Chapter 473 - Can I Keep You?

Angela and Gael's day was perfect and so was dinner—obviously because their morning was hot, and their evening was romantic. She went inside the restaurant single but in a relationship, and then came out of it engaged, wearing a precious pink diamond ring she couldn't believe was hers.

When they arrived back home, they decided to watch a film in the living room before turning in for the night and cuddled on the sofa. They settled for the movie Casper—because it was one of Angela's favorite movies when she was younger.

Apparently, it was one of Gael's favorites too, so they both enjoyed rewatching the whole thing as if it was their first time.

"Do you think you can be friends with a ghost?" she wondered, slightly tilting her head towards him but still keeping her stare at the TV. It was that part of the movie where Casper was about to join the Halloween party and show his human form.

"I don't know. I'd rather not want to see them. We can keep minding our own business and stay away from each other."

A small smile formed on her lips, partly because of his answer and also because Casper was now walking down the staircase and approaching Kat for a dance. Angela's cheeks blushed when the two danced together, and she hugged a throw pillow tight. She did this subconsciously, making Gael grin at how adorable she looked. He languidly stroked his hand up and down her arm.

Glancing at the screen, he watched as the tweens floated above the floor while they danced. Gael leaned against the side of Angela's head to whisper in her ear, speaking with Casper simultaneously: "Can I keep you?"

Angela's eyes slightly widened in surprise, and her heart fluttered like a little girl, feeling giddy at what Gael did. He could be really romantic for a man like him—and effortless at that too. She gave his lips a quick peck and nuzzled their noses together. "You can keep me forever."

Satisfied, he squeezed her tighter and sighed. His brows then furrowed. "Don't you think it's creepy? She kissed a ghost."

She gave it a thought before answering. "Watching it now that I'm older, it sure is kinda creepy. But when I was younger, kissing someone good looking—doesn't matter if he was a ghost—was all that mattered." She laughed, and he shook his head, biting her shoulder playfully.

When the credits rolled up, he turned the TV off, but the two remained on the sofa. Gael was half-lying down on one end, and Angela leaned against his chest, sitting between his legs. She had been staring at her ring without saying anything. It was as if she was trying to memorize it.

Feeling him kiss her temple, she was pulled out of her trance. And then she asked, "When did you get this?"

He gently held her left hand and softly brushed his thumb across the ring. "I asked J to get the diamonds for me. He shipped them from Australia, and I got them around the second week of January." His voice was slightly thick as if the memory of J tightened his throat. Even she felt sad remembering J all of a sudden.

Then her brows knitted when the gears in her head did a little calculation. "You've had these stones since then? You…you knew you were going to propose that early already?"

"Actually… I…" He swallowed. "I don't know. I guess? When the diamond was first shown to me in an email by a friend who sells them, I didn't think I was interested at first. But then I thought this would look perfect on you. And I was right." He looked at the jewelry proudly. "I got the ring made as soon as I received the diamonds. And I got the jeweler to work on it exclusively. Then I…"

"Yes?" Her brows raised in anticipation. She watched as he lowered his gaze, a small smile hinting at his lips, making her feel all the more nervous.

"I had been carrying it since I went to Mayne. Was gonna ask you on your birthday…until I thought I'd show you the ledger first. You know what happened a couple of days after that." He shook his head. "Then in the car two days ago... You mentioned getting married and all that. I swear I was this close to giving you the ring right then." He gestured with his thumb and forefinger and squinted his eyes.

"I…can't believe you've had this with you for a while, and I didn't even notice."

He gave her a sly look and a teasing tone when he said, "Are you disappointed it took me a long time?"

That made her laugh. "If you haven't noticed yet, we're not exactly a traditional couple. We've had sex on the first night we met. Almost had a baby. Didn't see each other for years, and when we did, we nearly bit each other's heads off. Separated for the second time. Then we got together—only you were engaged to someone else." She rolled her eyes, sighing. "Honestly. Who cares now? I'm happy with you, and that's all that matters."

"Uh-uh. Correction. I was arranged to someone. But yes, you're right. Who cares? No one can stop us now."

Their conversation was interrupted when Angela's phone rang at the tune that was a little familiar to Gael. She wore a confused look on her face when she reached for her phone from the coffee table. "Why are you calling me?" she asked before she even saw the phone screen.

"Why would I call you? I'm right here."

"But it's your ringtone." She showed him the caller ID flashing on the screen, displaying his phone number. "See? It's you."

He narrowed his eyes at her screen. "You named me 'My Fiancé'?" he probed while grabbing his phone by his hip. It turned out he had butt-dialed her.

Angela shrugged nonchalantly. "What? I'm up to date. Keep up, De Luca."

Gael chuckled, shaking his head. "What's that song, by the way? I think I've heard that before."

"Oh, that? It's 'Fetish'. Madilyn Bailey's version. It kinda fits us. So I assigned it to you."

He stared at her for a second, wondering what she meant when she said it fit them. "Sing it for me."

Dragging her gaze from her phone screen to meet Gael's intense stare, she thought about it for a second before tapping her phone screen. Then she shifted her body so that she was facing him now. As soon as she hit the play button, she sang the first part of the song.

Gael was mesmerized.

It was as if Angela transformed into something he couldn't explain. She was the same woman he loved, but now he remembered how much he loved hearing her sing, and he loved her even more—if that were even possible. The first time he heard her sing around the Christmas season, he wondered why she didn't use her talent and became a singer. He was certain she would make it a star. But then he was also thankful she didn't so that he could keep her for himself.

When she reached the chorus, her voice was so fucking riveting. It was like she was caressing his insides and his nether region.

♫ You got a fetish for my love. I push you out, and you come right back. Don't see a point in blaming you~ If I were you, I'd do me too~ ♫

He stopped himself from chuckling at the lyrics. But damn were they true.

Gael didn't interrupt her one bit, letting her sing the full song. He could listen to her all night, and he wouldn't be bored.

But once she did finish the song, one thing was for certain:

He was...stimulated.

Wordlessly, Gael grabbed her hand and pressed her palm to his erection.

Angela was utterly confused. And then she was chuckling. "My…You're…"

"I'm fucking hard," he muttered in a sultry voice.

"I can see that." Her smile reached her ears. This man always surprised her. "And why are you hard? What got you excited?"

"Your voice."

"What? My… Seriously? I was singing!"

"And it was so hot." He grabbed her arm and tugged her towards him until she was lying on top of him, her stomach pressed against his hard-on. "I get hard even when you're only talking. And now you sing? I could come."

Angela threw her head back, laughing. "You're being ridiculous."

Gael shook his head slowly, brushing his lips with hers as he spoke in a low, sexy voice, "That's why you can't sing to any other man. You got that?"

She didn't answer. Instead, she rolled her eyes at him, but the corners of her lips were curving upward.

Then he added, "Your voice, baby… It's like an aphrodisiac. I want to fuck it."

He growled as he lifted her up. Then before she knew it, Gael was carrying her over his shoulder. Angela squealed and then giggled, gripping his shirt as she dangled behind him like a sack of potatoes. A moan left her lips when he smacked her ass as he strode towards the stairs and told her, "In fact, let me show you exactly how I want to do that.. Right now."