‘If you need more than you have coming in from your parents I’ll give you an allowance.’
‘Gabe Austin, if I didn’t know how romantic you could be I could be offended at you offering to pay me an allowance, like a trophy girlfriend.’
‘Tell me what you need, let me help.’
‘No, I need to earn my own money and build up my savings.’
‘I don’t understand, you’re not a big spender. Where are your allowances disappearing to?’ he looked at me puzzled and I sighed. ‘O my God are you doing drugs again?’
‘Gabe,’ I snapped as I sat upright on his lap. ‘I did pot a few times and tablets once, I’m not a drug addict.’
‘You’re hiding something from me I can tell. What’s going on?’
‘Nothing,’ I sighed and tried to get off his lap. He wrapped his arms tightly around my waist.
‘Mia?’
‘Fine I’ll tell you, but I don’t want you swopping in with your bucket loads of cash trying to fix things, it’s important to me to do this on my own.’
‘Do what? What needs fixing?’
‘I didn’t tell you everything about my fight with Richard before Christmas.’
‘You lied?’ he fixed me with a disapproving glare.
‘No, I just didn’t tell you some other bits.’
‘Still not impressed Mia.’
‘Are you just going to criticise me or do you want to know?’
‘Fine,’ he sighed.
‘I need to work because I’m giving my allowance from Mum and Gerry to Lexi.’
‘That’s really sweet of you baby, but what does this have to do with your fight with Richard.’
‘Because I don’t have an allowance from him anymore.’
‘Since when?’
‘January. I told him to stick it, I didn’t want his money.’
‘So what have you been managing on?’
‘The money I was making at Peppers while I saved a load, but I’ll run out of savings if I don’t start working again.’
‘Why do you have to be so bloody stubborn?’ he sighed as he shoved a hand through his hair. ‘Just let me give you money every month.’
‘That’s a really kind offer Gabe, but I don’t want to be a kept woman and feeling like I can’t spend money on whatever I want because it’s yours. Plus I really miss the dancing and the social side of it with the other girls. I finally felt like I was standing on my own two feet, without relying on my parents for once in my life and it felt good. I liked having some financial independence, you’re always spoiling me and I wanted to be able to afford to do that for the people I care about.’
‘You really loved your dancing that much?’
‘Of course I did, how could you ask me that? I’ve been dancing as long as you’d been swimming and you know how hard that’s been for you.’ I reached up and touched his face as he frowned. ‘Are there no other clubs in town that I could perform at? Ones that meet your stringent requirements?’ I pouted and gave him the look and he started laughing and put a hand in front of my eyes.
‘Stop trying to break me with those baby blues. I’ll look into it, but I’m not promising anything ok?’
‘Ok,’ I giggled and kissed his palm. I pulled his hand to my mouth and looked into his stunning eyes as I gently kissed each finger, then took his index finger and put it in my mouth and ran my tongue around it as I sucked.
‘Mia,’ he sighed as his chest rose and fell more rapidly. ‘You were crying five minutes ago.’
‘And I’m not crying now.’ I quickly straddled his knees and put my arms around his neck and leaned in to whisper in his ear. ‘You look so hot with your damp hair, don’t you want me too?’
‘Always baby,’ he murmured as he clasped the back of my head and left a trail of kisses up my neck. ‘There’s never a second in a day that I don’t want you.’
‘So take me now. I’m yours.’
‘Mine.’
‘All yours,’ I sighed as his lips found my weak spot and I felt him swell below me.
‘Drop the lock on the door in case Doug comes back. He can knock,’ he instructed. I scrambled up and flew over and did as I was told and heard him laugh. ‘Someone’s keen.’
‘And you’re not?’ I raised an eyebrow as I looked at the bulge in his sweats and lifted my vest over my head.
‘Damn it Mia, your breasts are perfect.’
‘Just my breasts?’ I gasped in mock horror. He quickly stood up, grinned and winked and dropped his bottoms to reveal he was commando. ‘O. My. God.’ I groaned as I looked at his thick heavy penis. It didn’t matter how many times I saw it, it still filled me with awe.
