Baggage & Buttons

by C. J. Fallowfield

  ‘I’ve made you really cross today,’ I stated as I looked at him.

  ‘I’m not cross, I’m off balance,’ he said, after a considered silence. ‘I’ve never had a girl ask to see less of me Mia. They’re normally throwing themselves at me and it’s me making excuses to see less of them, I’m just not sure how to take this.’

  ‘I’m sorry Gabe, I never meant to hurt you. That was the last thing I wanted to do, please believe me.’

  ‘I do, I’m just used to being in control all the time Mia. This I’m in control one minute, you are the next is proving really challenging for me.’

  ‘For me too.’

  ‘Ok so how about we forget it for now and just have something to eat then?’ He managed a smile, so I gave him one back and walked around to see he’d moved the coffee table out of the way of the fire and was sitting on the fleecy blanket. He had a dinner plate full of pieces of the different types of cheeses he’d selected earlier that morning, along with some crackers, figs, sliced pears and apples and two glasses of apple juice.

  ‘Looks good,’ I smiled as I sat down next to him on the floor.

  ‘Well it’s a bit basic. You’d normally have all sorts of deli items, maybe some French bread, pate and a nice bottle of wine or champagne …’ he stopped and quickly looked at me.

  ‘Don’t worry, I’ve had my quota of alcohol today thank you, apple juice is just fine. This looks really lovely thanks.’

  ‘Here try the blue cheese and pear together,’ he held them out in his fingers and I took them gently from him with my teeth.

  ‘Wow that’s a good combination. How did you get to be so knowledgeable about food?’

  ‘I spent most of my holidays living with dad in various cities while he was on business. I grew up eating in nice restaurants and learning to appreciate different cultures food and wines.’ He fed me some more cheese and fruit and then popped some in his own mouth.

  ‘Which cities?’

  ‘He has apartments in London, New York and Hong Kong, so it was pretty awesome as a kid spending time with him. You’d love them. The London apartment’s in Knightsbridge, New York’s overlooks the Empire State and Hong Kong’s the harbour and main island.’

  ‘I’ve been to London a couple of times, but never New York or Hong Kong. Are they really as good as they look?’

  ‘Better, here try this one on the cracker. You know New York over the Christmas period’s just amazing.’ He reached out and brushed a crumb from my lip and I sighed to feel his gentle touch. ‘You ok?’

  ‘I just like it when you touch me,’ I nodded with a shy smile.

  ‘Come here.’ He pulled his knees up and apart and indicated for me to come and sit between them. I crawled over, shuffled my way back into him and he put his right arm around my waist as I leaned back against his firm chest. I reached over and got some fruit and cheese and twisted round and popped them in his mouth. We polished off the plate of food and the drinks as we discussed the various places we’d been around the world. I thought I was well travelled, but he’d nearly seen it all.

  ‘Your dad must rack up some serious frequent flier miles, you could have a free round the world trip off those every year,’ I exclaimed and Gabe laughed. ‘What’s so funny?’

  ‘We don’t generally fly with an airline, his company has a two private jets to make sure he and his directors can travel at short notice to where they’re needed.’

  ‘God Gabe, a driver, private jets, your lovely house here, three apartments in some of the most expensive places in the world to live. Does he own Google or something?’

  ‘He’s CEO of his own international firm. Now you see why I don’t tell people. I never know if it’s about me or his money.’

  I sat upright and twisted to look at him horrified. ‘O my god, you don’t think that I’m only with you because of…’ He put his fingers on my lips silencing me.

  ‘No. That’s one of the reasons you’re the first girl I took home and the reason why I don’t mind telling you. I know you don’t care about that, somehow I just I know it’s all about me,’ he nodded. I scrambled out from between his knees, turned and straddled him.

  ‘It is all about you Gabe,’ I whispered as I gripped his shoulders. I felt him harden below me and he slid his hands under my jumper and up my bare back. His touch was like hot stones warming my skin, it was bliss. We sat looking at each other for a while, it was so good to feel him so close to me again.

