by S. Valentine
Out in the corridor, she leant against the wall, catching her breath. She hung her head in defeat. She hated what her hormones were doing to her. Get a grip, Gabi. Regaining her composure, she stole one last glance at the door to Darion’s office before heading to find Lexi.
***
Darion
Deciding to focus on paperwork, Darion collapsed on his leather chair. Perhaps that would get rid of the throbbing bulge in his trousers. He adjusted himself quickly, then propped his feet on the table, grabbing a folder. He didn’t trust himself around Gabi. He had seen the ring on her finger. He didn’t want to make the first move, nor did he want to ruin a relationship.
If she wanted him, she knew where he was.
Chapter Five
Gabi
It was 7 a.m. when Gabi and Lexi stumbled out of the club. Last night, they had sat drinking and talking for hours, and before they knew it, the club was closing. Not quite finished with the concoction of drinks on their table, they’d stayed put. Gabi hadn’t seen Darion for the rest of the night.
She felt irresponsible for getting too drunk to drive home, and for going back on her word, but she’d been having so much fun that she hadn’t wanted the night to end.
She tightened the cord on her coat and wrapped her arms around herself. The snow hadn’t cleared, and the air was still bitterly cold. She wanted nothing more than the comfort of her own bed, shower, and luxuries.
“Hey, Lex.”
“Hey, boss.”
Gabi snapped to full attention. Darion was standing outside the club, leant against the wall, a cigarette hanging nonchalantly from his lips. In the light of day, the stubble shadowing his jaw was more noticeable. His eyes were also greener than she’d thought, especially when the sunlight glinted in them. He slowly walked over, blowing smoke as he did so. An excited shiver ran up her spine.
“Gabi.” He nodded her way.
“Hey.”
“Didn’t you go home last night?” Lexi took the half-smoked cigarette from his outstretched hand and took a puff.
“No. I caught up on paperwork, fell asleep in the office.”
“You missed a good night.”
“I’m sure there will be plenty more.” He shoved his hands in his jean pockets.
“So, Gabi.” Lexi faced her, tossing the cigarette butt to the ground. “Will you be okay getting a taxi from here? I gotta head to my sister’s, babysitting duties.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Don’t be a stranger.” Lexi pecked her lightly on the cheek. “Come and see me soon.”
She nodded.
“Darion, wait with her until she gets a ride,” she instructed. “We don’t want a repeat performance of last night.” She gave them both a little wave, and made her way up the street.
An awkward silence hung in the air.
“You look cold,” Darion said a moment later. He stood in front of her, rubbing his hands up and down her arms in an attempt to warm her up. There was that undeniable charm again, emanating from him. He was probably so used to flirting that he didn’t even know the effect he had on women.
“Where’s the taxi rank around here?” Gabi stumbled slightly.
“There’s one a few streets away. But I can take you home.”
She looked at him. She was trying to get away from him, not be stuck with him on a long ride. “Thanks for the offer, but a taxi will be fine.”
“I insist,” he said firmly. “Let me get my jacket.” He tore his gaze from her, and made his way into the club.
Whilst Gabi waited, she checked her mobile. She had no texts or missed calls from Lawrence. She was disappointed, but also relieved. She was disappointed because she was obviously never on Lawrence’s mind, but relieved because she didn’t have to make excuses for her whereabouts. She shoved the iPhone in her bag and Darion was soon beside her, pulling on a black jacket. When he rested his warm hand on the small of her back, uncertainty settled in her gut. She was overwhelmed with lust and longing, no matter how much she tried to fight it. He led her down the street, and when he removed his hand, she found herself envying the women that got to hold it, feel it, have it all over their bodies, taking them to pleasured heights Gabi knew she’d never known. She could bet money that nothing about Darion was ordinary.
As Darion examined an impressive looking motorbike for a second, the words Yamaha R1 emblazoned on the black body, Gabi felt a thrill of excitement. She had never been on a bike before.
