Gypsy Kiss: Book 1: Micah (The Gypsy Kiss Series)

by Heidi J Thomas

  “For your information,” I said, grabbing him in a headlock and running my knuckles over his head, “I just spent the best part of half an hour kissing her. And that quick fumble you had behind the rides with easy Amy is, trust me, nothing – nothing – compared to what I have with Jewls, and what I will have, when the time is right.”

  He flipped me onto my back, straddling me and pinning my wrists above my head. “Keep telling yourself that, brother.”

  “Alright, pack it in.” Marisol said, coming in from the dining area and grabbing Marco’s arm, trying to pull him off me. “Time to eat. Micah, you take your time with her, do it right. Don’t listen to the slut here.”

  We all laughed at that, and Marco grinned down at me. “I’ll let you up when you admit that everything turned out for the best tonight because of me. That you got the girl, because of me.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “How’d you work that out?”

  “I forced you to address the issue. Talk it out. This morning you were friends, now you have a girlfriend. It’s not a coincidence.”

  “Boys, dinner is served. Get up and sit at the table. Marco, leave him alone!” Mari scolded.

  I pushed him off and jumped to my feet. “You heard Mari. Food time.”

  The front door opened and slammed and Nic came in, looking at me and Marco, frowning. We were both red-faced from our exertions. “Alright,” he said, frowning suspiciously, “what’s going on?”

  “Nothing.” we both said together. Nic turned to Mari.

  “What are they up to?”

  Mari laughed. “The usual messing on. Now you’re back, maybe you can get them all to sit down, they won’t listen to me.”

  Nic sighed. “Do as your sister says. Sit, all of you.”

  We all did as he asked – such was his power over us all – and as I passed Mari I kissed the side of her head in silent apology, which she acknowledged with a nod and a smile. When we had all sat down we simply waited while Nic took his jacket and bowtie off, rolled the sleeves of his shirt up and washed his hands in the kitchen sink and dried them meticulously with a tea towel.

  He sat at the head of the table and gestured to the food. “Let’s get stuck in.”

  Five boys, we didn’t need to be told twice, and tucked straight in while Mari watched with a big smile on her face. I realised that from the outside looking in it looked like a really bad stereotype, all us boys eating food made by the only woman in the family, but the truth was we took it in turns to be the one making the supper, and Mari in particular absolutely loved doing it. She loved looking after us all full stop, and in that respect she was Nic’s wingman, as in charge of the house as he was the restaurant.

  My phone buzzed and I checked it to find a text from Jewls.

  I hope it is real. Sure felt it to me. Never want this feeling to end. xx J xx

  I sat smiling stupidly at my phone for a moment.

  “Micah, no phones at the table.” I looked up to find Nic frowning disapprovingly at me.

  “Sorry,” I said, switching it off and putting it back in my pocket.

  Mari smiled to herself and then winked at me. “Go easy on him, he’s in love.”

  Five pairs of eyes all turned to me expectantly. I rolled my eyes. “Thanks, sis.”

  She grinned. “Welcome.”

  “You and Jewls…it’s still progressing?” Nic asked, tucking into his pasta.

  I nodded, unable to contain my happiness. I didn’t even care if I got a ribbing for it anymore. It was worth it. “Yeah. We kissed tonight. A lot. And you lot can poke fun all you like, but I really like her.” I shrugged. “She’s the one, this is it.”

  Marco seemed more surprised by that than anyone else. “Yeah? This is serious then, not like…just attraction.”

  I shook my head. “More than attraction.” I closed my eyes and sighed, deciding to just say it. This was my family, if I couldn’t tell them…who could I tell? “I think I love her. I do, I love her.”

  Nic raised his eyebrows and then smiled. “That’s great, brother. That’s really awesome and we’re all very happy for you.”

  “Yeah, we are.” Mari agreed.

  “When do we get to meet her?” Nic asked.

