A Dozen Dates

by Mitchell, Missy

  “Well, I prepared everything at home, but you can help me put the salads on the table if you like...” Gemma helped Miranda, and then she insisted Gemma share a drink with her and show her around the garden while Michael and Nathan cooked the barbeque.

  “Just one... I have to drive,” Gemma informed her, though elated to be able to show off her design talent.

  Gemma gradually led Miranda around the side of the yard and then to the front, explaining to her the changes she had made and why, and showing her the patterns within the design. “So, Michael’s a good bloke... Hard working too...” Miranda suddenly injected into the dialogue.

  Gemma paused for a moment, trying to create a response that wouldn’t give away too much, and then replied, “Yes, he is, and funny too.”

  Miranda giggled, “Yes, he is a bit of a ratbag, I do admit... He’s cute, too, don’t you think?” She looked up at Gemma in time to see her blush shyly, and continued speaking, to ease the pressure on her. “He doesn’t shut-up about you...”

  Really..? God only know what he says though... Although, if she wasn’t mistaken, the tone in Miranda’s voice suggested that at least some of it was positive... But then she surmised that he probably didn’t shut-up about Sam either, and Miranda was just being polite in not telling her so... Miranda would definitely be polite like that.

  “Nathan, I think we need Gemma to come and fix our yard up... This is gorgeous...” Miranda told her fiancé upon their return to the patio.

  “It’s not bad, is it?” Nathan said.

  Nathan and Miranda started packing up to leave just before seven, Miranda stating, “It was great to see you again Gemma... I’m sure I will be seeing lots more of you,” and she gave Gemma another sisterly hug.

  “Well, I better go too...” Gemma told Michael.

  “Why? It’s Saturday night... I thought we could watch a couple of DVDs together..?” Michael suggested, and Gemma froze. “It’s okay for friends to watch DVD’s together, Gemma...” Still, Gemma said nothing. “C’mon... Do you have something better to do?” Michael smiled at her encouragingly.

  “I guess watching movies would be okay...” Gemma concluded.

  Michael smiled wholly, “Good!”

  Michael threw the blanket over his mattress bed and pushed it up against the wall, propping pillows up at the back to make them a comfortable lounge, and popped the first DVD in the player. It was a comedy and they relaxed back against the wall next to each other and laughed and enjoyed the movie together. Michael resisted the strong temptation urging him to slip his arm around her and lovingly pull her into him – he didn’t after all, want to frighten her away from even having a friendship... He needed and desperately wanted for Gemma to feel relaxed around him again.

  The first movie finished and Michael offered Gemma a drink. “I can’t, I have to drive...”

  “You had one drink four hours ago – if you have one now, you will be quite fine to drive if you want to leave after the next movie. If you decide to stay, I have a whole collection of movies over there that we could work through...”

  Gemma contemplated her choices, and concluded, “Sure then, why not?”

  Michael returned to the room with a couple of beers and a block of chocolate... Instantly Gemma snatched the chocolate, broke her herself off a row and began nibbling on it. After the initial shock of the blur that brushed his hand and left it feeling empty, Michael re-joined her on the mattress and twisted of the bottle top for her before handing her a beer, and then he opened his own and swallowed a mouthful. “Hey, are you going to share that chocolate?” Michael asked her.

  Gemma swallowed a couple of mouthfuls of beer and placed her stubby down on the floor. “What chocolate?” she replied, talking with her mouth half full of sweet smelling, brown mud.

  Michael chuckled at her, “That chocolate you have in your hand...”

  “Oh! Yeah sure...” Gemma severed another row, broke a single square off of it and handed it to Michael before stuffing the rest of the row into her own mouth.

  “Gee thanks...” he expressed and Gemma grinned at him as she placed the rest of the block behind her back. Michael savoured his single piece and then insisted, “I’ll have more now...”

  “No you won’t...” she told him. Michael was surprised yet pleasantly delighted by her playfulness. This was one of those times when she didn’t try and her inner buoyancy just shone through.

