Liberating Mr. Gable

by Tuesday Embers

  Recalling that she was behaving like a teenage boy rather than a lady, Etta turned bashful. “Sorry. I guess I was hungrier than I realized.” She took in his open-mouth stare with confusion. “What?”

  “Nothing.” He sat up straighter and tried to pay attention to the previews. “I’m just perving on you over here. I want you so bad right now.”

  His plan of her jumping into his arms at every big scare did not go exactly as planned. The scariest movie Etta had ever seen was Psycho. Special effects and gratuitous violence had come a long way since then. Etta gripped his forearm so tightly, she left nail marks. He tried to hold her, but she clawed at his chest whenever a particularly intense moment occurred. He did not realize until she pulled away that she had been crying into his shirt through the entire climax. “Do you want to leave? We don’t have to finish the movie.”

  “No!” Etta whispered, clutching his hand tighter than was comfortable. “I have to know who the killer is!” Her insistence was so absolute, he did not argue. He held her tight until the movie ended, kissing the top of her head as she shook in his arms. He waited until the theater cleared before he attempted getting up. He wiped the tears from her eyes and smoothed back the few loose strands from her ponytail. “Do you want to go home?”

  “That was terrible!” she exclaimed, nodding emphatically. “Did they have to make it so bloody?” She clung to him as they exited out onto the street.

  Anson was so preoccupied with her fear, he forgot to keep his head down. It was not until he heard the scream of a twenty-something woman that the familiar chill shot through him. He ducked his head and picked up their pace, trying to pretend he heard nothing.

  Etta’s anxiety was already peaked. “Anson? What’s wrong?” A second and third scream with no sight of a fire clued her in to their sudden haste.

  “Can I get a picture?” A woman squealed.

  “I thought he was engaged to Ekaterina VonHoussen. Who’s that with him?”

  “No, Ekaterina VonHoussen’s gay now. Anson! Can I have your autograph?”

  Another call of “It’s Anson Gable!” joined the cacophony, adding to the growing frenzy and alerting more passersby.

  Anson made a quick call to the restaurant to have his car brought around. His face was taut with tension, and he clutched her closer as they powerwalked down the street, ignoring the finger pointing and women trying to grab his attention. A few bystanders across the street shot videos of the two with their phones. Anson’s hand gripping Etta’s hip and her body tucked into his side was spread far across the internet by the time they pulled into the garage. His new agent had him on the phone before they entered the house. Anson’s hand was shaking, and he answered in clipped sentences, turning off his phone once the call ended. He sunk to the floor against the wall of the kitchen, looking up into Etta’s worried face with an expression of doom. “Well, it’s starting.”

  Wanton Need

  Etta was already heating up water on the stove to make her boyfriend some tea. He was so tightly wound, she was not sure if speaking would help. He was gripping the granite countertop and staring at the surface with an expression that almost looked angry. While the water was warming, she slipped upstairs to change into pajamas. After the horrible movie, the vast and unfamiliar room felt foreboding. In between shirts, she covered her breasts with her hands to keep the shadows and axe murderers from seeing things they should not. She changed in record time and ran back down the stairs just as the kettle began to sing.

  Etta found Anson at the kitchen sink, washing his hands vigorously in hot water. He had bubbles all the way up to his elbows as if he was scrubbing in for an ER operation. She watched him rinse off the suds and squirt yet more soap onto his hands, lathering up all over again.

  Maintaining her silence, she assembled his beverage the way he liked it. She observed him rinsing his hands off a fourth time and reaching for the soap again, but this time she intervened with a towel. She turned the water off and dried his hands for him, saying nothing of his obsessive behavior. When she could let the tension build no more, she placed her small, soft hand atop his pink and raw one. His lost eyes looked at her with dread. “Please don’t leave me.”

  “Never,” she promised. Before she consciously made the decision to move, she was in his arms, showered with kisses all over her face. In one swift motion, she was lifted atop the counter so Anson could better enjoy her. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere.” She tried to soothe him with her words, but she was cut short when his hands gripped her thighs tighter than usual.

