by Ava May
“It’s over with him. I broke it off before I came home.”
She smiled. “Good!”
“So you’re really okay with it?”
“If it’s what you want.”
“Thanks mom, I’m not sure what I want exactly, but I wanted to get your opinion.”
She leaned forward and covered my hand. “You want my opinion?”
I nodded.
“I think he would be good for you, but you would be really good for him. He needs someone like you in his life. Someone to help calm his built up rage, and I can see how he is with you. He lights up when your name is mentioned.”
I teared up and nodded. “Thanks, mom.”
“Anytime honey.”
Shelby started screaming and mom looked at her and then back at me.
“Go ahead, we’re good here.”
Mom jumped up and went to the baby, and I sat back in shock. My only other fear wasn’t valid now. Mom gave her blessing, and Gabe had already shown me how he felt about me. There was no other excuse to stay away from him anymore. Did I want to take the chance and risk my already fragile heart on a man I’d been running from for the last two years?
Chapter 4
I needed to run. I did it every day. I may not have been the smallest girl in the world, but I was healthy. I took care of myself, and running was my addiction. I knew I probably shouldn’t with my ribs being injured but I had to. I laced my shoes and then stood stretching. It hurt, but I squared my shoulders and shook it off.
I started off slow and jogged down the street. The breeze blew my hair from my face, and I picked up my pace when the pain reliever kicked in. I wasn’t hurting so I took advantage of the medication. I turned up the music and let myself go. All the tension and stress left my body as I let my mind wander. When my breathing picked up I slowed a bit not wanting to wear myself out. I jogged to the trails and smiled when I passed an elderly couple holding hands.
That’s what I wanted. I wanted to be in love when I was old and gray. I’d known Jacob wasn’t the man for me, but I felt like I needed him. Now though I wondered why I let him hurt me. I was better than that. All the time I spent with him I shut everyone else. I had no friends really, and even my mom noticed I was different. I didn’t want to be that girl I was when I was with him. I wanted to be strong. I wanted to be the way I felt when he wasn’t around clouding my judgment. It was almost like he had a spell on me, and Gabe helped break it.
Ah, Gabe. I looked forward to seeing him. After my talk with my mother I felt better about being with him, but I was still concerned. His life was full of groupies and parties, and that wasn’t me. I liked to have a good time, but I certainly wouldn’t like to see all those scantily dressed girls hanging off my man’s arm.
I wasn’t sure if I was ready for his world. He was one of the top fighters in the tri-state area. He had fans and people would literally stop him on the street. He was always under the limelight. Soon he’d be featured in the tabloids. Would I be able to handle all the rumors? I shook my head and kept running.
By the time I had ran the trails three times, I was still in no way ready to face him, but I was exhausted and sore. I slowed my pace and jogged home. Surely he’d be there now. I never kept my phone on while I was running and I didn’t bother to check to see if I’d missed any calls. I knew he’d be there waiting for me. He would expect some sort of answer for him, and even though I knew what I wanted, I wondered if I was brave enough to take what he was offering me.
I guess I’d find out.
I slowed to a walk when my house came into view. There on the porch was Gabe. He watched me coming but he didn’t move. I kept my face blank as I got my breathing back to normal.
I stopped on the grass and cocked my head at him before I lay on the grass and threw my arms out wide. He stood above me and shook his head.
“You shouldn’t have gone running with your injured ribs. How much did you run, five or six miles?”
I cracked my eye open and smirked. “Only six today, and I kept my pace decently slow.”
He sighed and plopped down next to me. “The parents are gone. They won’t be back for a couple of days. I guess my dad decided he wanted to go see my uncle and let Shelby meet the rest of the family.”
“Why now?”
He shrugged. “Your mom was awful smiley this morning when I came by. She told me you went running like three hours ago.”
“I needed to think.”
He scooted closer. “Did you figure anything particular out?” There was a hidden tone in his voice. He seemed leery and was digging without coming out and asking what he wanted to know, like he feared my answer.
