“Wuh …”
He was relentless in his attention now. He gradually inserted a finger into her, which had her crying out again. She pushed up and down on his finger, and when he thought she was ready, he inserted another. With a couple fast strokes and a final hard suck on her clit, she flew apart.
“Holy shit! Oh God, yes. Please don’t stop. Ah, that’s it. Jesus!” Gabby was shocked at how good she felt. None of the other times she’d been with a guy had produced any kind of orgasm, hers had always been self given. Before she was completely calmed down, Rick was standing before her, breathing heavily.
He cradled her head as he placed sweet kisses on her brows, eyelids and nose. “God, Gabby. You are so sweet.” He hid his face in her hair as he tried to get a grip on his need to bury himself deep inside her, but her scent was torturous to him. Groaning, he pushed slightly away from her.
“Rick? Is something wrong? Don’t you want to, um, finish this?” Gabby reached out and grabbed his belt loop, pulling him back to her. Her lips were on his before he could formulate a response.
Arms that had been around his neck, now found their way under his shirt. Fingers danced over his abs and brushed over his nipples, drawing out another moan. “Hell yes I want to finish this. But I’m not going to take you for the first time in a locked office on my desk. You deserve better than that.”
“But I can see that you want me. It doesn’t seem fair.” She tugged at the button on his jeans. “There are other things I can do for you, you know.” Licking her lips, she slid her hand inside and cupped him.
Rick sucked in a breath and closed his eyes, more than enjoying the sensations Gabby was causing. He had to stop her or he was going to come right there in his jeans, and wouldn’t that be a memorable moment?
Calling forth every ounce of willpower, Rick gently removed her hand. Pulling her in close, he whispered to her. “Trust me, sweetheart. I want you in every way imaginable.” He paused to kiss that sweet spot just beneath her ear. “So much. But when the time comes, I’m going to make love to you slowly. I’m going to show you how much you mean to me, and it’s going to take all night.”
Gabby shuddered at his words. “Wow.” She leaned back and held his face in her hands as she slowly kissed him. “That sounds wonderful. Please don’t make me wait long.”
Gabby hopped off his desk, and this time he let her go. As soon as she was gone, he stripped out of his clothes and stepped into the small shower in his office bathroom. He stroked himself hard and fast, thinking about the way she tasted and the way she clenched around his fingers when she came. He groaned as his orgasm started. “Oh, fuck.” His load shot out hot, and he continued pumping his cock until his hand was covered. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d come so quickly and hard. She did that to him.
Chapter Five
Oh my God, what have I done? The thought ran continuously around and around inside Gabby’s head as she sat in her room later that night, avoiding Rick at all costs. There was no logical reason for him to want her. He was way out of her league. It simply didn’t make sense.
The pillow she was holding as she rocked back and forth reflected her not-so-long-ago youth with its delicate pink lace trim and yellow flowers embroidered on both sides. Her curtains matched, as did her rug. It was as if a bottle of Pepto had exploded over every surface.
Something as insignificant as the décor of her room indicated it was time to move on to the next phase of her life. At the very least, she needed to get out of her mother’s house. With Marcy staying in Italy for another year, it was up to her to take the initiative and find a place to live.
Gabby had always been smart with her money. She wasn’t spoiled, and Rick had taught her well the value of a dollar. He’d started his business from nothing and was now able to spend as he liked.
With almost a year’s worth of living expenses in her savings account, she knew she’d have no trouble finding, and paying for, a nice apartment. Maybe she wasn’t rich, but she could certainly afford to live on her own.
The following morning, she quietly snuck out of the house and made a beeline for her car. Her Honda wasn’t fancy, but it was reliable and good on gas. And on the plus side, it was relatively quiet when it started. Gabby made it to work without running into Rick. Of course, she knew her luck would end there. It was kind of hard to avoid the boss at work.
