✷Chapter Twenty-Three✷

"And I'm done." Teresa said after finally setting the network for one of her co-workers' computer systems. She sighs in relief for a job done for the day. "And that's my que to leave." She stood on her feet, dusting the invisible dust off her butt.

"Thank you Teresa. You're a lifesaver." Mark, the owner of the system, spoke his gratitude as he leaned towards the computer to check its functions.

Teresa shrugged at him. "I'm just doing my job." He smiled at her, and she returned it also. She immediately left his cubicle heading over to her own.

The day was absolutely bright. Not the weather, but her inside feels like the sun had shone deep in her. She felt happy and relaxed in a way she couldn't begin to explain.

Earlier this morning she checked her face in the mirror as she was about to brush her teeth, only to notice the huge smile on her face, smiling like a freak. The urge to slam her forehead on the mirror was so great that she had to restrain herself from doing so.

She knew why she felt that way. 

It was all because of Jacob.

Her entire body shivered at the thought of him. Ashes could vividly remember how happy he had been when she had agreed to give him a chance. The stress on his face immediately washed off within a blink of an eye, showing how much her positive response really mattered a lot to him.

Teresa shook her head to snap whatever thought she had of Jacob off from her head. She quickly starts packing her things back to its normal position, and prepares to go home.

Jacob had messaged her asking her what time she would close for work, and he planned on picking her up from work to take her for a date he had prepared for her. Not more than thirteen minutes ago he texted her that he was waiting for her at the parking lot.

A foldable yellow umbrella was shoved in her line of view, taking her by complete surprise. She lifted her gaze up towards the person holding the item to realize it was Gideon.

"It's raining outside. I wouldn't like for you to get sick." He said, giving her a small smile, before gesturing his chin towards the umbrella she hadn't taken from him yet. "You should really learn how to check the weather forecast everyday. Especially as we are in the season of rain."

"Thank you." She took the umbrella from him, grateful for his concern, knowing what he had just said was nothing but the truth. They were beginning to enter the season of rain, but the thought of keeping up with things like the weather often kept her mind.

"You're welcome." He responded back, putting his hand deep into her pocket.

"Why do I feel you gave me this umbrella to avoid Alexa's wrath? I know how sure gets when she's angry." She teases him, staring at him from underneath her eyelashes. She watched as he had the look of complete surprise, almost making her chuckle.

"You know. I guess Alexa told you." He said the obvious, almost like a question.

Teresa nodded, this time around placing her complete attention on him. "Yeah, I found out from a poor old neighbor of mine. You guys almost gave the old lady a heart attack will all those sexual display you pulled outside the door." She smirks in amazement as Gideon's eyes skimmed around the room to check if anyone had overheard their conversation. Luckily for him they didn't, or were pretending not to have heard, and just acted like they were working hard at the sight and presence of their high boss.

It wasn't anything out of the ordinary for Gideon to be at this particular floor her work was in. The first time he had come visiting her cubicle she could feel the accusing stares of others, and the brewing rumors running around the large company. At some point it had bothered her, but she soon grew to get used to it, surprised she hadn't left the company like she would have done to avoid making things get to her. As time passed they noticed whatever she and Gideon shared were just friendship, and the rumors slowly disappeared.

Gideon takes his fingers through his hair, an action Teresa was very familiar with. He is either embarrassed, frustrated, stressed or nervous.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it." He apologized, feeling guilty about keeping such a thing to her.

Teresa smiled in return, shaking her head at his apology. "Both you and Alexa shouldn't be apologizing for anything. I don't tell you things about me sometimes. It's a normal thing for one to keep things to themselves until they felt it was time to reveal it."

"So you're not mad that both your friends are dating each other?"

She shook her head. "No." At her response, a smile made its way to his face, but it was soon to wipe off at her next word. "But if you hurt my girl, or make her cry. I'll cut off your dick." She threatened making sure to keep a serious expression.

Gideon couldn't help himself but find amazement at her word. "Are you with Alexa's car today, or do you need me to drive you home."

Teresa stood from her seat, before lifting her bag up. "No need. Jacob is waiting for me at the parking lot."

"Oh." He responded in awareness. "I see you decided to give that brother of mine a chance."

Walking out of her cubicle with an umbrella in one of her hands, she nodded suddenly feeling a weird fluttering she couldn't explain. "I did. But I never said I was going to make it easy for him."

