by Michelle Day
“Ah gross.” Angel laughed.
He grinned and bounced to his feet. “Thanks for putting me in a good mood.”
“No problem, your wish is my command.” she bowed slightly.
“You may regret saying that.”
At the end of the school day Gavin meandered to Mr. Benson’s office, stepping through the open door, he stopped dead and began to back out of the door when he saw the teacher deep in discussion. Mr. Benson saw Gavin and beckoned for him to come in, turning back to Angel he said;
“Angel, my dear, you know this and I’m afraid I simply can’t spare any more time on this today.”
“But Sir, I’ll fail the exam if I don’t crack this,” Angel protested.
Mr. Benson looked from Angel to Gavin and an idea came to him,
“I think I may have the perfect solution, Gavin, you have a firm grasp of the genetics coursework we are currently covering don’t you?”
“Yes Sir, I’m fine with it.” Gavin replied.
“Excellent, right, Gavin, as your punishment for flaring up in class, you will tutor Miss Palmer here in Genetics.”
“I thought you were punishing him not me.” Angel murmured.
“It kills two birds with one stone Miss Palmer, you get the one to one tutoring you need and Mr. Jensen gets to give up some of free time tutoring you.”
“Sir, you are aware that Angel is Quinn’s girlfriend?” Gavin asked coming to stand beside Angel.
“The relationships of my students are of no relevance to their education, which is my only concern. If however, I happen to be punishing Mr Masters by denying him time with this young lady, in the course of my actions, then I’m ok with that. Perhaps having to accept that the result of running his mouth in my class is that he loses out, will humble him into keeping his tongue firmly behind his teeth. If it doesn’t, Mr Jensen, it will at least afford you plenty of opportunity to practise keeping a firm lid on your temper.” Mr Benson answered with a satisfied grin.
“Looks like you are stuck with me.” Gavin told Angel.
“You may as well make a start tonight.” Mr. Benson put in as they left his office.
“No time like the present?” Angel suggested as they walked out of the college, “plus Quinn has already left so you need to give me a lift home.” she added.
“Very subtle Angel, I’ll give my Dad a call, let him know I’ll be late. Then I’m all yours for however long you need me.”
Angel grinned. “Now there’s a thought. You know Quinn is going to take the piss out of you for having to do this don’t you?” she warned.
“Yeah, I know, what he will fail to see is that I will be spending more time with his girlfriend over the next few weeks than he will. I’m sure that will keep me amused long enough to save me from my temper,” he opened the passenger door for her, she slid into his car.
“Such a gentleman, you never cease to amaze me.”
Gavin went around to his own side of the car, pulled his seat forward and dropped his bag onto the floor before sitting in the driver’s seat and looking over at her.
“If you were mine, I wouldn’t need to amaze you because you would know everything there is to know about me,” he told her. Then started the engine.
Chapter 5
Angel was a little stunned, she knew he liked her, he’d made that clear but she never expected to feel the little twinge of regret that she was dating Quinn. She had never dreamed that she would like him as much as she did. She recovered from her stunned silence by saying, “never going to happen, I’m dating Quinn and you’re banging my best friend.”
“Ouch,” he laughed. “The Ice Queen returns. You need to direct me to your castle Your Coldness.” He mocked.
As they pulled into the driveway at Angel’s house, the front door opened and a heavy set man with thick dark hair stepped out of the house.
“Hi Dad.” Angel called.
“Hi,” Julian Palmer greeted his daughter. “I didn’t think that sounded like Quinn’s Pimp Mobile.”
“Dad.” Angel warned.
Julian Palmer regarded the young man that climbed out of the immaculately clean, gleaming black Supra; the boy had heard the comment about Quinn’s car and was trying hard not to smile.
“This is Gavin Jensen, Dad he’s going to be helping me with some biology coursework.”
“Ah Gavin, I’ve heard an awful lot about you from my wife.”
