by S. Cook
“What?”
“That thing. That intense stare thing you keep doing. It’s distracting.”
He laughed.
“I'm not staring at you! I'm just not looking away.”
“Well no one else looks at me that way.”
“Good,” he said, satisfied with that answer. He thought for a moment and said, “I have a question.”
“Okay.”
“Why didn't you stay? That night with me, why didn't you stay the whole night?”
I was stilled by his question.
“Stay for what? For an awkward breakfast? With the man who was only in town for one day?”
“Yeah.”
“Why did you even want me to?”
“Why wouldn't I want you to?”
I looked at him.
“I don't know. Because I wear too much makeup and my dress was trashy?”
“I'm pretty sure that you would have wiped off the makeup in the morning,” he said with a grin.
“Then you would have seen who I was. What then?”
“Then we’d definitely have something to talk about over our awkward breakfast.” He quickly ate the last bits of food on his plate. “Let's try something easier.”
“I'm ruining this, right?”
This was a mistake. Gabriel called the server over for the check. I sipped at my water self-consciously.
“Thank you.”
He handed the bill folder back to the server. I perked up as he stood. I pushed my chair back and he took my hand, helping me to my feet.
“Come on,” he said softly.
“I really shouldn't, we should just-” I started.
“We're going to play some games.”
“What?”
“Games, lots of them. You're going to relax and I'm going to win you something. Time for you to have some fun. Enough of this serious talk that’s making you uncomfortable.”
Gabriel turned out to be terrible at games. Every game was a bust for him. I snorted with laughter, shaking my head and rolling my eyes.
He laughed it off and handed me a roll of tokens.
“Here you try it, I'm terribly unlucky. Maybe you can win me something.”
“You knew you were bad at this so why would you want to do it?” I asked, laughing at his expression.
The sudden flash of the camera on his cell phone caught me by surprise. He turned the phone to face me.
The girl in the picture was happy and carefree. Not me.
“Come on. Take a picture with me,” he said, wrapping his arm around my shoulders, holding the phone up to capture us both in the frame.
The girl staring back at me was frowning slightly, eyebrows pushed together.
“Smile,” he said and then he kissed my cheek.
In that moment my expression changed and the girl from the first picture returned. The camera flashed again.
“Gabriel!” I said, laughing, “Stop! I hate having my picture taken.”
“One more then. That’s all.”
He wrapped his arm around me, drawing me close. I fit perfectly in the crook of his neck.
“Smile for me. I want a photo to keep.”
His hand traced a line down my arm and his scent filled my nostrils, clean, like soap. The slight chill in the air was gone. There were only his arms, his body against mine.
“Why are you doing this?” I whispered.
“You're beautiful. Look at the camera and take a picture with me.”
I turned and smiled, a real smile for a change. It felt natural and easy with him. The camera flashed again, capturing us together, perfect.
He laughed and kissed me, pressing his mouth against my protests.
“And now that your defenses are lowered, I can finally start winning at these things,” he said, pulling the roll of tokens out of my hand.
I rolled my eyes.
“I think that you're just bad. Hand over the tokens before they all go to waste.”
He laughed, pushing the tokens deep into his pockets where I couldn’t reach them.
“No! I said I was going to win you something, and I will.”
“Stuffed animal. Not something. You said stuffed animal, not a pencil.”
I reached my hands into his pockets. His breathing hitched in his throat while I dug around for the tokens. I pulled my hand out, victorious.
“You're bad at this. I'll win the stuffed animal for myself.”
Chapter Eleven: Gabriel
Lynette managed to win herself a giant teddy bear, no thanks to me of course. I felt rather emasculated at times. Seeing the excited and carefree expression on her face made it completely worthwhile though.
“Did you play sports at all?” I asked her.
She glanced over at me, holding the teddy bear against her chest.
“Why?”
“No reason,” I shrugged and placed my hands on her hips. “You’re staying with me tonight.”
“For real?”
“Yeah, why? Did that not come across clear enough?”
“You’re funny for a guy who can’t even win his date a teddy bear.”
“Hey, I helped with that,” I said.
“You were terrible.”
“I’m convinced it was a fluke.”
“Right,” she pouted and turned to me. “Come on then. Let’s go.”
Luckily the hotel was only a few minutes drive, and we were there in no time at all. Probably because I broke the speed limit.
I unlocked the door and she stepped inside. I switched on the light and closed the door behind me.
“Well, this certainly brings back a lot of memories,” she mumbled.
“Good ones, I hope,” I said.
She scoffed nonchalantly and turned away. I knew she was just mocking me, because I can still recall the way her body trembled that night, and her satisfied moans were etched into my mind. Even if she tried her best to forget them, she couldn't.
Neither could I.
“I thought you said you were good at sports,” she said suddenly.
“When did I say that?”
“Oh, you muttered something about football. I wasn't really paying attention,” she joked.
“I played football.”
