New Leaves, No Strings (5 page)

‘If you go around telling men that
all you’re interested in is no strings attached sex, how many do you think will
lie about their availability just to take advantage of you?’ he asked frowning.

‘I’m not going around broadcasting
the fact thank you. I’m very choosy, so no one will be taking unwitting
advantage of me. You asked me what I wanted and I’m telling you. I’m very
attracted to you, but I won’t be the other woman for any guy.’

‘And I’d never do that, it’s
dishonest and disrespectful. I believe if you choose to be in a relationship,
you should commit and not cheat.’

‘That’s very admiral of you Gabe.
Still I don’t want to be the cause of any break up, not with unrealistic
expectations of what I can offer.’

‘So if I were single, you’d want a
no strings relationship?’

‘I never said I wanted a
relationship,’ I reminded him. ‘If you’re really that unhappy with her, you
should leave. Don’t use me or anyone else as an excuse.’

‘I wasn’t unhappy, I thought I was
perfectly bloody happy until I saw you,’ he replied with another sexy frown. ‘I
knew the moment I saw you that I wanted you. Believe me Mia, women come on to
me
a lot
and I’ve never felt the need to follow up while I was seeing
someone, but this …’ He exhaled and gesticulated the space between us. ‘I’ve
never felt this sort of attraction to anyone before. I can’t stop bloody
thinking about you. I just needed to see if you felt the same, before I even
contemplate hurting her, she’s a really good person.’

 ‘Then stay with her Gabe, there’s
a lot to be said for really good.’ Did he just say he can’t stop thinking about
me?
Him
thinking about
me?
I looked up at him wishing he’d just
ignore me, dump her and rip off my clothes and have wild, hot, frenzied sex
with me.

‘What if I want more? What if I
want you?’

‘Attraction’s sometimes just
attraction and there’s nothing substantial to hold it all together. I can’t
promise you any more than that Gabe.’ I was cursing him internally, he’d just
said he couldn’t stop thinking about me and now he was telling me he wanted me.
Could this be any more frustrating.

‘Other than the mind blowing sex?’
he smiled.

‘Well that goes unstated,’ I said
as confidently as I could, while blushing at the same time. ‘Seriously though,
don’t jeopardise a perfectly good relationship, a lot of people would be happy
to have that. I’m really not worth it.’

He stood staring intently at me, I
could see him trying to process our dialogue and come up with a response. Why
was I being so protective of his relationship and denying want I wanted? I did
want him, if there was ever a guy I wanted to lose my virginity to, to be
fucked by, he was the one. I needed him to know it, clearly and unequivocally
or I’d forever kick myself for the lost opportunity.

‘Gabe?’

‘Yes,’ he sighed.

‘If you were ever single at the
same time as me though, I’d really love to have sex with you.’ I stepped away,
embarrassed at my boldness and put my hand on the door.

‘Christ you’re infuriating. I could
throw you over my knee and spank you,’ he growled sexily behind me, making my
body quiver. I looked back at him, over my shoulder.

‘Now that I could definitely see
myself liking,’ I said with a smile and an wink, that came from nowhere and
even took me by surprise.

I quickly walked through the door
into the English hall, letting it close behind me and left him outside, with a
complete look of astonishment on his face. I sat down besides Lexi with shaking
hands and quickly popped another dextrose tablet in my mouth. She raised a
questioning eyebrow at me and we both looked around as Gabe swung open the door
and walked over to his desk opposite. His cheeks looked like they’d been firmly
smacked their hue was so pink.

‘What just happened? You’ve been
gone ages,’ whispered Lexi. ‘He looks like he’s about to explode.’

‘I was playing hard to get, then
decided maybe I was playing too hard to get. So I channelled you and made it
clear I’d have sex with him, if he were available.’ Lexi looked at me impressed
and took a swig of her water. ‘And I may have just given him the impression
that I like to be spanked,’ I added casually. Lexi spurted the water out over
the desk.

‘Spanked?! You’ve read those bloody
books too many times.’

‘Yes maybe so, but look at him Lex.
He may have wanted me before, but now he
really
wants me.’

‘What about the girlfriend?’