“Oh dear,” Gavin replied shaking the older man’s hand. “That’s never a good thing.”
“You have no need to worry; you’ve been given a glowing report.”
Gavin grinned. “Cool, it’s very nice to meet you Mr. Palmer.”
“Come on in lad. I think I may have sold a car to your Dad if I’m thinking of the same Jensen family, it was a black Jaguar if I remember correctly.”
“You did, it’s a very nice car.” Gavin confirmed.
“Oh God, seeing as you two are obviously going to do the whole “car talk” thing, I think I’ll make a start on dinner. Gavin, you will stay and eat with us?” Angel asked.
“Er, no, it’s ok Angel, I told Dad I’d grab a take away on the way home.”
“Nonsense, I insist you stay.” Julian Palmer cut in.
“Well ok, if it’s not any trouble.”
“No trouble at all,” Angel confirmed. “Go on Dad, I know you are itching to show Gavin your project.” She took Gavin’s bag from him and disappeared into the kitchen.
“Come with me,” Julian led the way out of the side of the house to the detached double garage, “That Supra of yours is pretty impressive and in very good nick for its age,” he commented.
“It’s had a full refurb and a new engine. They’re an acquired taste I know but I love it.”
“So you should, have a look at this baby,” Julian opened the double doors.
“Nice. MGB GT.” Gavin smiled.
“Yep, still quite a bit of work to do on her as you can see, I’m having the engine re-built and I’m in the final stages of prepping and spraying. I’m going to get a polytunnel attached to the garage as my clean room and take the parts in there to spray.”
“You’re doing it yourself?” Gavin asked.
“Yes, that‘s how I started in the business, body and paint.”
“I’d like to see how it’s done.” Gavin told him. “I’m a real talentless hack when it comes to things like that.”
Julian smiled at the boys’ honesty. “You’re more than welcome to come and see me at work.”
“What’s under the cover?” Gavin asked, pointing to an obvious car form covered by a thick tarpaulin.
“That’s Angel’s car, we are just waiting for the engine then the bonnet can go back on and she can get back on the road, grab that corner and I’ll show you.”
Gavin grasped the edge of the cover and between them they rolled it off the car, Gavin whistled.
“My other dream car.”
“Triumph Stag? Really?” Julian replied.
“Absolutely, and its manual, love the overdrive button these old Triumph’s have.”
“It is pretty special, that’s British Racing Green paint too, sadly not my work.”
“It’s a very sweet ride, huh,” Gavin paused. “You know what puzzles me? If Angel has such good taste in cars, why the hell does she let herself be seen in Quinn’s monstrosity?”
Julian chuckled. “Is it just his car you can’t stand or is Quinn included in your dislike?”
“Quinn is, in my opinion, a total douche, Angel could do better.” Gavin replied honestly.
“By dating you?” Julian asked.
Gavin straightened from peering into Angel’s car and looked her Dad straight in the eye. “I’d like that.”
Julian smiled. “I have the same opinion of Quinn as you do, but I’m not sure Angel jumping from one bad boy to another is progress.”
“Difference is, I’d treat her properly, Quinn doesn’t know how much of a good thing he’s got and I’m only a bad
boy in the sense that the problems I cause are usually for myself.”
Julian came around the car, reached out and patted Gavin on the back.
“You don’t have to defend yourself Gavin. You are far more Angel’s type and I’m an over protective father. My wife absolutely adores you, she’s an excellent judge of character, she says you are her diamond in the rough and you have a heart of gold so therefore, if you were to date my daughter at some point I would be more than comfortable with it as long as you remain honest with me.”
“I’m basically an honest person, Mr. Palmer. I would never let any harm come to Angel whether I am dating her or not.”
“Call me Julian.” He smiled, this boy was either startlingly genuine or he knew how to play on a fathers affection for his daughter. Julian strongly suspected the former. “Now, that car of yours, what exactly have you had done to it?”
As Gavin began to reel off the list of mods on his beloved car, Angel appeared at the garage door.
