Awe-Struck, Book 2 (3 page)

“Thank you, Gabe. Call me Donna.” Sunny’s mother smiled at him sweetly.
Oh, so now it’s Donna? Next thing you know she’ll tell him to call her mom.
“He’s not only ridiculously handsome, but sweet too”, Donna leaned over to stage whisper in Sunny’s ear. Gabe looked down into his almost empty bowl of soup and blushed all the way from his neck to the roots of his hair.

“Come on Gabe, let’s let the women have girl talk, and I’ll show you my ‘man cave’.” Sunny laughed to herself as Sam got up from the table and Gabe followed eagerly.

Sunny looked at her mom skeptically, “So now you’ve changed your mind? You like him now?”

“Oh baby, I never said I didn’t like him. But I didn’t know whether he was good for you or if he cared enough about you. I thought that maybe the accident happened from his carelessness. I couldn’t have been more wrong. That boy adores you something fierce. I thought your dad was crazy about me when we were young. But he’s got nothing on that boy. I guess being an orphan has a lot to do with it. I hope you know what you’re getting into with that one. He’s going to be fiercely protective, not gonna let you out of his sight and probably even a little extra needy. But I think you’ve got enough love inside you to give to him.” Donna stroked the top of Sunny’s curls lovingly.

“I hope so mom.”

~~~

As Sunny prepared to take her first shower since getting out the hospital that morning, she tried to get her shirt off with one arm.
If I can’t get my shirt off, how in the hell am I going to get this dumb bra off?!

She was tangled up in her shirt, with part of it wrapped around her head, blinding her when there was a knock at the door.

“It’s me. Can I come in?” Gabe said quietly from the other side of the door.

Tears of frustration further blinded Sunny’s vision. She was helplessly wrapped up in her shirt, but she didn’t want him to see her naked, with her giant Frankenstein’s Monster stitches across her stomach, plus the multiple bruises marring her skin. She had enough of a problem getting naked in front of his God-like perfection in general.

“Sunny, please.” Gabe pleaded after her silence stretched a little too long.

“Okay.” Sunny said only loud enough for him to just make out the word.

The door opened, and she heard a sharp inhale. Her threatening tears finally spilled over hearing the sound.

“Oh Sweet Girl, why didn’t you as
k me, I would’ve helped you get undressed?” Gabe said coming up to her to help untangle her from her shirt.

“I didn’t want you to see me like this.” Her voice wobbled, as her face was finally freed from the shirt.

Sunny stared at his chest, unwilling to face what she might see when she looked into his eyes. But as usual Gabe wasn’t having any of it. He brought his index finger to her chin and raised her face to his, forcing her to look at him. There was no revulsion, only pure heartbreak. His eyes damp with unshed tears.
Man, we are a blubbering mess!

“I’ll think you’re beautiful no matter what.”

He reached around to her back to unhook her bra, sliding the straps down her left arm and around her cast on the right arm. Her large heavy breasts exposed to him for the first time in a week. The cool air tightened her nipples and her breath hitched in her throat. She cursed her arousal and her injuries. The former, because there was nothing she could do about it. And the latter, because they made it impossible to quench her need for him.

He turned her to face away from him. He dropped to his knees, and then she felt his soft full lips on her back. She couldn’t see what he was doing, but she sensed that he was kissing every bruise he could find on her back.

Slowly he turned her around, and her stitched tummy was at eye-level with him. He began to kiss all around her wound, trying not to disturb the stitches. Once he was done there, he undid her pants and pulled them down along with her plain cotton panties. He lightly kissed the top of her bare mound. She gasped and her hips jerked.

“Don’t.” She breathed.

“I know. I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to get you worked up. I just can’t help touching and kissing you.” Gabe stared up at her with heavy-lidded aroused eyes.
This is not going to be easy if we keep this up.
“Do you want me to run you a bath?”

“No, I can’t immerse my stitches in water. I have to take a shower. But before I do, I have to put that stupid plastic sleeve over my cast, so that it doesn’t get wet. God, this is so damn frustrating! I hate being helpless!” Sunny ended on a shout.

“I’ve got you, Sweet Girl. You can lean on me for anything that you need.” Gabe said with complete sincerity.