‘Just my cock?’ he gasped with a chuckle.
‘It’s a work of art,’ I sighed as I wriggled my shorts and knickers down in one move.
‘You’re a work of art baby, one I intend to fully appraise and appreciate right now. Get that hot arse over here,’ he ordered as he stripped of his t-shirt and stood in all his naked glory. I’d barely stepped over to him before he grabbed me and lifted me up onto his hips, one hand supporting my bottom, the other up my back as he firmly held the nape of my neck and kissed me. He took his time as he held me, exploring my mouth as if we’d never kissed before and every time we did, it felt as if it were the first time. I still got that fluttering of butterflies in my stomach, the tingling of my scalp, the feeling that I might just pass out from the ecstasy of it. I gave back as good as I got, my hands roving, clutching his shoulders, neck and face as I writhed on his hips. I could feel his erection gently tapping against me and I desperately wanted him inside me.
‘Now, I need you now,’ I gasped as I broke away. One look at his face told me that he was right there with me. He kneeled down and gently tipped me backwards onto the lounge rug, my legs still hooked around his waist and plunged himself into me as I cried out his name and arched my back. He pulled all the way out and dove into me again, over and over, slowly but with a force that could rupture my insides, until I was clawing at his shoulders and begging him for more. I was teetering at the brink of an orgasm from his teasing alone.
‘You’re so beautiful Mia, I love you so much,’ he sighed as sank into me again and held himself there, my muscles tightening around him, desperate to keep him inside of me.
‘I love you too Gabe, please stop teasing me.’
‘I want to take my time and watch your face and hear you beg and scream,’ he grinned as he did it again and I cried out.
‘You’re evil,’ I groaned.
‘You love it,’ he laughed as he rammed into me hard making me squeal.
‘You love it and you’re still evil,’ I sighed. The feeling of fullness was bad enough, but the sight of his bulging biceps, strong shoulders, firm chest and that face above me would send even the most sex immune woman into meltdown. ‘Ahhhh, Gabe, please,’ I begged as I dug my nails into his tight backside as he started to move faster, circling his hips and hitting every erogenous zone inside me.
‘You’re insatiable baby, you just can’t get enough of me can you?’ he groaned.
‘No,’ I gasped on another well needed intake of air. He grabbed one of my ankles and pulled it over his shoulder, angling himself even deeper inside me until I was screaming with pleasure and tearing at his skin. I nearly broke a tooth as our mouths collided in a frenzy amidst the screams and groans until I flung my head back and sobbed as my climax hit me like a freight train and my whole body spasmed.
‘Damn it Mia,’ he yelled as he stiffened and powered into me one final time and filled me before collapsing on me to catch his breath. I slowly ran my hands up his damp back and shoulder blades before clasping his face and kissing his lips over and over.
‘You. Are. Incredible,’ I sighed as my pelvic muscles continued to contract involuntary, echoes of my orgasm still rippling.
‘Hmmm, you make me incredible baby,’ he replied kissing me back. ‘No one has ever come close to how you make me feel, in or out of bed. Are y
ou too tired to go again?’
‘Already?’ I looked up at him in amazement.
‘Your desire for me just keeps the blood flowing in his direction,’ he chuckled.
‘I’m going to make him age prematurely then because my desire is showing no signs of waning for you, ever,’ I whispered. ‘You’re the most gorgeous, sexy, hot man alive.’
‘Right back at you baby, I’ll never grow tired of being with you. Lie there, I fancy eating you out while you suck my cock.’
‘Dirty boy,’ I grinned.
‘Just how you like me,’ he shot back.
‘No, just how I love you,’ I replied with a kiss before he laughed and pulled out of me and got into position with a happy sigh as I took his girth into my mouth and groaned.
I held out a pair of his fitted boxers as he walked past me, heading for bed and he looked at me surprised.
‘In case Lexi comes in during the night,’ I advised.
‘You think she will?’
‘I hope so, if not I’m going over there whether she likes it or not.’
‘Do you think that’s wise? Wouldn’t she ask for you if she wanted to talk?’
