Sight For Sore Eyes

by Angkeats

Gabriella is the town librarian and seen as a 'bookworm', quiet and assumed boring. Troy is a thrill-seeking motorcycle stuntman who left Gabriella to take his stunt-show in the road only an accident has him crawling back. **PLEASE NOTE STORY POSTED AS WHOLE NO CHAPTER SPLIT SORRY I DON'T HAVE TIME! I AM ONLY POSTING MY LAST OLD STORIES THAT I DIDN'T PUBLISH BEFORE**

This Romeo is bleedin'
But you can't see his blood
It's nothing but some feelings
That this old dog kicked up

It's been rainin' since you left me
Now I'm drownin' in the flood
You see I've always been a fighter
But without you I'll give up

I can't sing a love song
Like the way it's meant to be
I guess I'm not that good anymore
But baby that's just me

I will love you baby
Always
And I'll be there forever and a day
Always

Now your pictures that you left behind
Are just memories of a different life
Some that made us laugh, some made us cry
One that made you have to say goodbye

What I'd give to run my fingers through your hair
Touch your lips and hold you near
When you say your prayers try to understand
I've made mistakes, I'm just a man

When he holds you close, he pulls you near
When he says the words you've been needin' to hear
I wish I was him with these words of mine
To say to you till the end of time

That I will love you baby
Always
And I'll be there forever and a day
Always

If you told me to cry for you, I could
If you told me to die for you, I would
Take a look at my face
There's no price I won't pay
To say these words to you

I will love you baby
Always
And I'll be there forever and a day
Always

I'll be there till the stars don't shine
Till the heavens burst and words don't rhyme
And I know when I die you'll be on my mind
And I'll love you always

/

"Well there's a sight for sore eyes…"

Troy Bolton's rasped tones roused the dark-haired librarian who was busy at work, tidying shelves. She paused and turned toward him and then he let his eyes remember her- inch by inch.

Her hair was long, always had been but now trailed down to her breasts and he noted their small fullness with a little unnoticeable purse of his lips. She was dressed just as primly as he would expect- in a white blouse and black pencil skirt and even though her hair was tethered neatly on her head in a half-up, half-down style, he remembered how he had ruined her propriety many times before he'd left.

She seemed to remember too, if her blush was anything to go by. His smile drew deeper and more devilish. So, she remembered, too, he mused.

He was sure he was never to forget the woman he lost his virginity to, at seventeen in the back of his truck and although the setting had been vulgar, their love-making hadn't been. He could still recall the fresh beauty of her smooth, coffee skin and the accommodating stretch of her nubile body as they'd shared that intimate first time together.

To him, it would always anchor them together; deny any other of truly having them for their souls had been united that night and he planned on them being reunited this night, too, if she was willing…

"What are you doing here?"

Obviously she wasn't as pleased to see him as he was her, he considered. Hm, how about that…

"Isn't it obvious?" He asked back, lifting a brow and stepping closer.

She stepped back, her bottom bumping the bookshelf and making her gasp in surprise, her startled eyes meeting his as her lips parted.

"You left, Troy," She accused softly, no emotion in her voice to give away her feelings other than the flicker of hurt he saw cross her features.

Gabriella Montez was a stunning woman and wasted as a librarian, Troy believed. He'd much prefer it if she committed herself full time to being his play-mate, bed-mate and anything else besides that involved him sinking into her welcoming body despite the cold façade she was conducting right now.

"Only for a few months," he husked, breathing in deeply to catch a drift of her scent; a scent he could survive on alone, he was sure.

Gabriella didn't like his proximity- still two feet away but entirely predatory. She swallowed.

"A lot can happen in a few months."

His eyes flicked up, the blue depths unusually hard. Just what in the hell did that mean?

"What happened?" He asked, gritting his teeth and working his jaw in silent fury.

If another man had had her, he would track him down and beat him to a bloody pulp. And if the woman he loved stood there and told him she'd given herself to another, he'd surely curl up and die.

"I'm dating someone else," she offered coolly as though this were perfectly acceptable given his absence.

Troy squinted. "You cheated on me?"

"How can I cheat on you if you're not here?" She asked directly, meeting his gaze with her own hard eyes.

Oh yes, she was hurt, he garnered. And he was the one who'd hurt her.

"You knew I was going to be away." He frowned.

"You told me three months. Then six…then you stopped calling and stopped taking my calls too…a year later you decide to come back and pretend none of that happened?" She arched.

Troy stepped forwards again, his breaths deep and slow despite his anger. If he didn't brand her mouth with his in the next two minutes, he might actually burst, he mused. She had to realize what she meant to him…

He sighed out and looked down for answers, finding her quiver when he looked back up- out of fear he noted…or was it desire? The swirl in her dark eyes told him it was the latter and he watched her tongue venture out to wet her lips.

"The tour got out of hand, we ended up in places I didn't even know …I'm sorry I lost track…and I'm sorry I left you," he licked his lips too and fixed her with his gaze. "But I didn't forget about you, 'Brie," he assured, stepping closer again so they were almost touching but not quite.

"I never forgot a single thing about us…"

His voice was caramel rich and satin-rough with husk and Gabriella shivered at it. Just the sound of his voice had her throbbing inside and every hair stood on end at his proximity. Somehow, the man controlled her. The rough, beard-prickled hulk of muscle before her had every cell in her body thrumming alive in response to his very being.

She put up a hand, to push against his chest and prevent any further closeness.

"I told you, I've moved on." She said, but something in the light husk of her voice told him she was lying. She remembered every detail of their passionate sex-life, too. Down to the grinding, dirty sex they'd enjoyed in his motorbike garage and the sweet, slow love they'd made in her four-poster bed.

Gabriella was a paradox in living motion. Prim, proper, naïve and innocent to the naked eye, but to Troy, she was every man's dream once her body was naked. Something inside her came alive and her inner tigress pounced out, fulfilling his every need as he did hers. That's what made them good, that's what made them special.

Until she met someone else, that is.

"I'd like to believe you," he insisted, picking up one of her curls in his gentle fingers and rubbing the silky strands through his fingers to remember. "But I can see it in your eyes…"

"See w-what?" Gabriella gasped, stammering as his eyes flicked to hers, alight with the very passion that satisfied and sated them both so many times before.

He blinked lazily. "You're fighting me, but you don't need to…"

He tilted his head and let a slow smile curve his lips as she closed her eyes, waiting for his kiss, but he didn't give it, he merely ghosted his lips over her cheek.

"My 'Brie," he breathed, his voice low, his warm body pressing against the restriction of her hand.

"W-" Gabriella swallowed her hiccup of an attempt to speak and balled her fists to fight the need her body pounded alive with at Troy's onslaught. "Wait," she managed to breathe and lifted her brows in surprise when he obeyed.

He lifted one brow. "Wait for what?"

"I told you, I'm with someone else," she said again and he wished she'd quit saying that.

Who cared? He was back, she was his and everything would be okay now. Surely no other guy could possibly make her pant like this, make her need him so? Should he find out?

"You slept with him?" Troy asked with a bitter taste in his mouth, for seconds distracted from his intent to kiss her and never let go.

Her eyes darted to his, not expecting this question and he saw in her chocolate rounds that she was still his; entirely his since the day they'd first come together. But he waited, reveling in silent victory but wanting to see what she would tell him. Would she lie? To put him off his mission of having her again?

"No," her voice was barely a whisper but his smile was relieved at her admission.

There was hope, he decided. She wanted him to know that there was hope. Enough talking, he decided. The time was for action not words.

Troy cupped her face and let his thumbs brush her cheeks before he lowered his mouth to hers and sucked her lips with little-disguised longing, as though the taste of her was all that he had to survive on.

Gabriella squeaked in semi-protest and plastered her hands against his chest- a chest she noted he had bulked up since they last met- and pushed vainly against as he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her close like an octopus with its prey.

She was Troy's prey, she always had been. Brought up a naïve and innocent girl, as soon as she had let herself fall under Troy's spell, she had become a sexual being she had never imagined she could be. They existed only on passion, entirely on sensuality and craved each other endlessly but now…now things were different.

He'd gone…left. Without a word of when he'd be back. She knew his motorcycle stunt show was his big break, his chance to impress the world and to travel, but she might just have gone along for the ride had he asked. But he hadn't…and although he claimed her right now with the drive of his tongue and the brush of his hips against her softness; she knew deep down she'd never forgive him for not taking her along…She'd never forgive him for leaving her behind.

Gabriella whimpered, out of unwanted desire as she felt her body give into his kiss and at that moment, she pushed hard against him to shunt him away.

He stepped back, bemused, his hair tousled and his smile knowingly arrogant. She wanted him and he knew it. She reached her hand up and slapped it flat against his cheek in a stinging blow for that knowing smirk. How dare he!

She stood drawing deep panting breaths into her lungs as her body recovered his attack and she watched as he rubbed his cheek in chagrin.

"Hell, I think you just might have got sexier while I was away," he considered and she darted angry eyes to him as her features sharpened.

"Don't touch me," she warned as he threatened to step closer.

"Why, afraid of what you might do?" He twinkled. "I can take the rough and tumble…"

"I mean it," she lowered her voice and stood up straight, making sure her clothes were smoothed, too. "Please leave."

Troy looked at her for a long moment, indecision flickering across his face. Okay, he could go. He'd catch up with her later and finally make her his when she was over being angry with him. Or he could stay…and tempt that frown off her face with some great, raw make-up sex. Still, that involved her being willing and she didn't look much like willing with him right now, he mused.

"Okay," he agreed out loud. "But I'm back in town, 'Brie. This time for good."

Gabriella watched him turn and stalk away, a tell-tale limp on his right leg that had her curious.

Was he hurt? Is that why he was back? He hadn't even come back after all this time to be with her; he'd only returned because his career was over…He was unbelievable!

She swallowed her desire and closed her eyes to take some deep breaths.

Troy Bolton was not going to have that effect on her anymore, she decided. He'd had his chance and he'd missed it. He was going to have to get over himself and find a new girl to bed because she was no longer his to control.

Tough luck, she mused silently. Damn tough luck.

/

"Hey…" Chuck Wheedle called warmly out to Gabriella as she gathered her things and prepared to shut down the library for the night.

Chuck was a dependable man but as Gabriella looked over to him and threw him a smile, she knew he didn't leave a lasting impression on her the same way Troy did. Chuck was being patient, adhering to her 'no sex' rule for as long as she stipulated it and for that she was thankful. She couldn't imagine the smart, neat man before her exciting her in bed in the way Troy did and she kept praying that one day, he would light her spark, only that day seemed far off and less likely to arrive with Troy back in town.

She wasn't sure if she should mention her notorious ex. Everyone knew that she, little quiet librarian, had hooked up with the hottest motorcycle stunt artist for decades and some even cruelly suggested someone like her had no worldly gifts to offer a man like that. Troy's disappearance had only strengthened that belief and now those small-minded townies believed Gabriella had brought the pain of his abandonment on herself. If only she hadn't believed he could be happy with the little she had to offer…

Chuck had been more accepting. He understood somehow, that she was licking her wounds and needed some time to recover and love again and she appreciated his unwavering support, but she couldn't deny she still had feelings for her meandering ex.

Yes, he left her. Yes, it hurt. But it only hurt because she still loved him, somewhere deep down. And it was so deep down she didn't want to air it again anytime soon but it wasn't fair to let Chuck walk into a situation with Troy and not know the deal. So as they walked into the speckled lit town, Gabriella broached the subject with him.

"Chuck…something happened today that I think you should know about," Gabriella began, looking up to her partner as she held his elbow as they walked.

"O-kay," Chuck drew out with a small smile, his brown hair and hazel eyes no match for the rugged mess that Troy offered her earlier that day.

"Troy is back in town…" She ventured, swallowing to punctuate her words.

Chuck's step faltered, just once, and then he rhythmically strolled on. "I see."

"You don't have to worry, I already made it clear that I'm over him and dating again," she insisted.

"I sense a but…" Chuck commented drily.

Gabriella sighed. What to reveal? That they kissed? That she'd resisted along with drinking in every inch of that kiss as Troy gave it?

"But…nothing," she assured on a shaky voice from lying. She just hoped he didn't notice. "I just wanted you to know you might bump into him."

"Well I hope I do," Chuck mused. "I might have a few words for him…"

Gabriella looked up to the gentleman beside her worriedly.

"What words would they be?" She asked.

Chuck looked down, meeting her worried gaze. "Something about how a gentleman never deflowers a lady and then runs off into the sunset…"

Gabriella smiled softly at his analogy, even though Chuck's reminder that Troy had indeed 'deflowered' her brought back striking images of that night into her mind – images that she didn't want there.

"Well, he lost out," she assured, still not entirely convinced on that. Her confidence had suffered in the months he was gone and the town's whispers had seeded and taken root in her mind.

Troy Bolton was a dare-devil, a hero. The hero didn't marry the boring librarian; he married the feisty, daring princess. That just wasn't her…well it wouldn't be, now that she was firmly put in her place. She would do well not to dream beyond her own means, someone once said. And for once, she felt that to be true. Her means did not include a blue-eyed devil of a man with kisses to die for. They included the man beside her.

Chuck cupped her fingers gently. "His loss is my gain," he assured her softly.

She just wished she felt the same.

/

CHAPTER 2

Troy paced irritably across the kitchen of the flat he had shared with his best friend, Chad Danforth, when he'd been in town.

Chad had- quite understandably- let out his room to another guy called Ryan when Troy had gone AWOL and had kindly allowed him the sofa for a night while he worked out what he wanted to do.

The trouble was, all he wanted to do was rip Gabriella's damn clothes off and make sweet love with her until they both forgot how to breathe. It was all that entered his mind, all that controlled it and so things like finding a place to stay seemed secondary and almost pointless until he could sink his hard flesh into her softness again and take up where they left off.

"What's bothering you, man?" Chad had come down for breakfast, finding Troy buzzing back and forth.

"Gabriella." He said only, this being sufficient to signal to Chad what was on his mind.

"She's with Chuck, she told you." Chad frowned at his friend.

Troy paused, rubbing a hand over his beard-scratchy jaw as his eyes flicked side to side as though scanning the words rather than hearing them.

"I don't believe that."

"Well, believe it. The whole town has seen her out on dates with him for about four months now…"

"Four months?" Troy frowned.

"Yep." Chad sat with his bowl of cereal and began to munch.

Troy decided to find inner peace by sitting with him.

"She told me they haven't slept together." Troy confided.

Chad choked his mouthful of cereal across the table. "Jesus, dude…"

"I missed her," Troy argued. "I had to know…"

"Troy, look. None of us are too happy that you skipped town like that, I gotta be honest. But did you really think she'd just take you back?" Chad raised his brows in disbelief.

Troy licked his lips. "Yes," he offered, confusion crossing his face. "I know, it sounds arrogant but honestly, she's the only woman for me, the only one I want to make love to. I thought she felt the same…"

"Dude, things ain't been right around here since the day you left." Chad divulged. "Some people been whispering in her ear about how you were no good for her and she ended up with Chuck when he offered her some support."

"What do you mean people were saying I'm no good for her?" Troy frowned.

This, at least, made sense. It may also explain why Gabriella was reticent to reunite.

"Well, more like the other way around, actually," Chad reconsidered. "Said you were a live-wire, that you needed to sow your oats…"

"What?" Troy looked up, incredulous.

Chad shrugged. "They said she wasn't the kind of girl that could keep you here…keep you…" he paused, looking for a word. "…happy."

"Happy?" Troy repeated. What in the heck kind of town was this? Not the one he'd left. Who the hell would say such a ridiculous thing to his abandoned girlfriend?

"Satisfied," Chad added pointedly. "You know? In bed?"

"Well that's just-" Troy blustered with a big whoosh of air from his lungs that he'd been holding there unknowingly.

Chad looked up, waiting for his statement to follow, but none came. Troy refused to divulge the nature of his sex-life with Gabriella with anyone, let alone his best friend of all people. Gabriella would see Chad around town and it wasn't fair on her if he shared intimate details of their life with him, even if his friend was trying to help.

"I was happy." He stated instead, flatly as though there could be no contest to this statement. "Plenty happy."

"Then you should have called, dude," Chad reprimanded.

Troy rose again and threw a hand through his hair in frustration. Yeah, he should've called. He should've done a lot of things, but he hadn't. And he was almost ashamed to admit why. Every person born from this small town knew their place. They stayed. He'd gone- out into the big world where everything was shiny and dollars were paid in abundance and yes, he could admit now that the lifestyle had taken him away.

He'd not forgotten, he'd not given up…but he had been distracted. For too long. And he had apologies to make- to a lot of people. He guessed he may as well start right now.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" Troy offered with a twist of his lips, his eyes squinted at his best friend as he assessed their chances of reconciliation. "You're my best friend in the world and you're right, I disappeared on you. On all of you." He added ruefully. "But I am sorry."

Chad looked up from his bowl and slowly, just slowly, a grin spread across his face.

"Did Troy Bolton just say the 's' word?" He teased, standing up to come over and hug him.

"He did," Troy mused, hugging his friend solidly back.

Chad pulled away and smiled into his friend's eyes.

"Look, if you want Gabriella back you should shave that bristle for a start…"

Troy chuckled and gave his friend a lopsided smile.

"Okay, duly noted…"

/

Gabriella sipped her morning coffee and looked outside the window thoughtfully as Chuck slurped his own hot drink opposite her in a booth of Daisy's Diner. They did this every morning, 8am sharp and then Chuck would walk her to the library before taking the bus into the city for his lawyer job.

Gabriella had always been curious about the city but she'd only ventured into the noise and bustle for one or two of Chuck's work parties that he'd invited her to; otherwise she much preferred to stay in town where the sights and sounds were familiar.

"Hey, Daisy!" An obnoxiously loud voice twanged into the tranquil atmosphere, jogging Gabriella from her thoughts rather rudely and she cursed that the sound of Troy's voice was a familiar one to her. She wanted to forget everything about him- the way he looked, the way he smiled, the way he felt between her thighs and definitely the way he smelled. Oh god, the way he always smelled so good, even after sex when his musky scent would-

"Good morning, Gabriella." The voice had reached her. How nice.

"Good morning Troy," she replied rather formally, stretching a smile across her unamused lips. "This is Chuck. My boyfriend." She added pointedly.

Even Chuck looked at her with raised brows but she pretended not to notice. Troy however, did. He offered his hand to the man.

"Nice to meet you, Chuck." He greeted.

Chuck gave him a long look before he spoke. "I'd like to say the same about you but-"

"Chuck," Gabriella interrupted and shook her head a little. "Not now."

Troy, on the other hand, was all for a little early-morning war of words.

"For sure, now," he smiled amiably at the smart-looking man who'd stolen his girlfriend. "Please, go ahead and air your true thoughts…"

Gabriella looked at Troy with daggers in her eyes which he merely curled the edges of his lips at- something no-one else might have noticed but irked her all the same.

"Well," Chuck slid out of the booth and put his napkin onto the table with great show. "Where I come from, a gentleman does not abandon his partner once he has…shall we say…spoiled her?"

"Spoiled her?!" Troy spit out his laughter at the man's formal address and sobered quickly. "Jeez," he took in a breath as he flicked his eyes around the room for divine intervention.

"Troy! Breakfast!" Daisy called from the counter of his take-out option.

Troy smirked at Chuck. "Seems to me like you stole my girl," he said lowly, so no-one could hear. "You just remember who spoiled her first."

With that, he turned and strode up to the counter to get his bag of food before he stalked out of the diner with a crash of the door behind him.

Gabriella gave Chuck a look as he sat back down. "Spoiled me?" She repeated, heat flaming her cheeks.

Oh, he'd spoiled her alright, but Chuck didn't need to go throwing these things around. Besides, her kind of spoiled and his clearly didn't match.

"What would you rather I had said?" Chuck wondered tightly, clearly ruffled by Troy's murmured words.

"Nothing at all, if I'm honest," Gabriella countered.

Chuck sighed. "Well, I never do get it quite right…."

"What did he say?" She wondered of Troy's apparent threat.

"That I'd stolen you from him." Chuck offered, now tense from the encounter and struggling to recover.

Gabriella reached across to touch his hand. "You didn't." She assured.

"I know that. But does he?" Chuck worried.

"He will," she mused. "Believe me, he will."

/

"I don't know who you think you are, coming into the diner that way and threatening my boyfriend, but you need to look in the mirror and realize exactly whose fault it is that you lost me!"

Troy looked up from his intent cleaning of his motorcycle motor and dragged his appraising eyes firstly down, then up Gabriella's dressed body.

Her curves were wrapped in a cotton plain navy dress that fell above her knee, small strapped heels adorned her feet and her hair was plaited down her back. God, she looked ripe to ruin, he mused.

He remembered a time he had done just that, too. In here- taking her over his workbench and removing every scrap of her propriety before giving himself to her deeply, roughly- just how she liked it.

The shine in his eyes and the curl of his lips had her gasping for air at the same second her insides clenched intimately for something that wasn't there- Troy. He was thinking about them making love here, on his bench and she was thinking about it, too, but she was too mad to care what he'd done to her and how she'd succumbed to him so easily. She wanted him to hear her and she almost strode over and slapped his face again to ensure it, but she feared proximity of any kind would only fan the flames of their past desire.

"Your boyfriend, huh?" Content with his perusal, he finally addressed her accusation.

"Yes, my boyfriend!" She exasperated.

"You haven't slept with him; I don't think that makes him your boyfriend." Troy countered, rising from his bench and laying down his engine.

Gabriella started on her feet, nervous he might approach. She shouldn't have come here! God, he did it every time! Crooked his finger and she came running. No wonder everyone thought she was such a silly little girl for imagining his sincerity.

"Don't speak to Chuck or me again, okay?" She asked, twisting to go.

"Really?" He called out behind her, galling her. "Never? You want me to never speak to you again?"

She swallowed, refusing to turn. One look into those eyes would have her spilling the truth and she couldn't bear it. Let him think he wasn't needed- wasn't wanted, just how she had felt when he'd left.

"Yes, really." She sighed, feeling the ebbing emotions of his return rising in her throat.

Troy blinked at her back, flicking his eyes over her backside for just a short moment before he squinted, feeling the pain she was in so clearly, even from across the room and without her eyes to tell him. He could see it in her tense body as she fought not to cry and he could hear it in the tight husk of her words.

"Alright." He agreed, scraping his teeth against his lower lip as he agreed to her wish; instantly setting her free until he found another way into her heart. A way without words.

Gabriella hitched on his agreement and almost caved, then she reminded herself of the dark nights she spent crying wondering what she had done to deserve being abandoned and the following months of shame as everyone but her friends told her it was obvious why Troy had left. She wasn't interesting, she wasn't 'fun'. And god, how those months tormented her still.

The clip of her heels told Troy she was leaving and once she was gone, he threw his spanner at the wall where it loudly clattered down, allowing him to curse to himself.

"Fuck!"

Fuck. He knew it was going to be hard coming back, but he didn't expect it to be this hard. Maybe he was wrong, maybe they really were beyond repair. That was an idea he hadn't entertained before and now that he did, it ripped him up inside.

/

"Here's the hero! Back in town!" Mr. James Evans slapped Troy on the back affectionately and hugged him.

"Hey, I'm back," he agreed. "I'm not sure I'm a hero, though…"

"Oh, nonsense. Come inside, Dorothy will want to see you but if you came for Sharpay then you'll have to drive into the city, she lives there now and runs a boutique…"

"I can catch Shar another time," Troy insisted as he went inside the familiar town house to greet Dorothy- an old friend and confidante of his. He really could use her counsel, he mused.

"There's the handsome, blue-eyed boy!" Dorothy Evans hugged him like a long lost son.

"Hey," he smiled as he hugged her back. "How are you?"

"Oh, lonely without you," Dorothy teased with a smile.

"Me too," Troy grinned back with his attacking charm and Dorothy pinkened.

"Sit down; tell me all about your adventures…"

"Actually," Troy cleared his throat as he sat. "I have something else I need help with…"

Dorothy lifted her brows. "I see…"

"Gabriella…since I left…how has it been for her?" He wondered.

Dorothy's smile faltered and she settled in her chair, choosing her words.

"I love you like my son, but she was heartbroken when you went. As time went on and no-one heard from you, we only had TV news to rely on…It was hard for all of us," she admitted.

Troy pressed his lips together feeling a pang of guilt for the loss that registered on Dorothy's face.

"I'm sorry I didn't call you," he offered. "I have a few people to say that to, actually…"

Dorothy nodded. "You found your way back," she commented insightfully and Troy jerked his head up to meet her gaze. "You were lost, weren't you?"

Troy felt a tear slip from his eye at the understanding his friend offered, even when he didn't always understand himself.

"Yeah, real lost," he agreed, wiping his lone tear away.

"Gabriella suffered," she added honestly. "What did you expect?"

Troy took a deep breath in. "Honestly…I expected her to wait," he shared.

Dorothy shook her head. "No-one let her. I heard what those women were saying and I tried my best to convince her they weren't right but I think she absorbed it, anyway…"

"What do you mean they wouldn't let her?" He questioned with a squint.

"Just that! Every time she professed her love and her intent to wait for your return, someone would tell her not to be silly and that you hadn't come back for a reason…"

"The reason being…her?" Troy worked out hesitantly, a horrified look striking his features.

Dorothy nodded. "Some convinced her she wasn't the type of girl that could keep a boy like you…"

"A boy like me?" He repeated, bewildered. "What kind of boy am I?"

"Apparently too exciting to date a librarian," she supplied. "But I knew better."

"Jesus!" Troy exploded and stood to dissipate his anger. "Who would say a thing like that? Everyone knew we were together. Forever!" He added emphatically. "I gave her a promise ring before I left for crying out loud!"

"She took it off three months after she met Chuck," Dorothy supplied while Troy paced up and down, deep in thought.

"Wait, what?" He looked up, squinting.

"Chuck became the only person she could trust. He didn't judge her like the others…she wore her ring and he knew the deal. Then one day, she finally took it off. They finally broke her…"

Troy sat and pressed his fists into balls against his forehead in frustration. Finally, when he could breathe again without seeing red, he lifted his eyes to Dorothy, their blue depths broken.

"They convinced her I didn't love her anymore?" He beseeched, heartbroken.

Dorothy stood to sit beside him and gave him a reassuring hug. "I'm sure you can convince her otherwise."

"Why would they do that…" He sighed, realizing exactly what he'd put Gabriella through. And what everyone else had put her through. Bastards.

Well they'd laugh on the other side of their faces when they learned just how much he did love her and that she was exactly the reason he came back.

He just had to find a way to show her.

/

"What are you doing?" A tight, annoyed voice hissed across the booth at Troy as he nonchalantly folded his paper to start his cross word puzzle.

He didn't answer, for he wasn't allowed to speak to her, but he smiled sweetly as the diner waitress came over.

"Excuse me, would you kindly remind my beautiful female companion that I have agreed never to speak to her again as she requested, which is why I can't answer her question?" He told the waitress who smirked at him funny. "Thank you," he added as she walked away without complying, but then Gabriella had heard every word so he went back to his paper.

"Chuck sits there," she told him. "You better find another seat before he comes or-"

"Or what?" He looked up, after finishing his first word puzzle.

"Or he'll beat your ass," she warned.

Troy snickered. "I doubt it."

"You're so sure, huh?" She launched.

"Yep."

"Arrogant," she accused and slid out of her seat to find an empty table.

Huh. How was it that every table was occupied? By the smirk on his face she'd almost think he'd paid these people to take up space and leave her with no choice but to sit back down and suffer his arrogance.

"I told you, Chuck will be here soon," she repeated, flustered at being trapped.

"Oh, didn't you hear?" Troy offered, intent on his puzzle. "He had an emergency at the office…"

"What?" She looked up, forlorn.

"Something about one of his divorce cases going wrong, can't remember the details…"

Gabriella glared at Troy for five seconds after his muttered response and gritted her teeth until her head hurt.

"Did you have anything to do with it by any chance?" She accused finally.

He chuckled, looking up for the second time that day, just relaxed as Larry.

"No, strangely I didn't…"

"I thought I told you to stay away from me," she added while she had his attention.

"Nope," he denied. "No, I clearly remember you saying I wasn't to talk to you. Or your boyfriend." He added as though he now accepted this fact. She knew better than to believe that.

"Then why are you?"

"You want me to be rude and ignore you? A gentleman wouldn't do that," he galled her with one of Chuck's sayings.

"Fine. I'm leaving; I'm not hungry anyway…"

"Oh wait…" He looked up from his page. "Six letters, 'Failing to believe something exists'…" he posed.

"Are you kidding me?" She wondered, seeing he clearly wasn't.

"Refute?" He wondered with a downturn of his lips.

What the hell was he doing?! Gabriella sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Denial," she offered.

His eyes met hers after he'd penciled in the word. "That's exactly it, thank you."

She refused to give him the pleasure of a reply or parting as she walked out.

/

CHAPTER 3

"So, this is your pad?" Chad walked around the newly rented apartment Troy had signed the lease on shortly after annoying the hell out of Gabriella in the diner.

"Yep, what do you think?" Troy asked.

Chad tilted his head. "It's nice…will we get parties with hot girls?"

Troy chuckled. "Depends if Gabriella ever forgives me," he admitted.

Chad looked over. "Any progress?"

"She's mad at me. She told me not to speak to her or Chump and you know me, I was never good at taking orders."

"You mean Chuck," Chad corrected.

"No, I mean Chump." Troy lifted his brows.

"He looked after her, Troy. You can't deny her that." His friend counseled.

"Dorothy told me that people were convincing her I didn't love her anymore," he shared. "If that's the case I owe it to her to tell her the truth."

"Whether you love her or not, you left, dude. You lost your right to tell her anything the day you forgot about her."

Troy could see his friend was still hurt over his departure and he didn't know what else to say to assure him that he felt destroyed inside for causing so much hurt. A thought popped into his head that almost made him cry from the pain of thinking it, but he took a deep breath and ignored the stab in his chest.