“I know, but that doesn’t make me feel any less disabled.” Sunny said as she watched him grab the plastic sleeve.

Gabe walked over to her with the sleeve, and as gently as he could, started to tug the tight rubber opening over the cast. But no matter how gentle he was, the jarring tugs still brought tears to her eyes from the pain. She bit down hard on her bottom lip to keep from making a sound and upsetting him over something that couldn’t be helped.

Just then he looked up and saw the pain etched onto her face and the tears in her eyes at the pain he was causing her.

“Oh God, baby! I’m so sorry! Why didn’t you tell me I was hurting you?!” Gabe scolded as he kissed Sunny all over her face.

“It’s okay. No matter how gently to you tried, it was still going to hurt like hell. I’m fine.”

Gabe just nodded sadly, as he led her into the bathroom. He leaned in and turned on the water in the shower, adjusting the temperature till it was just right. Then he started to undress, pulling his shirt over his head, revealing his wide chiseled chest and sculpted abs.

“What are you doing?” Sunny asked, staring at the body that she could only dream about all week.

“I’m getting in with you, so that I can bathe you, that’s what.” Gabe said in a tone that meant he wanted no arguments.

“But I’m all hairy! I haven’t shaved in a week!” Sunny panicked.

“Then I’ll shave you.” 

Knowing that it was no use disagreeing with him, Sunny stepped into the shower and under the spray, trying to avoid full contact on her stitches. Gabe stepped in behind her and grabbed a bottle of shampoo. He worked the lather into her hair trying to avoid the stitches in the back of her head. Her eyes closed in ecstasy at the gentle massage on her scalp. He then rinsed and repeated, and conditioned her hair next. Once he was done with her hair, he then grabbed the bar of soap. He wet the soap, and then with sudsy hands, worked the lather into her skin. He made sure he massaged every part of her bruised and sore body. It felt magnificent.

He grabbed her razor and shaved her everywhere. She blushed profusely when he shaved her armpits. Something about armpits just didn’t seem very sexy. Her legs were a bit more sensual, as he slowly and carefully glided the razor up her legs. And by the time he got to her aching sex, she was too turned on to be embarrassed.

When he was done she noticed his arousal, but he ignored it as he catered to her every need, though it was harder for her to ignore. He had the most beautiful body she’d ever seen, and his erection was ridiculous. She’d never get tired of looking at it. He was so big, probably about nine inches of velvety steel. And so big around, that her fingers didn’t even touch when she gripped him. She had never had an internal orgasm before him, which was probably based on the overwhelming size of him that most men couldn’t compete with. He touched every inch; hit every spot, when he was inside of her.

As his soapy hands glided down her breasts and over her sensitive nipples, she reached out to grasp his erection. But he pulled out of her grip.

“No Sunny. We can’t, I don’t want to hurt you. I’m trying so hard to just concentrate on washing you. Please, don’t distract me.” Gabe begged, flexing his square jaw, trying to stay in control.

“Can’t we just touch each other, and not go any further? I need you.” Sunny supplicated. 

Gabe closed his eyes and leaned his forehead on hers, his breath fanning over her lips. His hands slid down her sides and came around to cup her wet heat. She gasped against his mouth. His slick hand glided over her clit to her tight opening. As Sunny’s hips moved of their own volition, she once again wrapped her small hand around his girth.

As if synchronized, their hips started to thrust forward upon each other’s hands. His mouth claimed hers in a searing kiss, their tongues tangling together. Their gasps and moans picked up the pace, as did their hips and hands, signaling their impending climaxes. Just as Sunny felt his cock jerk and his seed spill over her hand, her abdomen clenched with her mutual release as her inner walls squeezed his fingers. The pleasure combined with the excruciating pain in her tummy, made her scream into his mouth and reflexively bite down on his bottom lip, drawing blood.     

Their mouths came apart on a loud gasp, blood trickling down Gabe’s lip. And Sunny doubled over, clutching her stomach.

“Dammit! I knew we shouldn’t have done that. Sunny are you okay?” Gabe knelt down to look up at her pained expression that turned to shock, at the sight of his lip.

