Love & Loss (15 page)

‘See you Christmas Eve Lex, try and behave and keep the apartment clean this time please.’

‘Have a great time Mia.’

‘I’m sure I will.’ I turned to hug Doug as Gabe gave Lexi one and I heard her giving him a warning about looking after me which made me smile.

‘Doug, she’s a bit down at the moment, please don’t take it personally. She’s really upset about me moving out. Ply her with cider or beer, let her win on Xbox and tell her she’s looking sexy, not nice,
sexy
and you’ll be just fine.’

‘Easy as that eh? Could have told me this from the start Mia,’ he joked. ‘Have a great time, see you for your birthday party.’

‘Birthday party?’ I looked at him surprised.

‘Shit. Why do people tell me things if they don’t want me to blurt it out? It’s too much pressure,’ he moaned. I laughed and felt Gabe slip his hand in mine.

‘Ok enough with the stalling, let’s move or we’ll miss our flight. See you Christmas Eve guys.’ He pulled me out as I waved over my shoulder and trotted after him down the stairs. ‘Sure you’ve got your passport baby? We won’t have time to come back.’

‘I’m sure,’ I nodded, though I had to treble check my bag just in case, that wouldn’t be a good start to our trip.

‘Hi again Riley,’ I smiled as he held the door open for me to hop in.

‘Miss Page, looking forward to your trip?’

‘I am, even though I’m not entirely sure where I’m going,’ I smiled as he shut the door and looked around at Gabe as he slipped in beside me. ‘You look very happy Mr Austin.’

‘I am, we’re finally getting away again. I hate being here at the moment. I wish they’d catch this damn killer so I can relax when we’re home.’

‘That’s what’s been bugging you?’

‘Yes of course. When will you get it in that damn head of yours that I worry about you Mia? The idea of you being in this city, while a serial killer who targets girls that look like you is on the loose, doesn’t sit comfortably with me.’

‘Then it’s good we’re going away,’ I smiled as I took his arm and put it around me and nuzzled into his firm chest.

‘It is,’ he sighed as he kissed the top of my head and tightened his hold on me. ‘Close your eyes, I’ll wake you up when we get to the airport.’

I sighed as I looked up at the private plane with ‘AT&F’ written in red on the tail.

‘It’s Dad’s company jet Mia. It’ll just be us, Tommy the Pilot, Dean his co-pilot and Tim the steward.’

‘Gabe seriously?’ I exclaimed stunned. Just how much money had he spent?

‘Dad offered it when he heard my plans Mia, don’t worry it’s not cost me anything, one of the directors needs to return to the UK so he’ll be hopping on when we arrive at our destination.’ A member of airport staff double checked our passports and handed them back wishing us a safe flight. ‘Come on,’ Gabe ordered.

‘We’re not going to Scotland then?’ I asked as he took my hand and led me to the small integral steps.

‘No. Why did you think it was Scotland?’

‘I just thought we had such a nice time there and you said pack for the cold.’

‘O it’ll be cold, I hope you did as you were told with the packing,’ he smiled as he pushed my bottom to make me climb up the steps and into the plane with him close behind.

‘Mr Austin,’ smiled a dark haired gentleman in a very smart pilots uniform. ‘Long time no see.’

‘Tommy, nice to see you again. This is my girlfriend Mia,’ said Gabe with one arm around my shoulder as he shook Tommy’s hand.

‘Hello Mia, welcome on board.’

‘Hello,’ I smiled as I shook his hand.

‘How’s our journey looking?’ asked Gabe.

‘Should be fairly smooth, a bit of turbulence over the eastern seaboard but I’ll let you know in advance. Tim’s taken your cases to the cabin, but we’re ready to taxi out if you want to settle in.’

‘Thanks, come on baby,’ Gabe led me through to the main cabin and I looked around in awe. It was all white leather and mahogany polished wood. There were eight individual reclining seats, in sets of two facing each other with their own tables between them, then a long sofa opposite a large flat panelled TV and a polished mahogany door at the end from which another younger chap appeared, also in uniform.

