by Ty Langston
Gabrielle set the brush down. She looked at herself in the mirror once more. Turning toward her side, she noticed that her tummy was becoming a little round.
Surprised, she raised an eyebrow. She had been eating a lot lately and not exercising as much as she should due to work and moving into Chris’ new home. She told herself that trips to the gym were definitely in order when she got home.
As she undressed, her mind couldn’t help but think of her Chris once more and the fact that it was Valentine’s Day. As she unzipped her jeans, her mind raced with thoughts of him helping her out of them.
The heat slowly crept up her thighs as thoughts of her boyfriend’s protective hands around her small waist consumed her.
With her clothes already off, she went over to the water running warm in the shower, and jumped right in.
Little by little, Gabrielle’s muscles relaxed under the water’s veil. She reached for the body wash that was in the shower caddy next to her. Pouring it onto her washcloth, its lather was rich, relaxing and full of lush scent. She smoothed the washcloth all over her, continuing to inhale its essence.
Suddenly, she felt two large hands wrap themselves around her waist… For real this time.
“Mind if I help?” Chris whispered. Gabrielle rolled her eyes at yet another attempt of seduction.
“Yes. But, I’m sure that you’re going to whether I want you to or not,” she said with a wink.
Giving him the washcloth, Chris continued to massage the lather into her back and shoulders. “Mm mm. Feels nice,” Gabrielle moaned.
Walking in front of her, he put his head underneath the running water raking his hands through his long brown locks.
He asked her, “Doesn’t it, babe?”
Gabrielle couldn’t help but watch the water run over him. Droplets glistened over his toned muscles and down his perfectly tanned six-pack abs. With every fiber of her being, she begged herself not to give in to him. She had been holding up perfectly. She had to stay strong.
Chris slowly turned around to reveal his corded backside. With impish intent, he seductively took the body wash and poured it all over his body. The suds outlined every muscle to precision.
She was so amused at the attempt, she began to clap wildly.
Chris turned toward her, looking surprised.
“Well done,” she said.
“Huh?” Chris said.
“A good try dear. Especially when you turned around just now,” Gabrielle added.
“Gabrielle, I came in here because I knew you’ve been stressed out lately. We’ve haven’t been spending a lot of time together either…I’m just trying-” Gabrielle interrupted him.
“To win this little bet,” she continued. “Chris, I’m all set. The shower is all yours. Happy Valentine’s Day, babe.”
Taking the towel from the rack behind her,, she draped it over her, waltzing out of the bathroom.
***
Chris turned his back again to the shower. He let the water rinse his thoughts away. He had now become afraid of losing. He wasn’t ready to stay home and do nothing.
Knight’s Armor had just gotten back together after a brief hiatus before this tour. He and Tate, both as songwriters and as friends, had never been closer. In fact, the whole band was never tighter as a unit. The more he thought about the future of the band, the more he was having second thoughts on this bet.
When they became a couple, Chris made a promise to her that everyone important to him would come first. Since the band loved him, they had indulged him in those long songwriting sessions and the occasional afternoon wake up call. Would it kill him to stay home a bit more? In several years, he had never been home for more than a month at a stretch. Maybe a long break wouldn’t be bad. But, there was ‘the pull.’ It was always driving him, wanting him to write something, play something, and fix something. Lately, it was stronger than ever before. Afraid that he would lose the most creative part of him because he would be at home, the bet now bothered him.
He did have one last thing that he could try and that was in the lobby. Rinsing off one last time, he couldn’t help but wonder how all of this would go over.
It could make things better, or his relationship could be over. Gabrielle was open-minded about many things; maybe this last-minute Valentine’s Day gift would do the trick.
Taking a couple of towels from the caddy, he decided to give it a go.
Wrapping one towel around him and drying his hair with the other, he sped out of the bathroom and quickly put on jeans and a t-shirt.
Puzzled, Gabby sat on their bed, now dressed in a large, pink terry bathrobe.
“Chris, it’s late. Is everything all right?”