"Do you think I should go?"

Chad looked up at his words, shocked by them. "No, dude…why?"

"Because I hurt a lot of people and coming back is only making that pain worse." Troy perceived.

Chad licked his lips and gave out another long sigh.

"If you leave now then coming back wasn't worth it. You may as well have stayed away."

"But if me being here is causing so much pain…"

"She cried for you, Troy. I can't stand here and lie to you and say it was all okay because it wasn't. I'm your friend but Gabriella and I had something in common- losing you. I saw what it did to her man, night after night…"

Troy swallowed, the wad in his throat bitter and thick and he didn't realize that his cheeks were wet as he spoke again.

"Do you think…." He gasped in air. "Do you think she can ever forgive me?"

Chad squinted, considering his answer.

"You best be back for good, man," was all he said and Troy nodded.

"I am."

"No itchy feet…no wandering…"

"I promise you. I'm done with it," Troy assured.

Chad licked his lips. "I think she still feels for you," he offered eventually. "But you have a hell of a lot of making up to do…"

/

And he could start by investing some of his well-earned stunt money into the desperate library fund.

It was almost too good to be true, Troy smiled as he read the sign outside the library building detailing the fund amount required to re-vamp the town library and keep it on its feet. It was like a dream come true. Probably Gabriella wouldn't see it that way he mused as he took down the details of the Accountancy firm dealing with the funds, but he thought he'd give it a try anyway. Right now he'd do anything to get Gabriella back, including buying her building.

"Excuse me; do you have any books on redemption?"

Gabriella turned from her book-tidying to address her customer. Her eyes narrowed as she took in the features of one particular tall, rugged, blue-eyed man.

"Wasn't harassing me at breakfast enough?" She wondered.

"I'm sorry? I just wanted a book…" He frowned together his heavy eyebrows- eyebrows she remembered tracing with her fingertips…which only served to remind her every other part of his body she had traced with those same fingertips, including a part that filled her very nicely and that she ached to fill her again. She cursed herself under her breath for her vivid thoughts.

"This way," she led him into the biblical section. "I think you'll find all you need on redemption here…"

"What about practical advice?" He asked as she went to leave.

She took a breath for patience. "I'm not sure what you mean…"

He shrugged. "Courses…practice; you know that sorta thing…"

"You need a course for redemption?" She bemused.

"Not me," he shared and she pursed her lips.

Cute.

"The full catalogue of local adult courses is available at the main desk," she offered, rolling her eyes as she turned her back to him.

"What about the odds?" He called and she sagged and twisted back.

"The odds?" She repeated, confusedly.

"What are the odds for redemption?"

Gabriella tried very hard to ignore the sorrowful look in his blue eyes. Blue eyes that reeled her in, blue eyes that flirted with her and blue eyes that ate up every inch of her skin whether she be dressed or naked. She hated that her nipples peaked in memory of such longing gazes from those very eyes.

"Slim to none I should imagine," she quipped and clicked off, leaving him back at square one.

"I think I might need this more than ever," he sighed to himself as he pulled out a bible and took it over to a quiet corner to read.

/

"He did what?!"

Gabriella thought herself a reasonable woman. She'd weathered the storm of Troy's abandonment, suffered the jibes of the townspeople, given Chuck a chance when she felt ready to and now she was even existing in the same town as the man who'd broken her heart.

The trouble was, that man did not play by the rules.

"Mr. Bolton donated the entire fund amount," Her accountant, Jack repeated.

She sighed and ran her palm up her forehead.

"What about the fundraiser we're organizing?" She asked. "We can't just quit! People are looking forward to it…"

Jack shrugged. "Then do it…look this money will go a long way…maybe you can use the extra to build that conservatory you talked about for summer classes…"

Gabriella looked up slowly, hope bright in her eyes.

"Can't we give it him back?" She checked of the money.

Jack smiled. "It's all legal."

She nodded. "Okay, fine. The bachelor raffle will go ahead and any proceeds will be used for the summer house," she agreed with his plan.

Jack shook her hand and she wandered out, a beguiling smile on her lips as a sudden thought formed in her mind.

Who was the town's most eligible bachelor now he was back in town? Who was considered a hero, a rugged temptation to women around the world over with his rough and ready hair, stubble and arrogant swagger? Who rode a daredevil motorcycle through the air with grace and precision and came home single?

Troy Bolton was not only the town's claim to fame, he was single and good looking to boot. He would be perfect for the auction! And because he hated being paraded around like a piece of meat, Gabriella just thought she might enjoy this all the more…

She was going to ask Troy to put himself up for auction…and she knew he wouldn't be able to say no!

Suddenly life seemed better already.

/

"You look happy…" Troy was instantly suspicious as he slid into the seat opposite Gabriella at the diner.

"I'm waiting for my lovely boyfriend, why wouldn't I be happy?" She tossed back with a wan smile.

"Didn't he tell you?" Troy asked and she looked up with a hard stare. "That divorce case blew up again…"

"What are you doing?" She hissed, leaving Troy to sit back with a self-indulgent grin.

"Me? Nothing! How can I possibly sway a divorce case?" He wondered.

"By screwing the wife," she accused silkily but they both knew that point was moot.

"Now, 'Brie. You know I would never…" He paused. "…screw anybody but you. Please don't insult me by trying to insinuate otherwise."

"Well that goes for one of us," she bounced back and Troy chose to ignore her barb. The mere thought of her screwing anyone besides him was not one he wanted to entertain right now.

"I hear the library fund was completed by a mysterious benefactor yesterday…" He led nonchalantly, pursing his lips before sipping his coffee.

"Yes, a complete mystery," she arched. "But you know, the work isn't over," she added, setting him up nicely.

"Oh?"

She nodded. "We already have a fund-raiser in progress of being planned and it would cost too much to cancel so we decided to go ahead with it to make extra for a summer house…"

"A summer house…" Troy nodded, pretending to be interested when really, the silk of Gabriella's cream blouse had him wishing he had worn looser pants this morning as he watched her budded peaks press against the flimsy material and beg for freedom. Right now his tongue tingled with the thought of the freedom he could offer those tight buds…

"Yes, for classes and book-readings. Actually, I wanted to ask if you would be kind enough to volunteer your help…" She broached, flicking her eyes up to catch him watching her breasts intently, something that made her pop with hot longing deep inside and cover her chest simultaneously.

God, she missed his mouth on her skin. His skin against hers. She missed his touch, his body and every sweet word that came when they'd shared each other intimately in every way imaginable.

"Me?" He asked, impressing her with his ability to keep up considering the path his mind was obviously taking.

"Yes, you. We're holding a bachelor auction and now that you're back in town, you are the most eligible…and a celebrity to boot," she enthused. "I think we could raise the extra we need for the summer house by auctioning you off."

Troy swallowed and flicked his eyes up, meeting her deep brown gaze which he was surprised to find unwavering.

Well, she really had gotten over him, he mused. He was inclined to be impressed but it didn't bode well for his plan of attack.

"You want to auction me off?" He checked.

She shrugged lightly. "It's just a bit of fun. Whoever 'buys' you has you for a whole night and day to do whatever their whim may fancy…"

"Really? Whatever they fancy?" He repeated, arching his brow while his smooth husk pitched several ideas into her mind that he might be imagining himself. She took a breath to stay on track.

"Well, within reason," she adjusted.

"What if they want to handcuff me to the bed and purge my body?"

Gabriella flicked her eyes to and held his twinkled blue gaze for longer than necessary.

Okay, so she had done that, she remembered. She had cuffed him to her head-board, stripped him naked and enjoyed every inch of him. On the outside she was a prim librarian and in her boudoir, she'd been a prowling nymph, desperate for his body. But did he have to remind her? Did he really have to subject her to those painful- and frankly disturbing-memories? Only they weren't entirely disturbing. They were real. And very, very erotic. And every second they sat there staring at each other, another part of her body cried out for connection with his; a call she was finding increasingly hard to resist.

"Gabriella?"

A voice called her name twice before she broke eye-contact with Troy.

"Huh?"

She looked up, confused to find Chuck there.

"Are you…okay? I'm sorry I was late, I went to get your favourite candy before I came here…"

Troy curled a devilish smile at her as she gasped in realization. Chuck wasn't in the city! Troy had lied.

"Well, that's my cue to leave…" Troy stood and looked at Chuck with a nod of his head.

"Troy…" Gabriella called with a frown, not sure if she should air his duplicity in front of Chuck or not. She chose not to. "Can I put you down for the auction?"

Troy smiled lopsidedly and nodded. "Sure, count me in."

/

"You're doing what?!"

Chad looked at him like he was crazy as they dropped boxes into the living space of his new apartment.

Moving in was hard work, but they were almost done and then they could get a beer and burger at Joe's bar in town. A thought that kept Troy going.

"Being sold at auction," Troy repeated, dusting off his hands as he caught his breath.

"To who?" Chad made a face.

"Whoever bids," he shrugged.

"Why?"

"Gabriella asked me," he confided. "I think she's trying to punish me."

"Dude, if some cougar-lady gets you, you will be punished believe me…"

"Hey, I'm a celebrity you know. I'm the big draw." Troy grinned.

Chad lifted his brows as they came back out to the van for more boxes.

"Who has money in this town?" Chad asked.

Troy shrugged. "The rich people on Cedar Drive."

"And who would want you from Cedar Drive?"

"I don't know…one of the wives?" Troy guessed.

"And how old are these wives on average would you say?"

Troy chuckled. "It's for fun, man. I just take them out on a fun date and then for dinner and that's it…"

"Dude, those women are sex-starved. You better pray the local cheerleading team put together a combined bid to save you from sexual degradation…"

Troy laughed at his friend's dramatics as they dropped their boxes on the floor.

"Hey, I'll tell you just like I told Gabriella…I'm not sleeping with anyone but her."

"You told her that?" Chad looked up, bemused.

"Yep."

"And?"

"And she told me the same didn't go for her," he mused. "But I get it."

Chad cupped his shoulder. "You being back goes a long way in mending the hurt."

"Not for Gabriella it doesn't," he sighed. "But like I said, I understand why."

"So you're just gonna do the auction and hope she forgives you?" Chad checked.

Troy's mischievous smile back had Chad grinning.

"No, I'm going to fix the auction with a girl I know so I can make Gabriella insanely jealous and remind her that she wants me," Troy shared. "Not Chump," he added.

"You mean Chuck," Chad inserted but his friend only gave him a long look before going back out for more boxes.

/

Gabriella felt like she was missing something. The feeling was with her all through breakfast at the diner and followed her to work, haunting her as she meticulously stickered and protected the new books that had arrived that morning.

It wasn't until mid-afternoon that the unknown feeling irked her and come home-time she was grizzling enough to out-grizzle a grizzly bear. There was only one person who made her feel that way and her heart told her that the feelings she was having were somehow related to the annoying Troy Bolton; but she hadn't worked out why until he popped up behind her as she turned from locking the library doors.

"Oh!" She gasped, startled at his appearance there. "You scared me!"

Troy smiled endearingly, his hair hidden under a beanie, his blue eyes bright with child-like excitement and his soft lips tender and tempting. If the moonlight hadn't highlighted his freckles, she may have stood a chance. 'May have' was a long breath ago.

"I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention…"

"Why are you talking like that?" She accused with a frown, knowing squarely what had been wrong with her all day.

She'd missed him! She'd missed him and his stupid…stupidness and now her blood was whizzing excitedly through her veins at the sight of him when she should feel nothing but pain and hurt. What was wrong with her! She'd only seen the man yesterday and now all of a sudden she missed him at breakfast? What was with that?!

Maybe it was-

She stopped herself by closing her eyes. She wasn't going to go there, no way, no how.

"I'm trying to be a gentleman," Troy answered her question about his posh-speak and she opened her eyes.

"Why?"

He chuckled. "Ouch…okay, well if you must know, it's because you clearly like that kind of guy now, so I'm trying to fit in…"

"I clearly do, huh?" She mused and stomped down the steps to start her walk home, which he evidently felt he had to accompany her on.

"Well, you're dating Chuck who's obviously a gentleman…" He broached, tucking his hands into his pockets as they walked.

"Don't start on that," she warned with a glare.

"Are you hungry?" He asked.

"What?" She spat back, annoyed.

"Are you hungry?" He asked again.

She frowned. "No."

"Sure you are…"

"I'm not eating with you, Bolton. Forget it." She predicted.

"Why not?" He challenged.

She stopped and looked up. The tip of her nose was pink in the cold as her breaths slashed out in clouds. Her hair was safely tucked away in a bun but Troy knew how those curls fanned out so magnificently when she was beneath him. Her eyes showed a mix of emotions he still found daunting to tackle, but he wanted to….oh god, he wanted to.

"Do I really need to spell it out to you?" She wondered.

He pursed his lips. "Maybe not. But look, I found this really great Indian restaurant that I think will be perfect for my auction date and I want you to try it out so I can get a woman's opinion…" He ventured.

"And you couldn't ask any other single female in the population of Gregstown?" She checked.

He shrugged cutely. "Sure, I could have. But I didn't want to…"

"Troy, I'm seeing someone. I can't have dinner with another guy and it not be a big deal- let alone my ex," she sighed. "What don't you get about that?"

Troy blinked at her stinging words and licked his lips, realizing he had to allow her this opportunity to rebuff him. He had to step back, again. As much as he hated it, he accepted his fate.

"Don't worry, I get it. I won't ask again." He assured, against the screaming in his head telling him he was a liar which he chose to ignore. "But let me walk you. It's late and dark."

Gabriella considered she might welcome the company on her walk home and against her better judgement, she nodded her agreement.

They walked side by side in perfect silence, just the noise of their breaths breaking the silence along with the sound of their shoes.

"Hey, there's Mr. Tucker's yard…" Troy said out of the blue, drawing her gaze towards him. "Remember when I put that snowman up and he went crazy?"

Gabriella smiled softly and nodded in memory at the prank Troy pulled two Christmases ago to annoy her neighbour.

"Yeah, he said if you didn't leave town with your stunt show then he'd kick you out…"

Troy swallowed at the mention of his leaving again and sobered.

"Well, I did leave with the show so I guess I made one person happy…"

Gabriella frowned at her mittened hands, then up to Troy. "Is the show over?"

He raised his brows at her soft question, expecting to be closed out tonight and finding quite the opposite was true. Without going through with his plan to take her for dinner, he was ultimately getting what he'd hoped for- time to talk. Time to explain.

"Yeah. Yeah, it's done."

"Why?" She wondered.

Troy rubbed his lips together, reticent to admit why because he felt it could put him in a bad light. The only reason he came home was because he got hurt? That didn't sit well. But he couldn't lie. He could only work harder to mend the hearts he broke.

"I got hurt…it reminded me what was important I guess," he offered.

"How did it happen?" Her eyes were like saucers, voracious for information and he felt for those moments like she really wanted to know him; like she cared what happened.

"I pushed it," he smirked. "Like always. Another meter, another car…I picked a jump too big and crashed out. I'm lucky I walked away at all," he admitted. "I thank god that I did."

"You nearly died?" They stopped at the end of her path, facing.

He chewed his lower lip. "So I'm told."

"You don't remember?"

He shrugged. "Apparently that's a good thing."

"Troy…" She beseeched.

"I didn't die," he assured. "That's what matters."

Gabriella frowned. "Actually, I kind of wish that you did," she commented and Troy blew out a shocked breath.

"Goodbye, Troy," she said and walked up her path and into her house.

/

"She wants me dead," Troy puzzled to his friend the next day as Chad met him in the garage at lunch time.

"Who?" Chad asked, picking up parts and wondering what they were for.

"Hey, don't lose those…" Troy told him of his carefully arranged pieces.

"You building a bike?" Chad guessed.

"Yeah…don't know yet if I'll ride it…"

"Took a tough fall, huh," Chad sympathized. "Anyway, who wants you dead?"

"Gabriella," Troy supplied with a grim press of his lips.

"What?!"

"Last night, when I told her I almost died doing my last stunt, she told me she wished I had." Troy admitted.

"Wow, that's…" Chad fought for words. "A little harsh."

"Is it?" Troy lifted his brows. "I'm beginning to think that this idea I had of making her forgive me is just as flawed as I am. I should never have come back into her life…"

"Dude, she doesn't love Chuck," Chad assured and Troy frowned.

It was the first time his friend had chosen to support him over Gabriella.

"They've been dating four months…"

"No, they've been dating for one month…the three months before that, she had on your ring," Chad reminded him. "You telling me she fell for that suit in one month?"

Troy shrugged. "Maybe…"

"Yeah, maybe if she hadn't been with you for the two years prior to that, but she was. She hasn't forgotten you. But like I said, it won't be easy."

"Then how do I know whether to keep trying?" Troy beseeched. "I…It ripped me apart when she told me she wanted me dead."

"She's bluffing," Chad assured.

"I'm glad you can just disregard my death so easily," Troy sighed.

"Dude, she wants to hurt you. The way you hurt her. And I hate to say it, but you're going to have to let her do it. Don't set up the auction to make her jealous," Chad added. "Stop playing games. Just stick around and keep talking to her, one day, it'll break through."

"And what if it doesn't?" Troy flicked his eyes up, squinting at the alternative idea of losing her.

"Then I'll be here, man," Chad offered and his words were few, but meant so much.

Troy nodded. "Thank you."

"Alright. Now, enough girl-talk, let's go get some lunch…"

Troy nodded and moved to join his friend.

/

CHAPTER 4

Troy smartened up his tie in the reflection of the windows outside the library where he checked his appearance before going inside.

He'd been formally invited along to the auction 'practice' which involved the bachelors and auction organizers all having a little choreography before the big night. He nervously swallowed as he imagined Gabriella inside this building- a woman who wished him dead.

A woman he still completely loved and would never betray, but ultimately was never going to get to know again because of his own stupid actions.

"Well, that's what fame does to you," he told his glass-self and he startled as a face appeared on the other side- a blonde female inside the library peering out.

"Shar?" His grin was slow but her excited squeals told him he was right and he quickly threw open the door to hug her; the feeling of which filled him with warmth when at least one person in town didn't hate his guts.

"Troy! Ohmigod, I missed you! Are you back? How was it? You have to tell me everything..!" She gasped as he pulled away with a chuckle.

"Whoa slow down!" He teased. "Yes, I'm back…I missed you too. Are you mad?"

Shar tilted her head. "I think there's enough mad at you for me to take a pass…"

He smiled more softly. "I'm glad, I need a little love."

Sharpay hugged him again. "Well, you have it."

"Your mom told me you're working in the city now?" He checked and she nodded.

"Living and working," she confirmed. "I came back to help out with the show."

"Okay, now tell me this practice isn't going to be as painful as I think its going to be…" He begged.

She grabbed his hand and towed him through, showing him the catwalk that would be used for Friday's auction and that he assumed he would be expected to parade down. There were a few other guys already up there strutting their stuff.

"Does that look painful?" Sharpay asked him.

He squinted. "Yes."

"Oh, pish. You flew a motorcycle through the air I'm sure a catwalk is nothing…"

"You wanna bet…" He murmured as she presented him to Gabriella who was recording attendees and instructing them down the concourse.

"Hi," Troy managed, dipping his gaze from hers.

Gabriella swallowed, taking a breath.

"Okay, I've marked you down, just walk up and down a few times so you feel comfortable and practice some poses…the point is to look manly and appealing to the female bidders…"

"Is there a swimsuit round?" He derided as he moved off to saunter down the walkway.

"Pull a pose!" Sharpay called from below and Troy grinned, flexing his biceps for her after slinging his jacket off. He went as far as to get into a handstand and 'walk' back up the walkway on his hands, dropping down with a gracious bow as he arrived back at the stage where Gabriella frowned across at him and he rolled his eyes.

"I just cant win," he mused to himself as he left the stage to take a break.

/

"Round two is starting…" Gabriella's clipped voice informed him as he smoked a cigarette outside, something she hated and he knew it.

He stubbed the cigarette out. "Round two?" He questioned on rising.

"You have to practice carrying your date down the walkway…"

"I have to carry her?!" He objected. "What if I hurt my back?"

Gabriella tilted her head. "Then just practice walking her around like a show pony because that's what they're paying for…"

He ducked inside and waited patiently along with the other guys there for his turn to come. Sharpay was playing 'auction winner' and being carried around by each man in turn, something she obviously reveled doing.

Troy hoiked her up with little ceremony and smirked as she swiped him and they made their way to the end of the walkway where Gabriella watched and made notes.

"She still likes you," Sharpay assured him and he looked at her quizzically.

"What!" She argued. "She does."

"I'm sure. She wanted me dead last night…"

He twirled her to the music and moved along, showing her off as he went.

"Did you see that little squint she did?" Sharpay asked.

"No…"

"Well, she did. That's a jealous squint."

"Shar, we've been friends for years, before Gabriella and I even-"

"Doesn't mean she doesn't want to be up here in your arms," she said, and then pulled his chin down to kiss him, leaving him dumbfounded until she pulled away and pushed his chin sideways so he was looking right down the walkway to where Gabriella stood with her clipboard. Sure thing, she swallowed and looked away with a tell-tale blush.

"Wow," he let out a shocked breath.

"See?" Sharpay gloated and Troy nodded, gently letting her down while the next guy carried her around on the victory lap, leaving Troy even more confused than ever.

Was it possible for her to want him dead and to want him at the same time? God, he hoped so. It just might be the glimmer of hope he was looking for, but first he had to get Chuck out of the picture. He had no idea how he was going to get Gabriella to break up with the guy while she could still use him as a shield, but there had to be a way…

Maybe he could play her at her own game, he mused. After all, this fund-raiser was her idea, she was organizing it and executing it and…well, she deserved a date, right? Didn't she deserve the best date? All he had to do was put an unlimited bid in under her name and get someone to bid for him on the night and that way the library would still get the money and he'd get Gabriella for a whole night and day all to himself.

It could work! It had to work…otherwise he didn't know if he would survive his crash at all; and everything would be going down in flames.

/

"I'm sorry, Chuck…" Gabriella apologized for her reticence to kiss him and knew deep down that Troy had everything to do with this feeling.

Chuck had tried to kiss her on several occasions and although they shared light touches and cheek-kisses and dry-mouth kisses, they'd never got past that stage and she knew it was going to be an issue unless she got a grip and realized that Troy was not the only man who was going to get to kiss her that way.

Chuck, for his part, understood. "It's okay. I know you've been hurt…it's hard to trust again."

Gabriella touched her lips and looked up to him as they stood at her door. They'd shared dinner after the rehearsal and she felt especially drained from the day's events.

"I don't know if I…" She swallowed. "If I ever will want to kiss you," she broached with a frown.

God, that sounded awful, she winced. She had to say something, something else, something good-

"I mean…it's not you, Chuck. You're amazing, really. But something in me, makes me think I'll never-"

"You still love Troy." The words were simple, but true. It amazed her that he knew this and still dated her- still went along with being her boyfriend and her protection against a man he knew she still cared about.

"How can I love someone who hurt me so deeply?" It was as though she was asking herself, but she truly didn't know the answer.

"It wouldn't hurt if you didn't love him," Chuck swallowed.

"What about us?" She darted her eyes up, frightened.

"If you need me to be your boyfriend until you're ready, then I will be," he offered.

"But why?" She beseeched. "I've already wasted enough of your time…"

"No, not wasted," he smiled gently.

"I don't want to lose you," she admitted. "But I don't feel that way about you…"

"Then we'll be friends," he suggested, wrapping her into a hug. "No hard feelings."

Gabriella leaned up and kissed him on the mouth, a happy smile splitting her lips.

"I'd like that."

/

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the first and only Gregstown Bachelor Auction, hosted by The Gregstown Library staff in aid of the summer house to complete the library renovations…"

Gabriella's speech was heard by everyone but her hands still shook nervously and her feet still hurt in the heels she'd chosen.

Her Toga-style white gown was so long she'd needed the sky-high delicately beaded gold and white platforms to boost her petite height, something she now wished she'd considered in more detail before tonight.

"I'm pleased to announce we have eight bachelors 'for sale' at tonight's bidding and included in the auction price is one whole day and one whole night with the bachelor you buy! That means a day date and evening dinner for the lucky lady in question…" She clarified.

"Bids can be in any denomination with a minimum of £5 and we ask that you please treat our bachelors with respect!"

She laughed as an uproar rose from the crowd in protest.

"Play nice," she added with a smile. "I'll now hand over to our resident auctioneer and step aside to let the fun begin!"

She smiled at Sharpay as she greeted her at the side of the stage where her friend ushered people to and fro like a pro.

"Good opening," Sharpay smiled.

"Thank you!" Gabriella breathed, and then twisted her lips. "Are you friends with Troy?"

Sharpay nodded. "Yeah, you know I am," she added with a smile.

"Have you seen him? He hasn't been about for a few days and I wondered-"

"If he was alive?" Sharpay suggested and Gabriella sucked in a breath.

"He told you?" She paled, panicking.

"Told me what?" Sharpay smiled sweetly. "I was kidding about him being alive…"

"Oh…" Gabriella nodded, and then swallowed guiltily. "So…he's okay?"

Sharpay considered her friend and tilted her head. "You know, for someone who supposedly hates his guts, you seem awfully interested in where he is…"

Gabriella balked. "He said I hate his guts?"

Sharpay lifted her brows. "Don't you?"

She swallowed. "He hurt me, everyone knows that. That doesn't just go away…"

"Nor does your love by the sound of it," The blonde commented. "And he's fine, by the way. Apart from his broken heart…"

Gabriella opened her mouth to contest Sharpay's words, and maybe even to question her further but the girl walked away before she could; immersing herself in stage duties that kept her sufficiently occupied while Gabriella stood and cursed herself.

"Stupid, idiotic, lame-ass, crazy idiotic fool…"

"Yep, that's me," a warm voice murmured in her ear before a handsome grin blinded her and her lips parted as Troy adjusted his jacket and strode out onto the walkway with as much confidence a man of his status could enjoy. She knew he was packed with muscle under that suit. She knew the broadness of his shoulders and the strength in those arms. She knew the power his thighs had to drive his heat into her and she knew…oh yes, she knew exactly how that heat stretched and filled her to achingly satisfying levels. Yes, he was big, too. And she hated; as much as she enjoyed, the feeling that roused within her as she watched him strut down the catwalk to show off his wares to other women- other women who had no business being on the receiving end of his prowess.

What if someone wants to handcuff me to the bed and purge my body?

His question aroused her as it flitted through her mind and she watched him sling off his jacket, then fling off his shirt, allowing his bared arms to be perused by the audience as he stood in his vest. She'd almost forgotten about the bidding, she was meant to be paying attention and she watched as paddles flew up all over the room to snatch a date with this hunk. Her hunk. Troy was hers, always had been, always would be, but he'd left. And with him, so had her heart. She was destroyed by his abandonment and as she watched him it was hard to remember how he could have been the kind of person to do it; but she reminded herself sadly that he was.

As much as she ached to taste his skin and have him drive into her again; she also knew she couldn't let him into her heart again without fear of repeated pain. He'd had his chance and he'd blown it…

She just wished her body would accept that too as he turned to walk back up to the lectern where the auctioneer confirmed the final bid.

Sparkly blue eyes met hers as Troy flicked her a look.

"Final bid for Troy Bolton is one thousand three hundred dollars to…Gabriella Montez!" The auctioneer called. "Our very own auction organizer wins the bachelor every woman wanted!"

Gabriella opened her mouth and gasped, looking to the auctioneer.

"What? I…I didn't…"

"I guess a generous benefactor bidded on your behalf," The auctioneer smiled and Gabriella looked to Troy, confusion rife in her eyes.

"Are you going to hop up?" He twinkled. "We have a lap of honour to do…"

"Lap of what…" She looked around her confusedly and desperately tried to make sense. "I didn't bid…I can't have won…you-"

Troy ignored her protests and bent to scoop her up, a feat so easy she gritted her teeth against the warm flood she felt between her thighs at his ability to lift her. It was somewhat of a turn on for her that he was so strong and just lifted her like a feather; it reminded her who was dominant and how she liked being under his control.

She linked her hands around his neck and smiled- no, grimaced- as she was carried on her lap of honour and finally they were enclosed backstage where it was quiet and private- something she was extremely grateful for.

"You can put me down now," she told him softly, with a frown.

Troy obeyed, twisting his lips cutely like a little boy might when found making trouble.

"Did you pay for me to be your date?" She asked outright, not sure if she was happy or mad.

Troy couldn't tell either. He erred for caution.

"I don't know what you mean."

"I think you do." She accused, jutting her chin up.

"Did anyone tell you that you look amazing in that dress?" His warm blue eyes met hers.

She flushed and flustered at her instant attraction.

"Don't change the subject! And put your jacket on!" She added of his vested torso.

"I threw it in the crowd…I think it got adopted," he shrugged.

"You find this funny?" She snapped.

"They're like baying wolves, what isn't to like?"

She decided not to answer.

"I only have eyes for you, 'Brie."

Gabriella looked up, momentarily touched. Her face softened.

"You did pay for me…"

Troy merely smiled. "When do our 24 hours start?"

She sucked in a breath. "When do you want it to?"

"Tomorrow morning? Shall we say nine am?" He suggested.

Gabriella had no fight to resist him. Somehow, she wanted this as much as he did.

"Okay."

He cupped her cheek and leaned down to kiss her forehead while she swayed tiredly before him.

"Rest well," he said softly and then he stepped back to go.

"You'll need it!" He called as he headed out with a grin, something that haunted her dreams until morning finally came.

/

CHAPTER 5

Gabriella's resolve was firmly in place as she opened the door to Troy the next morning. No-one in their right mind could have unwanted thoughts of the sexual kind so early in the day, could they? She reasoned that no sane person could and banked on herself being one of those people.

Unfortunately, Troy seemed to be going all out to remind her that his particular self could be irresistible at any hour of the day- or night- thereby leaving her sanity- and her resolve- shredded and rendered useless.

She frowned her way down from his white vest, red board shorts and down to his flip-flops, fearing the worst.