Gideon seems to like her response, with the way his lips were pulled up with a wide grin. "That's why I love you." He surprisingly pulled her head to give her a kiss on the forehead.

Teresa let out a small laugh at his action. He escorted her to the elevator but was unable to follow her, due to an unexpected work that needed his attention.

He left after muttering an apology, which she shrugged off with a goodbye. 

While inside the elevator she quickly texted Jacob she was in the elevator and will soon meet him down soon.

Finally out of the building. The moment she was out, she couldn't help but notice the heavy sound of the rain sputtering on the ground. She could feel the coldness the rain had brought begin to get to her, even if she had worn a jacket. She once again was grateful Gideon had given her an umbrella.

Her hands immediately tried opening the umbrella, but paused at the unclear familiar figure of Jacob running towards her with an open black umbrella in his hand, over his head.

"Why did you come out? I was going to meet you." She was somehow shocked by what he had done.

Jacob breathed hard like he had just ran a marathon. "I didn't want you to get wet by the rain." He responded breathlessly. His eyes slowly diverted to the very noticeable yellow umbrella on her hand. "Oh! You already have one." 

Fighting the fluttering in her stomach, at the concern in his voice. "Gideon gave it to me." She stammered while giving him a lamely answer, making her groan inside. She shouldn't be this way with him. She shouldn't be weak with him, so as not to give him a chance to walk over her. "Let go, the cold is killing me."

She quickly joined him under his umbrella, almost swooning when one of his arms wrapped around her shoulders, pulling him close to him to avoid her getting a single droplet of rain. She noticed the entire umbrella covering her, and diverted her eyes on Jacob's body to realize some part of his body was completely drenched.

Seeing such a thing made Teresa confused. There was no way Jacob would like her to such an extent to prevent her from getting wet, while sacrificing himself in return. She had no.idea why she hadn't opened the umbrella Gideon had given her, to avoid such a thing like what was happening now.

She absolutely couldn't understand Jacob.

He led them both to a car she hadn't seen him drive before. He opened the door for her to enter. She sat in as the door closed, and she immediately welcomed the warmth of the car and the familiar cologne scent of Jacob. It smelled minty and manly strong, one of the things she liked about him.

Jacob quickly entered the car, then leaned towards her seat slowly, almost seductively. She gulped hard as the heated car became more hot, the fluttering in her stomach too great for her to control. She saw his eyes darken as he stared at her while moving closely to her. His eyes on her lips, not blinking a second. 

She knew he was about kissing her. And strangely she wanted him to. She wanted to feel the softness of his lips on her, she wanted to taste his tongue as he skims it though her own, she wanted to feel the emotions his lips brought to her, she wanted to feel him bite hard on her lower lips as he sucked on it.

Wanting all those things and more, she closed her eyes to welcome his lips. She knew she should be making things hard for him while they date, no sexual or intimate touch between them until they had five dates. But the attraction she felt for him made it too hard to resist wanting more from him.

Her eyes slowly closed to welcome the kiss. She waited and waited only to hear the sound of something clicking. Her eyes snapped open to notice him staring at her in complete amazement, like he knew what she wanted but won't give it to her.

She swore he was about kissing her, and was confused why he hadn't.

She averted her gaze on her body, to notice he had put on her seatbelt while was too busy to expect a kiss from him.

How typical. Being seductive while putting on a seatbelt.

Teresa saw him reach for something from the backseat. It was revealed to be a bouquet of purple tulip flowers. She raised her brow at the sight of it. "No yellow anymore?" She asked teasingly.

Jacob chuckled in return, before buckling his seatbelt and pulling out from the parking lot. "Flowers have their meaning."

She gave him a cautious expression, suddenly finding his word intruding. "What do both flowers mean?"

He hesitated for a few seconds, probably because he was trying to focus on driving out from the packed car lot to pull out onto the road. "The yellow means cheerful thoughts and sunshine."

The awareness of what those yellow tulip flowers he had sent to her meant, made her want to treasure it more than anything. She realizes those flowers he sent were actually words from him she hadn't realized he spoke.

"And the purple ones?"

He glanced at her as he said the next words. "It means royalty. Just how I'll be treating you."

Her breath seized immediately. 

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