‘He said he was happy with her, so
I’ve made it clear that I’m not doing anything while they’re together, but it’s
so
frustrating. He said he can’t stop thinking about me and that he
wants me. It’s so hard,’ I sighed feeling a seriously horny and confused. ‘I
want him so badly, but if he stays with her, I’m going to have to someone else
with whom to do the deed.’

‘With whom. You make out like
you’re all proper, with your posh voice and fancy turn of phrase, but deep down
there’s an utter harlot waiting to break out.’

‘You know what Lex, I think you
might just be right.’

I was disappointed at the end of
the lecture to see Gabe grab his bag and race out, with barely a glance in my
direction. Bugger, it seemed I’d pushed him too far.

‘Lex, what are we doing for
dinner?’ I asked as I packed up.

‘You’re ordering take out for one,’
she grinned. ‘I’ve got plans.’

‘See you later Lexi,’ said Andrew
as he stood up and left.

‘Andrew shaped plans?’ I asked
astonished. ‘When did this happen? Why didn’t you say anything?’

‘While you were out aggravating
horny unavailable men Mia, besides me getting laid is no big deal. Seeing you
all excited like this
is
, it’s a first. Well it is if you don’t count
your crush on Tyler phase. You were only twelve after all.’

‘I know it’s weird. Is it weird?’ I
asked as I buckled up my bag.

‘Your old Tyler crush?’

‘No, the Gabe thing.’

‘It’s bloody great, but I’ve got to
dash. “Laters baby” be good don’t use up too many batteries tonight thinking
about him,’ she winked.

‘You may look like a bloke with
that haircut Lexi Clarke, but let me tell you you’re no Christian bloody Grey,’
I yelled after her retreating figure. She responded with two fingers behind her
back and disappeared out of the door. I grabbed my bag and Milo appeared by my
side.

‘So Fifty Shades fan? Interesting.’

‘Hi Milo. Colour me embarrassed,
this is a getting to be a theme around you.’

‘I have this effect on woman,’ he
said with a lovely smile.

‘So, how’s Jenny? Have you been in
touch?’ I asked as we walked out of the hall.

‘Yes, I was hoping she could make
this weekend, we’ve never been apart for more than a few days, but she can’t
make it with her work shifts. I really miss her you know. Does that make me
sound less manly?’

‘No, it’s sweet,’ I laughed. ‘How
long have you been together?’

‘Since we were 13, we met at school
and were together through college too. She didn’t get the grades she was hoping
for, so went to get a job instead.’

‘Listen Milo, I’m alone tonight. My
roommate Lexi has a date and I hate sitting alone on a Wednesday. It’s just a
black depressing hole in the middle of the week. How do you fancy sharing a
Pizza with me, if I promise not to seduce you in your time of grief?’

‘Well when you put it like that how
can I refuse?’ he laughed. ‘There’s a great Pizza take away around the corner
from my digs.’ He offered me his arm and we headed out.

We went back to his room and ate,
swigging beer as we sat on his bed with some music playing. We spent a few
hours discussed movies, music and books and he told me all about how he and
Jenny had grown up together and fallen in love, showing me pictures of the two
of them. He was clearly smitten, so another guy I found attractive that was
unavailable, just my bloody luck. I was going to die a virgin at this rate.

‘So what’s up with you and the
blonde Adonis?’ he asked.

‘What?’ I laughed.

‘Well he swooped in to carry you
out the day you fainted, can’t take his eyes off you and you were both out of
English for ages at the same time earlier. It doesn’t take a genius.’

‘Well genius, you’re way off track.
He’s seeing someone, so there’s nothing going on.’

‘Right, keep telling yourself
that,’ he tutted as he swigged on his drink.

‘So you don’t think it’s possible
to be attracted to someone and not act on it?’

‘For a woman yes, but quite
unlikely for a man.’

‘You’ve told me you find me
attractive, but you’re not doing anything about it.’

‘That’s because I’m taken, besides
I can see the way you look at him and him at you.’

‘How’s that?’

‘Like you just have each other and
no one else will ever compare. No one wants to get caught in the middle of
that, trust me, there’s no hope for them.’