  ‘God, you’re so beautiful baby,’ he sighed. He pulled me in and kissed me, making my entire body melt. I clasped his face as I gently probed his mouth with my tongue and he moaned softly and tried to pull away, but I pulled him back until he started to respond. I felt my nipples harden and gasped, the sensation against my jumper was a hundred times more intense than when I wasn’t on. I pulled my face away from his, grabbed my jumper and pulled it off, throwing it on the floor. His eyes went wide and his tongue darted across his lips as he looked at my full heavy swollen breasts and protruding nipples.

  ‘O god what are you doing. You can’t … we can’t, not after what you said today.’

  ‘Gabe, I didn’t say we could never want each other again, touch each other or have sex. Sometimes I just panic thinking you’re mistaking lust for love and then you go and do or say something that makes me think you’re not. I need you to touch me, I need you to want me and you’ve hardly looked at me tonight until a few minutes ago.’

  ‘I always want you, I was just trying to be respectful of your wishes. I can’t look at you or touch you without getting hard, I was trying to keep that out of the equation.’

  ‘Gabe, from here on out, when we’ve agreed to spend the night together, assume I’m more than fine with your hard on being in the equation.’

  ‘But you have you period.’

  ‘And I feel more horny than ever. Just because you can’t penetrate me doesn’t mean you can’t make me come, just like I can make you come in other ways.’

  He pulled me back down to meet his gentle lips and as we kissed he pushed a hand down into my shorts to grasp my bare behind. Suddenly he tipped me backwards and gently lowered me down onto the blanket in front of the fire. He kneeled over me, pulled off his jumper, then slowly unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off. I sighed in awe as I looked up at him and his incredible tight torso. Could there be a man more perfectly put together than Gabe out there? I certainly didn’t think it was possible. I tugged him down until he was on all fours above me. He propped himself up on one arm as he ran his fingers around my hairline and down the side of my face, pausing fleetingly on my lips before tracing down my throat to my breastbone, then slowly circled his fingertips around the outside of my right breast and spiralled inwards, until he reached my responsive nipple, making me arch up off the floor.

  ‘O god it feels like electricity running through me.’

  ‘Too much?’

  ‘No!’ I cried, worried he’d stop. ‘It feels so good.’

  He leaned down kissing me as his fingers pulled and squeezed, making me gasp. I put one hand behind his head to keep his mouth on mine, while the other reached up to grip his shoulder. I felt like I was about to short circuit when he finally moved his head away and leant down to suckle and nibble my nipple, making me whine in pleasure. I started writhing my hips and he lowered his pelvis onto mine and I pushed my pelvic bone against his erection and started to grind.

  ‘Mia,’ he groaned, the heat of his breath puckering my flesh.

  ‘O god don’t stop, I can feel myself coming Gabe.’ I pulled his backside down to force him further onto me as I rose up to meet him again and again. My nipples felt like bullets and stung under the pressure of his lips and when he gently bit down on one, I cried out as I climaxed. As I felt the amazing sensation of my orgasm hit me, it suddenly combined with radiating pain through my stomach and lower back, as if my period were reminding me I’d no right to be enjoying myself. I winced at the combination of sensations.

  ‘Baby are you o
k?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes, just super sensitive, it heightened everything.’ I gasped. I flipped him onto his back and quickly leaned over to kiss him, so I could let out some groans of pain, along with those of pleasure from his tongue finding mine again. I wasn’t quitting, not until I’d made sure he’d come as well. I ran my hand down his abs and taut stomach and ran my fingers along the inside of his jeans and boxers. As I kissed him more and more aggressively, he began to squirm beneath me. I pulled my fingers out from his waistband and unbuttoned his jeans, found the gap in his boxers and tugged him out of them.

  It was his turn to groan as my hand gripped him hard. Before I’d even had a chance to think about how I was going to manoeuvre myself comfortably to take him in my mouth, I felt him twitch in my hand and a warm fluid trickling down my hand and wrist. He reached down with his hand and closed it around mine to tighten my grip on him as he continued to kiss me and flex in my palm. When he released my hand, I quickly rolled onto my back and raised my knees and took a few deep breaths, before he propped himself up on his side to smile at me.