“I won’t be taking you on that. I don’t wanna risk it in the snow,” he said. “The last thing we want is to get stranded together, right?” He grinned cheekily.
Gabi stopped herself from making a flirtatious remark back.
A few yards down, after passing an Audi, which she assumed was also his, he led her to a black matte Jeep. With its huge wheels and tinted back widows, Gabi found herself admiring the automobile. The man had good taste. She climbed onto the passenger seat, getting a whiff of the vanilla air-freshener. The Jeep was immaculate. Everything inside was gleaming. She pulled her seatbelt on.
Darion climbed in, slamming the door shut. He started the engine, the stereo coming on automatically. Some rock band blared from the speakers, similar music to what the club had played. He strapped his seatbelt across his body, and turned to look at her, his face serious.
“Look, you don’t have to feel uncomfortable around me,” he began, “I don’t bite.” Then he flashed her a devilish grin, as if saying, unless you want me to, a gleam in his eye.
“I’m not uncomfortable.” Nervous, more like.
She knew that once she collected her car from Westhaven, she wouldn’t be seeing Darion again. She felt sadness rise up inside her, and mixed emotions whirled around in her head.
Darion’s grip was tight on the steering wheel, his jaw slightly twitching. She wondered whether he was having the same thoughts, then dismissed it. He didn’t know her. Besides, didn’t he already have two girlfriends? She couldn’t talk though, as she wasn’t single herself.
He sped down the roads that were clear of snow, causing her to grasp hold of the door handle. She stole a quick glance at him and noticed that he was already looking her way. He turned his attention back to the road.
“So what’s your address?” he asked, his face again unreadable. She provided him with the location details, and he nodded. “I’ve been that way before.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, we get people in the club from all sorts of areas.”
Gabi twirled a strand of hair around her finger, unsure of what to respond with. “So you like rock ‘n’ roll?” She died inside of humiliation. What a poor subject starter.
“I love it.” His face lit up.
Maybe the subject wasn’t so bad after all.
“I love all music, particularly rock, metal, and jazz. In fact, this is one of my favourites.”
He turned the volume higher on the stereo. He began nodding his head slowly to the beats of “Physical” by Nine Inch Nails. She had heard it play in the club; Lexi had danced to it. The sound of the guitar and the softly sung vocals created a sexy feel-good atmosphere in the car. Gabi let out a little laugh as she listened to the lyrics Darion sang. The song was definitely him.
He placed a cigarette in his mouth. Struggling to get the lighter to work, he took both hands off the steering wheel, fiddling with it. Gabi leant over to take hold of the wheel, steering the car to the right slightly. He managed to light it, taking a long puff, and nodded to thank her.
“I wish I could have taken you on my bike,” he shouted above the music. “You would have loved it.”
She felt a little disappointed, wishing she could experience riding on the motorbike with him.
“There’s a live band at the club every few months.” He turned the music down. “You and your friends should come one night.”
“Maybe.” Darion needed to be reminded that she was engaged. “I’ll bring my fiancé along.”
To her surprise, he said nothing.
Droplets of rain landed on the windscreen. The sky was becoming dull and grey. The mood seemed to suddenly change in the car. Gabi remained looking out of her window, concentrating on the lyrics of the song that was now playing. A woman’s beautiful voice was accompanied by a piano. It sounded sad. She looked down at the stereo, and she saw the song was “Bring Me To Life” by Evanescence. She took a deep breath, wondering why she was going home to Lawrence and to a life she often questioned, is this all there is?
An hour later, they were on her road. The car passed immaculate, decent-sized gardens, which led to fancy painted doors of modern big houses. It was the sort of place where it was perfect to raise children, and the neighbours were friendly, and looked out for one another.
The streets were still covered in a blanket of snow, through which Darion accelerated gently, although the Jeep didn’t appear to struggle much. He pulled onto a grass verge, pulled the handbrake up, and killed the engine. Gabi had just unbuckled her belt when she noticed he’d climbed out to hold the door open for her, like a true gent. Charming, as well as handsome. He really was the whole package.
