Twenty Two
The moment I taste Greta’s infamous omelet, I moan in satisfaction.
"Oh my God, this is so good."
I take another bite and look up from my plate to see Gavin watching me. The look in his eyes is deep, hungry and it’s not for food.
"What? It’s really good."
"They’re the best known to man, baby. I did warn you."
I take a sip of water and smile at him.
"You did. Can we get out of here, now?" I’m eager to go home and have him all to myself again.
Three days apart made me desperate to be with him, and he did say we had all day. I fully intend to soak up every precious minute with Gavin as much as I can.
Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Gavin takes my hand and helps me out of the booth and then puts two bills down on the table.
"Let’s go."
As we’re heading back towards the trail that leads to the penthouse and Garment district, my phone starts to ring. I’m tempted to let it go to voice mail, knowing that it couldn’t be important this early in the morning. But Gavin smiles slowly, in that way I love. He nods, urging me to answer it. I take my cell out and look down at the screen in confusion. I don’t recognize the number.
"Farah again?" he asks, sliding his fingers through mine. I’m honestly not sure until I remember that I do recognize the number. It’s Mr. Pearson, as in Grayson Academy. I haven’t spoken to him since the showcase last week. Oh, no. Why could he possibly be calling me?
"Hello?" I begin to bite my lip, nervously. There is only a sliver of hope inside me telling me that maybe he was able to keep my spot in the program. I did tell him that I had a family emergency and I couldn’t attend the showcase. Maybe…
"Aria, this is John Pearson from the academy. How are you?"
I lift my eyes to see Gavin silently watching me. I mouth Grayson Academy to him and he nods but then frowns. He must see the fear in my eyes that I’ve lost my chance.
"I’m-well, I’m good," I stutter my words.
"Good. I wanted to let you know that the Showcase did have to go on without you and I couldn’t keep your spot open. I did try, Aria, but it just wasn’t possible. I’m sorry."
Immediately my heart falls into my belly and I feel tears well in my eyes. I lost the opportunity I’ve been working for these past weeks, hell months. But how could I have done anything differently when I got that call from Gavin’s sister? I had to go, I had to be with him.
"Thank you for letting me know, Mr. Pearson, and thank you so much for everything."
"I didn’t do anything. Ms. Morgan, anyone could see your talent. I wish you all the best."
"Thank you."
I click off my phone and stare at it for a long time before I feel Gavin tip my chin up to look at me.
I sigh and open my eyes to see his worried expression.
"You OK, baby?" He frames my face with his hands and all I can see are his deep blue eyes.
"I lost the spot." The words are whispered, as if I’m telling myself and not him. I don’t want to believe that I’ve truly lost such an amazing opportunity. The kind that could have made my career in dance.
It’s what I’ve worked for all my life.
"How? The Showcase, Kel told me you were on next to perform when I called her. What happened, baby?" I rest my hands on his waist and take a deep breath.
"The moment Callie called me, nothing else mattered to me. The only thing I could focus on was getting to you, to the hospital. And well, the show must go on. They filled my spot."
I see the understanding in his eyes and as he cups my nape and dips his mouth to my forehead, the breath whooshes out of me.
"I’m sorry, Aria. I know how much you wanted that spot. It meant so much to you."
"I know." I rest my cheek against his chest and we stand there, him holding me around my shoulders, my nose pressed to his neck and I feel so safe in his arms. It hurts that I won’t be able to work with the company and talents I thought, but there are so many other opportunities out there. This, right here, is what’s important.
"Let’s go home."
***
Gavin deftly unties my sneakers and pulls them off my feet as he kneels at the foot of the bed. I have my eyes closed and I’m enjoying the light touches he gives me as he undresses me slowly. His hands come up to my ankles where he peels off my socks, then glide up to my calves. I feel the comforter shift around me, Gavin climbing onto the bed and kneeling between my parted legs. The buzz of anticipation makes my body sensitive to each and every touch of his fingers.
"So smooth," he praises, skating his hands under the band of my yoga pants and slowly peeling them over my waist, down my thighs, and off my legs entirely.