“I’ll be right back. I forgot something in the lobby. It’ll take a minute.”
“Okay, hon,” Gabrielle said smiling.
Minutes later, Chris opened the door with the young woman who days earlier had taken their picture. Gabrielle couldn’t believe that Chris would bring a stranger to their suite so late.
“Gabby, do you remember Nina? She’s the one that took our pics the other night at the show. Sam brought her backstage tonight. She has our photos all printed out.”
Still surprised that he brought her to the hotel suite, she noticed that she did have the photos. She looked up at her and smiled.
“Hi Nina, how are you? May I see them? ”
Still silent, Nina’s soft hands overlapped with Gabrielle’s as she gave her the photos. Gabrielle leafed through them and smiled. They were quite good. She didn’t know why Chris brought the young woman up to the room, but she was happy that both the pics Chris took and the pics that Nina took of them came out so well.
“Turned out great, Nina.”
Nina beamed with joy. “Thanks Gabrielle. Glad you like them.”
Gabby touched Nina’s arm lightly as she looked up at the young woman.
“Oh hon, call me Gabby, honestly when people call me Gabrielle, I feel like I’m about to be scolded by my late mother.”
Nina chuckled. “Glad you like the photographs, Gabby.”
“I’ll put them in my scrapbook as soon as I get home. These are better than anything I would take.”
“Wait a minute. What about the photos I took, Gabby?” Chris asked.
“They’re okay,” Gabrielle teased dryly.
Chris rolled his eyes at his girlfriend “Hey Nina, would you like to stay for a drink before you head out?”
Nina’s eyes widened. “Sure!”
“Great, I’ll be right back. I’m going to get another glass,” Chris said leaving the two women alone.
“Nina, are you old enough to drink?” Gabrielle asked.
Nina nodded. “Oh yeah, I’m 22. It’s all good.” She smiled.
Gabrielle nodded. “Oh, okay. Call it the mother in me, I guess. You look young. Can’t be too careful nowadays.”
Nina chuckled as she got even closer to Gabrielle. She held her hand. “Oh I know. People tell me that all the time. I understand.”
Gabrielle looked at Nina holding her hand and released it nervously. “Do they? You are very pretty.”
“Thank you. So are you.”
Gabrielle smiled nervously as she went back to the bed and sat down. Leafing through the photographs that were still on the bed, she replied, “Thanks. So Nina, what do you for a living?”
Nina went to the bed and sat down. “Right now I’m a student. I’m studying photography.”
“Are you? You’ll have no problem finding a job with pictures like the ones you took. Have you thought about freelance? The magazine I work for is always looking for great concert pictures.”
Nina grinned. “You work at Rockline, right? You write the Up and Out column now?”
Gabrielle nodded. “Yes I do. But before, I travelled with bands and did tour diary features. You should definitely send a portfolio to my boss. Vegas has a lot of cool clubs with some rising stars. You could do pretty well if you set your mind to it.”
&nbs
p; “Thank you so much Gabby! I’ll definitely do it,” Nina said giving her a bear hug. She continued. “You really think I could make a living at this?”
Gabrielle pulled away from Nina gently. She nodded. “One day? Absolutely. Freelance first. Get your feet wet.”
Gabrielle saw some stray hairs around the young woman’s face. Acting motherly, she used both of her hands and smoothed them back, then held Nina’s face in her hands. Nina suddenly planted a kiss on Gabrielle’s lips.
Kissing for several seconds, Gabrielle came to her senses and pulled back, leaping off the bed.
“Um…oh my God! I don’t know what got into me,” Gabrielle said.
Nina followed her as Gabrielle began to pace through the room. “Gabrielle, it’s all right. It’s okay.”
“No. It’s not. I apologize. I just…I don’t know what I thought. My mind is spinning.”
Stopping her dead in her tracks, Nina caught up to Gabrielle and twirled her around. She held her hand. “It’s okay. I knew it. I knew it from when you kissed me a few nights ago.”
