Baggage & Buttons (8 page)

‘I’m so sorry that you both had to go through that, I
really am.’ He smiled at me and I saw a shadow of pain flicker across his face,
I’d seen the same look on Gabe the night he told me. I hated that they’d both
suffered like that.

‘Ok to the table you two,’ ordered Gabe breaking the
silence. ‘Dinner’s well overdue and probably well over cooked now too.’ He
carried a large casserole dish to the table and then two smaller ones. As he
lifted the lid off the large one I inhaled and smiled.

‘Gabe it smells fantastic, what is it?’

‘Chicken breasts in a white wine and cream sauce with
button mushrooms. We have wild rice and asparagus spears to go with it.’

‘Then as you’ve done all the hard work let me plate up
and do the clear up,’ I said as I took the serving spoons from him.

As we ate Robert filled me in on stories of Gabe as a
youngster and I forgot all about my meeting the parents fear. I was laughing so
much I cried, while Gabe sat cringing saying ‘
Dad do you really have to?
’
Robert also told me how Gabe used to get into trouble, drinking and fighting
and said how glad he was that he’d stopped, then flashed a quick concerned look
at the large purple bruise on Gabe’s cheek.

‘
Dad,
I told you it was a misunderstanding, I
don’t do that anymore.’

‘Well I hope that Mia continues to be a good influence
on you Gabriel, my days of bailing you out are over.’

Bailing him out? I’d already got the impression Gabe
had been a bit of a bad boy, but exactly how much trouble did he used to get
in? Robert turned back to telling me happy stories and I felt so relaxed
sitting with them both and was surprised to find I was disappointed when the
doorbell rang and Robert looked at his watch and announced it was time for him
to leave.

‘You can’t stay a bit longer?’ I asked and he shook
his head.

‘I’ve already stayed longer than I should, I just hope
there’s no traffic on the way to the airport and that Riley’s in the mood to go
over 50 on the motorway this evening.’

‘Dad’s rather cautious driver,’ clarified Gabe as he
looked at my confused face. ‘I’ll go and take your bags out for you and say
hello.’

I started clearing up the plates and Robert stood to
help me.

‘Mia can I ask you something that I probably have no
right asking?’

‘Please do, though if you don’t think you should be
asking me the question, I’m not sure if it will be appropriate for me to
respond,’ I said, surprising myself at my bravery. Robert had that same air of
authority that my dad did, so when he wasn’t laughing and joking, he came
across quite intimidating, which sent me straight into automatic defensive
mode.

‘Mia I love my son more than anything. He’s been
through a lot and his bringing you here tells me that he’s very serious about
you. He’s never formed an attachment like this to anyone before. Do you love
him?’ he asked, fixing me with an intense stare. I gasped taken aback.

‘I’m sorry, but I’m really not comfortable answering
you Robert, it’s not even something I’ve talked about with Gabe, or my own best
friend.’

‘I realise I’m putting you on the spot Mia and for
that I apologise, maybe it’s too soon to expect you to have vocalised your
feelings for him, so let me put it a different way. Is this just a good time,
or do you really care for him? I don’t want to see him get hurt again. It took
him a long time to get over losing his mother.’

I looked at Robert surprised yet again. He thought
Gabe was over her? Then I remembered the conversation with Gabe in my bath.
He’d said he’d never even told his dad about the events leading to his mum’s
accident. I suddenly felt sick for him, had he really gone through his childhood
and teens not being able to share his guilt and pain with anyone?

‘Robert I can tell you that I’m not just in it for a
good time, I really care for him. At this stage I can’t imagine wanting to end
it, but if I ever did I’d try and spare him any more pain than was necessary. I
can assure you that I’ll never cheat on him, lie to him, or leave him with no
reasonable explanation and that’s the best answer that I can give you right now.
I hope that it’s enough to put your mind at rest.’

‘Thank you for being so honest and eloquent with me
Mia. I can see why Gabriel’s so taken with you. I’ll look forward to seeing you
again, sometime soon I hope.’

‘I’d like that too, thank you for your hospitality and
I hope your trip goes well. Once again, I’m so sorry for the doorstep
incident.’