Well, here I am, home sweet home.
“Can I offer you some money for the ride?” She rummaged in her handbag. “For the petrol cost?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Thanks. I really appreciate it.” She paused. “Can I invite you in for a coffee?” The invitation was purely out of politeness. She hoped he’d decline, not wanting any complications.
“No, I’d better get back to the club, got an event to organise this weekend.”
She nodded. She stood waiting for him to get back into his Jeep, but he didn’t. He touched her chin, tilting her face near his, and gently pressed his lips against her cheek, lingering for longer than he needed to. His soft, warm lips left her heart racing. They stood staring at one another for a moment, in silence.
“See ya, Gabi,” he finally said.
I really really really want to kiss him. She hated herself for being so attracted to him. “Bye,” she replied sensibly. Story of her life.
With that, Darion climbed back into the Jeep and drove off, vanishing down the road. The sound of the engine got quieter as the Jeep moved further away, getting smaller until it was out of sight. Gabi realised that she had stood and watched him leave.
Turning on her heel, she made her way toward her house, fumbling in her bag for her keys. It had been an unusual couple of nights. She was glad that Lawrence wasn’t yet home. As Gabi always parked her car in the garage, he’d have no clue that it was in Westhaven.
Once inside the warmth of the lounge, she collapsed on the sofa, exhausted, both mentally and physically. She took out her mobile and glanced at the screensaver of Lawrence. He was a good looking man with his ash blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and an average build, although there was nothing distinguishing or particularly interesting about him.
When she had first met him, an older man ten years her senior, she thought he was good for her. He was hard working, ambitious, and sensible. And even when the arguments began, and the relationship grew boring and difficult, she stuck it out, telling herself that chemistry and excitement weren’t important for a relationship to succeed. Now she wasn’t so sure.
She wriggled her body until she was lying down. She wondered what Darion had planned for the day. Irritated, she rolled onto her side. Forget about Darion. You’re engaged. Digging into her handbag, she pulled out a manuscript, which she was editing for work, and began reading it. If anything would take her mind off of him, that sure would.
How wrong she was.
Chapter Six
Gabi lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. She’d been tossing and turning for a good hour. She looked at her neatly ironed work suit, which was hanging near the window, next to Lawrence’s. Their shoes were lined neatly on the floor underneath. Their bags were on the chair with everything in them that they needed for tomorrow. It was always the same routine, preparing themselves for the next working day. The film Groundhog Day certainly came to mind, living the same day over and over. This wasn’t living; it was existing. She wriggled onto her side, accidentally nudging Lawrence, who had again returned home late.
“You awake, Gabi?”
“Yes, I can’t sleep.”
He turned to face her, giving her a lopsided grin. Oh. She was getting his good mood this time. He kissed her gently on her forehead, and pulled her closer to him for a cuddle. After a few minutes, he slid his hand under her gown. Gabi froze. He opened her gown and began kissing her neck. The smell of alcohol filled her nostrils.
She closed her eyelids tightly. Something was wrong. On the rare occasions when they did have sex, she could usually still enjoy it once they got going, but she wasn’t enjoying his hands all over her body. Oblivious to her discomfort, his mouth met her breast. Gabi shifted slightly away. Not getting the hint, his breathing grew heavier as he kissed her other breast. Darion’s face appeared in her head. She shot into a seated position.
“I can’t sleep because I have a headache.” She pulled the gown around herself, fastening the cord, praying that Lawrence hadn’t seen the bewildered look on her face. “You go to sleep.”
“Okay.” He shrugged, and tossed over so that his back was facing her.
Gabi lay back down in darkness, staring at the wall before her for what felt like an eternity. When her eyelids became heavy, and exhaustion kicked in, she eventually drifted into a deep sleep.