‘Please, this is Lexi. She rarely wants to talk unless prodded, but she’ll probably need a cuddle. I’ve always been the person to make her feel better with a cuddle, so if she doesn’t come in, I’m not taking no for an answer.’ I twirled his boxers around my index finger until he grabbed them with a sigh and pulled them on.
‘You owe me a weekend of hot uninterrupted sex for this.’
‘Damn, just a weekend? I was hoping you’d make it a week,’ I grinned as I pulled on some knickers and a thin vest.
‘A week? How much stamina do you think I have?’ he asked as he grabbed my hand and led me to bed.
‘I’m hoping plenty, I only picked you because you were young, fit and hung you know.’
‘Picked me?’ he laughed. ‘Getting you to agree to a date was like pulling teeth.’
‘You saying I wasn’t worth the effort?’ I asked as I lay down on my side and faced him. He reached up and clasped my chin, sweeping his thumb over my lower lip.
‘I’d have moved mountains to get you Mia. I knew in my gut the first time I saw you in that bar that you were going to be mine and I’ll move them to make sure you stay happy and never leave me.’
‘I am happy with you Gabe, I love living with you, falling asleep with your arms around me and waking up with you every morning. It’s better than I ever imagined.’ I felt my stomach twist again as I looked into his happy sparkling eyes.
‘For me too,’ he grinned and pulled me into his arms. ‘You’re my everything baby.’
‘And you’re mine.’ I sighed happily as I kissed his throat. I smiled as I heard him make a little groan of contentment.
I woke up feeling too hot, the windows were still open, but with Gabe draped across me I was stifling. I managed to wriggle out from under him and turned onto my side and let out a startled gasp to see Lexi lying there facing me.
‘Jesus,’ I muttered as Gabe stirred behind me and mumbled incoherently.
‘Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you. You looked kind of cosy all wrapped around each other.’
‘You were watching us?’ I exclaimed and she shrugged. ‘That’s kind of creepy Lex.’
‘You look really happy, it’s nice to see.’
‘How about you? Are you really happy or still pissed at me?’
‘I was pissed, but you never do anything unless you think it’s for my own good.’
‘Was it?’
‘I think so,’ she nodded as she bit her lip. ‘I rang him.’
‘Lex.’ I reached out and grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly.
‘I’m sorry I shut you out Mia. I just … I was angry, then when I got over that and wanted to speak to him I couldn’t bear you being disappointed if he told me to sod off and I was all upset.’
‘That’s why you asked for Doug instead of me?’
‘Sorry,’ she sighed with a nod.
‘Hey, I was hurt at first, but sometimes I go to Gabe instead of you, we can’t be each other’s crutches for everything.’ I let go of her hand and stroked her cheek and she closed her eyes and sighed. ‘So what happened?’
‘He was really surprised, obviously. He’s remarried with some teenage kids. Said he had a breakdown when he left us and spent some time in a psychiatric care place.’ I nodded, I already knew this from the file I’d had sent over. ‘He rang Mum to ask how I was when he got out and she told him that I never wanted to see him again, that I hated him and he needed to stay out of my life.’
‘She never?’ I gasped.
‘That’s his side of it, says he tried to ring me at Rowleys, but Mum had given them instructions that they were only to deal with her as she was my primary carer. So they refused to take any messages or put him through. So he figured that I didn’t want him in my life.’
‘I can’t believe she did that Lexi. Have you spoken to her?’
‘No! Why would I? As far as I’m concerned that woman is no more a mother to me than Richard is a father to you. I’m done with her. How could she do that Mia? Keep my own Dad from me?’
‘Maybe she was jealous of your relationship. So what about your Dad?’
‘He wants to meet me,’ she nodded as her eyes started filling up.
‘O Lex that’s wonderful,’ I smiled. ‘It is wonderful right?’ I asked as she started to properly cry.
‘Yeah, I’ve missed him so much,’ she mumbled. I wriggled over and pulled her into a bear hug as she cried in the crook of my neck. ‘He’s working in London, he’s still a Stockbroker there. He’s asked if I’ll go down this weekend, he’s transferring me some money for the train and a hotel.’
‘You’re going alone?’