“Oh God, Gabe! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to bite you!” Sunny exclaimed.

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about me. I just wanna make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine now. There’s still a dull ache, but I’m better. I just kinda forgot that all your muscles tense during an orgasm.” Sunny looked at him guiltily.

“Come on, let’s get outta here, so I can dry you off and get you some pain meds.” Gabe said, back in caretaker mode.

“Okay.” Exhaustion from her injuries and overexerting herself, were taking its toll on her body.

She practically slumped over as he got her out of the shower and dried her off. He lifted her to the counter to rest as he dried himself off and grabbed her pajamas and painkillers.

Once she had taken a few pills and was finally dressed in her comfy cotton
Minnie Mouse
pajama pants and black tank top, Gabe cradled her in his arms as he carried her to the bed. Once in, Sunny scooted over to make room for him. He threw on some gray sweats and crawled in behind her. The queen size bed was a tight fit, but both not wanting it any other way. He gently pulled her into him, spooning her. Then he kissed her damp curls.

“Goodnight, Sunny.” He whispered against her hair.

“Goodnight, Gabe. I love you.” Sunny yawned.

“And I love you, Sweet Girl.”

“Oh and thank you so much for paying for my hospital bills.” Sunny said sleepily.

“You’re welcome.”

Wrapped in each other’s arms, they finally fell into a deep and untroubled sleep for the first time in a week.

Chapter 3

Gabe woke up with his body completely wrapped protectively around Sunny. Maybe too protective, if the grimace on her sleeping face
was any indication. His head had been on her chest, his torso half on top of hers with his arms wrapped tightly around her and his legs were tangled up with hers. He had to have been causing her pain. So he slowly and gently disengaged himself from her body.

He grabbed his t-shirt and stepped out of the bedroom. As he walked down the hall towards the kitchen he pulled his shirt over his head. And in that split second of blindness, he collided with someone.

“Oh my!” He heard Sunny’s mother exclaim.

He popped his head the rest of the way out of his shirt and watched as Donna’s eyes traveled down his body as he pulled the shirt down to cover himself. “Sorry Donna.” Gabe said uncomfortably.

“Uh, it’s okay. My…my, you sure do eat your
Wheaties
don’t you?!” Donna joked.

“Uhhh…” Gabe stammered.

“Donna stop drooling all over the boy, and come get your coffee.” Sam said, as usual coming to Gabe’s rescue.

“Good morning, Sam.” Gabe said as he walked into the kitchen.

“Mornin’ Gabe. Would you like some coffee?” Sam asked politely.

“Sure. I wanted to get some breakfast for Sunny too. Did the doctor say there was anything she couldn’t eat?”

“He said that it was best if she had softer foods for now. That’s why I made her homemade chicken noodle soup last night. But don’t worry; I’ve already made up some oatmeal. She won’t be that happy about it though. It’s not her favorite, but bring her some orange juice and she’ll be fine.” Donna offered.

“Okay, thanks.” Gabe went about making her a bowl of oatmeal and getting her a glass of orange juice.

After he had it all on a tray, he walked back to her room. Balancing the tray in one hand, Gabe quietly opened the door. He smiled at the vision of her sprawled in her bed, good arm over her eyes and her hair a nebulous cloud of caramel around her head. The curls fuzzy, more like an Afro than her normal defined corkscrews.

Gabe set the tray on the nightstand closest to him and then crawled onto the bed. He lifted her arm away from her face and placed soft kisses on her forehead, eyelids, nose, cheeks, chin and mouth. A huge smile spread slowly across her face as her eyes fluttered open.

“Good morning, Sweet Girl.” Gabe smiled back at her.

“Hi.
So you weren’t just a dream? You’re really here.”

“
Yes. I’m here. You couldn’t keep me away even if you tried…oh wait you did.” Gabe jokingly scowled at her.

“I’m so sorry Gabe. I thought that it was for the best. I can’t believe how wrong I was.” Sunny said thoughtfully.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m here now. I brought you breakfast. But I hear a rumor that you won’t be too happy with it.” Gabe teased her.

Gabe helped Sunny sit up in bed, with her back against the headboard and fluffed pillows. He then sat the tray on her lap, watching her reaction. With her wild hair all over her head