~*~*~*~
Gabby looked gorgeous as usual. Rick could only see the top half of her sitting behind her desk, but he liked what he saw. Her gauzy, deep blue top complemented her strawberry-blonde hair nicely, but what caught Rick’s attention was the pearl pendant resting between those glorious breasts. He forced his gaze upward as he spoke. “Gabby. When you have a minute, could you come see me in my office, please?” Rick smiled at her just like he always did.
Gabby took a deep breath and got up to follow him. “I’m coming now.” At Rick’s raised brow and sly smile, it dawned on her what she’d said. “I mean we can do it now.” Rick just laughed as the color rose in Gabby’s cheeks.
He was hyper aware of her walking behind him. Her heels made that sexy clicking sound as they continually came down on the hardwood floors. The sound was muted when they reached the carpet in the hallway leading to his office, and Rick missed it. Slowing a bit, he let her catch up to him.
“What?” Gabby stopped and looked sideways at him.
“Nothing,” he whispered in her ear, giving her delicious shivers. “I just think I’d rather watch you walk in front of me.”
She gave him a demure smile with just a hint of vixen. He winked at her and put gentle pressure on the small of her back to start her walking again.
As she swung her hips, he felt a wide smile split his face. “Yeah, that’s about right.”
Closing the door, Rick leaned back against it, feeling the lock on the handle and forcing himself not to turn it. He wanted to talk to Gabby, not get her naked. Well, that’s not really what he wanted, but he needed to make sure she was okay with what was happening between them.
She sat down in one of the overstuffed chairs in Rick’s office, crossing her legs. He scanned the space and looked back at Gabby.
So much had changed over the years. When he started his business, his office was in a dusty trailer at one of his construction sites. It moved with him from job to job, but when the company grew, he leased space downtown to permanently house his operations staff and his own office. Now he had a large, comfortable office with oversized, overstuffed chairs to relax in, a huge solid oak desk, built-in filing cabinets, an expansive view of the city with mountains as a backdrop, and at the moment, a terrific view of Gabby.
“What’s up?” Gabby asked from her seat.
Rick walked over and perched on the arm of the chair. The sunlight was shining through the window, making Gabby’s hair look like spun gold. He yearned to feel it brushing his chest as they made love.
“I wanted to make sure you were okay. It was pretty obvious you were avoiding me last night.” Even though he was afraid to hear the answer, he asked a tough question without meeting her eyes. “Do you regret yesterday, Gabby? Did I totally screw up any relationship we had?” Please say no. I couldn’t stand it if you weren’t in my life.
Gabby’s head snapped up. “No! God, no. You didn’t screw anything up, Rick. I just can’t help but wonder what you want with me? I’m not sophisticated or educated or as pretty as other women you could have. I’m just me. I’m just a simple twenty year old who has a shitty mother and a regular job. Hell, I still live at home. How pathetic is that?”
How she could see herself as anything other than extraordinary was beyond him. She was easily the best person he knew. His knees hit the carpet as he kneeled in front of her and took her hands in his. “Gabby. You can’t be serious. You’re one of the best people I know. You have such a generous heart … it scares me. I’m so afraid I’ll hurt you. And sophistication? You have more class in your pinky than anyone else I’ve ever met. As far as still living at home�
�and believe me, I really hate to point this out—you’re only nineteen years old.”
“Twenty. Well, in a couple of days I will be anyway.”
Rick smiled at her. “Okay, twenty. As far as education goes, I never had a formal education, and look at me. I’m pretty successful. And I happen to think you have an excellent job. You just about run this whole office. Aside from all that, you’re wonderful to be around. People are happier when they’re with you. Don’t you see that? You always know how to make people smile and feel good. You’re an incredible woman, Gabriella Tuttle.”
He could see the tears pooling in her eyes right before she flung herself into his arms.
“You make me feel so good, Rick. If I’m truly any of those things you just said, it’s because you’ve been in my life to influence me. You’re a good man. A really good man.” She leaned back to look at him, with those beautiful doe eyes, wet with unshed tears, and he had to kiss her.
Rick licked his lips, and Gabby involuntarily did the same. Just as he was about to press his lips to hers, Cindy walked in without knocking.