Gabrielle arched her eyebrow. “Knew what?”
“That you were into me. Chris thought so too.”
Nina’s blue eyes flared as she played with the tie on Gabrielle’s bathrobe.
“I don’t understand. What are you talking about?”
Nina untied the robe and opened it. She smiled as she admired Gabrielle’s naked frame.
”You’re so beautiful. He thought it’d be great if we were to spend some time together. He liked how you kissed me the other night at the show. He said it turned him on. He thought it’d be great if we -”
Gabrielle interrupted. “If we what?”
“Okay, I’m back! God, I’m sorry. I went to the other room to grab some glasses and realized that I needed to call Sam and go over a few things before our last show tomorrow. Miss me much?” He asked as he waltzed into the room as if nothing happened.
Gabrielle was furious as she closed her bathrobe.
“Chris, may I have a word with you?”
Chris nodded. “Yeah sure babe. Nina, here is a glass for you. Why don’t you start without us? We’ll be back in a minute.”
Nina took the glass from him as he and Gabrielle headed into the bathroom and shut the door.
“What’s up?” he asked
“What do you mean what’s up? Why is she here?” she asked
“I told you, she’s brought us the photos. You haven’t been at the shows in a few days so I told her it was okay to come and talk to you.”
“Did you really have to bring her back to the hotel room? I could have met her backstage. Couldn’t Sam have called me? Or even taken the photos from her?” Gabrielle asked
“I told him not to. That was my fault. She seems like a nice girl. I thought the photos were a nice Valentine’s gift.”
“Nice girl? The girl planted a kiss on me and told me that you loved how she and I kissed the other night!”
“I did. I thought it was hot. I figured that since you wouldn’t sleep with me. Then maybe you would-”
Gabrielle placed her hands on her hips as she interrupted. “Would what?”
Hesitantly, Chris replied, “Sleep with her and if you wanted…me too.”
“I knew it! No!” she shrieked as she hit him on the arm. She continued to yell. “Holy shit Chris! She’s a child!”
“She’s not a child, she’s 22,” he retorted.
Tears began to well up in Gabrielle’s eyes.
“And that makes it so much better? How could you! How could you want me to sleep with her? How could you want to sleep with her? Aren’t I enough for you? ”
“Of course you are. I just know how passionate and physical you are and since we’re doing this bet, I know it’s been hard for you. With the way you kissed her, I thought that it’d be okay for you to satisfy your needs in a way we both could enjoy together.”
“You thought wrong! I only want to be with you!” Gabrielle cried.
“Some of the guys hung out with her after the show a few nights ago. They said Nina’s a lot of fun. She only wanted you and me to share this experience together. ”
“Like I said, I love you! I only want you Chris. I only want to make love to you. Some Valentine’s Day this has turned out to be. I was all ready to give up this bet a little a while ago.”
“I’m so sorry. I love you. I should have known,” he told her.
“Damn straight! You should have!”
Wiping her eyes, she understood why he proposed the idea, but couldn’t believe that he’d take this bet as far as he had.
Walking toward the door, she turned to him. “I’m going to show Nina out and then I’m going to bed. I don’t want to EVER hear about this again after tonight.”
“I’m sorry Gab-”
“Goodnight Chris!” Gabrielle said slamming the door behind her.
With a fake smile, she walked toward Nina, and politely walked her out. She asked Nina not to speak of what Chris had proposed to anyone. Nina reluctantly agreed and left.
Gabrielle stayed in the other bedroom that night, she cried herself to sleep. This bet had gone too far for her.
Chapter Five
Chris and Gabrielle arrived back in Los Angeles a few days later. The driver had taken their things into their sprawling beachside home. Waiting to greet them with open arms was the family’s executive housekeeper, Adele.
Outstretching her arms, Adele greeted with joyful glee, “Welcome home Gabrielle.” Adele had known Chris his entire life. She was a short but stocky woman in her early sixties with jet-black hair and brown eyes. Best friends with Chris’ late mother Sandy, Adele had literally become his second mother, raising him and his younger brother Ryan along with her own kids.