‘Mr Austin, Miss Page, welcome on board. If you’d like to settle in and buckle up,’ he smiled. Gabe sat me down in one of the seriously comfy seats and did up my seat belt and sat opposite me doing up his own. ‘Can I get you both a drink?’

‘A JD and coke for me please Tim. Baby?’

‘Some water would be great thank you Tim,’ I smiled.

‘Make it a bottle of still water in an ice bucket with two glasses for the bedroom and she’ll have a vodka cranberry please Tim, she’s being polite.’

‘Certainly Sir,’ Tim smiled and I watched him disappear towards the front of the plane. I heard the outer door closing and the engines start.

‘Bedroom?’ I asked, my eyes wide as the plane began to move.

‘Hmmm yes, there’s a double bedroom and small en-suite in the back. The sofa can be made into a double bed too. Dad usually chooses to fly alone overnight so he can make use of the bedroom and arrive refreshed in the morning,’ Gabe said with his eyes twinkling.

‘Are we going to be sleeping in there tonight?’

‘Yes, though I’m not sure how much sleeping we’ll be doing,’ he murmured as he leaned forwards in his seat and took my hand.

‘Because it’s a short flight?’ I asked as I felt my heart rate speeding up.

‘No Mia, it’s a long flight. I’m hoping we’ll be too busy having sex to sleep for all of it,’ he winked. I gasped as I looked at him and felt my hands start to tremble. Now? He wanted us to have sex again now? In a plane? ‘Is that ok?’ he asked, looking a mixture of amused and turned on. I gulped and nodded and he chuckled again and sat back as Tim put our drinks on some paper coasters in the depressions in the smooth wood table.

‘I’ll let you know when you can retire for the evening, but in the meantime let me know if you need anything Sir.’

‘Thanks Tim.’

I took a sip of my drink and looked out of the porthole window at the flashing lights along the ground. This was
insane.
‘You’ve never actually told me what Robert does Gabe. I knew he was rich, but this is …’

‘Too much?’

‘Well yes, but …’

‘Get used to it baby. He’s the co-founder and CEO of Austin, Turner and Finch, an international corporate law firm. He owns the controlling shares since Mum died, she was the Turner of the firm.’

‘He’s a
lawyer?
’ I gasped.

‘Yes.’

‘Like Harvey?’

‘Well as CEO he’s technically more like Jessica, but wears three piece suits rather than power dresses,’ Gabe smiled.

‘And he has offices in Westhampton and New York?’

‘London and Hong Kong too. He doesn’t practice so much now, unless he spots a case that really takes his fancy. It’s a lot of work to oversee that many offices and employees.’

‘I’ll bet,’ I said shaking my head in amazement. ‘He never wanted you to follow in his footsteps? Study law?’

‘At one time yes, but he knew it wasn’t for me.’

‘What do you want to do?’ I asked as the plane began to charge down the runway and Gabe reached for my hand again.

‘I wanted to be a PE teacher, but with my shoulder the way it is …’ he shrugged with a sad smile.

‘It would stop you doing that?’

‘I think so,’ he nodded.

‘So are you going to tell me where we’re going?’ I asked quickly to change the conversation and take his mind of his injury.

‘Let’s just say I’m in an
Empire State of Mind
.’

‘New York?’ I gasped and he nodded his head as he studied my face for my reaction. ‘We’re going to New York?’ I let out a joyous scream and clapped my hands as the plane lifted off and he burst out laughing.

‘You’re so easily pleased Miss Page.’

‘I think you’ll be easily pleased as soon as I can drag you into that bedroom Mr Austin,’ I winked as I glugged on my drink and cracked an ice cube in my mouth.

‘Baby I don’t doubt it for a second.’ He smiled as his eyes turned a stormy blue as he watched me over the rim of his glass.

‘Why now?’ I asked, perplexed but incredibly happy.

‘What do you mean?’

‘It’s been nearly three weeks, what changed your mind?’

‘You called me on Monday and talked to me, without me pushing you.’

