The Honeymoon Period (The Austin Series) (26 page)

‘That was
mean, Gabe,’ I scowled. He pushed me back against the wall and kissed me.

‘Gabriel
that reminds me, will you please leave the poor girls neck alone. You’re too
old to be marking your territory,’ Robert said firmly. I giggled as Gabe gave
him an unimpressed look. ‘That’s my cue to head to the steam room. Don’t overdo
it please.’

I watched
as he swam and climbed out and then blinked and quickly turned my head as I
realised I was looking at Gabe’s dad and thinking he looked hot in swim wear as
well. Gabe frowned at me.

‘What?’

‘That’s my
dad, Mia.’

‘He’s got a
seriously good body for his age. I bet he’s a real goer in the sack.’ Gabe’s
face was a picture and I burst out laughing and splashed him and he pinned me
back to the wall and we enjoyed a few minutes kissing. ‘We should go and join
him Gabe, you don’t have long left with him,’ I sighed.

‘Well, you
aren’t going in wearing that. Put a towel around you. If he wasn’t in the steam
room I’d be pulling that tiny bit of material aside and fucking you in there. Another
place we haven’t done it,’ he said with a mischievous grin.

‘Sex
maniac.’ I kissed him and nodded to the ladder and we swam over and climbed out
and he watched as I walked around and wrapped my towel around me and tucked it
in and headed back. He grabbed me and linked both hands with mine and lifted
them to put them to his mouth, kissing them over and over.

‘I love you,
Mia,’ he said softly as he looked in my eyes.

‘What prompted
that?’

‘Every time
I look at you I think how lucky I am.’

‘Well,
right back at you, Austin,’ I smiled and he led me to the steam room. We sat
and chatted to his dad before moving to the sauna. Gabe and I looked at each
other and smiled, remembering the last time we’d been in here, where he’d
fucked me so hard I’d nearly passed out. Robert left us to go and do some
paperwork and I left Gabe in the sauna and took a quick shower and got back in
the pool and did some more lengths. After about ten minutes I stood up and
squeezed the water out of my hair and saw him lying back on the recliner
watching me, a towel draped over his pelvis and wondered if there could
possibly be a better toned, more sexy guy than him out there.

‘You know you
aren’t a bad swimmer. You never thought of doing it competitively?’

‘No, I’m
not like you. I do it for fun and fitness.’ I climbed out using the shallow end
ladder and he patted for me to sit on his lap. I did so carefully and draped my
arms around his neck running my fingers along his pink shoulder scar.

‘I do it
for fun and fitness too,’ he mumbled as he kissed my chest.

‘No you
don’t, you do it to win.’

‘Well,
there’s that too.’

‘What if
you can’t, Gabe?’ I asked hesitantly.

‘Can’t
what?’

‘What if
this injury means you can’t win anymore? Will you accept that or push yourself
to try and get back to the way you were?’

‘Are you
trying to bring me down?’ he asked with a frown and I felt him tensing up
beneath me.

‘No, I just
don’t want you placing unnecessary pressure on yourself. Your injury was
serious Gabe, and your shoulder may never be as good as it was. I need to know
that you’re thinking about what that may mean for the future and how you’re
going to deal if it’s a worst case.’

‘Mia, I
don’t look at worst cases, you set yourself up for failure before you start. My
goal is to get back to full strength and for things to get back to normal,’ he
said firmly, making it clear I shouldn’t push any further, but I was worried.
His surgeon had repeatedly warned him that it was highly unlikely he’d be able
to swim at competitive levels without damaging his shoulder further, but Gabe
seemed in denial, he’d even snapped saying what did a shoulder surgeon know
about swimming, so I’d had to let it go at the time. All I could do was try and
pace him and be there for him if it came to the worst. ‘Why have you gone all
quiet baby?’

‘I just
worry about you. Are you keeping on top of your studies, it’s probably going to
be January before you return. That’s half a term you’ll have missed.’

‘Are you
keeping tabs on me? First it’s my bloody dad, now you. I don’t need fucking
babying every five minutes.’ He shoved a hand through his hair and sounded really
irritated, it was time to back off and give him some space.

