by Natalie Ann
“No clue,” he said. “But what I do have a clue about is getting my mouth on yours. You’d think people would let us stand together, but every time I make my way toward you, someone pulls me aside.”
“Same here,” she said, nibbling on his lips. “Do you think we could get away for a few minutes? Would anyone notice?”
“I’m afraid they will. Just an hour more.”
“If I can last that long to get you naked.”
“Tease.”
“And you love me that way.”
He laughed.
***
Gabe forced a laugh out because if he didn’t, he might slip and say, “Yes. I love you that way. I love you every way and what the hell did we get ourselves into? And those damn baby questions? Yes, I’m thinking thoughts I never thought I would before!”
But he wouldn’t say it because Leah was still counting down their time together. She brought it up more than him and he wondered if she couldn’t wait for it to end.
Sure, they got along wonderfully. They had a lot in common and they were making it work. As far as he knew, she was just a good actress who was enjoying time with him. A friend with benefits so to speak who was going to get a big payout in the end.
For the past week he’d been second-guessing all the thoughts in his mind, but standing here today and watching his family go up and talk with her—talk about her, everything—he couldn’t move one foot without someone pulling him aside and telling him what a special lady she was and how lucky he was she rammed her car into his.
The story of how they met seemed to humor everyone. Many said, “That will be a great story to tell your grandkids someday.” Seemed his family was more interested in the baby-making plans than hers. Her family hadn’t made one comment about children that he knew of but his were all over his back. You’d think his mother would be happy he was married, but instead he’d overheard her excitedly talking about hoping to plan a baby shower in the future.
Now he was wondering if what should have been so simple was now going to blow up in his face.
Thankfully her family was having a good time too.
Leah’s father had been reluctant over the sudden marriage, he knew that, but Gabe felt he had won them over.
On top of that, Leah was a nervous wreck her family would be judged here today, but he hadn’t seen it happen once.
Even though there were nearly seventy people here, they were all close family and friends. No one that would do that.
Leah’s parents were nice people. They were both teachers, middle class with great values and personalities that they instilled in their daughter.
Had he heard that Leah had changed his attitude about life in general? He had. And he hadn’t believed it until now.
Until he kept searching for and wanting to be by her.
Until Michael came up to him and said, “I’d ask how it’s going, but I can tell.”
“What can you tell?” he asked his best friend.
“Exactly what I said when I married you two. I don’t think this is as much of an arrangement as you both want it to be. Are you playing a game with each other? Or lying to each other? Maybe you’re lying to yourselves?”
“No lies,” Gabe had mumbled. “We talk about everything. We know what we need to do and we are both playing our parts.”
“Then you’re both idiots,” Michael had said and walked away.
As he held Leah in his arms, he told himself he couldn’t let her go in ten months, but had no clue how to make her stay.
Idiot or not, he wasn’t going to make a fool of himself and declare any feelings when they’d entered this agreement knowing the rules.
He’d never been a rule breaker...until now.
Growing Feelings
Time seemed to be flying by much faster than Gabe would have hoped for. He’d kind of figured Leah’s business would slow down a touch in the fall and coming up to the holidays, but how would he have known so many people wanted Christmas or New Year weddings?
So between holiday parties where he got to show her off some more and family dinner parties, he was pretty much burned out. So it surprised him when he had his physical at the doctor’s and they’d told him it was the lowest his blood pressure had been in years and to keep up the good work.
Even Leah was crashing most nights due to exhaustion.
He’d turned more into a house husband than he’d thought he’d ever be. Twice this week he had dinner on the table for her.
For the past few months, he was trying to block away his growing feelings for his wife. Thoughts of a family. Of children. A life he never thought he’d have and suddenly was craving it.
They got along famously. When they had time together, they made use of it. Not just in the bedroom, but in other rooms.
Sex was wonderful. Conversations were great.
Emotions were locked away.
He’d been looking for any sign that she might be feeling some of what he was, but he hadn’t gotten a clue at all.
She was wonderful for everything. Anything he wanted or asked of her, she did. More accommodating than he’d thought she’d be. Except for letting him get any insight into how she might be feeling.
There was no way he was putting his heart on the line without having any indication of her thoughts in the matter. Still seven more months before their fourteen months were up.
The only time their end date was mentioned was when Leah would make some crack about it being temporary. Everyone hating her when it was over. Even how they were going to go from happy newlyweds to saying it’s not working out.
He had no answers for her because he was hoping it didn’t happen.
“I’m glad this day is over,” Leah said when she walked into the kitchen as he was stirring sauce in a pan. He’d left half day hoping she could do the same, but since she had a wedding in two days and most businesses were closed for Christmas tomorrow, it hadn’t worked out as she’d planned. At least she was home at five tonight.
