Chapter five

Chapter Five

I am sitting on the couch in the den watching Vince watch the news with my knees pulled up to my chest when the door bell rings.

I get up and rush to the door and open it up. Gabe stands there. He looks very threatening -but always attractive- the way the moon casts light on his face, causing some deep shadows, especially around his deep set eyes. He has his hands stuffed inside the pockets of the lustrous leather jacket he is wearing.

He smiles when he sees me and I helplessly smile back.

I open up the screen door and step out the way.

Gabe’s eyes are drawn past me, and as I turn to look, Vincent is standing in the entryway to the den.

I turn to face Gabe again, and Vince comes to stand beside me.

“Hello. You must be Gabe.” Vincent sticks out a hand, “Aster has been talking about you.”

I blush and Gabe replies, “Only good things I hope,” He says smiling and sending a wink my way. Gabe takes Vince’s hand and shakes.

“Oh yes, only good things.” They are smiling at each other, but only smiles like the just sealed a deal.

They break the handshake and Vince welcomes, “Well, please come in. I am Vincent. You can call me Vince if you would like.”

“Ah, thank you.” Gabe steps inside. “And I am Gabriel, but most people call me Gabe.”

I am smiling when I shut the door. I am glad that the first impression of Gabe sits well with Vince.

“Welcome to our humble abode.” Vince turns his back to us and stretches his arms out to the side.

I am leaning against the door when Vincent walks into the den. I hear a crinkle of leather and he calls after us, “Keep out of my sister’s pants.”

Gabe chuckles and takes off his boots, “That was not my intention.”

Vince laughs and says, “Have fun.”

I walk around Gabe, still bent down, and I can’t help but notice how good his butt looks. He stands up and has an expression that reads, Well? What do we do now?

“Do you wanna go to the basement?” I ask. We hardly ever use the basement, but occasionally in the winter, when it gets very cold, we hang out down there because of the fireplace, while in the summer, we stay down there because of the coolness.

“Sure.” He says with a smile.

I lead the way down the hallway and then down the stairs. I am greeted by the smell of burning wood and dust. There are boxes stacked up behind the hot water tank, mostly of my parents stuff (Vincent and I couldn't find it in our hearts to get rid of most of my Mom’s and Dad’s belongings). I wander over to the small sofa located by the fit fireplace. I hear Gabe’s foot steps behind me, creaking beneath the dusty floorboards. I sit on the sofa and Gabe comes to take a seat beside me.

We sit in silence, gazing into the always changing flames. I feel safe in the warmth of the fire and the fact that I have ravishing young man sitting beside me.

Minutes pass before I look at Gabe. He doesn’t notice and the way the light of the flames danced on his face made him look almost inhuman.

I am staring at his face when he looks at me and smiles.

“How are you?” He asked.

I sigh, “Scared. I’m sorry I didn’t want to go out tonight with you.” I apologize, looking at the fireplace again.

“It’s alright Aster.” He states, shuffling his body so that it faces me, “Why are you scared?”

I fidget, bringing up knees up to my chest, “My brother had a friend over today. His name was Andy. He came up to my room and was harassing me.”

“How so?”

“He called me ‘Babe’ and I asked him not to do that.” I pause, “Then he put his hand on my face and I hit him.” I look Gabe in the eyes which are full of concern. “He said that he wanted to take me to second base.” my voice quivers.

“He didn’t hurt you did he?” Gabe asks, placing a hand on my foot.

“No, he didn't. He didn't have a chance to. I ran to Vincent, who hit him.” I am holding back tears and the back of my throat becomes sore.

“Well, that’s good,” he places both of his hands on my knees, “that he didn’t hurt you and that your brother was there.”

I nod and small tears fall from my eyes.

Gabe takes hand off my knee and brushes away my tears, “Everything will be okay, Aster.” He reassures.

I adjust myself so that I am leaning against Gabe’s shoulder. Almost automatically, his arms wrap around me and pull me into his chest.

“Everything will be okay.” He repeats.

I look up and see that he is looking down on me with beautiful, crystal, grey eyes.

He is warm and I feel like nothing can hurt us. As if we are scripted, he leans forward and I stare into his eyes. He brushes a stray piece of hair off of my cheek. I can feel my heart start to race and my breathing become uneven as out faces get closer and our eyes close.

Our lips touch lightly at first, as if to ask my permission to kiss my lips, then it become more serious. I free a hand from Gabe’s embrace and run my fingers through his blond hair, also pushing him closer to me. He grabs the side of my face, the fingers of his left hand holding my neck and his thumb on my cheek. My kisses become more forceful, as if I am craving it.

I could be, I haven’t dated a guy-Chase-since last year in April. One day, I was suffering a bad case of dry-mouth and decided to buy a drink from one of the vending machines at school. On my way there-the vending machine with the drinks in it was located on the far left, with two snack machines beside it- I heard groans and heavy breathing. I figured it was just a couple making out, but when I passes the two snack machines, I saw Chase smacking lips with Mary-Lynn. Go figure.

I turn my head to the left and Gabe makes his way to my neck, kissing my cheek and my jawline on the way there. I start breathing more heavily as Gabe’s lips graze my earlobe.

He lets go of me and takes of the leather jacket, tossing it on the back of the couch. He then pushes me backwards-laying me down.

Am I afraid that this is going to go too far? No. Am I afraid that I am going to loose him? Yes. We have barely met, and already I have this feeling for him that is stronger than the feelings I had for Chase or any of my previous boyfriends.

