Baggage & Buttons (34 page)

‘I’ve missed you too,’ he sighed. ‘Come on let’s go to
bed so I can hold you and watch you sleep.’

‘You need to sleep too, you look so tired.’

‘I’ll sleep just fine tonight now. Thank you,’ he
kissed the top of my head and led me to the bedroom. I hung my dressing gown
back up and turned around to see he’d already removed his top and bottoms and
he bent over in his tight jersey boxers to pick them up. I ran my eyes over his
thighs and bottom and he turned around to see me staring at him, as I stood
there in just my knickers.

‘Mia don’t, you’ve got that lustful look in your eyes
again and your nipples are hard.’

‘Then stop bending over and waving your biteable
backside in my face. You know what it does to me.’

‘Shit I’m hard already, will you just get into bed and
cover your breasts up? There’s no way I want to come after this morning.’

I went to my chest of drawers and pulled on a loose
fit t-shirt. He’d already got into bed and was sitting up watching me when I
turned around. I stopped and stood smiling at him.

‘What are you smiling at?’ he asked.

‘My bed looks so much better with you in it Gabe.’

‘So are you over this ridiculous “
we need to have
time apart”
rubbish?’

‘Yes, I’m sorry I think I just had a panic. I’ve never
told a guy that I love them and it all just feels like it’s moving so fast.’ I
climbed in and shuffled up next to him and he put his arm around me.

‘We are moving fast, but I don’t want it any other
way, I hate being apart from you Mia.’

‘Me too.’

‘God then I’m really sorry,’ he said with a heavy sigh,
‘I didn’t know when it was going to be a good time to break it to you, but I’ve
got go away Thursday and Friday night for a competition.’ I broke eye contact
and looked down, playing with my fingers resting on my lap. I could hardly
protest after the last couple of days. ‘Mia?’

‘What do you want me to say Gabe? Your swimming’s
important to you, I get that.’

‘Are you disappointed?’

‘Of course I am. There’s a party in the student bar on
Friday night and Lexi and I were going to go. I’d planned a very sexy outfit for
you and was hoping we’d meet up after.’

‘Bloody great, the two nights I go away and you’re out
with Milo on the one and parading around in a sexy outfit, drunk, on the other,’
he sighed as he pinched the top of his nose.

‘Hey, you’re going away for two nights with a load of
women, one of whom happens to be your ex, so you don’t get to complain. Besides
Lexi’s promised to be my guardian on Friday as she won’t be drinking.’ I looked
at him and he sighed again, I knew he wasn’t happy, but he knew I wasn’t
either. ‘How did you get on with Milo tonight?’

‘Fine. Doug agrees that I can’t trust him around you
though.’

‘Then trust me. You really think I want anyone else when
I’ve got you?’

‘You’d better not Mia, it would be the end of us if
you ever cheated on me. Come on, I’ve hardly slept since Saturday morning, I
need to be on top form for Friday.’ He kissed me and I rolled over to turn off
the light and decided to turn off the alarm on my phone so we could lie in. I
snuggled down into the bed, sighing as he wrapped his arms around me. I could
feel his firm chest pressed into my back and it was so comforting. I reached up
and found his hand and wrapped my fingers around his.

‘Thanks for coming over.’

‘Thanks for asking me.’

‘I love you Gabe,’ I whispered. He kissed the back of
my neck sending shivers down my spine.

‘Not as much as I love you baby,’ he whispered as he
tightened his arm around my waist.

Wednesday

I woke up on my back, with Gabe draped across me fast
asleep. It was already quarter past nine, but I decided not to wake him up and
carefully wriggled out from under him, looking back as he shifted and moaned.
His hand moved across the duvet as if he were searching for me, so I picked up
big boy and put him under the duvet and smiled as Gabe sighed and put his arm
over him. I snapped a picture of it on my iPhone and chuckled as I went to the
bathroom.

I looked at myself in the mirror, despite two good
night’s sleep I still looked pale and tired and had signs of bags under my
eyes. I took my tablets and changed my tampon, which was full of blood clots. I
was dreading this scan, I wasn’t sure I wanted confirmation of what was wrong.
I went and listened at Lexi’s door, but there was no sound, I figured she was
still asleep so I just made two coffees and when I returned Gabe was sitting up
in the bed with a faintly amused smile on his face.

‘You think I don’t know the difference between my
girlfriend and a giant soft furry panda?’

‘You didn’t when I took the picture of you cuddling
him.’

‘You didn’t?’ he uttered, horrified.

‘I did. You make such a lovely couple. You can take
him away with you if you need some quality alone time together.’

‘I need some quality alone time with you. When I get
back will you come and stay with me for the weekend?’

‘I may still be on Gabe, sometimes it’s four days,
sometimes more.’

‘Mia, how many times, it’s not all about sex. I just
want to spend some time with you.’

‘Can I check with Lexi first? I don’t really want to
leave her alone all weekend.’ I passed him his coffee and put mine on the side
as I hopped back into bed.

‘Sure. You ok? You look really pale.’

