Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3384

"Go on, then," Janice laughed. "From now on, you can bring Gonzalez over for family dinners on the weekends."

"Okay!" Norah beamed, her lips curling upward.

After she hung up, her cheeks were still burning. She patted her face lightly to cool down before turning back to the private dining room.

When she opened the door, Gonzalez looked at her questioningly.

"It was my mom," Norah volunteered.

Gonzalez raised an eyebrow. "Did she tell you to go home?"

"No!" Norah smiled. "She said that whenever I come home on the weekends from now on, I should bring you with me. She's going to make all your favorite foods."

She entirely omitted the mortifying instruction about using protection.

A long-forgotten warmth bloomed in Gonzalez's chest. "Your family really is wonderful," he smiled.

Norah looked at him, her eyes bright and unwavering. "From now on, they are your family, too."

His gaze darkened with emotion, and a soft, genuine smile touched his lips.

***

On the drive back to The Eden Apartments, as they passed a convenience store across from their complex, Norah suddenly spoke up. "Pull over for a second. I need to grab something. You can just head up first!"

"I'll come with you," Gonzalez said, already looking for a parking spot.

"No need!" Norah declined immediately.

Assuming she needed to buy feminine hygiene products, he nodded. "Then I'll wait in the car."

Norah hopped out of the passenger seat and hurried inside.

It took her a full thirty minutes to return, and when she did, she was lugging a massive plastic shopping bag overflowing with snacks.

Gonzalez stared at her in baffled silence.

Once she was dried off and her hair was blown out, she climbed into bed, absently stroking Circe while binge-watching a TV show.

She waited for a while, but he still hadn't come in. Stifling a yawn, Norah leaned back against the plush pillows, her eyelids growing heavy.

Gonzalez showered in the guest bathroom. When he finally pushed open the bedroom door, the room seemed empty. He walked over and pulled back the heavy comforter, finding her fast asleep, cocooned underneath.

Her tablet was still playing an American drama next to her, her earbuds tangled discarded on the mattress, and Circe was curled up by the pillows, snoring softly.

Against the dark sheets, the girl's luminous skin glowed. Soft strands of hair framed her delicate face, and she looked incredibly sweet and peaceful in her slumber.

Gonzalez gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, revealing the flawless curve of her cheek. He couldn't help but wonder—why did she always insist on burying her head under the covers when she slept?

Not wanting to wake her, he switched off the tablet, set it on the nightstand, and quietly walked around to the other side of the bed to slip beneath the covers.

He was a notorious night owl, incapable of falling asleep early. But since she had moved in, he had also kicked his habit of smoking before bed. Instead, he propped himself against the headboard and scrolled through his itinerary for the next day on his phone.

He hadn't even finished reading the first page when the sleeping girl instinctively gravitated toward his warmth. She rested her head against his abdomen, and one slender hand slipped boldly under the hem of his pajama shirt, trailing upward.