Please Be Gentle

Little Doe, Don’t Rush

The bathroom was thick with the scent of mint from Gabriel’s shower gel, mixing with the damp steam in the air.

Grace leaned against the door, biting her lip, her heart still racing. She could still smell the unfamiliar scent that lingered, belonging to the man she had just been so close to.

Just moments ago, she had been closer to a man than she had ever been before.

The thought of their bodies pressed together—his sun-kissed skin, his sharp jawline, his firm muscles... it made her pulse quicken, her heart fluttering wildly in her chest.

Oh no, stop it, Grace. He’s gay. Even if you were naked, it wouldn’t make a difference.

Such a man, so strong, so perfect—yet he gave himself to other men. It seemed like a waste.

Shaking off the thoughts, she quickly turned her attention to her soaked white dress. She needed to get dressed and leave—she couldn’t afford to stay and distract her savior from his business.

Her dress had gotten completely wet, stained by the water on the floor.

She couldn’t go out like this. Bending down, she grabbed the dress, quickly rinsing it under the tap, wringing it out as best as she could.

The fabric clung to her skin uncomfortably as she put the damp dress back on. It was the most awkward feeling.

She quickly rinsed her bag as well, just to make sure it wasn’t ruined. When she finally opened the bathroom door, Gabriel was gone.

Where had he gone? She hadn’t even left yet—there was no way they were already... no, that couldn’t be it.

With a deep breath, she gathered her courage and glanced toward the bed. Gabriel was sitting on the edge, but there was another man next to him, so close that Gabriel’s head blocked the stranger’s face. From her angle, she could only see Gabriel.

Were they kissing?

Her heart skipped a beat. It was like they were testing her patience. She couldn’t handle this.

"Um… can you two pause for a second? I’d like to properly thank you," she said, clearing her throat.

Gabriel turned his head with an annoyed look on his face. "Don’t mention it. Just go," he said, a touch of impatience in his voice.

But then, his eyes fell on her. A sharp breath left him, his gaze scanning her from head to toe.

Her white dress was soaked, completely transparent now, clinging to her body, the outline of her curves visible, rising and falling with her breath.

What was this woman doing? What was her intention?

She might as well be naked.

But not quite—because it made him feel things he hadn’t planned on.

His desire, already at the edge, surged again, and he quickly turned to hide his reaction, his body betraying him.

"Thanks, but I should go," Grace muttered. She wasn’t ungrateful, but his attitude and body language were making her feel like a nuisance.

Her hand was already on the doorknob when his deep, gravelly voice called out behind her.

"Wait!"

"Are you just leaving like this?"

She paused, not knowing how to respond. "Uh... you told me not to thank you. I don’t have any money on me, but I could leave you my number, and when I do have money..."

"i***t," Gabriel interrupted with frustration, cutting her off. "I didn’t say anything about thanking me."

"Wait, how did you know my name was Grace?" she asked, her voice filled with confusion.

Gabriel groaned, rubbing his temples. If she was going to act like this, her name might as well be "Idiot."

Without wasting time, he grabbed his shirt from the chair, walked over to her in a few strides, and tossed the shirt over her shoulders.

"Put this on if you don’t want to attract trouble on the street," he said with a clear, firm tone.

She blinked, stunned by his straightforwardness. "Wait… a gay man is this thoughtful? More considerate than some people I know."

Grace stared at him with wide eyes, her lips slightly parted in surprise. There was something oddly sexy about her naive expression. Gabriel felt his throat tighten again as he tried to push the unwanted thoughts aside.