‘Well it won’t happen as he’s
already taken,’ I sighed. I’d tried all afternoon to forget, but I just
couldn’t get the image of Gabe out of my head, nor the way his blue eyes had
searched mine so intently. I just wanted to drown in them and kiss his perfect
lips while my fingers tangled in his soft blonde hair.

‘Then I feel sorry for her Mia.
He’s definitely not into that relationship.’

‘Then why be in it Milo?’

‘It’s better than being alone I
guess. Being alone sucks.’

We clinked our bottles to that and
he called me a taxi.

‘Thanks Milo, you’ve been great
company.’

‘You too, if you’re ever at a loose
end, I’m here for pizza, movies or whatever as your new male BFF.’

‘Well thank you, as long as you
warn Jenny. I don’t want her on my ass when she comes to town.’

‘She’ll be cool about it, she has a
male friend back home. We’ve been together too long not to trust each other.’

‘Then we’ll sort something out
soon,’ I proclaimed as I kissed him on the cheek and made my way out into the
cool night to find my waiting taxi and headed home, Gabe still invading my
thoughts.

I had the whole morning free, so I decided to take a
break from studying and have a lie in. I texted Lexi.

How was he? Have you
cut and run already or are you persevering?

Fifteen minutes later there was no
response, which was most un-Lexi like.

Shit is he an axe
murderer and you can’t reach your phone to text because your severed arms are
the other side of the room to your phone?

My phone rang immediately.

‘If both my arms had been severed
by an axe murderer I don’t think I’d still be alive, let alone able to bloody
text what with my whole new
no hands look
you idiot.’

‘O right duhhhh. You normally reply
so quickly with that text speak of yours, I was worried.’

‘I was just getting dressed when
you sent the first one.’

 ‘You’re not shagging him now while
you call me? You sound all breathless.’

‘No, I’m walking while talking,
which is proving rather difficult, I’m so unfit.’

‘Ditch the fags Lex, that would
help. Are you seeing him again?’

‘I’m
thinking about it. It
was above average. He’s talking about going out Friday night, but I’ve told him
that’s girls’ night. Got to keep some traditions eh?’

 ‘Lexi if you’re prepared to see a
guy for a second time, I think we can forgo our girls Friday for once.’

‘We’ll see. I’m nearly home now,
what you doing?’

‘Just having a lie in, late night.’

‘Ooooo tell me more?’

‘Nothing like that. I went for a
pizza at Milo’s and we just sat chatting for hours. He’s lonely as his girlfriend’s
back home and we get on really well. Same film and music taste, same sense of
humour.’

‘Are you playing the field Miss
Prim and Proper?’

‘No. My head’s too full of Gabe. I
dreamt about him last night and Lex, he was so good I think I came in my sleep.
I really fancy him, it’s going to be so hard to see him every day and keep resisting
his advances.’

‘You’re too nice, why persist and resist
and be miserable? Go for it.’

‘Julie,’ I said sighing heavily. ‘I
could never do that to another woman Lexi, it’s just wrong.’

‘What and your outrageous flirting
and undressing each other with your eyes isn’t?’

‘My mum’s always said you can look
at anything on the menu as long as you don’t order anything, or eat it, or
something like that. Besides he says he wouldn’t cheat, so as long as she’s in
the picture this is as far as we go. How you win them’s how you lose them as mum
says.’

‘I don’t remember your mum being
Chinese,’ joked Lexi. ‘Full of bloody proverbs she is.’

‘What and now you’re Yoda?’

‘Nice Star Wars comparison.’

‘I thought so. “Just eat the
fucking cookie” guess that one,’ I said in my best Chinese accent.

‘Save them, it’s not Tuesday and
that was way too easy anyway, Mickey Blue Eyes. Have to do better than that to
catch me out with a film quote Mia. See you in a few.’

‘I’ll get the kettle on and you can
give me the low down. By the way Lex, have you borrowed my silver hoop
earrings? I seem to have lost one.’

‘Nope sorry, got my black spears in
today, I’m at the bottom door now, that kettle better be boiled by the time I
make it up those bloody stairs, without a caffeine fix I may need a
defibrillator.’

I got up and flicked it on and we
headed into the lounge with our drinks and dissected Lexi’s evening with Andrew
and I reminded her of our pact.

‘I’m making all this effort to lose
my virginity, the least you can do is go on second date.’

