‘What
changed?’ I asked, hardly able to believe how much he’d just said and all in
one go. He’d never strung together that many sentences on any topic, let alone
on something that was obviously still so raw and painful for him.
‘I realised
how unhappy dad still was without her too and it made me think that maybe being
detached and alone wasn’t healthy. They’d been so happy as a couple, so in
love, even though they’d have massive blow outs sometimes, dad could be quite
bossy and it rubbed her up the wrong way so they’d yell and slam doors then
they’d be all over each other again,’ he observed. Like father like son I
thought, but didn’t interrupt, he was on a roll and he needed to keep going and
get it off his chest. ‘Julie had made it clear that she wanted more than
friendship, so I thought I’d give it a go, we’d always got on well and I
figured maybe that was the basis of a good relationship, getting on without
fighting and having shared interests in common. I stuck with it hoping that in
time I’d feel something, anything for her other than sometime to hang out with
and have sex with and then …. then I saw you and my whole world view skewed.’
‘It did?’ I
asked, feeling my heart racing.
‘I’d always
laughed at people who said they fell in love at first sight Mia, but that’s
what happened when I saw you. It was a like a punch in the gut, I just knew
that you were going to take away all my pain and make me happy and that I
wanted to do the same for you.’
‘Do I help
Gabe?’
‘So much,’
he whispered as his grip on me tightened. ‘Look you’ve got me talking about it
and I never talk about it. You’ve made me happy again, other than my running
and swimming it’s a long time since I’ve felt like that.’
‘You make
me really happy too Gabe.’
‘Really? We
argue
a lot
Mia.’
‘Just like
your mum and dad did Gabe, we’re hot blooded and passionate people, but it doesn’t
mean we love each other any less.’
‘I’m so sorry
to offload on you,’ he sighed. I wriggled out of his grasp and looked up at
him.
‘Gabe it’s
not offloading, it’s sharing, that’s what couples do. I’m always here if you
need to talk, you can
always
talk to me. I just feel honoured that you
feel you can.’
‘I love you
Mia, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,’ he said softly as he
reached down and stroked my face.
‘And you to
me,’ I whispered as I put my arms around his waist and hugged him. We just
stood there for a while, holding onto each other. I was so touched that he’d
opened up a bit and hoped he would again. Now I knew he could talk to me I
wasn’t going to push him, he needed to do it in his own time as and when it
felt right for him. I knew how much I hated being prodded to talk, it always
made me clam up. It was better to be in control and let it happen naturally,
organically, when the time felt right.
He took me
back upstairs. Opposite his bedroom was a large double bedroom and he explained
the house had perfect symmetry on both sides, other than the dining room
extension. Opposite his dressing room there was a large Jack and Jill family
bathroom in whites and creams with travertine tiles. Then at the back was
another large double bedroom. At the end of the corridor directly above the
utility room was Gabe’s study. It was full of trophies he’d won for his
swimming and long distance running.
‘What sort
of distances do you run?’ I asked.
‘I’m most
comfortable doing half marathons, but if I trained more I could move up to a
full marathon quite easily.’
‘You prefer
your swimming though?’
‘I love
both, but I needed to just focus on the one and swimming was my favourite, plus
I got to spend time more time with Doug who I’d bonded with. You’re very
inquisitive today,’ he smiled.
‘I’m
interested Gabe. When it was all about sex it didn’t seem important, but now
we’re a dating I’d like to know all about you, what makes you tick, what you
like. I’ve never really been bothered about any other guys interests,’ I
blushed.
‘Then I
feel very honoured that you’re interested in mine. I’d love you to come and
spend some more time at the pool watching me, it would mean a lot to me.’
‘I’d like
that and not just because you look so hot in your little trunks. You looked so
powerful but graceful at the same time when I watched you swim before, you were
amazing.’ He squeezed my hand as he bowed his head and kissed me tenderly again,
as he straightened up and went to move I noticed another picture of me on his
desk and he smiled when he saw me looking at it. It was the one he’d taken of
me while I was asleep.
