Baggage & Buttons (29 page)

‘No, I loved my orgasm, it just hit me hard at the
same time.’

‘You should’ve said.’

‘There was no way I was having an orgasm and then
turning round and saying “sorry Gabe, I need a time out.”’

‘Well you should have,’ he snapped. ‘Not telling me is
as good as lying to me. Can you move?’

‘Yes of course I can.’ I tried to sit up and winced
and went back down again.

‘Jesus Mia, I need you to put your needs before mine
and take better care of yourself. Put your arm around my neck, I’m carrying you
to bed.’ He sounded really cross, so I did as I was told and he carried me,
pulled back the duvet and put me in it and handed me one of his t-shirts to put
on. He then brought me a hot water bottle, a glass of water and my painkillers,
which I washed down. ‘Ok lie down.’

‘Gabe I need to brush my teeth and take off my mascara.’

‘Seriously?’

‘Yes and I also need to pee, so unless you fancy me
weeing everywhere in bed, you’d better let me get up and go to the bathroom.’

‘No thanks, come on then,’ he sighed.

‘So you’re not definitely not into golden showers
then?’

‘
No.
I told you that before. Christ are you? Is
this your way of trying to tell me?’ He looked at me horrified, which was a
huge relief.

‘
No
, I’m definitely not into that. I’m just
aware that there are lots of things we haven’t done, you know,
sexually
and
I don’t really know what you like to do, if you have any fetishes or things
that you’d like me to do for you, or to you.’

‘Mia, much as I’d love to run through my kinks and fantasies
with you, now’s not the time. You’re in pain and you need to rest. Please take
my hand so I can help you.’

‘Gabe, I go through this every month and I’ve never
had you to rely on. I need to go on my own.’

‘So what would you’ve done tonight if I’d not been
there?’

‘I’d have stayed on the floor until I could get up.’

‘All night?’

‘It’s happened before yes.’

‘Christ almighty you’re so
fucking
stubborn Mia
Page,’ he snapped, as he ran a hand through his hair frustrated. ‘This isn’t
going on anymore, not while you’re with me. Fine, go on your own, but don’t lock
the bloody doors.’

I gingerly climbed out of bed and made my way in. I
angled the door so there was no way he could see me unless he came in. When I
came out he’d turned off my bedside light and was sat up on his side of the bed.
I carefully got in and lay down and heaved a sigh of relief. Gabe leaned over
and put the hot water bottle on my stomach and pulled the duvet over me.

‘Thank you for staying with me tonight. I love you.’ I
whispered. He leaned over and kissed my forehead and reached over to turn off
his light. I felt him gently wriggle down until he was lying on his back next
to me and I searched for his hand and clasped it.

‘Go to sleep Mia,’ he ordered.

I bit my lip and tried to ignore the fact that it was
the first time he didn’t tell me that he loved me, as I tried to fall asleep.

I woke up as he came into the bedroom, his hair damp
from the shower and a small towel around his waist. Even with that nagging drag
of my period in my stomach, I could feel myself responding to the sight of him.

‘Morning.’

‘Morning. How are you feeling?’ he asked.

‘Better thanks, the pain isn’t as severe. What time is
it?’

‘Six thirty, I promised Doug I’d pick him up to go to
the gym this morning. Are you taking the day off?’

‘No.’

‘Seriously?’ He flashed me a glare that took me by
surprise. ‘I’d prefer you don’t go out today and stay in bed and rest.’

‘I’d miss at least a week a month if I gave into this
Gabe, so I’m going in.’

‘Fine, whatever, just ignore me as usual,’ he shook
his head and sighed. ‘Give me the number for your doctors please. I’m making
the appointment for tomorrow and I’ll book us into the clinic for tests as well.’
I reached over and grabbed my phone, but the battery was dead, so I sat up and
pulled the duvet back. ‘What are you doing?’ he snapped.

‘I need to charge my phone to get the number, the
battery’s dead.’

‘Where’s your docking station?’

‘I don’t have a docking station. I just charge it when
it’s flat.’

‘
Mia.
You’ve got no landline, your mobile
should be charged all the time. What if you needed an ambulance?’

‘I’d use Lexi’s phone.’ I said with a roll of my eyes
and watched as he ran his hand through his hair.

‘What doctor are you with?’

‘I don’t know the name, I’ve only been the once, but
the number’s in my phone.’

‘Jesus christ I bloody give up with you sometimes.
Give me the damn phone and get back into bed. Where’s your charger?’

‘On the floor behind you,’ I said quietly, he’d really
got out of bed the wrong side this morning. He strode over and pulled the phone
out of my hand and went and crouched and plugged it in as I pulled the duvet
back up to my chin and watched him.

‘As soon as you have a signal you let me know the
number.’

‘I can ring and make an appointment myself, I’m not a
bloody imbecile thank you.’