"Are we going to the beach?"

She reminded herself that her crochet oatmeal dress and black underwear were perfectly acceptable beach items. If she was a prude…

"Nope," his smile wasn't giving anything away.

"Well, am I dressed okay?" She wondered testily.

He pursed his lips, as if fighting the words he wanted to say.

"Perfect," he assured simply.

"Right okay," she nodded and grabbed her overnight bag which included her outfit for tonight.

"Here, let me," he charmingly took the heavy bag and offered his elbow.

She looked at him weirdly but didn't comment.

"Madame," he opened the limo door for her that was waiting and Gabriella looked up, surprised.

"You didn't have to do this," she offered, feeling like his effort was wasted.

"Well, you also didn't have to agree to this date, so I wanted to make it special…"

Gabriella slid into the car and felt the anxiety of the moment creep up on her. He was right. She didn't have to come today. She could have put her foot down and refused point blank such were her feelings on the matter, but she had decided- stupidly- to give today a chance. She didn't know why, she wasn't even sure she was sold on it, but she was here now and she felt trapped.

Troy looked over and noted the tense clutch Gabriella had on the car-seat and remembered a time when her firm grip was afforded on himself- maybe his shoulders when she rode him; or perhaps his bed covers when he filled her from behind, either way, he didn't like the paleness of her skin or the constant frown she wore.

"'Brie? Do you want to go back?" He asked.

She looked at him. Somehow she didn't think they could go back. Going back would only open old wounds, wounds that already were healed. So that meant they could only go forward…and going forward meant what she decided earlier. That she had to give today a chance. As she looked into his deep blue eyes and searched for answers, she took deep breaths to calm her fraught nerves and she swallowed down her worries. The worries that included falling in love with him again…

"We can't go back," she commented ruefully, allowing him a glimpse of a smile.

He flickered his lashes down. "I know."

"Then let's not pretend we can," she decided.

Troy nodded, squinting across at her.

"I've arranged for us to go sailing…we're going to sail over to Dante's Cove and have dinner in a beautiful private villa there…"

She lifted her eyes, her amazement evident. "I've always wanted to go sailing…"

"And now I get to take you," he smiled, knowing he missed fulfilling her dreams. Once upon a time that dream would have included them making love below deck, on deck and maybe even in the sand on the cove, he mused. No such luck tonight…or maybe ever, he considered as he watched his vulnerable date work up the courage to face him.

"We're here," she said and quickly exited the limo before either Troy or the driver could assist, leaving him to only escort her aboard, along with their clothes for the night.

Gabriella looked around deck, greeting the boat staff with friendly smiles as she chose to perch at the front of the boat and watch the horizon. Troy joined her a short while later, once he'd placed their things below deck.

"There's two rooms below deck so you can get changed alone and there's two rooms at the villa for tonight," he assured as he sat on the deck with his legs dangling down as the boat shifted off, gliding through the azure waters with graceful ease. He leaned back on his hands and glanced a look across at Gabriella.

"Thank you," she acknowledged his words, still remembering the times they didn't need separate rooms, remembering a time they wouldn't even have sat here like this for long with their unending passion.

"So…how did Chuck take it?" He wondered of her boyfriend.

"Take what?" She looked over, frowning.

"You going on a 12 hour date with your ex," he derided.

She shrugged. "I don't suppose he really cares…"

"What?" He chuckled. "He ought to," Troy commented, concerned.

"He's not my boyfriend anymore," she swallowed on revealing this news. News she could have kept secret if she had half a mind to. It was so much easier fighting Troy's mere presence while she had a boyfriend to hide behind.

Troy flicked his eyes to her again. "What happened?"

He actually sounded genuinely concerned and she couldn't help her smile.

"Well…we decided we were better off as friends," she admitted.

"'Brie, I'm sorry," he offered, confused. When had they broken up? Was that why she was here? Is that why she wished him dead, because he'd ruined things for her?

"Don't be," she shrugged. "It just wasn't meant to be…"

He twisted his lips and looked at her for a long moment before standing and holding out his hand.

"We'll be there soon; we should get ready for dinner."

Gabriella looked up and considered his hand with a swallow. After seconds of debate, she grasped his fingers and brought herself up.

She didn't say anything as she made her way under the boat to get ready.

/

"I can't remember ever having an entire meal with you without getting distracted at some point in the middle of courses…" Troy aimed for light humour and familiarity; gaining a acknowledging blush from his dinner partner as she spread her napkin precisely on her lap.

The cream silk dress she's chosen hit the floor and disguised her sparkled sandals; the green beading and tulle insert sparkled on her chest and lit her deep brown eyes and her long black, sleek hair was twisted into a low, neat design on one shoulder.

When her eyes batted down shyly, he caught the glimmer of pale gold on her lids and the dark sweep of her lashes; reminding him of the times her eyes had fluttered shut as a result of their passion, rather than her embarrassment at remembering those times.

Yes, she had been as eager as him at times to end their planned meal to rush home and enjoy a different kind of banquet and it still hurt him that he'd lost that particular delight. He just hoped by reminding her of it that she might eventually give into the desire they both evidently still felt. Well, if her hard peaks were anything to go by, he assumed she still felt something for him; as well as hurt and hate.

"Consider this a first, then," she commented, warning him that their night would not be punctuated with pleasures of the flesh as if he hadn't guessed as much.

"I will," he assured, pouring her a glass of wine while a lone staffer attended to them by delivering their starters- a set menu that Troy had chosen for them both.

Gabriella lifted her eyes to him and her brows rose, too.

"Prawns-my favourite," she noted.

"Are they still?" He checked. "I hoped we could get to know each other a little better this way…"

She sucked on a succulent prawn with a blink of bliss and pursed her lips before licking them for more of the delightful taste. When her eyes flicked to his, her pupils were dilated and he found himself both speechless and unable to swallow.

"Still my favourite," she affirmed from his choice.

If he could smile or nod his approval, it might be something but as it was he was frozen, just watching her. The way she enjoyed her meal…the way she effortlessly turned him on…yes, he remembered now why meal-times were so damn hard. His body remembered too as he closed his eyes and prayed for help as he felt his manhood flood with excitement at the visual display he'd just encountered.

She wasn't even naked, for god's sake! Why was he hard? Not just hard, either…rock hard. God, he'd missed those lips…he'd missed everything he realized as he stared. Had she? Had she missed his hard body and his lips? God, he hoped so, he really hoped so because he didn't think he could sit here and suffer this punishment if she didn't…

"Bad prawn?"

Troy snapped his mouth shut and swallowed. He hadn't eaten anything yet, he was too busy staring at her. Good start, Bolton, he mused.

"No…uh…no, of course not," he gingerly began chewing through his starter- none of which he really tasted thanks to his memory which served him only to remember the salt-sweet taste of her intimacy, something he would much rather be sucking on right now.

"So, what did you choose for main?" She twisted her glass stem around between two fingers, playing coy.

"Uh…" Troy cleared the husk from his throat. "I seem to remember you enjoying pasta more than is usually vocalised by women," he teased.

She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes up. "You mean your spaghetti Bolognese you used to get me into bed?"

He tilted his head. "Darlin', we'd been to bed plenty of times before I cooked you my Bolognese…"

Gabriella sucked in a breath through her nose. He was right, they had. But that night, if she remembered rightly, followed some small separation after an argument or disagreement of some kind. Only now, the details were hazy. Only now, the cool clear wine warmed her skin and the view of the Cove warmed her heart. And Troy's constant reminders of their good times made her fight for the hurt that kept them apart now.

"What did we fight about?" She asked of her memories.

He grinned. "I think you were mad with me because I fell off my bike…"

Gabriella's smile deepened, too. "Oh gosh! I was! I was so mad," she laughed at this. "You hurt your arm and Chad took you to hospital…"

"You stormed in and once you knew I was okay, you told me you never wanted to see me again…I seem to remember the words 'crazy-ass punk' being thrown in there. That was like swearing for you…"

"How on earth did I fall for coming to your place for dinner?" She mused. "I must have been the crazy one…"

Troy pursed his lips and squinted a little. "I hope you don't really believe that, 'Brie…"

Gabriella didn't reply, she just hitched a breath into her lungs to block the pain that swelled in her chest that she felt from realizing she was a fool to fall for Troy- something that only really became obvious once the women in town spelled it out to her.

Troy watched her inner fight and begged her silently to admit to him what she had been through- what she had been told to believe so he could deny it and comfort her the way he wanted to- with his arms, with his body. But she didn't broach it and he wasn't sure if he should.

As her baked chicken, cheese and ham pasta was delivered, he tried a different tack.

"The town's changed since I left…I wasn't sure I was coming home at all when I saw how the people had changed…"

Gabriella enjoyed the burst of flavours on her tongue before she looked up.

She nodded. "I think some of the old townsfolk moved away and a flush of outsiders came in. I was lucky I had Chad and Sharpay and Chuck to keep me company."

Troy licked his upper teeth, and then bit into his lip.

"I heard…" He began, and then frowned. "Dorothy told me that some of the women in town were causing you trouble…"

Gabriella smirked. Actually smirked. He couldn't fathom it; she had never been bitter, only sweet. She gave everyone a chance, she fought for what was right…he hated seeing that jaded animosity cross her features.

"Not trouble," she managed to convey on a shaky voice. He noticed how she swallowed several times to hold back tears before she spoke again. "They just gave me some tough love, that's all."

"What kind of tough love?" He wondered.

"Troy, you know what? You weren't here so it doesn't matter. I just grew up very quickly and I'm not the same girl I was when you left…" She argued.

"I don't care if you are," he assured. "But if you think it doesn't matter to me what happened when I was away then you're severely mistaken, 'Brie."

Gabriella put her fork down and considered his words. He wasn't going to make this easy for her, but then she wasn't exactly making it easy for him either- why should she? Still, she knew they would never get closure unless she opened up just a little and shared her heartache. As much as she felt it weakened her and left her open and vulnerable to his attack; she almost needed to purge every bit of pain she'd felt because of him until he realized they were so broken they couldn't be fixed.

And they couldn't be fixed, she was sure of it. He didn't really want her and she didn't want him. Did she? NO! She definitely didn't want him. She just wished her heart, her head and her body all agreed on that.

Troy, patiently waiting, spoke again. "Tell me what their tough love was, 'Brie."

Gabriella took a deep breath and looked out onto the horizon where she hoped to find strength.

"They told me the truth, Troy. That you weren't coming back. And you didn't," she shrugged. "So they were right."

"What else?" He prompted, not satisfied and she met his cold blue eyes and frowned.

Oh Jesus, did he know? It was there in his eyes! He knew! She felt her lips quiver as she forced herself to say the words he was waiting for, and oh god, how it hurt.

"That I wasn't good enough for you!" She cast. "That you didn't love me and would never come back for me because I was just an innocent, naïve little girl…"

Troy threw his napkin on the table and slowly rose from his chair, filling her with silent fear as he approached, step by step to her side. She was crying now, she saw the clear salt tears plop into her lap as she looked down and studied her shaking fingers, determined to look anywhere but at him. If she looked at him now then it would all be over.

"'Brie, look at me," he asked her the one thing she wasn't willing to do and after a moment of her sobbing, he knelt down and took her hands.

"Come here, beautiful," he coaxed her off the chair and into his arms where she curled into a semi-seated position on his thigh, cradled in his strong arms, arms she thought would never hold her again and arms she was adamant would never comfort her again.

But no, it felt good. Too good. She couldn't push him away, she couldn't fight it. The warmth and protection provided by those strong, hard limbs was more than enough to encourage her hurt tears to fall soundlessly away; leaving no room for shame or embarrassment. All they had was each other.

"I never stopped loving you," his husked, murmured voice assured in her ear as she curled against his shoulder. "Never."

Gabriella sniffled and hitched with the pain of her sobs. "I only had their words…their beliefs…you never called, you never wrote…"

"I know," he stroked her hair and sighed out. "I know how badly I failed you…"

She suddenly realized what she had let herself do whilst remembering the worst times of his tour and she made efforts to move.

"'Brie," he begged, tightening his arms.

"No, let go," She stated, struggling to gain balance and freedom from his hold.

"Please," he beseeched. "Talk to me…"

"Let go of me, Troy," she asked again, swallowing hard and pushing against his hold, this time receiving the freedom she requested as he let his arms drop away; but not before gently helping her to her feet.

"They may have told me that I was worthless, Troy," she looked down on him with dark eyes. "But you're the one that made me feel it."

/

Oh shit.

Tonight was even worse than Troy had suspected it might be and he sat with his head in his hands; his tie loose, his hope dashed. Gabriella was truly never going to forgive him because he didn't deserve forgiveness. It was obvious now, he'd been the worst kind of pond scum and he didn't know how to handle that; but by god, he had to. He had to find a way to accept his grave mistakes and somehow move on but now-more than ever- it was clear that wasn't going to happen quickly and it wasn't going to happen with Gabriella in his life.

He swallowed down the pain in his throat and looked up to the moon, asking for answers, asking for a miracle only he knew none would come. He'd created this mess. Now he had to deal with it. He just wished he was better equipped.

When Gabriella finally ventured out of the bathroom, eyes cast down and failing to meet his, he rose, slow and in pain.

"Are you ready to go home?" He asked, all but a whisper.

Tonight was over, ended. There was no way back, there was no way forward. He had lost the best thing that ever happened to him and the only woman he would ever love. That was it; his life would be lived out in celibacy and remorse for his stupid, arrogant mistakes.

Gabriella nodded, careful to keep her bruised eyes hidden as they walked back to the boat, both quiet as they boarded.

"I'm going to my cabin," she told him before he watched her go, barefoot and ruined; a sight he would have normally found arousing only now his life-blood flowed out of him; leaving him empty.

He sat at the front of the boat as if willing a direct impact with something harder; something destructive that would take this pain away. Still, he felt selfish. First, he had to take Gabriella's pain away before he could think about his own. And he didn't know how he was going to do it; but he was determined she be happy by the time he leave; if nothing else. And yes, he was leaving. Again. It seemed the only way, the only thing that would allow her to find peace from his painful desertion.

If only he could seek a little comfort of his own before he had to go he mused…if only those growing waves could adopt him as their own. If only he grew a tail and became a merman; or a fish and lived beneath the sea where he stood no chance of making the monumental mistakes he'd made on land.

If only, if only…

/

"It's over man…It's really over…"

Troy slumped on his sofa as Chad followed him in and watched him sag despondently.

"Gabriella?" Chad checked and Troy looked up under heavy brows as if to ask 'what else?' and Chad twisted his lips.

"I take it the date didn't go well…" His friend offered and sat, too.

"I failed," Troy admitted. "I failed her when I left, I failed her when I didn't call and I failed to show her last night how sorry I am…"

"There's still time," Chad championed. "I mean, it's not like I've forgotten what happened but I know you're still the same guy deep down. Gabriella just needs more time to see that."

Troy shook his head. "No, I've hurt her enough. Last night I really saw just how much I did hurt her…"

"It wasn't pretty huh?" Chad sympathized.

Troy met his friend's gaze with a grim line on his mouth. "I have to go…"

"What? That's just crazy talk," Chad argued.

"No, I think this is the sanest I've been. My being here is hurting Gabriella more than my being away did."

Chad shook his head. "It's just the start…you're only just back. In a few weeks she'll be different, I promise you. Just give it time- you owe her that much."

"Time to what?" Troy frowned. "Hurt her even more?"

"You're just starting to break down the walls, bro. Don't give up." Chad begged.

Troy lifted his chin and looked at his friend.

"I need some time away from here."

"Then take a break for a few days but don't go for good."

Troy considered his best friend's request. He needed him, he knew. He owed it to him at least to stick around despite the concerns he had over hurting Gabriella again.

"Alright. I'll come back," Troy agreed.

/

Troy reeled in the ropes to tether the sails on the small boat he'd rented for this particular trip. A journey he needed to make in both a physical sense and inside his own mind.

Chad had a point. Leaving town- as tempting as it was- wouldn't erase the hurt he'd caused, or the hurt he felt. He owed to Gabriella, and his best friend, to stick with it until the end.

He didn't know what the end might be yet, but if he didn't feature somewhere in her future then he guessed he had to close the book between them so that at least some other guy could.

Some guy other than Chuck, he hoped.

He looked up to the sky as he smelled danger on the suddenly cool slicing breeze and puzzled at it. The air was balmy- he was in a tee shirt and shorts for crying out loud, where was this cold undercurrent coming from?

He frowned as dark clouds crept in.

There was a storm brewing. How fitting.

As his head swam with a mixture of emotions he barely had time to decipher; his body was thrown into action to protect his small vessel from the coming attack.

Winds slashing, waves growing and electric bolts cracking the sky open, each blistering sound shook him to his bones.

"Give me a chance," he called to the sky as unforgiving rain pelted down, stinging his face.

No mercy. The storm had no warning, no lead-up and no mercy.

Troy had no choice but to burrow in the hull of his wooden protection and hope someone up there took pity on him. Not that he really deserved it, he considered. And maybe this was it. This was karma. He'd hurt enough people, he'd caused enough pain. And this was how he was going to pay for it.

The boat lurched and the sound of weak wood splintering ripped the air.

He was going to pay for it by dying in these waves; the very place he had ached to disappear into only two nights ago.

It looked like he was going to get his wish, after all…

/

CHAPTER 6

"What happened?" Chad flicked his eyes concernedly over his best friend- his best friend who was unconscious in a hospital bed with his head wrapped in a bandage and a wad of cotton that evidently protected a strike he had suffered.

It wasn't exactly what he was expecting to find when he got a call to say Troy had been admitted to hospital following a sailing accident. He had assumed his tough buddy would at the very least be awake, if a little battered.

He looked to the attending nurse to await her reply.

"Seems that his boat capsized and he hit his head," she explained gently. "The bang on his head has kept him unconscious but other than that, he just has minor cuts and bruises."

Like the one on his eye, Chad noted. Probably from when he hit his head, too.

"God, he's an idiot," Chad sighed and went over to the bed.

"A storm came in by surprise. We had a few sailors get caught out," The nurse shared and Chad thanked her for her help while he sat down and took in the events of the previous hours.

"So you think this will make her worry, huh?" He asked the unconscious man in the bed. "You thought Gabriella needed a shock?"

The sleeping man wasn't going to answer, but Chad spoke on.

"It was a good idea, dude, maybe bordering on genius, but it's time to wake up now. The game is over, we're worried enough. It's time to stop playing dead…"

Troy's body remained lifeless in the bed and Chad felt tears wet his eyes and when he spoke again his voice was strained.

"Wake up now, bro. I know you thought your bike show was better than the rest of us but I know you were just young and stupid. Don't you dare go thinking you're better off asleep…"

Tears trailed down his cheeks and he wiped them away.

"I'd rather you were awake and an idiot than asleep and dead." he added. "No use being dead. I need you to fix my car for a start…"

Still, no movement was made from the patient on the bed.

Chad bowed his head and prayed.

He prayed hard.

/

It was one of those moments that she would never forget, like the first time she'd had sex, where she was when the twin towers were attacked and the day she'd taken off her promise ring.

The moment Chad walked into the library with a solemn look on his face; somehow she had known instantly that something was really, really wrong.

She swallowed, forgot about her book-cover cleaning and looked up into his deep brown eyes.

"What is it?" She asked instinctively and if he was surprised by her intuition, he didn't show it.

"Troy's hurt," Chad murmured, conscious of his surroundings. "He's in hospital."

"What!" Gabriella gasped, her heart stuttering in her chest. "How bad?" She whispered, her face stricken with instant concern.

"He's unconscious…he went sailing and got caught in a storm and he hit his head pretty bad," Chad divulged. "I know you're not on good terms right now but he talked about you before he left…"

"Left?" She frowned.

"Not for good," Chad assured. "He told me he wanted to leave town and I persuaded him to stay but he was going away for a couple of days…I didn't know he was going sailing…I had no idea he would get hurt…"

"No, of course," Gabriella gripped his arm in comfort, something she could clearly see the black man needed.

"He's really scaring me, Gabs," he whispered as his voice broke. "He's gotta wake up…"

"He will," she tiptoed to hug him. "Its okay, Chad. He'll get better," she assured him with words she didn't know were true.

"I was so mad at him for forgetting us!" He argued, letting out his emotions. "But you know what? It doesn't even matter! I'd rather he was gone than dead…"

"I know," she sighed, hugging him tighter. "I agree. At least when he's alive we can be mad at him…"

Chad pulled back and met her gaze, tears tracking down his cheeks.

"I think he might wake up for you," Chad broached.

"W-what?" Gabriella stuttered.

"He thought it was over with you…that's why he wanted to go, to stop hurting you anymore…"

Gabriella frowned and shook her head against the information she had to absorb.

"If you're asking me to visit him then don't," Gabriella said softly and Chad went to open his mouth to protest but she looked up, stopping him. "You don't need to ask. I'm there," she assured and Chad let out a relieved breath.

"I know it'll make a difference," Chad encouraged.

Gabriella nodded. "I'll finish work early and meet you there."

/

Chad looked over to where Gabriella was sitting beside Troy's bed; her face pale and showing shock.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked. "You look really pale…"

Gabriella shivered in the room, her fears coming to reality. When Chad had told her about Troy's condition she had come here running on adrenaline, thinking of all the practicalities involved in the accident and his recovery. Sitting here looking at his strong body so frail and vulnerable brought it home just how close he was between living and dying and she felt a painful welt of guilt surge through her chest. She'd told him he'd made her feel worthless, she'd told him there was no hope.

And there he lay, battered because of it.

She may never get to hold him again. Might never get to kiss him; share him and enjoy him the way she once had, before everything went wrong. And yes, he still had a lot to pay for but she didn't believe this was a price he should pay.

And she might even be the reason he lay here at all, she considered.

She fixed her gaze on Chad.

"I told him I wanted him dead," she whispered, tears cascading her cheeks. "This is my fault, I made this happen…"

"No," Chad shook his head. "That's not true. You couldn't have changed this…"

"I take it back, okay!" She looked up, her eyes stricken with fear. "I didn't mean it!"

"Gabriella…" Chad frowned and bent to hug her. "It's okay; we know you didn't mean it…"

"He doesn't!" She argued. "He doesn't know…"

"Well, truth be told, we've all told him what an ass he's been lately so it's not like he was feeling the love in any corner…" Chad mused.

"But I was the worst," she blamed herself. "I just…I never knew…"

"Who did? The boat capsized and he got hurt, no-one could have predicted that." Chad assured. "Look, let's go and get some coffee and we'll come back when you feel a bit stronger," he suggested gently.

"I'm not leaving." She stated.

"Okay, let me say that again. You need a break." He repeated more firmly and two brown, fretful eyes met his.

"I promise we can come back later," he added to appease her and finally she nodded her agreement and Chad put his arm around her shoulders as he guided her out.

/

Gabriella watched Troy's chest rise and fall with the steady breaths keeping the life in him, something she was ultimately grateful for despite the fact he still hadn't woken and was evidently bruised and hurt besides.

She felt enormous guilt at her treatment of him considering in this moment when it came down to the wire, she didn't want him to die. She didn't want him to leave and she definitely didn't want him hurt like this.

It gave her a lot to think about while she sat by his bed, holding his hand and reading from his favourite cartoon comic. It gave her more to think about than she could cope with right now, so she just thanked god that he was alive and that she still had a chance to talk to him-one day- about everything that had happened.

Right now all that was important- all that mattered- was getting Troy through this.

/

When Troy woke, he blinked his eyes a few times to focus and then carefully worked out what part of him was injured as he waited for his brain to wake up too and signal pain.

He'd hit his head, that he remembered. It throbbed dully but by the groggy sensation he was experiencing, he guessed they'd pumped him with painkillers to help.

He couldn't move far, but he found himself lifting his head to look about him, checking that he was in fact in hospital and that his pain relief wasn't from a different source.

The clean, white room confirmed he was under professional care.

Gabriella?

He squinted, making sure he wasn't hallucinating. What was she doing here? Asleep in the visitor's chair, looking exhausted from her apparent all-night stay?

Had she come on finding out he'd been injured? Why would she?

He lay his head back down and closed his eyes as a wave of exhaustion flowed over him. Before he let his body succumb, he ached to leave Gabriella some kind of sign that he was okay. She could go then and not sleep in the uncomfortable chair.

He couldn't find anything at his disposal so he sighed and gave in to the dark. A nice warm feeling crashed over him as he drifted away.

/

He looked so peaceful asleep.

He always had. She remembered the mornings she'd woken first, happy just to gaze at him as he slept on oblivious. Sometimes she would wake him in a way that left them both sated before they even left the bed for work; and sometimes she just watched his lashes against his freckled cheeks and enjoyed the fact she was sharing his bed. Or hers; whoever's place they had ended up at.

She missed those mornings, the spooning, the snuggling and yes, the slow, gentle first-thing sex they'd enjoyed. She missed the lazy kissing, the stroking and the sunrises together; memories she would never forget.

As she stroked gentle fingers over his thick brows, she realized she missed him more than she cared to admit. Having him back was a shock but it was also a reminder- of what they had and could have had if things were different.

But she couldn't just pretend that the past hadn't happened. He'd left her and she still felt the raw pain of that abandonment and she hadn't been willing to listen to his reasons why before; but now, she considered maybe she was.

Now, maybe, just maybe, things could be different.

"Hi." Two blue eyes blinked tiredly at her.

"Troy?" She gasped, surprised, jerking her hand back. "Oh my god! Nurse!" She called, then focused back on his face. "Are you okay? Oh my god, are you okay?"

Troy closed his eyes and pursed his lips.

"I am now with you stroking me," he admitted with a dry humor even while he was semi-conscious, something that she couldn't help but smile at; in spite of her happy tears.

She grasped his hand to affirm his words. "I'm here."

"I know, I saw you sleeping," he husked.

"Can I help?" The Nurse asked from the doorway and Gabriella nodded.

"He's awake…" She explained and a flurry of activity occurred which forced Gabriella back from the bed whilst the nurses checked Troy's vitals before he slipped back into his sleep.

By the time they were done, he had no energy left to talk and she smiled sadly at his peaceful form, knowing she had to leave and get some proper rest.

She stroked her fingers through his messed hair and over his bandage gently.

"Get better," she whispered before she left.

/

"Is that what I think it is?"

Chad was smiling at the necklace around Gabriella's neck.

Gabriella looked up from her intense book-unpacking and smiled at her friend.

"It's the promise ring Troy gave me before he left," she shared.

Chad lifted his brows. "There's hope?"

Gabriella stood and walked to a table with him and sat in the peaceful library, thinking how best to explain her decision to bring out the old piece of jewellery today.

"Troy woke up yesterday…" She hedged, not sure if those words alone adequately explained her. "I…I thought about giving him the ring back to keep…until…that is if he ever was ready…to give it back to me. As a new promise…"

Chad took a big breath in. "That's huge."

"Nothing's changed, Chad," she warned. "There's still work to do. But…it might help him find a reason to get strong again…" She mused.

"It will…Jesus, Gabs, he'll be stoked to have this chance…"

"If he wants me to have this ring again, then he has to mean it and not disappear again," she shared. "That's my terms."

"He'd want you to keep it anyway and not take it back at all…"

"Well the promise he made with it was broken," she argued. "The ring is an omen while that is still hanging over us."

"Are you visiting later?" He checked and she twisted her lips.

"I wasn't going to…but I can't seem to stay away."

Chad smiled. "He needs you, you know."

Gabriella looked up. "He didn't need me for six months while he vanished into thin air…" She murmured.

Chad tilted his head, knowing her hurt was justified.

"Well, he needs you now…he won't even think about being with anybody else. It's destroying him to think he might have to let you go…"

"Don't do that, Chad," she begged. "Don't make me feel bad. I was the one who lost out remember?" She argued.

"But, you can change it. You don't have to lose him at all now. He's home and he's staying. For you…he came home for you…"

"He came home because he got injured," she shared knowingly.

Chad frowned. "But it made him realize. Being on the brink made him realize he wanted to live the rest of his gifted life with you."

Gabriella sighed. "He really was adamant he wouldn't sleep with any other woman."

"And he hated the thought you could have slept with Chuck…"

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Well that was a non-starter, we didn't even get to kiss," she mused.

"Wonder why…"

"Chad," she warned.

"If you wanted to, you could have moved on with Chuck. It must say something that you didn't."

"It says I need closure over the past," she agreed. "And when Troy is better I might finally get that. Where we go from there, who knows?"

Chad smiled. "I think I do…"

/

Troy woke at the feel of fingers against his and startled, opening his eyes to quickly check who was there; hoping if it was Gabriella that he wouldn't miss her visit.

He was right to wake; she was there, looking into his face intently as if searching for signs of pain, ready to sooth them away.

"How's the head?" She enquired.

Today she was wearing plain jeans and a white shirt with ballet shoes and her hair was plaited down the side of her head. He reached for the braid and rubbed his fingers against it, remembering the glossiness and softness of her curls.

"I remember when you used to wear your hair down…"

It wasn't what she was expecting him to say, but she went with it.

"Only when I was with you," she pinkened slightly, intimating he ruined her smart appearance and she never let anyone else see that side of her. And she was right. And he loved that she hadn't shared that part of herself with anyone else.

"Will you take it down now?" He wondered as she sat in the visitor chair and lifted her chin to his request.

Slowly, her fingers undid the tie and then unwound the neat puzzle; leaving her to comb her fingers through tangled but free lengths of dark, rich hair.

"Better?" She mused, irked by his demand. Now she felt like lady Godiva covering her body with her hair to prevent his tired but roaming eyes from seeing her. She had no shield; it was destroyed in battle and she had no resistance left. Games were dangerous and she didn't want to play.

"I missed you," he said, all husky and emotional, something again she hadn't prepared for.

She wasn't quite sure what to say back.

"I missed you, too," she admitted, not wanting to cause him too much stress by getting defensive.

"Last night was so different without you here…"

She smirked. "How?"

He looked over at her, gazing. "I didn't have you to wake up to."

