You Before Me

by Lindsay Paige

  It's not like I can completely go against my parents. Not right now anyway. I'm one hundred percent dependent on their money. If they wanted, they could force me into making a decision that they want just so they will keep paying for everything. Maybe I should go get a job and start saving money because I have a feeling that that day will come before I finish college. And with Thanksgiving coming up, I really hope my parents will find something else to do so I can stay here instead.

  “What are you thinking about?” Gabe's voice interrupts my thoughts.

  “A little bit of everything. You?”

  “I was wondering about something important.”

  “And that would be?” I question, noticing that the water is slowly starting to chill, and the bubbles are disappearing one by one.

  “If you're willing, I'd like for you to officially meet my mother. You didn't seem excited about going home for Thanksgiving, so you could have dinner with us. If you want.”

  My stomach drops. I open my eyes and sit up, focusing my attention on my knees. Is he fucking crazy? Knowing I need to say something, I try to sound calm. “You want me to meet your mother at Thanksgiving when your entire family will be present?” Then what it means for him to ask hits me. “You want me to meet your mother?” I repeat with a small smile to celebrate Gabe's question as I turn around to face him, my knees still tucked against my chest.

  “Yes, I do,” he answers with a grin of his own.

  Gabe wants his mother to meet me because he likes me that much. He's ready to show them what he sees in me, and he's confident that they'll see it too. But the fact that his whole family will be there slams into me, slapping away any previous good feelings. His father doesn't approve, and neither did his mother from our brief encounter. That will be amplified, I'm sure, with everyone else there. I want them to like me so much. My gut tells me it's a bad idea. A really, gigantic, fucking bad idea.

  “I don't know, Gabe,” I say quietly with loads of apprehension tucked into the words. “You want them to like me and I want that too, I do. Do you honestly think that's possible though? Based on their reactions to me so far. Not to mention that you want to do this on a damn holiday. I don't want to be the reason your family has a less than happy Thanksgiving.”

  He reaches out, takes my hand and holds it up, intertwining our fingers. “Ryan, it will happen. Maybe not right away, but they are going to love you. Gramps will be there and he definitely loves you. You'll for sure have Gramps, Owen, and me on your side. I want you to go, Ryan. If you rather not or rather wait until a different time, just tell me. I want you to be as comfortable as possible.”

  That's not going to happen no matter what. His parents are scary as hell. None of that really matters. At least, I hope not. Gabe wants to take me on this next step for him, and I can't say no.

  “Are you sure you want this?” I need him to say it out loud one more time.

  “I'm absolutely sure.”

  Relenting against my better judgment, I nod.

  Chapter Eleven

  Gabe

  I love that Ryan obviously doesn't seem sure about this, but she's determined to do it anyway. If Gramps can like her, then my parents can too. Her age seems to be the biggest concern for them. That doesn't matter to me. All they need to see is that Ryan is a good person, and a good person for me. The water is cold now and I'm ready to get out.

  “C'mon. Let's take a hot shower and go to bed.” Ryan nods, turning to drain the water from the tub. As we step out to move to the shower, turning on the water, I add, “We can do a test run of sorts, if you want. Owen has another home game next week. My parents, Gramps, and Grandma will be there. Do you want to go with me?”

  “You sure are asking a lot of me, Gabe.”

  I laugh and drag her into the stall with me. “Nothing I wouldn't do for you.”

  She smiles, wrapping her arms around my neck as the water showers over us. “I'd love to go.”

  “Good.”

  Ryan steps around me and reaches for the soap and a rag. We quickly wash ourselves, my eyes glued to her body. It's on display just for me until she wraps a towel around it once she gets out of the shower. I reach out, grab the white fabric, and tug.

  “I don't think so.”

  Ryan props her hands on her hips, her long, red hair attempting to cover her breasts, but failing. “Gabe, I need to dry off.” As if to prove her point, water drips from the tips of her hair. But all I can focus on is the path the droplets take. Ryan snaps her fingers to get my attention. “I shouldn't go to bed with wet hair.”