  “Well these three already have, tonight.” I said, gesturing to Luca, Kris and Marco. “Long story, I’ll let Marco fill you in later. But I was thinking of inviting her in to the restaurant tomorrow when I finish and she can meet you two then. Eli…is he coming to the barbeque?”

  Nic nodded. “He is, I talked to him earlier. So are Lisa and the kids.”

  I smiled to myself. Eli was the only one of the Machvaya brothers in a relationship, and the only one not living in this house. He had been with Lisa since he was thirteen and he was thirty two now. Married for twelve years they had two kids, Ruby, who was four, and George who had just turned three. I made a mental note to sit and talk to Eli as soon as possible, because if anyone would understand how I felt now, if any one of my brothers could advise me, it was him. He wasn’t generally much of a talker, quite introverted in a lot of ways but he adored his wife, his family and I wanted what he had. I wasn’t a kid anymore, not a lad in my late teens or early twenties.

  I wanted to settle down, start a family. I wanted Jewls to want that too, and I wanted to build that kind of relationship with her. I couldn’t shake off the thought that she didn’t entirely take me seriously, she thought I was some sort of player – she had admitted that, after all.

  The beauty of having so many siblings was that there was always someone you could talk to, no matter what your issue was. The downside of course, was six people always knowing your damn business.

  “Eli will meet her then.” I said, eating some salad.

  “She’s coming to the barbeque?” Marisol said, barely containing her excitement.

  I grinned and nodded. “She is. And I reckon you will love her, Mari.”

  She squealed happily. “What’s she like?”

  “She’s-” I started, and Marco interrupted me.

  “Red head. Big blue eyes, lovely smile. Short, tiny waist, huge ti-”

  “Marco!” Nic snapped as I glared at Marco. “Show some fucking respect!”

  “You steer clear of her.” I warned him, only half joking.

  “I was just messing!” he protested. “I’m genuinely happy for you; she seems like a lovely girl, stunning too.”

  Nic looked from me, to Marco and back to me. “Someone needs to fill me in on just what happened between you two; I can sense I don’t know the full story.”

  Mari clapped her hands together gleefully. “Allow me.”

  I rolled my eyes, and sat back while she filled our big brother in on my fun packed evening. I zoned out and thought of Jewls and sat grinning to myself like a lovesick idiot.

  Which, is precisely what I was.