“Mum’s home,” she called. “I’m just about to dish up,” she told her father.
“Dude, you are so taking me for a cruise when this thing has an engine in it.” Gavin said to Angel as he helped Julian re-cover the Stag.
“I will if you let me drive your car.” she grinned, pleased that he approved of her car.
“Nu -uh, no way,” he answered. “Unless I’m blind drunk and otherwise incapable.”
“Subtext, date me.” Angel quipped.
Gavin waited for Julian to go into the house before he answered. “I can’t date you, because as you keep pointing out, you’re with Quinn and I’m doing the nasty with your best friend.”
“You want to though,” she challenged stepping closer to him.
“More than you can imagine,” he told her. “I’m starving, let’s eat.” He reached past her and opened the back door. “After you Lady Ice,” he bowed slightly as she passed.
“Stop calling me that,” she spun back to face him not counting on him being so close behind her, he stopped dead, his body just an inch from hers, a slight smile playing on his lips.
I could easily kiss her now, he thought.
Angel put her hand on his chest and pushed him back. “That’s close enough,” she told him but she was thinking, did he just tremble when I touched him? No, I must have imagined it.
Gavin stepped back a little further, not trusting himself not to grab her and pull her into the long imagined kiss.
“Come on,” she turned away from him and seated herself at the kitchen table.
Dinner over, Gavin helped clear the plates, stacking them in the dishwasher, a job he was used to doing at home.
“I can see why the boys at work won’t shut up about your car,” Linda Palmer commented as she handed him plates. “It is a beauty”
“Thanks.”
“Oh to be young again and have a car that simply makes you feel alive,” Julian put in.
Gavin pulled his keys out of his pocket and offered them to Julian. “Take her for a spin,” he told the older man.
“No, no, I couldn’t.” Julian refused.
“Yeah you can, go on, you know you want to.” Gavin urged.
Julian reached for the keys. “Hey Linda, want to know what it feels like to be twenty again?” He asked his wife.
“Absolutely,” she answered.
“Er, Julian?” Gavin cut in. “You break it, you fix it.”
“Sure, sure,” Julian grasped his wife’s hand and they scurried towards the front door.
“Watch this,” Angel told Gavin. “You could do anything to me right now and they wouldn’t bat an eyelid.” She stepped into the hall, “Dad?”
“Yes Angel?” Julian replied tersely, struggling with his trainers.
“Gavin and I are going upstairs now, to my room, you know, where boys aren’t allowed.”
“Ok.” Julian Answered.
“And we’ll be all alone in the house, no one here to check up on us.”
“Whatever sweetheart, I trust you. Are you ready Linda?” He dragged his wife out of the door, Gavin was laughing as it slammed shut.
“That was hilarious, all I need to do to get you alone is hand over my car keys, I should throw you over my shoulder and carry you up the stairs.”
“You will do no such thing,” she told him. “You can come up and start my laptop while I get changed though.”
Angel’s room was mostly painted white except for one wall which had a huge mural of a fairy in bold red’s, blue’s and purple.
“That. Rocks.” Gavin said.
“Thanks, I painted it, I’m working on designs for the other walls.”
“You did this? It’s so fucking cool, you should go to art school or something.”
“I’m looking into it, here,” she handed him her sketch pad. “The other designs are in there, I’ll be right back.”
Gavin sat on the edge of her bed and began leafing through the pad, amazed at the quality of her work. Hearing an aerosol being sprayed he looked into the full length mirror between the room’s two windows. The fact that the mirror was situated directly opposite the en suite bathroom hadn’t escaped his notice.
Angel hadn’t closed the door properly and it had swung further open from the weight of her dressing gown hanging on the back. She was down to her underwear by the time she noticed. As she reached for the door she glanced at the mirror and saw Gavin’s eyes trace the entire length of her body, pausing at the Chinese dragon tattoo that encircled her hips its tail pointing toward her pubic region, its head tilted towards her navel. She could swear he wasn’t breathing as she watched him. His lips parted as his gaze fell on her breasts then his eyes met hers, he swallowed and looked away, she closed the door. Moments later she came out of the bathroom..