"Troy, you banged your head. You're going to be okay…there's no need to get sentimental or anything…"

"Is that my ring?" She heard his quiet gasp as she leaned forward and the heavy gold piece rolled forward through the gap in her shirt.

She pursed her lips and unfastened the necklace to take the round object off.

"Yes…I brought it to give to you." She ventured.

Troy looked at her forlornly. "But that's yours…"

"Well, you promised me you would be there for me when you gave me this and you broke that promise so I think you should have it back…"

"'Brie," Troy tried to struggle up, becoming agitated.

"Shh…wait," she quickly came over and grasped his hand. "Please don't get upset, I need you to rest…"

His blue eyes focused on hers while his face frowned in confusion.

"I'm going to give you the ring back and if at any time you feel like making a new promise then…well…we'll see," she offered, promising nothing but the chance to try and communicate when he was well.

"You're giving me another chance?" He wondered.

She licked her lips. "I can only agree to talking right now. I'm sorry I can't offer more."

Troy nodded and slipped her ring onto the tip of his finger, studying it with wistful care.

"That's enough for me," he assured, then dropped his head back tiredly.

"Is your head hurting?" She guessed, smoothing a cool hand across his forehead. "Just sleep, okay? I'll be here when you wake up…"

"But I wasn't there for you," he murmured as he drifted off to the warm place. "And I want to be…I will be…if you let me…if you let me I will be there…every time you wake up…"

Gabriella watched bemusedly as Troy babbled as he sank into sleep, something she was sure he wouldn't remember tomorrow.

/

CHAPTER 7

Soft lips dragged against her throat in unconventional kisses- an experiment of touch punctuated with tender sucking, but not enough to wake her.

Gabriella sighed out, signaling her semi-consciousness but still her eyes remained closed. Her lover paused, then tackled skin lower where her pulse lightly beat and then skipped when a rough-coated tongue lapped over that sensitive area.

Oh god, she was wet already. She could feel the arousal trickle through her as each touch got bolder. Still, no fingertips, no hands. Only lips, only barely-there contact.

It was no use, she would have to open her eyes and make this delightful daydream real; but somehow the lure of blinded passion rode on.

Where would he kiss next? Her collarbone perhaps? As low as her belly?

No, he was kissing the small mounds of her soft flesh, each in turn, each boasting a pebbled tip from such erotic foreplay.

Touch me, her mind spoke for her, silently begging where her lips remained parted and her voice caught in her throat.

Oh yes, touch me…She begged harder and writhed as hot breaths ghosted her needy tips.

She groaned in frustration as the tender touch diverted to her neck again and this time she called out for what she wanted.

"Troy."

He knew what she was asking for, she had asked enough times before, but still her sleep-heavy body showed him as she pushed her chest up for more.

Warmth surrounded her and she knew it was coming- that moment, her wake-up call.

Hot tongue lathed against the painful tightness of her needy bud and her eyes fluttered open as she vocalized her desire.

"Yes!"

Yes, that was it, that was…

It was…oh god, it was a dream.

Gabriella blinked. She was in the hospital, in Troy's room, asleep on a cot. She looked up to see Troy fast asleep in his bed. Nowhere near her aching nipples, she mused. It wasn't a beautiful wake-up call at all. It was all pretend. And as she closed her eyes and sighed, a feeling crossed her that she hadn't expected.

Why did she feel disappointed?

/

Gabriella spent less time at the hospital in the following days; only popping by when she knew that Troy would be resting or too tired to talk and she was grateful that he was securely tethered in bed and unable to reach his full potential of charm whilst under the weather.

She didn't trust her senses right now and her constant state of confusion left her vulnerable to his attack, something she couldn't cope with or even think about for the fear it injected into her veins. Fear and…was it excitement?

Surely not! She had no right to feel excited around him at all now. Maybe back in the old days when they spent more time coupled than apart, but no such lightness existed now.

She reminded herself that her rather erotic dream was just the result of late nights at the hospital and a jumble of emotions she'd felt since she'd found out Troy was hurt. That kind of shock was enough to make anyone imagine stupid things, she mused. Not that imagining foreplay with Troy was anything near stupid, she sighed, but still…

It wasn't long, though before her avoiding visits became defunct. When she walked in that afternoon, her nemesis was on his feet. A sight that filled her with equal relief, pleasure and…well, fear.

"You're up," she commented of his gaze out of the window into the bleak town beyond.

Troy turned, his bruised eye fading now, his arms folded and showing bunched muscle. If she had been a total sneak, when he'd turned she might have caught just the tiniest flash of his bare backside under his hospital gown. But of course, she was no sneak. She was a woman of propriety and honour…

Who was she kidding? She'd snuck a look alright and now felt her body come alive at the sight of his bare flesh; followed by his slow, sexy smile.

"I could say something really unnecessary to that," he offered with a twinkle and she reviewed her greeting, realizing what he meant.

Oh yes. His erections. She remembered those early-morning pleasures as clearly as she recalled their play before and after the sun rose.

"I'd like to think you were too ill to think about it," she bounced back and he walked toward her, dropping his arms.

Gabriella started, silently threatened by his approach, unsure of his intentions. Troy licked his lips as he paused, recognizing the flash of fear in her eyes, something he frowned at, wondering how he had come to draw that response from her. The breath left his lungs.

"I'd never hurt you, 'Brie," he stated as though she didn't know this already.

"I know," her chin lifted just a notch, but not her eyes.

"And I'd never force you…"

She almost smiled at that…no, he never would. He'd coax her, play with her and string her so tightly so that she begged for him; and god, yes he had taken her, owned her in ways she had never imagined could be pleasurable such had been his roughness; but oh god, she had. She had enjoyed every moment with him. But he'd misread her worries and she owed it to him to appease his horrified thoughts.

"I know you wouldn't," she assured again, more softly. "I'm just…a little tense today. I'm sorry…"

Troy squinted, not satisfied with her response. He came closer and she quivered with unspoken anticipation for his touch.

Troy stopped just before her and bent to whisper in her ear, no part of them touching; but his presence alone enough to cast heat into her belly.

"I told you I wouldn't ever hurt you, 'Brie," his silk-smooth voice held a little rumble of annoyance. "Now, why do you fear me?"

"I don't," she denied brightly, forcing a smile as she cleared her throat and took a step away from his tempting male scent- a scent that seemed to crawl up her nose and drug her with his pheromones. "I was just…surprised to see you up, that's all…"

He didn't believe her, she knew. But luckily he didn't persist.

"Are you here to take me home?" He wondered.

"Have you not let Chad know?" She wondered of his friend.

He smirked. "He's starting on my motorcycle apparently. He thought it was safer than sailing…"

Gabriella flicked her eyes to his. "I'll take you, then. If you want."

His lips curled, just so. "I want." He assured with a husk she cursed as she waited for him to move.

"I guess I'll wait outside while you change and gather your th-"

Gabriella's gasp punctuated the room as Troy swiped off his hospital gown and unembarrasedly bared his entire naked form to her, bruises and all. She fought for air, swallowed her squeak of protest and tried to push her eye-lids shut but her eyes had a whole life of their own as they dragged down his tanned, muscled body and remembered every line there and learnt some new ones, too.

He was even musclier, if that were possible, thick with bulk and slow-moving like a panther, but she couldn't stop the inevitable slide of her gaze past his ripped belly and lower, where his manhood was about to be covered by the boxers he dragged up his legs.

"N-" She swallowed her dissent to that movement, gaining his gaze on hers.

She watched him clock her, watched him smile and saw him turn, hands on hips. If he said anything, she didn't register the movement of his lips or the sound of his voice, she just swayed and begged for her body to start working again and break the spell he'd put her under the moment he'd bared his flesh.

"I'll be outside," She whispered finally, her throat working to clear the clog of desire there. The shake in her hands evidenced the fast beat of her heart and her blood whooshed around her body, as every nerve ending came to life, every cell revived at the reminder of Troy's lovely naked body.

Lovely and… hard, she closed her eyes. Hard in every way a man should be. Hard, demanding and at the same time gentle, loving. She missed every bit of it. She missed their love-making, their conversation, the way they would curl up together and read or watch TV. She missed it all…

"A little hot in there?" A derisive voice wondered as Gabriella lifted her chin to the air conditioning unit and begged the cool waft to dash down her neck and chest to ease the dark blush there.

"What?" She snapped, opening her eyes. Troy's dangerous smile goaded her.

"Never mind," he said. "Ready to go?"

"More than ready," she mused of their exit. And more than ready for a few other things besides….

/

Troy was subdued in the days following his release from hospital. He was upset that his intended time away had been interrupted with a visit to hospital; but he also knew that trip had ultimately brought him and Gabriella closer together- something he had wanted for weeks now.

He knew now that he didn't need to leave town; Gabriella could co-exist in the same vicinity without feeling physically sick at his presence which was something. But as for their future…that he didn't know.

He flipped the promise ring she'd handed back to him between his fingers, frowning as nothing came to him as to what to do with the piece.

"Pawn it," Chad suggested as he watched Troy play with the gold hoop; his friend having asked him to stay over until his nightmares from the sailing incident had receded a little.

Chad had been glad to get time to spend with his buddy alone, living together like old times, even just for a few days.

Troy looked up and gave him a look. "I'm not pawning it."

"Then swap it or something. She called that ring an omen." Chad shared.

"An omen? Because I broke the promise I made with it? Doesn't that make me the omen?" He wondered.

"It makes you the idiot," Chad quipped and Troy smiled flatly.

"Yeah, well, we know that…"

"Hey, I'm joking," his friend back-pedaled on seeing Troy's sadness, still, even when he and Gabriella were talking.

"I'm trying to work out if this ring means anything anymore. If I got rid of it, would she be even more upset? Like I'm throwing away the thing when she kept it?" He posed.

Chad pursed his lips. "Oh jeez, never thought of that. Chicks are weird," he shook his head.

Troy smirked. "Well, it doesn't help when guys do stupid-ass things to make them that way."

Chad considered Troy's pensive state.

"You're going to have to get over it at some point Troy," his friend counseled. "Otherwise how do you expect Gabriella to?"

"What I just pretend it never happened? The past is the past?" Troy puzzled.

"That's not what I mean. I mean…you have to broach it and get it out there, and then you have to move on. You're a different person than you were six months ago. It's about time you proved it…"

"I'm trying!" Troy exasperated, dropping the ring onto the table with a clink. "I'm trying so hard…"

"It's the last block in her crumbling wall," Chad offered. "Break it down."

Troy peered at his friend, wondering exactly how he was meant to do that when all he wanted to do- still- was take Gabriella to bed and break down their differences in another way. A way that would alleviate the very evidential need he felt any time he got within five feet of her- a need he was afraid wasn't going to go away.

He frowned.

Is that what Gabriella was afraid of, too? Is that why she had looked at him that way in the hospital, as though he was about to pounce and she was his helpless prey?

She used to enjoy that, but now it made her scared. He made her scared.

Oh god…

He never wanted to make her afraid, not ever. He wasn't lying when he'd told her he'd never hurt her or force her…but somehow he seemed to be doing a very bad job of hiding his want for her if she could sense it and felt so threatened by it that she backed off at the merest look from him.

He was going to have to get this under control, he mused. Though god knew how when the only resolution was to sink into her hot, willing flesh and own her all over again.

Those thoughts had to stop. He had to behave.

He had to be the gentleman he'd tried to be when emulating Chuck. Not that Gabriella had liked him that way, but still. His sexual appetite had to be drowned for the sake of forging a friendship with his ex.

That is, if he ever wanted her to trust him again.

/

"What the hell…?" Gabriella murmured softly as she sat in the diner for breakfast, just like she did every morning.

Only this morning she was watching a tall, brown haired, one-time hunk approach wearing the most ridiculous brown tweed suit she had ever seen. Worse than Chuck's even!

"Good morning."

"What the hell are you wearing?" Gabriella gasped, putting down her teacup. "What's that hair?"

Troy smiled. "It's a tweed suit," he explained gently. "And don't you like it…" He touched his slicked-down hair. It wasn't cut, but it was tidy. That's the best he could manage, along with a shave.

"No!" She cast out, and then blushed as her vehement response startled some of the customers. "No, I don't like it," she added in a murmur. "Sit down."

Troy lifted his brows at her tone and complied. "Yes, ma'am."

"Don't do that," she warned. "It's not cute."

"I'm not trying to be cute!" He chuckled. "I'm being a gentleman…"

"Well…" She fought for words. "Don't!"

"You really seem to feel strongly about this," he bemused of her reaction.

Gabriella took three calming breaths and eased the annoyed frown from her face. She shouldn't really care what Troy did with himself- or his sexy body- but the sight of him strolling up looking like the kind of man she'd just split up with irked her.

She liked the leather jacket and t-shirt he usually favoured. She liked his worn-to-softness jeans and the way his muscled body was showcased by those snug items. She didn't like the smooth, neat hair or the stupid suit and she definitely didn't like his clean jaw.

"Where's your stubble?"

If Troy didn't know better, he'd think her question was almost forlorn.

He shrugged. "I shaved it off."

"Troy, I see what you're trying to do but did you forget I broke up with Chuck? I don't need a replacement for him…"

"Who said I wanted to be?" He quipped. "I'm doing this for myself."

Gabriella tilted her head in disbelief. "You like this look?"

"Sure," he shrugged.

"I don't believe you."

"No scratchy beard; no fly-away hair…"

"No sex appeal," she added under her breath.

"I'm a new man." He insisted.

She looked up and met his sparkling blue eyes and held them for five seconds.

"Fine," she said, going back to her tea.

"Just like that?" He twinkled.

"Yes, just like that," she agreed. "What do I care anyway?"

"Exactly, what do you care?" He echoed, goadingly.

"I mean, you should care. Not me…"

"I do care," he agreed. "I care enough to change."

Gabriella stood before her tongue got the better of her. "Good-day," she clipped and paid her bill with a fluster before heading off, much to Troy's amusement.

/

"What the fuck happened to you?"

Chad Danforth's teasing tones were followed by laughter; great laughter.

"Thanks," Troy derided of his mirth.

"You look like a ponce!" Chad giggled. "Is it Halloween?"

"No…"

"Oh dude, you crack me up!" Chad doubled over as he gasped for breath.

"Nice to know my friends support me," Troy mused as he perched on the counter of his garage while Chad regained composure.

"Well, what's the idea?" The black guy asked, genuinely confused.

"To become a better man," Troy shrugged. "A gentleman."

Chad sniggered. "You?" He checked.

"Yes!" Troy exasperated. "Why is that so hard for everyone to believe?"

"Everyone?" Chad queried. "You mean you've been out in public like that?"

Troy rolled his eyes. "Gabriella didn't like it."

"I'm not surprised!" Chad emphasized. "She fell in love with a teenage delinquent not the frickin' Ponce of England."

"I'm not trying to make her fall in love with me…" Troy argued. "I'm trying to make her trust me."

"Dude, I wouldn't trust you looking like that in a million years!" Chad shared jovially. "Go get it off, you're creeping me out…"

"I just wanted to show her she doesn't have to be afraid of me…" Troy sighed, ignoring Chad's jibes.

Chad made a face. "She's not afraid of you."

"She jumped when I walked toward her the other day at the hospital," Troy shared his worry.

"Were you wearing that?" Chad asked. "Cos if you were, I can totally see why she freaked…"

"No, I was wearing a gown, quit laughing and help me," Troy complained.

"Dude, I'm sorry I can't take you seriously like that. Go throw on some shorts and we'll shoot hoops out back. I'll think of something by then, I swear…"

Troy squinted. "You better…"

"When I finished laughing that is!" His friend called to his receding back.

/

"How are you doing?" Chuck Wheedle asked with his usual gentle concern and Gabriella smiled gratefully at his support.

She shrugged. "Since Troy had his accident, I feel like I need to get closure on why he left me behind…" She admitted. "But today he really surprised me."

"Why's that?" Chuck squinted, taking Gabriella's hand across the table they shared.

"He came into the diner dressed in…well, dressed like you, actually," she shared. "I don't understand why he did that."

"Like me?" Chuck laughed. "He must be ill!"

Gabriella smiled at his joke. "He said he wanted to be a gentleman."

"You don't agree?" Chuck wondered of her far-away look.

"I didn't like it. It wasn't Troy, you know?"

"Gabriella, it's okay to admit you still have feelings for him. It's not like I don't know all about you and him already…" Her friend broached.

She met his kind eyes and took a breath. "You came here to catch up, not to listen to my woes. Tell me about the manor," she encouraged of his home that he opened to public show.

"As much as I love the manor," Chuck reposted, "I'd rather we get to the bottom of this matter with Troy…"

Gabriella lifted two reticent eyes to his, knowing she could tell this man anything in complete faith.

"The bottom of the matter is this," she began. "I am entirely afraid of falling in love with him again…"

/

"Okay, 3-pointer," Chad lifted off his feet to arch the ball neatly into the net, Troy jumping to save an unsaveable shot.

"10-2," Troy sighed of the scores, his being the lowest- an appalling score that he would never live down.

"Don't worry buddy, you'll get better again. A year of playing on bikes was sure to cut your jump shot down…"

"Shut up, Chad," Troy warned; but his tone was affectionate.

"Shut me up, Bolton," he grinned and ran forward for a one-point basket, something he achieved with little opposition as Troy's beat body tired quickly.

"Damn!" He sighed, fighting for breath.

"Hey, man, you would tell me if you couldn't cope with this, right?" Chad asked, suddenly worried.

Troy arched a brow; his outfit of basketball shorts and vest a more appropriate clothing choice for his friend's approval.

"Are you trying to say I'm getting old?" Troy teased, standing straight.

Chad grinned, hooking his arm about his neck as they walked home to shower.

"I'd never be the brave devil to say such a thing to your face, my man," he answered, dodging a swipe from Troy.

"You better not…" Troy grinned back.

"So, what's the plan?" Chad checked of their earlier conversation.

"That's what you're supposed to tell me…" Troy derided as they perched and sipped water.

Chad shook his head. "Look, don't pretend to be nobody else, okay?" He begged. "You're you, don't change that."

"Then how am I supposed to convince her I've changed?" Troy wondered.

"You already are just by being here." Chad assured.

"The only reason she is speaking to me now is because of my accident. If I hadn't been knocked out for four days, we'd be back where we were before I took that sailboat out…"

"So what?" Chad argued. "It don't matter how you got here, just that you did. She's talking to you now…like normal. Just go with it…"

"I'd hardly call it normal," Troy derided with a look at his buddy.

"Look, you can't expect her to drop everything and jump back in your arms."

Troy nodded. "I did. I know now that I was wrong to."

"So, you gotta work for it. She'll come to you, I know she will. And you gotta play it cool. No pressure, no pushing," Chad warned. "Take her out, like the old times- take her for dinner or something…light those sparks…"

Troy looked at his friend with a lopsided smile. "What are you, cupid?"

Chad scoffed. "You wanted help…"

"I know. And I'm thankful for it, I promise…"

"Well, she liked you for some reason right?" He remarked. "You just gotta keep reminding her what that was…"

/

CHAPTER 8

"Oh…I've come at a bad time, I'll come back…"

Gabriella twisted from Troy's front door to avoid the sight she had just been greeted with- that of Troy opening his door in his boxer shorts and nothing else. She wished he'd quit doing that to her, it just wasn't fair- or right, she added mentally.

"Hey, you can come in…!" Troy's voice called as he leaned out of the door and used the frame to hold his weight as he stretched.

Gabriella paused. "Can you put some clothes on?" She asked.

Troy smirked, fighting down his victorious giggle. "If you so wish."

Gabriella let out a breath and turned back, venturing a look to his face. And only his face, she reminded herself.

"A gentleman would," she arched and he nodded with a chagrined blush.

"Duly noted…"

She followed him inside where he vanished to pull on some fresh shorts and a tee-top; appearing again in the simple outfit while Gabriella stood awkwardly in his living room.

"Everything okay?" He checked.

She nodded, feeling stupid now for coming here. After she'd talked to Chuck, somehow her feet had kind of directed her of their own accord and it wasn't really until he'd opened his door that she'd realized what she'd done.

"I didn't…" She swallowed. "I didn't intend to come here."

Troy pursed his lips. "Now that you are here, do you think you might stay a while?"

Gabriella looked up, touched by his words. He wasn't pushing her, wasn't eyeing her like a lion on heat for his lioness. He was just being sweet. The kind of sweet she had fallen in love with.

"Can I stay?" She wondered. "For a while?"

"Be my guest," he gestured to his couch. "What would you like to drink?"

"Wine?" She called, wondering if that was too bold. It was barely seven, he'd likely think she was a lush at this rate. Still, she didn't think she could be in this close proximity and not need alcohol.

"How are the library renovations going?" He asked as he came in and handed her a large glass of sparkling white while he favoured a beer.

"Very well. The summer house won't be started until the main hall is finished, but we have the funds for everything we needed." She shared.

"That's good to hear."

"Thank you," she offered genuinely. "For your generosity."

"So, what do you think of my humble abode?" He wondered, changing tack. He was dying to ask her why she came here tonight, but somehow he knew not to. She still hadn't taken off her outer coat and she sat tensely on the edge of his sofa while he sprawled.

"It's…nice," she looked around. "Very manly."

"Chad's already planning parties," he mused.

"Have you been invited?" She checked, with a soft humoured smile.

"Probably not," he glimmered back, and then rose. "Can I take your coat?"

Gabriella swallowed and laid her glass down, standing up to let him slide off her warm outer-wear. Something she didn't need indoors but that she felt protected her all the same.

"I'm not going to bite," his warm breath fanned her neck as his murmured words wriggled into her ear and made her shiver; but when she turned to face him, she only saw his back receding as he hung her coat on the rack by the door.

"Have you eaten?" She asked, her voice high and strained even to her own ears.

"Look, kick back," he said as he returned. "Take off those shoes," he knelt to do the job for her since he didn't trust her to. "If you want to take off that panty-hose or borrow something of mine to relax in, then be my guest. You came here for a reason and I don't need to know what it is," he assured. "But you're my guest now you're here."

Gabriella considered his offer. The formal gray pinafore was rather constrictive and tight but then she had imagined they might go out to eat.

"Do you not fancy going out for dinner?" She beseeched as he lay back in his armchair with a blissful smile as he sipped his beer and closed his eyes.

"Chad made me play basketball earlier," he admitted. "I have to say I'm not as fit as I once was…"

"You're tired," her soft voice worried. "I should go and let you rest…"

She was on the edge of the seat when he spoke.

"Don't you dare," he accused with a curl of his lips.

She frowned. His eyes were still closed.

"Sit back," he instructed. "We'll call for pizza when we're hungry. Just…let's sit together for once, hm?"

Gabriella sucked panicked breaths into her lungs as she scooted back into the seat, pinned into place in fear. What had she done? She couldn't escape if she wanted to! Did she want to?

No.

Her mind answered for her and she swallowed.

"Do you have…" She ventured. "Can I borrow some trousers and a t-shirt, perhaps?"

Lazy eyes opened and blinked. "You don't want to just walk around naked?"

Gabriella hitched. No she did not! Well, actually…

"No, thank you," she answered, knowing deep down she would love nothing more than to walk around naked and tease his eyes. She used to do it all the time, sometimes in heels if he was lucky. But not tonight. No way.

"I was joking," he assured as he rolled up. "I have the perfect things; I'll be right back…"

Gabriella nodded, wringing her hands together in some ridiculously formal pose that she cursed herself for. She knew him so well that she could turn him on in a few seconds flat; and he the same for her, so why was she pretending? Tonight they could ignite that old but ready flame and ruin each other the way they both ached to, but she knew it wasn't enough. The physical combustion of their chemistry would not go anywhere near far enough to overwhelm the hurt she felt inside. Hurt she was thinking could now be repaired…a thought she had never considered before.

"Here," his softly vocalized entrance made her jump, out of unexpectedness rather than anything else, but still he straightened stiffly and frowned.

"Thank you," she stood and met his gaze, waiting for him to grant her exit from where he trapped her by the sofa.

Blue eyes stared into hers, soft, full lips moved together. A pink tongue lapped over the surfaces and she was mesmirised.

"The bathroom is down the corridor at the end," he directed, finally stepping out of her way which she bowed her head to thankfully. For a moment there she thought he was going to keep her trapped until she gave up all her secrets. It irked her that she wanted to, aswell.

Dressed, Gabriella realized the soft grey pants were hers; from before and the 'Wildcats' red t-shirt, one he had given her from his school basketball team; something she had treasured so much while they were together. They'd often shared beds; left clothes behind; she'd often stolen his for herself.

She felt like she was seventeen again when she put them on and she wondered if he had given her them deliberately to make her feel just that.

The perfect things.

Only so, because the t-shirt tagged her as belonging to him and the trousers clung to her shapely thighs; a part of her body he had enjoyed several times over as she remembered rightly. There was no forgetting that, no questioning his attraction to her. There was no questioning his loyalty. He really hadn't wanted anyone else and she knew it, still knew it if she dared to admit it to herself.

Only she didn't want to. Because the thought was such a heavy aphrodisiac, that she didn't want to entertain it at all. Wasn't that the ultimate turn on, the absolute reason for living? To be desired? To be completely desired by one man so much that he forwent all others? And Troy did, he refused to think about anyone else while she was in his arms, and while she was out of them, too. And when he had taken her body with his; his sign of love was even more evident, even more powerful. She knew they belonged together. She knew they would be taken by no other.

And the thought scared her, because she quivered right now with her need for him and she wasn't ready to let him in, yet. She wasn't ready. She didn't know if she would ever be, but she couldn't give in to her body when her mind was so confused.

She walked out, her body shaking with the enormity of the moment, her eyes large and round with hurt and confusion.

"'Brie? Are you okay?" Troy asked, standing and coming over. "What happened?"

He didn't touch her, she noted, though his hands went forward to do just that. She thought she might love him more because of it. She felt tears track down her cheeks as she tried to suck breaths in through her nose, but there wasn't enough air, there wasn't enough anything anymore, it was all so mixed up, so ruined!

She took two steps forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, ignoring his frown of concern, ignoring her need to kiss him as she clung onto his wide, wide shoulders and cried out her pain.

Seventeen had been the year they began getting serious, just the start of their love story. So many people over the years had told them they wouldn't survive, that school romances didn't exist beyond college. So many people had taunted her when that adage had come true…but here he was, solid and real and denying those nay-sayers their victory.

Sweethearts, together again. As they should be.

Gabriella let her tears soak into Troy's shoulder as his arms wrapped gently around her and his soft words soothed in her ear.

She couldn't have repeated what he'd said, could never have remembered. Her tears were strong and her hurt stronger; but these were tears for a beginning that was too sweet to bear and an end that never happened. These tears were for the life they would never have; for time they couldn't get back. They were nostalgic tears, and nothing more.

She eyed the circle of wet on his shoulder as she pulled back and sniffled.

"I'm sorry…" She whispered.

"Shh, no," he cradled her and rocked her gently side to side.

"This outfit…these clothes…" She tried to explain.

"I'm so sorry, 'Brie. I thought it would be nice to remember, I thought it would be a trip down memory lane…"

"It was," she assured, hitching back sobs.

"Just not a good one," he derided of his choice.

"It was a good one," she took the tissues he handed her.

"But I fucked it up, didn't I?" He squinted, binding her close again for a moment.

Gabriella squeaked at his strong hold and sighed as she relaxed against him.

"Better, now?" He asked gently and she nodded so he stepped back, placing her on the sofa again before he sat on the coffee table opposite.

She missed his hug as she wiped her eyes.

"Can we get that pizza now?" She ventured, meeting his eyes.

Troy allowed a smile to flicker across his lips. "Good idea, princess."

/

He'd always called her princess, not because she was spoilt but because she was…well, a class above. Or so he had said. He'd always asked her why a girl who was a decathlon team captain and mathematics whizz would be interested in a school trouble-maker but she'd given him the courage to make good in college.

Hearing him call her that again, wearing those clothes again, it just reminded her of the young innocence she had once owned, something that she had readily given up that night in his truck.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked as he came in from ordering pizza.

He sat beside her and she twisted to face him.

"Honestly?"

He shrugged. "I've heard a lot of things from your lips; I doubt you could shock me."

She smirked, and then sighed. "I was thinking about our first time."

Blue eyes shot to hers.

"Wow, I wasn't expecting that…" Be a gentleman, Bolton, he reminded himself.

"You weren't? Even though you gave me clothes from those days?" She pointed out gently.

He smiled, just a little. "It wasn't my intention to remind you of that in particular," he amended.

"Do you remember?" She lifted her brows, hopeful.

The dirty smile that followed on his lips told her he did. "I'll never forget."

"It was so cold outside!" She shivered in memory. "Whose idea was it to use your truck?"

Troy swallowed; surprised she was taking this route of talking about it. "Yours."

"Really?" She frowned. "Oh yes, it was!" She giggled. "I was so different back then…"

"Yeah, decathlon team captain. If the decathlon team knew what we were doing in my truck that night your reputation would have been ruined…"

She looked up, all brown eyes. "I wouldn't have cared."

Troy squinted. "We made it through college, even though everyone said we wouldn't."

"I know," she smiled, rubbing her right hand ring finger in memory of the class ring she'd worn of his.

"Did you keep my class ring?" He checked, guessing she would seeing as she had kept the broken promise ring.

Gabriella looked up. She pulled at the gold chain around her neck and lifted out a ring, dimpled with a red stone.

"You're wearing it again?" He gasped, his face creasing in surprise.

She shrugged. "It feels right against my heart."

Troy looked at her and felt like he might cry at her words. Had she any idea what they meant to him?

He leaned forward, brushing her cheek with his thumb. "I have never stopped loving you, 'Brie. From the moment you hit me in the stomach with that medicine ball in gym class, until right now; always and forever…"

Gabriella sighed and closed her eyes, lifting her parted lips to his, waiting for the moment they both craved. The second she sucked a breath in to anticipate his kiss; the door bell rang shrilly in the background, startling her awake.