  Chapter Ten

  ~~~~~~~~~~***~~~~~~~~~~

  Jewls

  I spent most of the next day floating around on cloud nine. It started with the usual text from Micah, as sweet and mind blowing as usual.

  Good morning my beautiful GIRLFRIEND :P Dreamed of you last night. You are even on my mind when I sleep. It’s seven in the morning and I’m assisting with a delivery of fresh salmon. Wish I was assisting my gorgeous GIRLFRIEND in the shower. Or bringing you breakfast in bed. Work sucks. Will miss you today. Text me, I will text back when I can. *kiss kiss* xx M xx

  I grinned and wrote out a quick reply. Of course he replied, and then so did I, spread out across the day. Although I made out like he was bugging me, in truth it made my day go faster, and made it so much more pleasurable than I had thought it was going to be, knowing I wasn’t going to see him.

  Good morning Mr Machvaya. Not to rub salt in your wound, but I’m tucked up in bed and plan to stay here all day :P Breakfast in bed would be heaven. Maybe next time. Miss you too babe xx J xx

  Mr Machvaya? Not your BOYFRIEND?

  I agreed to no such a thing that I can recall.

&nb
sp; We kissed. A lot. It was pure heaven. Jewls Dempsey will you be my girlfriend?

  Maybe. One day :P

  You’re cruel *sigh*

  I just have the measure of you Mr Machvaya. Now stop texting me, I want to go back to sleep :P

  I’ll stop texting you when you agree to be my girlfriend.

  I’ll switch my phone off :P

  I will send a delivery of flowers to your door, on the hour every hour until you say yes

  Micah…be reasonable. A girl needs her sleep :’(

  And I need you. I’m not a player xx

  :/

  Not anymore! It’s all about you. Just you. You. You. No one else. If you agreed to be my girlfriend you would be my first proper girlfriend. And my last. Don’t want anyone else. Never will.

  Right well I’m going in the shower.

  Jewls! Please, I will beg if I have to. On my knees.

  I’d like to see that! Lol

  Then you will. Be my girlfriend.

  *Can’t hear you, in the shower*

  I laughed to myself as I popped my phone on silent and turned over to go back to sleep. I thought I was pretty clever, until I woke at gone six that evening to a string of text messages, all from his truly of course.

  I miss you. Very hard to concentrate on work with you on my mind

  Hope your day going well

  Jewls…?

  Look, I’ll stop bugging you when you just say yes x

  Three letters. Y.E.S. xxx

  Jewls if you don’t reply soon, I’m gonna look like some sort of creepy stalker cause I can’t stop texting you.

  Did you fall asleep?

  Say yes or so help me God, I’m pulling a sickie, coming over there and kissing you until you can’t take any more x

  That had been the last one, sent half an hour before. I couldn’t help but smile, wondering if he had gotten any work done at all between texting me. The truth was I liked being in control of this, and I was enjoying it probably far too much. It was very easy to be cocky and playful in a text after all.

  Even so, I realised I’d better text him back, before he did pull a sickie. As much as I liked the thought of him coming round to my flat and kissing me until I couldn’t take any more – which, frankly would take a long, long time – I didn’t like the thought that he might be worried, or think I was deliberately ignoring him.

  I fell asleep. Been asleep all day! Will never sleep tonight now lol x wasn’t ignoring you on purpose xx

  There was a delay of all of thirty seconds before I got a reply.

  So long as you’re okay. If you won’t sleep…then come meet me from work. I finish at ten, come have some supper with me. Say you will, please xx

  I have no smart clothes, wouldn’t even get through the door xx

  Told you, I know the owner. You could walk in wearing your Cookie Monster onesie and get service. Just come as you are. Ten. Say you will. Xx M xx

  I hesitated for just a moment, and then realised the need to see him was just too great.

  Okay. Ten it is xx see you then xxxxx

  Can’t wait xxxxxx

  I stood outside Carousel at five to ten, suddenly frozen and completely unable it seemed to put one foot in front of the other. It really was a stunning restaurant, about as high end as I had ever seen and I felt like a pauper just standing outside.

  Inside I couldn’t see Micah, just another man – one of the ones I had seen the last time I had been out here, sitting opposite on the bench, spying on Micah. Like last time, there was just one table left, which surprised me as this time it was a lot earlier. I guessed Micah had known from the bookings that he would be finished earlier.

  A little tap on the glass startled me out of my daydream and there he was, the other side of the doors smiling at me. Reflexively I smiled back, as thrilled as ever to see him. Damn he was gorgeous.

  He opened the door and held out a hand. “Hi, beautiful. Are you gonna come in, or…?”

  I rolled my eyes and accepted his hand, letting him pull me inside. “Hey. Are you sure this is alright?”

  “Course it is,” he said. “Just give me…ten minutes, while we wrap it up with the last table. Sit…” he looked around him and then pointed to a table for two next to a water feature, lit up with multi-coloured fibre optic lights. It was all just so beautiful. “Here. Yes? Okay.”

  He kissed my cheek and walked off as I took my coat off and sat at the table he had shown me.