  “Hand over the damn chocolate, Wench!” he warned her and he thrust his hand behind her back to retrieve it. Unfortunately for him, Gemma was just as fast and managed to rip it out from behind her with her opposite hand and hold it at her arm’s length.

  She turned to him, held her empty hand up, palm facing towards the ceiling and claimed, “All gone!” The next thing you know they were wrestling and laughing, Michael swearing at her and calling her playful names, and Gemma doing her best to engage his sympathies and deny him his cocoa flavoured treat.

  Michael bested her, finally managing to lock her down with his knees and body, grabbing both her hands and pinning them down on the mattress north of her head. He then lifted himself up on her, grabbed the chocolate from her hand with his teeth and tossed it to the side. “Noooooo,” complained Gemma in a sad, pleading voice and Michael chuckled at her chocoholic desperation.

  They looked at each other, grinning with their whole faces... and then they saw each other. Both their hearts began to beat faster. Gemma was acutely aware, that Michael was as usual, shirtless, and his bare muscular stomach and chest were once again pressed to her. Their expressions changed, as they searched each other’s faces for signs... Signs of what was happening. Michael watched her as her eyes spoke and she glanced at his lips, involuntarily parting her own as she did. As he gazed at her innocence a lump rose in his throat and he swallowed it, panting briefly as he did so. Gemma returned her gaze to his beautiful eyes and bravely stared.

  Michael pulled her hands along the mattress until they were trapped against her head, then he looked at her lips and her eyes and her lips again, then he slowly lowered his head until their lips were almost touching. Suddenly he heard a loud sigh escape Gemma and he looked up in time to see her eyelids fail and her face tilt up to welcome his mouth.

  They kissed each other gently and slowly, taking their time, and enjoying each other’s texture and taste. Gemma noticed how soft his lips were as they, in their moistness folded tenderly over her own. She smelled the scent of fresh beer, and mixed with his natural masculine odour, it smelled divine.

  Michael released her hands, slowly sliding one into her hair, and the other around to softly stroke her jaw. Her lips were plump and full and he sucked lightly on them before delving and affectionately searching for her tongue. He massaged it kindly, only wanting to pleasure her – not wanting her to feel pressured in any way.

  Gemma slowly reached for his head and delicately combed her slender fingers through his hair. She gradually learnt to wrap her tongue around his, the way he did it to hers, and she felt him gently massage her head through her hair. She lightly traced her fingers down his strong back, feeling his individual muscles twitch with excitement beneath her touch. His physical responses thrilled her – she would never have suspected that she was capable of inspiring such reactions with a touch so slight. Her chest began to heave, rising and falling dramatically, pushing hard against his weight and falling away, and pushing hard against him again.

  Her passion was appreciable, and Michael slowly began to trace his hand from her cheek, along her jaw and then followed the hollow of her neck as he slightly intensified his kiss - her small pleasure noises exhilarating him. He allowed his hand to leisurely follow the contours of her body, brushing over the side of her breast until it rested on her waist, and then he began to gradually, but firmly plough it back up, locking it under and feeling the largeness of her swelling breast, and then he too, began to sigh and groan... He desired to caress that large soft lump that pushed against him.

  Gemma nervous
ly, yet boldly followed the line at the top of his shorts and then dragged her hands back through, and feeling the curve between his back and his gluteus. She moaned as Michael’s big hand slid over her breast and massaged it gently through her clothes. Spontaneously, she pushed one hand down to his bottom and started squeezing and massaging his flesh, while her other hand slid up through his hair and stroked his skull.

  Michael’s thumb began to firmly brush over her erect nipple and then lightly brush back. Gemma’s grip on reality was tenuous, but when he took her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, it had all but left her. Her head fell back, her breasts pushed out towards him and her throat opened up... She squirmed in pleasure as Michael tweaked her nipple through the fabrics, her hand sliding up his back, through his neck and over his moist lips, where Michael kissed and lightly sucked on her fingers. He reached up with his other hand and took hers, locking it back behind her head again, before lowering his head down and placing teasing little kisses on her neck. The swell in his shorts grew as she pressed her hips against him, and she moaned while he gently tugged at and squeezed her hard nipple as he adoringly kissed her throat.

