The Honeymoon Period (The Austin Series) (37 page)

‘Agreed,
but I’ll be having words with Doug. He didn’t need to rub it in about Lexi, Milo
and I having lunch when he knows how you feel. It’s his fault you got all riled
up.’

‘It wasn’t
Doug.’

‘Then who?’

‘Just one of
the other guys from swimming, I asked him to keep an eye on you while I was off.
He rang me earlier and mentioned it.’

‘You’ve
someone I don’t know watching me?’ I snapped. God, this insecurity or over
possessiveness or whatever it was eating away at him was getting out of control.

‘It’s not
like he follows you around all day like a PI Mia, but yes, he checks on you now
and again,’ he nodded. I groaned in disbelief.

‘Are you
and I really that fucked up?’ I whispered as I looked at him.

‘I don’t
know, Mia. Do you think we’re fucked up?’

‘You’re
irrationally jealous and possessive, have a tracker on my phone and a mystery
stalker reporting back to you. We fight
all the time
and if we don’t
fuck it out, you have to handcuff me to a bed and kiss me into submission to
make us talk, so I’m thinking yes, we’re pretty fucked up.’ He looked at me
surprised and then burst out laughing and I joined him shaking my head.

‘When you
put it like that then yes, we sound very fucked up.’ He reached up, undid the
cuffs and grabbed my hands rubbing and kissing my wrists before crushing me
into his chest and kissing my hair. ‘Fuck. Thank God I’m seeing that bloody head
specialist next week. You bring out the best and worst in me, Mia. I can’t see
or think straight when it comes to you. I’ve never been this jealous or
possessive with anyone before.’

‘I
understand you wanting to protect me Gabe, but you take it too far sometimes.’

‘I know I
do. Shit, sorry for screwing up dinner plans and your movie night. Do you still
want me to go? I will if you’d rather be alone with Lexi.’

‘No, it’s
too late now anyway,’ I sighed. ‘Besides Doug’s turned up, I never had a chance
to ask her if it could just be the two of us so it’s unfair to kick him out.  I
was all ready for hot make up sex, so I’m all frustrated and still sore after
my wax in these tight bloody trousers, can we just lie here like this?’

‘I was so
ready for it as well,’ he smiled. ‘It’s my first instinct when you make me mad,
to bend you over and take it out on you by pounding you until you beg me to
stop. I’m happy to lie here with you, but take your trousers and knickers off
first, I’ve something that will help ease the sting.’ He kissed my hair and let
go of me and went to the bathroom. I sat up and wriggled my trousers and
knickers off and shrugged off my jacket, dropping them onto the floor at the
side of the bed and saw him return with a bottle and some cotton wool. He came
around to my side and opened it and soaked a cotton pad. ‘Lie back and open
your legs for me,’ he said gently. I did as I was told, propped up on my elbows
and moaned as he carefully ran the cotton pad and the cold liquid over my
mound, stroking it down in sections.

‘What’s
that?’ I asked. It was cold and tingled and was making me even hornier than I
was already.

‘Witch Hazel,
I use it as well if I’m irritated, which doesn’t happen often now. Do you have
any rash cream?’

‘Yes, I had
a tube for my tattoo.’

‘Where is
it?’

‘My bedside
table.’ I nodded in its direction. He leaned over, rummaged and pulled it out
and squeezed a load onto his fingers, applying it as he looked at me. I felt my
cheeks flame at the same time as my pelvis responded, clenching and getting ready
for him.

‘You’ve
turned on face,’ he smiled.

‘Yes,’ I
whispered as I tilted my hips pushing myself into his fingers and the palm that
was cupping me.

‘Much as
I’d love to do something about that baby, we’re going to have to wait until at
least the morning before reassessing,’ he advised as he gently rubbed in the
cream.

‘Will you
come back on the bed and just make out with me instead then?’ I asked. He stood
up grinning, shuffled his jeans down and pulled off his shirt and I made a
noise of satisfaction as I looked as his insane body, encased in those tight
blue trunks that matched his eyes. He walked around the bed and moved up to lie
next to me and we faced each other. I felt excited, kissing with no sex wasn’t
something that we often did. Especially not after arguing, we usually went
straight for hot, crazy, furious sex. I reached up and ran my fingers through
his hair and he pulled me to him, arms tight around me, but careful to keep his
hips away from mine. He leaned in and started to kiss me really softly, making
me sigh and clutch his hair.