  I brought something with me this weekend for us to try and now is definitely the time to do so. “Do you want to take time to dry your hair or do we want to find out if handcuffs really do have a better use?” Her jaw drops, shock clearly written on her face. Uh, oh. “Wait, you weren't serious about that, were you?” I ask, feeling like an idiot.

  She throws her hands up in the air. “No! I was trying to distract you, so you wouldn't arrest me!” God, I'm so dumb. Her voice comes down a couple notches as she curiously adds, “Did you really bring them?”

  I hand her back her towel and she wraps it around her. Wordlessly, I nod and wrap my own towel around my waist. All of a sudden, Ryan bursts into a fit of laughter. She takes my hand, leading me out of the bathroom, still laughing.

  “You can stop laughing at me any time now,” I tell her. She giggles harder. “What are you doing?” I ask when she grabs my luggage and places it on the bed. I stand next to her and she grins at me.

  “Get them. Let's find out.”

  “What?” I'm confused. She just said that she wasn't serious.

  “All hilariousness of this situation aside, if you want to try it, then I'm up for it. Get them, Gabe,” she repeats.

  I stare at her, still unsure if she's serious.

  Ryan takes my hand. “I'm going to be honest with you, okay? I've never done anything like this before and I'm a little nervous. I trust you, though. As long as you don't go overboard or anything, I'm sure it'll be fun. If it isn't, I'll tell you without any hesitation. Have you ever restrained someone during sex?”

  I shake my head. “No, I haven't. Your comment has been on my mind lately, so that's why I thought of it. Are you sure? Because you being nervous is making me nervous.”

  “I'm excited too.” She smiles to reassure me. “It's not like you're going to chain me to the bed and leave me here. It's only handcuffs. You're starting to over think this like I am. Get the handcuffs, Gabe.”

  Ryan lets go of my hand and pushes my luggage closer to me. I flick my eyes to her towel. “Take it off and lay down.”

  She grins, knowing that I'm going to do it. While she does that, I open the front pocket and retrieve the cuffs before putting my bag back in its place. When I turn around, Ryan is laying on her back, looking relaxed.

  “Are those the ones you use for work?” She asks, glancing at the silver pair in my hand.

  “No,” I answer as I walk back to the bed, stripping my own towel off. “These are an extra pair.” I arrange the pillows to sit against the headboard on the left side of the bed. “Scoot over here and lift your arms up with your wrists together.”

  She glances up, watching as I place one cuff around her wrist. I put it near the headboard where I want it and reach for her other wrist. I make it so the links connecting them go around the bedpost to keep her hands there. The bedpost isn't much higher than the headboard and the pillows are supporting Ryan. Her elbows are slightly bent, which is perfect in case she wants to stop and remove her hands from their place.

  “If you want to take them down, just push your wrists backwards and lift. You should be able to do it, even though it's as big and as round as it is. Try it for me, just to make sure.” Her elbows lock up as she straightens her arms and lift. “Good,” I nod, gently pushing her wrists back in place. “Unless you don't like it, don't move them until I say so.”

  Satisfied, I climb into the bed, settling myself between her legs
. Excitement sparkles in Ryan's eyes. I trail my fingers from her wrist, slowly down her arm, as I press my lips to hers. She greets me eagerly. My fingertips dance downward to graze her breast and I leave her mouth behind. I kiss her collarbone, her sternum between her breasts, and her stomach. One final kiss over her dandelion tattoo before I spread her legs wide.

  She's expecting my mouth. Not quite yet. I lightly blow over her sensitive skin. Her arms jerk and I glance up at her. Ryan's watching me though. I smirk before lowering my mouth onto her. That happy sigh I love to hear escapes as I lick and suck. Ryan moves her legs over my shoulders when I push a finger inside her. I hear a scrape of the metal against the bedpost again.

  “Gabe,” Ryan breathes when I look up at her. She lets her legs fall to the side, a silent gesture that she's ready for me. I grab the last of our stash of condoms from the top of the nightstand.