‘I don’t trust you to make an appointment Mia, you’ve
been stalling dealing with this, so I’m doing it.’

‘You’re
very
grumpy this morning,’ I observed,
but he ignored me.

‘So you really want to have the next two nights off?’
he asked as he dropped his towel and pulled on his boxers, making my pupils
expand as I looked at him in all his glory.

‘I think we ought to, plus feeling like this I’m really
not the best of company and if I get tired I just get worse. I’ll see you in
English later though and we’re spending tomorrow morning together.’

‘Great, thanks,’ he said, rolling his eyes as he
pulled on his sweats.

‘I sense a bit of sarcasm.’

‘Really, only a bit? I was actually going for full on
sarcasm,’ he replied without looking at me as he knotted the ties around his
waist.

‘Leave your dirty clothes I’ll wash them for you. They
could be your spares that you leave here.’

‘For my one night a week stay?’ he asked, arching an
eyebrow as he finally looked at me when his head appeared from his sweatshirt.

‘Gabe don’t be all pissy with me.’

‘Sorry, I’m on edge. I hardly slept worrying about you
and you don’t exactly reassure me.’ He came over and kissed my forehead. ‘I’ve
got to bounce, text me the number and I’ll see you later. No overdoing it and I
don’t give a shit if you think that’s domineering.’

‘Yes Gabe, bye Gabe,’ I responded with a roll of my own
eyes.

‘Bye.’

I sighed and figured I may well just get up, I was
wide awake now anyway. I had a hot shower, roughly dried my hair and pulled it
into a pony tail. I couldn’t bear the thought of a tight pair of jeans pressing
on me, so I put on a black maxi dress with a red tie front cardigan and my
converse high tops and tiptoed over to the kitchen and was surprised to find
Lexi already in there.

‘You got bed bugs or something Lex? What the hell are
you doing up at this hour?’

‘I slept really well, going to bed at eight’s done me
the world of good. Why are you up?

‘Gabe got up early to go and get Doug for a workout
and I was too awake to go back to sleep.’

‘Coffee?’ I nodded at her and sat at the table. ‘You
look pale, you ok?’

‘I’ll be fine and Gabe’s taking me back to the doctors
tomorrow to insist on a private referral for the scan, so don’t worry.’

‘I’m glad he’s looking out for you, even if he’s a bit
over protective.’

‘A bit?’ I laughed.

‘Better than not giving a shit. I’m ready to go if you
want to head in early and go the library.’

‘Lexi, what’s got into you? Up early, wanting to
study, flirting with nice men? You’ll be wearing pearls and a knee length skirt
next.’

‘Yeah yeah, maybe I’m turning over a new leaf as well
Page,’ she stuck her tongue out at me as she handed me my drink.

After History we headed to the cafeteria for more
coffee and a snack.

‘Mia there’s a party in the student bar on Friday,
School Days fancy dress,’ said Lexi, waving a flyer in my face. ‘You up for it?’

‘A party? Are you kidding me? We haven’t been to a party
in over two bloody weeks, yes I’m up for it. I’ve got a shirt I can wear and
some over the knee socks, but I’ll need to get a grey mini skirt and tie from
somewhere.’

‘Borrow a tie off Gabe.’

‘Hmmm, he’ll love to know that not only am I out
drunk, but I’m in a sexy school girl outfit. That’ll go down really well.’

‘Thought he agreed you could?’

‘O yes, he agreed alright, as long as I’ve someone
sensible watching me, keep him updated on my location at all times and he can
track the GPS on my phone.’

‘No way?’ she said, looking astonished.

‘Told you. Over protective.’

‘Just a tad. Well I’ll be your sensible person as I
still can’t bring myself to drink. I’ll dye my hair red I think, I fancy a
change again.’

‘You could invite Doug.’

‘Mia give it up already. Until I sort this situation
out nothing’s happening with the dude.’

‘The dude? You’ve said it again, you’re already starting
to talk like him.’

‘Sod off. We better make a move to English.’

Gabe was already in his seat when we walked in and he
smiled as I came in. Even though I didn’t feel I’d done anything wrong, I’d
sent him an apology text along with the doctors number this morning and at
least it had gotten me a smile out of him. I saw him fiddle with his phone and
my ringtone blasted out.

‘Shit. See this is why I leave the bloody thing on
silent,’ I said as the room went quiet and everyone looked at me. I looked down
to see his text.

Booked in for 8.30 as an emergency, so will meet you
at 8 at yours as assuming my ban is still on? How are you feeling now?

It’s not a ban, it’s a rest and I’m feeling fine.
Thanks for booking the doctors x

I don’t need a rest from you Mia, it’s you with the
problem. I have something for you so don’t rush off when we finish

I looked over at him to fix him with a scowl, but he
wasn’t looking at me.

