"I've been ready since I got here."
"Good. I'll be right back."
"Wait," Olga pulled him back. "Can you just leave like this? What about the music?"
"There's a backup guy. He's here tonight. I'm turning it over to him."
"Okay, then. Let me grab my handbag." Olga returned to the table with Gina on her heels.
Olga knelt down to get her purse off the floor.
"Are you going home with Gabriel Swicord? Is he your date?" Gina whispered.
"Yes. It's hush-hush so don't say anything, okay?"
"I won't but I want details. I'm gobsmacked. You can't keep this to yourself. You can't."
They both stood. Olga patted Gina's arm. "I will. I'll call you."
"Tomorrow?"
"Yes, tomorrow."
"Promise?"
"Yes." Olga laughed. "Now, I have to scoot."
"Have fun."
Olga waved to everyone at the table and returned to the back side of the booth so she and Gabe could leave by the side entrance. He was waiting for her with his cane in hand as well as her overnight bag and his backpack.
"Let's get out of here." He took her hand.
"Fine with me. Give me my bag and I'll carry it." She reached for the straps.
"No. I have it." He folded his cane and tucked it in his backpack. "Let me use your arm and I can stow this thing."
"Any time." She pulled his hand through her elbow.
They strolled toward the exit. When they got to the door, Jacob Rhys stepped in front of it to block them.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?"
"Move aside, Jacob," Gabe said.
"No. It's not quitting time. You have two more hours on the clock and you're not going anywhere, except back to the booth."
"I said get out of the way." Gabe's tone of voice scared Olga. He was so angry, she was afraid he might hit his boss.
"Gabe," Olga uttered the one word in a low whisper.
Gabriel let go of Olga's arm and stepped right up into Jacob's personal space.
When they were nose to nose, Gabe said, "I suggest you get out of my way and I mean right now."
"If you walk out that door, Gabe, don't bother to come back. This is Friday night. One of the biggest nights of the week. I can't afford to have you go."
"You got it." Gabe pulled his key ring out of the front pocket of his jeans. He felt around on the circle. His fingers stopped on one with a thick head on it. Gabe slid it off the ring and held it out to Jacob. "Have a nice life."
Jacob shook his head and put his hands in his pockets.
A couple of seconds went by. Gabe shrugged. "Okay, then. It seems you won't take the key." He dropped it to the floor and picked up the bags. "Let's go, Olga. We'll leave by the front if this jerk won't get out of the way."
He spun on his heel, took her by the arm and stalked toward the main entrance. They made their way across the floor with Jacob behind them calling out for Gabe to come back and talk it out.
Gina caught up to them near the bouncer's desk where they were checking IDs of entering patrons. She said, "What's going on, love? Do you need some help?"
"We're leaving. That's all. Go back to your friends," Gabe practically snarled the words over his shoulder.
"No. I'm coming with you. I have to be sure Olga is all right."
"Olga's fine." Gabe kept pulling her out the door.
Olga reached for Gina's arm. "Come out with us. Then we can talk in private."
Out on the sidewalk, Olga said to Gina. "It's fine. He's angry at the owner. He's not mad at me. It's really okay."
"You're sure?" Gina took a long look at Olga. "If you say you're all right, I'm going to trust you, but if you're the slightest bit afraid of this man, tell me. I'll help you. You know I will."
Gabe stood to the side while Olga talked to her friend. "I'm not afraid of him at all. Really. I'm going to go to his place and we're going to have a nice chat about what's going on and I'm going to be fine."
"Promise me you'll call me at nine tomorrow morning. I'll be worried about you all night."
"Okay." Olga leaned in and hugged her friend. "I promise."
"You be nice to her," Gina said to Gabe.
He bowed. "I will. I promise."
"You better." Gina turned to face the street. "You know what? I'm so upset, I'm going home, too. Going via Waterloo station. Which way you two going?"