  Gemma began to gasp and moan, hungry for him to be a man for her. She was so responsive, and passionate! Not making love to her then and there was the hardest thing Michael thought he had ever done – or not done... But her first time was had while she was drunk... He wasn’t going to seduce her into her second time – hell; she wasn’t even emotionally equipped to date him. If he took her tonight he was sure that she would regret it, and perhaps regret spending time with him and he just wasn’t willing to risk that – his future with Gemma was simply too important to him to gamble with carelessly.

  Michael stopped tweaking her nipple and instead slowly rubbed her breast, before removing his hand completely and stroking her jaw with it. He stopped kissing her neck, returning to lightly kissing her lips instead. With his other hand he firstly brushed back her hair and then began to stroke her temple, gradually calming her until her communicative, animated body began to wind down. Gemma wrapped her arms relaxedly around his neck and consciously kissed him back, until Michael rolled off over the back of her, turned her onto her side away from him and used the remote to push play on the DVD player. He reached behind him and collected the pillows, caringly placing one under her head, and bending the second to double thickness and propping it under his own head. He affectionately wrapped his covering arm around her, and enjoyed her touch as she caressed his arm with her hands.

  When Gemma woke in the early hours of the morning, Michael was lying on his back with his arm about her and she was cuddled into his chest. He was so warm... and aromatic! Who would ever have thought she would describe a man as aromatic – like she would a flower... or a herb. She moved a little as she lifted her head, and she saw Michael open heavy laden eyelids.

  “Sorry, did I wake you?” she inquired of him.

  “No, I was just resting...”

  “Oh, good,” Gemma said, and not knowing where to look, she laid her head back into his arm.

  “Number five...” Michael exclaimed.

  “Huh?”

  “Well, I felt your tit...” Gemma froze when she heard the words. “That wouldn’t happen until date number five...”

  Gemma’s voice began to quaver, “I thought this wasn’t a date...”

  Michael sensed the panic in her tone and quickly stated, “Well, it was an accidental date... I just wanted to spend some time with you.” He looked at her and Gemma saw the sincerity in his eyes. Was it her fault? “But! We have now completed dates one, two and five... We will have to get back to three and four...” Michael grinned.

  There he went, again counting down the time he felt committed to spend with her. Gemma sat bolt upright, humiliated that she had pushed herself on him... again. Desperately jumped dates, even... This time she couldn’t even blame it on alcohol.

  She thought he’d wanted to kiss her because he liked her, but instead it was just a number he could tick off his stupid list... But it wasn’t his fault – it was her that had asked for it. She shouldn’t be angry at him... It was her who was the foolish one. He, having integrity as he did, was the one who stopped it – before she totally debased herself. She should be thanking him! Gemma was trembling – petrified of her again naked emotions.

  “Gemma, what’s wrong?” Michael asked, noticing her shaking and draining of colour.

  “I’m sorry... I have to go.” Panic had set in...

  “Why?” Michael asked, feeling confused and unsettled from the sudden turbulence and change in air-pressure.

  “I’ve got to... I’ve got stuff I have to do.” Like get away from him so she could think clearly...

  Gemma jumped up and Michael jumped up after her, grabbing her by the wrist. “Gemma, wait... I’m sorry!”

  Gemma fought back a tear as she assured him, “You didn’t do anything wrong.” She exited the room and headed for the patio to collect her shoes.

  “Stay for coffee...”

  “No!”

  “Gemma, are we still friends..?” Michael inquired.

  “Yes...” she said, as she looked at him shyly.

  “Then please have a coffee with me... Then I will let you leave in peace.”

  Gemma stayed for coffee... and breakfast..! And by the end of it she was feeling less humiliated. Michael just seemed to take all her naivety in his stride – not being offended when she stepped over boundaries. She supposed it was because he knew of and was understanding of her past – he was forgiving... He was tolerant... He was a friend.

