Love & Loss (8 page)

‘Deal,’ he grinned and kissed me quickly again.

‘So what were you and Gerry chatting about earlier?’

‘He took me to the study and gave me the protective father speech.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, basically along the lines of hurt my little princess and I’ll track you down and kill you as she’s been through enough, though not quite as scary as when Lexi did it.’

‘O bless him, that’s so sweet. Well I think you’ve made a good impression so far, see you later horn monster,’ I winked and gave him a quick kiss back. ‘Bathrooms all yours, Lexi and I share an adjoining en-suite.’

‘See you later,’ he winked.

Twenty minutes later I was curled up in my old bed after having checked out my room and quickly hidden any pictures that Gabe might disapprove of. As I lay waiting for him I felt my eyes closing and drifted off.

I was woken up by my iPhone alarm at 8 a.m. I lay there, confused for a minute, looking up at the light oak beams above my head and remembered I was at home, my old home. I frowned, not recalling Gabe coming in last night and rolled over to find his side of the bed empty, and it didn’t look as if his pillow had even been slept on. Maybe he’d fluffed it up before sneaking out this morning.

I hopped in the shower and quickly dressed in some casual clothes and pulled my hair into a pony tail. I could hear noise from the kitchen downstairs and knocked on Lexi’s door to wake her up before knocking on Gabe’s and opening it. He was fast asleep on his front, hugging a pillow to his face. I sat on the edge of the bed and ran my fingers through his hair and he opened his eyes startled.

‘Morning,’ I smiled.

‘Morning?’ he asked, shocked.

‘Yes it’s nearly half eight, I don’t even remember you coming to bed or sneaking out.’

‘Because I didn’t,’ he mumbled embarrassed. ‘Shit sorry Mia, I must have fallen asleep waiting for your parents to go to bed.’

‘Gabe Austin,’ I chastised.

‘Well it’s not like you noticed, you could have come to get me,’ he muttered as he sat up.

‘Fair point,’ I nodded as I eyed his toned muscular chest. ‘Are you nude under there?’

‘Yes, nude and hard. I dreamed about you,’ he smiled.

‘That’s so not fair, teasing me,’ I pouted. ‘You slept ok then?’

‘Yes,’ he said with a surprised frown. ‘I don’t normally sleep well without you, I don’t know why that happened.’

‘You’re tired and unwell Gabe, it’s caught up with you,’ I suggested as I trailed a finger over his shoulder scar. ‘Maybe you feel more relaxed here, like you did in Scotland, because you’re with me and there are no threats here.’

‘Hmmm maybe so. It could be these new meds I’m on too.’ He grabbed my finger and kissed it, his eyes flitting down to my breasts. ‘You’re looking extra pert today.’

‘Push up bra, wait until you see my going out outfit for tonight. Come on, get showered and ready and see you down in the kitchen. It’s torture seeing you all naked and sexy like this.’

The five of us enjoyed a big fry up before we left Mum and Gerry behind and I drove to the B&B to pick up Doug and we headed into town. We decided to stick together and Lexi and I walked them around telling them stories of our favourite places as we pointed them out, like the pool hall, our favourite pub and the nightclub we’d be going to later. We had a burger and fries for lunch and decided to go to the cinema to see the latest Hobbit movie before heading home for a light dinner and getting ready to go out.

‘Mia, can I come in?’ called Lex as I sat at my dressing table finishing my makeup.

‘Yes I’m almost done.’

‘Holy crap, that’s not your usual Christmas outfit,’ she exclaimed as she looked me up and down.

‘I wanted to look sexy for Gabe, it’s been two weeks of no sex and I don’t know how much more I can take, so I hoping he won’t be able to resist me in this. You like?’ I asked as I stood up and gave a twirl. I’d purchased a new corset style mini Santa dress with white fluff around the base, white over the knee socks and had on a pair of black Mary Jane ankle strap shoes. I’d freshly washed my hair, styling it into loose waves and had put on my Santa hat and some sparkly makeup.

‘You could have said you were going for the sexy look,’ she pouted. ‘I look stupid next to you.’

‘You don’t,’ I replied, trying to stifle a giggle. Lexi had gotten her green felt elf outfit out of retirement, along with her green and red face paint. As if she weren’t tall enough already, a mini dress with stripy red and white tights really wasn’t helping. ‘You just look like The Hulk in a Christmas outfit.’

‘Do I have time to change?’

‘No,’ I exclaimed, ‘we’re late already.’

‘Why don’t the boys have to dress up? It’s not fair,’ she sulked.

