A Dozen Dates (17 page)

“Hey Miranda, how are you handling your workload..?” Nathan taunted.

“Forget it!” she warned. “Gemma, don’t you listen to this rot...”

“I wouldn’t be part of a bigamist relationship...” Gemma quietly stated, but there was a serious undertone of truth.

“Of course you wouldn’t...” Miranda supported her.

“Damn!” said Michael calmly and he paused before turning to her and asking, “Are you sure?”

“Michael,” scolded Miranda and Sam, and Nathan laughed.

Gemma looked at Miranda and then back at Michael, “Yes, I’m sure.”

Michael reached over and grabbed another oyster and then leant over Gemma in an intimidating fashion, and seductively fed her, “Well, then I have a lot to think about...”

They finished their first courses and the girls got up to clear the table – thank goodness for plastic plates; and then they brought out the cheesecake for dessert. Gemma sat back down and Michael said to her, “Look, we still have three oysters left...”

“Don’t worry, they won’t get wasted...” Gemma smiled at him.

“The oysters were beautiful, actually, Miranda,” Nathan commented and he kissed his fiancé proudly on the cheek.

“So is this cheesecake...” stated Sam.

“Well, that I bought,” confessed Miranda.

“Well, it’s delicious! At least, it was...” Sam observed.

“You want some more, Sammy?” Nathan asked her.

“No, that will do me.”

After dessert, three helpings each for the boys, Michael went and got everyone drinks and squatted beside Gemma and requisitioned another oyster for her to eat.

“You can’t feed her oysters after cheesecake...” Nathan scolded, with a revolted look on his face.

“Oh, but Gemma loves her oysters... How many is that tonight, Beautiful?” Michael asked her.

“Mmm... That was number six!” Gemma answered, and Michael grinned, while picking up number seven.

“Well, you know what they say about oysters...” Nathan offhandedly commented, and Gemma sat up straight. Feeling the shift in her posture, Michael glared at Nathan and grinned.

“Well, actually I don’t, but I keep hearing that they say something...” Gemma announced. Michael held the oyster mid-flight, and bit his other hand to stop himself from laughing as he turned his head into her. Nathan chuckled and Miranda shook her head at Michael, smiling in disbelief to learn that he had been playing yet another prank on this poor creature.

“And on that note; I’m out of here!” Sam announced, not wanting to be dragged into the whole oyster debacle again.

“You off already, Sammy?” Nathan asked.

“Yes, I have a client first thing tomorrow – they work six days a week and they are going out to lunch!” Sam explained and then turned to Gemma, “You have this to look forward to.” Sam smiled at Gemma like a comrade would.

“Kiss, Babe?” Michael requested.

“Hymph! Not on your life!” Sam protested, before walking over and kissing Nathan and Miranda on their cheeks.

“What about Gemma?” Michael complained.

“It’s okay,” Gemma assured him, but Sam tilted her head as she pondered the idea and then smiled before walking over, hugging and kissing Gemma on the cheek too.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about..!” Michael dared to say as he ogled at the girls showing each other affection, and Nathan laughed at his brassiness.

Miranda laughed when Sam gave Michael a dead arm on her way out. “Ha! Serve you right,” she skited.

“Bitch!” Michael yelled out to Sam as she was leaving.

Gemma stared at him laughing... He was so funny, but she sensed something was amiss with this whole situation... Something told her that Michael wouldn’t really consider a bigamist relationship – he was just kidding around. She figured Miranda was right about that... Miranda also said that Michael liked her a lot – he said he had a lot to think about... Gemma guessed his decision was not far away, and she wondered with all of her heart if he liked her enough to choose her... She also wondered what it was about oysters...

“Now... what do they say about oysters?” Gemma asked and everyone burst into laughter. Michael reluctantly inched number seven towards her face, pretending to be above suspicion but glancing through the most devilish of eyes. “Michael?” her tone was stern, and he began to chuckle.

“Yes, Beautiful?” he answered her.

“What do they say?” Gemma’s voice took on an air of authority, and Michael knew he was in trouble this time, and he stood up, retracting the oyster while Nathan and Miranda laughed at him.

“Miranda, what do they say? Tell me.” Gemma asked, her voice a little softer but still saturated with business.

“Michael!” Miranda reprimanded.

“Nathan?” addressed Gemma, insisting on an answer.

