“I could stay like this forever.”
“That’s fine with me.” Gabby grabbed his hands and brought one up to her breast, the other up to her lips. She sucked his middle finger into her mouth, swirling her tongue around and around.
His cock, which had started to go soft, jerked at the sensation and amazingly began to grow hard again. Sliding out a little, just to push back into her, gained him a satisfied moan from her lips that were still wrapped around his finger. “Christ, Gabby. I could take you all night long.” Just to prove it, he pulled out of her, spun her around, picked her up, and drove himself right back into her as he pushed her up against the wall.
“Oh my God.” Gabby grabbed his shoulders and locked her legs around his waist, sliding herself up and down on his cock. “Yes!” She was panting and moaning at the new sensations rocking her body, driving Rick crazy with unspent lust.
“You like that?” His hips bucked even harder into her. “You want more?”
“Yes. More.”
Rick’s lips latched onto her neck as he continued to drive into her again and again. “I want you to come for me again, Gabby.” He bit down on the sensitive spot at the junction of neck and collarbone.
“Oh, God. Yes! Don’t stop.” Gabby’s head flew back and cracked against the wall, but she didn’t even notice. Her legs tightened around him as she used the leverage to ride him faster and harder. “Oh, I’m gonna come. Don’t stop.”
Rick’s breathing was labored as he continued to fuck her hard. His legs were starting to tremble, and he could feel his balls tightening up with his coming orgasm. “Jesus, Gabby. Fuck! God, yes. I’m coming. Fuck, now.”
With perfect timing, Gabby tightened deliciously around him, taking everything he had to give as she moaned out his name one last time.
They were both a delightful, sweaty mess as Rick carefully lowered Gabby to the floor. “Holy shit, I can’t breathe.”
Gabby laughed and struggled to sit up. At the sound of a car pulling into the driveway, they both scrambled weakly to their feet, gathering her clothes off of the floor and counter and trash bin.
Instead of the guilty feelings Rick expected to come over him, he felt only elation. “Shit. Sophia’s home.” He threw her bra at her and shooed her out of the kitchen. “Go get dressed, you vixen.”
Gabby gave him a saucy smile and took her time sashaying her way out of the room, her naked bottom taunting him all the way.
He’d never look at that kitchen table the same way again.
Chapter 6
The next morning, Gabby scheduled a couple of appointments to see some apartments on her lunch hour, since she had gotten distracted the night before.
Her first impression of apartment number one was not favorable. The stucco of the exterior was the color of mud, and there wasn’t a tree to be found. It did have a view of the ocean, but even that couldn’t make up for the lackluster facade.
“This unit has two bedrooms, one bath, and the laundry facility is one floor down.” Heather, the leasing agent, was more interested in looking at her phone than showing Gabby the apartment.
“How much is the rent, and what does it include?” San Diego wasn’t cheap, especially the closer you got to the ocean, but Gabby loved it there. She always had and wasn’t interested in looking at any other cities.
“The rent includes your heat, but not air conditioning or cable. It’s two thousand a month, and you have a guarantee that your rent won’t increase for twenty-four months if you sign a two-year lease by the end of this month. It’s a special they’re running.” She spoke so fast, it was like one long run-on sentence.
“Okay. Do you mind if I take a walk around the grounds outside?”
Not bothering to look up from her phone, she responded, ”Sure, that’s cool. If you need me, I’ll be in the office.” She walked to the door and held it open, impatiently waiting for Gabby to walk out ahead of her.
Outside, the first thing she noticed was the rusted fence around the pool area. Everyone knew things rusted faster in a beach environment, but it sure didn’t give her a warm and fuzzy feeling about the care given to the complex.
Moving along, she spotted some swings that were hanging unevenly, and a sliding board that had seen better days. The paint of the rocking horses was peeling off and the sandbox had weeds growing in it. She’d seen enough. On to the next stop.
The next place was worse than the first, and Gabby felt some of the excitement of apartment hunting fade. But she got back in the car and drove to her last appointment of the day.
