by Mason, Carla
I told the girls about Gerrard’s work in the UN and about what a gentleman he is and how amazing he is and …..... how he will be leaving soon.
“What, no way! this is Sleepless in Seattle all over again, you can’t let him go”
“I have his number” and showed the girls the ink on my hand.
“Girl, if I were you I’d be writing that down in a few hundred places, men like him don’t come by everyday”
Then Lex piped up.
“He sounds all lovely and clean cut and very polite but what’s he like in bed?”
The three of us just burst out laughing and I told them a little about what a gentleman he was and how attentive he was, oh and of course a little of our evening of lust.
“Oh he sounds gorgeous - what’s the catch?”
“Is he bi; gay and having a trial with straight sex?”
“No” I said defending him, he’s just different to all those slobs you girls seem to pick up”
The three of us burst out laughing.
“Seriously he really is the full package, handsome, smart, kind and a gentleman”
“Yes, he is ….. and is leaving to go overseas again soon” piped up Lex.
With this I felt a little pang of sadness, I felt a connection with Gerrard, but didn’t I say that about George, maybe that’s what happens when you step out of the ordinariness of life and live a little.
“Hey are you okay Steph you look a little pensive”
“Sure, just a little tired, I haven’t slept and am feeling exhausted.”
“I bet you are.”
We ordered another round of coffees had easy chatter about the night before.
“This feels great being with you again, I’m sorry I’ve been absent and a little touchy lately”
Lex piped up.
“You’ve had a lot going on, we get that, what you’ve decided to do takes a lot of courage, you’ve basically rebuilt your life to try and do things that would not have seemed the most logical thing for you to do, heck even your wardrobe has gone from drab to exciting, and girl that first night we took you to the beauty parlor, it looked like the first time you’d been in years”
We all burst out laughing remembering that first night - “the makeover”
I was listening and hearing the girls, but felt like there really was a part of my life that they would never know of, a part that actually did really feel natural and a part of me a part that I really really enjoy and wasn’t ready to give up. I enjoyed being with Gerrard I loved his attention, but I enjoyed the casualness and naughtiness of George, something that I don’t think my wild party girl friends could get a grip of.
I like how real friends can sort out their differences and move on, as though the tightness and frustration was non-existent between us. I didn’t fess up about the gallery opening, things were just back to feeling so relaxed and normal. I had to let this one slide and the way Tash spoke of the opening it was a great success and a fun evening so my presence wasn’t that sorely missed, or at least that’s what I told myself to make it seem okay to me.
I felt this urgent need to get home to my sanctuary, have a shower and fall into bed, exhaustion had wrapped its tentacles around me like an octopus and I was feeling it hard to stay awake.
“I need to go home, I desperately need to get some sleep and get to the laundromat otherwise I may be turning up to my meeting in my PJ’s”
We gave each other hugs and kisses and headed our own way to home, the rain had slowed to a drizzle and the wind died down so it wasn’t a fight to get downtown to my apartment. I have never felt so glad to get to the front door as I did this day.
I closed the door, slipped off Gerrard’s coat feeling a sense of peace, and then noticed that the number Gerrard had penned onto my hand had smudged off. How could I be so stupid as to not transcribe this straight away.
My exhaustion overcame me and I burst into tears, I had completely convinced myself that I would never see this amazing beautiful kind man ever again, - how could I be so stupid! I was sobbing into my pillow, feeling completely exhausted, I needed time, space, I needed ….. I fell asleep.
I woke up four hours later, still in the clothes I’d worn the night before, I slipped them off, jumped into the shower and felt refreshed, threw on some old sweat pants and top, my comfy clothes, the ones I wear when I’m not out to impress, the ones that feel and smell comfy, the ones you never want to be caught wearing but love wearing them all the same, just for you.
I still felt a little low that I’d lost Gerrard’s number, I really did enjoy his company, both physically and mentally, but there were more pressing issues to be dealt with, like, the laundromat. I bundled my washing up and walked down to the corner service.
At times I like the mundaneness of life, you just don’t have to think and tasks get completed without any complication or effort.
I was mindlessly flicking through a magazine that was weeks out of date, waiting for my first load of laundry to dry and the second to finish washing when I heard a familiar voice.
“The people you bump into, at the laundromat” said with a smile.
I looked up from my trashy mag and there stood Gerrard, he too looking very dapper in old sweat pants and pullover.
“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
I’d blurted out, obviously he had no idea I’d lost his number, and had absolutely no clue what I was on about,.
Guessing that I sounded as though I’d taken some “dumb me down”drug.
“Oh, I’m not sure how to respond to that Steph”
“Oh, no, I didn’t mean …..”
Gerrard smiled.