Startled, she looked at them, quickly looked away, and then did a double take. Rick didn’t know what to say to her, but she took the matter out of his hands. Her face broke into a big grin, and she said, “Well, it’s about time. I’ll catch up with you later. As a matter of fact, I think I’ll take an early lunch. See you both in a little while.” She winked in their direction and let herself out.
“Huh,” Rick said.
“Huh? That’s it? What did she mean by ‘It’s about time’?”
“Well, she’s said several times that I wear my heart on my sleeve, and thinking back, I believe you were always around when she said it. I didn’t even realize until about six months ago, how deeply I’ve come to care for you. How much my feelings have progressed.”
Gabby wasn’t sure she was ready for a deep conversation about Rick’s feelings. She took the easy way out and didn’t respond to his declaration. “So,” Gabby said, still kneeling on the floor in front of him, “Where were we?”
Her lips were mere inches from his. They were begging to be kissed, and he wasn’t going to say no. “Right about here.” He leaned forward to close the gap until their lips touched softly. He wanted to savor her, drink her in. He wanted her to fill his entire being, and he tried to convey all of that in his kiss.
He must have been successful, because Gabby’s hands came up to softly cradle his face, as she sighed against his lips. “Oh, Rick.”
That ‘Oh, Rick’ could have meant she was touched or that she didn’t feel as moved as he did. He pulled back and ran the backs of his fingers down her right cheek.
“Was that a good ‘Oh, Rick’? Or was it a we have to talk, and I don’t want you ‘Oh, Rick’?” He wasn’t sure he wanted the answer, but he knew he needed it.
“That was an ‘Oh, Rick’ that meant, I really like kissing you. I like being able to feel that I mean something to you. I can feel that, you know? I can feel it when you kiss me. I just—I’m just not sure what to do with it all yet.”
Rick got up to give her some space before he went too far with her again. But he couldn’t stop himself from telling her what was in his heart. “I’m glad you can feel all that in my kiss, Gabby. I do care about you. So much. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I want a relationship with you.” He paused to watch her body language, but couldn’t accurately read her so he continued. “I don’t just want sex. You’re too important and special to me for that. Do you understand? This isn’t casual for me, sweetheart. I love you too much.”
Gabby reached out to him, and he helped her come to stand in front of him. “I know, Rick. And I appreciate you telling me. It’s just kind of hard, you know? The whole situation is a bit awkward. When I’m thinking about it, I know it’s probably wrong, but when you touch me, I really don’t care about it being wrong; I just want more of you. Maybe I’m not such a great person after all. What girl takes her mother’s husband, for God’s sake?”
“No, Gabby. Don’t do that. Don’t even bring her into this. She and I have been done and over with for a good two years. You know that. Our first three years were good, but …well you know how it’s been since then. I’ve only stayed for you. If you think it’ll make it easier, I’ll leave tonight. I can stay here until I find another place to live. Hell, I could build myself a new house.” He’d do anything for her.
“I’m going to be looking at apartments myself after work. Do you want to go with me?”
“I’d love to. We could grab some dinner first.” His phone was vibrating in his pocket for the third time since they’d been in his office. When he pulled it out, he grimaced. “It’s Sophia again. I guess I better call her back.”
“Okay. I’m going to run home after work to change out of my work clothes. I’ll see you at the house.”
Before she could walk out, Rick grabbed her and gave her a quick kiss. Her bright smile would hold him through his dreaded phone call to Sophia.
~*~*~*~
Gabby walked in the front door to hear Sophia screaming at someone and tossing things around. She tried to walk out before anyone noticed her presence, but she wasn’t quite quick enough.
“Rick? Is that you? It’s about time. I need the money you said you’d give me. I’ve been waiting for over an hour! Give Ben his fucking money, will you?” Sophia came running into the foyer where Gabby was standing, Ben hot on her heels.
Ben looked her over with a lecherous grin on his face. “Well, well, what have we here?”
“That’s just my daughter. She doesn’t have any money.” Sophia turned away from her and tugged Ben’s arm. “Come on, my husband will be home soon, now that she’s here.”