The street she drove down was lined with palm trees and small houses. She double-checked the address as she pulled up to an adorable cottage-style beach house. It was a small house that sat on a slight hill, with a small driveway on one side and palm trees on the other. There was only one street and a bike path separating the house from the beach. Still thinking she had the wrong address, she stepped out of the car to see a woman with spiked blonde hair coming toward her, waving.
“Hi! You must be Gabriella. I hope you didn’t have any trouble finding the place. I’m Kylie. Come on in and take a look around.” Her enthusiasm was just what Gabby needed to brighten up her day after the last two places she’d looked at.
“I thought I had the wrong address. This place is adorable.” Hope sprang up, and she prayed it was just as nice on the inside.
“It really is. It’s my aunt’s place. I’d live here myself if I didn’t have two kids. It’s pretty small, but it’s perfect for a single or even a couple.” Kylie kept up a friendly chatter on their way to the door. “The previous tenant just moved out three weeks ago. Aunt Alice had the whole place freshly painted and updated the kitchen counter tops.”
The deep red color of the front door really stood out from the pale blue of the rest of the house. It was a perfect marriage of colors.
A large bay window took up most of the house to the right of the door, and to the left was a smaller window with a red flower box under it. Gabby was in love.
The rest of the house was as great as the outside, from the modern kitchenette to the cozy living room, complete with a small gas fireplace in the corner. Although the master bedroom didn’t have its own bathroom, the shared bath was spacious. The master bedroom itself was large with a view of the ocean, and while the spare room was small, it was more than adequate to meet her needs. And the best part was, there was an ocean view in the front and back since it was the last house on a dead-end street. It was perfect.
“So? What do you think?”
“I can’t believe it’s not rented yet.”
Kylie smiled. “I just listed it last night. Trust me, it won’t stay empty long. The previous tenant moved out of state, but she lived here for almost ten years.”
“I never did ask you what you were charging for rent.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought we went over that. It was a little crazy this morning. My two year old decided to flush a pair of goggles down the toilet, and my four year old was drawing on her bedroom wall with a Sharpie. It was a stellar morning.”
“And yet you’re still smiling.”
“Well, I got the goggles out of the toilet, so no harm, no foul, and the drawings on the wall aren’t half bad.” She laughed and shrugged her shoulders. “There are worse things in life, you know? So. The rent is twenty-eight hundred a month, with a one month security deposit due up front. You’re responsible for all of the utilities also.”
It was a bit more than what Gabby had planned to spend, but she already knew she was going to take it. Rent in San Diego was steep, especially so close to the ocean. “I can swing that. When can I move in?”
“Really? Great!” Kylie opened the folder she was holding and handed Gabby a lease agreement. “How about you fill this out, and I’ll call my aunt. She can run your credit and check references and get back to me. She’s very quick, though. It shouldn’t take long.”
Gabby filled out the paperwork and gave it back to Kylie.
“Sure. Thanks. I’ll probably be out on the back deck.”
Gabby opened the sliding door and stepped out onto the deck and into the afternoon sun. The waves crashing against the shore calmed her, and she felt her eyelids closing as she leaned on the rail. Seagulls added their calls to the sound of the ocean, and she suddenly felt like she was home. She honestly couldn’t remember the last time she felt so at peace. Leaving her mother’s house would be the best feeling of all.
Gabby turned around at the sound of the slider opening and closing. “It’s so beautiful out here.”
Kylie’s ever-present smile got brighter as she agreed with her. “I know. I love it, too. I live a couple of blocks over. We love it here.”
“I know I would too.”
“Good, because my aunt works fast. Here are your keys. Welcome to the neighborhood.”
“What? That quick?”
“Yup. Aunt Alice said you can even write me a personal check for the security and first month’s rent. She knows your stepfather. He’s done work for her in a bunch of her rental properties. As a matter of fact, she said he put the new counter tops in here a week ago.” Kylie handed her the keys and Gabby happily wrote her the check.