"Fucking pizza," Troy grizzled as he dropped his forehead to his hand and took a deep, needy breath.

When he looked up, his blue eyes searched hers.

Briiiinnnggggg!

"Alright!" He yelled at the door, rising while his eyes clung to hers and only moving when she didn't say anything; something he was reluctant to do.

As Gabriella sat and waited for their dinner to arrive she debated what she could possibly say to that moment. It was memory lane, old times reminisced. She wasn't sure it actually meant anything in their current standing. Probably not.

But then…oh god, she'd climb in his truck all over again even if she knew what hurt lay ahead because their years together afterwards had been nothing short of dynamite. They had something special- and not just their passion. They had entwined souls. They might not be in sync right now, but she could see that they could be again one day.

Maybe one day sooner than she thought.

/

"Full?" Troy checked, barely able to move, but doing the decent thing by tidying away their rubbished cartons and uneaten ends.

Gabriella could only nod.

"You stuffed your face," he accused fondly. "I miss those days."

"You laugh now, Bolton…" She warned weakly, not sure where she was going with that empty threat.

"So look, it's late already and I have no place to go tomorrow…why don't you take the spare room and I'll drive you back to your place in the morning before you have to start work?" He ventured, bringing in a glass of water for them both.

"Spare room?" She looked at him disbelievingly.

"Yes, the spare room. Chad stayed there a few nights ago when I got out of hospital." Troy explained.

"He did?" She didn't know that.

"Yeah," Troy nodded, reticent to share why. "It has a lock and everything…"

She smirked. "Ha-ha…"

"It's up to you. If you feel uncomfortable then I'll take you home now…"

"No, I don't feel uncomfortable…" She considered.

"Well you finished the wine, that might be why…."

Gabriella giggled. "Oops!"

"I'll go make up the bed?" He checked as he stood and she nodded, only.

Stay the night at Troy's? Even if she was in the spare bed, was that wise?

She wasn't drunk, but she considered the wine might be relaxing her usually strict values. Wouldn't people think they'd got back together if they saw her coming home the next day, ferried by the man she supposedly hated? Oh well, who cared?

One night wouldn't hurt, right? Just a few hours, a little kip and no funny business. It was a perfectly innocent and reasonable thing to do. What use was there going home now? She was comfortable and sleepy and practically ready for bed as it was, it seemed silly to insist he drive her home.

She smiled softly as her eyes closed tiredly. She was staying over at Troy's and that was that.

/

"Did you carry me to bed?"

Gabriella had a sneaking suspicion she had fallen asleep on the sofa last night before Troy had readied her room, but when she had woken, she found herself safely tucked up in the spare room with a lovely indulgent duvet and a blanket, too.

She had dressed back into her grey pinafore before heading to breakfast bare-footed and bare-legged. The pantyhose were gone, Troy noted.

"I…may have assisted you to your bedroom, yes," Troy agreed.

"Assisted?" She sat at the table with him and offered a lop-sided smile.

"Look, you weigh next to nothing; it really isn't an issue…"

"Don't eat too much, I was going to shout breakfast at the diner to say thank you for letting me stay…" Gabriella panicked at realizing he was eating already.

His eyes sparkled as he chewed and it irked her that her intimacy reacted to that look.

"'Brie you are welcome to stay here any time you want-or need- to," he assured. "I don't require payment."

"I just wanted to do something in return," she defended, a little hurt at his rebuff. They'd had breakfast together quite a lot since her split with Chuck and she was keen to get into town before anyone could see them and start rumors.

"Well, I'll cash in my free breakfast another day. Now what can I get you? Eggs benedict?" He offered her favourite breakfast from the old days.

She sucked her lower lip. "Do you have frosted flakes?"

His surprised- and delighted -face accompanied his gasp. "Gabriella Montez! You did not succumb to sugar-coated breakfast cereals!" He accused, setting down a bowl and filling it. He came back with milk.

"I'm afraid I did," she blushed sweetly at his teasing.

"So, what's in store for today?" He sat back down and took up his oatmeal again.

"Library until six, then home," she recounted.

"What, no date?" He pursed his lips in surprise.

"Why would I have a date?" She puzzled.

"It's Friday night."

"Doyou have a date?" She arched.

"I thought we'd been through this," he mused.

"Been through what?" She puzzled.

"I only have eyes for you, remember? I can't date any other woman…"

"Oh but I'm the hussy!" She teased back. "I have a date!"

"You're the one who said you'd be happy dating other men, not me…" He pointed out and she pursed her lips to stop herself laughing. He was right! She had said that. Oh, well…

"There are no other men to date," She said to diffuse the air of tension.

"Paddy Michaels?" Troy suggested and Gabriella spat out her disbelief at his offering.

"He's forty-five and balding," she argued.

"Bald men are very virile," Troy shared knowingly.

"What's your excuse?" She remarked, and then cleared her throat as his surprised gaze caught hers. "Who else?"

"Tim Roberts," he named.

"No," she said flatly. "He's too much of a cowboy…"

"Really?"

"He got drunk at the line dance and asked me to be his cowgirl and ride him all night long," Gabriella shared and Troy frowned.

"Hm, remind me to punch him out when I'm in town next…okay I have the perfect guy…"

"Why am I nervous?" She wondered.

"Jason Cross."

"You have got to seriously be joking!" Gabriella protested. "He couldn't make a conversation if his life depended on it…"

"Well aren't you little Miss picky," he mused.

"No," she denied softly, afraid to meet his gaze.

"Do you want to go out tonight?" He asked, wondering.

"With you?" She looked up, unsure what he was asking of her.

"I doubt you'd want to be seen out with me, but I'm sure I can find you a dandy partner…"

"I don't want a dandy partner," she frowned. "If you want to ask me out Troy, just say the words."

But how did he know she'd say yes, he mused? This could be a set up for a fall.

"Alright…well…would you like to go out tonight?" He asked. "With me?"

Two chocolate orbs met his. Two padded lips pressed together. His heart beat shotgun in his chest and threatened to jump out of his ribcage.

"Okay," she said, very softly, so he almost didn't hear. "Okay, Troy."

Okay? She said okay? Shit, was she going to stand him up, he wondered? Send a blind date from hell to punch him? What could she possibly have said yes for otherwise? He'd be blind if he knew, but there it was.

"I'll pick you up at eight," he offered and she nodded.

"I have to get home now, I'll see you tonight…" She stood to go.

"Mm, wait," Troy scraped back his chair. "I'll drive you…"

"No, it's okay," she stopped him. "I'd like to walk alone."

Troy sucked in a breath, and then nodded. "Alright…"

"See you at eight." She affirmed.

See you at eight. Who would have figured?

/

CHAPTER 9

"We're doing what?!"

Gabriella wasn't as happy as Troy hoped about his suggested date idea.

"Going bungee-walling…" Troy repeated.

"Do I look like the kind of woman that goes bungee-walling?" Gabriella arched, her floor-length indigo dress and black suede shoes seeming a waste now.

"No, but you don't look like the kind of woman that enjoys filthy hot sex either," he mused with a brow-arch and Gabriella gaped at his accusation. How dare he bring sex into this!

"It's dark, how on earth will we see anything?" She beseeched and a slow, mischievous grin crept onto Troy's lips, signaling he was winding her up. "Oh, very funny…" She mused.

He shrugged sheepishly. "I'm sorry; I just had to see your face…"

"What, when you told me about the bungee-walling or reminded me about the sex?" She arched and passed by him to start walking, although she didn't know where to because he had driven them and she had no idea where he really intended to take her.

"Hey, wait up," he called, following quickly on her heels and deciding not to pursue the reference to their sex life. He already had to work hard enough to prove his worth, there was no point testing an already shaky bridge.

"Are we going the right way?" She checked, looking up.

He smiled. "Did I tell you how amazing you look tonight?"

"Don't play games with me, Troy," she warned. "You know I don't like that…"

"Well," he pursed his lips, knowing she loved some games. But before she could get mad again, he spoke. "It's a surprise, not a game."

"Where are we anyway?" She frowned, not recognizing the town.

"We're in Englefield," he shared. "And we're going ice-skating."

"Ice skating?" Gabriella paused. "In this dress?"

Troy flicked a look down her. "You could take it off…"

She smiled wanly. "I don't think you've earned that, yet."

"Yet?" His brows rose. "There's a sliver of hope there…"

"Very small," she agreed.

"Okay, we're here…" He pushed open the door to the ice-rink and waited for her to go through, albeit with suspicion on her face.

"Why's it dark?" She wondered, creeping through the bleachers to find the rink face and she felt Troy's fingers cup around hers as he led her the right way.

"Lights," he narrated, flipping a large mains switch to bring a section of the rink alive, which he repeated until the oval was alight.

"Oh, wow," she moved over to the edge and awed at the flawless surface. It sparkled temptingly and she squinted back at him.

"You like it?" He checked and she nodded.

"You know I do."

He nodded. She used to skate all the time in college; it was something they had enjoyed together - when they had snatches of time together, that is.

"Okay, so look. I'm pretty sure we can find something in lost property for you to wear…do you fancy going for a glide?"

Gabriella arched her brow. "Try and stop me…but don't worry about lost property. I'll think of something…"

He smiled, sure she would, too. She could be very ingenious when she wanted to be.

"Here, have my jacket," Troy glided onto the ice to find Gabriella already there, spinning.

She'd rolled her dress up and knotted it at one side, baring her beautiful thighs but allowing her the freedom to skate, a sight he was thankful he was getting to enjoy again.

"Thank you," she slipped her arms into the warm garment and snuggled. "Ready?" She checked.

He nodded, his smile irrepressible and she took his hand as they both pushed off.

/

"I'm strangely, pleasantly surprised with your choice;" Gabriella shared as she and Troy sat and enjoyed Italian in an intimately dark corner of the restaurant he'd picked.

Troy lifted two thick brows in mock-indignation. "You make it sound like I'm hopeless at dating…"

She pursed her lips and sipped her wine; a fact Troy didn't miss as he noted her somewhat vast consumption of the liquid.

"Not hopeless," she amended. "Just…it's been a long time."

Troy squinted across the table. "Time I have yet to make up for."

Gabriella dropped her gaze and waited for her glass to be refilled before she spoke again.

"I really enjoyed the skating."

"Only because I fell on my ass…" He mused, also dropping the tense subject of his departure.

Gabriella giggled in memory. "That was funny!"

"Hm, glad you think so…"

"Can we dance?" Her question caught him off-guard. She was watching the small dance floor, half-filled with a few couples enjoying the end of their night together.

"If you'll let me," he joked, standing to hold out his hand to her.

Gabriella took it, swaying a little as she stood, but she followed more evenly to the dance floor.

When Troy's fingertips grazed her lower back, she shivered and edged closer to him; placing one hand on his shoulder and her other in his; his large palm a sure reminder of his large size in every way.

"Well, this is…" Troy cleared the husk from his throat as Gabriella inched closer and he grazed his cheek against hers so his lips would feather her ear. "This is perfect," he completed his thoughts.

Gabriella felt the rough edge of his voice shake her insides and settle in every warm crevice-most notably the one between her thighs. She had no place wanting him again this way; they still hadn't sorted things out but maybe it was the wine that was helping her to forget...helping her to forget the bad and relish the good.

And this was good, she decided.

"I love to dance," she murmured, smiling at the memory of their prom, the times they had come this close afterwards at parties and such the like. They would only ever slow-dance, just like this, but it was like a ritual to them- foreplay, without touch.

"I know," deep husk laced his words as his hand dipped lower and pressed firmly into the small of her back; evidently enjoying the curve he found there; aching to glide that palm over more of her figure but lingering exactly there where his thumb ran strokes up and down her back.

Gabriella laid her cheek to his shoulder and opened her mouth to say something, but all that came out of her mouth was a whimper; a soft and needy sound slipping from her lips at his touch.

It was minimal, barely even noticed by the surrounding dancers, but for Gabriella it was a key to an erotic past. A past she wanted forgotten in the same moment she wanted it re-lived.

"Jesus, 'Brie," Troy's arms were wrapped around her now and she had hardly realized she had clung both hers around his neck, pressing her body closer to emulate the closeness she wanted to feel and imagined in her alcohol-hazed mind.

"I'm sorry…" She figured it might go some way to appease his tension; but she knew the real reason for his curse. She could feel it, hot and heavy against her thigh and if she wasn't wearing heels; that delightful weight would be against her belly; a place she remembered him kissing so tenderly the many times they'd made love.

"I think it's time to take you home," Troy suggested dipping his head to whisper into her ear, letting his lips brush her hair as he rose back up.

"One more minute…" She begged, limp and willing in his arms; something he gritted his teeth to fight giving into. He would not take advantage of her while she was drunk- no way, no how.

Tonight was about them overcoming the past to decide their future once and for all and it wouldn't help that she was unaware of what she was doing and he definitely didn't want to enjoy their reunion under those terms.

"'Brie, come on," he called softly, brushing her hair from her face and kissing her temple. "Let's go home…"

She nodded her agreement, her limbs loose like spaghetti and she lolled against Troy's strong body in drunken pleasure, not sure how she had ended up there but happy to be in his arms all the same.

"Okay, we're here," he had found her key in her purse and proceeded to let them into her quiet house; carefully carrying her through the dark space until he sought out her room- a large colourful space he remembered with fondness.

"You can't go," Gabriella denied as she tightened her arms around his neck, feeling playful with the consumption of wine earlier this evening.

Troy pursed his lips and curled his neck to look down on his cargo. "I'm afraid I have to…"

"No," she pouted sulky lips. "Stay."

"'Brie, we both know that you've had a little too much to drink. The best thing for you is for me to tuck you into bed and see you tomorrow…"

"Who cares about what's best?" She flung her regard away. "Stay with me tonight…"

Troy licked his lips and counted to five. He then walked over to the bed and tried to lay her upon it, but she refused to let go so instead he sat for a moment, while she curled in his lap and clung to him needily.

"'Brie, I can't stay with you tonight." He sighed. "But believe me, it's not because I don't want to…please, babe, let go…"

Oh yes, he called her babe! She remembered it now! It was like winning gold in the Olympics the day she'd first heard him use that affectionate term and some of her friends had also expected her to be insulted by it. They'd said it was vulgar, demeaning. Gabriella knew better. It meant everything to her. It meant he cared.

"If you don't want to go, then why are you?" Two large, confused brown eyes peered into his.

"Because I hurt you once and I'm not going to do it again by giving into this…"

"You hurt me by leaving," she frowned, her drunken happiness suddenly switching to something else. "So don't leave."

"'Brie," he breathed. "Oh god, I have to…you'll understand in the morning, I swear. Just please don't think this is me leaving again…"

Gabriella struggled up, onto her knees, glaring at Troy who sat on her bed with her.

"Go, then," she almost accused in a whisper. "Remind me how you hurt me last time…do the same thing again…"

"This isn't rejection!" He argued softly, getting angry. "I still love you! I told you that…"

"Then stay and love me, Troy," she arched, intimating she expected him to make love with her on her terms if he stayed. "Or walk out now and never come back."

Troy turned horrified eyes onto hers and swallowed, standing slowly to watch her as she knelt on the bed.

"That's not a fair request." He squinted. "I'm not going to make love with you while you barely register what we're doing…if we do this, it's stone-cold sober or not at all."

"Fine, then it's not at all," she folded her arms and her head lolled about in her lack of control, proving his theory right that she wouldn't be able to fully know what she was doing if they had sex.

Troy sucked in a sharp breath at her decision and blinked to accept his fate.

"Alright, then. I'll see you in the morning," he added softly, not wanting to leave but at the same time, evidently unable to stay.

"Don't bother," she told him coldly as she collapsed on her mattress. "I never want to see you again."

/

Well, she may never want to see him again, he mused, but she was going to whether she liked it or not.

He'd chosen to kip on her rather lumpy sofa while she slept off her hangover and he was determined not to leave until she woke; sober and regretful. At least he hoped she was regretful, he wasn't sure how he could cope with being shunned for a third time (or was it more?) but then, he had kind of invited being shunned the day he'd walked out of this town to make a better life for himself. It was just a pain in the ass that it was the woman he loved who was doing the shunning.

Anyone else and it wouldn't matter…but then anyone else and he wouldn't have cared, either. But Gabriella did matter.

He made sure he was showered, clean and dressed by the time he heard her heavy footsteps descend the stairs and he quickly absorbed himself in nonchalantly reading the paper while he sipped coffee; sat at her breakfast bar as though he had every right in the world to be there, galling her.

"What the hell…?" Gabriella squinted, not shocked by his presence; but evidently not happy, either.

"Oh, hey, you're awake…"

"Get out of my house," Gabriella launched with a dry, tight throat from her consumption of alcohol the previous night. She had a splitting headache and she couldn't be dealing with smart-asses right now. What the hell was he doing here, anyway? She had told him to leave and he'd left! She didn't mean for him to leave her room and sleep on her sofa- as he clearly had taken upon himself to do so- she'd meant for him to leave permanently. For good.

"Look, I know you're upset but if you'll just hear me out-"

"Hear you out?" Gabriella lanced his intended speech. "Hear you out? You spent six months in silence, Troy, making us all guess how you were and who you were choosing to speak to and you think nowI should listen to you?" She posed.

"I can see why that might seem like a tough request but-"

"Tough?" She repeated, again, making him nervous. "Tough?"

Well, this was a good a time as any to get out how she really felt, he mused. He just wished he had better prepared himself for this attack. He was vulnerable and healing; he didn't know how he'd cope with being torn down right now; but then he had no right to complain, either.

"'Brie…" He tried to alleviate her heavy breathing and apparent inability to properly express her level of anger.

"How dare you sit there and tell me what is tough! You have no idea! I don't care if you stayed last night or not- the point is you left! You left and you didn't care! You didn't care what happened to me or Chad or anyone who loved you back home! Six months," she accused, her eyes widening and tears beginning at their edges. "Every day wondering…imagining what might have happened…waiting for word, waiting for anything to tell us whether you were dead or alive or…" She gasped in a breath and glared at him. "Or a pure and dirty coward who was afraid to call home. And I hurt, Troy! I hurt every day that I imagined you out there, with another woman, living another life forgetting every one of ours…What about our lives Troy? What about everything you left behind?"

Troy slipped from his seat and began towards her, but Gabriella darted back, evidencing her feelings on being close to him.

"Last night…" He began, his throat tight and sore with emotion. "We came so close…"

"I asked you to stay Troy, and you couldn't even do that." She accused.

"You asked me to sleep with you!" He argued loudly. "I wasn't going to do that while you were drunk! How does that make me a bad guy?"

"Because leaving me is you're favourite past-time," she muttered, shaking her head.

"And if I had stayed? If I'd stayed and made love to you and you'd woken this morning with all this pain- all this anger…then what? You're telling me you wouldn't have felt this way if I'd have just taken you? How would that have made you feel, 'Brie, if I had just taken you?" He repeated, his breaths slashing in and out both from his pent up anger and the frustration he felt at not being able to take her, the exact way that he wanted to- right now, on her counter if he had to, just to sink into her tense and heaving body even though tears slewed down her face as he waited for her reply.

She wanted him as deeply as he wanted her; deep within her, filling her to her hilt, stretching her in the most perfect way they both remembered. She wanted him, thrusting, raw, rough and hard. She wanted him soft and gentle and tender with love; she wanted him every way she had already had him, all over again and then maybe a few times extra for good measure. But he wasn't going to know that. He might see it in her eyes, he might see it in the peaks under her top or her quick, sharp breaths of arousal but he wasn't going to hear it from her lips because she was more determined than ever to send him away. She never wanted to see him again; she had been serious about that.

"You could have taken me, Troy, when you had the chance last night," she responded to his valid question about how that would have made her feel and she knew he was right, she would have regretted it, more than kicking him out. "And I would have hated you for it; but not as much as I would have hated myself for giving into you," she squinted. "But that was my mistake to make, not yours."

"As if I haven't made enough already!" He remarked, startling her as he came closer than she anticipated. She lifted her arms in defense and he captured them, by the wrist, just gently.

"As if I haven't made the biggest mistake of my life…" His voice lowered as he pressed his body to hers, their arms trapped between them as he stalked her backwards until her backside touched the counter, causing her to arch and whimper; but not in pain; not even in discomfort- her eyes were ablaze with passion and he felt it in her squirming body, too.

"Leaving you was the only mistake I'll spend the rest of my life regretting, but don't stand there and tell me that I could have had you…I know I could have. I just chose not to…to try and prove to you how much I still love you…and how much I really do want you…"

Gabriella quivered under his assault, every nerve ending alive with the possibility of touch. She was pressed against the counter with his hard, inviting body but she just ached to be imprisoned by him completely; in his bed-or hers- under that heavy bulk of muscle and impaled by his heat…a thought she fought from her mind but didn't succeed in ridding…

"How is your leaving supposed to prove anything?" She whispered. "Let alone how much you want me?"

It was invitation for danger and he almost subscribed to it, groaning and letting out a tight breath as his hips circled into hers to evidence his need right there, as though his words could go any way to evidence better his need for her.

"You feel that, 'Brie?" He asked rhetorically, sure her shaking limbs and parted lips weren't for show, but in response to his heavy need pressing between them. "You know damn well how much I want you…" He paused to suck in vital air. "But I'm fighting it; every day…I'm fighting it to show you how much I care about how you feel! About how we feel together! We can screw right now on this counter, on these tiles; on the carpet if you so wish; but god forbid, it would be out of blind passion rather than love. I for one am not willing to fuck you silly for the sake of ending this pain," he countered crudely. "As much as I would enjoy doing so…"

"Then don't," her voice was quick, her mouth sucking in breaths of air in shock against his words. "Don't fuck me," she repeated on a whisper, darting her eyes to his and swallowing as his thumbs rubbed her wrists gently, despite the imprisoning grip he had on them. She could break free easily, she couldn't feel any resistance, only the heat of his longing that burned her between the thighs where she so longingly needed him, too. "Make love to me…be gentle…but don't leave, Troy. Make sweet, gentle love to me but please don't leave…"

A sob hitched on her last word and Troy frowned to comprehend what she was asking him. Make love to her? Instead of brand her with his rock-hard length the way he ached to? Was she joking? He doubted he could hold that much control over his body if he entered hers and she would know that from their history if she was thinking right. But she clearly wasn't; because she was sobbing, now; the very thought of him leaving her again unbearable for her small form.

"'Brie," he cupped her arms. "Do you want me to stay or go?"

He wasn't sure…a moment ago she never wanted to see him again and now he ached to hold her in his arms until every single one of her tears was dried.

"My 'Brie," he husked, breathing out a long sigh, finally wrapping her in his arms where she belonged. And his arms were like a shrouding shield to anyone who came close because he wasn't prepared to share her; or let anyone hurt her; despite the fact he had. Never again. The past was over, their hurt spilled. All he wanted to do was hold her until his last breaths left his body; whenever that may be.

Troy carried her back to bed and bound her close; determined she would never leave his arms again. Determined never to hurt her again, as long as he lived.

/

Gabriella had showered, brushed her teeth and drank two glasses of water to fully banish her hangover before she came back towards the bed that a sleeping Troy inhabited.

She debated for a moment if she should join him; just taking moments to watch his lifeless body sleep on. Just a few days ago he'd been sleeping this way and in risk of never waking and here he was, alive and well in her bed.

She flicked her eyes over his vest and black jeans; enjoying the round of his backside while he slept half on his front; but she tensed as he shifted; star fishing onto his back, but settling back into a snooze which she couldn't help smiling at.

God, she'd been mad at him earlier! Both for turning her down, for leaving and then ultimately for not leaving. Even she was finding it hard to keep up.

Right now, she was grateful for his all-encompassing embrace while she cried out all the hurt she had felt in those months he was gone; but she knew they still had a lot to talk about despite their shouted words.

Would they get that chance, she wondered? The chance to just talk without sex becoming an issue for them? She'd wanted him so much when he'd pressed against her that way and the way he'd spoken of taking her had only made her want him more; but she was tired. Tired and emotionally drained and she wasn't sure either of them had the strength to broach the subject without ripping them apart again.

But she wanted to.

She put one knee to the mattress, tilting her head to decide where to position herself. Two arms rose as if sensing her hesitation and signaling a will to accommodate her. She chose to nestle into his side where his arms overlapped her and held her close, a kiss following to her hair.

"My 'Brie," Troy breathed in his slumber; a phrase she remembered him uttering when she had broken down and he had taken her in his arms; a phrase that even now, she loved hearing. Her Troy, he was her Troy. And she his, as he deemed.

"My Troy," she sighed, blushing at the way it sounded to her own ears. Like she was some kind of child staking claim to her toy. Still, she settled with a smile on her lips at that thought.

The thought of them belonging to one another again.

/

CHAPTER 10

"I want you to tell me about how you felt when I was away…"

Troy was awake, still laying in bed and still connected with Gabriella as he cuddled her close. Neither of them had talked about where this little snooze-fest was going; but then neither of them felt the need to. They just enjoyed being together- it's how it always was.

"I felt like you didn't want me," Gabriella sighed, hoping her reference to 'wanting' didn't start a sexual encounter again. "I felt abandoned."

Troy tightened his arms and kissed her hair, letting out his own rueful sigh.

"I have always wanted you, 'Brie. And I don't just mean in my bed," he added lowly. "I mean in my life…in my heart. I have always wanted you there."

"Then why didn't you call?" She propped up so that she used his chest to buffer them; allowing her to look into his face but keeping their closeness.

"I-" He swallowed, then let a breath escape. "It's no excuse, but I just got wrapped up in it. I had shows every night; every town wanted me. I thought the guys I met on the circuit were my new buddies and I thought the woman I loved would be so proud of me. I pictured in my head- you sat at home, reading about my latest feat, my latest dare…I thought how proud you'd be that I was your guy…jumping through hoops of flame, pushing the boundaries…It kills me now to say it, but in that moment, I just didn't think that anyone would miss me."

"And when I tried to call you? You never answered. Clive would just tell me you were busy…that he'd get you to call back…" She accused.

"Well…that…" He sighed again, fingering her hair. "That may have been a fib on his part because I didn't always know when you'd called. He'd wait until I was suited up for a show and he mentioned it once or twice but you know as soon as I was riding, my adrenaline cleared out my mind…"

"What about afterwards, Troy? Did you never think to share that with me?"

He nodded. "Sure, I'd be flying so high and about to run out and get on the phone but you know Clive, he just…he always had someone for me to talk to, someone ready to interview me…I'm not excusing what I did, but in hindsight, I think he tried to keep me away from my past."

"And it never crossed your mind?" She pushed. "It never crossed your mind to-"

Troy rolled up, the sob that had interrupted her words signaling to him that the hurt wasn't over. He pulled her into his lap and held her tight.

"Shh…shh…" He rocked her gently, absorbing her pain.

"It did cross my mind," he shared in a soft whisper as he cradled her and soothed her tears again. "But I know I didn't do enough…"

"I don't know if I can forgive you!" Her strained voice called out, making him wince.

"I know, babe." He hugged her tighter. "I know and it's okay if you don't. I don't deserve it, anyway…"

"But I…I still…" Gabriella stuttered, not wanting to reveal how she felt in case it made her weaker than she already was.

"You still what, babe?" He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Care," she whispered, then let more tears cascade her cheeks as he held on and comforted her.

"I'm glad," he whispered back, tears breaking at the edges of his own eyes at her admission. "I'm glad you still care…"

After moments of quiet, Gabriella began to sniffle and finally she sat up, scooting to the edge of the bed to find tissues on her night stand. Troy watched her and pursed his lips.

"I want to make a new promise," he said into the room, watching Gabriella's back stiffen in memory.

"Don't," she begged. "Let's not tempt fate…"

Troy scooted over and gently grasped her hand; dragging it away from her other where she desperately fiddled with her tissue. Still, her head was bowed and her hair rained down. He gently tucked it back and slowly tucked his fingers through hers until they were entwined- somewhat against her will but she didn't vocalize her complaint so he assumed she had none.

"'Brie, look at me," he begged.

Gabriella swallowed and looked up, her eyes rimmed red, her lips swollen and her skin puffy from crying. The sight almost destroyed him and sent a big gaping hole through his tummy where he longed to feel contentment. He may never feel it again as long as he put those tears on her face, but he wanted to spend the rest of his life trying to make it up to her.

"I'm listening," she indicated her readiness for his proposal.

"My promise is this. I will never, ever, in the rest of my living years hurt you the way I have in the past, again." He promised. "We'll have bad times; and hopefully good, but I will never leave you, not for a day, not for a month and especially not for a year," he swore. "Can you find it in your heart to trust me?" He wondered. "Will you wear my ring?"

She might never forgive him, but could she trust him?

Yes! Her heart screamed out for her but she knew the answer in her mind, too.

"Do you have the ring?" She asked, hesitantly.

Troy dipped into his pocket, showcasing the gold band that he'd used to promise to her with before. He licked his lips hopefully at her consideration of his promise.

"I'll wear it, Troy," she agreed. "But not on my hand. It has to be on my necklace with the other one…"

Troy sucked in a relieved breath, and then nodded solemnly at her additional terms.

"You can wear it anywhere you like," he breathed out, helping her to add it to the chain around her neck which now boasted both his class ring and the promise ring clinking delicately together.

Gabriella met his gaze and leaned over, receiving the hug she was silently asking for as his arms enveloped her once more, a feeling she would never forget.

/

"So, I hear he's back in town then…"

"And back on Gabriella's doorstep besides…"

"You'd think she learned the first time!"

"It's a disgrace if you ask me, all that time we spent with her, helping her get over him…"

"He's nothing but a rascal, I say…"

"Good morning ladies," Gabriella greeted the women who reminded her of the painful comments they'd made about her whilst Troy was away. About how she wasn't enough of a woman to keep her man.

"Oh!" Maureen startled, clearly surprised at being caught out gossiping.

"Hello, Gabriella, you look very becoming," Doris added of the younger woman's prim but colourful pale blue dress.