“A rough one?” he asked, pulling her in for a kiss on the cheek. Never once had she noticed or made a comment that what should be an act for the public extended behind closed doors.
Then again, she was always reaching for him too. Hmm, were those her little signs, or was it just a physical thing with her and not the mental?
“Not the end of the world. Everyone is rushing to get holiday things done, and I’m trying to get wedding planning done. I think we are all set for Friday night. I understand Christmas themed weddings; I just don’t enjoy doing them.”
“I don’t understand why anyone wants to do them. Most people are busy enough with parties and family, spending money on gifts, throwing a wedding into the mix is a nightmare for not just the bride and groom.”
“Thank you for getting that,” she said, kissing him on the lips. “I’ve never tried to talk anyone out of a wedding date, but when they come to me I tell them all the obstacles in my way during that time.”
“And most brides don’t care, do they?”
“Not at all. And I’m done talking about work. Dinner smells wonderful. I’m so lucky to come home to this. I’m sure going to miss it.”
Those little hints again. Would she really miss it, or was she just reminding him that he needed to keep his emotions in check?
“Who says it has to stop?” he said, just throwing it out and seeing what happened.
“You know what? I’d love to have a home-cooked meal every night. I doubt you’ll do that for me come July though,” she said, laying her head on his chest. She’d been grinning, but her eyes didn’t show it.
“I guess we’ll just have to find out, won’t we?” It was the best he could do. He’d never faced much uncertainty in his life and this was killing him.
“What time do we have to be to your parents’ house for dinner tomorrow?” she asked him while she grabbed the plates and started to set the table. He checked the water to see if it was boiling yet.
“Dinner is at four
. What time is brunch at your parents’?” he asked. It amazed him they were able to spend the holiday with both sets of parents without much fuss.
“Around eleven. That gives us time to sleep in. I desperately need it.”
“I was hoping we could get a little exercise in before our heads hit the pillows for sleep,” he said, knowing she’d be game. She always was.
“Of course,” she said, winking at him. “I’m going to go change and I’ll be back down to help you get dinner on the table.”
***
The next morning, Leah ended up getting up earlier than she’d thought. So much for sleeping in, but the truth was, she wanted to have a special breakfast for Gabe and bring it to him in bed.
This past month she’d been going crazy with work and he didn’t seem to be as swamped as he was months ago. He was always busy, just not working to midnight as much as it seemed she was. Or at least getting calls like she did after hours.
She appreciated the effort he’d been putting in to make time for the two of them when she got home, but she was distancing herself now.
Somewhere, somehow, she was starting to feel things for her husband that she told herself she shouldn’t be feeling. That had no business being in her mind, let alone her heart.
Every time she felt herself start to go down a permanent road, she’d say something to remind them it was temporary. That he wasn’t the Prince Charming—they really didn’t exist—she’d always wanted and that divorce was coming.
This was the main reason she was sour on relationships to begin with. She went into this knowing there was no future and had to tell herself to stop wishing for it so badly.
Didn’t he think of this whole plan because he was sick of women trying to get his name and money? To be one of those women who did that when she knew going in it was short term made her no better or different than what he’d dealt with in the past.
And when he threw it out there about giving her home-cooked meals after July, well, she supposed he meant they still had to be on good terms as part of their contract. He must have meant it that way. There was no way he’d want anything more between them when they were done.
Honestly, she wasn’t sure she could continue on with their friendship even then. It would just hurt too much knowing she wanted him so badly and he didn’t feel the same way.
She wiped her face when she felt a tear start to slide down and told herself there was time yet to grieve, so for now she was going to enjoy every minute of time she could with Gabe.
Starting with their first Christmas today. Their only Christmas together. Damn those tears again.
She ran the water, splashed it on her face and then dried it off. There, that was better, and it was time to start breakfast.
It didn’t take long before she had pancakes layered with strawberries and whipped topping, coffee and juice on a tray, and was carrying it up the stairs.
She pushed the door open with her foot to see Gabe lying on his stomach with his arm stretched out reaching where she’d normally be lying. She’d like to think he was reaching for her, but it was more like he just wanted the space to stretch out.
“Merry Christmas,” she said and watched as he started to move around.
He sat up and rubbed his eyes, then squinted at her. “Talk about a nice way to get up in the morning,” he said. “Merry Christmas to you too.”
“I figured you’ve been taking such good care of me that I could do the same for you this morning.”
“I could get used to this,” he said and she wondered if he was just throwing her words back at her or if he actually meant them. Best not to let her mind go there.
“I might be convinced to do it again.” She set the tray down on the table in the little seating area. He got up and grabbed a pair of pajama pants, then walked into the bathroom quick while she arranged everything for them to sit and eat.