"Right down that same direction. Come walk with us a few minutes." Gabe led them toward the traffic light. He held on to Olga's arm. When they got to the corner, Gina went the other way to enter the tube station. Olga waved goodbye to her friend as she and Gabe continued on their way to his flat.
Gina's last words to Olga were, "Call me. By nine."
*****
Gabe thought his head would explode from the anger taking over his body at the audacity of Martin continuing to approach him in public places to try to plead his case. To say nothing of Jacob's high-handed action at the club over his leaving. He tried to settle down since he didn't want to scare Olga and her friend Gina, but it was taking a huge effort to make the blood in his ears stop thrumming. He thought he'd literally bleed out the side of his head if he didn't get hold of himself.
He stalked down the sidewalk, oblivious to everything around him until Olga jerked on his arm. "Stop, Gabe. You're going to walk right into the street."
"You're right. I'm striding like I can still see. I need to get a grip." He tried to smile at her but knew he was probably making a grimace instead.
She came to a standstill and faced him. "Do you want to tell me what's going on? I can tell something is going on with you and that Martin guy that's eating you alive. What is it?"
"Can we wait to talk this over until we get to my flat?"
"We may never make it to your flat if you don't stop barreling down the sidewalk recklessly." She touched his cheek.
"Sorry. I'm sorry." He turned her palm from his face and kissed it. "Lead on to my place and then we'll relax a bit and I'll tell you all about it."
"Sounds good, especially the resting a bit part." Olga swatted him on the bottom. "Nice rear end, mister."
"Thanks. Yours is pretty spectacular itself. Of course, I only know that by feel."
"If you hurry up, I'll let you feel it some more."
"Didn't you just get finished telling me to slow down before I got us killed?"
"That's different."
"Not really, babe, but we'll go with that." Gabe laughed and started walking again.
They crossed the street and went up to Gabe's flat. He unlocked the door and led her inside. He dropped their bags at his feet, kicked the door shut and pulled her into his arms all in one movement.
"No more slowing down now, Olga, my dear. Now it's time to hurry up the stairs to my bed."
"Lead on, sexy man, but remember, we're going to have that serious conversation about Martin and Jacob before the sun comes up. You won't be able to distract me forever. I'm going to want to hear it."
"I'm going to make a concerted effort to do exactly that, madam." He escorted her up the stairs with one arm around her waist.
Chapter Sixteen
"Suspicion is the poison of friendship."
French Proverb
Gabe laid Olga down gently on the bed in his room. He flopped down beside her and lay on his side. She reached up, took both sides of his glasses in her fingers and slipped them off his face. "Remember, no more hiding when we're alone." She leaned over and placed them on the side table.
No hiding," Gabe shucked off his tee shirt and then reached for the hem of Olga's jacket. "Seems to me that you have on way too many clothes. What's that?" His fingers continued their exploration. "A jacket, a blouse, a camisole- isn't that what you call that- and a bra?" he laughed. "I think you're wearing more than a medieval knight wore into battle."
"Here, let me." Olga tried to sit up so she could pull off her clothes.
"No. Let me. I'm quite enjoyi
ng this." Gabe pushed her back onto the pillow. "Let me love you. Who knows, it might make me feel better."
"Might?" Olga tickled his ribs. "Might? It's on, mister, it's on now."
They tussled on the bed and before she quite knew what happened, she was naked.
"You're quite the master at getting a gal out of her clothes, aren't you?"
"Yes, it's one of my many talents." He nuzzled her neck, "Now, let me show you a few more." Gabe slid his right hand under her buttocks and pulled her lower on the bed. He rested both palms on her hips and smiled up toward her head on the pillow. "Ready to rumble?"
"Such a romantic you are. Rumble?" She giggled.
"You have no idea, my dear."