He has a way of unnerving me, but in a nice way
“After brunch, I’d raced home in the rain and by the time I’d reached my apartment your number had smudged off my hand”
Holding my hand up to show him where it had washed off - as if he couldn’t remember
“Well, we’ll have to fix that, do you have your phone on you?”
“Of course”
“Hand it over please”
I did so and Gerrard punched his details into my contact list.
As we both waited for our laundry to finish we were chatting about our evening and how we had both collapsed at our apartment’s.
“I’m getting too old to pull all nighters Steph”
I so wanted to ask how old he is, but thought I’d put my foot in my mouth enough, and I actually didn’t really care.
“Well old man, you didn’t seem to show your age last night”
Gerrard slightly blushed.
“What are you up to after the laundromat? I was thinking that I still have your overcoat and I have a great bottle of red at home, maybe you could pop over, I don’t live that far away …..”
“If you have a great coffee I’m there, I think I hit my limit with red last night”
“It just so happens I do.”
The laundromat visit seemed to pass so much faster having Gerrard to chat and laugh with. We’d spent such a short amount of time together but had so much to laugh and talk about together, we were a lot like old friends, yet, new.
We folded our clothes on the bench and once our clothes were sorted we headed back to my place for coffee.
As we were walking along the street, looking somewhat bedraggled and lugging bags of clothes, looking a lot like a homeless hippies, whom should walk over but George.
“Steph is that you?”
My worst nightmare with my wildest fantasy all rolled up together as I looked and saw a very handsome well dressed man .
“George!”
oh crap crap crap I wish the sidewalk would open up and gulp me in one, greasy hair, sloppy sweats and Gorgeous bonk boy beside me, time to bring those drama classes I paid for into action.
“I didn’t recognise you” he said.
“George, hi, this is a friend of mine Ger,”
Oh God, Gerry, Ger - what is his name
“Hi I’m Gerrard, nice to meet you”
“And you”
I’m glad they’re finding it nice, I just want to run.
“Out for a jog darling?”
Great the one time I don’t want to be his darling I suddenly am this man is so confusing, and I’m wearing possibly the worst clothes in my wardrobe.
“Washing in fact” I replied curtly
“Again - You must be clean” he said with a smirk remembering our bathing night.
“Never can be too clean”
“Really, I like a little dirty.”
aaaaaah go away George!
“Good for you, we must run”
“Well you’re dressed for it.”
“Hmm, very good.”
“I’ll see you soon I hope”
“Bye George.”
“Interesting friend, he is a friend right?”
“Of course” I said tenuously, to be honest I’ve no idea what George is.
“Come on, lets go grab that coffee you promised me, I’m freezing and these bags are heavy.”
“Sounds good.”
Just as George left the rain began again. We both ran as fast as we could whilst carrying heavy bags of laundry, getting saturated in the process.
We reached my apartment and ran up the stairs dripping wet.
This is the first man I’ve had in Paul’s and my apartment since the beginning of this charade, this freedom. It felt nice to have Gerrard up here, a good fit.
“Nice place Steph, I like how you’ve set it up, and the view is amazing”
“Thanks.”
It was the first time anyone had noticed the way I’d set the place up, it was nice that he had a keen eye for detail.
As the coffee machine was waking up, we were in our dripping clothes,
“hey do you mind if I get out of these wet clothes, I’m freezing.”
I thought it was sweet this gorgeous man asking if it were okay to take his clothes off
“Of course, why don’t you have a shower and warm up.”
“You don’t mind?”
“Not at all”
I showed Gerrard where the bathroom is and gave him a clean towel (of which I now had) and grabbed his wet clothes to hang out.
“Hey Steph, what’s with this tap?”
I ran in as I couldn’t hear him.
“Oh you have to kind of twist it up whilst turning it, here I’ll show you”
I walked into the bathroom, opened the door of the double shower and was a little taken aback by the beauty of Gerrards magnificent body,
“Um, so you just...”
I was twisting the tap but seemed to fumble and was all fingers when the nozzle span around I was hosed down from head to toe. I was saturated.
“Looks like a sign, you may as well join me now, how about I help you get those dripping clothes off.”
Gerrard slid my sloppy sweat shirt over my head and I dropped my sweatpants off, Gerrard undid my bra and slid off my panties, we were both in the shower feeling the warmth. I managed to sort out the crazy tap so that we had hot water flowing.
The hot water was wonderfully enticing, we were both caught in our own moment of warming up and just feeling the stream of water flowing over our bodies like a waterfall.
Gerrard began to sponge my back. It felt so fabulous, the feel of his strong hands gently on my body, the warm water and scent of the soap, hearing the rain outside and feeling the warmth in. It was wonderful. Gerrard started on my shoulders, moving the sponge down my back and then I turned to face him. We looked into each others eyes, it felt like a magnet, neither of us capable of pulling away. He bent his beautiful face toward mine and kissed me gently on the mouth, the flame inside of me was ignited. I placed my hands on his shoulder and started to move them slowly down his muscular torso.