‘Would you come, in case it doesn’t go well and I need you?’
‘Sure. I’ll have to run it past Gabe first.’
‘He could come too, just in case it does go well, so you’re not all alone.’
‘Then I’ll ask him when he wakes up ok?’
‘Ok,’ she nodded as she sniffed. ‘I think Dad would like to meet you too. I told him all about you and how amazing you were and how Mr. and Mrs. P had taken me under their wing. He was really impressed that you’d all been so good to me.’
‘I’d love to meet him Lexi.’ I planted a kiss on top of her head. ‘So you got on ok on the phone?’
‘It was a bit awkward at first, but once he got over the shock yeah.’ She pulled her head back and snuggled into the pillow as she looked at me. ‘Thank you,’ she whispered.
‘You’re welcome,’ I smiled. ‘Sorry to interfere but it helped me so much dealing with Richard, so I wanted you to have that option too.’
‘How did you find him?’
‘I hired a private investigator.’
‘Like Hercule Poirot?’ she giggled.
‘Think more Jonathan Creek,’ I giggled back as I thought of Mason and his slightly long curly hair, he’d not been at all what I’d expected when Robert had introduced us.
‘That must have cost you a load of money Mia.’
‘It was worth it to know that you’re finally going to see him again Lex.’
‘How am I ever going to repay you for everything you do for me?’
‘You’re not, that’s what families do for each other Lex.’
‘I love you.’
‘I love you too. Now come on, try and get some sleep. We have a lecture tomorrow.’
‘About that,’ she sighed. ‘Please don’t be mad with me, but I’m going to drop out.’
‘What?’ I uttered as I looked at her in amazement.
‘I’m not the Uni academic type Mia, not like you. I’m not really enjoying it, I’m finding it hard and I only applied because I wanted to stick with you wherever you went.’
‘You can’t quit just like that Lexi.’
‘It’s not just like that Mia. I’ve been thinking about it for a
while. I think I know what I’d like to do and I need to apply now to get a place for September.’
‘What do you want to do?’ I could hardly believe my ears, she’d not said a word to me about this.
‘I’d like to train to be a counsellor, to help other people with their problems. I mean I’ve got some experience of dealing with shit, so why not turn that around so I can help someone else?’
‘How long have you been thinking about this?’
‘A few months,’ she shrugged as she chewed her lip again.
‘And you didn’t tell me?’
‘I thought you’d be disappointed in me. You’ve put yourself out for me financially and helping me study and I didn’t want to let you down.’
‘Lexi.’ I flicked her forehead with my middle finger making her jump. ‘You’re such a bloody idiot sometimes. I want you to be happy, so if Uni isn’t your thing and you’ve already lined up something else to try then I’m cool with that. I just want you to be happy, I don’t care what you do as long as you enjoy it and I still have you in my life.’
‘You’re the best,’ she beamed. ‘Sorry for soaking you with Zinfandel earlier.’
‘I can still smell it in my hair,’ I giggled. ‘But I’ll get you back and I’ll find that damn Jelly Belly stash if I have to rip the apartment to shreds.’
‘You could just buy your own.’
‘You tight old mare,’ I laughed then pulled a face at her as I felt Gabe stir behind me. He moaned my name and his hand snaked around my waist as he nuzzled the back of my neck and pressed up behind me. I smiled and stroked his hand and Lex made some vomit noises. ‘I’m happy,’ I protested.
‘I know and I’m happy for you. Don’t let him go, he’s really good for you.’
‘He is,’ I smiled. ‘And Lex?’
‘Yeah?’
‘You’re going to make a wonderful counsellor.’
Enlightenment
I clapped happily as I looked out of the helicopter window and turned to give Gabe a quick kiss before returning my gaze to the sight below me. We were scooting along the top of the Grand Canyon and it just took my breath away. Doug had helped me pick out a decent digital camera and had spent time showing me how to use the manual settings for better pictures instead of relying on the automatic ones. The shades of red and orange that glowed under the baking heat of the sun were so incredible in real life I wanted to capture them perfectly in picture.
Love & Loss (The Austin Series) Page 48