, smooshed in some places and an adorable frown directed at the offending oatmeal, Gabe couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Yuck! I hate oatmeal.” Sunny pouted as she gladly drank her orange juice.

“Well you have to eat a little something, Sunny. Just a few bites, for me?” Gabe prodded.

“Fine.” Sunny scooped up a spoonful and grudgingly ate it. 

Gabe made sure she ate a little more before speaking. “So I called the pilot that’s flying us back. It is okay that we leave today, right? I have to be back to continue filming Redemption. Kyle has already given me several days off.”

“Yeah that’s fine. My parents may be a little sad to see us go, but they’ll understand.” Sunny paused. “Wait! You haven’t been back to the set since the accident?!”

“No I haven’t. I was a wreck. There was no way they would’ve gotten a decent take out of me.” Gabe said truthfully.

“So what have you been doing the last week?” Sunny asked curiously.

“Sneaking into the hospital, checking up on you.” Gabe answered without shame.

“Really?”

“Of course! What else would I be doing?” Gabe looked at her like she’d lost her mind.

“I don’t know.” Sunny said sheepishly.

“Don’t tell me, you thought I had already moved on?” Gabe looked at her suspiciously.

“Maybe a little.”

“Sunny! Are you crazy?! Do you really think I’m that fickle, that I could move on so quickly?!”

“I’m sorry. It’s not you. It’s more like I doubt
my
ability to keep you.”

Gabe just stared at her in disbelief. “You’ve completely lost your mind.”

“Well I was delirious and doped up on some seriously strong pain meds. Why else would I be dumb enough to end it with the best thing that’s ever happened to me?” She gave Gabe a sassy smirk, trying to lighten the serious subject.

“Because you were scared. I get that. But just know that I will protect you until my last breath. And then I’d probably still come back as a ghost and kick anyone’s ass that messes with you. I haven’t forgotten about your Patrick Swayze fascination.”

Sunny’s enchanting laugh burst out, and she clutched her sore stomach. “I’ll be sure to take up pottery. Is there enough space for a pottery wheel in your house?” She joked as she slid from the bed and headed to the bathroom.

“Whatever you want is yours.” Gabe replied as he watched her disappear around the corner.

A high-pitched shriek from the bathroom startled Gabe so badly that he thought his heart would explode from his chest. He ran into the bathroom at full speed.

“What?! What happened? Are you okay?” Gabe panted as he round the corner.

Sunny was just standing there looking in the mirror at her reflection in horror.

“You’ve been in there talking to me for at least fifteen minutes and you failed to mention that I looked like…THIS?!?” Sunny exclaimed loudly.

Gabe had to admit that he’d never seen hair so big. Though it was adorable the way it framed her face. But all he could do was bend over and laugh hysterically at her reaction.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love my Afro. But it has to picked and styled to perfection. Not all smooshed and flattened from sleep!” Sunny grumbled as she finger-combed her wild hair. “I mean seriously, how did you keep a straight face that whole time?”

“You just looked so adorable. I like it. It’s just another side of Sunny.” He said sweetly.

“Uh huh.” She looked at him through the mirror doubtfully.

Gabe watched as she fluffed her hair out with a pick. Then she grabbed a large rubber band thing with her good hand, awkwardly pulled it over her head and drew it down to her hairline and slowly started to push it back. When it stopped her hair was in a perfect puff at the top of her head, like an Afro ponytail, as far as he could tell. He was amazed at the simple transformation, from wild to sleek in a matter of seconds.

“That was so cool!” He stepped up to place a kiss on her neck.

“It’s just an Afro-Puff. And this is how my hair will be until I can get this stupid cast off. It’s the easiest to do one-handed” She smirked at him and then stuck out her tongue.

“Well I like it.” Gabe smiled and gave the soft puff a pat. “Alright Miss Stone, we need to get your things packed up. We have to be at the airport in a couple of hours.” He lightly smacked her bottom out of habit, making her jump in surprise.

“Fine. Let’s get back to the media hell that is L.A.” Sunny said her voice forlorn.

“Don’t worry. It’ll be okay. We’ll get through it together.” Gabe tried to fill his voice with as much comfort as he could, though he had an uneasy feeling too.
I swear, if they fuck up my relationship one more time, I’m gonna bury my size fourteen shoes up their candy-asses!