  ‘Wow, I think we just set a new world record for speed of ejaculation.’ I bit my lip and smiled as he leaned in and kissed me again. ‘I’ll go and get some wipes from the bathroom, don’t move it’s all over your hand and arm.’

  ‘Don’t worry, I’ve no intention of moving,’ I smiled back, then grimaced as he left the room. Holy shit I hurt.

  He returned a couple of minutes later and kneeled next to me and took my hand and cleaned me.

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ he asked quietly.

  ‘Tell you what?’

  ‘That you’re in pain.’

  ‘Says who?’

  ‘Mia,’ he warned. ‘I knew as soon as I looked into your eyes when I sat up. How long’s it been bothering you?’

  ‘Niggling on and off all day,’ I shrugged.

  ‘Did the heated car seat help? I noticed you put it on a few times.’

  ‘Yes.’ Did he miss nothing?

  ‘Did I just make you worse?’ he whispered as he looked at me very seriously and concerned.

  ‘No, I loved my orgasm, it just hit me hard at the same time.’

  ‘You should’ve said.’

  ‘There was no way I was having an orgasm and then turning round and saying “sorry Gabe, I need a time out.”’

  ‘Well you should have,’ he snapped. ‘Not telling me is as good as lying to me. Can you move?’

  ‘Yes of course I can.’ I tried to sit up and winced and went back down again.

  ‘Jesus Mia, I need you to put your needs before mine and take better care of yourself. Put your arm around my neck, I’m carrying you to bed.’ He sounded really cross, so I did as I was told and he carried me, pulled back the duvet and put me in it and handed me one of his t-shirts to put on. He then brought me a hot water bottle, a glass of water and my painkillers, which I washed down. ‘Ok lie down.’

  ‘Gabe I need to brush my teeth and take off my mascara.’

  ‘Seriously?’

  ‘Yes and I also need to pee, so unless you fancy me weeing everywhere in bed, you’d better let me get up and go to the bathroom.’

  ‘No thanks, come on then,’ he sighed.

  ‘So you’re not definitely not into golden showers then?’

  ‘No. I told you that before. Christ are you? Is this your way of trying to tell me?’ He looked at me horrified, which was a huge relief.

  ‘No, I’m definitely not into that. I’m just aware that there are lots of things we haven’t done, you know, sexually and I don’t really know what you like to do, if you have any fetishes or things that you’d like me to do for you, or to you.’

  ‘Mia, much as I’d love to run through my kinks and fantasies with you, now’s not the time. You’re in pain and you need to rest. Please take my hand so I can help you.’

  ‘Gabe, I go through this every month and I’ve never had you to rely on. I need to go on my own.’

  ‘So what would you’ve done tonight if I’d not been there?’

  ‘I’d have stayed on the floor until I could get up.’

  ‘All night?’

  ‘It’s happened before yes.’

  ‘Christ almighty you’re so fucking stubborn Mia Page,’ he snapped, as he ran a hand through his hair frustrated. ‘This isn’t going on anymore, not while you’re with me. Fine, go on your own, but don’t lock the bloody doors.’

  I gingerly climbed out of bed and made my way in. I angled the door so there was no way he could see me unless he came in. When I came out he’d turned off my bedside light and was sat up on his side of the bed. I carefully got in and lay down and heaved a sigh of relief. Gabe leaned over and put the hot water bottle on my stomach and pulled the duvet over me.

  ‘Thank you for staying with me tonight. I love you.’ I whispered. He leaned over and kissed my forehead and reached over to turn off his light. I felt him gently wriggle down until he was lying on his back next to me and I searched for his hand and clasped it.

  ‘Go to sleep Mia,’ he ordered.

  I bit my lip and tried to ignore the fact that it was the first time he didn’t tell me that he loved me, as I tried to fall asleep.

  Monday

  I woke up as he came into the bedroom, his hair damp from the shower and a small towel around his waist. Even with that nagging drag of my period in my stomach, I could feel myself responding to the sight of him.

  ‘Morning.’

  ‘Morning. How are you feeling?’ he asked.

  ‘Better thanks, the pain isn’t as severe. What time is it?’