***
There was a red suitcase sitting by the door when Rick got home. He hadn’t seen Gabby all day, but he could guess that she’d found an apartment.
“Gab, you home?”
“She’s home.” Sophia came stumbling out of the kitchen, drink in hand. Drinking already, but at least it looked like she was alone. Thank God for small favors.
“I just came back to pack some of my things, Sophia. Did you sign the papers?” He really hoped she had. Those divorce papers needed to be filed as quickly as possible. He needed that peace of mind.
Sophia didn’t answer him, but disappeared back into the kitchen. She emerged a minute later with a fresh glass of booze and the crumpled up papers, which she threw at his feet. “Here. All signed. Now get out of my house.”
“Gladly. I will be getting my stuff, though, Sophia. Don’t cause any problems.” He didn’t want much—just his favorite chair and his clothes. She could keep the rest. There was nothing in there that had any special meaning. He’d been moving out his family mementos little by little over the past six months. He didn’t trust her or her drunken friends not to ruin the few things he did care about.
When Sophia spoke again, she spoke quietly. “You know, I didn’t purposely fuck up our marriage, Rick.”
Rick didn’t know what to say to her. He was saved from having to address her declaration as she took a sip of her drink and walked away.
Clothes. Rick needed his clothes. With that thought in mind, he made his way down the hallway toward the bedroom he hadn’t slept in for years. When he reached Gabby’s room, he poked his head in the open door to see her struggling to close another suitcase. She was wearing cut-off shorts and a red plaid button-down shirt that was tied just beneath her breasts, pushing them up to perfection. She looked like Daisy Duke. As a bonus, each push on the suitcase caused her breasts to bounce in all their glory. Hot.
The carpet muffled his footsteps as he walked up behind her, placing his hands on her hips. “Damn, you look great.” He leaned in for a kiss, but remembered at the last minute where they were, and pulled away. “Sorry.”
Gabby smiled the most sincere smile he’d seen on her in a long time.
“You’re happy. And you’re packing.”
“I am, and I am.” Still smiling, she kissed his cheek. “I found the best place. But not only that, I can move in tonight.”
“You’re kidding. That’s great, Gabby. Where are you going?” Relief flooded Rick at her news. Constant worry over Gabby being in the house while Sophia’s friends were there was giving him gray hair.
“You know the place. It’s that little cottage on Pacific Avenue that you put the new counter tops in last week.”
“The blue house with the red door?”
“That’s the one. The landlord let me pay her with a personal check and move in today since she knows you.”
“Yeah. Alice Carruthers. Nice lady. I’ve done work for her on a couple of her places. I think that’s perfect for you. Great location, too.”
“What are you going to do, Rick? You don’t have to look after me anymore.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll find a place. Hell, I might just build myself a house. I booked myself into Hotel Del for a couple of weeks. I was going to ask you to come with me.”
The look on Gabby’s face spoke volumes. Rick didn’t want to see it, but it was there. While he knew Gabby cared for him, she wasn’t in love with him. It hurt, but he loved her so much, he’d take whatever she was willing to give him.
“Oh. Well, I have the new place and …”
Rick put his finger up to her lips. “It’s fine. You don’t need to explain anything to me, sweetheart.” His heart broke just a little at her relieved expression. Forcing his feelings aside, he ran his hand down her arm and gave her a quick squeeze. “I’m going to go pack up my clothes and take them over to the hotel. Would you want to grab dinner later?”
Slipping her hands into her pockets, she took a slight step back, not even realizing it. “If it’s okay with you, I’m going to take tonight to get some things unpacked at my new place. Noelle’s brother is coming over with a friend of his to move my bedroom furniture in for me tonight.” Almost as an afterthought she added, “You’re welcome to stop by.”
“You know I would have moved your stuff for you.” The resentment that washed over him was palpable and involuntary.
