Falling For My Ex's Dad by Oma Green

Chapter 169: I Needed To Hold Her

Gabriel's POV

I gently pulled the duvet down and slipped my arms around her, lifting her against me. Her body was burning, her skin clammy, her breath shallow. She didn't stir- just shivered helplessly in my arms, trapped in some fever dream.

"Clairessa." My voice cracked as I shook her gently, trying to coax her into consciousness.

"Hey, open your eyes... please."

No response.

"It's me. Gabriel. I'm here," I whispered, lifting her slowly into my arms and brushing damp strands of hair from her face.

Her eyelids fluttered, and for a moment, they opened. Our eyes met just briefly. She gave the faintest smile, soft and dazed-then slipped back into the fever, her eyes shutting again.

Fuck.

I had to do something.

I lowered her carefully onto the mattress and rushed to the bathroom, soaking a towel in warm water.

I came back and laid it across her forehead, holding it there, hoping to ease the heat. After a minute or two, I replaced it with a fresh one, trying to bring her temperature down.

But I knew that wouldn't be enough.

The cold had settled deep into her bones, and no towel could fix that.

She needed warmth-real, penetrating heat that reached from the inside out.

I hurried back to the bathroom and ran a hot bath, steam rising steadily as the tub filled.

By the time I returned, she was still trembling, her breathing shallow.

I lifted her into a seated position, her back resting gently against the headboard. Then I undressed her carefully-removing the sweater, then her socks-until only her joggers remained.

My fingers traced the edge of the elastic waistband of her sweatpants, as though contemplating whether to remove them or not. Not because I didn't know what I was doing, but because I was trying to stop the fire sparking in my chest. I knew exactly how my body would react to seeing her naked.

I hastily pulled down the heavy fabric, intending to look away-just to get her into the bath. Nothing more.

But the moment I realized she wasn't wearing anything underneath, heat surged through my body.

My eyes betrayed me, dragging over the swell of her breasts, lingering too long on the delicate V between her legs.

God... this wasn't about me. It was about her. She needed care, not desire.

It took every ounce of strength to tear my gaze away from her flawless, breathtaking body... even though every nerve in me burned to keep looking.

I lifted her into my arms and carried her into the bathroom.

I gently lowered her into the steaming tub, cradling her until her body sank

relaxed, like her body instinctively recognized it needed the

a towel behind her head for support, then dipped a

it over her skin-her arms, her shoulders, her neck-trying to coax the warmth back into her.

her face, I wiped away the sweat, tracing the delicate curve

I paused-unable to stop myself from admiring how beautiful and innocent

in, I let my thumb graze the curve of her

kiss the cold away-to make her forget the storm, the pain, the fever-but I didn't. I

half-submerged in water, every inch of her still

the center of her chest, then moved lower, passing

contrast of

stirred something dark inside

focus downward, guiding the towel over her flat stomach, reminding myself why I

wasn't about what I wanted. It couldn't

into her

to

hands trailed lower,

of her was

And painfully vulnerable.

had

Now.

Focus, Gabriel.

This was about keeping her

and weak, pulled me out

"Gabriel..."

her lips

her face, eyes locked on

whispered. Then her

That was enough.

shaking like before. The fever was

in, lifted her

I dried her

and pants I'd

on the bed earlier.

dry, I tucked her beneath the duvet, pulling it

like she had

my hand across

right back," I

gave the faintest nod, barely there-but

door—but my eyes stayed on her

barely holding on-she was still the only thing that made sense in

the kitchen, made

and