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Gillian tapped on the glass of his backdoor and then turned the handle and let herself in. Cal stood waiting for her in the kitchen. His glasses were on his face and he had his frilly apron on and was leaning over the bench, peering at the door. When he saw her, he smiled. When Gillian saw him, she grinned. "So you found your glasses then."
"Yeah," Cal responded lightly. He turned back to the recipe book he was reading from.
"Was that really the great emergency? A recipe?"
Cal spread his hands wide. "What?" He asked innocently. His hazel irises were distorted slightly through the lenses. He looked damn sexy in those glasses.
Gillian pulled off her coat and dropped her purse on the bench top. "Something smells good."
"Oh that's me luv."
"What are you making?" She smiled as she stepped closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed the side of his neck.
"Dinna."
Gillian read the page over his shoulder; tomato, mushroom and basil ragout. "Mmm," she hummed. "You do smell good."
"I wanna talk to you about somethin'."
"Ok," she responded still holding him tightly.
Cal swayed them from side to side for a moment, sticking out his bum to press against her pelvis. His hands smoothed over her forearms. Gillian turned her head and nuzzled his ear. She hoped Emily wasn't about to walk in, because she still felt a little awkward about being affectionate with the young woman's father in front of her. "You might have to go stand ova there," Cal pointed to the fridge. "You're a terrible distraction."
Gillian gave a light laugh. Cal stopped moving. "I was serious luv."
Gillian gave him a pout and moved away from him obediently. But she tried to steal one of the button mushrooms off the bench before she left.
"Oi," Cal batted her hand away, his reactions fast and his peripheral vision clear.
"I'm hungry," Gillian complained.
"Dinna's nearly ready."
She reached the fridge and turned around to face him. Cal went to the stove and poured some white wine into whatever was on the front burner. He gave it a stir, stuck his finger in and sucked on it to taste. The action, however, had Gillian feeling suddenly warm. She peeled off the jersey she was wearing and threw it on top of her bag. "What did you want to talk about?"
"Wine?"
"Sure." Although that clearly wasn't what he had wanted to talk about.
Cal poured her a glass from the same bottle and handed it over. Then he retreated quickly again as if she might lash out and bite him. She just might. Gillian watched him amused from over the rim over her glass. It was good wine. She told him so. He waggled his eyebrows at her in response. She wondered if she should prompt him again about the conversation but thought better of it. Cal only did things on his time. He would talk when he was ready. He went back to his bench and sliced the last of the mushrooms.
"Where's Emily this evening?"
"She'll be along," Cal responded. He took the mushrooms to the pot and dumped them in. He perched his glasses on top of his head as he lifted a lid on another pot. A great waft of steam drifted up into his face. He inspected the contents and turned the gas off before putting the lid back on. "Now," Cal turned towards her, getting her attention again. "You said you'd move in and it's been two weeks and you haven't even started packin'."
Gillian was a little abashed. She had been procrastinating.
"I know you're stallin'."
She looked up surprised.
"Why are you stallin'?" Cal asked gently. "You really don't wanna move in?"
"No it's not that."
"It's too fast?"
"It seems like it's too fast."
"Because we haven't really been datin' long?"
Gillian nodded.
Cal chopped fresh basil. He must have paid a small fortune for it in the middle of winter. He looked thoughtful while the knife worked through the herb. "The thing is," he spoke softly and Gillian found herself taking a step towards him, compelled to get closer. "I don't wanna see that anymore." He pointed the knife at her bag like he wanted to kill it.
"I'm not allowed to bring clothes over?"
"Yeah you are but I want you to bring all your clothes ova. I want you to clutta the shit out of my bathroom with makeup and hair straightenas and fill up my closet with your shoes." He looked over at her suddenly, his expressive eyes so earnest. "I don't wanna go on the hunt for my glasses, wonderin' if they're here or if I left them at yours."
"You could have left them at the office," Gillian pointed out, sipping her wine again.
Cal gave a slight smirk. "I wanna argue and lose ova bein' blocked in the driveway and whose turn it is to do the dishes and whetha we need more milk."
Gillian gave him an amused confused smile.
"The day-to-day Gill. That's what I want." He paused. "With you, luv. I want that with you."
"I'm pleased you said 'lose' the argument," Gillian smirked.
Cal gave her a grin, all teeth and bright eyes. "I really am a delight once you get to know me."
"Don't let that ego of yours get too big, otherwise there won't be any room for me here after all."
Cal scooped up the chopped basil in his hands (and of course Gillian's eyes were drawn to them and all the naughty things they had done to her). "Cos I've got a huge eeegooooo. Such a huge eeegooooo," he sang softly while he walked away.
Gillian laughed. "Are you singing Beyonce?"
