by Cathy Quinn
"Yes?"
He tightened his arm around her. "You’ll still be here in the morning, won’t you?"
"Absolutely. Even the prospect of a glacial-temperature shower in the morning couldn’t chase me away."
"Good. Because if you vanished, I’d come after you."
Alice grinned and wiggled against him. "You’d stalk me?"
"You bet."
"Why?"
He bit her shoulder to punish her for the interrogation. "Because I want early morning sex, what else?"
Alice snickered. "Watch it, Gabriel, you’re in danger of approaching romantic again."
"Shut up and go to sleep."
***
"Well?" she asked the moment he opened his eyes.
"Well what?"
"Are we still friends?"
He blinked. "I think so. Right?"
"Yes."
"What sort of a question is that, anyway?"
"A neurotic one. I’m a woman. We’re allowed to be neurotic The Morning After."
He drew her closer and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. Rather to his own surprise, he was feeling fine. In fact, he was feeling fantastic. "Remember what I said about early morning sex?"
"Yes?"
"I was serious."
"So I gather."
"Want to try out my new and improved shower?"
"Hot water?"
"I’m hoping."
She rubbed her nose against his. "Did you notice you’re not panicking and running in the opposite direction?"
"Yeah. Interesting. Wonder if it’ll last long enough for us to do dirty deeds in the shower?"
She grinned. "Let’s see. You go in first. I’ll join you after thirty seconds have safely passed. I’ve already had my ice bath this year."
"Okay." Gabriel was just leaving the bed when the bedroom door opened.
Uh oh.
He’d forgotten he had a tennis date with Michael.
"You really should get that doorbell fixed, Gabriel," Michael said. "Aren’t you ready yet?" He noticed Alice. "Oh. Another Alice-emergency. What is it this time? Some guy treat you wrong again?"
Alice and Gabriel looked at each other. So much for early morning sex.
"Um, no," Alice said. "Quite the opposite. I’ve been treated very well indeed."
"Good. I’d really like to speak with Gabriel alone. Would you mind?"
Oh, boy. She opened her mouth, not sure what to say, but Gabriel beat her to it. "Toss me my clothes and I’ll get dressed."
She sent him a grateful look as Michael grabbed Gabriel’s untidy pile of clothes and passed it to him. Unfortunately an incriminating garment was on top of the pile, and Michael froze.
"Since when do you wear a bra, Gabriel?" he asked after an eternal pause.
Alice groaned and reached out to yank her bra off the pile. "Okay, Michael. So we slept together. Get over it. We’re both adults."
Michael pretended he didn’t hear her. He tossed the clothes back towards the chair – Gabriel just managed to snag his t-shirt and pull it on. It wasn’t much of body armor, but it was something.
Michael folded his arms on his chest. "What are your intentions towards my sister, Gabe?"
Alice gasped. "Are you seriously asking him his intentions? Did you just step back into the 19th century? What is your problem, Michael?"
"My best friend just seduced my little sister. I do see that as a problem. And he better not just be using you."
"I seduced him," Alice shouted. "Got a problem with that? And if anyone is using anyone, I’m using him. So just butt out, big brother, and get the hell out of here. We’ve got plans."
"I bet you have plans," Michael growled. "What are you saying? You seduced him?"
"Yes."
Gabriel raised his hands. "Listen..."
"You know what Gabriel is like, Alice! He thinks commitment is something you feed to the birds! Damnit, out of all the men in the world, why did you have to go after him?"
Alice huddled up to Gabriel and gave her brother a defiant stare. "Because he’s gorgeous, wonderful, sexy and I love him!"
"Enough!" Gabriel shouted. Then he realized what she’d said. It shouldn’t come as such a shock. He should have expected it. But to hear it... "You love me?"
"Well.... yes."
"Oh... God."
"Sorry. I kind of had planned to tell you before I told Michael and the rest of the world – well, except Susan of course, she already knows – but well, it just slipped out."
"Oh, God."
"It’s okay, Gabriel. I don’t expect anything. Just don’t think about it. I might say it occasionally though. If you don’t mind. You know, in the heat of passion and all that? But just ignore me. Or pretend I said something else."
"Oh, God."
"Enough with the prayers. Do you love her back?" Michael asked, a big scowl on his face.
"This is none of your business," his sister spat out. "You have no right to ask him something like that!"
"It is too my business. You’re my sister, he’s my best friend. I don’t want to be caught in the middle here. I don’t want either of you to get hurt – especially not by each other."
"Gabriel doesn’t love me and he doesn’t need to. He likes me, and he thinks I’m cute and fun, and we have truly fantastic sex..." Michael covered his ears and grimaced. "... and that’s enough," Alice continued "It’s great. I don’t need him to love me. I’m fine with things just the way they are. This is the 21st century after all. Men no longer have monopoly on seduction! We’ll be ‘friends with benefits’. It’s all the rage right now." She settled back, looking very satisfied with herself. "Yup, that’s it. FWB. The magazine needs an article about it anyway. This is research."