"Please, Gavin. Love me," I beg, opening my eyes and reaching for his hand as he unbuckles his jeans, pulls the black belt off and drops them to the floor. I lose all the breath inside me as he stands in front of me wearing only a pair of navy blue boxers. Those blue gray eyes of his are filled with wanton desire for me. For me only. I bite my lip to stifle the moan that bubbles up in my throat when he slides the boxers off his hips and lets them fall to the floor, too.
"I’m going to love you now, baby."
I smile wide and wrap my hands into his hair. God, I love how his messy hair goes every which way.
"Finally," I whisper against his lips as he kisses me breathless. Gavin’s body hovers over me and both his knees are trapping mine. I feel the delicious weight of his want on my lower belly.
"I missed this." He places a kiss against my throat, right under my jaw.
"Having you in this bed." Another kiss to my throat where he settles in to tease me.
"Making love to you." The words aren’t teasing and I know he’s talking about our time apart.
"Gavin." My legs wrap around his waist and my hands smooth up his magnificent chest to frame his gorgeous, incomparable face. I have never seen deep eyes like his; they are my weakness for sure. I feel his hands close around my laced boy short panties; his breath hits my barely covered breasts.
"Oh, please…" I say and God, finally, he reaches under me and rips my panties from my body. My bra is next to go and then I’m bared under him. His eyes become hooded with lust, his bottom lip traps between his teeth and he smiles that oh so sexy smile.
"Stay" is all he says as light, teasing kisses continue down my nape. His hands grip my hips and he is hovering over me. I feel the heat from his body but not the press of his weight upon me. Not the toned muscles that flex as he wraps himself around me. I curl my hands around his biceps and blink into the depths of his eyes.
I need to feel it all. I am yearning for the weight of him and the touches he’ll give me. I need it all.
"Please, baby. Let me feel you." I’m begging. It’s only been three hours since I’ve felt him inside me and I’m feeling bereft without the feeling. I can feel my core tightening in anticipation for him.
"Always," he murmurs into my nape and then, oh God he’s pushing into me. The slow motions he’s using makes the filling feeling even better. I feel my muscles stretch around him, clench around him as he fills me up and then withdraws, then pushes back into me ever so slowly.
"Gavin," I moan, my head falling back in pleasure and my thighs tightening around his lean hips when he’s buried to the hilt inside me. I want to stay just like this, feel him so deep inside me forever, but when he starts to move in and out, rubbing that oh so sensitive spot inside me, I can’t stop the sound of a whimper and a moan that escapes me.
"My Aria, this is heaven. Being inside you is the best feeling I’ve ever had. Don’t ever leave me again." The words are a plea and the softness of them makes me tilt his head up and my breath catches in my throat when I see the love in his stormy blue grays.
"Never again," I vow, lacing my fingers within his on either side of my head.
Then, he begins to move. We move with a desperation that I’ve never felt before and when he reaches the end of me one last time, I tighten my inner muscles around him and I simply cannot hold the pleasure inside anymore.
"Come, baby."
And with one last cry of his name upon my mouth, I do.
***
Gavin wakes me with a tender kiss to my temple and I feel his hands spreading against my lower back. The feel of his hands on me is heavenly.
"Sleepy," I whisper, refusing to open my eyes for another few precious seconds. I hear the deep rumble of Gavin’s chuckle beside me.
"Come on, Beautiful. Open your eyes." He brushes his fingers over my cheek just under my eye.
"What do I get if I do?" I tease, reaching up to his thank Jesus bare chest. I think I moan at the feel of it under my fingers.
"This." The promise in his voice makes me slowly peek one eye open and when I see the platter of blueberry waffles, my favorite cinnamon raisin toast and more eggs than I can possible eat, I most definitely moan at the sight of it.
"You shouldn’t have," I say as I sit up against the pillows and reach for a large piece of toast.
"It was our deal, remember? And I haven’t been able to do this for you lately so…"
He scoops some scrambled eggs onto a spoon and I moan when they reach my mouth. The mischievous look in those stormy eyes of his is worth the soreness in my muscles.
"Hmm, you’re right about that. But you could have popped a stitch running around like that, Gavin. You should be taking it easy."