"Nope, she's singin' me," Cal responded. "There wouldn't be any losin' if you moved in darlin'. I'll make sure of it." He turned to give her his really, really earnest expression. "Trust me."
'Ahh the magic words,' Gillian thought as the back door opened suddenly.
Emily came in pulling a knitted woollen hat from her head. "Oh hey," she greeted.
"Set the table," Cal instructed from the stove.
"I just got in," Emily complained.
"You're late for dinna. Gillian's starvin' to death waitin' for you."
Emily looked to Gillian who gave a slight shake of her head 'no'. Emily shrugged out of her coat, "What's for dinner?" She hung it on the back of a chair.
"Tomato stuff with rice," Cal responded.
"No beans on toast?" Emily asked interested. "Gillian you should really come over for dinner more often." She went through to the dining room.
Cal turned to Gillian with severely raised eyebrows. "See?"
"I could get used to you cooking for me every night."
Cal held his expression.
"Ok," Gillian relented, not that she needed much convincing. She just wanted an appropriate amount of time to go by. "I'll start packing this weekend."
Cal pouted.
"Give me a chance to sub let my apartment and pack and make the necessary arrangements."
Cal morphed his face into a massive grin again. "Oi Em!"
"What?" She yelled back.
"How would you feel about settin' the table for three every night?"
Gillian put her glass of wine down as nerves settled in her stomach. Emily appeared around the doorway, her brown eyes wide. "What?" She asked again.
"Pardon?" Cal corrected.
"Pardon?" Emily glared at him.
"Is my accent a little tricky for you luv? How would you," he pointed at her. "Feel. About. Settin'. The. Table."
"Oh all right," Emily cut him off. "What are you saying? Are you moving in?" This she directed at Gillian.
"I thought your Dad talked to you about this before..."
"No, that's totally cool," Emily gave a happy smile. "Of course I might not be here all the time." She turned and headed into the dining room again.
"Where will you be?" Cal called after her. "Em?"
"Liam's," Gillian supplied quietly.
"None of your business."
"Bloody well is too my business!"
Gillian reached for her glass again. "Guess its official then."
"Yep," Cal grinned broadly again.
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"Why did you change your mind?"
"Hmm?"
"You suddenly changed your mind," Cal murmured near her ear.
"Want me to change it back?" Gillian asked sleepily, not even sure she knew what he was talking about.
"Nope," Cal pressed a kiss to her ear lobe. His arms tightened around her. "But can you tell me why?"
"Are you going to bug me until I do?"
"Probably yeah," Cal breathed. It sent a slight shiver down her neck. They were stretched out on his couch. They were supposed to be watching TV, but after an amazing dinner and wine, the warmth of his body and the weight of his arms, Gillian was just about contentedly asleep.
"Because I realised something."
"I bet it was something good."
"It was," Gillian half smiled. "I realised that it was silly to feel like we were rushing it because really, we've been in a relationship for a long time, dating for years if you think about it, getting to know each other. You said that yourself. We know each other so well we all ready know each other's bad habits."
"I believe we had that convasation in the kitchen too."
"We did," Gillian mumbled loving the rumbling sound of his accent deep within his throat. Whoever complained they couldn't understand him was an idiot. She understood and loved every damn word through that sexy accent. "And moving our relationship to a physical one was a logical next step and so moving in is another logical next step."
"I love that analytical mind of yours," Cal kissed her temple.
"And..." There was something else, Gillian was sure, but it was buried under layers of drowsiness. Something about him being adorable in that apron...
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"I'm coming in!"
Cal jerked Gillian awake suddenly and they both sat groggily. Gillian's heart pounded from the fright. "What did you do that for?" Cal asked as Emily came around the corner.
She took a seat in an armchair, slouching in the manner of her father. She gave him an innocent expression. "What? I didn't know what you were doing in here. You could have been making out for all I know."
"Must be bedtime," Cal noted.
"Yep," Emily agreed. "I came down to say goodnight anyway." She got up again and approached the couch. She gave her father a hug and kiss goodnight. Gillian moved further out of the way to give her room but Emily turned towards her and hugged her too. Gillian hugged her back, pleased.
"Sweet dreams darlin'," Cal called as Emily crossed the room again.
"Love you Dad," Emily shot back.
"Love you!" Cal responded as she disappeared around the doorway.
"You too Gill!" Emily called from the hallway.
Gillian felt Cal's hand, heavy but comforting on her shoulder, squeeze gently. She smiled, feeling warm on the inside. Yeah, she was going to love it here.
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AN: This is basically a bunch of one shot fluff pieces to tie up the story once and for all. There was a challenge to write a 'happy' piece (even though I'm pretty sure I challenged myself to write a happy piece). Here it is!