‘That’s it? That’s all it took? A phone call and a
chat?
’

‘Mia, you called
me
when you needed someone, you were in shock and you were upset and it was me you wanted. You could have called your Mum or Lexi, but you didn’t and it’s the first time you’ve ever opened up to me voluntarily. I know you love me, but this shows that you trust me as well. You trust that I’ll take care of you, comfort you and love you back the way you need me to. You knew that I’d be there for you and it had nothing to do with this insane attraction we have for each other, it meant the world to me.’

‘It did?’

‘Of course,’ he nodded as he drained his glass. ‘I told you Mia, as your boyfriend it’s my job,’ he frowned and then shook his head, ‘no it’s my honour to protect you, make you happy and to look out for you. The fact that you trust me to do that gives me … indescribable happiness.’ I just looked at him as I didn’t know what to say. How could someone so young be so romantically old fashioned? He really felt like that about me, that I was precious to him. I felt my eyes filling up and he grasped my hand and kissed it. ‘Drink up baby. It’s nearly bedtime,’ he purred and I closed my eyes and groaned. How could he put so much sex into those three words? When I reopened them he was quietly chuckling as he ran his thumb back and forth over my hand.

‘Why do you keep doing that?’ I asked.

‘What?’

‘Looking at me like that then smiling and chuckling.’

‘Because I love it that you’re so receptive to me, that you want me so much. It makes me feel like I’m the centre of your universe and I like it,’ he said with an almost embarrassed shrug.

‘You’re pretty hard not to react to Gabe and not just the incredibly handsome package you come in,’ I replied blushing. This was getting very intimate and I looked up grateful to see Tim reappear.

‘You can remove your seatbelts now. I’ll put the water in your cabin. Unless you need me breakfast will be ready at 6 a.m. UK time.’

‘Thanks Tim,’ Gabe smiled. I knocked back my drink and reached for my seat belt with slightly trembling fingers, but he was next to me in a flash and undid it for me and held my hand helping me up.

‘Thank you,’ I smiled.

‘You’re welcome baby,’ he smiled and I swayed under the intensity of his gaze. He’d already undressed me with his eyes and he was looking at me with something bordering on indecency.

‘I don’t think I’ve ever wanted you so much,’ I whispered.

‘Me neither, do you have any idea how hard it’s been not to come for seventeen days? I haven’t been that long without coming since I was twelve.’

‘You’ve not masturbated?’ I exclaimed.

‘No, that was part of our deal. I told you it’s not just about sex, it’s about sex with you. Don’t tell me you have?’

‘No I haven’t, but I assumed you just meant me. I didn’t think you’d … I didn’t think you could, I mean … you’re not happy unless you come a few times a day,’ I added lowering my voice as Tim appeared from the back of the plane.

‘You’re right, I’m not happy, but I couldn’t ask you to do something I wasn’t prepared to do. So you’ll understand why I don’t want to stand here discussing it.’ He leaned in to whisper in my ear. ‘My testicles are the size of grapefruits and I’m going to fill your sweet juicy little cunt with so much come.’ I slapped his arm and narrowed my eyes at his coarseness. How could he swing from swoon worthy romance to porn star crudeness in the space of five minutes? It bothered me though that he could make me wetter than I already was at the thought of it. I blushed and smiled politely as Tim wished us both a good night.

‘Hmmm it certainly will be,’ grinned Gabe as he slapped my bottom and ushered me towards the bedroom opening the narrow door for me. I stepped inside and was taken aback at the cosiness of it. Though small, it still managed to house a king sized bed, tables either side and a mini dressing table and small wardrobe. Before I had a chance to turn around and look behind me, Gabe scooped me up and threw me onto my back on the fluffy cream duvet and advanced on me unbuttoning his jeans.

‘Gabe, I need to freshen up and put something sexy on,’ I protested as he threw himself on top of me. ‘I wasn’t expecting this.’

‘Freshen up later and you’ll look even sexier when I’ve got you out of these clothes,’ he growled as he lowered his lips over mine. I heard a noise from deep in the back of my throat escape my mouth as he kissed me with so much passion that I went dizzy. Suddenly his hands and lips were everywhere as we rolled around the bed, our limbs entwining. I could only give into it as he ripped my jumper off, then my t-shirt and shoved my bra up over my breasts and sucked hungrily on one of my already swollen nipples.