‘I really shouldn’t
have that in here, you distract me when I’m trying to study,’ he said as he
tugged me out of the room.
We took the
stairs up to the top floor in the eaves. The left side he told me was his dad’s
bedroom, en-suite and walk in wardrobe, he offered to show me but I felt it
should be kept private. His dad’s study was directly above Gabe’s and on the
right were two more large double bedrooms with another modern bathroom sandwiched
between them.
‘Gabe do you
two ever use all this space?’
‘Not often.’
‘Do you
have a large family?’
‘No, mum
was an only child of parents who had her late in life so they aren’t with us
anymore and dad’s brother lives in South Africa now, I’ve a few cousins but we
don’t see a lot of them. His parents live in London, so we go for a visit now
and then, but we’re not really that close.’
‘Then why do
you have such a big house?’
‘Dad fell
in love with it and he wanted me to have lots of space to run around in as a kid,
plus room to install a pool for me.’
‘I can see
why he fell in love with it.’
‘You really
like it?’
‘Gabe I
love it, it’s like my dream house, the large rooms, big windows letting in all
the light, the high ceilings, it’s just stunning.’
He smiled
and led me back downstairs, it had started to pour with rain so we decided to
leave the pool tour until tomorrow. He took me to a door under the stairs and
we went down into the basement, which spanned the rear section of the house. It
had the original curved ceilings above us, painted white making it feel light
and spacious. Gabe told me that the original tiled floor had been replaced by the
current polished honed concrete one. Under the kitchen side Robert had made a huge
sealed temperature controlled wine cellar, completely stocked with all kinds of
bottles and champagnes, I decided he was seriously crazy rich. Under the
utility room was a steel door, which Gabe explained was a large walk in safe.
The mind boggled to imagine what such a massive safe could hold and why it
would even be needed.
Gabe opened
a door to the section under the games room and turned on the dimmer switch bringing
the lights all the way up. It was carpeted in cream and the walls were all
painted in a deep chocolate brown. The middle of the room had a raised platform
the top of which was level with my shoulders. Either side running down the
walls were two sloping walkways, Gabe took me down the left hand one and I saw
that the wall ahead was a complete cinema screen. We reached it and turned
around to see a steep ramp with seating for 12. There were three rows,
perfectly measured out so each would have an unobstructed view over the other. Each
row had two single armchairs and a double chair in the middle. Gabe pulled me
into the double one at the front and pressed a button and the foot section
raised up. Pressed another and the back reclined then another and I laughed as
I felt my bottom and back heating up.
‘Gabe, I
could live in this room. Could you imagine Lexi and I in here for Movie
Tuesdays? It’d be awesome.’
‘So do it.’
‘What?’
‘You could
both come here every Tuesday night and I’d stay out of your way. Lexi could
stop in one of the guest rooms and you’d be able to come and sleep with me with
me. Everybody’s happy.’
‘Gabe are
you serious?’
‘Yes, I
think I’d agree to anything that made you smile like that.’
‘God she’d
love it. What about your dad wouldn’t he mind?’
‘Mia he’s
hardly ever here now, so I have free reign over the house, other than his wine
cellar, he’s very territorial about that, but I’m free to ask anyone I want
over.’
‘O Gabe,
can we have a movie night just the two of us tonight? I’d love to snuggle in
here with you, with pizza and ice cream and do a movie marathon,’ I exclaimed
as I clapped my hands in glee.
‘Baby you’re
so cute when you get excited. I’d already planned on us spending the evening in
here, just with a healthier meal. I’ll agree to eating junk food with you, but
I draw the line at chick flicks.’
‘I
absolutely have to see Fast & Furious 6 on this screen, I missed it at the
cinema and haven’t seen it yet.
Please
can we watch that?’
‘You like
the Fast & Furious films?’ he asked surprised.
‘God yes,
love
them. I love action and martial arts films. Jet Li and Mark Dacascos are two of
my favourites, I even have some Chinese ones that are dubbed.’
