Gabriel’s POV
The second Aria landed on me, I knew I was in trouble.
It happened so fast. One second, she was pushing at my chest, demanding I put her down, and the next, she miscalculated her step, her balance betraying her. Instead of landing on the bed, she crashed into me.
Neither of us moved.
My hands shot out, gripping her waist instinctively as she landed on my lap, knees on either side of my thighs.
A sharp breath left me as I looked up at her, chest rising and falling rapidly. Her hands clutched my shoulders for balance, fingers digging into the fabric of my shirt like she was anchoring herself.
She froze.
So did I.
For a split second, I forgot how to breathe.
The warmth of her body, the soft press of her weight against me—it sent a dangerous jolt through my system. A fe