‘It’s our tradition Lex, none of us had boyfriends when we started this.’ I grabbed my red velvet pouch bag and we headed down to the lounge. I was pleased to see Gabe’s reaction as he looked me up and down, hot carnal lust, but I noticed Mum raise an eyebrow as she caught him eyeing me up. Gerry gave Lexi and I both a look and shook his head, but knew better than to say anything. We’d had many an argument as teenagers over what he considered to be inappropriate going out attire.

‘Come on then, I’d better drive you in, are you getting a taxi back or ringing me?’ he asked.

‘I think we’ll get a taxi thanks, not sure how late we’ll be,’ I replied, drinking in Gabe in his sexy grey jeans, fitted black shirt and bomber jacket.

‘Don’t forget your sister is over for lunch tomorrow, don’t be too hung over,’ Mum warned.

‘What? Georgie’s coming?’ Shit, when was that arranged? I still hadn’t told Mum about my op, what if Georgie dropped me in it?

‘You think you’d be a bit happier about seeing your sister after three months Mia, really.’ Mum shook her head and I sighed, I was going to have to talk to her about it all tomorrow now for sure.

‘Ok baby?’ Gabe asked as he grabbed my hand.

‘Yes,’ I smiled up at him.

‘You look
very
sexy,’ he murmured in my ear making me smile even more.

‘This brings back a few memories,’ Gerry smiled as he pulled up in the town square to drop us all off. ‘If you want a lift home ring before midnight, otherwise lose my number and I’ll see you at breakfast.’

‘Thanks’ we all called in unison making him laugh as he waved and headed off.

‘Sexy outfit Mia,’ grinned Doug, earning himself a punch in the arm from Lexi who scowled at him. ‘What? It is sexy. I already told you yours looked nice when you knocked on the B&B door.’

‘So I get a “
nice
” and Mia gets a “sexy”? Thanks a lot,’ she snapped and marched off ahead of us with Doug running to catch her up leaving Gabe and I laughing.

‘So sexy Mia, where are you taking me tonight?’ he asked, giving me a kiss on the temple as he tucked his arm around me.

‘To our favourite pub where we’ll have a few with some of our old boarding school friends and their boyfriends, then we’re going onto Onyx for some dancing later.’

‘Hmmm,’ he frowned.

‘Hmmm what? Did you not want to come out?’

‘No it’s not that, I’m happy to be out with you, I’m just finding this no sex thing harder than I thought I would. It doesn’t help you dressed up like that and the thought of you dancing, the way
you
dance …’ his brow creased again as he stalled. ‘It’s going to be hard.’

‘Gabe please, you want sex, I want sex, why can’t we just do it? I miss you so much. It’s been two weeks.’

‘No,’ he said firmly. ‘It’s not time yet. Is this the pub?’

‘Yes.’ I held my hand out to him, which he took. I was kind of nervous, being back home and introducing him to my friends. In less than a week it would be our three month anniversary and would make this my longest and most serious relationship. I desperately wanted all my friends to like him, there again why wouldn’t they?

‘So are we doing this or what?’ he smiled as I stood at the door biting my lip.

‘Sorry, it’s just a big deal introducing you to my friends, I need a second.’

Of course I needn’t have worried, everyone loved him, Doug too, and Lexi and I both got grilled when they both went with the other boys to buy another round of drinks at the bar.

‘Mia, Gabe’s bloody gorgeous,’ sighed Mandy.

‘Hmmm if anything goes wrong toss him my way,’ nodded Jess. ‘I’m not too proud for sloppy seconds of that
or
Doug.’

‘He adores you Mia,’ added Lizzie with an elbow to my ribs. ‘He can’t keep his hands or eyes off you. Look he’s looking over now,’ she laughed and I blushed as they all started giggling while Lexi rolled her eyes.

‘I know, I’m really lucky and he’s so protective and caring,’ I sighed as I smiled back at him.

‘Tell me you’ve at least lost your virginity and you’re finally shagging?’ asked Mandy and all eyes turned to look at me. I went bright red and bit my lip as I smiled and a loud cheer went around the table, which made everyone in the pub look around.

‘Girls,’ I protested.

‘Tell me it’s good, I bet it’s good, he looks like he’d be good,’ Lizzie sighed as she looked his way again, her chin resting in her hand.

‘No, it’s not good,’ I said with a shake of my head as I looked over at him and heard them gasp. ‘It’s bloody
sensational
,’ I giggled and they all cheered again. I nearly choked as Jess slapped me on the back.

‘How the hell did you get him for your first and I got Squeaky Pearson?’ Jess laughed.