  ‘Six thirty, I promised Doug I’d pick him up to go to the gym this morning. Are you taking the day off?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Seriously?’ He flashed me a glare that took me by surprise. ‘I’d prefer you don’t go out today and stay in bed and rest.’

  ‘I’d miss at least a week a month if I gave into this Gabe, so I’m going in.’

  ‘Fine, whatever, just ignore me as usual,’ he shook his head and sighed. ‘Give me the number for your doctors please. I’m making the appointment for tomorrow and I’ll book us into the clinic for tests as well.’ I reached over and grabbed my phone, but the battery was dead, so I sat up and pulled the duvet back. ‘What are you doing?’ he snapped.

  ‘I need to charge my phone to get the number, the battery’s dead.’

  ‘Where’s your docking station?’

  ‘I don’t have a docking station. I just charge it when it’s flat.’

  ‘Mia. You’ve got no landline, your mobile should be charged all the time. What if you needed an ambulance?’

  ‘I’d use Lexi’s phone.’ I said with a roll of my eyes and watched as he ran his hand through his hair.

  ‘What doctor are you with?’

  ‘I don’t know the name, I’ve only been the once, but the number’s in my phone.’

  ‘Jesus christ I bloody give up with you sometimes. Give me the damn phone and get back into bed. Where’s your charger?’

  ‘On the floor behind you,’ I said quietly, he’d really got out of bed the wrong side this morning. He strode over and pulled the phone out of my hand and went and crouched and plugged it in as I pulled the duvet back up to my chin and watched him.

  ‘As soon as you have a signal you let me know the number.’

  ‘I can ring and make an appointment myself, I’m not a bloody imbecile thank you.’

  ‘I don’t trust you to make an appointment Mia, you’ve been stalling dealing with this, so I’m doing it.’

  ‘You’re very grumpy this morning,’ I observed, but he ignored me.

  ‘So you really want to have the next two nights off?’ he asked as he dropped his towel and pulled on his boxers, making my pupils expand as I looked at him in all his glory.

  ‘I think we ought to, plus feeling like this I’m really not the best of company and if I get tired I just get worse. I’ll see you in English later though and we’re spending tomorro
w morning together.’

  ‘Great, thanks,’ he said, rolling his eyes as he pulled on his sweats.

  ‘I sense a bit of sarcasm.’

  ‘Really, only a bit? I was actually going for full on sarcasm,’ he replied without looking at me as he knotted the ties around his waist.

  ‘Leave your dirty clothes I’ll wash them for you. They could be your spares that you leave here.’

  ‘For my one night a week stay?’ he asked, arching an eyebrow as he finally looked at me when his head appeared from his sweatshirt.

  ‘Gabe don’t be all pissy with me.’

  ‘Sorry, I’m on edge. I hardly slept worrying about you and you don’t exactly reassure me.’ He came over and kissed my forehead. ‘I’ve got to bounce, text me the number and I’ll see you later. No overdoing it and I don’t give a shit if you think that’s domineering.’

  ‘Yes Gabe, bye Gabe,’ I responded with a roll of my own eyes.

  ‘Bye.’

  I sighed and figured I may well just get up, I was wide awake now anyway. I had a hot shower, roughly dried my hair and pulled it into a pony tail. I couldn’t bear the thought of a tight pair of jeans pressing on me, so I put on a black maxi dress with a red tie front cardigan and my converse high tops and tiptoed over to the kitchen and was surprised to find Lexi already in there.

  ‘You got bed bugs or something Lex? What the hell are you doing up at this hour?’

  ‘I slept really well, going to bed at eight’s done me the world of good. Why are you up?

  ‘Gabe got up early to go and get Doug for a workout and I was too awake to go back to sleep.’

  ‘Coffee?’ I nodded at her and sat at the table. ‘You look pale, you ok?’

  ‘I’ll be fine and Gabe’s taking me back to the doctors tomorrow to insist on a private referral for the scan, so don’t worry.’

  ‘I’m glad he’s looking out for you, even if he’s a bit over protective.’

  ‘A bit?’ I laughed.

  ‘Better than not giving a shit. I’m ready to go if you want to head in early and go the library.’