  “Don’t leave me,” he begged, his kisses growing frantic.

  Etta’s lips were soft and responsive to his touch – just like every other part of her. All superfluous variables in his world felt uncertain, but she was his touchstone, the one thing he could cherish and caress that added to his existence, rather than constantly leeching the life from him. Anson lifted her from the counter so she could stand, her shorter stature endearing him to her all over again as his lips crashed into hers with abandon.

  She swooned against the wall, trying to maintain her balance until he picked her up again. This time he laid her on the kitchen table, devouring her squeak of surprise and delight at the carnal nature of his passion. Though they were fully clothed, Etta felt exposed in a way that drove her to kiss him harder, deeper and longer. Her knees parted as Anson moved into her body’s space, seeking heat where he could get it.

  Chase Gable

  The next morning brought both of them to life long after the sun came up. Etta pulled out of his embrace sheepishly as she recalled the events of the night before. The things she said…

  The things she had done! Though they hadn’t gone further than her limits permitted, the passion had been carnal. She blushed as she recalled biting him in a moment of lust-crazed insanity.

  Her legs were wobbly, and she desperately needed a shower. Extracting herself from Anson took strategy, so she stealthily moved until she was free of his sleeping affection. Her first step out of the bed made her freeze.

  The TV was on downstairs.

  Etta thought through the events of the night before. They had not turned on the TV. Etta backed into the bed. “Anson!” she whispered. “Anson, wake up!”

  Anson did not stir, so Etta knelt by his head and gently shook his shoulders. His eyes flickered open, only to shut again. “Come here, baby.” He pulled her closer to nuzzle her neck.

  Etta fought with her lascivious desires and won. “Anson, no. Wake up! Someone’s here! I think someone’s in the house!”

  Eyes finally opening, Anson stood abruptly. “Stay here, and lock this until I come back.” He barreled out of the office and stomped down the stairs, his picture-perfect muscles ever at the ready for an altercation of any kind.

  Etta hugged her knees on the bed. When Anson came back three minutes later, it was with an irritated expression. He handed her a robe and helped her up. “It’s my brother, Chase.” He ran his hands through his hair, and then led her to the bathroom.

  Anson started the shower, not speaking his frustration aloud until he was under the hot spray. “Chase is my half-brother from my mom. He’s the only one of my family I even talk to anymore. He’s always coming around, staying for days on end, and then disappearing. It’s usually when he’s in some kind of trouble, or just wants to mooch for a while. I stopped giving him money when I found out about his coke habit. He’s clean now, but…” He scrubbed his arm angrily. “I’ll try to get rid of him as soon as I can. Chase has a way of sticking around longer than he should. He’s harmless.” Anson sighed, peering around the curtain to look at Etta directly. “Now you’re really in it. Meeting my colleagues, being stalked by fans, and now you’re meeting someone from my family. I want you to, I just wish I had a better family to show you.”

  Etta pressed her lips to his wet ones, thrilling at the newness and the nudity that was just on the other side of the curtain. “Hey, it’s fine. I’m glad I get to meet your br
other. I’m an only child, so I’m kinda looking forward to it.” She shrugged and put on a calm smile. “It’ll be fun.”

  Anson sagged against her forehead. “I didn’t think it was possible to love you more. He’s just… he’s shady sometimes. Unless he’s still going through one of his ‘reformed’ phases. Sorry. I sound cynical.”

  “No. You sound like someone who’s been cleaning up after your brother’s messes longer than you should’ve had to.” When Anson’s slick hands moved to her shirt and jerked her forward for another hard kiss, Etta reassembled her bearings and gave him a stern look. “We are not doing any kissing like we did last night while there’s another person in the house. It’s unseemly.”

  “Unseemly?” Anson smirked, finally regaining his personality. “How is it when you say things like that, it just turns me on more?”

  “Because you’re a very dirty boy.” She did not mean it to come out sounding sexy, but the moment the words escaped her mouth, she heard the innuendo. “I’m serious, though. That stuff is private, and I don’t want to do that if someone can overhear us or walk in on us.”