  “Legs over my shoulders again,” I order as I put on the condom. When she does, I place one foot on the floor to half stand and give myself a better leverage. I slide her hips over just a bit before guiding myself inside her.

  My right hand steadies me on the bed as I begin to move. My free hand reaches out to play with her breast. The moment my fingers tug on her nipple, her arms pull forward a bit. I love being able to see that she wants to touch me so much, but I need to make sure she's fine.

  “Doing okay, Ryan?” I pinch her nipple and her back arches, pushing her breast further into my hand.

  “Mhm,” she hums. I pull out until just the tip off me is inside her. “Gabe,” she breathes.

  “Yeah?”

  “None of that tonight. I can't touch you, so you can't tease me. Just fuck me hard.”

  A second after she finishes talking, I slam into her and she yells out. I do it again twice. “Like that?”

  “Mhm,” she hums again, her eyes closed as I begin to repeatedly thrust into her hard and deep.

  “Look at me.”

  Those green eyes flash open in a hurry. Ryan watches me as my movements quicken until I feel her tighten around me. My hand glides down her torso, reaching between her legs as my thumb begins to rub the spot that will push her higher and over the edge. Ryan screams, her eyes closing, as she arches her back, the heels of her feet digging into my shoulders. She unravels beneath me, pulsing around my cock.

  My release hits me hard. I push her legs aside and fall on her. The girl takes every ounce of my energy.

  “Gabe,” she mutters, her voice strained.

  “Yeah?”

  “Get off me, please. These handcuffs are biting into my wrists and I can't really move like this.”

  Her words stir me into action. I get up, pull out of her, and lift her arms for her. Quickly, I go to the bathroom to clean myself up and slip on my boxer briefs. When I come back, she's sitting up on the bed with her wrists in her lap. She puts them in my lap for me to help her remove the handcuffs when I sit back down.

  “Oh, Ryan,” I say softly with remorse. There are bright red lines around her wrists. My thumb runs over them lightly.

  “It's fine, Gabe. I tugged harder than I thought, I guess. Be right back.” She gets up, disappearing into the bathroom. A minute later, her voice carries to me, “It was fun and really good.” Ryan walks out, dressed in pajamas, and comes to straddle my lap. She makes a show over running her hands over my bare chest. “But I much rather be able to touch you whenever I want.”

  “I do love your touch.”

  “Good.” She kisses me softly and then smiles. “Let's watch a movie.”

  We rearrange ourselves on the bed. I grab the remote, turning on the TV, as Ryan snuggles up to me. This has been a wonderful mini-trip and I can't wait to take Ryan to see more artwork.

  * * *

  Ryan is having to meet me at the game because I wouldn't have time to pick her up and make it to the game before it started. And good thing I'm meeting her because I got off a few minutes later than I was supposed to, so I'm still partially in work clothes. Getting to the game as quickly as possible is my first priority. Instead of changing completely, I kept my pants on and changed my shirt and such. My navy slacks are paired with just a white t-shirt and a jacket to keep me warm. The November air is extra vicious tonight, it seems. Ryan told me roughly where she and my family are sitting, but I've already missed kick off.

  Quickly, I walk up the ramp to the bleachers, walking down to the other end, where Ryan is laughing next to Gramps. God, she's beautiful. She's wearing dark jeans, a red shirt, which makes her hair look brighter than usual, and a black leather jacket with a white scarf wrapped around her neck. She grins when she sees me. My eyes flicker to everyone else. They seem to be watching with scrutinizing eyes, except for Gramps. There's an empty spot next to Ryan, and I take it.

  “Hey,” she greets.

  “Hey,” I reply, not being able to help myself as I squeeze her knee, lean over, and give her a little, worthy-in-front-of-my-mother kiss. Ryan's already pink cheeks grow a little darker with a blush. Looking past her, I say hello to my family, asking how they've been. My grandfather is the last to answer.

  He proudly puts an arm around Ryan with a grin. “This girl knows her football and can shoot. Better keep her, Gabriel.”