“Sorry Gem, but I’m not touching this one...” Nathan informed her, and the men started laughing again.

“Here, Baby, eat your oyster...” Michael softly tempted her and everyone was laughing harder.

All of a sudden Gemma reached out and snatched the oyster from Michael’s hand, demanding, “Give me that! I’ll eat my own oyster!”

Nathan had just taken a mouthful of beer and with his sudden launch into hysterics at Gemma’s completely naive retort, the ale burst out of his nose and he was rendered a coughing, laughing, spluttering mess. Michael crumbled to his knees and lowered his face to Gemma’s lap, worshipping her gentle greatness but still laughing... “Oh my God, Gemma...”

“What?” she screamed.

“Oh my God...” Michael continued as if this girl was seriously,
seriously
going to be the death of him one day. Gemma put her hands on her hips and frowned at everybody in protest.

“Michael...” Miranda called, “You
have
to tell her.”

“I know,” Michael conceded, and he raised his head and kissed Gemma on the cheek before getting up and sitting in a chair beside her. He looked at her lovingly... He would never tire of looking at her myriad of raw and vulnerable expressions.

“Gem... They say that oysters are an aphrodisiac,” Michael informed her, at this point in time, feeling relieved to know she had a good sense of humour.

Gemma thought on the statement for a few seconds before responding, “You mean... They... They make you...” Immediately Gemma flushed and she raised her hand to her forehead as if feeling if she was okay and she sounded alarmed, “Is that true? Michael is that true?” She lowered her hand to her chest as if feeling her heart beat, “I’ve eaten seven of them...”

Michael giggled, “It’s okay... They won’t hurt you. You will be okay.” Michael paused, pondered momentarily and then ventured on, “It is more to do with their shape rather than what’s in them.”

“Their shape..?” Gemma inquired feeling somewhat befuddled.

“Yes...” Michael picked up the last oyster and Nathan started shifting uncomfortably in his seat, not sure if he could watch, but at the same time not wanting to miss a thing. “Look...” Michael whispered as he brought the oyster in close to her, and Gemma looked. He reached up with his other hand and gently flicked the folds on the edge of the oyster so Gemma could see its form.

Suddenly Gemma’s eyes shot open and she jumped back, blushing brightly. Everyone chuckled, including Michael who dropped his head in shame as he did so.

“That’s... That’s...” Gemma was lost for words so she just punched him, and yelled, “Michael!” Everyone chuckled, including Gemma as she realised how naive she must have looked. “You are a bastard.”

“I know... Let me make it up to you...” Michael told her.

“Hmm, how?”

“By giving you the last oyster...” he dared to offer, raising it to her mouth.

“No!” she exclaimed, “Get away...”

“No? Don’t you want it Gem? Mmm, mmm, mmm... Yum!” he teased her.

“Stop it!” she ordered.

“Come on... Mmmmmm...” he said, looking deep into her eyes, and Gemma began to breathe erratically.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat an oyster again...”

Michael giggled, and asked, “You want to watch me eat it?” Gemma watched him, his corporeal gaze stirring her soul, as he lent in and sensually slurped the oyster’s flesh from its shell and held it between his teeth. Her heart was thumping rapidly and her head was getting light. “Share?” he proposed between gritted teeth. Gemma felt like she was going to explode with excitement, and then suddenly, boldly, her eyelids fell and she moved in, closed her mouth over his and severed the oyster with her teeth, before swallowing her portion and kissing him deeply – a kiss he returned with every bit as much passion.

When they separated, even though only moments later, Gemma was giddy and felt extremely conspicuous – she urgently needed to go for a walk and get some space. “Who wants another drink?” she asked as she got up from her chair. Everybody accepted, though Miranda only wanted cola; and so she ventured to the kitchen, catching her breath along the way. She retrieved the beverages and passed them out on her way back to her seat.

Suddenly she felt a yank on her arm and the next thing she knew she was sitting on Michael’s lap, the plastic chair precariously retaining its integrity with the sudden thrust of weight against it. “Wo! Don’t move Gem... Or it will go!”

“Should I get up?” she asked, also concerned about the cheap plastic furniture.

He looked at her and uttered a single word, “No.”

The four of them hung out and talked for another hour when Nathan announced that it was time for him and Miranda to depart.