‘I think I’ll
go back in and get changed and make a start on dinner.’ I let go of him and
went to stand up and his arms tightened around my waist.

‘I’m sorry Mia,
that was unfair. Don’t go, just sit here with me for a minute and we can go
back together,’ he pleaded. I cupped his face, kissed him and sat looking at
him stroking his temples with my thumbs.

‘You’re really
tense all of a sudden Gabe, what’s going on? I thought we were ok?’

‘We are Mia,
I’m sorry, it’s just me. Dad’s leaving again tonight and now you’re leaving … I
just liked having you both around, the house feels so empty without you,’ he
sighed. I looked at him and was struck with how lonely his upbringing must’ve
been. No mum, no siblings and a dad that spent so much time at work or dragging
him around the world with him. He needed some stability, to put down some roots
and have the people he cared about around him. It dawned on me that this was probably
why family and marriage were so important to him, he was desperately lonely,
Doug had said as much to me too. Why had I not realised this before? I may have
been rejected by my dad and Alex, but I’d always had Mum and Lexi, I’d never
been alone.

‘I’m not
leaving Gabe, just relocating and you’re coming with me. I thought we agreed to
split our time between our two places until the new apartment was ready. I
don’t want that to mean we’re apart.’

‘Really?’
he looked up at me and his face lit up again.

‘Of course
really. Other than the night we had that fight over my hair and I slept in the
spare room, we haven’t had a night apart in the last six weeks, Gabe.’

‘It’s been
a lot for you Mia, you look so tired. I thought you might want a break from me,
to recharge.’

‘Gabe if I
need some personal space I’ll tell you, besides we are having a break. As of
Thursday morning we’re going away for a long weekend and then it’s only a few
weeks until the Christmas holidays where we’ve three weeks to recharge. You
need to relax too, you’ve been through an awful ordeal. I’m just physically tired,
I’m not tired of you, I love you.’ I ran my thumbs under his eyes and as he
closed them I kissed each of his eyelids and rested my forehead on his, our
noses touching and he sighed.

‘I love you
so much, Mia.’

‘I know you
do, Gabe. Come on, your dad’s leaving soon. Why don’t you go and cook with him
on your own, enjoy the time you have together as it will be Christmas before
you see him again. I need to shower, wash my hair to rinse out the chlorine and
ring my mum and Lexi. I haven’t heard from her since I left a message this
morning, so I dread to think what’s going on over there.’ I hugged him tightly
and kissed his forehead and we got up. He grabbed me and wrapped his towel
around me and tucked it in tightly and I laughed as his efforts to protect my
modesty.

We walked
hand in hand back to the house over the cold November grass and through the
utility and I grabbed the basket of washing his dad had done and headed
upstairs. As I emptied it and started folding all the items and putting them in
their places I picked up my expensive pair of black underwear with the blue
ribbons from Friday night and was mortified realising they’d been in the wash
that his dad had done. It seemed all we’d done all weekend was thrust that fact
that we were sexual in his face, which wasn’t how I wanted him thinking of us.
I put my outfit from this morning back on the bed and looked around Gabe’s room
at all the roses, ten bouquets all still looking beautiful. I was going to miss
his room, but was also looking forward to having a few nights in my own. I
joined him in the shower and washed his hair for him and pushed him away as I watched
him come to life before my eyes.

‘No.’

‘No what?’

‘No sex. Go
and see your dad.’

‘Mia,’ he
moaned.

‘Go,’ I
said it forcefully and pointed my finger at the door and he did his sulky look.

‘Bring that
swimsuit to Edinburgh, will you?’

‘There’s a
pool at the hotel?’

‘Yes, but I’m
not telling you anymore. It’s a surprise.’ He smacked my bottom and shook his head
as his eyes scanned my body. ‘So fuckable and all mine,’ he grinned and walked
out. I smiled to myself. He’d no idea what being with him had done for my self-confidence.
I showered and left my freshly washed hair to dry naturally, got changed and
went and sat on the bed and took my iPhone off the charger. I had two text
messages.