  Ryan lets out a girly giggle. “You have Gabe to thank for both of those things, Gramps.” She looks at me with a sly smile. “He taught me everything I needed to know.”

  A call on the field distracts everyone, the conversation ending as Gramps' arm falls from her shoulders, but Ryan is still watching me, as if her words have more meaning to them and she wants me to catch on. Her green eyes seem to be a stark contrast against her skin tonight, holding my gaze captive. I can't resist any longer as I lean over to whisper in her ear.

  “You are gorgeous. I am so very excited to get you home.”

  Then I pull away and look onto the field to find my little brother. From the corner of my eye, I can see Ryan turn to the same direction, but she glances at me after a few seconds. I smirk, see her shake her head, and then she hooks her arm through my elbow before sticking her hand back into her pocket.

  My family loves football, so with the game in full swing, there isn't a lot of talking going on that isn't football related. Gramps includes Ryan in his comments. She seems to be enjoying herself, but I notice her teeth are chattering a little. Is she that cold? I mean, there's a bite in the air, but she should be warm enough.

  “Hey,” I catch her attention. “Do you want some hot chocolate?”

  Ryan grins. “Yes, I would.”

  “Do y'all need anything?” Everyone shakes their heads. “We'll be right back then,” I say to the rest of my family, noticing my mother paying extra attention to us now. Ryan slips her hand into mine as we stand, and I lead her down the steps. Once we are down the ramp, there are less people around. I swivel, causing Ryan to run into me as she laughs with embarrassment. I don't give her a chance to apologize. Instead, my hands dive through her hair to grasp her neck, bringing her to me for a kiss. Ryan's icy fingers chill my skin over my beard.

  Needing to taste her, I swipe my tongue over her lips, and they part quickly at my demand. She sighs, leaning into me as she fervently kisses me back with the same eagerness. Reluctantly, I pull away, her lips already forming a smile.

  “Is that why you dragged me out here?” She asks.

  “Partly. I've wanted to do that since the moment I saw you. But your mouth was moving like one of those chattering teeth toys, so I figured you might want something to warm you up.”

  “C'mon then,” she laughs, taking my hand and tugging me towards the concession stands. While we wait in line, she adds, “The cold is bitter tonight. If I had known, I would have brought a thicker jacket or something.”

  “You didn't watch the weather?” I tease, remembering what she said the morning after her birthday.

  Ryan seems to be full of laughter tonight. “No, I didn't, smart ass.”

  We step forward, and I order her drink before she can. When as
ked if she would like whipped cream, Ryan shakes her head. I go to reach into my wallet, but Ryan waves her hand at me, pulling money from her pocket.

  “Don't even think about it,” I protest.

  She shoves the money at the woman before I can stop her. When she turns to face me, she rolls her eyes. “Relax. It's only hot chocolate, Gabe. C'mon, we're in the way.” We step to the side, Ryan taking a moment to sip her drink before we head back to my family. “Mmm,” she mumbles heavenly.

  I laugh at her. “Ready now?”

  Ryan holds out her hand, so I take it and lead her back to our seats. Gramps smiles when he sees us.

  “About time you two got back. I was startin' to think y'all escaped.”

  Ryan giggles, taking her seat next to him. “Now why would we do that?”

  I wrap my arm around her shoulders, tugging her closer to me in hopes to keep her warm, and Gramps gives a hearty laugh.

  “Darlin', I remember how I was when I was young and in love with my sweetie.” At this, he pats my grandmother on the knee affectionately as the horn sounds to alert us of halftime.

  I expect Ryan to tense, and she does for a moment, but then she smiles sweetly at Gramps. “I bet you do, Gramps. It couldn't have been that long ago,” she says.

  He laughs. “You are a charmer, darlin'.”

  Just then, my mother drags him into a conversation with her and Dad. Ryan drains what's left of her drink and looks at me as the players start to file back onto the field.

  Quietly, so no one will hear her, she mutters, “Oops. I didn't offer you any.” She holds up her empty cup and intentionally licks her lips. “You can still taste it though, if you want.” Ryan gives me a wicked grin.