by Joyce Jordan
Thinking, Ana tilted her head. “You know, I can’t say. It’s unpredictable. At times I can be there twice in a month, then there are times when months go by with no word. But the good thing is that, when I was in college they were good about working around my schedule so I didn’t miss class or anything like that. And the bonus is that I get to use some of their equipment for personal use or sometime test it. It’s a hackers dream.” She ended with a smile and Gabe smiled back at her.
Clearly she was at ease so he should probably learn to live with it too, since he intended to be with her for the long haul. He had learnt early on that he needed to let her make her own business decisions otherwise he would be tossed flat on his butt. He even had to pay double for a mistake he made when he underestimated her at the beginning of their relationship. Well, before they even had a relationship. The only relationship he had a say in was their personal one. And so far he had tried to stay clear of mixing business with pleasure, as much as he could control. No one could say he was a slow learner. Not that he didn’t fuck up with her.
Ana dropped down from the stool and picked up their plates. “I’ll clean up.” She made short work of the two plates and silverware, then moved to wash the pot and pan he had used. She piled it all in the dishwasher and wiped the countertops. Gabe sat and watched her move around in his kitchen. It felt right. He clutched his chest and rubbed.
Ana caught him rubbing his chest and with a worried voice asked, “Are you okay?” She rushed over and held his other hand. Her back was to the kitchen island, and Gabe caged her in. “It’s painful, please kiss and make it better.” He raised puppy dog eyes to her and tried not to laugh.
For his trouble he got a swatting. “What are you, twelve?” Ana hissed.
Gabe laughed and stole a quick kiss. “So, Ms. Summers. What’s up for today?”
“I need to do some work. Probably work throughout the weekend. This stint with the MIB just piled more work especially since I was just coming from vacation.”
“Okay, I hope you don’t mind if I hang around. I promise not to disturb you while you work. But I can promise to provide great stress relief during your breaks and lunch hours.”
Ana choked on a laugh and had to drink water to calm down. Composed but still laughing she asked, “And what is it that you will be doing while I work? That is in between your stress relief duties.”
He leaned into her for a kiss. “Umm. Preparation.”
“Preparation? What does that entail exactly?”
“That I cannot tell, Ms. Summers. It’s a trade secret.” He grinned mischievously, like a toddler who had just stolen a cookie that his mum had forbidden him to take.
With as much of a stern face she could muster, Ana looked into Gabe’s eyes, and said, “Do you have references? Anyone I can call that will confirm you are good at your job?”
He stuttered and she almost laughed. He didn’t think this would be a goodtime to include past relationships.
Ana decided to take pity on him. “Because if you don’t, I will have to give you a trial run. You will need to impress me in the next few hours. If you are not as good as you say you are, I will have to call your agency and ask for a replacement.”
“Ms. Summers. I can assure you that I am the best. You won’t regret it and there will be no replacements after I am done with you. Infact, I think I should give you a sampling of my work right now.” Before Ana could say anything, Gabe held her head and captured her mouth in a tantalizing kiss. The strength of it was unexpected, a little different as if something had changed. The passion build up fast and furious and Ana’s analysing went out the door. She wanted to be closer so she grabbed his t-shirt and fisted her hands and held tight. She couldn’t get enough, and yet she had been satisfied several times over and over just several hours ago. She wanted him again, yet could still feel his imprint in her sex when heat pooled down and she felt the ache for him and of what his cock had done to her with his pounding. Unending pounding.
Gabe couldn’t believe how much he wanted to throw Ana on the kitchen island and pound himself into her. Never had he been so satisfied by a woman, the same woman for weeks at end and still want her, just mere hours after one of the best mornings of his thirty odd years. If she weren’t sore from their morning activities they would have been naked by now and on the way to have an explosive orgasm. But it didn’t mean he still couldn’t give that to her without his cock or fingers in her aching sex. So he continued tormenting her with his mind blowing kisses and when her knees gave out, he stood and sat her on the countertop. He pulled the t-shirt she wore over her head and backwards. With her arms still inside the sleeves, she was held captive. He guided her palms until they reached surface and held down, exposing her chest as she leaned back at an angle. Gabe moved down a straight line from her chin until he reached her belly button, left a few kisses then came back up and rested on one breast.
Ana arched further up and whimpered. Her whimpers turned into cries of ecstacy as she begged for relief.
Gabe was merciless. He tormented, he loved, he carressed, he worshipped until he was just about to explode himself. Finally he suckled her hard and she erupted like a volcano. He palmed her sex as she came, but did not try to insert his fingers, knowing she was sore. Her skimpy barely there panties were no match for the juices that came flowing out of her. He pulled her chest to him and removed her t-shirt freeing her arms. She brought her arms to his neck and held on as she collapsed against him.
“Oh God! That was…” She swallowed and tried again, “That was amazing.”
Chuckling, Gabe kissed the crown of her head. “I’m guessing that means you are impressed.”
“Very impressed indeed. Mr. Boyd. I think you just landed yourself a weekend job. I can either pay you minimum wage, or room and board.” She laughed into his face.