‘No idea,’ I replied sincerely. ‘But I know how lucky I am.’

‘So you enjoyed it first time?’ Lizzie asked.

‘Yes, but Christ I hurt the next day,
all over.
’

‘Did you come first time? I didn’t, Squeaky had a high intolerance for stamina as well as a high pitched voice,’ giggled Jess.

‘I did,’ I nodded. ‘It was amazing.’

‘Thank your lucky stars you don’t share a house with them guys,’ grizzled Lexi. ‘The two of them are at it
all
the time and you want to hear the bloody noise that comes from their room
and
as if
that
weren’t bad enough he makes her come
every
time, more than once.’

‘No,’ came a chorus of voices as everyone looked at me with jealousy all over their faces.

‘Doesn’t everyone?’ I asked surprised.

‘NO,’ came another chorus and I tried to keep the smug look off my face, not that I was doing a lot of coming at the moment, but he did usually make me do it,
a lot
.

‘Girls please don’t embarrass me in front of him, they’re coming back,’ I begged. I excused myself and gave Gabe a kiss which earned me another cheer from our table and I shook my head in despair as I headed to the ladies. I was on my way back to our table when I heard my name.

‘Mia? Mia Page? Is that you?’

I turned around and my heart skipped its steady beat. Standing in front of me, looking every bit as gorgeous as I remembered him, was Tyler Jackson. Tyler was my teenage crush, no crush was too tame a word for what I’d felt for him, it was an infatuation, I was obsessed with him. He was the reason I was a decent swimmer, because I’d found every excuse to go to the pool hoping he’d notice me. I felt myself blush as I looked up at him, he had to be the same height as Gabe and looked like he had a body to rival his too. He’d always been toned in his swim trunks back then.

‘Ermmm yes,’ I managed to utter as I gazed at him and remembered to close my mouth as I gazed into his light blue eyes.

‘Tyler, Tyler Jackson, I worked as a life guard at the pool and rescued you the once.’

‘I remember,’ I nodded.
O boy did I remember.
Four years my obsession had lasted for and when he’d saved me … well it had been the highlight of my young teen life.

‘You look amazing. I haven’t seen you around for a while,’ he smiled. He reached out to hold my shoulder as he leaned down and kissed my cheek.
I
looked amazing? What was it with blond sex Gods finding me attractive? He was in a black suit, jacket undone with a white fitted shirt undone at the collar and his hair was all spiked up and sexy. It must be lack of sex with Gabe, because I shouldn’t be finding another guy attractive, but I could feel my body sparking. Tyler Jackson had it going on in all the right places and I still liked what I saw.

‘I’m at Uni in Westhampton, I started in September. How about you?’

‘I’m a surgeon. I did five years at Uni for a medical degree and I’m now doing a residency here.’

‘A surgeon?
Wow
,’ I exclaimed. O my God, my very own McSteamy fantasy in the flesh.

‘It’s long hours, but I love it. What are you studying?’

‘English and Modern History. I’m not sure I’m as passionate about it as you obviously were with your choice, but I enjoy reading and culture so it seemed a natural choice.’ I reached up and tucked my hair behind my ear as I looked at his mouth, his lips were nearly as perfect as Gabe’s and I felt myself getting flustered as I imagined them on mine.

 ‘Are you seeing anyone?’

‘Yes … yes I am, he’s here somewhere, we met at Uni,’ I stammered. Had he really just asked if I was seeing someone? I felt my skin prickle and a hand go around my waist.

‘Mia baby, everything ok?’ came Gabe’s concerned voice as he kissed my temple and I was surprised to see Tyler flinch.

‘Yes sorry, this is an old friend of mine, well someone I used to know. This is Tyler, he’s a surgeon in town.’

‘Tyler,’ Gabe nodded as he held out his hand. ‘I’m Gabe, Mia’s boyfriend.’

‘Hi Gabe,’ Tyler replied taking his hand and shaking it firmly. I looked from one to the other. They could almost be brothers, tall, athletically built, blond and
stunningly
good looking, at least I was consistent with my attractions. Being sandwiched like this between them was sending my sexual desire through the roof. For a moment I even got an image of me sandwiched between them,
naked
, in bed with both of them devouring me at the same time, then I mentally slapped myself for having such illicit thoughts. I hopped awkwardly from one foot to another feeling some tension in Gabe’s arm around me. He was doing so well lately, I didn’t want to antagonise him by standing talking to a guy that I actually did have the hots for, not when he could go mental over Milo who I didn’t feel that way about.