than ever before."
Smiling she turned it on and watched the smiling faces of the parents.
Paige's eyes filled with tears and ran down her face. Her heart was filled with so much joy and she looked at Gabriel who also was teary-eyed.
"That's our baby."
He was not a man who showed emotions or affection in front of others but he kissed her. Then he wiped her tears away.
"I love you," he said without thinking.
He couldn't believe that he had said that. But it was true, he was in love with her. She had broken down the barriers to his heart and melted his cold dead heart.
"I'll just leave you two alone for a few minutes, I'll be right back," the woman said and disappeared.
Paige thought she was hearing things. "Did you just say you loved me?"
Taking her face in his hands he stared into her eyes, eyes that had a way of making him melt.
"Yes, I love you. God help me I didn't want to, I tried fighting it but I can no longer deny my feelings for you."
He could just imagine his father's reaction if he were to find out that his son, whom he had groomed to be like him had fallen deeply in love with a woman he had only known a short time.
She flung her arms around him. "I love you too."
"Sometimes I wonder how you can love me. I more or less blackmailed you into sleeping with me and forced you to marry me. I'm still not a nice man, I will always be a demon."
"You're my demon," she said, planting a kiss on him.
Hearing Gabriel admits his love for her made her happy. He could no longer say he was incapable of love. Even before he said those words she already knew by the way he was so protective of her and the way he showed jealousy when another man got too close.
The doctor entered the room and checked the scan.
"Well, now everything looks good." She turns to Paige. "Your blood pressure is a tad low. Make sure to get plenty of rest and come see me in another three weeks, unless there's a problem then come anytime."
When they were alone and she was getting dressed he watched her. "We have just enough time to make it home for your lesson."
She turned around to look at him, here it was, the moment of truth. "We don't have to worry about getting back."
"Why is that?" he asked, lifting his eyebrow.
"I hum sort of let him go."
"Why?"
"It doesn't matter. I think I could learn as much from you as I can from Antonio."
"You are a terrible liar. Now tell me the real reason you let him go. Has he made a pass at you?" He put his hands on her shoulders and looked her right in the eyes.
"Not really, well sort of."
"Paige, tell me what he did." He felt the blood starting to boil in his veins.
"Alright, but I want you to promise me that you won't flip out and do something to him."
When he nodded she continued.
"The other day when he saw how upset I was tried to comfort me. He wanted me to run away with him. I said no way, that I loved you. When he tried to kiss me I pushed him away and told him to leave. So you see, I handled it on my own, no need for you to do anything."
"That little weasel, I knew he had a thing for you. I ought to punch his damn lights out and show him not to mess with another man's wife."
"Gabriel you promised me."
"OK angel, for you I will let it go, but if he ever comes around and tries something my promise will no longer hold." Pulling her close kissed her, it was passionate and only ended when the woman walked back in.
"Take me shopping, I will soon need some maternity clothes."
He felt her small baby bump.
"Yes, soon you will be showing more. After shopping, we will have lunch at one of my hotels."
✨✨HOURS LATER ✨✨
Trunk full of packages he drove them to the hotel. It was one of the smaller ones that he owned but she liked it, saying it was cozier. They were seated at his favorite table.
The waiters all catered to him and her as well. He ordered her a special dessert for her, one that was famous in his hotels. It had everything she loved, strawberries, chocolate, cream and a custard bottom.
Pushing her empty plate away she dug into the desert. Closing her eyes she moaned when the dessert touched her taste buds.
"Oh, my this is the best thing I've ever had in my mouth." Opening her eyes she looked at Gabriel who was smiling at her. "You really should have this at your hotel in New York."
"I could arrange that," he replied.
"There is something I've always wondered about."
"What's that?" he asked, taking her hand.
"The hotel, the one where I worked. Why is it you neglected it and allowed it to get so worn down?"
He released her hand and sat back in his seat.
"It was the first one I bought, with my father's money. It was the one he insisted I get. As you have guessed I hate the man and so I had no desire to keep it up to standards. Once I got more hotels under my belt and paid him back I ignored it. I always planned on getting rid of it, and honestly, I just forgot about it until I got the financial report."
"I get it, anything to do with Sergio you want to be rid of. But because of me, you kept it."
He reached over, taking her hand again.
"Now I have a good reason to keep it. It is the place I found my angel, my love."
She looked at him and there was no mistaking the love for her she saw in his eyes. "It's where I found you too."
"Will you be OK here by yourself for a few minutes while I go into the kitchen, I will arrange for the recipe for that dessert to be sent to New York."
"I will," she said and reached for his untouched dessert. "I'll just finish this for you," she said giggling as she took a spoonful.
As she was wiping her mouth she saw a man approaching her table. To her horror, it was Jerry Spooner, her ex. She was rendered speechless, no words would come out.
"Paige," he said and without being asked he sat down.
"My God, what are you doing in Italy? Wow, it's so good seeing you and you look amazing."
"Jerry," she said, finding her voice. "I live here, but why are you here?"
"On vacation with a couple of friends," he points over to a far table where two young women were sitting.
"Your wife isn't with you?" she asked sarcastically.
He smiled smugly. "No, she was not feeling well so I decided to take a break from the old ball and chain. 'I hated the way we left things."
"Left things, are you out of your mind? You left me for an older woman. You really hurt me, Jerry, we talked about marriage and having children. How could you do that to me?"
"Baby I'm sorry. You know how tough things were for me. I couldn't find a job so when I met Helen and she hired me as her chauffeur we got to talking and she made me a deal of a lifetime. It was too good to pass up, the woman is a multi-billionaire."
"So you choose money over love."
"I never stopped loving you, I still do and it didn't have to end between us. We could have still been together, just not married. I miss you and the way we were together. Let's go somewhere private where we can be alone."
"No way in hell Jerry. I forgive you for you did but I never want to see you again. I feel sorry for your wife. What would she think if she knew you were here with two women?"
"They mean nothing to me, I'm just having a bit of fun. It's not pleasant being on top of an old broad and hearing her moan. But you, I still remember the way your skin felt, how warm and loving you were."
"You better leave now Jerry while you can still walk away."
She knew if Gabriel came back and saw Jerry bothering her he would hurt him. As much as she despised him she didn't want him to be beaten up.
When he touched her cheek she slapped his hand away.
"You've changed Paige, you were never able to resist me before."
"You know what Jerry? You did me a big favor by dumping me."
"How's that?" he asked, moving his chair over closer to her.
"By doing what you did. If we had stayed together you would have eventually cheated on me or worse. I also found out there is a better man for me. One who loves me and will always protect me, one who can be faithful. You, Jerry, are a spoiled, cheating rat. Now go away and leave me alone."
"You're just playing hard to get, I know you want me," he said, grabbing her arm tried to pull her up.
"Get your hands off me," she snapped.