New Year, New You

by Tarrah Anders

  another room or something?”

  “No thanks. I shouldn’t spend the money, and

  besides I start my new job on Monday and would hate to be

  all tired.”

  “Shut the front door! You got the job? Why didn’t

  you tell me? Holy shit! We should celebrate!”

  “I already took her out for drinks.” Gabe says from

  her side.

  Ignoring him, Mindy hugs me and practically spins

  me around the kitchen like I’m a rag doll.

  “I also fed her tonight.” Gabe chimes in.

  “You shush. You’re breaking my moment.” Mindy

  shout whispers squeezing me in her embrace. I tap out when her hug gets too suffocating and she stands back, then looks between Gabe and I. She smiles, winks and then starts off

  down the hall to the front door without another word.

  “What the fuck just happened there?” I ask.

  “That’s my sister when she has something she wants

  to say, but doesn’t because one of the parties in the room doesn’t need to know the gossip. I’m going to guess, there was something she wanted to say but not in front of me.

  Expect a text when she gets inside.”

  I go back to the sink to finish the dishes, and my

  concentration is broken by Gabe’s laughter. “You have a

  message.” He stands and brings me my phone.

  I wipe my hands again and grab my phone, our

  fingertips brushing sending jolts through my arm.

  Mindy: My brother likes you.

  I look up to Gabe, standing a foot away, leaning

  against the counter picking at the invisible lint on his t-shirt pretending to not be interested in what the text says.

  Me: You know nothing of which you speak. We’re

  just hanging out.

  Mindy: Gabe doesn’t hang out with females.

  Unless he likes them.

  Me: Maybe he’s changed. Besides, he doesn’t know

  anyone else, maybe I’m a charity case.

  I see the “…” referring that she’s typing something

  and then it disappears. Gabe pulls his phone out of his

  pocket and swipes his screen.

  “Um, I’m supposed to tell you that you’re not a

  charity case. What the hell is she saying?” He asks holding up his phone.

  “Ugh! You. Stay!” I say pointing to the ground and storming out of the house and next door. I don’t even knock as I walk through the door. I find Mindy in the laundry room off of the kitchen unloading the dryer.

  “You suck.” I spit out.

  “I think it’s awesome you two are becoming friends.

  He hasn’t been himself since the summer, and then since

  he’s been here, he’s been a moody butthead, except around

  Stella and you.”

  “What happened last summer?” I ask.

  “You remember the Paris attacks in July? It

  happened where he lived. He won’t talk about it or what

  happened with anyone, but I think he lost some people.” She says quietly.

  That’s where I’ve heard of Nice, France! Holy

  Crap!

  “Anyways, he smiles around you. I sincerely think

  that he likes you. And I think you like him too.” She smiles.

  “I repeat, you suck!” I say storming back out and to

  my house. I don’t want to admit it but I really like that she said he likes me. I have noticed that he’s talkative with me, and I’m not one to toot my own horn often, but I also think that what she says is true.

  Gabe listened, he stayed put except he’s sitting back

  on the couch with the television turned on. His bare feet are up on the coffee table and he’s relaxed. Hearing me come

  back in, he turns his head and starts to stand.

  “Hey, if you want me to take off, just let me know. I can go back next door. I’m sure you’re sick of me by now.”

  He says.

  “No, not at all. Honestly, it’s nice to have company

  over. It’s been awhile, your sister and Dave don’t count, plus I’m always over there.” I smile shaking my head. I grab my phone from the kitchen and place it on the coffee table and sit down.

  “So, what are we watching?” I ask.

  “You’re choice, since my movie earlier bored you to

  tears and you passed out.”

  “About that, sorry. Horrible host and all. Burger

  coma, I blame the burgers.”

  “I fell asleep too, so I may have to agree. Besides, it

  was… nice… unexpected.” He smiles.

  “Yeah.”

  The air between us is so charged, that it’s slightly

  terrifying. He hands me the remote and I choose a chick flick smiling as he groans.

  “I’m going to need to drink if you’re going to make

  me watch this. You mind?” He asks.

  “Not at all, but I think we’re out.” I regretfully say.

  “Dave has some in the garage, be right back.” He

  disappears and I laugh. He’s gone for longer than I

  anticipated, likely getting grilled by Mindy. I started the movie, thinking he wouldn’t mind that I did. Ten minutes

  into the movie, my phone chimes.

  Mindy: Yep. Confirmed. He likes you.

  I put my phone back down, not bothering to text her

  back and smile. Seconds later, the door opens and Gabe’s

  refilling my fridge with beer from next door. He plops back down and hands me an opened beer.

  “You started without me?” He playfully whines.

  “You were gone awhile.” I offer.

  “Mindy cornered me.” He smiles. He scoots closer

  to me, I’m sitting with my knees angled towards him and

  they are now touching his thigh. Not just a little bit, but almost like intentionally my knees are pressing into his

  thighs. His arm goes over the back of the couch casually and my breath hitches as he looks over at me.

  “You okay?” He asks.

  I clear my throat. “Yeah. I’m good. You?”

