By the time we’re packed and ready to go, it’s Hannah’s morning naptime, so the drive to my dad’s is pretty quiet. Gabby’s hand stays tucked inside mine the whole drive, and I can tell she’s fighting demons, but I don’t bring it up. She’s smiling, but she’s distant.
Pulling into my dad’s house, it’s like Hannah knows the crunch of their gravel under my tires because she’s wide awake the second the rubber hits the rocks.
“Hey, guys!” my dad calls from the porch. He’s looking better and better each time I see him. For a while there, it was touch and go, but he seems to be accepting the changes taking place. Someone must be keeping up with the gardening my mom used to do, because the flowers and garden looks damn near pristine. Walking in the house, everything in here seems almost perfect, too, like no one’s even been living here!
“Dad, this place looks great,” I say, wandering in to the cleanest kitchen I’ve ever seen. “You doin’ okay?”
“Things are going real good, son. I’ve learned I have to live my life still… so I am.” He shrugs and takes Hannah out of my arms. “Hello, my sweet cakes. Papa missed you,” he says, walking into the living room.
“This is so bizarre. My dad never did this stuff when I was growing up,” I say, shaking my head at the clean countertops.
“Death changes people,” Gabby whispers from the doorway she’s leaning on.
I nod contemplatively.
“It sure does.”
Gabby
Just Go For It
“I’m sorry ma’am. We’re just not looking for any help right now,” the woman on the phone says sympathetically. I sigh and thank her, hanging up and throwing myself back on my bed.
Two weeks without a job has made my panic start to swell. I’m not going to be able to pay rent. I can make part of it, and maybe stay a few more weeks, but that’s it. Unless I find a job today, I’m out of here. This place was my first place I got on my own without the help of anyone. Sure, I haven’t lived at home for years, but I’ve always lived with someone. Jordan, a friend, a cousin, Annaliese… I never had a place all to myself, and I’m so proud of this place that it breaks my heart knowing I’ll have to leave it.
Dr. T told me that whenever I start to feel the panic rise I should keep my eyes open, focusing on something, anything, around me that I find to be attractive, and count to ten. It’s supposed to help me think about positive things in the present rather than focusing on the negative from the past. It’s worked about half the time. I blacked out yesterday shortly when doing dishes and cut my finger pretty bad, but that’s been it really. The other episodes were difficult to live through, like when I finally got home from Benton’s the night after I told him about everything… I seriously thought he was never going to speak to me again. I thought I ruined everything. Granted, I had to leave because he was going to work, but my brain told me he was kicking me out. I’ve learned to live with the self-doubt, but I’ve also learned to love him and Hannah in ways I never thought I’d let myself, and it scares the shit out of me.
Benton hasn’t mentioned anything about moving in with him again, but I’m starting to wonder if he really meant it. If I have to leave here, I need to have a place to go. I said I could go to my mom’s, but that was just a kneejerk reaction. I don’t trust that whore. Especially since the last thing she said to me was threatening… I’d be okay if I never saw her again. I don’t want to ask Annaliese because she and Adam are getting married next week, and the last thing they need is to have me move in with them.
Instead of lying here, wallowing in my self-pity like I really want to, I get up and shower. Maybe surprising Benton at his work today will make both of our days better.
Walking into his office, I first notice the woman working behind the desk. Too pretty for her own good.
“I’m here for Benton James,” I say, tapping my finger. I hate buildings like this: big, busy, way too clean. I know Adam has money, but this doesn’t have any personal touches to it at all.
After finally allowing me past her desk, she walks me to Benton’s office and nods when he smiles and waves me in. He’s on the phone, so I get to take a few moments to look around where he spends most of his time. There are a few awards on a shelf, and his framed degree sits next to them. Photos take over his desk space, and I smile when I see one he took of Hannah and I a few weeks back. He thought enough of it to put it in a frame on his desk?
How’d I ever find this guy? He’s perfect.
And hot.
Seriously. I see him a lot in casual clothes: jeans, t-shirts, shorts… But not very often do I get to see this Benton.
This Benton whose well-tailored suit looks like it was designed just to fit his body type, sculpted muscles and all. Benton, whose hair is even well sculpted. This Benton is making me want to do all kinds of things to him that aren’t ‘office friendly’. The look he gives me lets me know he’s thinking the exact same thing. I came here just to see him, but now my mind has a whole different agenda.
“Craig, we need to finish this another time,” he practically growls as I walk back and shut the door, feeling the heat pooling between my legs at the thought of doing him in his office. Clicking the lock, I hear him groan. “No, that account… fuck… listen, I’ll call you back, Craig.”
I turn and start playing with the strap of my dress, slowly slipping one strap down my shoulder, a grin playing on my lips as he growls to the man on the phone.
“Jesus Christ, Craig. I’m hanging up, I’ll call you back.” Slamming the phone down, he narrows his eyes at me and shakes his head. “Awfully forward, aren’t we, Gabby?” His hand goes to his crotch to rub himself as I slowly make my way to him, dropping my dress to the floor right as I stand right in front of him. Turned in his office chair, he groans and leans in, laying gentle kisses along my abdomen.
“I thought you might enjoy a little company this afternoon,” I whisper. His lips travel up to find my pert nipple under the black lace bra I put on just for him. “Fuck,” I groan then hiss when his teeth come around it.
“Best surprise ever,” he moans, snaking his hand under my panties. “Fuck. So wet, Gabby.”
“Just for you,” I moan.
His fingers slide inside me, playing me perfectly, as he slams his mouth to mine. One hand inside me, the other snakes around my neck as he stands and lavishes me.
“I only have about ten minutes before my next meeting,” he says between kisses. I moan and nod my understanding that this has to be quick. “Bend over the desk.”
His demand has me burning with need for him. I love this side of him, and I don’t get to see it very often. Don’t get me wrong. I love the sweet side of him too, but, sometimes I need this and he seems to know exactly when. Grabbing the lace panties, he rips them off of me.
“Good God, Gabby. This ass is perfection,” he whispers, tracing his fingers down my ass and lets it rest on the one spot I’ve never let anyone go. Feeling me tense, he chuckles lightly. “Not today, love. I can’t fucking wait until you let me, though,” he says, leaning down to kiss my back as he pushes into me. A moan escapes me as he pulls back and slams into me, releasing a little of his gentle touch for a much rougher side.
Grabbing onto the edges of his desk, nipples pushed against the cool wood, he slams into me over and over, bringing me to the brink of orgasm.
“Fuck, Gabby.” He reaches around and starts to rub my clit with the prefect amount of pressure and gentleness. Unable to hold it at bay any longer, I bite into my arm to suppress the scream that wants to come out of me when my orgasm explodes around him. Thrusting one more time, he leans into me and latches on to my neck, suppressing a moan that would alert the entire office what we’re in here doing. “Fuck fuck fuck,” he murmurs into my neck. Groaning, he slips out of me and grabs a tissue to clean up before pulling himself back together. Grinning, I slowly pull my dress back up and reach for my shredded panties on the floor. “Leave them,” he growls. “I’ll take care of them.” He winks, and I melt right there.