“It clearly didn't help you tonight, did it,” she smiled.
“Hey, don’t you start. I just had a bout of bad luck.”
“I’d say. You spent nearly a hundred dollars on tokens and managed to lose games that everyone wins at.”
“Maybe I had an off night,” I said and sat down on the bed, resting my throbbing leg.
“Is your leg okay?”
“Sure. It hasn't fallen off yet.”
“You’re way too casual about this,” she said and motioned to my leg.
“What do you mean?”
“You were injured and spent a year paralyzed from the waist down. Now you’re making jokes about it.”
“What else can I do?” I asked with a shrug.
“I wish I could be like that.”
“What?”
“Joke about things.”
“You handle things differently.”
“More like I don't handle them at all. Avoidance is great.”
“Up to a point, sure, but it almost always either comes back to haunt you or bites you in the ass.”
“Isn't that the same thing?”
“No, not at all. I’d rather have you bite me on the ass than be haunted by you.”
She sat down on the bed beside me and shook her head.
“You are such a weirdo, Gabriel.”
“I know,” I whispered and looked at her.
“You're staring at me again.”
“Like I said before, I'm just not looking away.”
I plucked the teddy bear from her arms and placed it down on the ground beside the bed. I brushed a lock of hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear.
“Lynette,” I whispered.
“Hmm?”
“I don't feel any
different.”
And then I kissed her.
She wrapped her arms around me and spread her legs to straddle my body as I pulled her into my lap. I was sure she felt me, hard and urgent underneath her. She moved her hips slightly against me and I moaned into her mouth.
“You’re beautiful, baby.”
“Baby?” she asked, breathless from my kiss, her hands still on my back.
“Sweetheart, honey, darling, all of those.”
Pushing her hair back, I nuzzled her neck. I slid the thin strap of her dress down her shoulder and moved my lips across her neck, to her shoulder. My hands found their way up her skirt, hitching it up over her hips. My fingers sought out the edge of her panties, and I slipped them past the elastic band, exploring the soft skin underneath.
“Do you want me?” I asked.
She gently placed her hands on the side of my face and my fingers stilled, as I wondered what she was thinking.
She ran her fingers through my hair and whispered, “Who wouldn't want you?”
When she leaned in to kiss me, I pulled back and shook my head.
“That wasn't my question. Do you want me? Not anyone, just you.”
She looked at me, and I saw the desire in her eyes. She briefly bit her bottom lip, sending pulses of lust through me.
“I do.”
“Say it.”
“I want you.”
“Good,” I whispered and pressed my lips against hers.
Her hands touched my chest and dropped down to slip under my shirt. The feel of her fingertips against my skin made me dizzy with desire. I had never wanted anything as much as I wanted her at that moment, but not only for tonight.
For every night after.
I released her and pulled my shirt over my head. Pulling her closer to me, I kissed her again. I’d missed her lips, her tongue playing with mine.
She found the scars on my chest and torso, tracing them with her fingers. When her tongue replaced her fingers, my body convulsed with pleasure.
I had been self-conscious of my scars, because there were a lot of them, especially on one side. The side I tried to use as a shield but didn't quite succeed. The side that took more than its fair share of bullets, and the side that would always remain broken and scarred.
Some women loved the scars. They traced along the lines, listening to each scar’s story, each one grimmer than the previous. The sympathy in their gaze got to me. They forgot I was a man at that moment, and treated me like I was broken, like they wanted to take care of me.
Lynette didn't look at me like that.
I grabbed her wrists, forcing her to stop and she glanced up at me with a frown.
“What,” she asked breathlessly. “You don’t like that?”
“It’s not that.”
“Then what is it?”
“You don’t look at me like I’m broken.”
“I don't understand?”
I smiled at her and ran my fingers through her hair.
“My scars, my injuries. You don't see them, you just see me.”
She wrinkled her nose at me and tilted her head.
“Everyone has scars, whether they’re visible or not. Stop talking and kiss me.”
She certainly didn't need to ask me twice, so I slipped the dress over her head, revealing her gorgeous body.
This time would be better than the last. She loosened her bra and let it drop to the floor as I watched her.
I ran my fingers along her stomach and whispered, “Beautiful.”
Her cheeks immediately flushed and I chuckled.
“You turn such a pretty shade of red when you're embarrassed.”
“Stop it,” she said.
I pushed her down gently onto the bed and hovered over her.
“You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“I'm not embarrassed,” she said. “I'm just not used to this.”
“To what?” I asked, kissing down her neck.
She sighed in pleasure as my mouth found her nipple. I sucked softly and flicked my tongue gently over the hard peak. I let go with my lips and blew over her nipple, making her shiver.
“To what?” I asked again, slowly taking the other nipple into my mouth, giving it the same treatment.
She was about to answer when I slipped my fingers down the wet center between her leg, chasing away whatever answers she was about to give. Her body jolted slightly as I gently stroked her through her soaked panties. Her wetness made my erection harden as I smelled the sweet scent of her.