“Maybe,” I said and sat up and bumped my shoulder to his. “Give me ten okay?”
“Okay.”
I kissed his cheek and stood. “I’ll be back.” Then I ran inside and grabbed my sexiest dress before going into the bathroom. The parents were gone and the house was empty, and I’d made my decision a few blocks before getting home. I was going to take the dive and hope I didn’t smack the pavement instead.
* * * *
I tied my hair back the way Gabe always said he liked it. I only put a light dusting of makeup on and tied the strings behind my neck. It was a short dress and fit like a glove. It was the one dress that even though amplified my curves, didn’t make me feel like I was hooch. The skirt stopped above my knees and it flared. It was halter so there was a nice amount of cleavage, but my breasts didn’t hang out or anything. He’d never seen the dress before, and I planned to knock him on his ass. He wanted me; he was going to get me.
I leaned in the mirror and smeared a thin layer of lip gloss to add a little shine and I was done. I sucked in a breath and stared at my reflection. “Don’t be a chicken, Brenna.”
With a short nod I took control of my emotions as I walked out into the kitchen. Gabe stood at the refrigerator and turned when I cleared my throat. He held a bottle of juice up to his mouth and it froze. His eyes widened and he tightened his grip on the container.
He put the lid on without taking his eyes off of me. “What the fuck,” he asked in a low voice. “Where have you been hiding that fucking dress?”
I didn’t think he meant to be so vulgar, but I’d learned early on it was just how he spoke. He shut the door and stalked towards me, stopping right in front on me. “I’m sorry, Brenna. You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I replied, suddenly feeling nervous.
He took another step forward and I breathed in heavily. My body shook, but I didn’t think it was all nerves. He smelled really good, and the way he was looking at me was turning me on. Then he took another step. Our bodies brushed and I gasped.
I didn’t think I had it in me, but in one step I closed the distance and cupped his face, pulling his mouth to mine, and kissed him the way I’d always wanted to. He groaned against my lips, and I licked his bottom lip, loving how he shuddered. When he pulled back his dark eyes were even darker, and that’s when I saw it for the first time. Beyond the attraction, desire, and lust; I saw love and adoration. It took all the fear away.
I hauled him down the hall to my room and shut the door standing there for him. I wanted him and I could taste my need. “I’m ready, Gabe.”
He gulped and nodded starting to unbutton his shirt. I moved in front of him then and pushed his hands out of the way. My hands shook and my fingers slipped more than once, but one by one I undid each one of those buttons and slid his shirt off of his broad shoulders. He was beautiful. Every part of his body was made of muscle. I ran my finger down the front of his body and let it lingers at the waist of his shorts. “Take them off.”
Now I wasn’t the nervous one, he was. He nodded and pushed me back some while he quickly took his shorts off. He was completely naked and I gulped when I saw the size of his erection. He was big, and he was really ready for me.
“Hey, it’s okay, we don’t have to—today.”
I looked up from his cock and smiled
. “I want to. I’m just a little nervous.”
He moved behind me and kissed each shoulder and untied the thin strings of fabric holding the dress up. He ran his fingers down every visible inch of bare skin. “You aren’t wearing a bra.” And I shuddered by the tone of his voice. It was deep and raw, choked like he was struggling to form his words.
“Nope,” I replied, letting the word pop.
I felt his lips and he knelt behind me kissing his way down my spine and pulling the dress. I helped and let the fabric slide down the front of my body. My breasts ached to be touched, and feeling brave, I massaged my nipple, moaning when I realized it felt good. He froze and stood spinning me to face him. I stopped touching myself but he shook his head.
“No, don’t stop.”
I blushed but ran my fingers over my nipples, and then, because of the look on his face, I slid my other hand down my now bare stomach, all the way to the line of my panties. When my finger brushed the lace, I held it there and watched his eyes stare at my hand and lick his lips.