It was Sunday church and Gabriella had insisted she attend service, despite leaving Troy to wallow in her bed where he begged her to stay and 'spend time talking'.

She knew exactly what his idea of talking was and now that they were all talked out, she was pretty sure it included making out and she wasn't ready to give in, yet. She might ache for it, throb for it and send herself crazy denying herself of it; but the man deserved to be punished a little longer. Even if she did end up punishing herself in the process.

Right now, she had some points to prove.

"Thank you Doris," she replied to the older woman's compliment.

"We were just saying, Troy is back in town and sniffing around you again," Maureen shared in her typically derisive way.

Gabriella lifted her brows. "Well, we were together for a long time before he left, its only natural he would want to catch up," she offered lightly, thinking it was none of their damn business what he was sniffing around.

"But dear, did you forget the pain he caused? Remember when he was off with his groupies, forgetting poor little you sat at home waiting…"

Gabriella gritted her teeth and clenched her hands together to stop her smacking the woman in the face- something she itched to do.

"No, I haven't forgotten." She assured. "And neither did he forget me."

"What does he want with you, dear?" Doris wondered. "Are you a pit-stop until he goes again?"

A pit stop? Gabriella blinked at the suggestion, remembering they were in church and therefore she had to be on her absolute best behaviour.

"He's staying." She shared. "We're working things out."

A gasp sounded from Maureen's lips.

"That's right, he came back for me," she told the two busy-bodies, watching them both gape. "Bet you didn't expect that from a librarian and all…"

"No, no of course dear…" Doris back-pedaled.

"He clearly realized what he was missing," Maureen added.

"Where is he now, dear?" Doris asked with raised brows, as if testing the information Gabriella had provided.

"Now?" She repeated, a smirk rising on her lips as she waited to deliver her punch line at precisely the right moment as the two ladies waited for her reply.

A reply that came candidly and with much amusement.

"He's in my bed awaiting my return," she supplied and trapped her giggle as the service began, a triumphant warmth growing in her chest as for once, she stood up to her tormentors.

Whispers of 'Well I never!' and 'Disgusting!' were heard as Gabriella drifted off into her own thoughts as the words of the sermon infiltrated her mind.

/

"You look happy…" Troy opened his door to find Gabriella there, a smile on her face he hadn't seen in too long.

She was wearing the pale blue dress she'd left home in this morning and Troy had come home to clean up and get changed before making plans to see Gabriella again. Luckily for him, she'd come to him first.

"I just put those busy-bodies in their place," she admitted as she stepped inside, her hair neatly parted half up, half down.

Troy followed her through and invited her into the kitchen for a coffee.

"Which busy bodies would those be?" He checked.

"The ones that told me I wasn't good enough," she shared with a soft voice, jutting her chin as he faced her. He felt a burst of pride explode in his chest.

"That's my girl," he commended warmly. "What did you tell them?"

"That you came back for me in spite of me being a librarian…"

His brows rose. "So I have a reputation to live up to," he mused.

"And they thought I was lying because they asked me where you were," she added with a press of her lips.

"Do I look like the kind of guy who goes to church?" He wondered.

"No, but you are now the kind of guy who waits for me in bed while I attend church on a Sunday…"

Troy choked out a spurt of laughter, looking over to Gabriella to check if she was serious.

"You told them I was waiting for you…in bed?"

She nodded, pursing her lips. "I hope you don't mind."

"I wouldn't mind if it was true…" He murmured, pouring coffee and bringing it over. He wasn't sure how long Gabriella would uphold her sex ban, but he was getting antsy thinking about it. Especially when she was telling people they were spending the night together when they actually weren't. Still, he was gentleman enough to wait.

"Do you mind?" She asked him as he sat, smiling at her affectionately.

"Not one bit," he assured with his usual ease. "Next time, tell them we went at it all night, really make their hair grow…"

Gabriella giggled at his joke, sipping her drink.

"I'm just glad I can put that doubt to rest," she shared a moment later, becoming thoughtful.

"Me too," Troy reached over to take her hand, and then kissed the back of it.

Gabriella blushed. "I remember the first time you kissed my hand like that…"

Troy tilted his head with a frown. Gabriella went on to explain.

"When I hit you with the medicine ball and you got up…you took my hand and kissed it and told me it was a pleasure to be hit by such a beautiful girl…"

Troy smiled in recognition.

"And you told me that I must be crazy if I thought you were beautiful…"

Gabriella nodded fondly. "I was such a geek, then. All hips, no breasts."

Troy shrugged, laying down his coffee as his warm blue eyes flickered down her matching dress, tracing the small curve of her now-grown breasts. His lips tugged in memory of those mounds and the peaks that adorned them. His mouth watered at the thought of how she might taste, how she had changed in those months he'd been away. Was she as slim, as curved? Was she as uninhibited, did she taste as sweet? Did she curl in pleasure and cry out in ecstasy the same way?

As his eyes rose back to meet hers, he was sure he would find out all of the answers.

"I've missed you," he spoke as her lips parted at his intense look. A look he gave under low lashes, his eyes hooded with undisguised desire.

Gabriella lifted her chin and bit into her lower lip; tempting him more although she didn't intend it.

"I should go now," she hitched on stuttery words, slowly rising.

"Now?" He rose with her, barely understanding her need to run.

"Yes, now," she already had her back turned and was heading for the door.

"But what about breakfast? Or lunch?" He offered, loathe to see her go.

Gabriella swallowed and turned at his door, trapped inside his hall while he questioned her.

"I have some things to do," she explained, flicking her eyes up. The fear that showed there was the same fear he'd seen that day in the hospital and that he had considered was a fear of her own feelings rather than him or what he might do.

But still, they were on unsteady ground and as much as he wanted to crush her to him and devour her the way she clearly wanted to be devoured; he knew better than to give into his urge. When they came together, it would be because she wanted it; not because she feared it. She had to meet him half way or their reunion wouldn't mean anything at all.

"Okay," he stood back and helped her with the door, opening it for her release.

She looked up at him, confused at his willingness to let her go and something inside him broke. How was he meant to have resolve when she looked at him that way, with big, begging eyes?

How was he meant to stop the urge he felt to cup her soft cheek with his rough hand? How could he stop the way he bent to reach her mouth and stop his lips touching hers, so softly, he might wonder if they touched at all? Well, he couldn't and now he couldn't take it back, either.

One touch was like torch paper to a flame and he wrapped her into his arms with a groan as she responded in kind, clinging to his neck as his mouth slaught hers in a slow, sensuous kiss that rebounded off every cell in his body and reminded him just how sweet her taste was.

Troy groaned again and folded her closer, tighter still in his arms as though any amount of divide was too much for him to bear as he pulled her between his thighs to strike her hot taste with his tongue, a pleasure he had taken far too long in enjoying again.

'Brie, oh god his 'Brie, he couldn't own anyone else this way, with just a kiss; just a touch the way he owned her now, their mouths governed only by their need and nothing else. It was like they had never been apart, it was like time had ticked backwards and put them right back where they were before he'd left, when they were in love; deeply and in bliss. He could almost feel the quiver of her surrender as he branded her his own.

"Wait…wait…" He felt palms pressing against his chest, pushing him away and the magic was no more; heaven no longer ruled. He blinked, realizing Gabriella was trying to escape his arms but he had them so tightly wrapped around her, she couldn't get free.

"Uh…" He loosened his grip, frowning confusedly. What the hell happened there? And more importantly, why were they stopping? "I'm sorry," he pulled back, setting her on her own feet away from his all-consuming embrace.

Gabriella stared at him, dark eyes alight with passion, lips swollen temptingly and it was all he could do not to grab her again, but he closed his eyes to her physical temptation and waited for her to speak.

"I have to go," she repeated and he opened his eyes in time to see her dash through his doorway; leaving him to stand and rub his face in regret.

/

"Man, I almost had it!" Troy cursed himself as he relaxed on Chad's sofa with a beer.

"Almost had what?" Chad gave his friend a look. "Or do I not want to know the answer?"

"Don't be crude," Troy rolled his eyes. "I almost had this thing with Gabriella down. I was being patient; I was being a gentleman…"

"What did you do?!" Chad asked tiredly with a smirk.

"I kissed her." Troy admitted.

"Dude, is that all?"

"I think it was too soon…" Troy considered.

"Did she hit you?" Chad wondered slyly with a smile as he sipped his beer.

"No…but she might have if she wasn't so hell bent on running out of there…"

Chad pressed his lips together and squinted. "Then let her run," he offered.

Troy laughed at his friend's advice. "That's it? That's your big idea? Let her run?"

Chad shrugged. "She's not going anywhere, why not?"

Troy sighed and sipped his drink. "I'm not used to not being the one in control," he admitted.

"Look, just because you used to click your fingers and have Gabs come running doesn't mean you still can, Troy my friend. I told you, things have changed. You're the one who has to do the running now…"

"Which I gladly would if I felt like she actually wanted to see me…" He agreed.

"She'll let you know when she's ready," Chad assured.

Troy looked over, unsure of his friend's confidence. "You think?"

"Yeah." Chad nodded. "When she needs you, she'll call…"

"Just no kissing her when she does," Troy derided of himself and Chad smirked.

"Good luck with that, bro."

"I think I'll need it…" Troy mused.

/

"Troy, what are you doing?" Gabriella was formally dressed in a black shift dress; her hair in a twist at the back of her head. She'd watched him for five minutes before coming over to where he sat, reading.

He looked up, for his part, the picture of innocence.

"Reading," he answered. "This is a library, right?"

Gabriella pressed her lips together, unamused. "Yes, it is."

He merely smiled.

"I'll leave you to it, then," she murmured and went to move away.

"What are you doing for lunch?"

His voice reached her before she left ear-shot and she turned.

"I was thinking perhaps I'd sit in the park and read my book…" She ventured of her planned break.

"I love it when you talk sexy," he grinned, irking her.

"It wasn't my intention to turn you on," she mused.

"I love it when it is, though," he twinkled, then sobered at her stern look. He loved the way her eyes flared and her lips parted whenever he intimated any sexual activity between them; it just reminded him how she opened her eyes in the last throes of her orgasm, every time she came. And she'd come many times for him, a fact he couldn't be expected to forget.

"My plan is to lunch alone," she added and he pursed his lips. Well, that worked.

"Tonight?" He asked next, not willing to give up just yet.

"What, so you can get me into bed?" She arched, surprising him.

"Uh, I believe it was you who wanted me in your bed after our last evening outing if I remember rightly," he quipped, reminding her of her drunken request and their ensuing fight.

Gabriella gritted her teeth. He wasn't going away. The damned man and his damned smile and those damned spell-binding eyes were staking her out, determined to make her crack.

Did she want to crack? To him? Yes, her body answered. She wanted to crack to him very much; the ache between her thighs and tingle deep within told her so.

She flicked her eyes over his cotton-covered shoulders and remembered how he'd pressed her into the kitchen counter and she imagined how he might spread her had they been re-enacting that scene in bed.

God, she really needed to get a grip, she mused. Nobody was going to crack or spread anything…she wasn't ready to accept him into her body yet. Although her body was and she was having a tough time fighting it…

"What's your proposal for tonight?" She ignored his last comment and pushed through her attraction for the damnable man.

"Sex, and lots of it," Troy played to her evident thoughts moments before, chuckling as she gave him a bemused look. "That was a joke…"

"Don't joke about things or they might never come true," she arched, turning to walk away before her body decided to betray her and plaster against his, here in the library of all places.

"Pick you up at eight?" He called, his chuckle following her all the way into her office.

/

CHAPTER 11

Troy pulled on his favourite blue t-shirt and worn jeans. He smelled nice from his shower and the woody scent of his soap penetrated his clean clothes, making him smile.

Gabriella used to love his smell; she'd go crazy for it once she'd sniffed his neck and caught a whiff of the manly scent he used.

Tonight meant more to him than any other night they'd gone out because she was running and curious at the same time and it was an exciting mixture- like taming a wild filly in the fields out back. She would sniff around him, consider his risk, take food from his palm but as soon as he put a hand out to stroke her mane; she'd gallop back and remind him a soft touch was required.

Soft touch was not something Troy was accustomed to- and not in the literal sense because he had that down pat- but in his approach. He and Gabriella had always met halfway, both been as strong as each other and even sometimes Troy had controlled her somewhat. Not in a way that anyone would deem unhealthy, but in a sexually exciting way that they both enjoyed.

Gabriella was no longer the submissive one, although he didn't doubt she would still enjoy it; their relationship had changed. He still owed her, she still upheld a debt. There was still a long way for them to go.

He ran his hands through his messy hair then over his bristles, wondering if they were too rough for her delicate skin, then smirking as he remembered her stubble rash from before. She loved it, then. He wondered if she still would now or if that was a distant pleasure she'd forgotten all about?

She'd been this prim when they'd first met and it hadn't taken much to coax her open; but she had reverted back to that tense, formal state and although he'd seen glimpses of her truer character- at the ice rink and during their kiss- he felt like he still had to unlock her and bring that final part of her back out- the part he'd fallen head over heels in love with all those years ago.

Hell, he'd been in love with her anyway, but that was the part that kept him coming back. Her heart, her soul. He'd once owned it but not anymore.

Maybe tonight would change that.

/

"Flowers?" Gabriella frowned as she opened her door to a huge bunch of flowers that was disguising the top half of Troy.

"Can I come in?" A boyish face popped around the arrangement and begged sweetly.

"Sure, go for it," she mused as Troy carried in the monstrosity of blooms and laid them on her table. It almost took up the whole surface.

"Hi," he greeted, grinning. "You look beautiful…"

Gabriella arched her brow. She severely doubted it. Her wild curly hair was loose over her shoulders, her face lightly made up. She'd chosen jeans and a simple grey and pink knit jumper for their date after he'd told her to 'dress casual' during a random call at midday. Her feet bore suede boots that had a small heel and went to her ankles.

"Thank you…" She replied, anyway. "You look…" She considered words. His t-shirt and jeans were layered with a grey cardigan instead of his usual leather. "…Preppy." She finally offered.

"Preppy?" Troy looked hurt. "Ouch…"

"There's nothing wrong with preppy…" She grabbed her purse.

"Not to you," he murmured as she headed for the door.

"Do I need a coat?" She asked and he answered by taking down the thick wool garment and helping her on with it.

"Okay, I have some rules," Troy began as they stepped outside into the cool air and Gabriella looked at him with wide eyes.

"It's not too late for me to go back inside…" She warned.

"Don't be a pervert, I'm playing a game, and it's supposed to be fun so just…play along, okay?" He gently chided and she pursed her lips in chagrin.

"My apologies, sir…"

He smirked. "Don't be cute."

"So, the rules?" She lifted her chin impatiently.

"It's our third date; I think hand-holding is essential at all times…"

"Do you now?" She mused as he reached forth and linked their fingers while she poked her tongue in her cheek insolently.

"No grizzling," he added. "Dates are meant to be fun…"

"You think this is fun?" She wondered and he tilted his head.

"I can always take you back inside and tickle you silly?" He suggested to her sarcasm and she blushed deeply at his reminder that the last time he had done that, she had been very naked and his tickling didn't restrict itself to her outer body…

"I think I can manage a smile," she bared her best forced smile.

"Good. And…" He took a breath in, licking his lips.

"And what?" She ventured.

"And at the end of the night I'll drop you home, kiss you goodnight and go home to sleep. We absolutely are not having sex tonight." He cast out and met her gaze, awaiting her response.

Why did she feel disappointed, she mused? That wasn't the first time she'd felt that emotion from lack of action with her beau. But she was the one who was holding back so it didn't make sense. But then, anything involving her feelings for Troy didn't make any sense, she realized.

She pursed her lips. "What about sharing a bed?" She wondered with a brow arch, throwing a small spanner in the works as he fought to think of an answer to her request.

His breaths became tight with wanting; just the thought of being able to hold her all night a little too much to bear. He didn't care if they didn't do anything, just to be with her was enough. But did that break his code of honour? He wasn't sure.

"Lets see if you're still talking to me by then," he mused and led her towards his car.

/

"We're watching a movie?"

Gabriella's dark eyes met Troy's blue ones and he thought he saw genuine surprise in her features.

"Yeah…we never really did that before," He explained of his choice.

She grasped his hand. "What are we watching?"

"Well," Troy smirked just a little and Gabriella couldn't help but find herself attracted to his confidence. "I booked out a screen especially for us…"

"What?" She looked at him, awed. "Why?"

He shrugged, almost blushing under her scrutiny. "So we can make out in any row and not just at the back," he joked and she rolled her eyes.

"I see."

"Hey, I'm joking," he leaned toward her, taking her right through to their private viewing room once he'd identified himself to the cinema staff.

"This is amazing, Troy," she commended softly as she chose their seats and an usher delivered the drinks they'd ordered on the way in along with some popcorn.

"Would you like any snacks?" The usher checked and Gabriella shook her head and thanked the attendant, sinking down in her seat.

"Do I get the obligatory arm-around-the –shoulders?" Troy looked over, his lips pursed mischievously.

"You haven't told me what we're watching yet…" She lightly bemoaned, leaning forward to allow him the closeness he wanted, by cupping his hand around her shoulder.

"Your favourite…" He merely offered. "At least I hope it still is…"

Gabriella looked to him in the dark of the room and parted her lips, sucking in a breath as the film reel span and the opening titles of 'Beauty and the Beast' appeared on screen.

"You chose a cartoon?" She smiled, touched and delighted.

He shrugged. "I guess I'm Beast in this scenario. I have some making up to do…"

"You're not Beast," She grasped his t-shirt in her hand as she leaned toward him, snuggling into his side. "You were just a bit misguided, that's all."

"I'm glad you think so," he tilted his head so that it rested against hers.

"This is amazing, Troy," she murmured as the music of the movie began.

"Just like you," he kissed her hair and relaxed back into his seat.

/

"So much for enjoying the film," Gabriella mused of Troy's soft snores as he used her shoulder for a pillow. She'd had to sit this way to concentrate on the film, such was Troy's fidgeting before he snoozed off, but she found it quite endearing that he was asleep on her now; oblivious to his surroundings.

"You bring me on this amazing date to impress me and what do you do?" She asked rhetorically.

"Close my eyes for a minute during the credits…" Came a sleep-husked reply that startled her and Troy stretched and yawned, opening his eyes to show their brightness from his amusement.

"For a minute?" She repeated. "Troy, you fell asleep before the third song…"

He shrugged, cutely, cupping her shoulder. "Sorry?"

She lifted her affection-filled eyes to his. "I guess you find it hard to sit still…"

"Did you enjoy it?" He checked.

She nodded, that glow of awe softening her face again. "I did, thank you."

"Your welcome. What now? Food? Bowling?" He asked.

"You think you can manage bowling after your little nap?" She derided.

"Ah…" He rubbed his face, his bristles scratching his hand. "Maybe not."

She smiled. "Let's go back to mine, I'll make us some pasta and we can talk better there."

"Talk, huh," he stretched as he rose. He looked down and took her hand in his as she met his gaze.

"You don't want to talk?" She asked and he merely curled the edges of his lips up before he led her out, into the dusky evening where they walked back to his car.

"Talking is good," he said as he opened her door and waited for her to get in before he moved. "Talking is really good…"

/

The reason Troy wasn't up for talking was because, truth be told, his tiredness was making it hard to concentrate. He wasn't sure why he felt so sleepy today; it certainly hadn't been his intention when he'd invited Gabriella out and taken her to watch her favourite movie.

Luckily for him, there were some things about him that she just accepted. His sleepiness in dark places being one of them- which is why they never went to the movies before. Well once, then never again once he'd embarrassed her by falling asleep and snoring his head off.

He was glad they'd come home, though. Gabriella made the best macaroni cheese ever and he ate it with silent joy while she sat beside him and flicked on the TV to buffer their comfortable silence.

His silent enjoyment of her food was broken when he wrapped his tongue around a particularly cheesy tube- the part that went at the top of the oven and was beautifully crunchy, too.

"Mmm," he rolled his eyes back in his head as he lolled on her sofa.

"Once you've eaten that, you'll be out for the count," she predicted, ignoring the way her insides clenched at his sound of approval.

"Nope…nope, this is energy. I'll be alright once I'm done fornicating over this mac cheese…"

The thought of Troy fornicating with anything made her mouth go dry. She swallowed and sipped her wine for good measure.

"Why are you so tired? Is Chad keeping you awake?" She wondered.

He chuckled at her intended joke. "No, Chad's not staying with me anymore, but we do have a few late nights hanging out. I think…" He paused. "I think I burnt myself out a bit and I'm still recovering," he shared of his time away.

Gabriella nodded. "I expect the way Clive works, you didn't get much chance for a break…" She ventured, surprising him.

So she'd worked out the deal with his manager, he mused. It didn't take much, but he wasn't sure if she'd believed him when he'd told her how controlling Clive was over his schedule and phone calls.

"The only time I slept was when we were travelling…honestly I'm surprised I kept the bike straight for as long as I did…"

"What happened?" She asked, twisting to face him. "When you crashed?"

He sucked in a breath, realizing he hadn't yet told this story. He turned too, resting his back against the sofa arm-rest and one bent knee against the sofa back while his other foot slid to the floor. He ran a hand through his hair and cupped the back of his head while he took himself back to that day; a day he didn't like to remember; and partially couldn't, anyway.

"I'd put an extra car on my 59-car jump to make it sixty- everyone was asking why 59, why not 60? They said it'd make sense to be 60. I told them that there was a reason I didn't put another six foot on because I hadn't ever made that jump but Clive and the guys were keen for me to try." Troy looked at Gabriella, seeing the pain etched across her face at his words.

"They knew they were asking you to do something that could risk your life," she said.

Troy lopsidedly smiled. "Everything I did was a risk, if I'm truthful. But six feet was a lot to gain, especially with me being heavier from working out and that," he sighed.

"So, you practiced it?" She checked of his ritual, knowing the hours she had spent watching him ride his motorcycle would probably amount to weeks in total; but she wouldn't take that time back for the world. He'd loved riding, loved doing stunts. She couldn't have asked him to stop if she'd wanted to- which she never did. Not even when he fell. She'd always championed him.

"We practiced…with soft mats and mattresses and what have you," Troy explained. "I failed it three times then on the fourth…I got it. By absolute sheer fluke and luck, I landed the fourth try."

"They put you out there? Based on that?" She squinted, sitting forward.

Troy smirked. "Well, I was an idiot to agree. Up 'til then everything was done my way, on my say-so. I knew what was what, right? They couldn't push me because it was my life on the line, my body. But that night, they'd pumped me full of my own ego and I believed I could do anything. Fly across the world? That night, I could do it. No-one tried to stop me."

"Oh, god," She gasped softly, her features stricken with fear, already knowing what came next.

"I know you would have kept me on the ground, 'Brie," he mused. "You wouldn't have stopped me but I wouldn't have had all that go to my head the way those guys did, just to make an extra buck out of promoting a sixty-car jump just because it sounded better…"

"Troy, what happened?" She whispered, her hands shaking and grasping the rings on her necklace for comfort, making him want to reach out to her and help, but he wasn't sure how to and he had a story to finish.

"I missed it," he said simply. "I did exactly what I did in practice but the odds were there- I fell about four feet short of the ramp and crashed into the cars."

Gabriella closed her eyes and held down the sob in her throat. When she opened them again, Troy was leaning toward her, reaching for her hands.

"Hey, it's okay, I made it, remember? I'm here now…"

She shook her head and lurched forward into his arms, pushing him back into the sofa as she sought comfort in his chest; a place she sobbed into at the thought of what he'd gone through when he'd crashed that way. He'd known it was a risk; known he couldn't jump it and yet his team- the people who were meant to care about him- had let him crash to his possible death that night. And all for the greed of money.

She grasped his t-shirt and cried harder as his arms gently went around her, so tenderly holding her close.

"You don't remember?" She looked up, her eyes tear-strewn. "The impact?" She added to decipher her question.

He lifted one side of his mouth, trailing back her hair. "Nope. Like I said before, they said it was lucky I didn't…"

"How long were you in hospital for?" She wondered.

"About a week," he shared. "I broke damn near every bone in my body and got some cuts but they said my helmet saved my life. I could have banged my head pretty hard without it…"

"You and your head banging!" She accused on a relieved breath out. "You need a permanent helmet on…"

"Nah, I'm a dare-devil," he grinned, pleased that she was at least in his lap albeit not for the reasons he'd prefer.

Gabriella wrapped her arms around his waist as if to signal her wish to stay right where she was so he wrapped his body around hers and protected her while they talked.

"I wish I was there in the hospital when you woke up…" She offered, nuzzling into his chest. She breathed in his smell and felt tears spill from the familiar scent he gave off.

"Well, you still hated me then and quite rightly so," he excused. "I think that crash was my karma…"

"No," she tightened her arms to stop his words. She couldn't hear him invite injury by justifying it was because of the pain he had caused. She didn't believe he deserved that.

"No, you didn't hate me or no I didn't deserve it?" He teased, brushing his fingers through her hair as she softened with exhaustion.

"The truth is, Troy, I have always loved you. I hate what you made feel when you didn't call but I never stopped loving you at all," Gabriella admitted into his chest.

"'Brie, look at me," Troy cupped her chin and waited for her to lift her face. She braced her weight on her arms. "I love you, too. Now, more than ever."

Gabriella had no fight left, and no energy. She kissed his lips, just once, with soft promise.

"Stay with me," she asked, flicking her eyes between his as his fingers stroked gently down her spine to relax her.

He nodded, wrapping his arms around her again. "I'm here as long as you need me."

"Forever," she murmured as she lay her cheek back to his chest and snuggled close again but he wasn't sure he had heard right due to her muffled voice so he shook the possibility from his head.

They were on the right road, he sighed out thankfully. He just didn't know how long it would take to finally get there.

/

CHAPTER 12

Gabriella looked into Troy's face and enjoyed his sleep-peaceful features for a moment before she gave into her urge to kiss him and when she did, her pouted small lips fitted against his perfectly, leaving a soft press tenderly there as if to cherish his very existence in that moment when she knew deep down, it could have been a different story.

Hearing his explanation of the accident and how it had almost killed him had brought her to admit her feelings to him last night; feelings that had never gone away and that now felt right sitting proud on her chest rather than buried away deep inside.

She kissed him again, more gently, slower, longer, nibbling on his full lower lip which she just had to suck lightly again, to remind herself he was really here and alive.

She'd woken him up this way before, albeit in a rather more demonstrative manner and something inside her gushed at this chance to sweetly enjoy him; without the passion, without the bone-crunching desire they shared and without the pain. Kissing him awake was a blissful treat and one she was determined to enjoy.

"Hey, handsome," she murmured as his eyes remained firmly shut.

She traced his brows, kissed his eye lids, slid down his chest and then back to kissing his mouth, something she did twice more before nuzzling his throat.

"Wake up, sleepy-head," she ghosted her lips down his throat, kissing back up, over his prickly jaw where she cupped her hands and brushed her thumbs over his cheeks.

How had he looked all battered and bruised from his fall? What had it felt like to wake up alone, with no-one there? No-one there who cared, at least… She hated that he thought he deserved this; this physical punishment to equal out the hurt he'd caused.

She wished she could take every moment of hate back and just hold him until they both froze into place.

Eyelashes fluttered as she rose to kiss above his brows, and then lower onto his nose where his freckles sat proud and cute in the face of his hard appearance.

"'Brie?" His lips formed her name and the husk in his voice made her shiver. The sound of uncertainty there almost killed her inside. As if she would ever leave him, she mused.

"I love you," she kissed his parted lips, feeling a slow, barely-there reaction back. Excrutiating, like sand passing through a timer, he woke and responded to her claim, his lips sucking and brushing against hers as she lay above him; reaffirming her love.

"I love you, too," he sighed as he broke away; blinking tired eyes open to find her smiling softly and tracing his brows. He arched one to tease her and her lips curved more deeply.

"I'm glad you stayed," she thanked him.

Troy shifted and loosely bound his arms around her, his body waking to the fact she was between his thighs, warm and willing.

"Are we going out for breakfast?" He asked; keen to move before his arousal became permanent.

Gabriella leaned down and kissed him again, just gently. "I can feel you, you know," she told him with a twinkle in her eye he hadn't seen for longer than he cared to admit.

"So, are you going to stop kissing me and let me be a gentleman?" He enquired, hoping her answer would be 'yes'. If she decided to undo him now, he couldn't promise how much of a gentleman he might be.

"Only if you kiss me back," she bargained; a deal that could become very dangerous he considered.

He cupped her face and tilted his head to kiss her as she requested, their intent to rise delayed somewhat.

"Are you sure this is okay?" She wondered as she rolled up to get washed and ready. Her eyes traced the need pressing against his jeans and only hardened him more.

"Hm-mm," he nodded, throwing an arm across his eyes to blank out her beautiful morning look.

He felt her lips press against his cheek. "I'll be down in a minute…"

Somehow, he mused as he looked at his aching hard lap, he didn't think a minute would be long enough…

/

"Hey! Lovebirds!" Chad Danforth's voice projected across the street as he jogged over to greet Gabriella and Troy on their way to the diner.

"Hand-holding?" He grinned as he came up to the pair.

Gabriella blushed. "Well, he talks a good apology," she excused her actions.

Chad grinned wider and hugged her, despite her link with Troy.

"I'm teasing you…you look great together, you really do."

"Thanks buddy," Troy added.

"So, you off to the diner?" Chad checked and they nodded.

"My treat," Troy added.

"Well, watch out for Doris, I saw her go in there just now as I came out. She was telling everyone who would listen that she'd seen you go into Gabriella's last night," Chad shared.

"Did she now?" Troy mused.

"And how scandalous it was that you didn't come back out."

"Scandalous?" Troy repeated, a slow mischievous smile spreading across his face. "I'll show her scandalous…"

"I have a reputation, thank you," Gabriella reminded him.