Much later, when they were both sated, Olga stared at him as he slept. His scars really didn't make any difference to her. True, the skin was puckered and raw. It appeared as if someone had taken a red marker and colored ridges around his eye sockets. They were raised but looked smooth. She wanted to touch them to feel the texture but was afraid of his reaction. Some people would probably be turned off but to her they were a symbol of a good man who'd survived a horrible ordeal. She shuddered a little at the memory of how one of the eyes had some red-veined pooling in it and the pupil didn't seem to move. She was grateful that he wasn't able to see her reaction when she first glimpsed it. The other eye appeared normal except for the angry welts around the outer edges. She'd focused on the normal one as he looked at her.
Curious about what set him off with that Martin guy every time he saw him and also wondering what was going on with him and Jacob, she wanted to wake him to get to the truth. She hesitated since it would be like waking a sleeping dragon to ask the questions she wanted to ask. Was she ready to go there or should she be satisfied with the serene expression on his face as he slept?
A hand grabbed her wrist. She let out a little squeal.
"Why are you staring at me?"
"How could you tell I was looking at you?"
"I may be blind, my dear, but I'm still aware of my surroundings."
"Sorry. I was enjoying the view."
"You mean you were ogling me?" Gabe lifted the wrist he still held and kissed her where her pulse beat.
"Yes, I was." She felt her pulse rate increase as he slid his tongue up her arm to her elbow. "Stop that."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want you to distract me again."
"I'm a distraction?" he raised his eyebrows.
"You know you are. And I want to talk."
"You're not going to let it go, are you?" Gabe sighed.
"Only because I care. I want to help. If I can."
Gabe sat up. He ran his hands through his hair. He sat silent for a long time. Olga began to worry that he was never going to speak. Right when she was about to push the issue, he leapt to his feet and paced around the room. She couldn't help thinking that his nude pacing was a distraction for sure.
"Martin was my best mate. We grew up together. We were inseparable. We played in the park, we went to the same boarding school and always had each other's backs. When I left the ballet to become a firefighter, he was there for me when I thought I'd have a breakdown."
Olga made a sound. Gabe held up his hand. "Don't say a word. I have to get it all out, then you can talk."
She nodded even though she knew he couldn't see her.
Gabe went on. "I was seeing a woman who I adored. I thought she was my soul mate. We were on the verge of getting engaged when I lost my sight. At first Julie -- that was her name -- Julie was there for me. She visited in the hospital, she brought my favorite foods when I was in rehab learning to adapt to my loss and she continued to act as if she loved me. Until the day I came home from the rehab center." Gabe sat down on the bed and buried his head in his hands.
Olga didn't speak. She placed her hand on his back and sat silent.
"I walked into the flat where she lived. I was with my father. He'd picked me up and, instead of going home, I wanted to surprise Julie. She didn't think I was leaving the center until the next day. What a surprise it was. More like the joke was on me. I walked in on her and Martin. Both of them naked on her couch. I couldn't see them, of course, but my father made sure to let me know exactly what was going on. It was almost the worst day of my life. Almost."
Gabe took a deep breath. Olga sat up and hugged him from behind. With her breasts pressing into his back, she whispered, "I'm so sorry about you having to go through that." She planted a kiss on his shoulder.
He half-turned to put his arm around her and placed his head on her breast. He rubbed her lower spine with the tips of his fingers. They sat quietly for a few moments.
"It was really hard for me at the time. My heart shattered and I could swear the shards made a sound as they hit the floor. My father dragged me out of there in a hurry. As we got to the car, Julie came out of the flat in her robe, as I was told later, and she tried to explain. She said they got carried away while Martin was comforting her in her distress over my loss of vision." Gabe let out a half sob, half snort before he continued.
"She needed comforting over my wounds. Her. Can you imagine how that made me feel? Not that she was there for me, but that she was looking for her own comfort. In the arms of another man. My best friend, even. Can you believe that?" Gabe looked up at Olga so hard she could swear he was actually seeing her.
"Oh, Gabe. I'm so sorry. That's awful." Olga wanted to cry. This man who was so sensitive and caring had been hurt so much by a woman that he clearly loved and his best friend right when he needed them the most. It was heartbreaking. She really didn't know what to do that would make any difference but she went with her gut and hugged him.