‘Seeing that smile you’ve put on his face since he
meet you Mia, it’s enough to make me forget anything else.’ He surprised me by
leaning over and kissing me on the cheek, before striding out of the kitchen.

I carried on clearing up the dinner plates. Wow, that
was the first parent of a boyfriend I’d ever met, and to have done it under
such circumstances wasn’t ideal, but I liked him and it was nice to hear about
Gabe’s childhood, given he hardly ever gave anything away about it himself. I
heard Gabe’s footsteps on the tiles as he returned to the kitchen and I ran to
him and threw my arms around him and buried my face in his chest.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘I just wanted to hug you,’ I whispered as I clung to
him and he put his arms around me.

‘Something’s wrong, I can sense it, what’s the
matter?’

‘You really never talked to anyone about what happened
with your mum?’ I felt him immediately tense up and he shrugged off my hold on
him.

‘O my god Mia, what have you said to him? I talked to
you in confidence.’ He stepped back from me and put a hand over his mouth,
looking at me with sheer panic and terror on his face.

‘Nothing, I promise Gabe. Your dad implied that you’d
dealt with her death and it took me by surprise that’s all, I didn’t say
anything. I just thought you’d have shared this with him.’

‘No, I told you I hadn’t,’ he said in a sharp tone as
he ran his hand through his hair. ‘He had enough to deal with, he didn’t need
me offloading on him as well.’

‘But Gabe, you were only eight and he’s your dad.’

‘So you share everything with your parents do you?’ he
snapped. I winced at the tone of his voice and saw his jaw had tensed and one
of his hands was curled up in a tight fist.

‘No, but I think you need to talk Gabe, you’ve bottled
it up for so many years.’

‘I’m not talking to him Mia, why are you bringing this
all up? It’s done and dusted.’

‘It’s not Gabe, you were so upset on Monday and if
your own dad thinks you’re fine … I just … I can’t bear it. The thought of you
hurting for so long and not having anyone to share it with … it’s awful.’

‘Mia,’ he sighed. I bit my lip and tucked my hair
behind my ear and felt my eyes filling up and willed myself not to cry. I
seemed to be upsetting him more by talking about it and I’d only wanted to make
him feel better. He quickly stepped to me and pulled me to him and stroked my
hair. ‘Don’t, please don’t get upset, I’m sorry I just snapped. I’m fine ok? I
usually deal with it, I just had a moment on Monday, because I feel so strongly
about you and I didn’t want to hold in how I felt anymore.’

‘I don’t think you’re fine Gabe, it affects you more
than you realise. I just want you to know that I’m here, if you need to talk to
anyone, anytime, I’m here. I’m really sorry I didn’t mean to upset you bringing
it up.’ I heard and felt him sigh as he planted a kiss on the top of my head
and I bit my lip to stop me saying any more. It was up to him to talk to me as
and when he was ready, after all I hadn’t shared much of my life or any of my issues
with him, it would be hypocritical to expect him to do the same, after all we’d
only actually been dating for a week, even though it felt like I’d known him
forever.

‘That means a lot baby, but I promise you I’m fine. It
was a long time ago. I’m more worried about you. I hope it wasn’t too much
meeting him tonight? I’m still worried I’ve fucked this up after last night and
to spring him on you like that, even though it wasn’t planned, I just …’ he
stopped talking and huffed out and tightened his grip on me, like he was scared
I was going to run again.

‘Gabe it’s fine. We’ve dealt with last night, you just
have to promise to talk to me in future if you’re worried about something and
yes, it was a shock meeting your dad so soon, but it wasn’t like you arranged
it and ambushed me.’ I pulled my head back to look up at him.

‘You’re really ok?’

‘Yes, I liked him. He’s an older, slightly scarier
version of you, but he was very nice to me, especially after the incident.’

‘Well you’ve made quite an impression on him,’ Gabe said
and finally smiled.

‘I’ll say, turning up on the doorstep like a burlesque
stripper.’

‘He really liked you Mia and he’s not an easy man to
please. You obviously have a way with Austin men. So would you like dessert, or
can I finally see the fabulously sexy outfit you put on to seduce me Mrs
Robinson?’