I slipped my finger beneath my panties and spread my legs. When I rubbed my slick pussy, I moaned and threw my head back. I’d never really touched myself before and enjoyed it, but with Gabe watching, it turned me on more than I thought possible. I lifted my head and watched at him. He shook his head and groaned when I teased my nipple. Then he was there in front of me sliding my dress down my legs the rest of the way, kneeling in front of me. His face was right in front of my panties, and when he ran his tongue on the damp fabric, I nearly jumped out of my skin.
He pressed his tongue against me, and I moaned. He slid my panties down my thick thighs and helped me step out of them, and then his hand covered mine guiding me and rubbing circles on my clit. I spread my legs further to open up further for him. He licked his lips and then he moved his head in the way, but I felt his lips kiss me there and my legs turned to jelly, but he wasn’t done. Running his tongue along my slit, he added pressure.
I grabbed his hair and yanked him back. “I can’t stand with you doing that.”
He nodded and then stood, lifting me in his arms. He was strong and laid me on the bed. Without a word he spread my legs and crawled between them. His fingers dug into my thighs, and he licked me out thoroughly. When I squeezed my thighs around his head he sped up, bringing me over the edge. I moaned and then screamed when he bit my clit. My orgasm washed over his tongue, but he didn’t stop. He took everything I gave him and held my hips still so I couldn’t get away. The sensations were too much, and I needed him to stop.
I started laughing. “Stop! Please, I can’t take any more.”
He lifted his head chuckling and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. The evidence of my orgasm glistened on his lips. When he hovered over me and kissed me I thought it would gross me out, but when I tasted myself on his tongue it turned me on again. I pulled back and stared him straight in the eyes. “Make love to me, Gabriel.”
“No better words have ever been spoken by those luscious lips.” He kissed me again, and I closed my eyes. When he climbed off of the bed I watched as he rolled on protection. Then he jumped on the bed and caged me between the safety of his arms. I couldn’t lie, it hurt a bit, but when he was fully inside of me, I felt something I never had before. He took his time and showed me how I was supposed to be treated. The way a man who loved a woman did, and he certainly made love to my body. The whole time telling me how beautiful I was and how happy he was that I was his.
When he came I discretely wiped away a tear. Never before had I felt so cherished. That night Gabriel Baxter stole my heart.
Chapter 5
Waking up next to Gabe was different. He held me all night, and when I woke up to get a drink of water he sat up instantly worried. It was sweet. It was then I realized he was just as insecure as I was only about different things. I came back to bed and smiled when I saw the sheet covered him, barely. His bare chest rose heavily. His eyes were closed, and he looked more relaxed than I’d ever seen him. He looked like he was at peace, and I didn’t want to wake him so I tiptoed out into the living room and pulled the small throw around my shoulders and sat on the couch. I turned on the TV and flipped mindlessly through the channels. Nothing was on, but I was wide awake.
I lay down and finally settled on reruns and blanked out. My ribs were sore, but otherwise I’d never felt better. I felt different really, not so much like a dumb little girl. Gabe made me feel special, and I knew when he said things he meant them. It was his whispered, ‘I love you’ that scared me. I wasn’t ready for that. It didn’t matter how much I cared for him, I was in no way ready for love. He moved fast, and I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I knew I loved him. I probably had for more than a year now, but I was afraid I was doing what I did with Jacob. I didn’t want it to be that way.
I closed my eyes and turned off my thoughts, if only for a little while.
* * * *
The incessant shaking woke me I and I groaned. “What?”
Gabe knelt in front of the couch with worry written all over his face. “Why are you out here?”
“I couldn’t sleep, and I didn’t want to wake up. I watched TV, but I must have finally fallen back to sleep.”
His face relaxed and he smiled. “Oh well you wouldn’t have bothered me. Come back to bed, baby.”
He helped me stand and I went back and lay on my bed. He slid next to me, holding me close. “I hope I didn’t freak you out,” he whispered.
“About what you said?”