“I’d better go too,” Gemma announced as she stood up.

Instantly there was a tug on her arm and she was yanked back down onto his lap, and he informed her, “You can’t go... You’ve been drinking...”

“I’ve only had two stubbies...” Gemma consoled him.

“Well, this is your life we are talking about... You can’t be too careful.”

Gemma giggled, “Michael, I am so completely under the legal limit...”

“I don’t care... Miranda, can you get Gem and I another couple of stubbies while you’re in there,” Michael called to the kitchen where Miranda was collecting her bowls.

“Michael...” Gemma began to protest.

He pleaded softly, “Gem, stay...”

“Why? Because Sam has already left..?” Gemma asked and Michael’s eyebrows shot up.

Michael looked at her, carefully choosing his words, “I prefer blondes... with big...”

“Here you two go...” Miranda said as she passed them the stubbies. “Nathan’s just carrying out the bar fridge.”

“Oh. Does he need a hand?” Michael asked.

“No, he’s right,” Miranda assured him. “The house does look fantastic.” They talked until Miranda heard Nathan call out to her and she left.

“Now where were we?” Michael asked. “Oh yes... Blondes with big tits..!” Michael smiled and then he traced his fingers down the side of her bosom, over the clean white fabric. “I like this top – it’s very nice,” Michael stated and he looked up at her, “It looks like you.”

Gemma smiled and then her face once again became serious, “What about Sam?”

Michael swallowed before softly interjecting, “Gemma, you don’t need to worry about Sam; I promise.”

He raised his hand and tenderly cupped her chin and turned her mouth towards his. They were both leaning in when Gemma suddenly pulled back and asked, “Is this a date?”

Michael searched her expression for answers, and when he could find none, he simply asked her, “Gemma, why did you stop dating me?”

“Huh?” she said before freezing.

“Why didn’t you want to date me..? I know you like me – I can tell.”

Gemma stuttered, “I d-d-did w-want to.”

Michael looked confused, “Then why did you stop?”

“Huh?” Gemma’s mind was drifting away under the pressure.

“Gemma!” Michael commanded her attention. “If you liked me, and I liked you, why did you stop dating me?”

“You wanted to give me nine... or eleven pity dates...”

“Wo wo... Back up a second... Pity dates?”

“Yes. You only wanted to date me because you felt guilty about popping my stupid cherry when I was drunk, and then...” Gemma accused him, but her choice of words made it hard for Michael not to smile.

“Stop! Gemma, I wanted to take you out because I liked you...” Michael assured her.

“You didn’t know me...”

“No, but after our little frolic that night! Wow! ...And after talking with you the next morning I wanted to get to know you.” Gemma grinned and blushed at the same time and Michael flashed a smile back at her. “And after having dinner with you the next night...”

“You offered me nine dates...”

“Yes...” Michael agreed, still baffled.

“And then what?” Gemma asked and turned to him for an answer.

“What do you mean? I don’t understand...” Gemma was quiet, and Michael pleaded as he held and stroked her hand, “Please Gemma, just tell me the truth.”

“Well, you wanted to work off your nine dates to ease your conscience... Meanwhile, I-I-I’m... getting attached.”

“What’s wrong with getting attached?” Michael queried, still gently stoking her hand with his strong finger.

“Oh, just a little thing like me getting
stabbed
in the heart!”

“Wait a minute, who said anything about stabbing you in the heart?”

“Well, what did you think was going to happen after nine glorious dates?” Gemma inquired.

“Hang on... Did you think I was only going to date you nine times and then vanish?” Michael asked, the proverbial penny starting to drop.

“You said nine dates...” Gemma recalled.

“I said nine dates because I wanted an excuse to see you...”

“And then you started counting them down... L-like dating me was some kind of horrible chore.”

“I was counting them down so I could convince you that you still owed me time...”

“What time?” enquired Gemma.

“The time it would take to get you to fall for me...” Michael lowered his voice and confessed, “Like I fell for you...” They searched each other’s faces, clarity concerning the other’s state of mind finally being realised.

“So, after the nine dates... you weren’t planning on stopping..?”

“Oh my God, of course not!” Michael comforted her frazzled nerves.

Gemma looked down, a sense of relief and then security finally sweeping over her, and a smile shone from her face so bright it could have lit up the back yard. “So what number are we up to..?”