‘I’ll be fine when my period’s gone. Are we still
going running?’

‘I don’t know, you tell me?’

‘I’d like to go, but I don’t want to slow you down.’

‘I’m happy to go at your pace. I’ll go and do us some
scrambled egg on toast and once we’ve eaten we can head out. Why are you
getting out of bed? Stay there and I’ll bring breakfast to you.’

‘I’m never going to learn to cook if you keeping doing
it for me Gabe. I want you to show me.’

‘Ok, see you in the kitchen. Get out six eggs and some
milk and butter. Do you know what they look like?’

I threw a pillow at him and he dodged it laughing and
shut the bathroom door. I took our coffees back in the kitchen and got out what
he’d asked and he joined me a minute later wearing his grey jersey joggers and
a tightly fitted white t-shirt, it was painted onto his biceps and torso. I
wiped my mouth, positive some drool had just escaped and sighed, his body was
just perfect.

‘God you’re so hot. I can’t wait until we can have sex
again,’ I moaned as I ran my hands up his chest.

‘You and me both.’ He kissed me, squeezing my bottom
tightly, then picked me up and deposited me on the countertop next to the hob
and proceeded to show me how to make scrambled eggs.

‘Wow, that looks easier than I thought,’ I nodded.

‘Then you can do them tomorrow morning, if I’m allowed
to stay over tonight?’

‘Most definitely if we have two nights apart. What
time are you leaving Thursday?’

‘The coach is picking us up at 3.30, so I’ll miss some
of English. It’s about a four hour journey there.’

‘Is Doug going with you as well?’

‘Yes, we’re the two fastest swimmers on the team. Come
on breakfast’s ready.’

We sat at the table and ate and I downed some apple
juice, while Gabe stuck to water.

‘So what do you see happening with your swimming?’ I
asked between bites.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well you compete for Uni and Westhampton. Have you
considered things like the Olympics?’

‘Qualified for the trials last time, but not quick
enough on the day,’ he shrugged. I quickly ate another mouthful wondering if I should
ask anymore. Gabe was pretty competitive and I didn’t want to piss him off by
reminding him that there were people better than him out there, but I was really
impressed he was that good and was interested to learn more, so I decided to
risk it.

‘Gabe that’s amazing, you must be seriously good.
Would you try out again? Or for any other games like that?’

‘I’m no Michael Phelps yet, but I’m above average,’ he
shrugged. ‘I’d like to think I’d try out again, but it would mean masses of
extra training and what with Uni and seeing you now, it’s a really big
commitment that I’d really need to think about very carefully.’

‘I don’t want to get in the way of your dreams Gabe,
I’d never want to get in the way of you doing something you loved, no matter
how hard you’d have to work at it.’

‘Thanks baby, that’s really sweet,’ he kissed me,
looking quite touched. ‘Right I’ll go and get my sweatshirt for this run, you
want yours?’ he asked.

‘Please, I’ll clear up here then.’

‘Do you have your bracelet on?’

‘Always,’ I waved my wrist at him. ‘Why?’

‘I’ll want to take it with me when I leave, so I can
add Sunday’s date on, it was then that you first told me.’

‘That I loved you?’

‘Of course it was, unless you want to take it back?’

‘No of course I don’t,’ I said blushing. ‘You’re quite
sentimental Gabe, I’d never have imagined that about you.’

He grinned his boyish grin and I shook my head amused
as he went to grab our stuff.

I made it about another mile further than the last
time, before I had to stop and bend over with my hands on my knees to catch my
breath.

‘Ok?’

‘Yes, just so out of shape,’ I panted.

‘You’re in pretty good shape considering you do
virtually no exercise at all and eat crap. A few weeks of this and the gym and
you’ll soon see a difference. If you need an exercise partner ask me, you don’t
need bloody Milo for that.’

‘You’d want to do that with me?’

‘Why wouldn’t I? Working out next to a hot girl in
tight lycra’s every guys dream.’

‘O I’ll be hot,’ I nodded. ‘I’m so hot now it’s
dripping off me.’

‘I meant as in sexy hot, but hot skinned does it for
me too,’ he smiled, as he reached out and ran his finger down my damp cleavage.

‘Why does that not surprise me? Ok let’s go again.’

‘Sure?’

I answered him by starting to run and smiled back at
him over my shoulder as he stood with his hands on his slender hips and watched
me. He caught up with me too quickly and we carried on for another fifteen
minutes, before I headed to a bench and collapsed onto it with my knees up. He
laughed and sat down putting my head on his lap.

‘Well at least you’ve got some colour back in your
face.’

‘Hmmm and you haven’t even broken a sweat. So how did
Doug enjoy Sunday?’

‘Loved it. He keeps asking me why Lexi won’t agree to
go out with him.’

‘I think she actually wants to, but she wants to deal
with her situation first.’

‘I get that, just having to lie to him about why she’s
stalling isn’t the best feeling.’

‘I know. When I told mum about you on Monday, I felt
awful not having told her before.’

‘Why didn’t you?’