“Ok peeping Tom. Get a good look did you?” She said taking the sketch pad from him, he jumped to his feet.
“You left the door open, it wasn’t like I meant to look,” he defended himself. “I’m really glad I did though coz damn girl, you’ve got it going on.” He drawled in a fake Deep South accent. He shook his head. “This is such a bad idea, me being alone in the same room as you.”
“You could always apologise,” she told him.
“I could,” he mused. “But I’m not going to, I’m not sorry I saw you, nice tat by the way.”
“You’ve got more front than Brighton, do you know that?”
He smiled and shrugged, “I’ve been told I’m bold,” he confirmed, “It happened Angel, we’re both still in one piece, I’m guessing I’m going to have some very pleasant dreams, but we really should move on, oh and I promise I won’t tell Quinn I’ve seen you in your undies.”
“You can’t tell anyone about my tattoo either, that’s my secret.”
“Cross my heart and hope to die,” he vowed.
Angel shook her head at his obvious cheesiness then opened her laptop and switched it on, “You owe me,” she said “You know one of my big secrets therefore you should tell me one of yours.”
Gavin once again sat on the edge of her bed. “Ok,” he replied somewhat reluctantly, “it doesn’t go out of this room?”
“Cross my heart and hope to die.” she grinned.
“Bitch,” he whispered, then, “About three months before I started at the college, I had my eighteenth birthday.”
“What?” She plonked herself onto her dressing table chair. “You’re just a baby,” she herself was approaching twenty. “But how are you at our college?”
“I got advanced a couple of years, studying comes easily to me, when I started becoming disruptive in lessons the teachers automatically thought it was because I didn’t get it, when they realised I was playing up because I was bored, they bumped me up a year, they did it again within three months. I’ve been a straight A student all my life. My last two schools were hell, I was treated like a kid by the older pupils, there were a few exceptions to that of course but for the most part they made it very clear they didn’t like having me i
n their year so I promised myself I wouldn’t tell anyone my age when I came here, now only you and I know.”
“Wow, you haven’t told anyone, not even Kiera?”
“Nope.”
“But you act like one of us,” she breathed.
“I am like one of you,” he answered.
“Can I ask you something else?”
“You can try,” he nodded.
“How did you get your criminal record?” She asked. He sighed and reached for his bag, removing his Biology text book before replying.
“That’s a question for another time; we should get some work done.”
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pried.”
“It’s ok, I will answer the question, just not yet, I don’t know how much I can trust you do I?”
“True, I’ll grab another chair,” she left her room, returning moments later with a small stool. Gavin was running his fingers through his hair when she came back, something she had noticed he did when he was becoming irritated. It was a gesture that was usually accompanied with a frown and an unconscious squaring of his shoulders, it was also an incredibly sexy gesture that stopped her in her tracks every time he did it. She wanted to touch his hair, it was always so clean and shiny, with inviting natural waves that on occasion would stick out at odd angles causing Gavin to frown and pull faces as he tried to catch sight of the errant wave and tame it.
Placing the stool beside her, she beckoned for him to sit next to her. He directed her to a website “Genetics for Dummies,” and they set to work.
Gavin managed to lose himself in genetics; he had to. Being this close to Angel would have driven him mad if he hadn’t had something else to concentrate on.
“So if you follow those basic rules you should be fine,” he said pointing to the monitor, he turned to her, she was looking directly at him. “Angel, you aren’t even looking at the screen.”
“I know, I’m sorry.” She had been watching his lips, his full, beautifully shaped lips and breathing in his smell. She had studied his face while he had been speaking, he had a strong jaw line, a perfectly straight nose and large almond shaped hazel eyes edged with wonderfully long thick black eyelashes.
