Falling For My Ex's Dad by Oma Green

Chapter 202: Beauty Wrapped In Sensuality

Gabriel's POV

I checked the time again.

Ten minutes late.

Clairessa was never late.

In all the time I'd worked with her, she'd never kept me waiting—at least not without a damn good reason. Once, maybe twice, she'd cut it close, but only because I'd sent her a meeting brief late. She never made excuses. She never let things slip.

I kept my expression neutral, but inside, my thoughts were already spiraling. If she wasn't here yet, something was wrong—and I had a damn good idea what. This had Adrian written all over it.

He'd screwed something up. Again.

I looked across the boardroom table at Randolph-CEO of Randolph Corporation. He sat stiff in a tailored suit, lips pressed into a line of disapproval. The impatience practically rolled off him.

His board members surrounded him like statues-silent, unsmiling, their expressions heavily judgmental.

Randolph tapped his fingers in an edgy rhythm against the glossy oak surface, then narrowed his eyes, locking onto me with an impatient glare.

"Gabriel," his voice came low and tensed with a subtle warning, "you know how much I hate being kept waiting."

I offered a patient, measured smile-calm but firm. "My team is never late. They're on their way. Should be here any moment."

I paused, meeting his gaze. Lying to someone like him left too much room for humiliation.

Especially when I had no idea where Clairessa was or what was holding her up. I'd already messaged Tems, told him to find her and bring her here immediately- no matter what it took.

Randolph leaned back, clearly unimpressed.

I didn't wait for him to press further.

"But let's not forget," the words slid out smoothly, easing the pressure back his way, "we were supposed to deliver this pitch in a month. Instead, you gave us... what, three days? No prior notice, no chance for extensions-nothing but the weight of the Randolph name."

That got a few stiff chuckles from the board. Even Randolph's stone face cracked slightly.

I nodded once, firm but respectful. "They'll be here. And they'll deliver a great presentation."

And right then, as if summoned by the thinnest thread of hope, the boardroom doors opened.

Clairessa walked in-steps unsure, breath quick, face a shade too pale.

I noticed instantly. Something was wrong.

My eyes moved past her, expecting Adrian to follow.

But it wasn't him.

It was Nicole.

Just Nicole, clutching a laptop like a shield as she stepped in behind Clairessa.

No Adrian.

"Damn it." The words slipped out under my breath.

My chest tightened. My suspicions were right. Adrian screwed it up. Again.

As she approached, her head stayed down, hands fumbling slightly with the folder

she carried. When she reached the table, she stopped.

Her gaze darted everywhere-the screen, the chairs, the board-anywhere but

me.

She took a breath, straightened slightly, then lifted her chin just enough to speak.

A soft smile touched her lips. “Mr. Storm,” she began, still refusing to meet my eyes, her voice silky, almost too calm as it cut through the tension. "I apologize for the delay."

Wilkins," I said,

with practiced grace and dipped her

again, we sincerely apologize for

Then she smiled.

Elegant. Poised.

she added, "it'll be worth the

It landed.

settled on her, his interest unmistakable. A few board

slow breath as the screen lit up with our expansion plan. Calmly, she walked them through

should've been focused on the numbers. The charts. The bored,

On the stakes riding on

But I wasn't.

on her. Watching. Studying.

wanted to be angry.

line. And he didn't show. But how could I blame her? I knew exactly who my

for her. It was for

proving, again and again, why he would never be ready to carry any legacy I

one simple task. And now, he'd

nerves were there. I saw it-the slight tremble in her hands as she clicked to the next slide. But the more she

through, she hadn't spared me a

her way of punishing

setting her up to

throwing her

turn Adrian into the face of the pitch-when

me he wasn't ready.

But I pushed anyway.

I didn't care.

wanted it over. Done. Off my

I couldn't stomach it couldn't stand her

time with my son.

want her near

with me. And

wasn't ready to lose her. Not

frustrating-burned through

thought I'd felt.

palm of her hand, the more everything in me twisted into

Something raw.

Darker.

Hungrier.

through me-low and consuming and I couldn't stop my eyes from

that clung to her

ass in a way that made my blood heat. Her waist was so narrow I could've spanned it with both hands—and I wanted

shirt was fitted, tucked in

at the neckline

of caramel cleavage

hair-brown waves-fer net

too precisely. Not trying too

didn't have to.

beauty, weaponized-wrapped in maddening sensuality

grace.

walked into a room and owned it without lifting a

God help me, I wanted to

to her

Fuck.

Kissable.

watched the way they moved as she spoke.

breath, every word.

didn't know what she was

Or maybe... she did.

wanted to taste

until she stopped speaking-until her perfect sentences shattered on her tongue and she melted into me, wanted to slip my tongue past her lips and swallow her moan-the soft, pleading kind she gave me when she

that burned through me