"Hey, babe, you're the one that told her you left me in bed to go to church, don't be thinking you can pretend to be prim any more…"

Chad made a face at the pair. "Ok, this is gross. I'm leaving now. Catch you later…"

"Bye, Chad…" Gabriella called as their friend walked away, leaving her only with Troy's glowing eyes and his smile.

"Don't start trouble," she warned.

"Shall I leave that to you?" He squeezed her hand and smirked.

They came inside the diner and found a seat near the window, Doris quickly appearing by their booth as warned by Chad.

"I couldn't help but notice, Gabriella," Doris began with no introduction. "That your male friend stayed over last night…"

Troy pursed his lips at his apparent invisibleness. "Morning, Doris," he called with a grin.

"Oh, good morning…" She greeted distractedly, waiting for Gabriella to speak.

She looked to Troy, saw the mirth barely hidden in his sparkling eyes, looked to Doris and saw her utter need for gossip and she looked inside and wondered what she could possibly say to Doris' apparent accusation that would actually make any difference to the interfering woman's already made-up mind.

She chose not to care about any of it as she spoke.

"Yes, he did, Doris," she replied sweetly, meeting the older woman's gaze. "We had fantastic sex all night; I couldn't possibly make him leave…"

Doris gasped, and then blushed crimson as Troy melted into giggles, guffawing at the opposite side of the table while Gabriella maintained her fixed smile as sweetly as she could manage.

"Good grief, do you have no shame!" Doris tutted. "It's a sin to have sex before marriage!"

"I do beg your pardon," Gabriella addressed, her lips twitching. "It was fantastic, sinful sex. Never mind, we had fun all the same…."

"The work of the devil!" Doris muttered as she stormed out, leaving Gabriella to meet Troy's gaze and collapse into laughter of her own.

"That was funny!" She smiled at her work.

"You say I'm trouble?" Troy asked, eyes alight with surprise and pride.

She shrugged. "She deserved it, she's so nosey!"

"I can't believe she's so interested in your love life…" Troy shook his head in disbelief.

"Well, she is the one who claimed I couldn't satisfy you," Gabriella recounted with an eye roll as she studied the menu.

"Little does she know," Troy husked in a low voice that settled in her belly and set her alight with wanting. She flicked her eyes up, meeting his intense blue ones.

"What are you having?" He changed topic, leaving her baffled.

If she had a menu of sexual favours she might be deciding right now what she'd choose, but he was talking about the food.

"Pancakes," she offered, images flicking through her head of other types of breakfast spread she might enjoy otherwise.

"You sure?" He twinkled, playing devil's advocate. He knew exactly what was on her mind and she hated him for it.

Gabriella swallowed, calling his bluff. "What about you?"

"Well, after a whole night of sinful sex, I'm thinking a good cooked breakfast," he posed with lifted brows.

"Good choice," she nodded, lowering her eyes.

"What would you really have chosen?" He asked in a soft voice once their orders had been taken.

"What do you mean?" Gabriella looked up, her eyes widening.

"You know exactly what I mean…if you had your menu of how we made up…what would you have chosen?" He posed.

Her lips parted but no gasp came out, only a hitch hiccupped in her chest from the fast kick of desire she felt at his words. He was offering her anything, now what would she take?

"How can I answer that?" She flustered. "Making up should be spontaneous, not planned."

His brow arched. "Standing up?"

"Troy!" She hissed across the table.

"On the counter?"

Her cheeks flooded with blood, reddening at his words.

"Not here," she whispered.

"Why, is it turning you on?" He twinkled.

"Shh!" She warned as the waitress served their food.

"I thought maybe something softer…like the bed." He commented through mouthfuls of his food. "Shower?" He ventured as a happy medium.

Gabriella looked at her pancakes and wondered seriously how he could sit there and even concentrate on food- let alone eat it- while he imagined all the ways they might make love again for the first time.

She knew how she wanted their first time to be and it wasn't as obvious as any of his choices; she just wanted it to be intimate and passionate and maybe a little more paced than their sometimes fast, desperate desire of old.

"If you tell me what you're thinking, I at least have a hope of making it perfect for you…" Troy's warm voice reminded her he was still there, pushing.

She looked up, surprised by his words. He was worried. He was worried about when their reunion would be; and how and he wanted to make sure he made it perfect for her; just like the very first time a girl made love, she considered.

For her, it had never been about soft beds and rose petals, it was about the moment and when it felt right and the Wildcats win over The Knights at the basketball Championship final had made her want to claim him for her own so completely that they'd ended up in the only place they could find without being caught- in his truck.

Did she want to go back there and recreate that moment? No, she wanted to be in a bed where they could lazily love one another all day if they wanted to, but she hated the idea of planning their passion. It just killed the mood somewhat.

"It will be perfect," she offered on a gentle voice, her smile ghosting her lips. "When it feels right, that's what will make it perfect."

It felt right to him now, he mused. It felt right to him the second he got back in town and every waking moment since, but although he knew she wanted him, too, he was patiently biding his time.

"No hints?" He twinkled, taking another mouthful of food.

Gabriella lifted her shy eyes. "Just be gentle," she asked, shocking him to his core. "I'm fragile, so please be gentle…"

/

Shit! Hadn't he been gentle with her before?

He winced as he realized probably not.

Damn her! They had been hard and raw together; and in the mornings tender and loving- wasn't that gentle enough?

I'm fragile…

Her words haunted him. She was talking about her heart. He'd asked her how she wanted to make love and she'd told him how she felt in her heart. Well, he would be gentle. He would be gentle until she wept with pleasure, he swore. Because he couldn't face seeing that look on her face again.

The one that reminded him how much he'd hurt her, all over again.

/

"Where do you want me?"

Troy's bright smile accompanied his 'work' wear which consisted of a vest, cargo trousers and boots; his tone erring on suggestive. He was ready to help build the summer house that he'd help pay for by auctioning himself.

Gabriella lifted her chin just a notch and tried to ignore the flutter in her tummy as his smile turned onto her; and turned devilish to boot.

"Uh…" She consulted her clipboard but nothing written on there made any sense to her.

"I mean, if you just want to keep me in your office, I'll completely understand…" His low husk violated her ear.

"No, I think Chad could probably use your help erecting the frame," she supplied, keeping her gaze from meeting his as she looked for their friend.

"Erection, huh?" His voice was so low and dirty, she almost felt like doing exactly what he suggested- locking him in her office. With her in it. And nothing to do but indulge in pleasures of the flesh. "I'm good at those…"

Gabriella swallowed a whimper as her intimacy clenched in delight at his suggestion and she found her cheeks flushing as Chad headed over.

"Oh, he got out of bed, then," Chad jeered his friend. "You okay?" He checked with Gabriella.

Gabriella nodded. "Yes, fine. Can you take Troy with you?" She asked.

Chad grinned. "Is he getting under your feet already?"

Gabriella watched as Chad cupped Troy's shoulder and guided him away, the pair of them thick as thieves as their bright smiles caught the attention of the women helping out as they plotted together; two guys with unlimited freedom.

"Everything okay?" Sharpay brushed up beside Gabriella and stood straight, waiting instructions.

"Troy just got here so he and Chad are going to erect the frame and the girls are clearing the area so that the foundation will be ready…" Gabriella recounted.

"I don't know how you can stand there and talk about foundations while that's going on…" Sharpay commented, her attention drawn to the right hand side of the building site, where Gabriella turned her gaze to share her object of interest.

Little did she know it would feature Troy and Chad- both topless already in the hot morning sun- lifting the heavy poles of the structure between them, every muscle working with the weight of the frame they were lifting.

"Holy Moses," Gabriella breathed, sucking in a breath at the sight of Troy topless for a start- something she'd not been able to enjoy for too long now- and also showcasing his very impressive strength this way.

"Holy Moses, alright," Shar scoffed. "I need ice-tea, you want one?"

Gabriella, however, was mesmirised by the show of masculinity from the man she loved as he moved to and fro, every bunch of his arms and ripple of his stomach doing something deep inside her she daren't share with anyone.

"Gabriella?" Her friend prompted.

"Huh? What?" Her eyes flew to Sharpay.

"Have you two done it since Troy got back?" Shar asked with a squint and noted Gabriella's blush. "Never mind, do you want ice tea?"

"Yes please…I'll come with you and get lemonade for the boys…"

"No, you stay there, Miss Foreman," Sharpay smiled mischievously. "You need that view more than I do…"

Gabriella didn't even register her friend's comment as she got caught up helping the ladies to set out lunch; something she found very hard to do considering the distraction the hunk of man outside was affording her. She was just finishing laying out sausage rolls when she felt a warm body shadow hers, snaffling a sausage roll and remaining close, putting a gentle arm around her waist.

She had no choice but to turn toward him, encircled by his arm. She noted his hand rested on her waist and no lower.

"Hey, beautiful. You're a sight for sore eyes," he winked, talking with his mouth full of pastry which in Gabriella's eyes didn't dull down the effect of his compliment any even though she felt it should.

"It's rude to talk with your mouth full," she practically breathed, her voice quivering at his proximity and the subtle claim he had made on her coming inside and embracing her like this. If anyone saw, they'd be in no doubt the pair of them had reunited.

"Is it?" He asked, finishing his snack. "What about kissing? Is that rude?"

He didn't wait for her reply, although she opened her mouth to deliver it. Somehow she found her hands flat against his bare chest in some kind of failed repulsion and she was cleverly trapped against his body for his seemingly planned attack.

"God, you taste good," he nuzzled her nose as his eyes crinkled, making her wet between her thighs.

"Troy, put a shirt on, dude!" Chad's voice warned them of the impending stampede of workers about to join them. "You're scaring the ladies…"

Troy's lit eyes turned toward his friend as he took the top handed to him. "Does she look scared to you?" He asked of Gabriella and stepped away to pull the top over his head while Gabriella quickly poured fresh lemonade for the men who had been hard at work.

"Mm," Troy gulped his down in five seconds flat and licked his lips. "Great lemonade, babe."

"You can have more?" She offered, gaining only his smile as she poured him another glass.

"Come on, let's go sit with the others," he held out his hand for her and she took it, fluttering her eyes up to him with a warm pink tinge on her cheeks as they joined the rest of the group.

/

Somehow it had ended up that Gabriella was sat on Troy's lap as he sprawled in a large outdoor chair and she sat with her back to him, trying desperately not to look as tense as she felt. All the couples had doubled up when seating became short and she still felt at odds airing their reunion this way.

She ventured looks around the room and tried to remember that none of these people would judge her or hate her for getting back together with Troy, but there was a part of her deep down that still didn't trust he wouldn't leave again once he got itchy feet.

"So, what you planning on doing for work now your back?" Mike Donovan, the local carpenter directed his question at Troy who seemed to have become a celebrity during lunch break with everyone firing questions at him while she just sat and listened.

"Open up a garage, I reckon," Troy considered. "There's not one round here and I can specialize in motorbikes…"

"My friend Billy does stunts for Hollywood movies," Mike said. "You should give him a call…"

Gabriella felt Troy's hand tighten on her hip where he held her possessively in his lap. His thumb brushed her skin in silent comfort and she leaned against him; not caring how it looked to everyone else even though that's what she had been afraid of. Troy was reclined right back and she looked like she was going to sleep; but she lay her head on his shoulder and fidgeted into place.

"I can't really ride anymore," Troy told the man, glancing down on Gabriella to check she was okay and on seeing she was, he slipped his arm right around her waist and kissed her temple.

"Well, you don't have to. They have enough crazy young guns to ride," Mike commented. "But he said they had problems choreographing things…you know how these movie-types work. Sets, restricted spaces…he asked me the other day if you were back yet because he needed some advice…"

Troy nodded in interest at Mike's suggestion. "Sounds good, do you have his number? I'll give him a call…"

"He never sits still!" Joan- Mike's wife laughed. "You'll be flying out to California before we know it…"

Troy smiled, in spite of himself. Yeah, he would have done that. Jumped at any opportunity life threw his way, but not anymore.

"Nope, I'm back for good," he tilted his head towards Gabriella as if to indicate why. "I left once and I lost the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Aw!" Joan called as Gabriella jerked her head up, blushing hard.

"He looking after you?" Mike asked the shy woman in Troy's lap.

Gabriella swallowed. "Yes, of course." She replied with a smile.

"You putting a ring on her finger?" Joan batted to Troy.

He smiled secretly and twisted his lips as he looked to Gabriella. "I don't know if she'll let me, yet."

The group chuckled.

"Penance," Troy shared, and then added. "I'm more than prepared to pay it."

Gabriella put her hand over his that rested on her stomach and looked into his blue eyes. She didn't say anything because they were in company, but she kissed him sweetly on the lips.

"I still love you," she told him, making their on-lookers melt with happiness.

"I know," he murmured back, letting her rest against him while they relaxed a little longer.

"They're in love," Joan murmured.

"Best thing he did, coming back," Mike added.

Chad stood and lifted his lemonade glass. "To Gabriella and Troy," he teasingly toasted them, making the group chuckle at his joke.

"To Gabriella and Troy!" They chorused after.

/

CHAPTER 13

"Wow, today was hard work," Troy let out a breath as he walked Gabriella up her path at the end of the day.

Gabriella trailed fond eyes down his dirtied state. "You did a great job, thank you."

Troy shrugged, and then winced as he felt the strain of his day kick in. "You're welcome. I think I'm just gonna get home and have a hot bath to iron out these kinks…" He commented.

Gabriella sucked her lower lip, then swallowed. "Why don't you clean up here?" She suggested, slowly raising her eyes to his as he rubbed the back of his neck distractedly. "I could…rub your shoulders or something?"

Troy paused from his self-relief and kept her gaze for long moments.

"Is this a trap?" He squinted. "Where you offer me something nice and then screw me over?"

Gabriella giggled. "I think we're past that, aren't we?"

Troy squinted harder, only seeing her smiling face. He didn't know what on earth gave her the will to rub him down but he wasn't going to wonder on it any longer.

"Sure," he agreed, following her inside. "Sounds nice…"

"Go get in the shower. I'll put some towels in, in a moment." She instructed, rolling out her own kinks as she stretched and headed for her room.

/

"Okay, here I am. All ready…" Troy wandered into the hall and looked around for Gabriella.

"This way," she called from her room with a crook of her finger.

Troy had no choice but to follow and he wiped his hand over his face in his dream-like state before he poked his head around the door.

"Where do you want me?" He asked, his fingers lightly holding together the ends of his towel.

"Tuck your towel in," she instructed with a knowing smile and he grinned, obeying her.

"Face down on the bed," she added, going through her oils to find the perfect one.

Troy looked over his shoulder at her as he knelt on the bed, then gave into his urge to lie down.

"Did you become a masseuse while I was away?" He wondered, not remembering any oils featuring in their foreplay before. Not that this was foreplay, he reminded himself- redundantly; his body already had other ideas.

"Well, when a woman tells you that you're not interesting enough to keep a man, you find ways to branch out," Gabriella supplied with a little smile.

Troy lifted his head and wriggled as his body reacted to her claim.

"What else you got in that bag of tricks?" He wondered.

"Just shush," Gabriella was showered and changed into the grey jersey trousers Troy had lent her at his house and a little vest to keep her cool while she worked.

She climbed onto the bed and gently settled herself across his backside, straddling the mound of firm flesh and arching her hips just once to enjoy the moment. She smiled softly as Troy let out a pained groan.

"Are you getting off on this?" He sighed, tired and aching but so hard for her that he felt his arousal pressing into the bed uncomfortably.

"Sandalwood," she told him as she rubbed oil between her palms to warm it. It was as close to his smell as she could find and he closed his eyes in anticipation as her hands finally touched his skin; a sensation that made him twitch with instant longing before he took some deep breaths to calm down again.

"Mm, oh Jesus, 'Brie," he sighed out, settling a little in his fidgety state.

"Just relax," she rubbed the tight muscles in his shoulders, driving her thumbs deep into the places that were tender and drawing out his pained cries before softening her touch to relax him. No use starting off soft because then he would feel no relief after.

He seemed to become completely languid after the painful stuff was out of the way, letting her concentrate on just being able to stroke him- up and down his beautifully carved back, up over those wide, weight-bearing shoulders, around his shoulders and down his arms, thumbing those solid, bulky biceps with a little more pleasure than was strictly necessary, she mused.

Yes, this was fun, she decided. He was entirely under her spell and in her control and if he wasn't so tired, she would be thinking about making love to him but she was more considerate than that. Let him sleep, she mused. She ran her fingers through his hair for her own enjoyment. In the morning they would both be renewed with energy and their love-making would be the slow, gentle kind she ached for.

"Troy," she murmured, helping him to turn onto his back where he cast out his arms and flopped his head back.

"I think I died and I'm in heaven," he mumbled, making her smile. Sometimes his words touched her, so much. She pursed her lips and quickly straddled him to finish his massage before they slept.

As she ran her fingers slowly over the ridges that formed his abs; then up over the padded mounds of his chest; she felt her insides squeeze needily for his body; the hardness that once reigned and now lay limp under his towel. Well, she could imagine, right? The poor guy had erected a conservatory; she couldn't expect him to keep everything up after a feat like that.

"Hm, don't move," his hands cupped her hips as she finished up and shifted to move off his lap.

"Troy…" she warned softly.

"Shh," he lifted one hand to put his finger to his lips. "I'm not doing anything dirty…"

"That would be a first," she rolled her eyes and sat; in limbo.

"Would you feel better if you laid down?" He squinted one eye open; instantly seeing her unease.

"I'd feel better if I could move," she retorted.

"Please…c'mon…one hug," he begged cutely, pouting his lips.

"If this is in anyway an attempt to-"

"Shh," Troy's finger touched to her lips and he held out his hands to help her maneuver so that she was laying against his body, in his arms. "Just…relax," he told her with a sigh out.

Gabriella swallowed, nuzzling his chest the way she had missed doing all those nights; something that eased her inner niggles so easily she wondered how she managed without him sometimes.

"See?" He murmured. "This is nice…"

"Am I hurting you?" She wondered of her weight upon him.

"No, but I wouldn't care if you were…"

"Troy…"

His fingers trailed down her hair, touching gently. "I told you to shh," he whispered, cuddling her and stroking her back. "Close your eyes. Relax your body…relax, 'Brie," he said again until he felt her weight sag against him fully. "Now, sleep," he brushed a kiss into her hair. "Let's just sleep…"

/

"God I hate you…" Gabriella peered at her bed-partner and cursed him for watching her sleeping.

Troy's smile was slow.

"Why, what have I done now?"

Gabriella blinked. "Woke up before me."

Troy made a face. "Hardly my fault when you snore."

Gabriella frowned sulkily. "I do not snore."

Troy reached across where they lay side by side and cupped her cheek. "No you don't…you do dribble though…"

Gabriella sat up with an indignant gasp, shocked by his accusation. "You!" She cast, unable to say much more for lack of sharpness to retaliate.

"Me," he arched a brow and reached up to grasp her wrist and gently tug her back down. "Don't get up yet…"

Gabriella looked at him with wide eyes, snuggling closer. "Are you horny?" She asked, afraid of this moment even though she also wanted it in equal measure.

Troy lazily smiled. "Do I need to answer that?"

He brought his hand up and trailed his thumb over her cheek, gazing into her eyes to read her emotions. He saw acceptance there, and love.

"Let's just snuggle awhile, huh?" He husked, opening his arms.

Gabriella looked at him confusion, wanting to take that next step but also tempted by his invite. She wriggled forward and accepted his hug.

Troy kissed her hair and hugged her tight. "My 'Brie," he murmured, making her ache with longing.

"Forever," she sighed out on a whispered breath before she closed her eyes to sleep in.

/

Troy was glad that Gabriella had agreed to have an extra-long lie in after their eventful day building the summer house for the library. He definitely wasn't getting any younger and even after her generous massage, his muscles still ached faintly in protest from over-use. His mind, however, was in full swing.

His eyes glowed with mischievity as he recalled his rather erotic dream; the one that had just woken him and featured Gabriella in all her naked glory; something he was now keen to recreate.

Now all he had to do was decide if he would wake her the way she had woken him short days ago- with gentle kisses and whispers, or if he should wait for her to come-to of her own accord and enjoy their long morning in bed once she was fully conscious.

He smiled to himself. She'd hated him waking first just like earlier today, but he knew the real reason why…because back in the day when they only had each other and nothing else to concern them, if he woke first, he'd wake her with his kisses and then gift her with some intimate oral pleasure and she hated that he gave but didn't receive.

Troy, on the other hand, loved nothing more than spoiling her and there was something in his male ego that enjoyed it on a whole other level and even looked forward to the reciprocating performance that she would no doubt ensure she returned.

As it was, he blew gently against her face to stir her and quicken her awareness so they could finally indulge the way they had been putting off for so long. There were no more barriers, no excuses; nothing to stand in their way. No-one was due to visit, nothing to do that was more urgent. He smiled as he shifted, kissing her soft lips and receiving a sigh back.

"Don't you dare…" Came a whisper of warning.

"Too late," he husked back, his lips curving as he kissed her again, and then let his lips trail down her neck- in pretty much the same way she had imagined in her own dream.

"Troy Bolton…" It would have been a gasp but she didn't have the full consciousness to pull sharp air into her lungs so it came out sounding like half a groan, something that made her frown but her discomfort didn't last for long because his lips were already attacking the tops of her breasts.

"Can I take this off?" He asked of her nightgown and Gabriella couldn't have denied him if she tried. She even wriggled to help him remove the garment; leaving her skin bare for his touring lips; beside her panties.

"Not there…" She cupped his head in wanton hands, feeling his lips brave closer to her puckered nipples; the peaks betraying her words as they pointed needily upwards for his warm mouth.

"If you say so," Troy murmured, diving away from her painfully erect nubs to kiss down her belly.

"Wait," she cried breathily, her eyes fluttering open.

He looked up; kissing her mouth now he had her complete attention. The fact his tongue dipped against hers so sweetly and his kiss shattered her dream-like state didn't go un-noticed by either of them.

Troy couldn't remember why he had stopped his trailing kisses and dipped his head to start again, remembering her request now that he gazed upon the tight buds that topped the small mounds of her breasts.

He tilted his head, maneuvering so he could palm those mounds and brush his thumbs against the hard, needy skin in experiment.

The pained whimper from her lips led him to suckle there, with no more hesitation to draw out her pain; he afforded her only pleasure, in streaming bounds as she arched and gasped out in delight.

He promised the same treatment of her other breast and once he was done, he kissed downwards, his nose brushing her skin as he went and he knew that as he went, not one kiss or one move was completed for his satisfaction but only for hers; with each sound she made and every breath she gasped in or slew out in approval.

"Troy-" Her voice was gargled, a cry of denial and request all in one as he skimmed his lips down her ribs and across her hips.

"These are coming off," his fingers gently tugged at the cotton briefs she'd chosen and Gabriella screwed up her face as she opened her eyes to watch.

"I wasn't expecting…I have better underwear…" she panicked, but she needn't have.

Troy merely leaned up and kissed her some more, until she was completely molten again, inside and out; a state he was determined to keep her in until he brought her to climax.

"I don't care about that," he assured, pressing a final hard kiss into her mouth before he went back to kissing her body, this time venturing as low as her ankle and working his way up.

"I want to please you…" Gabriella called out as a warm, soft kiss to her knee melted her into a blissful arch, her head rolling back and her eyes closing in sweet pleasure.

"I'm the one who needs to make it up to you," Troy breathed against the sensitive skin of her thigh; still kissing his way up the shapely expanse of her leg, skin he enjoyed with his hands also; something she found herself trying hard to define as her senses peaked and only focused on the bliss his touch was affording.

"Troy," his name panted out as her body writhed upon reaching the very top of her thigh, a place he knew she loved to be touched and he allowed himself the extra indulgence of brushing his thumbs gently there, blowing on her skin and generally ignoring the part of her she clearly ached to be touched.

Seeing her laying there on the bed, wriggling in heightened desire, her eyes opening and closing in intervals as he touched; it brought home to him how lucky he was to be here again. To be within her grasp, to be allowed this chance to please her again and to be allowed back into her life; a fact he didn't take lightly.

She was going to have the best orgasm ever, he mused, at least if he had anything to do with it…

Oh god!

She was sure her insides had just spasmed in pre-orgasm excitement. Just the tentative touch of his tongue there, within her was enough to have her driving her hips off the bed for more, and more she got as Troy flicked his hot sworded tongue within her; on a mission to make her come.

Gabriella wasn't sure if the growl she heard was hers or his; but as he exchanged his soft, dexterous tongue for hard, filling fingers, she surely didn't care, either. All that mattered was this feeling, this satisfaction and this utter sense of trust she shared as she looked into his blue eyes and saw commitment.

Troy's fingers filled her, stroked back and forth as he gazed at her and leaned up to kiss her just once, long and strong and telling. Then he lowered himself and his touch altered, dipping in and out of her wetness to simulate the act they both wished they were indulging in, only the flick of his tongue against her nub told her this would be even better- at least for her.

He sucked, gently on that little hidden bud, his gentle pumping and tonguing bringing her very quickly and very thoroughly to a crescendo she fought to reach.

"Jesus, you taste good," Troy helped her there with his gruff words, words that accompanied his tongue deep within her once more and she couldn't tell when he swapped, but his fingers stretched her as he lapped at her wetness and flicked against her nerve-bundle to really bring her home.

Her body stiffened; convulsing on the inside where no-one could see, but Troy could feel as his fingers infiltrated her intimacy and enjoyed the tightness of her muscles shimmering around his digits.

In that moment, as he gently kissed over her stomach and upwards to her mouth, he thought he might love her even more than before. She was so beautiful when she came; and she had come really hard for him, he mused. So hard he wondered if she would be ready to open her eyes to him yet. Her chest rose and fell with soft panting and he rubbed her juices into his fingers; wanting to enjoy this moment without disappearing to clean up.

"Don't look at me," she begged, her swollen lips pursed.

Troy tenderly kissed them, then nuzzled her nose. "You are the only woman I want to see come like that."

Brown eyes shot open and an indignant gasp sucked in through small lips.

"I wish you didn't watch…"

His smiled curled, like a satisfied male lion on mating his lioness. "I love watching you."

Gabriella frowned, reaching out to stroke his hair and cup her hands at his neck as he lay between her thighs, just gazing upon her.

"Make love to me?" She asked.

Troy kissed away the tension in her face, and then angled to kiss her mouth, rubbing his very evident need against her inner thigh as they began to move together; more slowly than before, more carefully, but with equal passion.

Troy found her curious hands gliding down over his backside as she removed his boxer-shorts and he couldn't help his devilish smile as her hands chose to enjoy more of his new body- a body that hadn't changed so much since they'd last met but that she felt the need to learn again, anyway.

"You're musclier," she noted, her hands running up and down his back, over his chest, grasping his arms as he sank his tongue into her mouth and let a frustrated growl get swallowed by her; something that slickened her deep inside at the noise.

His darkened eyes met hers; his body pressed hers and she knew what he was silently asking. She was surprised he even paused to check, but she stroked his hair back and kissed his mouth to answer him silently, not wanting to break this moment with speech.

When his body finally sank into hers, she gasped at the heat of him; at his size, something she hadn't entirely forgotten while he was away, but something she hadn't deigned to think about for fear of missing him. But now as he filled her so completely, she closed her eyes and sighed in pleasure, tears escaping her eyes in memory of this moment; the moment they came together and joy was theirs alone.

"'Brie?" He whispered her name and she opened her eyes, realizing he had pushed deep within her and frozen upon hearing her sigh and seeing her tears.

"I love you," she assured breathily back, arching to try and take him deeper but she knew he was already stretching her with his manhood as deep as she could take him.

He let out a little animalistic noise and thrust deeply, bringing them so tight; so close, she felt that heaven was at her fingertips even though they were only just beginning this journey.

"Yes, Troy…yes," she felt his hand run up her thigh and gently hook her knee over his hip to allow him the deepest most fulfilling angle; something that only benefitted her as his length brushed her pleasure-spot deep inside and made her cry out in pleasure.

He filled her, over and over, with slow, tender thrusts that held an underlying need to just take her; like he would have all those months ago before this whole mess began and as they moved together with increasing need for more, she almost thought he was going to let go and fuck her the way he evidently was straining not to; but their intimate, close position and slower, gentler loving resulted in a deep, intense orgasm neither of them expected.

Gabriella felt her intimacy quiver and spasm in heavy jerks followed by the hot spurt of Troy's own climax as he stiffened above her, pumping his seed into her body as he held himself inside her tightening walls; buried deep and clutching her close as he came. It was like nothing she had ever experienced before, it was like nothing they had shared and when they opened their eyes to each other, it was as if they were looking at new people, new partners. Not the very same people who had made love dozens of times over before.

"Wow, jeez…" Troy blinked and caught his tight breaths, staring at Gabriella and shaking his head in amazement in turn.

Gabriella merely gasped in air, trying to work out what had just happened.

"That was…" She paused, swallowing. What was that, exactly? Apart from beautiful? She looked to him for words.

"We definitely belong together," Troy commented and kissed her tenderly.

Gabriella curled her arms around his shoulders as he leaned down and she felt him withdraw as he stilled against her body for those short moments while she clung to him, needing his embrace.

He looked up, brushing her hair back with gentle fingers. "Are you okay?"

Gabriella looked into his concerned blue eyes and nodded. "Are you?"

Troy grinned. "Are you kidding me?"

Gabriella blushed. "I just wanted to hold you for a while."

Troy nodded, placing another gentle kiss to her mouth. "Am I too heavy?"

She smiled, giggled and nodded and he rolled off her; opening his arms to take her against his body instead.

"I love you," he kissed her hair as they settled. "Forever." He added her favourite phrase.

Gabriella snuggled against him and let the afternoon give way to their slumber; a near whole day wasted in bed she wouldn't normally even consider but today was different.

Troy was back and she might get her happy ending after all.

/

They made love twice more in the late afternoon, when the sun was still hazing her room and after they had risen to nourish their worn bodies. Each time had been as gentle and tender as the first; if not as emphatic due to that being the first time in twelve months; but still, this new way of loving was strange to them both.