Gabby placed a soothing hand on his arm. “I know you would, Rick. But I thought it might throw Mother into another fit if she saw you moving my stuff out for me. You know how she is. I think it might be better for both of us if you aren’t even here when Jimmy and his friend come to pick up my stuff. I was trying to make it easier on all of us.”
Rick didn’t know if he believed that was the real reason, but he didn’t make an issue of it. “Maybe you’re right. I’ll do my own thing tonight then.” He was losing her already before he really even had her. Shoulders slumping, he felt the realization hit him.
Gabby grabbed his hand and held it in both of hers, giving him a dazzling smile. “Hey. I have an idea. How about if I make us dinner tomorrow night in my new place? Just you and me. I’m taking some of the kitchen stuff from here. Sophia will never miss it.”
“I love that idea.” He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and turned around to leave. “I’ll see you tomorrow night then.” It felt like she was throwing him a pity date. Pathetic. He was pathetic. But pathetic or not, he’d take every moment he could with her.
Chapter 7
With dinner in the oven, Gabby stepped back and assessed her efforts. Not having a table to eat on posed a momentary problem that was solved by using a blanket from her bed, spread on the living room carpet—just like a picnic.
Paper plates and napkins, real silverware bought earlier that day, plastic cups, and a good bottle of scotch that her mother had donated without her knowledge, were sitting around the blanket. Not bad for her first day in a new house. Furniture would come piece by piece as she could afford it.
Vegetables covered the counter as Gabby chopped away, making a salad. The aroma from the baked ziti in the oven added to the homey feeling she experienced cooking in her own kitchen. She was enjoying the preparation and looking forward to seeing Rick.
When the knock sounded at the door, Gabby answered it wearing an apron she bought at an adult toy demonstration she’d gone to a year earlier. It had a picture of the back of a mostly-naked woman on her knees with her hands tied behind her back, and said, Rope Makes the Best Lingerie.
“Nice apron, Gab. I couldn’t agree more.” He walked in and gave her a kiss that had her clutching onto his shirt with both hands. Lust radiated from every pore.
&nb
sp; “Wow. Hi.” It still surprised Gabby how eagerly her body responded to his, but with her newfound independence came some doubts about their budding relationship. She knew Rick was in love with her, and while she cared deeply for him, it was still more about sex for her. She planned on talking to him about that very thing after dinner.
Breathing rapidly, Rick made himself pull away. “I brought wine.” He held up a bottle of red in his right hand, while Gabby entwined her fingers in his left and led him into the kitchen.
“Thanks.” She took the bottle and asked if he had, by chance, brought a cork screw with him.
He laughed as he answered her. “No, sorry. I didn’t even think of it.”
“No problem. I have an almost-full bottle of scotch in the other room. Dinner’s not ready yet. Do you want to take a drink outside and look at the ocean?”
“Sure. I’ll get the drinks and meet you out there.”
The yellow and white sundress Gabby was wearing was short and flowing. As she stood on the deck, a gentle breeze lifted it just enough to give Rick a peek of her upper thigh. “This is my favorite part of the house so far. I think I’ll be spending a lot of time out here.”
“Come here.” Rick put the drinks on the railing and gathered her up in his arms, standing behind her with his chin resting on her head. She reached up and placed her hands on his arms that were folded across her. Tilting her head back, she kissed his chin.
“You know I care about you, right Rick? That I’d never do anything to hurt you?”
Rick’s sigh said it all. She could tell he knew where she was going with her conversation. “I know that, sweetheart. I do. But if it’s okay with you, could we just have tonight? We can talk about other things tomorrow. Okay?”
That was perfect for Gabby. She wanted a night with Rick. She wanted an entire night without sneaking around or worrying about someone finding them. He had once promised to make love to her all night long, and as selfish as she knew it was, she wanted that. She turned around and pushed up on her toes to kiss him. “Yeah. We can have tonight, Rick. I want that, too.” She leaned her forehead against his chest and simply let him hold her.
What Mother Doesn't Know Page 5