***
Gabi woke to the sound of the alarm piercing through her ears. Groaning inwardly, she reached out lazily and pressed the off button. She slowly peeled her eyes open, welcoming in the bright sunlight. Stretching her limbs, she yawned before reluctantly dragging herself out of bed.
She trudged to the bathroom, which she always used first, as it took her a while to get ready. She switched on the tap, allowing the steam of the shower to warm up the room before she slipped her clothes off and climbed in. Careful to not get her hair wet, she luxuriated in the hot water that cascaded down her body. It was heavenly.
When it was Lawrence’s turn in the bathroom, she perfected her make-up, and ran a brush through her locks until they hung silkily down her back. She dressed in a grey pencil skirt, a crisp, white shirt, and Saint Laurent platforms. She looked as glamorous as she possibly could for work.
It didn’t take long for Lawrence to change into a smart grey suit, and so together they descended the stairs for coffee and toast. Lawrence took up residence on his usual stool at the kitchen table, and began leafing through the morning’s newspaper, whilst Gabi began reading the manuscript again. Music was playing from the radio in the background. They always made sure that they had at least half an hour free in the morning to just relax.
“It’s Tom’s birthday today.” Lawrence stopped reading for a moment. “The whole office is going out for a few drinks after work, so I’ll probably be back about half ten.”
“Sure.” It wasn’t like she had a say in the matter anyway. “Lawrence?”
“Yes?”
“I need to ask you something, but I don’t want you to get mad.”
“Go ahead.”
“Are you having, or have you had, an affair?”
His eyes widened, whether in disbelief or worry, Gabi couldn’t quite tell. Clearing his throat, he said, “Don’t be ridiculous. Why would you think that?” His condescending tone irked her.
“I found matches in your pocket, from a gentlemen’s club.”
“Tom gave them to me. You know he’s into that sort of thing.”
She hadn’t known that. “You haven’t visited a club with him, have you?”
“Are you serious right now? You know I hate those grubby joints. Give me some credit.” He took a swig of his drink. “What’s brought all this on?”
She shrugged. “You seem cold and distant lately, Lawrence. And you always take phone calls in private.”
“Gabi, the calls all are work related. I’m stressed a
t the moment. The company’s having some problems right now. That’s all there is to it.” He looked her squarely in the eye. “I wouldn’t lie to you.”
She decided to drop the matter before he lost his temper. The last thing she wanted was a full-blown argument to ruin her day. She guessed she’d never know for sure. All she could do was trust him.
He slowly stood and glanced at his watch before pulling his jacket on. He groaned as he peered out the window, where light raindrops hit the glass pane.
Gabi perked up when she realised her all-time favourite song was playing. She turned the volume higher, and swayed her hips to the music whilst she cleared the plates from the table, dumping them into the sink. She grabbed Lawrence’s hands, pulling him toward her for a playful dance, to lighten the mood. He hastily pulled away.
“Come on, Gabi, don’t be silly. Have a good day at work.” With that, he left. No kiss goodbye. Nothing.
Gabi froze for a moment, her heart sinking. An ache tightened her throat as Lawrence’s rejection became unsettling. Perhaps her friend Mallory had been right for all those years; maybe she and Lawrence weren’t suited. Determined not to get upset, she focused on cleaning the kitchen. When everything was spotless, she switched the radio off.
She was applying another coat of lipstick when the sound of Mallory’s car horn reverberated in her ears. Hurriedly grabbing her bag, Gabi hooked it over her shoulder. As Mallory worked in the same office, they took it in turns to drive, and fortunately for Gabi, that day was Mallory’s turn.
She set the house alarm and locked all the doors, then she entered the warmth of Mallory’s sports car. Mallory was combing her blonde shoulder-length hair in the rearview mirror, whilst puffing on a cigarette.
“How’s it going, sweetie?”
“Good. You?” Gabi strapped the seatbelt across her body.
“I’m great.”
“I don’t suppose you want to do me a huge favour later?”