  For the next twenty minutes or so I just watched him work, attending to the table with a level of professionalism that made me so proud of him. His manners were, as ever, impeccable and he made the couple he was serving the centre of his attention, getting whatever they needed with efficiency and standing waiting a respectable distance as they ate their deserts.

  I just sat there, taking the rare opportunity to just study him. Normally, when we were together his eyes would always eventually shift to me, and catch me watching, but tonight, here, his focus was not on me, but on the couple he was serving. It gave me a golden opportunity to just…savour the very sight of him.

  As I had noticed before, Micah was always neatly turned out. His hair was always perfect; his beard neatly shaped and trimmed his clothes neat and tidy. But Carousel Micah was a different kettle of fish altogether. He was…immaculate.

  Is there anything sexier than a tall, dark handsome man in a crisp, white shirt and black dress pants? Watching Micah work I came to the conclusion that no, there wasn’t. I watched as he moved about the room with confidence and grace, his black shiny shoes squeaking on the marble floor, watched the material of his trousers hugging his bum in a way that made a small pool of drool form in the corner of my mouth, desire lighting a fire inside me that would never be quashed. And just as I thought he could not get more perfect, he smiled at the old lady at the table and it was like the whole room lit up with it. His eyes sparkled in the candle light, and the little dimples on his cheeks made me actually groan out loud. Thank God I was a distance enough away that no one could hear me. Fuck, I wanted him so badly it was almost painful.

  Sex had never been of any interest to me before, the years with Andrew – at best a dull, flat lover, at worst a borderline drunken rapist – had left me thinking of sex as a boring chore, nothing more. But Micah…it was like he had flipped a switch. I didn’t even care if I was a conquest at that point, I would cheerfully let myself become just another notch on his bedpost, just to be in his bed. Such was the level of my lust for him. I was like a moth to the flame and there was no going back for me now. Whether he was sincere with me or not, no longer mattered I realised. A course had been set, and this was it for me now.

  He cleared their plates away with quiet efficiency and stood back a little from their table, just waiting again. His posture was poker straight, both hands behind his back, palms facing out, his feet together. He seemed to be looking at something on the opposite wall so intensely that I looked to see what had his attention, only to find nothing there. He just…waited and so did I.

  I heard the old man ask for the bill and Micah nodded, smiling again and with a “Certainly Sir,” he walked over to the other side of the room behind a small stand and to my surprise, put on a pair of black thick rimmed glasses.

  Oh my God. Hot just didn’t cut it anymore. He was delicious anyway, but when he put those glasses on he was out and out edible. I involuntarily put a hand to my mouth, to check my tongue was still safely tucked away and not hanging down my chin as it felt like it was. I felt like a pervert just watching him, fully clothed; prepare a bill for a customer. I wanted to jump on him, strip him of everything but those glasses and ride him like a damn cowboy.

  Good freaking God, what was he doing to me?!

  I had my phone in my pocket and suddenly on impulse decided I needed a photo of what my eyes were seeing – something to file away for future…use. I discretely held my phone up just a little without it being too obvious what I was doing and snapped a quick picture. He chose that moment t
o look up over the top of his glasses – fuck that was hot – mercifully not looking in my direction, and flash one of his mind debilitating smiles.

  He printed something off on the till, wrote something on it and put it on a small plate, with two mints. He carried it to them, waited for a break in their conversation and placed it on the table between them.

  I was utterly fascinated by the whole thing. No one could make waiting interesting like Micah could.

  The man opened his wallet and dropped a wad of notes on the plate that looked like more than I earned in a month, stood and helped his wife out of her chair. They both smiled at Micah and thanked him for his service, assuring him they would come again. Micah smiled politely, thanking them and walked with them, past me to the door, opening it for them and watching them leave before closing it again.

  He turned to face me and just looked at me for a moment or two. I rose to my feet absently, no thought to it at all, and just looked back at him, risking a small smile. His expression was completely unreadable.

  He walked to me, put his hands on my face and lowered his mouth slowly to mine, our lips lightly brushing together before he opened his mouth wide and kissed me passionately. It was so hot, so pleasurable I think I actually whimpered a little. He gathered me up in his arms.

  “I wanted to do that the second you walked in the door but…gotta stay professional, you know? They pay a lot for a top notch service.” I nodded my understanding. “So glad they’ve gone. I missed you like mad today.”