"I can't even imagine how hard that must have been for you, Gabe, and I don't blame you at all for not wanting to speak to Martin. I do find it odd that he suddenly wants to talk to you. Any idea why?"
"No, and I don't care," Gabe held her tightly and whispered into her hair.
"Then let's forget him." Olga ran her hand across the back of his head. "You know what?"
"What?"
"That salad we ate is long gone. Do you have any eggs? I think I'm in the mood for an omelet." She sat back and smiled.
"I do have some eggs and I make a mean breakfast burrito. How about that?"
"Ugh. No thanks." Olga wrinkled her nose.
"A Texan who doesn't like Mexican food?" Gabe snorted. "Now I've heard everything."
"Ahh, see, I'm not a native of Texas but, even if I was, I really don't think I'd like the British version of breakfast burritos. You folks over here have a real knack for messing up that cuisine. I mean, really, you can make a curry like nobody's business, but as for tacos and those goodies, forget about it."
"I'm wounded to the core that you won't even try mine." Gabe put his hand to his chest in fake heartbreak.
She laughed and took his hand from its place. "Come on. Cook me something to eat. I don't care what. I'm starving. We worked up quite an appetite."
"And we're going to work it some more as soon as we eat. I hope you brought some workout clothes because I'm going to start those dance lessons as soon as I feed you." Gabe got up and walked over to his closet. "Let me get something to wear to the kitchen and we'll go."
"I did bring some yoga pants and a tee shirt. Can't wait for the lesson." Olga moved over to her overnight bag and unzipped it.
*****
After they ate the burritos that were as bad as Olga was afraid they'd be, Gabe washed the dishes while she clicked through the channels on the television. He'd refused to let her help cook or clean up. It was only five in the morning so not much was on. She turned off the television and tossed the remote onto the couch. "Nothing on. Hurry up. I'm ready to get started."
"All right, all right." Gabe came out of the small kitchen wiping his hand on a towel. "Are you always this bossy and impatient?"
"Only when I don't get any sleep."
"You're the one who keeps getting up early when you're h
ere." Gabe sat on the arm of the chair where she was. "We can always go back to bed."
"That doesn't mean we'd get any sleep, you know." Olga patted his thigh.
"Don't I know it, baby."
"Let's get up there and get to work. What are you going to teach me? I took about three years of dance when I was in elementary school so I'm sure I have a lot to learn. I know what a plié is and a jeté but that's about it." She shoved him off the chair and stood.
"I think we'll start with some ballroom stuff. It'll be easier than ballet."
"Don't be so sure. I'm not all that coordinated." She followed him up the stairs and couldn't resist swatting him on the rear end as he went ahead of her. He led her into the room. As soon as she was inside, he held up his index finger. "Wait a second."
He disappeared for a moment. When he came back, he handed her a ponytail holder.
"What's this?" Olga took the elastic from him.
"It's something for you to tie your hair back. You're going to get really hot and sweaty very soon."
"Where did you get it?"
"Does it matter?" Gabe shrugged.
"I think so. I mean, why do you have a woman's hair accessory here?"
"I do have females over here once in a while." Gabe nodded at her. "Like you're here."
"Oh. I'm sorry. I misunderstood. I thought you hadn't had a relationship since your injury."
"I'm not sure what you mean. I haven't been romantically involved with anyone but I have had some women visit here. I've also had several female friends who I've coached with their ballet work. What's the big deal about me having a ponytail holder here? I also have some tights and leotards in the hall closet with the towels. I'd have offered you the use of those if you hadn't brought your yoga pants and tee." Gabe indicated the room with a sweep of his hand. "Are we going to get started or not?"
Swallowing her hurt that she wasn't special and merely one of an apparent group of women who Gabe entertained in his flat, Olga pulled her hair up in the elastic band. "Sure. Let's go."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, why?" With the heels of her hands, she wiped the silent tears that flowed down her cheeks.
Moon Dance Page 10