Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 199: Night Drive

Jamal’s smile was warm and gentle as he opened the car door for Abigail with a smooth movement. The car’s inside light glowed softly, lighting up the dark night.

Abigail looked at the open door, then at Jamal. Her heart was racing. Even though she knew they were acting and this wasn’t supposed to be a big deal, the whole idea of spending this time with Jamal exhilarated her.

She slipped past him and climbed into the passenger seat. As she reached for the seatbelt, Jamal reached for it at the same time, causing her pulse to quicken.

She didn’t need to look at his face to see the little grin tugging at the corner of his lips.

She knew she shouldn’t be so affected. This was Jamal. Her boyfriend, Jamal. Josh’s father, Jamal. Yet, something about all of this felt different.

Like she liked the idea of sneakily being with him this way right under Ryan’s nose. It felt like they were roleplaying.

Jamal was flirting with her like he had never done before. He was hitting on her as Pete and Jamal at the same time and she was enjoying it.

As Jamal fastened her seatbelt, he brushed his lips over hers, and he bit back a chuckle when he heard her sharp intake of breath.

Jamal closed her door gently, then walked around the car. He slid into the driver’s seat.

He turned to her and signed. [What was that you said at the office about me needing to catch up because you have been the one hitting on me from the first time we met?]

Abigail looked at him speechlessly, surprised he was deliberately doing this to get a reaction.

Jamal chuckled silently as he started the engine.

”Ready, Miss Abigail?” he asked, looking over at her with a grin.

Abigail nodded once. She didn’t trust her voice. She was afraid that Ryan would hear her voice and know just how much Jamal was affecting her right now.

He pulled out of the driveway slowly. They passed under the tall trees at the front of the property. The leaves danced in the breeze, making soft whispering sounds.

When they reached the road, Jamal pressed a button and rolled the windows down halfway. Cool night air slipped in.

”You like the air?” he asked.

She nodded again. Her hair lifted a little with the wind. She closed her eyes for a moment and let it brush her cheeks. It felt nice. Almost like freedom.

She could only imagine what her life with Jamal would be like after Ryan had been taken care of and he was no longer in the picture.

When she opened her eyes, Jamal was watching her with the type of look that made her stomach feel funny.

”Stop,” she whispered, turning her face away.

”Want me to stop the car?” he asked, but his voice was teasing.

”Stop looking at me like that,” she said, for Ryan’s benefit so he would know Jamal was flirting with her.

He chuckled softly. ”Like what?”

Abigail sighed and didn’t answer. Ryan didn’t need to know that answer. He should figure it out himself. Her little assignment for the old pervert.

”How about we park by the roadside and enjoy the view? Maybe talk?” He asked softly, holding out a hand to her.

”No. You said ten minutes,” she reminded him, taking his hand.

”And I also said I need someone to talk to. I need...”

”Pete, I’m not your friend. If you need to talk to someone, go call a friend or something. My father will be very mad if he finds out we drove out together by this time of the night,” Abigail said in a stiff voice.

”He won’t find out. You mentioned that he traveled, didn’t you?” Jamal reminded her, and then raised her hand to his lips, making her smile.

”Are you just stupid or clueless? The security at the gate and the staff at home are aware we went out together. Do you really think no one would report this movement to him? You are going to lose your job if you keep acting this way. That you know my secret doesn’t mean you should try to take advantage of me,” Abigail said harshly.

Jamal blinked at her tone. If he didn’t know she was acting, and this was real, he’d have been really hurt by her tone.

Jamal sighed as he let go of her hand and picked up his phone.

”What are you doing?” Abigail asked suspiciously.

”Calling your Dad to let him know we went for a test drive. I should tell him before he hears from someone else. That way he won’t suspect a thing,” Jamal said and Abigail frowned.

”Why would he suspect a thing? Nothing is going on between us. But yes. Go ahead and call him,” she said, and Jamal dialed Ryan’s line.

Ryan, who had been listening to the conversation, received the call at the third ring, and silenced the speaker so that Jamal wouldn’t hear his voice echoing and know he was recording them.

”Pete, why are you calling?” He asked with false impatience even though he knew that Pete was calling to put Abigail at ease so that he could spend some more time with her and she would loosen up.

He was very impressed by Pete’s acting and flirting skills, and he enjoyed listening to Abigail’s voice. He liked how strict she sounded but he could also tell she was affected in a way by Pete, and he wondered how long it would take Pete to win her heart.

”I’m sorry to bother you so late in the evening. I called to let you know Miss Abigail and I are test driving the new car. We drove out of the premises. We are taking a drive around and will be back within the next hour,” Pete said respectfully.