She closed her legs slightly and I shook my head.
“Don’t. I want to see you.”
She sat up with a nod, her eyes dizzy in the haze of pleasure. I slipped my fingers under her panties and pealed them off, revealing her to me. She leaned back and allowed me to look.
She was stunning.
I couldn't help but stare at her. Not only because she naked, but she was at her most vulnerable, and she allowed me to be a part of that.
“You’re staring.”
“Damn right.”
I ran my hands up her inner thighs and listened for her gasp. Slipping my fingers between her legs, I gently parted her wet pussy lips.
Her back arched and she moaned out in sheer pleasure as my fingers found their way inside her.
“Oh my god!”
Her sounds excited me, and I settled my body down between her legs. I kissed my way slowly down her stomach. Her fingers tangled in my hair, forcing my head down, closer. I sucked on her clit as my fingers moved in and out of her.
Gasping, she wrapped her legs around my neck as my tongue worked steadily. Her moans intensified as she bucked against my fingers, pulling at me.
I wanted more.
Everything.
I moved my face away, my fingers still inside her and she looked at me with a question in her eyes.
“I can’t see you from there,” I answered hoarsely and leaned over her, kissing her, allowing her to taste herself on my lips.
She grabbed at my belt buckle with urgency and within a few seconds, they were off, thrown on the floor, and forgotten.
I pressed my body against hers again, meeting her softness with my hard cock. She leaned back with a moan as I pressed against her wet and warm pussy, before sliding over her body, settling my weight on top of her.
“Can I?” I whispered as I rubbed the tip of my cock against her wet sex.
“Please,” she panted.
I groaned as her fingernails trickled down my back to my ass and she wrapped her legs around me.
“Don't leave me,” she whispered softly, desperately.
“I won’t,” I said and slid my cock into her.
She pressed her lips against mine and I rocked inside her. The only thing I felt was my body, inside of hers, fitting together like two puzzle pieces.
I also felt the mounting waves of pleasure in her body pulling her closer to the edge. I looked down at her, realizing I would be perfectly content to gaze at her this way for a long time. I gave a few powerful thrusts as I watched her climax against me and slowed down my rhythm.
“Don’t stop,” she muttered and wrapped her legs tighter around my waist, forcing me deeper inside her. “Don’t leave.”
“Never,” I whispered, “I'll never leave you.”
I was so close to climax. My hips moved in quick movements, deeper and I groaned, “I can’t hold out.”
I wrapped my arm around her, burying my face in her neck as a powerful climax ripped through me and I cried out. I completely collapsed on top of her and my skin tingled as she ran her fingers along my back.
“Are you okay?” she whispered with a strained voice due to the weight of my body on her, but I was too exhausted to move. “Gabriel?”
“I’m okay. I just need to stretch my leg. Don’t go anywhere.”
She chuckled and rolled over onto her side. The curve of her hip was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I couldn't help but run my fingers along the cur
ved line.
“Careful,” she warned.
“Why?”
“You’re not nearly ready for round two.”
I stifled a laugh and nodded.
“And I’d be happy to tell your parents that there is nothing wrong with your bodily functions.”
“While I appreciate that, I don’t think that is such a good idea,” I answered with a smile.
“Why not?” she asked, covering herself with the sheet.
“Because the last thing that I want to talk about with them are my bodily functions.”
She burst out laughing and nodded.
“I get it.”
When Lynette yawned, I covered her hand with mine and kissed her knuckles.
“I meant what I said, Lynette.”
“We should talk about that, you know,” she said sleepily.
I brushed some hair off her face and shook my head.
“No. There’s nothing more to talk about. I’m yours.”
“Don't say anything else, just let this be.”
“Then don't disappear again,” I said as I reached over and switched off the light.
I could still see her silhouette beside me as the streetlight from the parking lot shone through the window.
“Promise me.”
“I promise,” she said, her voice barely a whisper as she drifted into a deep sleep beside me.
Her rhythmic breathing soon lulled me into sleep as the peaceful darkness engulfed me.
Chapter Twelve: Gabriel
She was still there when I woke up, curled up into a ball, and wrapped in the entire sheet. I didn't mind, it was too hot for a sheet anyway. I rolled over and looked at her sleeping peacefully beside me.
Most women would cringe at the thought of having a guy watch them as they slept. It sounded creepy and unsettling, and I could just imagine what it would feel like to open your eyes and see someone staring at you.
I just couldn't help myself.
She was so beautiful.
The day was starting out great. I had an amazing woman lying next to me and surprisingly my leg didn't ache one bit.
Why wouldn't I be in the best of moods?
She groaned sleepily and rolled onto her back. Opening her eyes, she peered over at me.
“Morning, ma’am.”
She chuckled.
“Good morning to you too. I must look like a fright.”
“How did you sleep?”