He is laying on top of me-he must have his weight distributed evenly on his knees because he feels extremely light-well, lighter than he should be. He props himself up on his hands causing me put my weight on my elbows. I find this position uncomfortable so I pull him back down.

He finds my hands and grabs them. He then rolls over, causing us to fall onto the floor. I giggle helplessly. I am now sitting on top of him. His shirt has rolled up, and I see ripples.

“I didn’t know you had these.” I say, pushing his shirt up, exposing his well defined muscles. I place both of my hands on his abs.

“There is a lot you don't know I have.” He says seductively with a wink.

I lay down on his stomach, straddling his hips, my arms are outstretched above is head, one on either side.

I sigh with a smile as Gabe’s arms close around my back. He is smiling too when we kiss.

We hold this kiss for longer. It is more amorous than the other kisses we exchanged.

Just as Gabe’s hands slide up underneath the back of my shirt, a voice says, “Well...by pants I meant top too.”

I quickly scamper off of Gabe and sit beside him as he supports himself with his elbows. When I look at Gabe, he is as startled as I am. I look to the landing of the staircase-standing there is Vincent.

“Vince, I-” I am at a loss for words.

Vincent smiles, “No need to explain, Aster. I was a teen once too, you know.”

I nod and Gabe gives me an apologetic look.

“I just came for potatoes.” Vince says, walking over to the washing machine-where we keep most of our canned goods that we hardly use, the potatoes (of course), and the washing supplies- and disappears from my view.

Gabe is sitting upright now, and I have remained unchanged from my position on the floor. I hear the ruffle of plastic but just barely over the sound of my heartbeat in my ears.

The ruffling stops and Vincent comes back holding potatoes, “Will out guest be staying for dinner? We are going to have baked potatoes and pork chops. It would have been steak, but I didn't buy any because...” his voice trails off and he shrugs.

I look at Gabe who clears his throat before saying, “If it is all right with the mademoiselle,”

They both look at me, “You can stay for dinner if you want, Gabe.”

“Then I will be staying.” Gabe says with a polite nod.

Vince goes up stairs to prepare the meal and I move closer to Gabe.

“Well,” he pulls me close with one arm around my shoulders, “he kinda ruined the mood,”

I laugh and say, with my face getting closer to his, “Best Friday, ever.” and gently kiss his lips.

* * *

After a remarkably good and well prepared dinner, Gabe and I make our way to my room, hand in hand.

I open the door and am thankful that the smell of Andy had disappeared. I walk towards my bed and have a seat. I watch Gabe enter my room slowly and cautiously. He then walks over to the end of my bed, where the outfit I was planning to wear still lays.

“This is what you were going to wear?” Gabe asks, astonished, picking up the hanger that has the shirt and the jacket hung on it,

I give a small smile and toss my bangs so that I am looking at him through them, “Yes,”

He whistles and places them back on the bed, “We would have matched,” he says, holding up his own leather jacket.

I laugh and say, “Yes, we would have.”

He sits in my blue suede chair and stares at me.

What I want to say to him is Gabriel , I like you a lot. And I know that you might not know me very well-I might not know you very well- but I want to be with you. Vincent can never comfort me the way you did downstairs. I want you.I can’t help myself-this feeling I have for you is unmistakably more than a crush. I wish you feel the same way I do, but instead, I just walk over to him and sit on his lap with my legs draped over his and my arms around his neck.

His eyes are full of lust and his arms caress my waist.

I lean in closer so that our foreheads are touching. I want him to say something, to say anything at all, but he doesn’t. Could he be waiting for me to say something?

“What time do you have to leave?” it isn’t exactly what I want to say, but the silence is too awkward.

“Whenever, I have no curfew.” he states, taking a hand off of my waist and I free a hand from Gabe’s neck and hold his. His hands are remarkably smooth and slender, like mine-Vincent had once said that I have pianist fingers.

I place my head in the space between Gabe’s shoulder and collar bone and he places his chin so that it is resting on my head.

His breath is soothing and I fall asleep on him, so close and so warm.

* * *

When I wake up, I am tucked into my bed. I sit up suddenly and look at the chair where Gabe should be sitting and my heart sinks when I see that he isn’t there. I look at the clock on the table next to me, which reads 11:10pm. I get up woozily and while shuffling my feet, I get to the door. I can hear the T.V. on down stairs.When I get to the den, I see Vince lounging on the sofa across from the T.V. with his eyes close.

The floor boards creak beneath my feet when I take a meant-to-be-silent step to take a better look at Vincent. I pause in mid step, hoping that I didn't wake Vince, but sure enough, his eyes flutter open lazily.

“Sorry!”I whisper loudly.

He grunts and then mumbles, “It’s alright, Aster. It’s time I was going to bed anyway.”

“When did Gabe leave?” I ask.

Vince rubs his eyes with the sides of his hands, “I donno, like an hour ago, maybe. I think.”

“Oh. Okay.” I say. “I am going to go back to bed.”

As I turn to leave, Vince gets up and says, “Yeah, me too. And Aster?”

“Yeah, Vince?”

“Sorry for disturbing you and Gabe downstairs earlier.”

“Oh, Vince, its okay.” I say with a gentle smile.

“I just needed an excuse to know what you guys were doing and stuff.” He shrugs, “You know, cause of Andy.” his voice trails off.

For the first time since being with Gabe, I think of the incident with Andy.