Abigail raised a brow at that.

”It’s late, Pete. And tomorrow is a work day. She needs to rest. Don’t keep her out for too long,” Ryan said, since that was the right way to respond as Abigail’s father. ”Can she hear me?”

”Yes, sir. The phone is on speaker,” Jamal responded.

”Abi, don’t stay out for too long and let me know when you get home, okay?” He said, and Abigail rolled her eyes.

How did he expect her to respond? Or did he think she’d forget she was mute and say ’okay’?

”She said okay,” Jamal said, and then Ryan hung up.

”See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Jamal told Abigail with a wink, and she grinned, liking the fact that Ryan thought he was making a fool of her with Jamal, but the reverse was the case.

”Fine. You can park somewhere let’s talk for some minutes,” she said with a sigh.

Jamal pulled the car over by the roadside. ”Thanks.”

”Nothing to thank me for. How do you feel?” Abigail asked, and Jamal dragged a deep breath.

”I don’t know how I feel. Have you ever been in love?” He asked, turning in his seat to look at her.

”No,” Abigail said with a shake of her head, wanting to focus on the conversation so she doesn’t make any mistake.

”No?” He asked with a raised brow.

”Why do you sound surprised?” She asked, and Jamal hesitated.

”I sort of heard rumors that Josh is yours. I thought you might be in love with his Dad,” Jamal said, and Abigail shook her head.

”No. It was a one night stand. I don’t even know his name or anything about him,” Abigail said, and Jamal feigned surprise.

”Really?”

”Why do you look so surprised?” She asked with a small laugh.

”I guess you don’t strike me as the one night stand type,” Jamal said, making her grin.

”Why? Because I’m supposed to be mute?” She asked dryly.

”No. I don’t know. I can’t explain it. But let’s not digress. So, he’s not in the picture?” Jamal asked, since he knew Ryan was curious about that.

If they were able to convince him that Josh’s father was not in the picture, it will be easy for him to believe that Abigail fell for Pete easily.

”Didn’t I just say I don’t know anything about him. He doesn’t know anything about me, so how can he be in the picture? And why are we even talking about me when you wanted to talk about your heartbreak?” Abigail asked, sounding irritated.

”Because I’m curious about you. I think I wasn’t as affected by the break up because lately I’ve been thinking about you a lot,” Jamal said, and Abigail grinned.

”Pete, do you love your job?” She asked with disapproval.

”I do...”

”I don’t think so. Because if you did, you’d be more careful about the sort of things you say to me. You are my sister’s driver and secretary. Nothing. I repeat, nothing can happen between us. My father could kill you if you so much as wink at me,” Abigail said, and Jamal shrugged.

”I don’t mind dying for your love,” he said, and Abigail rolled her eyes at the cliche line but her lips twitched.

”This isn’t the reason I asked you to park the car. I don’t think you have anything to say to me. Let’s go home. I need to call it a night,” she said, and then Jamal reached out and turned the radio on.

A slow song played. The singer’s voice was soft and sad.

Jamal sighed, ”I guess you’re turning on the radio because you no longer want to talk,” he said as he started the car.

Abigail looked at him, wondering why he turned on the radio, and butterflies fluttered in her belly as he leaned over and captured her lips in a kiss that altered her heartbeat and made her toes melt.

After he broke the kiss, he grinned at, seeing how dazed she looked, and then he pulled back into the road.

They drove in silence for a minute then Jamal spoke again, his voice was lighter. ”Are we really not friends?”

”I don’t know.”

”Can we be?” he asked softly.

”I don’t think it’s a good idea. Let’s maintain our boundaries.”

”But you confide in me. I want to be someone you can rely on,” he said, but Abigail said nothing.

Jamal didn’t push her.

When they got back to the house, Jamal turned to her after parking the car. His eyes were gentle. ”Thank you for coming with me,” he said.

Abigail felt her chest ache. She didn’t want to say goodnight yet. ”It wasn’t a big deal. It’s just ten minutes.”

He smiled. ”Well, ten minutes is better than nothing. And it’s good for a start.”

”A start?” She repeated.

”I’ll like to spend more time with you in the future. Maybe we can have lunch together going forward during lunch breaks,” he suggested.

”Pete...”

”It’s just lunch. I didn’t say it was a date. I really like you, and I hope you’d understand that,” he said as he got out of the car and Abigail did the same.

”Goodnight, Miss Abigail,” Jamal said as he handed the car key to her, ”You can leave the car key on the key holder in the living room, that way I can pick it up in the morning without bothering you,” he said, and Abigail grinned, happy he said that.

”Goodnight,” she muttered and signed I love you to him, before walking away.