‘You really
like me kissing you,’ he murmured, sounding all proud.

‘I love you
kissing me Gabe, you’re the best I’ve ever had.’

‘You too
baby.’

‘Then shut
up and get on with it,’ I teased. We spent about ten minutes snogging before we
both started getting too hot and heavy. He was squeezing my breast over my t-shirt
and kneading my bare bottom with his other hand and I was running my fingers
along his hip, edging towards his erection. He pulled away and rolled onto his
back and clutched me against his side and we fell asleep.

It was
nearly ten when I felt him stroking my cheek telling me to wake up. We got
dressed and headed out to the kitchen, our stomachs rumbling. I’d not eaten
since breakfast and he’d only grabbed a small burger on the way to his wax. He
poured us two glasses of water and went to inspect the fridge.

‘You’re
speaking now then? I was about to send in search and rescue it went so quiet in
there.’

‘Hi Lexi,
yes sorry, we fell asleep. Gabe apologised, I apologised and we’re all good
now. Thanks for staying when I asked you to.’

‘Sorry
Lexi, didn’t mean to put you in the middle of it and certainly not to ruin your
movie Tuesday with Mia.’

‘Sure, just
don’t make a habit of it. I miss my best friend, Gabe.’

‘Is Doug
still here?’ he asked her.

‘Yeah, he
figured you’d be going at it for a while so … not
going at it
as in
fucking, I meant with the arguing not the … I’m shutting up now.’

‘I’d better
go and apologise to him, then I’ll do us a ham and cheese omelette baby. Is
Doug in the lounge, Lex?’

‘Yes,
watching some God awful film that I so don’t get is one of his favourites.
Don’t tell him I said that, will you?’ she asked. Gabe smiled and kissed me and
headed off to see him. ‘Wow Mia, do you two fight like that a lot? It was so
hot the way he threw you over his shoulder and marched you into the bedroom.
Did you fuck it out?’

‘No, I’m a
bit sensitive after my wax. He handcuffed me to the bed so I couldn’t leave, kissed
me into a better mood before we talked it out and yes, arguing like that’s
common for us, but we usually end up having steamy sex and getting nowhere.’

‘Handcuffed
you? Wow,’ she shook her head looking enviously dazed. ‘You’re ok now though?
What set it all off?’

‘We will
be. We agreed we both need to be more considerate of what rubs each other up
the wrong way.’

‘Milo?’

‘Best we
don’t discuss that until we’re properly alone, but yes for some reason Milo’s a
big issue for him.’

‘I guess
I’d better go back to pretending to love the shitty film,’ she sighed.

‘Lexi, you’re
pretending an awful lot.’

‘Nag bloody
nag. Get your own house in order before you lecture me, Miss Page,’ she said,
pulling her tongue out at me as she left. I started preparing our omelette
dinner and poured the mixture into the frying pan, prodding it as it sizzled
and felt hands on my hips.

‘I thought
I was cooking?’

‘I can do
an omelette thanks to your expert tutelage, Gabe.’

‘I’m hungry.’

‘Me too’

‘What did you
have for lunch?’

‘You.’

‘
Mia.
’

‘Gabe,
chillax and get the plates and forks.’ I served up to find he’d done some
crusty bread and butter for me, just bread for him which made me smile. We
polished it off and had some greek honey yogurt with granola and fresh
blueberries for pudding. I looked at him astonished as he yawned. ‘I’m trying
to remember if I’ve ever seen you yawn? Are you ok?’

‘I’m tired.
I haven’t had a day time sleep since Friday, until just now. I also had to
satisfy my girl in the middle of the night and fuck her hard at lunch time and it’s
taken it out of me.’

‘Hey, I didn’t
wake you begging to be satisfied, you came up with that all on your own. You’re
still feeling tired from your injury?’

‘A bit yes,
getting a bit better each day if I pace myself.’

‘Well,
throwing me over your shoulder wasn’t pacing yourself, you need to be more
careful. Did you feel any pain?’

‘No. Only
my arse where you hit me. You seriously enjoy when I do that to you?’

‘Yes, didn’t
you?’

‘Not
particularly, no.’

‘Then I
need to try it properly when you’re bare and horny and see if you like it then.
Come on, I’m getting you back to bed. We don’t have to run in the morning. We
can start next week.’

‘Then can
we go and look at sofa’s and lounge furniture and I can spend the afternoon
with the builders making sure we’re on track.’