‘I never really talked to mum about boyfriends much
after Alex. I knew she’d know it was serious if I talked to her and I didn’t
want to freak her out ringing her as soon as I’d met you.’

‘As soon as you met me? Wow you
really
liked my
bum.’

‘Well it’s biteable,’ I smiled up at him.

‘So other than thinking I’m a babe, how did she take
it? Is she mad at me for deflowering her beloved daughter?’

‘She’s happy that I’m happy. She just wanted me to be
sure that beneath the passion is something more substantial and to be sure that
I could trust you.’

‘So what did you tell her?’ he asked as he stroked my
hair gently.

‘The truth, that while I trust you completely, I was
scared that it was all just about the lust and you’d get tired of me.’

‘Do you still feel that way?’ he looked down at me
with a frown.

‘A little, but I’m getting there.’

‘Good, because I keep telling you it’s not and I’m
going nowhere, you’re stuck with me for life Mia Page. Come on we need to head
back, I need to stop at the shop and want to fit in a shower. Ready?’

‘Yes.’ I groaned as I sat up, my legs were aching
already. We set off and he slowed the pace down, so that this time I could make
it all the way back to the shop in one go.

‘Stretch off against the wall while I grab more bread,
eggs and milk, unless you’re going to have another stroppy about it in the
street?’ he asked with a raised eyebrow. I pulled my tongue out at him.

‘I think I can cope with you spending a couple of
pounds on me now and again.’

We got back and he put his purchases in the kitchen
while I checked on Lexi who was still asleep, so we headed straight for the
bathroom. He stripped off and got in the shower while I sat on the toilet lid
and watched him.

‘You’re not joining me?’

‘I don’t want to take my knickers off in front of you
at the moment.’

‘Why not? I’ll control myself. I still sting a bit.’

‘It’s not that,’ I mumbled as I felt my cheeks flush.

‘Then what?’

‘I’ve a tampon in. You’ll be traumatised if you see
the string. I need to stay sexy in your mind.’

‘For god’s sake Mia, get undressed and get in the
shower, nothing would make me think of you as anything but sexy. If you don’t
come in, I’m going to drag you in fully clothed and then undress you myself.
Get in, now,’ he ordered. I sighed and I stripped down to my knickers as he watched
me and raised an eyebrow. I wriggled them off and walked into the shower embarrassed
and watched amazed as he sprung an immediate erection. ‘See, no problem turning
me on even with a string,’ he grinned.

He pushed me up against the tiles and soaped up his hands
and ran them over my body. I closed my eyes and enjoyed him touching me,
gasping as he gently ran them over my breasts. I tensed up when I realised he
was kneeling in front of me washing my stomach and I grasped his hair. He
looked up at me and smiled before looking back down, kissing my tattoo and
tracing his fingers across it. Some of the raised black edges, where it had
started to heal, were flaking off and he carried on cleaning all the bits away
before kissing my stomach and rising up again to kiss me. I wrapped my arms
around his neck as my tongue worked around his mouth, before he groaned and
pulled away.

‘Ok that’s enough or my cock and I are going to regret
it.’

I grumbled as he refused to keep kissing me and instead
undid my hair and handed me the shampoo, before he got washed and dried and
headed to my bedroom. I finished up and rubbed plenty of moisturiser into my
skin and found him sitting on the bed, already dressed in his jeans and a red t-shirt
with a VW Beetle on the front and some red sneakers. It was the most casual I’d
seen him other than his sweats.

‘Are you ok getting the bus with Lexi? I want to go
via the jewellers. I can meet you in class.’

‘Of course,’ I looked down at my bangle. I’d not taken
it off since he’d given it to me. ‘When will I get it back?’

‘If he can do it today I can pick it up on my way into
Uni tomorrow for you.’

‘If you don’t think it’ll be ready, I’d rather wait
until after the weekend.’

‘Are you getting all sentimental on me now Mia Page?’

‘Maybe,’ I shrugged. If Gabe was going to be away, I
wanted to keep it on, so I’d feel like I had part of him with me. God I really
must be in love, the old Mia would have heaved at the thought of being like
this over a guy.

‘Then I’ll insist it’s done today so you’ve got it for
tomorrow. So please can have it? I need to go.’ I ran my fingers over it and reluctantly
slid it off my wrist and handed it over to him and he kissed my forehead. ‘See
you in a while baby.’

‘See you later.’

I changed into my black maxi dress again and black converse
high tops and pulled a tight fitting royal blue jumper over the top and decided
to straighten my hair for a change, as I was doing it I heard Lexi’s door open.

‘Morning Lex.’

‘Morning. You ok? You look all happy again,’ she said
as she came and sat on my bed.

‘I caved. I rang him last night and asked him to come
over, he’s only just gone.’

‘Wow I didn’t hear him.’

‘You had fight club on so loud, I don’t think you’d
have even heard the fire alarm. I’m amazed we haven’t had complaints from the
neighbours about the TV volume.’

‘What about you screaming while you’re shagging?
That’s way worse.’