~~~

Sunny stared at the private jet in awe, as Gabe helped her up the metal stairs to the airplane door.

“I had no idea that you had a private jet.”

“Yeah, I’m not really a fan of bragging about what I have.” Gabe answered modestly.

“I noticed.” Sunny smiled up at him at the top of the steps.

And in classic Gabe style, the plane was nice and functional. Not over the top like she’d expect from most celebrities. He grew up with the clothes on his back and a few treasured items his birth mother left him. He never let the extravagance go to his head, preferring to remember his humble beginnings. He got nice things to make his life more comfortable and that’s where it stopped.

His private jet
was in standard beige, with eight large comfortable seats, four on either side that faced each other and one table with a couch for relaxing while having a meal. 

“It’s lovely, Gabe.” Sunny said, sitting in the window seat he pointed her towards.

“Thanks. It makes life easier. I can’t get on a commercial flight anymore without being mobbed.” He shrugged as he took the seat next to her.

“I’m sure it’s a double-edged sword. Having the money and the lifestyle to do and buy things most people can only dream of. But at the same time, your privacy is taken away and your personal life is put under a microscope.” Sunny said sympathetically.

“You hit the nail dead on the head. I never thought my life would be like this. And I enjoyed it up until about a month ago…before I met you. And though I love doing nice things for you, that I know you’ll appreciate, I hate what my lifestyle is doing to you.” Gabe’s sad expression crushed Sunny.

“It’s not your fault Gabe. Don’t beat yourself up about it.” Sunny grabbed his hand, stroking the back with her thumb.

“You can’t imagine what it was like seeing you panicking surrounded by paparazzi, getting hit by that truck and not being able to get to you in time. I was destroyed in that moment. Not knowing whether you’d live or die. Wondering if another accident would again irrevocably change my life for the worse.” He laid his head back on the headrest and closed his eyes, swallowing hard trying to control his emotions.

“I’m here and I’m fine. Well kind of.” Sunny smiled looking at her casted arm. “And next time the paparazzi get in my face like that, someone’s going to end up sterile. Because that’s just how hard I’m gonna kick ‘em in the balls.”

Gabe just chuckled, then grabbed her face and gave her a hard kiss on the lips.

“I love you. Now let’s go home.”

They both grinned at each other like besotted fools, at the thought of a home together.

~~~

Once they landed at the private airport in Malibu, there was a black towncar with tinted windows already waiting to take them home. Sunny realized that the media must not have known where they were, because she didn’t notice any intrusive cameramen standing around the gates of the airport as they drove out.

She watched the landscape fly by as they neared home.
Home.
If someone would have told her a month ago that she would be in a loving relationship and moving in with Gabriel Wolf, über-famous movie star, she would’ve told them that they were bat-shit crazy. But now that she was actually living it, she couldn’t imagine her life any other way.

The towncar pulled up to the gates of the private community in the hills of Malibu. Gabe rolled down his window, letting the guard know that it was him and the gates began to open.

“In each of my cars I have the electronic key for this main gate and an opener for the house gate. I have one of each for you too. As well as the house key. I also let them know that you’re living with me now. They can be a bit jumpy over people they don’t recognize here.”

“I can only imagine.” Sunny said, still staring out the window, gaping at the amazing mansions they passed by. The last time she had come here it had been night and she had been passed out.

They pulled up to Gabe’s entrance.
Our entrance.
Sunny had to keep reminding herself that this was now hers too.
Unfucking real!
Gabe punched in the code to the gate and the gate swung open.

“The code to this gate, just in case you don’t have the opener is: fifty-two fifty-six.”

“Does the code mean anything?”

“It’s the years my parents were born.” Gabe said devoid of emotion.

Sunny knew better. He pretended as if he didn’t care about his parents, specifically his mother. She knew that it was just his pride that was getting in the way of finding his mother, and probably a fear of her not really wanting him. But she’d sacrificed having the love of a child, in the hopes of giving him a better life. So Sunny knew that she had to love him. And since he hadn’t changed the name she had given him, Francesca had to know her son was a big-time movie star. Sunny guessed she was probably incredibly proud of him. So Sunny just kept quiet and started to devise a plan.