‘Gabe, you’re
supposed to be off sick and taking it easy.’

‘Most of
the hard stuff’s done,’ he yawned again.

‘Right
enough chat, get in the bathroom while I clean up and I’ll see you in a minute.’

He was
already in bed by the time I’d cleared up and brushed my teeth. I went around
and turned his bedside light off and got in my side and set the alarm for eight-thirty
a.m. I snuggled up to him and pulled him onto my chest and kissed his forehead
as I stroked his hair and waited for him to fall asleep. I closed my eyes and
sighed heavily wondering what more I could do to help him, this Dr. Jarvis
better be a miracle worker. I was finding it so stressful dealing with his
moods and it was putting me on edge, making me extra defensive, which in turn seemed
to set him off.

We seemed
to be trapped in this spiral of tension with no visible way out, yet I still
didn’t want out. I’d have run from any other guy if they’d behaved the way Gabe
did sometimes, but those moments of happiness with him were so blissful that
they saturated all the bad and dazzled me with their brilliance, those moments
made me sure I wanted to fight to keep us together. I listened to him gently
breathing as he slept, feeling the warmth of his breath on my chest every time
he exhaled and squeezed him a bit tighter and kissed the top of his head.

‘We’re
going to be ok, Gabe,’
I whispered.
‘I’m
going to get you through this because I love you and you’re my engine.’

I woke him a little after
eight with a surprise blow job and after swallowing, lay on his stomach and
kissed him.

‘Hmmm, baby,
you’re spoiling me,’ he sighed happily.

‘You said
you liked me initiating, so I’m initiating. So where are we going shopping this
morning? Don’t forget I have English at half one.’

‘I found a
bespoke vintage leather and solid oak furniture place I’d like us to check out.
Then we need to go to the antiques markets next Tuesday to look for the
bathroom furniture. As I never got to take you to lunch yesterday, I will today.’

‘Come on
then, let’s get moving. Would you mind swinging back this way if Lexi needs a
lift in?’

‘Not at all.’

‘Do I need
to dress up?’

‘Not like
yesterday, no.’

‘Great.’

‘I’ll get
dressed, do you want some coffee and toast while you get ready,’ he kissed me
and squeezed my butt cheeks. ‘I can’t wait to have you all to myself for four
days.’

‘Hmmm, me
neither, but can we make a promise not to argue while we’re away?’

‘Do as you’re
told and we won’t need to argue,’ he grinned. I punched his arm, headed to the
bathroom and freshened up. I put on my new black wool mini skirt, black over
the knee socks with a grey trim and my pair of black suede wedge ankle boots
and a grey cashmere long sleeve jumper. I pulled my hair into a ponytail before
putting on some jewellery and mascara and sorting out my leather satchel bag to
make room for my English notes.

‘Ok here’s
your … Christ what are you wearing?’ he asked, his eyes on stalks as he carried
in my toast.

‘You like?’
I asked doing a twirl.

‘It’s a bit
sexy for shopping, Mia.’

‘Gabe! You
say everything I wear’s a bit sexy. You want me to go out in sweats all the
time?’

‘You still
look sexy in sweats baby. I’ve an uncontrollable attraction to you whatever you
wear, so has he,’ Gabe smiled as he nodded down at another erection making me
laugh. He kissed me and handed my breakfast over and shook his head as he eyed
me up and down then went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash. I went to
the lounge and sorted out my Uni books for my satchel and when he came in to
find me he was dressed in his faded worn jeans and fitted black shirt over the
top and his onyx converses.

‘Now who’s
looking sexy,’ I murmured as I wrapped my arms around his neck and nibbled his
ear.

‘Stop right
now, I know where this is leading and it’s not to the sofa store,’ he laughed.

We chatted
about the new apartment on the half hour drive to the sofa place, where we
decided on two conker vintage leather corner chaises and a deep low tub chair
in conker with black and white cow hide with a matching footstool, and were
assured they could be done within the time frame. I said nothing when I heard
the price and he kissed me and handed me the car keys as he rolled his bad
shoulder.

‘Are you ok,
Gabe?’

‘I’m aching
a bit,’ he confessed. ‘If you can do the driving until you get to Uni it’ll
help.’

‘It was
probably man handling me last night.’

‘No, it’s
just driving in that raised position for too long makes it ache. It wasn’t you.’
He directed me to the oak furniture place and I sighed when I saw it was a
bespoke shop as well. ‘What’s the sigh?’

