What Happens In...

...Vegas

Still looking past him, despite the man's attempts to catch a short glimpse into her eyes, Nathalie replied with a trembling voice.

"Please don't do that to me! We'll be here for three more days, four if I count the day we're departing again. How would you make me happy over this time, huh? By doing all those things I would love and really enjoy doing with you, before we return to Paris and just like this..."

She snipped with her fingers.

Gabriel caught her hand and placed it on his chest. There he stroked tenderly along the back of it then over her knuckles until he felt her relax and close her eyes.

"Gabriel, please!" She tried again.

"Please look at me, Nathalie. I want you to look into my eyes when you reject me this time. Because I am very certain that you can't do it any longer then." He beseeched her.

The young assistant took a deep breath to let her lids flutter open and give him a defeated glare.

"Fine. I am looking at you. Happy now?" She huffed.

But the man who had begun to grin shook his head.

"Not quite. I need you to say yes to my proposal first!"

Now she laughed at him cynically.

"Isn't it rather obvious that I already did 'that'?"

His smile began to falter and the assistant sighed as she agreed.

"Oh for fuck's sake! You have three days, so show me what you've got."

Seeing Gabriel's grin widen she immediately regretted her decision.

"Oh no. What are you up to? I can tell that it's something bad. Really, really bad."

Now it was him, frowning at his 'wife'.

"Come on, dear. You agreed to give me a chance. I expect you to take this seriously. Okay?"

"Okay!" The anger in her tone was impossible to miss.

Gabriel gently cupped her cheek and gave her a kind and loving smile.

"Let me promise you something. Whatever might happen between us, you decide how far it will go and when to stop. And one more thing. I won't hurt you. Neither on purpose nor accidentally. Once these days are over, you decide how to proceed. And I will be an obedient husband and do as you say!" His words sounded sincere, even those last ones, which he had said with a wink.

"N-No! I can't agree to that. It's not fair. If that's truly what you want to do, then we both make this decision. Deal?" She held out her hand for him to take.

"Oh no. If we're sealing a deal, we'll do it the old fashioned way. With a kiss."

He didn't even leave her enough time to process what he had said and placed his lips gently on hers.

Only a short kiss, no tongue, no lip movement, not touching her anywhere but at her lower back. Just a peck instead of a handshake.

As Gabriel pulled back he saw that her eyes were closed and noticed with a chuckle that she looked disappointed.

"What is it?" he asked, a smirk tugging on the corners of his mouth.

"I don't know what you're talking about. We really should get dressed now and try to find our actual hotel. I'll need a couple of things from my luggage very soon!" Nathalie made an attempt to regain her composure, while giving him a death glare, but Gabriel of course could tell immediately.

Giving her the most loving smile, he closed his eyes before he spoke.

"Would it make you feel more comfortable, if I kept my eyes shut until you made it into the bathroom, love? I Promise to not cheat and take a look, while you get there."

Sighing, she replied.

"That's not it, Gabriel. We woke up about half an hour ago and I am very sure that you have taken a close look and made up your mind whether you liked what you saw or not. And I have to admit, so did I. It's just natural human curiosity until a certain degree."

"What is it then, Nathalie? I may be wrong, but I thought you liked it, when I asked for a chance to make you happy. Hey, please don't look away and try to shut me out. I..."

The agitated man caught her by her upper arms and made her look at him.

"I really want to give this a chance and make it work, Nathalie. I want us to work. I won't pressure you to do anything, by telling you what I would want to tell you right now. You agreed to give me the opportunity to make you happy. Or to use a better word, to prove to you how much I..., how strong my feelings for you are, Nathalie Agreste!"

The rattled woman gasped as she heard him call her that. Gabriel grinned. It was this kind of reaction, he had done it for.

"Y-You..." she began and lowered her gaze with a deep blush covering her cheeks.

"Do you trust me, Nathalie?

She swallowed the lump in her throat then nodded.

"I do trust you, Gabriel. With my life even."

He sighed in relief, before he let go of her arms and cupped her cheeks instead.

"Then please let me show you what it means to be the wife of Gabriel Agreste. In all sorts of ways, not just to the public. They say, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. So if you don't like to continue whatever has begun last night, you can simply tell me, and we'll go back to the way we were and never speak about it again."

"I know, I will regret it soon, but I agree. For the upcoming three days I will try to relax, and enjoy whatever we're going to do. But please don't try to push me, if I start acting all Nathalie-like, okay?" she pleaded with tears in her eyes.

"I promise. As I already said, you're in charge of everything that happens between us. If you allow me now..."

"What?" Nathalie started but was interrupted when he leaned in and placed his lips on hers again, yet this time he also laid one hand on the small of her back while the other stayed on her face.

He already thought she would show him no reaction at all, when he felt her tense body relax and her arms wrap around his neck, as the young female started to reciprocate the kiss and moved her lips against his own.