I don’t have a problem thank you very much. I just
want to slow down a bit and just because you’re not sleeping over doesn’t mean
I don’t want to see you, speak to you or kiss you when we see each other in the
day x

Then get those lips ready as I plan on making you
regret this decision. I already do. Your curves look amazing in that dress by
the way

What the hell was he on? Grumpy, then smiling, telling
me I’d got problems then saying I looked lovely? I sighed and decided to ignore
it and act like normal.

Are you hard again Gabe Austin? x

Do you really need to ask that question?

I noticed he hadn’t put a kiss on the end of any of
his texts. I looked over at him again, but he had his head in his notes. I
sighed again and decided to focus on the lecture and my note taking.

As we finished he headed straight for the door and
nodded for me to follow him. Lexi was fiddling with her phone, so I headed out
and found him waiting, leaning against the opposite wall.

‘Come here,’ he ordered. I went to him and put my arms
around his waist and tiptoed up to kiss him. He put one arm around my waist and
one hand on the back of my head and kissed me like he was never going to see me
again. He took my breath away with the passion of it and we only broke away
when people starting coming out of the English hall whistling at us.

‘Gabe, it’s two nights. It’s not like we’re being
separated for weeks at a time.’

‘It feels like it, it’s like bloody dog years or
something. Each hour feels like a day when I’m not with you,’ he grumbled. I
put my head on his chest and shook my head, he was seriously grumpy. He hugged
me tightly before releasing me and leaning down to rummage in his bag. ‘Here,’
he said as he handed me a bag with a box in it.

‘What’s this?’

‘It’s an iPhone docking system. So you can charge your
phone at night, so no excuses that your battery was flat. You can also play
music through it and it’s an alarm clock too.’

‘Thanks Gabe,’ I smiled, touched he’d done that. ‘How
much do I owe you?’

‘It was a gift, as is this.’ He handed me a flat
medium sized item wrapped up in tissue paper. I looked up at him questioningly.
‘Open it when you get home. I need to go to swimming practice and I want to
relax in the sauna first. I’m still feeling on edge.’

‘Do you go in naked?’ I suddenly felt all hot at the
thought of him undressed in the heat with his toned muscles glistening with
sweat.

‘No it’s unisex so I wear a towel. You’ve gone all
pink.’

‘Liking the thought of you hot and steamy,’ I smiled, though
I wasn’t particularly happy about the other female swimmers seeing him in just
a towel.

‘I could be all hot and steamy with you tonight if
you’d let me stay,’ he asked, looking hopeful.

‘Gabe please,’ I sighed.

‘Fine,’ he sighed in response. ‘I’m going then. Buzz
you at eight. Make sure you’re ready.’ He ran his thumb over my lips before
kissing me again quickly, grabbing his bag and walking off.

I watched him as he headed down the corridor and had
to stop myself from running after him and begging him to come over later. The
thought of not having him lying next to me tonight was harder than I thought it
would be and I didn’t like him being all up and down like this, it made me
uneasy. I turned around to see Lexi and Milo exit the lecture hall.

‘Hey Milo, long time no see. How are you?’ I kissed
him on the cheek and he responded.

‘Keeping busy. We need to catch up, but given your new
boyfriend’s Thor, I’m thinking inviting you back to my room again isn’t in my
best interests.’

‘Thor?!’ I laughed.

‘Well he’s pretty muscular and looking at that bruise
on his face he obviously likes fighting. I’m definitely not a fighter, so I’m
not planning on pissing off the guy.’

‘Well I’m doing a Pilates class in the sports building
on Thursday at six and was going to hit the gym after for a work out. I need to
shape up and get a bit fitter. Do you want to meet me in the gym and be my
motivational partner?’

‘Trust me you don’t need shaping up. Won’t Lexi train
with you?’

‘Jog on. I’m not interested in keep bloody fit Milo,
no matter how hard she begs me to do it with her.’

‘Ok then Mia, I’ll see you there at seven. Maybe we
could get a drink after?’

‘Great, see you in English before, but it’s a date for
Thursday night.’

‘See you girls,’ he smiled as he headed off and I
turned to see Lexi giving me a look.

‘What?’

‘You’re stepping back from Gabe while making dates
with the only other guy you’re attracted to in Westhampton? You’re asking for
trouble that’s all.’

‘I’m not stepping back, just not being as full on.
Milo’s attractive Lexi, but I’m in love with Gabe. You know me, I get on much
better with guys, present company excepting,’ I said, as we started walking to
catch the bus.

‘Well you’d better tell Gabe what you’re doing as I
don’t think he’ll like finding out after the event.’

‘God you’re starting to sound just like him now. I can
have my own life you know, besides we’ll be in the bloody gym Lexi, not having
a romantic meal for two.’

‘Whatever, at least I can’t get the blame for this
potential disaster. What’s the plan for tonight?’

‘I need to get back and have a nice hot bath, ring mum
and have a blissfully early night.’