He came out a minute later, his hair standing up in different directions, his eyes sleepy and his lips seeking hers. “Nice and minty,” she said, knowing his morning routine. He always brushed his teeth before he walked out of the bathroom each morning. It was funny that she did the same thing.
“How did you sleep?” he asked her. When they were able to have breakfast together, he always asked her that and she never understood why.
“Good. You?”
“Wonderful. I was pretty worn out,” he said, grinning at her. He smiled a lot more now than he used to too.
“Me too. But that might explain the snoring you did last night.”
“I don’t snore,” he said, picking his coffee up. He drank it black and strong enough to grow hair on a bald man’s head.
She added an extra teaspoon of sugar to hers to counter the way he liked it made. “Since you’re sleeping you’d have no way of knowing. But in this case, I’m just teasing.”
He reached his hand over and laid it on hers. “I like when you tease me.”
“I’ll remember that,” she said.
The rest of their breakfast was eaten while they talked about what to expect at each of the parents’ houses today. She’d already been showered and dressed, so when he went to shower, she cleaned up.
She was sitting at the island with another cup of coffee when he came in and said, “Let’s go open gifts.”
“I was wondering how long we’d have to wait for that,” she said.
She always enjoyed the holidays and watching others open gifts. She’d never cared if she received much, but the joy on others’ faces was worth it to her.
Their tree was massive and he’d confessed it was the first he’d had in the house since he bought it. That living alone he never felt the need to decorate, but he encouraged her to try her hand at it in his house.
She’d been reluctant to make any changes in his house at all, knowing it was just short term. He’d persuaded her to at least do what she wanted to her office and she did, but not much changed other than some towels, sheets, or curtains.
She did go a little overboard with the Christmas decorations though because it wasn’t a permanent thing anyway.
They opened up a bunch of gifts they’d gotten each other. Clothing, little knickknacks and such. It didn’t take long and when she thought he might be done, she was ready to pull out her big gift to him as a surprise. He’d done so much for her in the past seven months. More than she ever imagined for this arrangement.
Not just the financial part that she barely touched other than for her business, but the contacts and new clients she garnered just by being married to him.
“I’ve got one more thing for you,” he said.
“That’s funny, I’ve got one for you too.”
“I want to go first.”
He reached into the tree branches and pulled out a small box she hadn’t even known was hidden in there. She was almost afraid to open it. The last two times he’d given her jewelry it was more than she felt comfortable with.
“Gabe, you need to stop giving me these little boxes that are full of way too much.”
“Just open it. It’s our first Christmas together. Trust me, it’ll be expected.”
She rolled her eyes. “No. Don’t you know you start out small? If you start out too big then a woman expects you to match it or beat it every year after.”
“I don’t know the rules like you do, it seems.”
“No rules,” she said. “Just picking on you.” She opened the box and tried not to gasp, but it was hard. Damn him and the diamonds. Earrings this time, matching the settings to her wedding band and necklace.
“Put them in and let me see,” he said softly. “You always have your hair pulled away from your face, so let’s show these off.”
She did as he said, her eyes filling a touch when she told herself to not let that happen. “They’re beautiful. How do they look?” she said, turning her head side to side.
“Stunning. Just like you.” He reached for her and pulled her into his lap, then kissed her softly. He hadn’t kissed
her this softly once. Not tenderly like he was trying to show her something she’d never felt from him before. She chalked it up as the holiday emotions shining through.
“Can I give you my gift now?” she said.
“If you must,” he said, sighing as she moved off his lap.
“Like you, I wanted to do something special.” She pulled out an envelope that she’d had stashed under the tree skirt. “Here.”
He opened it up to look at the brochure for Italy. “What’s this?”
“We never had a honeymoon. We’ve both been working an ungodly number of hours and I thought, I’ve got a few weekends where I don’t have any weddings planned in February and maybe we could make it work. My gift to you. Just the two of us for a week.”
She desperately wanted some time alone with him and memories she could hold onto before it all ended. The existence of Prince Charming or not, she wanted to hold onto this fairytale before the coach turned back into a pumpkin.
“I can make that work. Tell me the weeks and we’ll go book it now so that nothing can stop us.”
“Thank you,” she said, wrapping him up in a hug.
“You said I went overboard, but this is a huge gift. Please let me pay for it,” he said.
“No. I’ve talked to the hotel, I’ve got it all priced out. The same with the airline tickets. I just need a date from you and we’re good to go. Gabe, let me do this. I want it and I think you need it.”
“I probably want it more than either of us needs it,” he said and she wondered what he truly meant by that.
Building Memories
Their one-year anniversary was coming up soon and Gabe was getting desperate about what to do.
Leah’s honeymoon surprise had been a trip of a lifetime for him. He’d like to think it was for her too.
They spent seven days traveling, eating, being together and pushing the rest of the world away. Even their work and their family.