Ben caught on to her insinuations and immediately got an even more interested look in his eyes. “Oh yeah? Keep it all in the family, do you? Mind if I take a crack at her? She looks like she’d give a good ride. Nice, bouncy tits and ass.”
He strode over to Gabby and tried to grab her, but this was not the first time she’d had to play keep away with one of her mother’s acquaintances. She’d learned her lesson. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied a sparkle coming off the candlestick on the table by the door. Knowing she couldn’t get there quicker than he could grab her, she tried to outsmart him.
“Now, now—you don’t get me that easy.” She tilted her head down a bit to show submission and slowly walked around him, as if checking him out. When she got to the table, she grabbed the candlestick and threw it at him as fast as she could before she took off running to her bedroom, thanking God Rick had put that extra lock on her door.
“You little cunt! Get back here.” He followed her to her room, rubbing his head, but Sophia dragged him back.
“She’s not worth it, trust me. She’s probably slept with half of Rick’s company. Just leave her be. I’ll get money from Rick, and we can go meet up with the gang.”
Gabby heard them moving down the hall and assumed they would be going into the kitchen to raid the liquor cabinet. All of the fight in her vanished like dissipating smoke, and she slid down the door to the floor. Despair hit her and she gave into it.
Why couldn’t her mother love her? Why did she pick drugs over her own family? Rick was so good to Sophia, and in return, she stomped on his heart. Gabby had loved her, too, but when she turned forty, two years before, she went completely wild. Rick was only five years younger than her, but she seemed to think that it was a lifetime, even though it didn’t seem to bother her when they had gotten married. Instead of embracing her experience in life, she threw it away and embraced a new, reckless life that made her feel like a kid again. Why she wanted that feeling was another problem entirely, which Gabby and Rick were helpless to understand.
Most of the time it didn’t bother Gabby that her mother was essentially gone from her life. She’d gotten used to not having her around anymore, but sometimes, every once in a while, it still hurt deeply. And when those times hit, they wer
e hard to get over. Watching her mother stand by, knowing that Ben would force himself on her, broke her heart all over again, just as it did when Phil had attacked her. As she sat there thinking about how she’d so thoroughly lost her mother, her flood gates opened, and she cried until all that was left were dry, hiccupping sobs.
~*~*~*~
There was a not-so-unfamiliar car sitting in the driveway when Rick pulled up to the house. He could actually feel his happy bubble bursting. He wasn’t sure which one it was, but he was sure it was one of Sophia’s many new ‘friends.’
Running up to the door as quickly as his feet would take him, he called out Sophia’s name. She was on him before he fully cleared the threshold.
“Finally! Do you have some money to give me?”
“Yeah. Here’s the last of it.”
Sophia took the money and started to walk out the door when his words registered.
“The last of it?”
“Yeah. I’m done, Sophia. I’m leaving.” Rick reached into his back pocket and unfolded a stack of papers. “Here are the divorce papers. You can read them over or take them to a lawyer. The settlement is more than fair, so I’d suggest you sign them, and thank your lucky stars that I’m a generous man.” He’d had them for months now, sitting in his desk at the office. With Gabby looking for a place of her own, the time was finally right. He wanted out.
Sophia drew back her hand to hit him, but Ben grabbed her before she got a chance. “Now let’s not be hasty, Sophia. Take a look at what those papers say.”
Knowing she was too drunk to read them, and Ben would just take them from her if she didn’t, Rick told her what was in them. “I’m letting you have the house, and one quarter of my savings. I’ve already started the paperwork to get my name off the deed. When that’s done, you can sell it and keep all the profits or continue to live here. I don’t care. The only reason I’m even giving you that is because you’re Gabby’s mother. She’s by far the best thing that’s come from you.”
Sophia screamed and threw the papers back at Rick. “Gabby, Gabby, Gabby! It’s always fucking Gabby! Is that why you married me? To be near Gabby? Well, I needed a husband as much as she needed a father!”
Forbidden Fruit Vol 2 Page 33