Adele was ecstatic to see both of them. Gabrielle ran to her and hugged the housekeeper as tight as she could. Adele let go of the young reporter and gave her a kiss on the cheek while Chris stood silently behind Gabrielle. His lips curved into a weak smile. The housekeeper knew immediately from his expression that something wasn’t right. She slowly walked over to him, wrapping her long arms around his chiseled torso.
Lifting herself to his ear, she asked with a whisper, “What’s wrong, baby?” Chris nodded and mouthed the words, “Tell you later.”
Adele nodded and winked at him. She watched him with sadness.
The middle-aged woman walked them both inside their home. She put her arms around Gabrielle telling her about all the stuff she did while the two of them were gone.
“The gardener wrecked the rose bushes I planted, Chris.” Adele explained. Chris looked shocked.
“All of them?” he asked.
“Every last one of them. I thought I was going to commit murder on that man, thank God for Gabby’s brother, Tyler. He found out that the man apparently fed them too much.”
Chris shrugged his shoulders.
“I have no idea Adele. If you say so. I let you and Gabrielle deal with those bushes. You’ve put a lot of work into them, if I touch them, I’m afraid I’d kill them too.”
“Well, Adele, if I have my way, maybe Chris will be home a lot more to learn about the rose bushes,” Gabrielle said.
Chris shook his head. “I don’t think so. You want the remainder of these bushes and flowers to live? Don’t have me near them,” He quipped.
“Ain’t that the truth! The man can play music, but he’s sure as hell no green thumb,” Adele said as she followed them into the kitchen. Chris smiled at Adele. “See…she knows. Don’t ya Del?
“I think I know you better than you know yourself sometimes,” She joked.
“You sure do,” he said.
“I had the driver take your things directly to the laundry. Got a great meal planned for the two of you. All your favorites! Meat loaf, mashed potatoes, corn, apple pie,” Adele explained as she glanced over at Chris. “How long are you on break?”
“A couple of weeks, maybe longer. Why?”
“You many
want to work out while you’re on break. Made cookies, candy. You name it,” she told him.
“I love you Del,” he said smiling from ear to ear.
Gabrielle turned to Adele. “Anyone call?” she asked.
“Just your brother, honey. He said he’d stop by tomorrow with Sam.”
“Wow, we have the house to ourselves? Better enjoy this while I can,” Gabrielle quipped. Chris laughed.
“Oh Gabby, I forgot, your editor called. He wanted to run some ideas by you for the next edition of Rockline.”
Checking her watch, she began to walk out of the kitchen. “Oh okay, better call him now. It’s nearly five on the east coast. I’ll call dad too while I’m at it. “
With the two of them alone, Chris propped himself up on the barstool that was next to the counter. Adele pulled up a seat across from him. Looking tired, he placed his hand underneath his chin.
Trying to read him, Adele had never seen the expression that was on Chris’s face before.
“Okay spill,” she said.
“What did I do?” Chris asked.
“Do what baby?” Adele said smoothing back his hair.
“I think I made a horrible mistake,” he admitted
“With what?” Adele asked.
His eyes looked solemn as he explained. “Gabby. I can’t give her what she needs.”
“Oh stop, she is perfect for you.” Adele said.
“You think so?”
“I know so. Chris, where is all this coming from?”
“A bet. A fucking bet,” he told her.
“Huh?” Adele asked. “Okay. Now, I’m totally clueless.”
“A couple of weeks ago, Gabrielle had come to see the show after she finished one of her stories. I’m onstage doing my thing with a couple of female fans and all of sudden she mad at me for flirting along the center stage ramp. We argued for a while after I got offstage.
“Did you reassure her that it’s your job to entertain those fans?” Adele asked
“Yeah. I did of course I did. But it’s not like she’s never been around this before. She’s a rock writer. She knows how we are. We flirt, we hug, and we kiss our fans. She’s one of the best journalists in the country. I don’t get why she acted like that.”