Hey.
Clean dun. Lookin gud. Soz got it in such mess. We need 2 catch up. Not told me
bout Fri strip, or ow ot Gs dad woz. WOW. Me like ;-)

She’d sent
the first not long after I’d rung her this morning, I’d been so busy arguing
and having sex I’d not even noticed. The next was only an hour ago.

U ok?
That pissed wit me? I’m soz. <3 U x

Sorry
Lexi, I was out and about. I’m not pissed with you now, though I was when I
found the apartment yesterday morning. I’m going to work you hard when I get
back and make sure you know how to keep on top of it when I’m away. Friday went
really well, tell you all about it later. Robert is pretty hot isn’t he? Lovely
to think Gabe will look even better at his age :-) About to ring Mum to firm up
arrangement’s for going home first weekend of the holidays. Are you still
coming? I think it may spin Gerry’s head Exorcist style if I ask for Doug to
stay as well, though Mum would love to meet him and he could come and eat with
us. He could stay in that B&B down the road? Let me know what you think.
See you later, don’t be fucking anywhere but your room. I don’t need to see
that xx

I rang
Mum’s number.

‘Hello?’

‘Hi Mum,
it’s Mia.’ I felt the automatic smile on my face, it was so good to hear her
voice. It had been over nine weeks since I’d last seen her and that was too
long.

‘Mia
sweetheart, how are you? How’s Gabe doing?’

‘I’m good,
tired but good. I’m looking forward to catching up with you properly. Gabe’s
doing much better thanks, he’s out of his sling and other than heavy lifting he’s
got most of his range of movement back and seems a little less stressed than he
was.’ I’d still had not told her about me, that was a face to face conversation
and I was praying Georgie hadn’t said anything. We’d finally spoken a few weeks
ago and being a nurse she knew all about my condition and had given me some
helpful advice.

‘Are you
still at his house?’

‘Yes.’

‘Mia, it’s
like you’re living together, do you not think you’re going a bit fast?’ I could
hear the concern in her voice. She was definitely not ready to find out we were
actually moving in together.

‘Mum, I
love him. What was I supposed to do, quit because he had an accident too early
in our relationship? And so what if we’re spending so much time together? I’m
still on top of my studies and have had some good grades on my assignments. Can’t
you just be happy for me?’

‘I am
sweetheart, he seems so taken with you and he’s so polite and well mannered. He’s
a lovely voice on the phone too.’

‘On the
phone? When have you spoken to him?’

‘O bugger.
Sorry, he wanted some advice on your birthday sweetheart so he rang me. I was
supposed to keep quiet.’

‘What
advice?’ I asked, Mum was about as good as Doug at keeping secrets.

‘Well, I’m
not saying anymore, but I think you’ll love his gift.’

‘Mum,
come
on
.’

‘No. I’ve
already said too much. So how’s Lexi?’

I updated
her and she was shocked to hear her and Doug were still together. She agreed it’d
be fine for him to come and eat with us, but that it wouldn’t be a good idea
for him to stay. Gerry still wasn’t happy that Gabe was stopping in one of the
spare rooms. I updated her on most things, leaving out the pole dancing, sex
and the new apartment and after half an hour had to apologise and tell her I
needed to go or they’d be halfway through cooking without me.

‘Have a
lovely weekend away Mia, lucky girl.’

‘I know Mum,
he spoils me. Love you, ring you next week.’

‘Love you
too, send him my best. Bye.’

I’d another
text from Lex and read it as I went downstairs.

Glad we
r ok. Text when arrive. We’ll elp wit bags x

I went into
the kitchen to find preparations for dinner already well underway and Gabe
seemed in much better spirits and was back in his jeans and white shirt. I
kissed him on the cheek, grabbed a glass of water and set the table and offered
to help with the cooking, but was told they had it under control. Gabe sat me
at the island and Robert got out a nice bottle of red and poured us a glass,
Gabe refusing and glugged back his water. It was five when we tucked into a
lovely roast beef dinner, with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, rich thick brandy
gravy and mashed potatoes, carrots, peas and parsnips and then hot apple
strudel with a delicious clotted cream ice cream for dessert. I sat back and
held my stomach and they laughed.