  “I’m great.” He smiles. “Aside from horrid taste of

  what we’re watching, I’m great.”

  C H A P T E R

  Eight

  My face is smashed against soft fabric, yet the

  surface is hard, it also is moving at a steady rhythm and just above me is light breathing blowing on my hair. You know

  those annoying strands of hair that go all crazy, I can feel them moving as air blows over them, also in a steady

  rhythm. I’m lying down on my side on the couch and my

  legs are tangled. My legs are tangled with somebody else’s legs. From that thought, my foggy mind wakes fully and I

  feel like I’ve been transported back to earlier when I woke up with my head on Gabe’s lap, only this time our bodies are pressed against each other, his arms are wrapped around me, one of mine around him and I can feel the full length of his body, and I mean the full length of his body. My thoughts are running a mile a minute and every part of me is

  screaming to get up, except my body and mind are not

  cooperating with one another.

  “I can feel your thoughts, just go back to sleep.”

  Gabe mumbles breaking my inner battle.

  I move a little, opening my eyes trying to look up at

  him.

  “The couch is going to give both of us kinks and we won’t be able to move tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, logic. Its okay, I’ve been sleeping on their

  couch since I’ve been back. I’m used to it. If you want to get up, I’m just gonna lay here because it’s cold outside and

  there are likely wolves after me. And I was fully comfortable until you started to squirm.” His eyes are still closed as he speaks.


  “Um, the other beds aren’t made up, but… mine is

  big enough if you want to… sleep in there? I’m going to

  sleep in there, I can’t stay on the couch, no offense.” I say starting to get up, not believing that I just offered for him to sleep over officially and in my bedroom with me, in my

  childhood bed.

  His grip tightens on me not allowing me to fully get

  up.

  “Are you saying I wasn’t comfortable enough, that

  stings.” He chuckles and then releases me.

  “No, I just would like to be able to move around

  tomorrow. You’re more than wel-.” I stop talking as I notice he gets up too and stands ready to follow me. “Okay then.” I say turning on my heel and leading the way to my bedroom.

  I feel like we’re walking in slow motion. I never had

  a boy in my childhood bedroom that wasn’t related to me. I feel like I’m doing something forbidden, however it also

  feels normal and right. Gabe stumbles and catches himself

  against the wall but continues on as I enter the doorway to my bedroom. I leave the light off as I feel alongside my bed for my pajama shirt. It being dark, I hastily remove my shirt and replace it with my sleep shirt and then remove my pants.

  I slide into bed without thinking, but immediately I realize that I’m only wearing a shirt to bed, and behind me I can

  hear Gabe undressing as well. He slides under the covers and suddenly his front is to my back and his arm goes around me and tugs me closer.

  “This okay?” He whispers suddenly uncertain.

  I swallow the lump in my throat and nod my head

  whispering a broken; “Yes,” as he pulls me closer and flush against him. He is in fact only wearing his boxers, no pants, no shirt, just boxers. My mind is screaming at me, but as my body melts into him, it would seem that my mind loss and

  my body won this round as soon Gabe’s breathing has

  evened out and soon I am fast asleep wrapped in warmth.

  Friends can do this right? Brand new friends that

  you are ridiculously attracted to and have been having dirty thoughts about all day? Yeah, sure they can.

  C H A P T E R

  Nine

  I slowly wake to roaming hands, hands roaming up

  and down my back and then a hand grasping my ass and

  squeezing. Part of me thinks that I’m dreaming and the other part is aware that it’s real as I fully wake to Gabe pressing himself into me. I feel his erection against my thigh and out of instinct I push back, pressing myself into him and going with it. From that, my hands begin their own wandering,

  against his hip and up his chest and to his neck. As my hands reach his nape and further into his hair, he growls and then his knee rolls me to my back and I’m pressed against the

  mattress with Gabe hovering over me between my legs. His

  mouth is moving against my neck as his hips press into my

  core again as my hips meet him He drags his erection up, so his full length gets teased and so I feel everything he has.

  With a moan, my fingers tighten in his hair and I whisper his name.

  His mouth traps mine and his tongue brushes

  requesting entrance as he rolls his hips again against me, I moan and his tongue rushes in. We kiss for several moments, I feel my whole body light up on fire as he carnally kisses me and each roll of our hips, and I’m getting closer to

  reaching climax.

  “Fuck, you’re so wet. I can feel you thought my boxers.” He says as he runs his mouth down my neck and

  peppering my collarbone with kisses.

  Not wanting this to stop, not wanting to start

  thinking that he or I may regret this, I reach my hand down between us and fumble until I reach into his boxers and grip his cock in my hand. I stroke his smoothness for a moment

  before bringing him out fully and with my toes, I pull his boxers down. He groans and understands what I’m getting at as he too uses his hand and pulls the panel on my underwear aside and with a brush of his fingertips, he fingers through my slit. He’s testing the waters and I’m sure realizing that the waters he’s breaching right now are wet as fuck and just as ready for him.

  “More.” I plead, as his fingers tease with entrance.