‘
Hey,
’ I protested. ‘I’m younger than you.’

‘Lift your arms up,’ he ordered as he smiled down at
me. I did as I was told and he grabbed the hem of the t-shirt and pulled it
over my head, letting out a moan as he saw my breasts wobble in their tight
casing. He planted a kiss on each one and I held my breath, gazing up at his
handsome face as he started undoing the knotted cords at my waist. He’d just
pulled my horny lever and ratcheted it up to full speed and I let out a sigh as
he crouched in front of me, pulled the sweats down and made me step out of
them.

‘Christ you look amazing. I love stockings and
suspenders,’ he groaned as he stood back up, towering over me. ‘Come here, I
need to kiss you.’ I eagerly walked back into his arms, unsure who needed who
more and we kissed slowly as he picked me up and put me on the kitchen island.
I wrapped my legs around his waist as our tongues tangled around each other’s
and I felt my body turn to liquid. I could feel his firm chest pressing against
mine, his erection nestled at the apex of my thighs and his powerful arms
embracing me and I groaned in his mouth, making him pull his head back to smile
at me. ‘Are you trying to tell me you’re ready baby?’

‘Yes,’ I gasped, replenishing my oxygen levels. ‘Are
you going to fuck me on here?’

‘Much as I’d love fast furious sex with you right now,
there’s one of many fantasies that I’ve had for a very long time and I intend
to carry it out now and we’re going to take it slowly, get you really ready.’
He scooted me off the island into his arms, as I held on around his neck.

‘We’re going to your bed?’ I asked, as I gazed up at
him all wide eyed and excited. He just gave me a mysterious smile and carried
me out of the kitchen door across the hall, through another door, asking me to
alter the dimmer switch to turn the lights up, but not fully. As he swung me
around I saw that we were in a large room, directly under his dressing room and
bathroom, which housed a full size pool table as well a pin ball machine,
jukebox and a gaming area, with gaming chairs and an armchair. He carefully set
me down by the top end of the pool table and grabbed a cue as he surveyed me up
and down, his eyes misting over with lust again. ‘If you think that’s going
anywhere near my vagina or arse you’re sadly mistaken,’ I exclaimed and he
laughed.

‘The cue’s for playing pool, I want to see you bending
over the table, your breasts poking out of that top and your delicious bottom
sticking out asking to touched. At some stage tonight, I’m going to bend you
over the table and fuck you from behind, roughly.’

‘Give me a cue now,’ I demanded, holding out my hand.
His voice alone had already caressed my clit to the point of virtual orgasm.
‘Let’s play.’ He slowly chalked it up as he gave me one of his sexy smiles and
led me by the hand to the top of the table where the balls were already in
position for a game.

‘Ok, you need to lean over with your left arm
outstretched, hold the cue in your right hand and place it between the thumb
and fingers of your left,’ he instructed as he stood behind me, placed the cue
and moulded my fingers into position. I could feel my skin crackling, knowing we
were finally going to have sex tonight had me giddy with excitement. I leaned
gently forwards pushing my bottom into him, deliberately rubbing against his
erection.

‘Am I bending forwards enough Gabe? Please can you
inspect?’

‘Lower,’ he growled sexily and I complied and looked
back behind me. He stood back and whistled as he checked out my rear so I gave
it a little shimmy and giggled. He put his hand on my lower back and ordered me
to bend a little lower and the other hand caressed the strip of bare skin at
the top of my stockings. I was throbbing as he stroked me, knowing he was going
to fuck me, but not knowing when, was sending my desire for him off the Richter
scale.

‘So I push the stick into the balls now?’ I asked. He
pressed tightly into my backside and undid the top bow of the ribbons on the
back of my Basque. As he gently removed a few from the eyeholes I felt my
breasts move, no longer confined by the tightness of the material that had been
holding them in. He caressed the skin on the back of my neck with his lips as
he whispered and told me how to break. I did and the cue ball hit the rest of
the balls with a loud clack and a stripe ball fell into the corner pocket.