Lock You In My Heart novel Chapter 360

Gabrielle's words shocked Westley. He never imagined that she would be so concerned about his feelings, that she could ever get jealous.

He found it hard to believe.

"Do you know what you're talking about, Gabrielle?" he asked, his voice solemn as he leaned towards her shoulders and looked into her eyes.

Gabrielle didn't answer immediately. Instead, she gulped down some water to sober up.

"Of course, I know what I'm talking about, Westley," she said. Before now, she wouldn't dare say a thing like that to him. She would have preferred to keep it to herself.

But being a bit drunk today, she was unbelievably honest with him.

She was really grateful for all the care Westley showed her these days. It left the butterflies fluttering in her belly, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him how she felt. To her, it was a rather improper thing to do since their marriage was merely an agreement and they were both not supposed to have real feelings for each other.

She thus had to conceal whatever she felt for him. However, she didn't hold back what she felt now that she was drunk, just that she only spoke about being jealous of seeing other women ogling Westley.

All thanks to beer muscles which gave cowards quite some audacity once they were drunk.

"Well, I want you to be more open with me. What kind of feeling do you have for me exactly?" Westley asked seriously, his dark eyes boring into her. Gabrielle stared back at him. She could sense something unusual about those eyes today.

They had always been so still, those eyes. They had always been so still like a calm black sea, like Westley himself. He was always the cool gentleman who never showed panic, no matter what happened.

But today, he seemed somewhat nervous as he gazed at Gabrielle, knowing what she was about to say.

"Westley, I think... I'm so into you that it annoys me when other women stare at you," Gabrielle said, trying hard to sound sober and brave. She still knew there would have been no way she would have said those words if she hadn't been drunk.

"I want to hear you say that again, Gabrielle." Westley stared deeply into her eyes, gripping her hands so that she would not escape.

She repeated the words, her eyes and voice glinting with sincerity. "I mean, Westley, I have somehow fallen love with... Hmm... "

Before Gabrielle could complete her statement, Westley, lowering his head, kissed her suddenly on the lips.

The kiss was short but passionate, with Westley not letting go until Gabrielle gasped for breath. He sat back and watched her lips which were quite swollen. "I want you to say those words again, Gabrielle."

Heaving, Gabrielle fixed him a stare, the impatience heavy in her eyes. "Haven't I said that twice already?"

Gabrielle muttered, annoyed. Why did this man act so selfish? He didn't seem to take it seriously that she had gone beyond herself to express what she truly felt. Did he know how hard it was for her? Yet he wanted her to say it once more into his ears. One didn't even have to tell the other that one had a crush on him more than once.

"Well, it's fine. I won't ask you about that anymore. But tell me – when did you begin to like m

e?" Westley shifted curiously and gazed again at Gabrielle. For a long time, his heart had been throbbing for her. He hoped to someday marry her properly and be able to spend the rest of his life with her, showering her with all the love he had. But he had always doubted if the woman liked him back. She was always talking about Bryce and divorcing him once Nellie returned, after all.

That was why he found it hard to believe it when she said she liked him. If she really wanted to be with him, why did she always talk about getting a divorce?

But although it surprised him greatly, he was still tingled by the excitement of hearing her say she liked him.

He felt so good right now knowing she loved him as much as he loved her. After all, a relationship was not perfect until both partners fell for each other.

"Well... I really can't tell when," Gabrielle said, shrugging. She had no idea what to say.

She really couldn't tell him when immediately.

"Did you have the feelings for me the first time we met?" Westley probed, putting his arms around her. He stared confidently, seemingly certain of the answer she would give.

Gabrielle shook her head. "Not at all," she said. "I didn't like you that much at first."

Even at that time, they both understood the nature of their relationship, understood that they were just two strangers who detested each other.

Westley had hated Gabrielle's guts then.

Of course, he wouldn't have had to force Gabrielle into this temporary marriage and would have been with Nellie, his fiancée, if Bryce hadn't stolen her from him.

So in the beginning, a silent animosity had existed between them. He had been quite hostile to her, being reminded of what Bryce had done each time he saw her.

"Well, it doesn't matter if you liked me at the beginning. I'm glad you do now. And, Gabrielle, I..."

"What?" Gabrielle stared at Westley with those fascinating eyes. She wondered how much she meant to him.

Nothing else mattered to her again. All she wanted now was the man who meant the universe to her.

"I like you, Westley. Do you also like me?" she said suddenly. Then she bit her lip at once, realizing how undignified her question was.

A woman who asked a man such a question was only going to break her own heart at last.

Now, Gabrielle regretted her impetuousness.

She blurted out, "Well, it's fine if you don't want to answer it. Let's just pretend I didn't say that." Lowering her face, she felt so ashamed of herself. All the gusto she had felt earlier, all the hope she had hung on this relationship were crumbling before her.

Westley lifted her face with a hand and forced her to look at him right in the eyes. "What kind of man do you think I am, Gabrielle?"

The question was so sudden that Gabrielle gaped at him in surprise. What kind of man was he?

Well, he was handsome, cool and detached. But most importantly, he was gentle to her.

All in all, he was a nice person. At least, she liked him really much now.

"I think you are the best, Westley," she said softly, their eyes locked in a warm stare.

For Gabrielle, she hadn't just found a good guy; she had found the man who suited her perfectly.