“Ms. Summers, I do believe that room and board sounds like a better deal to me. So how about we get you cleaned up first. Hmmm.” Gabe continued holding her sex preventing her come from flowing down her legs and placed his other hand at her waist then picked her up. He settled her on the bathroom counter and cleaned her up. She removed her drenched panties and went in search for another, then picked her laptop and the overnight bag she had taken to DC. She waited for Gabe to finish packing his overnight bag. He claimed he had a few things at her apartment but wasn’t sure what it was, and besides he needed to keep more clothes at her apartment so he wouldn’t have to travel back and forth with a bag.
Ana left him to his packing and sat on the coach against the wall. She had over twenty missed calls and six voice messages and God knows how many text messages. Most of the missed calls were from her family in Dallas, and a couple from Kelly. She listened to the messages and frowned. The last message had been left not more than two hours ago from her brother, Mark. Kelly had left messages warning her that one of them was on the way, they were all making a big deal about the picture in the paper. The only reason they hadn’t come earlier was because she had told them she was in DC. And now Mark was supposed to arrive later this afternoon. Looking at the time, she realized she would be seeing him in just a couple of hours. Oh God. This didn’t sound good. What would prompt somebody to fly cross country about some damn picture in the paper? Her brothers had always been overprotective, Mark more than Matt. How was she going to keep Gabe away from this storm that was about to invade New York?
“You are upset, what’s wrong?” Gabe came to sit beside her and held both her hands in his.
“My brother is coming.”
“Okay. And that’s bad because?”
“Remember that picture we were talking about earlier?” Not waiting for a response, she continued. “Well, it seems my family has decided to make it their business. Half of them think I should break up with you, and the other half think I should stay with you as long as I m happy.”
“I’m guessing the brother who is coming is from the break-up camp?” he asked smiling.
“Gabe this isn’
t funny.” Exasperated she stood and started pacing. “Mark has always been a tad too overprotective. Any boyfriend of mine has gone through some kind of third degree interrogation. I’m guessing he learnt that during his years in the military. Let me tell you, it becomes embarrassing once you finish high school.”
“So which camp are your parents in?”
“My mother is with Mark and my dad is with Matt. It’s always been that way. As long as it’s not about me, I’m usually the tie breaker.” Remembering something from the past, she laughed. “But this,” she waved her hands everywhere. “is insane. I need to put an end to this behaviour once and for all. I’m a grown woman and they can’t keep interfering in my life. I love them to death, but it’s time I drew some boundaries.” She stopped pacing and looked up. “Change of plans. I need to go and head Mark off. I’ll call you as soon as I can.”
“Ana!” It was delivered as a command. She turned. “Why do I get the feeling that your family learnt about me through the newspaper? Are you ashamed of me?”
Ana walked back to the couch and sat in the same spot she had just vacated. “Oh God no. You know, we really didn’t start this relationship in the most conventional way. For me at least. And I just didn’t tell them because I knew this is what would happen. This thing between us is scary. I’m not sure what it is or where it will end. But I refuse to overthink it, so I’m here.”
The next thing, Ana found herself on his lap. “I won’t pretend I’m not angry. But I am not going to sit twidling my thumbs while you try to head off your brother. At some time I will need to meet him and the rest of your family. I’m in this for a very long time.” He intertwined their fingers then continued, “So if it will reassure your family that I’m not some playboy dangling you along, then we need to face this together. And we will start with Mark, then move on to the rest of your family. We can organise a trip to Dallas if that’s what it takes.”
“You don’t know Mark. This has disaster written all over it. He is a loose cannon ball. Only Matt can usually calm him down.”
“Why don’t we take it one step at a time? Let’s not make assumptions. Hmmm.” When Ana tried to speak, Gabe held his finger to her lips. “I’m coming with you. End of discussion.”
He kissed her then set her aside. Ana rolled her eyes and muttered, “Men.”
“I heard that.” He went back to his packing and Ana went to check the text messages. They were more or less the same as the voice messages. One of the messages from Mark said he would call as soon as he landed and they would have dinner. She should probably call her other brother Matt to get the gist of the issue and be prepared. She hoped it had been Matt who had made the trip, or at least if both had come, it would have been equal. Yeah, this is the life of a little sister with an overprotective brother.
Ana decided it was best to call her parents first. Her mum was worried, thought the age gap way be too much, she was just out of college and needed to date boys her own age. When did ten years become that big a deal in age gap? If you were fifteen maybe. Most girls had babies or were married before they even reached eighteen. Her mum of all people was aware of this, what with the home she volunteered to. Arg! It’s a good thing she didn’t live in Dallas, otherwise she could imagine the daily visits. Her dad calmed her down and was just interested in knowing if she was happy. Nothing else mattered he told her.
Unfortunately she didn’t manage to get hold of Matt. He was probably in court or with a client. When she was done with her calls, she realized Gabe had given her privacy and was in his home office. He packed his laptop and carried both their overnight bags while she took her laptop bag. His limo was waiting for them out front. John packed their bags in the trunk and they were on their way. They didn’t talk, he just held her to his chest and gave her time to digest her thoughts. He wanted to push, but he knew pushing could have the opposite results with Ana.