Gerrard’s hands had found my breasts, he held them gently washing them with the sponge, softly, enticingly. My nipples were upstanding he slowly moved down my torso, the warm water still flowing over our bodies, warming us on the outside, our mounting passion warming us on the in.
I stepped even closer to Gerrard my hands grasping his tight buttocks with one hand and the other was around his back. Gerrard dropped the sponge and slowly moved his hand from my torso to my inner thigh, gently stroking, my legs opened wider involuntarily, I wanted his manliness inside of me, I wanted to be taken now by this gorgeous man. He gently played with my lips and then separated them and slowly plunged his finger inside of me.
“Ohhhhh Gerrard.”
He smiled and kissed my neck making a trail down to my breasts when he sucked my nipple. I was aching and arching toward him, I wanted him right there, right then. Gerrard’s penis was hard and upstanding. I held it in my hand, stroking its long shaft with one hand the other slowly stroking the top and then playing with his testicles.
Gerrard kissed me fervently as I then slid down to my knees and placed his manliness in my mouth.
“Oh God Steph.”
Shuddering, Gerrard lifted me to my feet, held me against the wall and looked into my eyes. His eyes were piercing blue I felt like I could dive into them. Holding his gaze, I guided his penis inside of me and wrapped my arms around him tightly, I wanted him so badly. He entered me, Gerrard was gentle but I wanted to feel him, I wanted to climax, I pulled him hungrily inside of me by wrapping my arms around him even tighter. We were both in rhythm, slow at first and then with such vigour, we were panting both caught in our own explosive feelings. His mouth on my breast gently biting and then kissing me on my mouth, I felt his muscles in his back ripple and bulge with each movement, his muscular arms holding me. I was kissing him on his neck, his chest his body was amazing. The passion building we were banging each other hard against the shower wall. Gerrard’s head back showing his long neck, and then we both reached climax in unison it was passionate, amazing.
We moved under the waterfall of warm water, blissfully happy, still in each others arms in complete contentment, nothing said Gerrard held my face in his hands and kissed me slowly, gently it was so captivating. This man had a magic that was alluring.
We slowly dropped our arms releasing our embrace and stepped out onto the fluffy white floor mat to dry off. I handed Gerrard a towel, he gently grasped my shoulders and turned me to face him, he held the towel to my face, softly wiping my eyes and then the rest of my face with such sensitivity , then slowly moving the soft towel down to wipe my shoulders and breasts, he handed the towel to me and I handed him another to dry himself off.
We both grappled with our laundry bags and got some clean clothes out to dress in.
The rain was still pouring outside, for most it would have looked like a gloomy day, but for us, and other lovers in the city, it was the perfect day to be in each others company in the privacy of our own space.
The coffee machine well and truly ready,
“So how about that coffee I promised?”
“That sounds great”
Gerrard sat on the sofa and looked at the view.
“It really is beautiful here”
I handed him a coffee and sat mine on the coffee table.
“Ahh that feels better,” Gerrard said after his first sip of caffeine
“I really needed that.”
We sat in a comfortable silence sipping our hot drinks feeling the bliss of being warm and cosy inside and hearing the wild weather outside in each others company.
There is something magical about being in a comfortable silence with a friend that is happy to be in your company, especially when it’s warm inside and freezing outside.
“What made you want to be a doctor?”
Gerrard looked at me with those alluring blue eyes;
“Is this the interview you spoke of?”
“No, not at all, I just wanted to know a little about you.”
“Okay, well, I guess I fell into being a doctor as my father and grandfather were both doctors. When you grow up in that world it seems to be a natural
evolution to follow”
“I guess living with such affluence would be hard to give up”
“Is that what you think?; You couldn’t be further from the truth; of course it does seem to be an industry whereby there is an affluence attached, however you have forgotten the main aspect of helping people that are in absolute need. People look at me with such hope and trust, nothing can give a better rush than being able to deliver good news or to answer their hope. It isn’t about money Steph, it’s about making a difference, having a purpose”
“Was that the driving force for going to third world countries”
“I guess in essence it was. I had leave and couldn’t just be a tourist in another country sitting by a pool, I wanted to immerse myself in their culture, so I ended up going overseas to India.” I was a tourist of sorts at the beginning but one afternoon whilst out sightseeing I became quite lost and fell onto an area where there were emaciated children and adults. I guess that’s where my journey began. I knew I could make a real difference there.”
“They were lucky to find you”
“That’s where you’re mistaken, I was lucky to find them. These people that were so humble so happy and accepting of their lot taught me about the meaning of life. I gave them medical attention, they gave me life lessons, to change what you have the power to and accept what is so”
We were deep in conversation when the dreaded question came;
“So what about you Steph; what made you want to be a writer?”