  I’m granted by one of his fingers pushing into me swiftly, my hips flexing up accordingly as I moan at the feeling of being filled. He adds another to his thrusts and I fight back my orgasm as I concentrate on his hand and stroking him

  with mine.

  “Fuck.” He gasps as I pump him, squeezing the tip

  with ample pressure as I stroke down.

  “More.” I whisper, thrusting my hips up. He

  continues his assault with his fingers. I release his cock and squirm to remove my underwear. He stops fingering me long

  enough to help me remove them, I then, remove my shirt and his mouth is back at mine. He sucks on my tongue as I pull his body closer to mine. I can feel the heat from his cock, its right there, right at my entrance. I move my hips

  strategically and suddenly the tip is breaching my pussy and with one movement, he’s entering me, his hips automatically bucking against mine, he strokes himself in and out for a few

  moments before fully stopping and while still inside me, sits up a bit and looks at me.

  “This wasn’t how I planned the morning to go, just

  so you know.” He says, brushing hair off of my forehead.

  “Me neither. But I’m okay with it. I won’t be okay

  though if you don’t move though.”

  He chuckles and begins bucking into me, slowly

  while watching me as he goes in and out of me. He’s not

  quite fucking me, he’s making love, testing the waters,

  exploring.

  “Your pussy is like a vise on my cock right now. So

  fucking tight.” He says, our hips thrust up meeting another.

  His head falls in the crevice where my neck and my

  shoulder meet and his movements get jerky and faster. He

  drags himself perfectly over my clit and soon my insides are tightening.

  “Oh fuck. I feel you coming, shit, I’m going to…

  come!” He groans out, his coordination getting messy as he loses control and comes. I’m pulsing and feeling him pulsing in alternating beats with mine, like my pussy is milking his cock and the thought makes me laugh.

  “I hope you’re not laughing about what we just did. I

  don’t think I could handle that right now.” He mumbles

  against my skin, as his body involuntarily twitches from post orgasmic bliss.

  I tell him why I was laughing and soon we’re both

  laughing. Making the morning fun rather than awkward after what we just did. Now, as we lay here in each other’s arms, with the sheen of sweat on our bodies drying, the silence

  enveloping the room as his hand creates caressing patterns on my arm and shoulder. Was this a onetime thing? Was

  what happened something to be defined? What do we do

  now? Who moves first?

  “Stop thinking so loudly.” He instructs with a laugh.

  I smile. “How did you know?” I ask as I perch my

  chin on his chest and look up at him.

  “Your index finger starts ticking, you did it

  yesterday several times and I figure your brain is working overtime. What’s going on in that pretty little head of

  yours?” He asks.

  “I kinda wasn’t expecting this to happen.” I admit.

  “Are you regretting it now? Because that would

  make us lying here, naked together –quite awkward.”

  “No. Not at all.”

  “Good. Me neither. So what is it?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t do these kinds of things. I

  don’t know what to do now.”

  “Well, we ca
n get up and shower, or just go eat

  some breakfast. Or we can stay here for a while longer,

  possibly have a repeat or just talk or whatever.” He smiles and I return the smile. “But, let’s get up and get some food.”

  I don’t immediately move as I fear what will happen

  once we leave my bed. As if Gabe senses my apprehension,

  he kisses my forehead and maneuvers to get out of bed. I

  follow and locate my discarded clothing and slip into the t-shirt. I find some yoga pants on my chair in the corner of the

  room and slip my legs into them with my back to Gabe. He’s on the other side of the bed, rustling around with his clothes when I turn to face him. I admire his body as he casually

  pulls his pants up and buttons them sans boxers. I didn’t get a chance to appreciate his body fully, so I take a moment to just breathe him in. His eyes catch mine and he winks as we exit out of my bedroom.

  “Are you a breakfast snob too? Because I only have

  cereal and toast.” I ask.

  “Do you have eggs?”

  “Um, no. Like I said last night, I’m usually next

  door for meals, or as you saw Mindy brings over food. She’s kind of taken care of me in a way since I came back home.” I offer.

  “I see that. Well, then let’s go next door and we can

  cook over there.”

  “I don’t cook. Alas… cereal.”

  He laughs, and comes to stand in front of me. He

  wraps his arms around me and leans down. He kisses my lips softly as if trying to talk me into eating actual prepared food.

  “Then I’ll cook for you.”

  “No, you cooked last night, I couldn’t-.”

  “You can and you will. Besides, we can do one of

  those things that I mentioned earlier.”

  My eyes go wide and I gasp. Not at Mindy’s house!

  He laughs. “I meant talk. Pervert.” He flicks my nose playfully and looks around for his shoes.

  C H A P T E R

  Ten

  Gabe really can cook, and not just simple things, he

  goes all out as if he’s a chef and trying to impress on of the restaurant patrons or someone who’s reviewing the joint. I can imagine him behind the stove for a career, not so much a suit and tie type of guy in the business world. So, not only does he rock simple Mac & Cheese, but he’s skilled at

  breakfast too!

  After we ate an omelet with all sorts of vegetables in