"Would you listen to me for a second..." Gabriel tried again.
"You seduced my best friend? To research an article? How could you do that to him? How could you do that to me?"
"It’s not just research! I told you -- I love him!"
"He doesn’t love you!"
"I do!" Gabriel shouted, and finally the siblings fell silent. Alice looked shocked. He probably looked shocked himself. Had he really shouted out what he hadn’t even dared admit to himself yet?
"You do? Oh, wow. Gabriel, do you?"
"Michael – get the hell out of here!" Gabriel yelled.
Michael seemed to approve of things now. He gave Gabriel thumbs up and vanished from the room. They heard the front door click behind him.
"Gabriel." It wasn’t a question, just the soft sigh of his name. "You love me. You really do..."
"Alice..."
She threw herself on the bed and nuzzled his neck. "I love you."
"I... know."
He sensed a moment’s hesitation when he didn’t say it back, but she recovered quickly. "Michael’s gone, Gabriel. Can we have that early morning sex now?"
"What? No interrogation?"
"Nah. Plenty of time later. I’m busy."
"Can we be sure your brother won’t walk in on us?"
"I don’t think he’ll ever enter your bedroom again without knocking first. And I’ve got wicked plans for you."
"Wicked?"
"Uh huh. Last week I worked on an article called ‘Make Him Your Eternal Love-Slave.’ I’m actually quite worried I might have missed some typos and stuff, because I was distracted by the contents. It had some very interesting bits. And so do you," she added smugly.
"Typos?"
"Bits."
Gabriel pulled on her hair so she’d look up, and kissed her softly. He loved her, damnit. He loved her. Now what? "Love-Slave, huh? Give me a hint."
She whispered into his ear and he gasped out loud. "Oh, God. Seriously?"
Her eyes danced with glee. "You’ve gone very religious all of a sudden, Gabriel."
He twisted quickly around, pinning her down with his hands on her hips, holding her immobile as he lowered his head to her stomach. "Gabriel! What are you doing?" she shrieked, squirming against his h
old.
"Kissing your belly button."
"You can’t!" Her stomach muscles clenched and she kept squirming away, but she was laughing too, so he didn’t take it seriously, and concentrated on the task at hand.
"Gabriel!" she screeched and managed to twist away, turning her back to him. "You can’t kiss my belly button! You can’t! I’m much too ticklish!"
One gentle yank on her arm and her stomach was back within reach. He settled happily down to business, but she covered the area with her closed fist. He made quick work of her hand, and she yanked it away, shrieking. "Gabriel! You bit me!"
Mission accomplished. Navel again in close proximity. He attacked again, and she shrieked, using one of his self-defense moves to push him off, and turned on her stomach.
So she thought she was safe on her stomach, did she? Hah! He’d show her.
"Ouch!" she yelled again, twisting around. "What are you doing? Did you just bite my butt?"
He grinned at her. She looked so beautiful, face flushed with the exertion of their wrestling match and laughter as well as the fire of excitement in her eyes.
"Yes, I did. You put your butt in close proximity to my mouth. Your own fault."
He lunged again and Alice scrambled backwards on her hands and feet, laughing hysterically. "I love you, Gabriel," she managed to say, and his heart did a funny little twist. "I really do. But, can we please, please compromise on the navel-thing? I’m really really ticklish, you see."
"Compromise? Okay, I’m open to discussion."
"Okay. How about if I kiss yours instead?"
"Hmm...."
She started inching back towards him. "Please?"
"I don’t know. Promise to be gentle with me?"
Her grin was pure evil as she pushed him on his back and yanked his t-shirt up. "Promise."
***
One month later
Gabriel just managed to duck out of the way as Michael’s serve slashed the air and the tennis ball came hurtling towards his face. The serve was way too high – but perfect if Michael’s intention had been to flatten his nose a bit.
"You did that on purpose!" he shouted over the fence.
Michael jogged towards him, wiping the sweat off his forehead with his arm. "Hey, I wouldn’t lose on purpose. Sorry. My mistake."
"Don’t you shrinks always say there are no mistakes?"
Michael smirked. "Freudian serve, then."
Gabriel glanced sideways at his friend as they walked off the court. "I’m still thinking about that Freudian serve. So -- are you worried about your sister?"
"You and her?" Michael grinned. "Nah. Not since you admitted you love her. I’m more worried about you. Alice can be a handful as a sister. I bet she’s even more trouble as a girlfriend."
"Yeah." Gabriel chuckled. "But trouble is growing on me."
"How’s your mom?"
"Okay. Better since she left my father. She and Alice have been bonding. A lot of whispering is going on. Rooms falls silent when I walk into them. Then there are my baby pictures." He rolled his eyes. "You wouldn’t believe the way they act over old picture albums. All in all -- I don’t want to know."
"Uh-huh. And how’s your dad? Been in touch with him lately?"
"Are you trying to turn our tennis dates into therapy sessions?"
"Hey, it’s free. Do you have any idea how much I’d charge if you came to my office?"