  But when Gemma went home and undertook her chores, her mind would wander to him and she would relive every moment she spent with him, and ignore it as she tried, she could not help but wish she and Michael were much more than friends.

  Chapter Five

  Sam continued to pop into the house the following week, and Michael continued to be elated in her company... Gemma tried not to think about it... Tried not to feel anything... But, she was confused. She was probably reading the signals wrong, but sometimes she thought that Michael might like her a little bit too – like on some far off, distant planet she might actually stand a chance with him. Once he had even referred to her as an option... or at least he had said that it was good for a man to have options... and then he said her name... Gemma recalled how his voice felt... sounded and the memory entranced her all over again.

  Gemma scolded herself... She knew that dreaming of such things would only lead to heartache – her heartache, and that she should just appreciate Michael for the wonderful friend he was being for her, and just resist any romantic feelings that conjured themselves up. But it was so hard not to have little fantasies about him when he was so divine in every way – and so understanding.

  Nathan wasn’t able to make it in that Saturday – he and Miranda had a wedding to go to... So when Sam showed up, Michael had the bright idea that he takes them both to lunch.

  “I’m not sure I have time...” Gemma told him.

  “Yeah ya do... Now come on!” Michael insisted.

  “Come on Gem... It will be nice...” Sam encouraged. Obviously she wasn’t as threatened by Gemma as Gemma was by her! But Michael wasn’t taking no for an answer... He just removed the hose from her hand and took her arm and led her to the Sam’s car where he opened the front door for her and tucked her in, before sliding into the backseat.

  Michael took them to a casual beachside al fresco cafe. “Gem likes the beach, don’t you Gem?”

  “Yes,” she couldn’t help but glow when she admitted it.

  “Oh, Gem, I like the beach too... Perhaps we can hang out sometime when you are not busy?” Samantha sincerely invited.

  “Okay...” she felt compelled to agree, though had no intentions of actually participating in what would no doubt be a very awkward adventure.

  Michael entwined an arm with each of the girls and escorted them to the cafe, where he selected a table and simultaneously pulled two
chairs out and directed them to sit. The cafe’ was charming and seemed to pull a regular crowd of local professionals. If it hadn’t been for the infringing beach and the occasional tourist, Gemma and Michael may have even been considered underdressed in their shorts and shirts and work boots. The tables and chairs were sculptured cast iron with the tables having mosaic tops, and each set with salt and pepper shakers and a small vase containing a few colourful flowers. There were a few medium sized statues of what looked to be Roman gods and goddesses, and artificial climbing roses meandering over a stone planter with a trellis.

  They looked at the menu and selected their choices, Michael a seafood basket and Sam a Caesar salad. “Michael, is that those oysters we had the other week?” Gemma asked, pointing to menu item which said Oysters Kilpatrick.

  Michael looked down to where Gemma was pointing and confirmed, “Yes, that’s them.”

  “Oh good!” she exclaimed in glee, “Can I have them again, please?”

  “Most certainly... Would you like a side salad to have with them?”

  “Yes please...” Gemma said. Michael was seriously kind to her... She could hang out with him forever!

  Michael placed the food orders, as well as requesting a beer each for him and Gemma and a glass of lemonade for Sam.

  “So what are you up to next week?” Sam asked of Michael, referring to the progress of the house.

  “Well, we want to get the patio roof up in the first half of the week...”

  “You should have done that when you first bought the place; then you wouldn’t have had to try and squeeze under that ridiculously inadequate umbrella all of the time,” Sam chastised him playfully.

  “Well, we know that now... in hindsight!” Michael stated, trying to defend he and Nathan’s inexperienced decisions.

  Sam shook her head and exclaimed, “Men!” and Michael laughed at her incredulously. Then Sam turned to Gemma, “What about you, Gem?” Gemma went on to explain how her next job was to put bark atop the garden which as well as making it look spiffy, would hinder water evaporation... “Not this week but next I’ll be going shopping for colours - you should come with me... Come look at colours!”