‘It’s hardly a date when you just
go home and fuck.’

‘Ok, but you never fuck twice.’

‘Seriously, trying to twist James
Bonds “You only live twice” into you never fuck twice is just stretching the
rules too far.’

‘You never fuck twice, that’s
hilarious I wasn’t even thinking films. Please Lexi, do it for me?’

‘I’ll think about it.’

‘Well think fast, English lecture
beckons, we’d better shift. Jenkins already has it in for me.’

We just made it in time and I was
disappointed to find Gabe was nowhere to be seen. Milo waved from his seat and
mouthed ‘
Hello’
and I reiterated. I watched Andrew as Lexi sat next to
him. God he looked so miserable, we’d such different taste in men. The lecture
dragged without any flirtation with Gabe to distract me. Where was he? I’d been
looking forward to my fix all morning. As a break was announced we got up to go
and get coffee.

‘Mia, I’ve a message here to pass
onto you. I’m not the postal service, please refrain from using me as such in
future,’ called out Mr Jenkins. He waved a piece of paper in his outstretched
hand, without even so much as a glance in my direction.

‘Great, I make it on time, no
toilet breaks, no falling over. You’d think I’d get some credit. Who the bloody
hell’s sending me a message here?’ I asked Lexi.

‘Beats me,’ she shrugged.

I sighed and went to collect it and
quickly exited the hall before I got another mouthful from Jenkins.

As we made our way to the cafeteria,
I opened it and pulled out a scrappy piece of paper on which was scrawled
I
need to speak to you now. Call me on this number immediately, Gabe
. His
mobile number was scribbled below.

‘Who does he think he is?’ tutted
Lexi ‘He’s very authoritative, I’d make him wait.’

‘You’re right. I don’t want him to
think I’m too desperate for him.’

‘Which you are.’

‘But I’m trying to be somewhat
discreet.’

‘And failing miserably, you do
remember you actually told him that you wanted to have sex with him while he
spanked you?’

‘I didn’t put it quite like that
Lexi and anyway I’m not failing. I’m holding out pretty well. I’m quite proud
of myself. Name a time you met a guy you fancied and lasted more than three days
without jumping his bones.’

‘Touché. So calling or texting? Now
or after we get out?’

‘Call I think. I like the idea of
hearing his sexy voice on the phone and I’m going to make him wait until after
English.’

‘Well save his bloody number, you
know how many films go horribly wrong because the prats lose the piece of paper
it’s written on, or wash it off their hands.’

‘So any development on the Andrew
part deux front?’ I asked as I programmed Gabe’s number into my new iPhone.

‘Hmmm still thinking about it. He
mentioned a club that’s supposed to be all the rage around here, Fazeleys I
think? Reckons its good on a Friday, so said I’d let him know as it’s my night
out with you.’

‘I told you I don’t mind, we can
always go out together first and I can either head home or see if Milo wants to
join me at the club.’

We were forty minutes back into our
English lecture when there was a knock at the door and Mr Jenkins teaching
assistant opened it and put his head out. I could hear mumbling before he
closed it and scanned the room.

‘Mia Page?’ he called.

‘Here,’ I replied, automatically
putting my hand in the air, a reflex from morning roll call at Rowleys.

‘Apparently you have a water leak
and need to get home immediately.’

A water leak? Goddamn it that was
all I needed, I started packing my bag up.

‘Do you want me to come?’ asked
Lexi.

‘No, stay and keep notes for me.
I’ll call the landlord and get someone to meet me there.’

‘Miss Page, please will you make a
decision, staying or going. You’re holding up my lecture. Again,’ resonated the
annoyed voice of Mr Jenkins.

‘Sorry Sir,’ I mumbled and was
rewarded with a heavy sigh and shake of the head.

I grabbed my bag and hurried out of
the door, turned right and ran straight into Gabe leaning against the wall, his
arms folded across his chest. He reached out to steady me and I tried to keep
in a gasp at the feeling of unexpected full body contact as I sprawled against
him. His body was solid like concrete, but so warm and I virtually drooled on
his shirt at the feel and smell of him. His hands were gripping my biceps and
he gently propped me back up and let go with a chuckle. My stomach did a
somersault as I swayed looking up at him, he looked amazing, even dressed in
sweats and his hair was slightly damp as if he’d just showered.