‘Just glad
it’s your money kitting this place out. The interior will be worth more than
the apartment at this rate.’

‘It’ll be
worth it seeing you smiling every day Mia, knowing we chose it together, plus
it will be quality stuff that will look fantastic.’ He insisted on coming
around to open my door again and I smiled and took his hand. ‘Do you have
knickers on under that skirt?’ he asked, frowning.

‘Yes I do
and I hope that you’ll be taking them off later and satisfying me. It’s been
too long since yesterday lunchtime.’

‘I guess
I’m man enough to take up that challenge, but you’ve no idea what a chore it
will be for me,’ he winked.

We settled
on having made a chunky oak sideboard and coffee table and two oak console
tables to run the exact height and length of the new sofas so they could go
behind. We also managed to agree on a glass topped oak framed eight-seater
dining table, with six conker leather scroll back chairs and four bright red
leather and chrome retro bar stools for the breakfast bar. All done and paid
for on his platinum Amex card again. I wondered what his limit was on it and
hoped he wasn’t dipping into his long term investments. I drove back to the
city centre and parked up where instructed and saw Gabe smile as I got some
looks from passing guys as I stretched my legs out of the car and locked up.

‘You’re so
confusing, Gabe. You complain that men perv on me and then smile when some
others do.’

‘As long as
it’s not crude or vulgar, or anyone that’s been out with you before or him, I
don’t mind guys looking, Mia. I like having a hot babe on my arm,’ he winked.

‘And I like
have a hot stud on mine,’ I smiled as I took his hand. I followed him to a row
of modern looking restaurants in brick, glass and chrome and smiled happily
when he opened the door to a gourmet burger restaurant. We were shown to a
table at the back next to the bi-fold doors, which overlooked a long narrow
deck overhanging the river. He shook his head laughing as I got excited over
the menu. It was nice to see him relaxed and happy again.

‘This is so
much better than a drive through,’ I exclaimed. I ordered a chocolate milkshake
topped with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup, a Scottish beef burger
stuffed with blue cheese and topped with avocado and bacon in a bun with
rosemary french fries. I wasn’t surprised when Gabe ordered the same meal, but
looked at him shocked when he ordered the milkshake as well. ‘Do you know how
many calories are in that milkshake?’ I asked stunned.

‘You were
so excited at the thought of it, I had to try it.’

‘You could’ve
just tried mine.’

‘Please, like
you’d share,’ he scoffed. ‘I know you and your food quirks.’ I grinned, happy
that he got me and he put his chin on his hands and sat watching me as I looked
at the dessert menu and my mouth dropped as I drooled. ‘You’re seriously going
to fit in pudding as well?’

‘Probably
not, but I like to imagine what I’d have if I could. It adds to the anticipation
of the meal.’

‘I love
seeing you happy, Mia,’ he said in a suddenly serious tone. I looked up
surprised, here was me thinking the same about him without him knowing it. I smiled
and reached over and held his hand as we discussed our plans for our flight in
the morning. He laughed at me as I gulped back my milkshake and chowed down on
my burger and fries with incredible enthusiasm. I finished before him and sat
back in my chair.

‘That was
almost as amazing as sex, Gabe. Can we come here again? It’s been my favourite
meal we’ve had out.’

‘Are you
serious?’ It was his turn to look surprised.

‘Food wise,
yes. I love the dressing up and atmosphere of the posh restaurants you take me
to, it makes me feel all sexy and special, but you can’t beat a good burger or
pizza in my eyes.’

‘Wow, you’re
so cheap. If only I’d known that before spending all this money on dinners,
champagne and furniture and fixings,’ he laughed. I smiled and excused myself
for a toilet break and slipped the waitress my card and asked her to prepare
the bill for me and settled up before re-joining him.

‘So how was
the milkshake?’

‘Surprisingly
nice, but I won’t make a habit out of it until I’m back training properly.’

‘How
do
you keep your abs so deliciously ripped?’

‘Swimming
freestyle helps, along with lots of press ups, crunches and planks, which I’ve
just started doing again. I’ll soon build back up to my previous level.’

‘What about
your running?’ I asked. I’d decided I was going to encourage him to focus on
that and to try and get out with him more. Maybe if I could rekindle his
interest in his running, it would keep his mind off his swimming issues.

‘It helps
keep my body fat down, which makes my abs stand out. So if I keep drinking
these, you can kiss them goodbye. Why all this sudden interest in my body?’