He shakes his head slightly and the look of amusement in his eyes doesn’t waver.
"I was standing in front of the oven, Aria. And I wanted to do this for you. You deserve to be pampered and adored and I’m going to do that and more."
My heart melts at his honest words and I nod at him, smiling softly.
"Thank you, baby." I lift my mouth to his and rub my lips over his in a light kiss.
Gavin helps me finish the rest of the food and then sets the tray to the side to place a steaming cup of coffee in front of me. When I look down I’m happily surprised he remembered how I like my coffee.
Light with cream.
"You remembered." I take a sip and smile at him.
"I remember everything about you, Aria. I couldn’t forget if I tried."
"Stay home with me today. I don’t want to give you up to the rest of the world yet."
"I actually have…" The words die in my throat when I remember how long it’s been since we had a full day to spend together. We need that. And I can reschedule the meeting this afternoon. The person I am supposed to be meeting with is supposed to help me get back out into the dance world now that Grayson is off the table. They specialize in helping women of the art professions find opportunities for growth. Kel had set it up for me after I told her about losing the spot with the company. I need to take that meeting. As I look at the man I could have lost only a few short weeks ago, I know it can wait. Gavin is the important one right now. Only him.
"Okay."
I reach forward and press my cheek to his, embracing him in my favorite way. I can feel the tension come off him and I know he must have been worried I would say no. But honestly, I need this time with him. Our time.
"Let me get dressed and we can figure out what we want to do today," I say, pulling away and giving him a smile when our eyes meet again.
"Hell no."
Before I know it I’m pulled back to the bed and he’s hovering over me, that sexy-as-sin grin across his face. That face that I fell in love with so many weeks ago is all I can see.
"Where do you think you’re going, Ms. Morgan?"
"Um, the shower?" The shake of his head is all I get before Gavin’s mouth comes down to mine.
Immediately, my thighs clench around his hips and my lips part for him. I’m lost in the kiss and the man and the weight of him between my legs.
Abruptly, Gavin stands and scoops me into his arms.
"Now, we shower."
I giggle and burrow my face into his chest while I’m carried to the bathroom and he sets me gently down on my feet.
"Make it hot," I say huskily as Gavin adjusts the dials on his floor to ceiling shower.
"You make it hot, baby. In you go."
I’m placed under the hot, hot spray of water and immediately I’m sated by the soothing sensation of the water gliding down my back and the backs of my legs. The blues of Gavin’s eyes are lit up with desire as he reaches between our bodies to lift my hands to his mouth where he kisses each fingertip gently.
"Turn around." As I do, I feel his hands reach around me for the loofah and a small bottle of body wash I left the last time we were here. I feel my need for him unfurl in my belly and I can’t help thinking how the last time he made love to me in here feels like ages ago even though only a little over a week has gone by.
"Oh, Gavin," I say as his smooth hands begin to slide down the small slope of my neck, over my nape and to my shoulders. His fingers rub and massage the muscles there, soothing away days of tension and angst. I lean into his hands and rest my head back on his chest as Gavin continues to adore my body with his touch and the scrub of the pink loofah he must have bought for me.
"I love your skin." he whispers next to my ear just before his teeth come down to catch my earlobe.
"Ahh." I turn and reach for the body wash I know he uses and begin my own torture on his lean and amazingly toned body. I’m careful on his ribs and lower stomach and especially over the patch covering part of his right forearm.
"Does it still hurt?" I ask, blinking up at him once he’s rinsed both shampoo and my favorite Aloe and Chamomile conditioner out of my hair. Being adored by this man in this way is heavenly and I know I could get used to it; I could want it for the rest of my life. Somehow, I do want that and it doesn’t scare the ever living crap out of me.
"No, and these don’t either. The pain medication did its job. Please stop worrying, baby. I’m OK."
He dips his forehead to mine and rests it there for long seconds.
"Can we go to the Chateau?" I ask, referring to the small but absolutely stunning Italian chateau Gavin’s cousin owns. His eyes light up as he grasps my hand in his to interlace our fingers.
When he leads me out of the shower, it’s the first time in these past few days that I’m free of worry.
I’m just looking forward to the rest of the day.