“Yeah, I know it’s soon, but I’m the type of person who doesn’t hold back. You know that by now.”
I nodded and nibbled my lip nervously. “I know, Gabriel, but it is fast. I know how I feel, but I don’t want to rush this relationship.”
He shook his head. “You are the only one, besides your mother, who gets away with calling me by my full name. I hate it.”
“I like it.”
He kissed my lips and sighed. “Yeah I know, and I hear you, Brenna. Really. I’ll try to tone it down, but I won’t make any promises. I do love you, and I don’t care who knows.”
I ran my finger down his chest. “I’m not ashamed; it’s just a lot okay. I care about you a lot.”
I could see he wasn’t happy, but he plastered his unaffected smile on his face. Well hell, I’d already messed up and hurt him, but I wouldn’t rush, not again. Not when I had so thoroughly misjudged my last boyfriend. I trusted Gabe, but did I trust me? Not really.
“I get it,” he said and lay on his back looking at the ceiling. “I’ve waited so long for this I guess I’m just really happy is all.”
I slid closer to him and slid my thigh over his. He looked down at me. “I’m happy. I’ve wanted you for a long time. I just didn’t think I’d ever have a real chance, ya know?”
He gripped my thigh adjusting it and sighed. “I don’t understand it. I’ve been trying to get with you since what, the third or fourth time that I visited? You’re the reason why I ever wanted to come back. I didn’t have any need for a dad who never wanted me, Brenna.” His voice caught and I saw a real sadness.
“Oh, Gabe. Your dad made a lot of mistakes. I get it. My father’s no peach either.”
“I know you do. I guess what I’m trying to say is, if it weren’t for meeting you that first time I wouldn’t have ever come back, and right now me and my dad are actually getting along. So it’s because of you I didn’t give up.”
I wanted to wipe the sadness away from his eyes. I lifted up and slid the rest of the way on his lap. I still had my clothes on, but when I rubbed against him I knew he’d feel that I was wet.
He chuckled. “You’re as bad as me. Are you trying to distract me?”
“Maybe,” I said and pulled my shirt off and threw it on the floor. “Is it working?”
He nodded. “It definitely is.” I grabbed his hands and pulled them to my bare breasts. He didn’t need any more hints. He massaged them, and I moaned rocking my body against his growing erection.
“God baby, you are beautiful,” he said. I ground against him, and the friction from my shorts made my body ache with need, and I was surprised when I came. My body shook, and then he flipped me on my back. My shorts were gone in two seconds flat and then he was inside of me pumping into me. Gabe looked at me with an intensity that should have terrified me, but it only proved to make me even more aroused than I already was. He had me, plain and simple. I couldn’t fight it, and I found that I didn’t really want to. I needed to just let go and trust him.
Chapter 6
I laughed and kissed him again trying to pull away, but he held me tightly against his hard body. “I’ll call you, I promise.”
“I’m not ready for you to leave. I feel like there’s so much time that needs to be made up for. I should have cornered you sooner.” He kissed me again and stepped back shoving his hands in his pockets.
“Oh, stop pouting; I’ll be home in a couple of weeks when the semester ends.”
“That’s too long.”
“No, you’ll be gone, remember? You’ve got two fights while I’m taking my finals. You’ve got this, and then we’ll have all summer together.”
He smiled and his eyes lit. “Yeah, I’m also going to have my own place when you come home next.”
I slid into the car and nodded. “That’s great. We can have privacy and not have to worry about the parents seeing something they shouldn’t—again.”
He laughed shaking his head. “I love you, Brenna, and I know you won’t say it back yet, but I’m going to tell you every day.”
I leaned out the window and crooked my finger at him. He leaned in and kissed me again. “I love you too, Gabriel.”
His eyes widened and he stood and whooped before grabbing my face in his hands and then kissing me softly. “You have no idea how good it is to hear you say that.”
“I know, and I’m sorry I was so weird about it, but you understand why.”