‘I’m always
interested in your body, Gabe. You’re just so careful with what you eat
normally, you surprised me today.’

‘I’m in
holiday mode so sod it, let’s just enjoy ourselves and focus on keeping fit
next week. Right, I’ll get the bill and you’d better ring and see if Lexi needs
a lift.’

‘This was
on me, I’ve already paid and you can put away that scowl. You aren’t letting me
pay anything toward this weekend away, or the apartment, so it’s the least I
can do.’ He gave me one of his exasperated looks as he drained his milkshake. I
rang Lexi who said Doug was dropping her in. Gabe took my hand and kissed me.

‘Thanks for
my lunch baby. I enjoyed it.’

‘You’re
welcome, don’t expect me to be splashing out like that every day. I’m a poor
student, you know.’ I drove as he directed me to a private car park a few
streets from Uni and I pulled in as instructed and turned off the engine. ‘Is
this your own space?’

‘Yes,
reserved for three years so I could use it when I needed to.’

‘Well, we’re
half an hour early so I’ll let you get back to the builders and I’ll go and
grab a coffee. Kiss me?’ I asked. He leaned over and I put my hand on his face
and kissed from one side of his mouth to another and felt his hand squeezing
the inside of my bare thigh. ‘
Hmmm,
don’t Gabe, or I’ll never make it to
English.’

‘I think we
need to test you out for later, I’ve plans for you.’ He started kissing me
again and pushed up between my thighs and ran his finger over the crotch of my
knickers and I automatically slid down and parted my thighs to let him caress
me. ‘If only you were as amenable to my other requests as you were to sex, Mia,’
he murmured.

‘God Gabe, you’ve
made me wet already, stop.’ I pulled away and sat back in the driver’s seat.

‘Do you
really want me to stop?’ he asked as he pushed up my skirt and slid his hand into
my knickers, over my fresh smooth skin and down to rub my clit.

‘
Noooo
,’
I moaned as I closed my eyes.

‘Look at me
Mia, I’m going to make you come quickly and I want to watch it.’ He slid two
fingers into me and pressed his thumb on my clit and started to thrust into me.

‘Gabe, what
if someone spots us?’ I asked as I ground down on his hand.

‘They’ll
just see two people talking in a car, Mia. You’re getting wetter. Doing this in
public really turns you on, doesn’t it?’

‘Yes,’ I
sighed as my head began to tingle.

‘I’m
thinking of booking that restaurant again, the one where we were hidden behind
the light curtain. I thought it’d be nice to fuck you in there with everyone
eating and drinking around us and having no idea.’

‘O God,’ I
moaned, looking in his eyes was so intense. I could feel my heart beating
faster and my breathing speed up as I started to clench around his fingers.

‘The
thought of doing that, and watching you now, has made me hard for you baby. I’m
so hard and wet for you and I’m going to be waiting for you when you get home.
We’re going to fuck and I’m going to make you scream multiple times.’

‘Gabe,’ I
gripped the leather sports seat with my fingers and started whimpering as he
moved faster and faster.

‘You’re so
close baby. You’re flushed, your lips have parted and your huge nipples are
stiff under that jumper. God, I’d love to lick you out right now, suck that
pert little clit and lap at your juices. They’re better than any milkshake and
I’d drink you dry.’

‘
GABE
,’
I squealed as I exploded and my hips pushed forward. I reached up behind me and
grabbed the headrest with my right hand as I held his gaze and my mouth
juddered. He was right, it was a quick, short, yet violently explosive climax
and I sank back in the seat and caught my breath. He leaned over and kissed me
before pulling his fingers out and making me suck one of them, before he did
the other.

‘Definitely
way
better than a chocolate milkshake,’ he winked at me as he adjusted
my knickers and skirt and got out of the car. He opened my door and I shook my
head.

‘Give me a
minute, my knees are still trembling.’ He leaned in and gently kissed me and I quickly
reached out to feel his erection and groaned. ‘Please tell me you’re not joking
about later?’

‘I wasn’t
joking Mia, I want to be inside you again, so badly. Come on I’m walking you
in, I need to run my assignment feedback past Jenkins.’

I leaned
over and grabbed my bag. ‘How did you do?’

‘65 you?’

‘69.’

‘Your
favourite number,’ he winked as I locked the car and smoothed my skirt down and
took his hand. We walked through the campus grounds and along the corridor and
he kept looking over and beaming at me.