‘You’re the
best girlfriend ever Mia Page, you love all the types of films I do. Have you
seen Dredd?’
‘No, but I
really
want to and the Alan Partridge film. I don’t know if it’s out yet, but I’ve
heard it’s hilarious.’
‘I think we
have movie night all sewn up then. Doug will have a dodgy copy if any films
aren’t out yet.’
‘Seriously?
You’d really watch three films back to back with me?’
‘Mia, I’m a
guy. Before you I could spend 10 hours on my xbox, so a mere six hours curled
up with you and some excellent film choices sounds absolutely bloody fantastic.’
‘I love you
so much,’ I squealed as I jumped in his lap and kissed him and he laughed, hugging
me tightly.
‘Come on, I
need more coffee and I’ll text Doug to see if he’s got Alan.’ He pulled me up
and led me back upstairs.
‘God. Doug
and Lexi, they’re out together today. Will you ask him how it’s going? I’ll
text Lex and ask the same and we can see if we get the same replies.’
‘If you go
and grab our phones they’re on the bedside tables, I’ll put the coffee on and I
need to throw some laundry in as well.’
‘Where is
your laundry basket? In your dressing room?’
‘Yes, but
leave it. I’ll go and get it once I’ve done the coffee.’
‘Gabe, I
may not be able to cook, but I do good laundry. I’ll bring it down and sort it
out.’ I kissed him and ran back up the stairs to his room and sat on the edge
of the bed as I checked my phone, I already had a text from her.
Mornin
pisshead. Bet u feel like shite? All humped out? Waitng 4 D. Act feel nerv, WTF?
Afternoon
Lexi. I woke up feeling great and the other question is still a work in progress,
but I’ve had a very enjoyable four times so far :-) Take it you’re at the show
now? It’s normal to feel nervous on a date, plus you’re sober, so the two
events combined are whole new experiences for you! How’s it going? Text me soon
with an update, I’m so excited. O and Lex, you’re going to die when I tell you
all about Gabe’s cinema room!! Xx
I grabbed
the laundry basket and headed down and dumped it in the Utility room. I took
our phones and headed into the kitchen where the delicious aroma of coffee hit
me.
‘Here you
go,’ he smiled as he passed it over. He was leaning on the island drinking his
while eating an apple. ‘Are you hungry, do you want anything?’
‘No I’m
good thanks. I texted Lexi, send one to Doug will you? I’m dying to know what’s
going on. I’ll be back in a minute.’ I headed back to the utility and sipped my
coffee as I sorted out the dark washing and turned to look at his huge free
standing washing machine. I loaded it, amazed at how much it could fit. I
fiddled with the buttons and jumped as it started, it was noisy and was shaking
all over. I bent over to separate his whites and towels out and heard a groan.
I looked around and he was leaning on the door frame watching me.
‘Are you
objectifying my naked behind?’ I smiled.
‘Always
baby, I’ve never seen a more tempting sight.’ He strode over to me and lifted me
straight up and sat me on top of the washing machine. I gasped as I felt the
vibrations work their way up through me and looked at him all wide eyed and he
grinned. ‘Let’s see just how good at laundry you actually are.’ He moved
between my legs and started kissing me.
‘O god
Gabe, this feels good,’ I groaned as he moved to kiss my neck and his hands skimmed
over my bare buttocks. I caressed the back of his neck as I felt myself
quivering and shaking in time with the machine. He moved back to kiss me and
moaned as I slipped my tongue in his mouth and wrapped my legs around his
waist. I knew my assault on the back of his neck would drive him insane and I
reached down and freed him from his sweats. He pulled my bottom forwards and
slid straight into me groaning. I came within seconds as I mumbled in his mouth
and as I started to crescendo again I felt him start to tense up. Less than a
minute later I’d orgasmed for a second time along with him and it was over. He sighed
happily on my shoulder as the machine continued to rumble away below us. I
kissed his hair and stroked his back until he lifted up his head and smiled at
me.