It was almost five by the time they got into her apartment. Kelly had apparently worked a double shift and would be home anytime soon. Not in the mood to work, Ana left her laptop in her office. They agreed to see what was on tv while waiting for a call from Mark. “Do you want to lie down? You can use my lap as your pillow.” When Ana refused Gabe shifted her so she was resting against his chest, her back to his front while she curled her legs on the couch. They went through the channels until they found a Dateline repeat show and agreed to watch it. Sometime through the show they both dozzed off. And that is how Mark found them. Curled up on the sofa with Gabe’s hand undeneath her sweater, holding her breast.
The fist that landed on Gabe’s jaw is what woke them both. Ana and Kelly both screamed. Ana realized they had just entered the apartment together. Kelly later told her she had bumped into him as she was being dropped off by Gabe’s driver. He had just paid his cab.
“What the hell do you think you are doing with my sister?” The fury from Mark was palpable. “Keep your hands to yourself.” Ana wasn’t sure if he meant from her breast, or from her altogether.
They both struggled to get up. Gabe helped Ana up and righter her clothes before he faced Mark.
By then, Ana was already trying to push Mark away. Her efforts were in vain, because he was like a tree trunk that had roots stuck in the ground. “Mind your own business Mark. You need to stay away.” He side stepped her and moved threateningly towards Gabe. Gabe held his ground, refusing to be intimidated. She moved around and stood in between them. “Stop this right now. This is crazy.” None of them looked at her, nor listened to her. Mark just took her arms, lifted her and deposited her to the side. “Kelly, we have to do something. I can’t have them fighting.” Kelly who had been rooted to the ground with shock, sprang into action and they both got in between the two men, trying to shove Mark aside.
Once Mark had calmed down a bit, Gabe spoke up for the first time. “How about we take this to a more private setting?”
For a minute Mark didn’t say anything, he held Gabe’s gaze then finally relented.
“Ana, we need to use your office. We will be back,” he said then turned to lead the way. Mark followed him and the girls looked at each other wondering what was going on.
“I’m coming too,” Ana said and followed.
“This is between him and me. Stay out of it, Ana,” Mark said as he turned and looked at her.
“You are crazy if you think I’m going to let you behave like baboons and try and kill each other. Out of my way,” Ana was pissed at Mark.
Gabe came to her side and held the hand that was not trying to poke into Mark’s eyes. “Baby, everything will be fine. He is your brother and he is concerned. We just need to talk man to man. There will be no fighting, I promise.”
“I’m worried about him throwing the first punch,” she said and gave her brother the evil eye.
He gave her a light kiss and said, “Trust me.”
An angry Mark boomed a few steps away. “Boyd. Are you coming or not?”
Gabe stepped away from Ana but she stepped to Mark and punched him in the shoulder. “You better behave yourself, or by God, I will sic Matt on you and file a harrassment suit against you.” As she turned back to the living room she heard both men chuckle. “That wasn’t funny she said to their retreating backs.”
Kelly came and hugged her. “Are you okay?”
“I know you have always wanted siblings, but believe me they are overated, especially if they are overbearing brothers.” Ana hugged her right back and almost screamed with frustration.
“How about we talk while I take a shower? Come,” Kelly said and took Ana’s hand. “We will keep the door open in case we hear fists landing.”
Ana sat on the edge on the bathtub while Kelly took a shower. She gave her the run down of what her parents had said whe she talked to them earlier. Matt still hadn’t called back, but she knew he supported her and thought she should make her own decisions and thus mistakes.
“I know you are mad and all right now, but now that I look at it it was pretty funny.”
Ana tried to keep a smile from coming out, “This isn’t funny Kelly.”
“Yes it is. Imagine the stories you will get to tell your grandkids when you are ninety.”
They looked at each other and burst in laughter. “When you say it that way, it is funny. God, I just hope they don’t kill each other in there. Do you think we should check?”
“Nuh! They are big boys. Men fight then they shake hands. Women scratch and plot to kill if they don’t strangle each other.”
“Enough about this depressing subject. How are you?”
“I pulled a double. I am exhausted. I just need to eat and sleep for the next twenty four hours. The good thing is I get both weekend days off.”
“I was hoping to work this weekend, but with Mark coming, I doubt there is any hope for that. If we aren’t planning any funerals, how about we do another spa day again? We can use the proceeds of our pool winnings, what do you say?”
“We can’t do that and not go clubbing later. We should call Evelyn and see if she wants to join us. Remember she said she was game any day I happened to be free?”
“Perfect. I think we can ditch the guys, find some hot cute guys to flirt with.”
“Who are you planning on flirting with Ana?” So engrossed were they with their plans, neither heard the guys until they were standing by the door.
∞∞
Gabe closed the door when he and Mark entered Ana’s office. Neither sat down. They stared at each other for what seemed like hours until Gabe opened the floor. “Why don’t you go first? Say what you need to say.”
“You have some balls man. Do you realize how old Ana is? She is fresh out of college, and then you swoop in and entangle her in your mess. She doesn’t have the experience of the usual women you hang out with. She is going to be a mess when you are done with her and move on to the next conquest.”