‘Finally Mia. Do you know how
difficult you are to get hold of?’ he said looking amused.

‘Shit. There is no water leak is
there?’ I sighed as I leaned back on the wall to steady myself and dropped my
bag onto the floor.

‘No.’

‘You can’t just do something like
that Gabe, now I’m missing a lecture and Jenkins is mad at me again.’

‘Well if you’d returned my phone
call like I asked over two and a half hours ago I wouldn’t have had to resort
to such measures.’

‘Two and a half hours? I only got
your message about half an hour ago.’

‘Bloody Jenkins, I told him to give
it to you before he started lecturing,’ he said with a frown that only made him
look even sexier. I was getting all hot again, he was standing so close to me.

‘Well he didn’t and he wasn’t
impressed at all, so thanks for making things worse for me with him. Why
weren’t you in there? You could’ve just come and spoken to me.’

‘I’m on swim practice overload for
the competition tomorrow, so I’m getting notes after and I’ll have to catch up.’

‘O right. So how long have you been
waiting out here?’

‘I don’t wait when I want something.
I sneaked out of practice, got here and I knocked.’

‘Has anyone ever told you that you
have some serious stalker tendencies?’ I asked astonished at the lengths he’d
gone to so he could see me. ‘Anyway what do you want?

‘Well first off I’d like to know
why you didn’t ring me when you finally got the message half an hour ago?’

‘Do I look like your slave girl? I’ve
other things to do with my time than jump every time you crack the whip.’

‘Hmmmm, more references to bondage
play, interesting.’

I looked up at him and blushed to
see the sparkle of naughtiness in his eye. I could see exactly what he was
thinking. ‘Now who’s avoiding? What do you want Gabe?’

‘You of course,’ he replied as he
tilted his head to the side and studied my face for a reaction.

I took a big gulp, he’d just said
it again, that he wants me, which seemed laughable, implausible even given how
he looked. ‘We’ve been over this Gabe, I don’t…’

‘do complicated,’ he finished for
me. ‘I got that message loud and clear Mia, so I’ve made adjustments.’

‘Adjustments? What’s that supposed
to mean?’

‘Julie and I are no longer together.’

‘What? When?’ I gasped as I felt my
eyes widen. He’d totally thrown me. I knew he liked me, but I’d anticipated that
we’d carry on this flirtation for a long time. I thought he’d want to get to
know me a bit better, to weigh up if it was worth the risk. I hadn’t expected
him to end his relationship for me, just like that. He was full on. Too full
on? I was so confused.

‘Yesterday as soon as English was
over. I went straight to see her and ended it.’

So that explained why he’d rushed
out of the lecture yesterday, he really didn’t mess about. ‘O god Gabe. Why did
you have to do that?’ I asked rubbing my forehead.

‘You told me you didn’t do
complicated remember?’

‘So you finish with her just like
that?’ I asked as I looked up at him and had to stifle a moan as I looked at
his gorgeous eyes again.

‘It’d never have worked out anyway,’
he said with a shrug. ‘Don’t blame yourself.’

‘O thanks for being so magnanimous,
I wasn’t planning on it. What did you tell her?’

‘Does it matter?’ he asked, seeming
surprised.

‘It does if she thinks I’m to blame
and goes all Glenn Close on my arse.’

‘You see this as akin to Fatal
Attraction?’ he laughed.

‘You know your films. Well then you
must know that women are typically not happy when they’re dumped out of the
blue. A hint of another woman in the picture can make them see red.’

‘It was hardly out of the blue. We
were together for 9 months and she knew I wasn’t that keen.’

‘How come?’ I asked intrigued.

‘Because I was distant, I wasn’t
full on and I never told her I loved her.’

‘Why?’

‘I just didn’t feel like that about
her. I’ve never told anyone that I love them. When I say it I want to really mean
it. I want it to be for it to be for the right reason with the right person.’

God was he for real? Or was this
one of his seduction tactics, telling women exactly what he thought they wanted
to hear so he could fuck them? I sighed, what did it matter anyway? This
flirtation with him was just about sex after all.