  “Can I still think about bending you over the side of the couch?”

  “Anson!”

  “Can I think about throwing you on the table and having my way with you?” He took the soap and knelt down to wash his feet and legs.

  Etta folded her arms over her chest in protest. “No, you absolutely cannot think about that with a stranger in the house. And I’ll know if you are.”

  “So strict.”

  A thrill ran through Etta that she did not suppress quick enough. Anson chuckled at her faked indignation as he rinsed off. He kissed her lips just once before exiting the bathroom. “Enjoy the rest of the hot water. Come on downstairs when you’re ready.”

  After Etta washed and toweled off, she pulled her wet hair into a messy bun atop her head and got dressed in her khaki shorts and t-shirt, pulling her cardigan over her shoulders due to the slight draft. When she made her way down the stairs, she found the two relaxing on the couch together. “I mean it, Chase. She’s important to me. Best behavior.”

  “So I should be a gentleman and wait to seduce her until after you’re out? I can do that.” He grinned malevolently at his brother. Chase did not look much like Anson, except the cocky smile. That was the same. Chase was blond with spiky hair, and a good few inches shorter than Anson. While Anson had to work hard to relax, Chase’s rolled back shoulders and easy grin conveyed the exact opposite.

  “Seduce me, huh?” Etta announced her presence when she hit the bottom stair. She came into the living room, hands on her hips expectantly. “Well, let’s see what you’ve got.”

  Chase’s easy grin beamed at being caught saying something naughty. “Morning, sexy.”

  Etta shook her head in mock disappointment. “Fail. That was your one chance, and that’s all you do with it? I thought at least some of Anson’s charm would be genetic.” She sat next to her boyfriend after shaking Chase’s hand.

  “I like her,” Chase ruled. “Mom won’t.”

  Etta was affronted. “Your mother would prefer I run around on Anson with his brother?”

  “Oh, no.” Chase got up to plug in the video game system. Etta noticed he was very familiar with the house. “I mean your outfit. No label, no love, baby. That’s the law of the land in the Gable house.”

  Looking down at her clothes, Etta frowned. “My clothes are fine.”

  “Don’t pay attention to Chase.” Anson draped his arm around her and leaned back on the couch. “And don’t worry about Mom. She doesn’t like me, either.”

  Etta adjusted to this new way of thinking as the men played video games. When conversation dwindled to occasional trash talk between the two, Etta excused herself to make them all some lunch.

  Etta poked around the fridge, finding nothing but single man food and takeout. She decided if she was going to live here, she might as well get to know her hometown. She quickly slapped together a few sandwiches for the guys and one for herself and brought them out. Anson had the decency to pause the game and thank her before shoving half a sandwich into his mouth in one go. “Thanks, honey. I was starving.”

  “I think I’m going to go out for a bit. We don’t have a whole lot of food here.”

  “Sure. Let’s go.” Anson put his controller down and wolfed another half a sandwich.

  “No, no. You’ve got your brother here. Have fun. It’s about time I learned my way around your city. I’ll go to the grocery store, maybe take a walk. Do something very LA and, I don’t know, get my eyebrows tie-dyed or something.”

  Anson’s look of concern was not concealed. “Etta, I can go with you.”

  “I’m a big girl. I’ll keep my phone on me, and I’ll be back in a couple hours.” She stroked his arm to calm him. “I’ll make you two a nice dinner tonight before Chase has to go back home.” She turned to Chase, not leaving any room for arguing or a prolonged vacation. “What time are you taking off tonight?”

  Chase shifted uncomfortably. “Hadn’t really planned it all out.”

  “Stay till nine, then. Give me plenty of time to get some good little boy Anson stories out of you.” She smiled at Chase as if she had not just cut his weeklong couch-squatting plans short. “You want anything special for dinner?”

  Chase shook his head and unpaused the game, effectively slaughtering Anson’s guy. Anson’s focus was still on Etta. “I haven’t had time to get you a truck yet. Take the Honda, or whatever car you want.” He went into the kitchen and picked up the keys from the hook.