Gabriel tossed the tennis balls into his bag and zipped it closed. "Actually," he said as they walked towards the parking lot. "Your timing is perfect."
"Yeah?"
"My father was in touch this morning. Seems he wants reconciliation. With me – and my mother."
"What did you say?"
"Mom has to speak for herself – unfortunately – but I told him no way we’d become buddies again unless he gets serious about counseling. See? I’m actively drumming up business for you people."
"So, you haven’t forgiven him?"
"I saw the bruises on my mother. It’s not the type of thing you want to forgive, is it?"
"And have you forgiven yourself for being his son?"
Gabriel stopped. He shook his head, sighing. "You’ve been talking to Susan," he accused. "And she’s been talking to Alice. And Alice has been digging into my soul. Man, is nothing private anymore?"
"We all wish you’d stop obsessing about this. You’re not violent, Gabriel. I’ve known you since we were six years old. Believe me, if I thought you’d hurt Alice like that, I wouldn’t be so calm about this whole thing."
"You weren’t all that calm about it in the beginning."
"I overreacted. She’s my baby sister. It’s only natural. I’ve never for a moment worried you’d hurt her – well, other than emotionally, of course." Michael grimaced. "It’s a nasty side effect of love, isn’t it?"
Love. Gabriel felt that funny pull at his stomach again. Alice told him she loved him several times a day. She never made him feel bad about not saying it back, but he knew she had to need it. Even if she knew he did love her.
He wanted to tell her.
He just didn’t quite know how.
"What more do you want?" Susan asked. "He said he loved you, right? He’s not pushing you away anymore. Hell, the two of you have been inseparable for over a month." She pointed at the door. "I’d say this mission was accomplished and you should stop fretting and let me get some work done for a change."
Alice frowned and didn’t move a muscle. "He said it, yes. But he didn’t tell me. He just shouted ‘I do!’ when Michael said he didn’t. So he never actually said the words. He still hasn’t."
"It’s only been four weeks. Be patient."
Alice slumped in her chair. "I mean, I’m happy and all. I’m ecstatic. Everything’s wonderful. But I just wish he’d tell me he loved me. I mean –- I know that he does, and he shows it in a hundred ways – but I wish he’d tell me."
"Does he know how important that is to you?"
Alice shook her head. "I don’t know. I haven’t mentioned it. I don’t want to push him on this – it wouldn’t be the same if I made him say it. Besides, I’ve pushed him enough for a lifetime."
"Amen! And then some."
"Hey, you helped!"
"Just let things develop naturally from here," Susan suggested. "Things are complicated for him right now – with his parents divorcing and his mom moving in with him and all."
"I know. I’m too impatient."
"Everything’s going fine, Alice. Just go with the flow. And guess what – it’s quitting time!"
"Okay," she sighed. "Flowing off, then."
She went home – ‘home’ these days being Gabriel’s house, feeling much better after her small rant. Gabriel greeted her at the door, grabbing her in a bear hug. "Dad may be coming to his senses," he said enthusiastically. "He’s moving out himself and letting Mom keep the house. And – he agreed to go into counseling and anger management."
"Wow," Alice blinked. "That’s quite an attitude change. Guess the separation was a reality check for him."
"Yeah – well, anyway, Mom’s happy to be going home. I don’t know if their marriage has any hope, but at least he’s realizing there’s a problem."
"Mmm..." Alice said. "Don’t get me wrong, I love your Mom, but.... did she go home already? So we have the house all to ourselves?"
Gabriel grinned. "Yup. She said her dogs were homesick, and left as soon as she could. Part of the reason she was in such a hurry might be my new plans for the back yard. She’s a horticultural nut, and thinks I’ve gone mad."
"What happened to the back yard? Did you cement over it or something?"
"Come take a look." He took her hand and pulled her out back, into a backyard that was slowly starting to look more like a yard and less like a construction site. He stopped, gesturing at a huge bed filled with spiky purple flowers with deep green leaves, rooted in fresh earth. "There you go."
Alice stared. She recognized the flowers. She realized their significance,
but she didn’t dare get her hopes up. She looked at Gabriel, and spoke only when she could trust her voice. "What’s that?"
"Thistles. I planted them for you this morning."
Alice blinked back tears. "Thistles? For me?"
"Of course they’re for you."
"You planted thistles for me?"
"Yeah." Gabriel’s chest lifted in a deep breath he tried to hide. "Do you remember what I wanted to say with thistles?"
She looked up at him with shining eyes. "Yes. I remember."
"Because I do, you know. Love you."
She smiled. His voice was gruff, unused to saying the words, but they were honest and true. Her throat was too constricted to allow speaking so instead she leaned against him and rested her head against his chest for the longest time, listening to his heart beat and reveling in the fact that he was all hers, now.
"I love you too, Gabriel," she croaked when she could speak again, and his arms tightened around her as he kissed her hair. Then he pulled away and cleared his throat. "You know, I think we should order those burial places."
"Huh?"
He gestured impatiently. "You know. You said you wanted someone to be buried next to so you could be together for all eternity."