  “You don’t have to buy me a truck,” Etta protested, rolling her eyes. “I’ll get myself a car soon. Still acclimating. Step one, see your city on my own without being mobbed by all your adoring fans.”

  The look in Anson’s eyes was hard. She could tell he wanted to protest, but knew whatever he said would be wrong. “Please be careful.”

  “I’m a good driver, Anson. I won’t wreck your car.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I couldn’t care less about the car. It’s you I need back here in one piece.” He wrapped his arms around her, holding back the crazy things he wanted to spew at her. “You’ll miss out on meeting my new agent.”

  “Another woman who wants to sleep with you? Oh, no. I really wanted a front row seat to that.”

  “Mel isn’t as bad as all that. He’s a married man, so I think I’m safe.” He squeezed her tighter, speaking quietly in her ear. “Well played on getting Chase out of the house tonight.”

  “I’m here for you. Now don’t worry about a thing. I’ll be back soon, and you’ll be so glad to have some space from me, you’ll insist I make it a daily thing.”

  Anson blanched. “Is that what you think about me? That I just can’t wait to get rid of you?” He kissed her temple. “It’s all I can do not to follow you around like a crazy stalker.” Anson gave her directions to the nearest grocery store while Chase came into the kitchen to help himself to a beer.

  “Do you have a map of the city?” she inquired.

  “Just use your phone,” Chase suggested. When Etta confessed she barely understood how to use the touch screen to make phone calls, Chase lent his expertise. He downloaded a new app that found her the nearest location of whatever kind of store she wanted.

  “Wow! Really? It’s all right there? That’s insane. Thanks!”

  Chase quirked his eyebrow at Anson as if to say, Where is this girl from? Outer space? “No problem.” He leaned the side of his face closer to her. “Give me a little kiss on the cheek. Make Anson nice and jealous.”

  Etta leaned in, but instead of a kiss, she gave Chase’s cheek a loud raspberry. Then she delivered a playful shove to his side and snatched up the keys. “See you in a bit.”

  “Love you,” Anson called, grateful when he heard her echo the sentiment.

  When the door shut behind her, Anson was greeted by Chase, whose mouth was hanging open. “I love you? Did you really just say that?”

 
“Shut up.” Anson pushed past his brother and grabbed a beer from the fridge. “And you’re leaving tonight at nine. Etta lives with me, and it’s just the two of us here. Got it? Not the three of us.”

  “You’re a lot nicer when she’s around. I’ll have you know I wasn’t planning on staying the night. I started a new business, and it’s going pretty well. I’ve got a place I’m staying at with a friend while I save up for a down payment on an apartment.”

  “Good for you.” Anson tried to sound sincere. This was Chase’s third “new business” in the past year and a half. He was waiting for the other shoe to drop, asking Anson to be a partial investor. “You can tell us all about it at dinner,” Anson ruled, not willing to be baited without his backup present.

  They made their way back to the couch, but before Anson could turn on the game, Chase dove in. “I’ve never heard you say the four-letter curse to anyone before.”

  “It’s only a curse when mom uses it. And I’ve never met anyone like Etta before. She’s right for me.”

  Chase took a sip of his beer. “Saw a photo of you two on a celeb gossip site this morning. Got like, twenty alerts from rags talking about the mystery woman who’s cozying up to The Great Anson Gable.”

  “Well, I’m meeting with Mel in an hour to sort it all out. It’ll be fine.” He paused, trying to keep his dread at bay. “It has to be fine.”

  Chase gawked at his brother. “Would you look at the number she’s done on you? You disappear for months, and come back completely whipped by that little pixie? Never thought I’d see the day. And she’s cool with the Anson circus?”

  “She’s learning. Big difference from her life in the mountains.” Anson told the story of how they met, and realized that this was the longest conversation he’d ever had with his brother that did not involve money. “So, she uprooted her life to be with me. I plan on making it worth her while.”