Gabriella was used to being commanded, to be taken and Troy was used to being in control. Somehow, with everything that had changed, this new level of intimacy worked and they both found themselves wrapped up together happily talking that evening. Every now and then Troy would drop a kiss to her hair and she would respond in turn by dropping a kiss to his chest; they both smiled irrepressibly but neither of them made the move to make love again.

It was a moment of appreciation, almost. A time to just enjoy each other being there and nothing more. It didn't stop Troy's wayward mind, though…

"Are you going to tell Doris the truth in church tomorrow?" Troy smirked of their busy-body neighbour.

"What is the truth?" Gabriella wondered, looking up.

"That we weren't really having sinful sex before tonight but my god, we made up for it…"

Gabriella giggled and rubbed her hand against his chest. "No I don't think I will tell her."

"Why not?" Troy whined. "I might come with you just so I can see her face…"

"I might give church a miss anyway…" Gabriella commented lightly.

Troy tightened his arms. "Oh, I see. Snuggling in bed with me is more attractive…"

"Actually I have some books to repair," Gabriella joked and jolted when Troy's hands found places that she was ticklish.

"I was joking!" She surrendered easily, settling back into his arms. "I like this."

"Well, I'm not going to argue," he assured. "I'd love to make you breakfast in bed."

Gabriella hitched up to kiss his mouth. "You're too sweet."

He shrugged. "I want to spoil you awhile."

She arched a brow. "In case I change my mind about forgiving you and letting you back into my bed?"

"Definitely the second part," he agreed with a grin and a chuckle of his own as she pouted her sulky lips. "And I'm kidding too."

"Hmm," she rubbed her cheek against his chest and felt his arms lock back around her.

"I'm not letting you go," he murmured and she felt a flicker of confusion cross her brow at his words, but he quickly dropped his puzzling words. "Are we going to sleep for a bit?"

Gabriella nodded against his chest. "Just for a bit…"

"Okay," he pulled the cover over them both and turned out the light.

Suddenly, he didn't want morning to come.

/

CHAPTER 14

Gabriella found herself curled up on her sofa; enjoying the peace that Sunday's usually brought as she indulged in her favorite activity- reading.

She felt the soft haze of drowsiness relax her and fought off the urge to nap- something she often did on returning from church after lunch but she considered she had slept enough in the past two days to warrant staying awake this afternoon.

Most of the sleep had been after sex, of course but still…she had things she should be doing.

Her body ached in sweet recognition of the love she had made with Troy in the past hours and when she had gone outside with the idea of starting some gardening, the sweet ache had threatened to turn into something less enjoyable and she reminded herself how her body had been stretched more than usual thanks to their reignited passion that very morning. Gardening could wait. Her body needed a little recovery time and for that reason; after he had made her breakfast in bed and they'd indulged each other a little more, she had sent Troy away to allow her some time alone.

Time to recover and time to think.

She knew what she wanted now, she had no dilemmas or concerns to consider, but she still didn't want to rush into anything too soon. Becoming too attached too soon still held a little fear for her and she hated the idea of losing her independence. Troy staying would just signify a unity she didn't yet feel or entirely trust in; although she did believe he was the only man for her and she'd never deny that.

A knock sounded on her door and she rose to answer it; still deep in her own thoughts as her friend's face appeared on the other side.

"Hey, how goes it?" Chad's eager smile filled his face.

Gabriella tilted her head. "Did you come for roast dinner?"

Chad pursed his lips and tried to look hurt. "Are you cooking any?"

Gabriella laughed and widened her door. "I hadn't planned to but I'll see what I can knock up…"

Chad came inside and sat at her kitchen table while she fixed their drinks. She looked in the cupboards while he waited for her offering.

"I can do roast potatoes and toad in the hole…"

Chad lifted his brows. "It's roast, it'll do me…"

Gabriella smiled and set to work while her friend looked over.

"So, you and Troy are back on," he gathered from their display of affection the previous day.

"Seems that way," Gabriella allowed.

Chad smirked. "Still not forgiven him completely, huh?"

Gabriella whipped her batter and tossed sausages in a skillet before looking over.

"It's not that," she considered. "It's more about trusting him to stay this time."

Chad nodded. "Yeah, I get that. I keep telling him, although he and I are good, I can't forget what happened. It'll take time. He knows that."

Gabriella tilted her head and turned once she had put her peeled potatoes on to boil.

"Is he really going to be happy fixing up cars?" She wondered.

Chad met her gaze. "He wants to be here with you."

"That's not an answer," she smiled.

"Well, he sounds happy enough. If he's not, he's still willing to stay here, you can't deny him that…"

Gabriella considered Chad's words and came over to sit with him for a moment.

"I don't want to 'trap' him," she shared. "If he has itchy feet, then he has itchy feet. I just want to go with him if he decides to leave again."

"He hasn't mentioned it. He told me he was back for good since he got hurt." Chad assured.

Gabriella nodded. "I guess only time will tell," she commented as she stood up to finish preparing their dinner.

/

"Breakfast is on me," Troy's warm voice accompanied his hunky body as he sat opposite Gabriella in the booth she had taken at the diner, first thing Monday morning.

"Feeling generous?" She enquired lightly.

"Hm, I forgot something," he stood and bent over her, bringing her wide eyes up to his. "I forgot to kiss you good morning," he added as she remained motionless below him.

"Oh," she frowned, and then turned her lips up, awkwardly.

"You're going to have to stand up," Troy told her and she parted her lips at his request.

"Why?!" She hissed, blushing.

Troy tilted his head with a smile and she stood, smoothing her skirt down, a pointless act because he wrapped his arms around her and proceeded to kiss her senseless in the middle of the diner where everybody could see and even then a wolf-whistle approved his move.

"That's what I call a kiss hello!" Jason Cross yelled across to the couple, receiving a devilish grin from Troy and a huffy pout from Gabriella.

"Do you have to do that?" She asked Troy as she grasped his arms for support and only felt the tell-tale warmth of attraction pour down her fingertips and into her bloodstream.

"Yes," he tipped his forehead to hers and nuzzled her nose.

"Just…sit down would you?" She asked, trying to pretend that kiss had no effect on her when in reality, she couldn't think straight anymore. What was she doing here? What day was it?

Troy complied with her request with a little knowing smile, picking up his menu and perusing it with as much innocence as he could muster.

Gabriella knew better though and just stared at him in disbelief.

"Are the sausage patties here just as good?" He asked, finally looking up.

Gabriella arched her brow. "Sausage patties?" She repeated, dumbfounded.

He nodded. "Hm."

"Yes, they're delicious, same as always…" She replied, relaxing back into her seat as her breakfast was delivered and Troy ordered his.

"So, what are you doing later?" He wondered idly, sipping his coffee.

"Avoiding you," she murmured under her breath, then looked up and met the mock-hurt gaze of her breakfast partner. "I was joking," she added with an eye roll.

"I don't find it funny," he clipped with all the air of an insulted man.

"You should consider it a blessing I need to avoid you at all," she considered, then decided not to inflate his ego by explaining why. "I'm having dinner tonight with Charles and Edward from the Library Trust," she added to answer his question.

"What?" Troy pouted. "Two old dudes over me?"

"We're discussing the fundraising and the summer house and what have you," Gabriella explained.

"Can't you do that during the day?"

Gabriella smiled. "They're paying, it makes it informal. I prefer it…"

"Hm," Troy clearly didn't like the idea but she wasn't about to give into his sulk.

"What's your plan for today?" She asked instead.

"Find a premises…" Gabriella looked up in positive recognition for Troy's plans to make roots. "Make you dinner…" He added sadly.

"How about tomorrow?" She offered instead.

Troy accepted his breakfast from the waitress and bit into his food somewhat in comfort.

"I guess so…"

Gabriella watched him and tried to figure out if he was serious. She'd not seen him sulk before…well maybe when he didn't get his own way but things were different now. They were different people. She didn't respond to his games and he didn't play them…supposedly.

"Troy, it's one day," she offered.

He looked up, his slow smile slipping back into place. "I know I just wanted to see how long I could make you think I was being serious…"

"Ha-ha," she dead-panned his joke and offered him some of her pancakes.

He took a mouthful and ate whilst smiling at her with unhidden appreciation.

"I missed you last night," he stated.

"I bet you did," she derided of their antics the night before.

"Did you miss me?" He wondered, then.

Gabriella smirked. "Well, yes," she conceded. "But my body thanked me."

"Did I hurt you?" He wondered with concern, reaching over to touch her hand.

She looked up, silently appreciating his touch and his concern. Not that he needed to worry about her that way, but it showed he cared, that he did worry and she felt herself fall for him a little more.

"No…just…I guess…it's been a while," she shared. And of course, they had kind of over-done it somewhat.

He nodded. "Next time I'll be more gentle."

Next time.

Just the thought of their intimate, intense love-making being repeated made her swallow hard and clench inside.

"I'm not sure it would have made any difference," she offered gently.

"Still…I'll be careful," he assured, lifting her hand to kiss it before going back to his food.

"I'm on my way to being late…" She checked her watch.

"Aw, hey, let's finish breakfast together," he complained lightly.

"Troy, you got here late, I have to go." She affirmed.

He nodded and stood, hugging her with his mouth full of food.

"See you tomorrow?" He checked and she nodded.

"Have fun tonight!" He called as she made her way towards the door, leaving her with the image of dinner with her library peers versus the image of Troy naked in her bed.

She hated that he won out, every time.

/

"Gabriella, how great to see you!" Charles Duncan greeted Gabriella as she came across the restaurant in her work clothes- a white blouse and a navy skirt with low pumps.

"How are you?" Edward Carmichael added with a hand shake and a kiss to her cheek after Charles had done the honours. He held out her chair and helped to seat her.

"I'm good, thank you," she replied. "The library is…well it's a whole new venture now that we have the summer house and raising the extra money to achieve that and to complete the renovations is a weight off my shoulders…"

"Yes, that's what we'd like to talk to you about," Charles made sure they all had wine and had toasted 'the summer house' before they settled onto the more serious matter of the meeting.

"What do you mean?" Gabriella sipped her drink and looked at each man in turn with a tense expression on her face.

"Well, now that we have achieved the unachievable, we need to expand on the library's audience and reach and improve promotion…" Charles ventured.

"I know," Gabriella agreed. "Now that we have this facility, it puts us in an unrivalled position as far as services go in the state," she shared. "I'm keen to build on that…"

"And that's exactly what we want to do," Edward assured. "But we need more people to do it…"

Gabriella smiled hopefully. "More staff?"

"Well…yes," Charles agreed. "You could say that."

"We need it!" Gabriella sighed thankfully. "We need a whole new team almost to manage the summer house…"

"We want to bring in a new coordinator," Charles cut to the chase, capitalizing on Gabriella's apparent enthusiasm.

"What?" She frowned, not understanding what this meant.

"You'll always be the library manager," Charles added. "But we want to bring in someone else to fill a link between us and you…an intermediary we might say…"

Gabriella looked to Edward. "But I can move up and overlook the two parts of the business," she inserted. "Can I apply for the position?"

Edward flicked Charles a look. "We've already employed someone who is perfect for growing and promoting the new library the way we need to," he began diplomatically.

"And we want you to stay on and manage the day to day business of the main building," Charles added.

"But the summer house and the PR will be dealt with by the co-coordinator…"

"And this person will in effect, be my new boss?" Gabriella asked tightly, her eyes batting between the two men as her anger bubbled inside.

"Well…yes," Charles sighed out gently. "We have to do what's best for the business."

"And what about me?" Gabriella argued. "I worked hard to make all this happen! I raised the funds for the whole lot and now you tell me I didn't have a chance to even try for the job?"

"We needed someone fresh…" Charles posed.

"Someone dynamic," Edward added.

Gabriella glared at him. "And you don't think I am?"

Edward looked to Charles again. "I don't doubt we can help you get to where you want to be, Gabriella. But we need someone who is there already. I'm sorry you feel this goes against you in any way…Truly, we appreciate all you do and want to keep you on."

"Keep me on?" She asked, standing and throwing down her napkin. "You sit there and tell me I'm not dynamic enough to grow this business and yet I'm the reason we are sitting her at all discussing it! I've heard enough. Goodnight, gentleman," she stated and headed out of the restaurant with a sharp march to stop herself saying anything she might regret and before she had time to think about what they'd said.

Right now all she wanted to do was hit someone!

And she hated that the one person she wanted to see was also the one person she was trying to avoid…

/

Briiiinnngg. Briiing briiinggg.

Bringgg bringgg bringgg bringgg.

"Alright!" Troy threw down his duvet and rose from his bed, skittishly tumbling down the stairs to answer the wretched visitor at his door. Whole apartment house thing again, sorry.

Briiinggg.

"Do you know what time it i-"

His breath caught in his throat as he threw open his door to find Gabriella there, her eyes smudged with make up from her apparent tears and a look of thunder on her face. He held up his hands in surrender in case that look was for him but he wasn't sure what he'd done to deserve it.

"Can I come in?" She asked, grinding her teeth together.

Troy nodded and stepped back, widening the door to allow her entry. He followed her through to the living room and she put her stuff down and just grasped his face in her hands, kissing him with an angry, fervent kiss that woke him up completely and even had him daring to take her in his arms and kiss her back; only she had other ideas.

"I didn't come here to make out," she announced as he stood, arms open from her exit there, now pacing his living room floor.

"I guessed that much," he offered, turning to watch her. "Are you okay?"

"Apparently I'm not dynamic enough!" She hissed, making his frown deepen. What was she talking about? He squinted as he remembered her meeting with the library officials was tonight.

"Why would Edward and Charles care about that?" He wondered, not sure if she was talking about her sex-life or her job.

"Because they've employed someone to be my boss!" She cast out. "Someone to promote the summer house and oversee the library PR – someone who is more dynamic than me!"

The breath left Troy's lungs. "But you made the library what it is…"

"I know!" She threw her arms up, then down, her tears returning as she spoke again. "I told them they could have let me apply for it at least!"

Troy came over and quickly bear-hugged her into his body to comfort her apparent upset.

"They're both idiots…wait till I go down there and-"

"It's not worth it," she sobbed into his chest, holding onto him as she broke down. "I'm just not the person they wanted…I'm just not exciting enough…"

"Shh, don't you ever think that," Troy argued. "You thought up the bachelor sale, you thought up the summer house, it was your idea to make it a school…'Brie, you can't let them steal all your ideas and let someone else take the reigns…"

"They want growth, Troy," she quivered against the shock and hurt she felt. "They think I'm not experienced enough to give them that…"

"They ought to let you try…" He soothed, stroking her hair. "I know you can do it…you got this far, you can go all the way."

Gabriella clung onto him while he assured her that this wasn't the end of the matter and that they'd go back to Charles and Edward with a proposition in the morning.

"I don't know if it'll work…" She ventured.

"Employment of a senior position that they failed to advertise and interview for? Under employment fairness laws that's considered a no-no," Troy posed. "I think they'll be listening, somehow…"

Gabriella looked up and wiped her tears away with a sniffle. "I'm sorry I woke you up…"

"Hey, it's okay, anytime," he assured giving her another hug.

"I'm just so angry right now…" She admitted.

"Angry, huh?" His blue eyes twinkled mischievously.

Gabriella rolled her eyes up to his. "Yes, angry." She stated, ignoring his hint.

"I remember the days you'd be firing mad at me for something or another…"

"Usually making a mess or eating with your mouth open," she reminded.

"But you remember how we used to help out your anger?" He quirked a brow.

"I'm not mad at you though," she puzzled at his theory for them to have sex to ease her emotions.

"I can change that," he offered honestly and she giggled at his serious face.

"You don't need to," she assured as she reached up and began to kiss him; every tense moment from before dropping away as they stood there and kissed in his living room; him in his boxers and Gabriella fully clothed, an unfair advantage she soon remedied by pulling off her layers with uninhibited need.

"God, I hate you," he murmured, role-playing his part the best he could.

"Me too," she sighed; running her fingers up through his hair and letting her other hand own his chest. "Truly despise you…"

His lips curved a smile against her flesh as they patterned down, over her already hot skin and he felt the flutter of her pulse in her neck as he pressed his lips there; wrapping his arms tight around her to lift her up so that she could kiss him and clutch his shoulders.

"Mm, ouch," she hissed as he backed her against the wall, a little more clumsily than he had planned, so he kissed her nipples and apologized silently even though she was clearly enjoying being pressed against the hard surface.

"Don't you dare take me against this wall," she frowned and he wasn't sure if she was playing or not, so he pulled her panties to one side and dipped into her, feeling her warm wet heat against his digits at the same time she whimpered out a sound of pleasure.

"I'll take you where I want to," he husked back, the very soft, caring tone of his voice juxtaposing his controlling words; something that drove Gabriella insane with desire.

"I really, really hate you," she cast out on a pleasured groan as his hands cupped her backside and his tongue flicked against her peak.

"Tell me, 'Brie…all that anger inside of you, let it out…now, babe…tell me…" Troy encouraged as he slipped down his boxers, letting her down from his arms to rid her under-wear too, waiting for her to jump back into his arms and kiss him as her legs wrapped around his hips in compliance with his standing position.

"Bastard…" She ground out, tensing with her inner turmoil from being told she wasn't good enough for the job.

"That's me," he agreed, enjoying the way she shed her hurt.

"Don't you dare…" She sighed, feeling his tip at her entrance ready to swoop.

Troy thrust deep inside her with one swift push; filling her so completely she had to arch to accommodate his size. He felt her intimacy flutter around him and the tightening of her muscles against his quick entrance, something he abated with kisses to her throat.

Her cry out had been carnal, her utter devotion to him evident as she waited for him to move and he did, with another rough thrust into her body to remind her who was in charge.

"You utter bastard," she breathed, using her own muscles to control their rhythm, something she hadn't considered before now. She would fight him back; let out some of this aggression she held inside at being made to feel not good enough, not exciting enough not-

She groaned again as Troy sunk deep into her, impaling her as her back met the wall and arched; needing his strength right now- his brute strength and his manliness to make her feel normal again.

She gave into it, stopped fighting and started letting go of every bad emotion she carried.

"Forever," she heard him husk as his last deep thrust spilled hot seed deep inside her, leaving them both still as their combined juices slickened their skin.

Troy's forehead hit her shoulder as he felt her body give way after his, convulsing against his receding manhood.

"We need a shower," his arms curled around her to support her and comfort her simultaneously.

Gabriella let out a breathy laugh. "I can't move."

Troy gently uncoupled them and lifted her into his arms bridal-style. "I'll carry you," he told her as he made the stairs easily with her as his cargo.

"My hero," she teased, kissing him as he let her down.

"I thought you despised me," he smiled as he turned on the faucet.

"It changed to love," she twinkled, taking his hand to lead him into the shower.

"'Brie…" Troy chuckled as he followed her move; not sure what she was going to do with him.

"Shh," she put a finger to his lips. "You were right, this is better when I'm mad…."

His grin told her all she needed to know as they began to kiss again and relight their previous desire.

"Hate me all you want, babe," he welcomed. "Hate me all night if you must…"

/

CHAPTER 15

"I wasn't as gentle as I could have been," Troy was walking Gabriella to her meeting with Charles and Edward about her job position and feeling a little regret at their night of passion after promising he wouldn't hurt her. He considered their love-making after her arrival at his house didn't exactly fit his promise.

"You know what?" Gabriella smiled beside him. "I'm glad I worked out my anger. I can go in there calm and collected…"

Troy threw her a look. "And remembering what we did to work out that anger of yours…"

She touched his bicep with her free hand in a semi-swipe.

"Just saying," he added with a grin as he held open the door to the office she was visiting.

"I'll meet you back here?" She checked and he nodded.

"I'll wait for you."

She leaned up and kissed him, pressing her hands into his chest. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now go kick some butt," he told her with a twinkle as she went inside.

/

"Well?" Troy sat up off the post box he had commandeered for a seat.

Gabriella walked over and put her arms around his waist, accepting his instant hug.

"They understand why I want to make a complaint because it was my ideas and work that got the library this far…" Gabriella shared.

"I sense a but…"

"But they still want to employ someone to specifically work on building the profile of the library and the new services and feel I'm better placed running things."

Troy tilted his head and rubbed her back. "How do you feel about that?"

She shrugged. "I guess they're right. I do like being in control of the day to day management…"

"So what did they decide?" Troy hedged.

"They said I'm staying in charge. The new employee will work under me and maybe only part time so that the bulk of the campaign is run by me." She looked up, then.

"You did it, 'Brie…" He smiled, slowly.

She allowed her smile to break through. "I did."

"I'm so proud of you," he leaned down to kiss her lips. "You did amazingly well."

"Thank you for being here," she met his understanding blue gaze and held it.

His curly smile appeared. "You're welcome."

"I mean it, Troy," she insisted. "I couldn't have done this without your support…"

"You could have," he assured. "But I'm glad I could help."

"It reminds of when-" She smirked, rolling her eyes. She laid her cheek against his chest and squeezed him for a moment. "I'm glad you came with me."

Troy rubbed her back, trying to think of what this moment reminded her of. Before their split and the months between, he'd always had her back and she his. He couldn't pin-point one moment when she'd felt this grateful for his support, but then maybe before they'd both taken each other for granted.

He knew he was thankful for every moment he got with her now; he just didn't think it possible she felt the same.

"I've missed having you here," she sighed and he tightened his arms.

"I'm sorry I haven't been here for you," Troy said as her words landed deep in his chest and made him ache there for ever leaving at all.

"You're here now," she allowed, showing him once again how amazing she was to ever forgive him at all.

"I think you deserve to go out for dinner tonight." Troy decided.

Gabriella let out a slow sigh. "Actually, I'd rather be on my own tonight."

Troy's brows rose. She'd gone from calling on him at midnight; to thanking him for escorting her to her meeting and being there for moral support to turning down his dinner invitation.

"Oh," he said, not sure what else to say in that moment. Rejection wasn't something he was used to and he guessed maybe she was holding reins on that until she fully trusted him. She'd already made him go home after their make-up night together.

"I really appreciate what you did for me today," she added as if to assure him as she pulled back and looked nervously into his face.

"No…it's okay…" Troy rubbed his face, half-frowning, half bemused. "I understand."

"I just don't want to rush into anything too soon," she admitted, meeting his gaze.

Good for her, he silently commended.

"It's fine," he said again, adding a smile to convince her. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Gabriella leaned up and kissed his cheek. "See you in the morning," she confirmed and walked away, a sad-looking Troy watching her go.

/

"So…" Dorothy Evans smiled at Troy knowingly as she poured his tea and then handed him a large slab of moist fruit cake. "I hear you and Gabriella made up."

Troy lifted his brows with a wan smile. "I still have some way to go," he admitted, not counting his chickens, which Dorothy considered a good thing.

"Doris has been busy telling me all about it, and anyone who will listen mind…" The older woman added with an eye roll.

Troy smirked. "Well, we may have wound her up a bit…"

Dorothy smiled. "I expect the rumours about your sex-dungeon are unfounded then?"

"Sex-dungeon?" Troy frowned. "And she thinks we're the sick ones…"

"She's probably jealous. Her husband died several years ago and she's been a busy-body ever since," Dorothy recalled.

Troy nodded. "Well, me and Gabriella were together since we were seventeen so it's not like we're messing around here."

"She has your ring…" Dorothy lifted her brows and Troy grinned.

"How did you know that?"

"Oh, people tell me everything one way or another," she admitted. "But it's around her neck…" She led.

Troy tilted his head. "Yeah, on her necklace with the class ring I gave her when we went steady."

"And her finger?" Dorothy hinted.

Troy took a big bite of his cake. "All in good time," he assured when he'd finished his mouthful.

"She's been waiting ten years for it, Troy," Dorothy teased.

"Yeah and I've only been back a few weeks so I don't want to scare her…" He hedged.

His friend sipped her tea and looked over. "She always was the type."

Troy smiled in affection. "I know. But I meant it when I said I'm back for good."

Dorothy nodded. "I believe it…but I'm not sure Gabriella does."

"What do you mean?" Troy chewed on his cake thoughtfully.

"Why do you think she's so afraid?" Dorothy posed. "I know she's forgiven you but it seems to me like she's afraid you might leave again…"

"I already swore I wouldn't…"

"She said she would have gone with you, if she had known," Dorothy shared. "She really thought the tour was just for three months. She wanted to go out and tour with you but something always stopped her…"

"I never asked her," Troy let out a breath, everything suddenly clicking into place. "I always told her to wait for me…"

Dorothy shrugged. "Well, just so you know what she felt like. It might help when you ask her, that's all."

Troy nodded with a smile. "I know, I know, I need to make her an honest woman…"

Dorothy nodded. "You always were a good boy."

A good boy?

Troy didn't think Dorothy's assessment was quite right, somehow.

When he got into bed with Gabriella, he was anything but a good boy. Their sex was amazing but they also connected otherwise he wouldn't be making love with her at all. But their connection didn't hide the fact that Gabriella was running scared and it didn't matter how many times they rolled in bed together or went out to dinner or had breakfast, nothing would assure her of his feelings the same way a proposal would.

And yet he sensed a proposal was too soon to deliver.

So what to do?

He squinted at the older woman sipping her tea and watching him with interest.

"What can I do to make her believe me?" He asked. "Apart from asking her to marry me…" He added with a brow arch.

Dorothy wetted her lips and rubbed them together, her sagging skin wrinkling as she frowned in thought.

"Here's a little tip for the wise," she suddenly smiled as light came into her eyes. "Women like a bit of reassurance... I think once you clear up the fact you didn't ask her to go with you and you make it obvious you want to settle down with her then things might change…"

Troy smiled lop-sidedly.

"If she lets me near her again." He mused.

"Have you had a tiff?" Dorothy wondered.

"No," Troy sighed. "She's just making it clear she needs her space."

"Then you have to respect that," Dorothy chided. "You have to let her push and you have to show her you're still there for her but not running away again…"

"I am," Troy beseeched. "I don't what else to do…"

"Not everything in life is about grand gestures, my boy. Sometimes you have to learn that patience and understanding are the greatest gifts you can give anyone…You've been back five minutes and you think a couple of weeks of being told 'no' is hard work?"

Troy peeked at Dorothy mid-telling off and hung his head in shame.

"You don't know the half of it," she added to the end of her speech.

He nodded, chagrined at her honest words.

"You're right. I owe her this much."

"Good, now no more dallying, go and get a nice shirt and some flowers and when you see her next you can at least pretend you're making an effort…"

Troy stood up with an amused grin. "Last time I wore a nice shirt she nearly disowned me!"

"Well, then, you seem to know what's best. I need a rest now after all your tiring problems."

He leaned down to hug the frail woman tenderly. "Thank you, Dorothy. You're like the mom I don't have," he shared huskily, standing to salute her as he went out of the door.

"And you're like my son," she murmured back after he'd gone.

/

Troy looked down on his pale blue shirt and nervously played with the buttons at his chest, finally deciding to undo the top few so that he appeared more casual.

The wild poppies, daisies, clover and peonies were clutched rather tightly into his other hand and he felt somewhat like he was courting all over again.

He hoped his hair was acceptable in its usual rough-cut mess; albeit a little tidier than normal thanks to a comb through it before he came to the diner.

He swallowed on a tight throat and checked his buttons again, wondering if he should do the lowest one up again as a figure leaned over and spoke, jolting him out of his thoughts.

"Counting chest hairs?" Gabriella's teasing tones were accompanied by a warm curve of her lips.

She sat down, her mauve chiffon and silk dress a departure from her usual attire, but Troy didn't miss the cling of the fabric against her curves.

"Uh…" He looked up, not sure how to answer.

"Are you okay?" Gabriella's face turned to concern and he missed her smile.

"Yes! Yes, I'm…okay," he assured, flicking his eyes over her as she perused the menu. "I got these for you," he pushed the bouquet forwards with a wary squint.

Gabriella's eyes widened in genuine surprise and she looked to him, touched.

"For me?"

"Uh, yeah…I picked them…"

Okay, now he just felt like a teenager trying to ask out the prettiest girl in school- well like when he had first asked her out then, he mused.

"Troy, these are beautiful…you really didn't have to," she smiled as she sniffed them and affection-soft eyes met his.

She reached across the table and touched his hand. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he licked his lips and gave a shaky smile.

"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked again.

"Yeah…uh…what are you having?" He asked distractedly.

"Why are you wearing a shirt?" Her brown orbs met his then, her mouth pursed in bemusement.

He shrugged. "Good impression."

"Good impression?" She repeated. "For who?"

"Anyone," he cleared his throat. "I'm having the pattie and eggs…"

"Troy, what's going on, you're acting very weird…" Gabriella twigged.

"No…nothing…nothing is going on…nada…" He assured.

"Right," She pursed her lips and ordered her choice as the waitress came to pour their coffee.

"So…" He looked up and lifted his brows.

"So," she picked up his opening. "I was thinking maybe tonight we could drive over to Santiago and watch the lanterns on the docks…they're lighting them all tonight for Diwali," she explained, her soft features showing her excitement for the event.

Troy smiled back. "Sure…of course…"

"We can get dinner at that seafood place we love and..." She trailed off, tilting her head at Troy's fidgety state.

"Walk along the beach?" He supplied, surprising her.

"If it's warm enough," she agreed lightly.

"I can always carry you," he offered gallantly.

"Hm," she sat back as her plate arrived and tucked into her fruit salad and croissant breakfast.

"What time shall I pick you up?" He wondered and it was then that Gabriella truly realized something was wrong. He wasn't flirting, he wasn't teasing, he wasn't appraising her with his laser-like gaze and the feeling irked her. Didn't he fancy her anymore? Surely their recent reunion had only reignited their flames; not burned out already?

"Troy, what's wrong?" She asked directly, not liking this vague version of him but also concerned as to what might be causing his mood.

His blue eyes darted up to hers. "Nothing is wrong. I told you."

"But you're not yourself and I can tell something's up…" She argued softly.

He blinked three times and swallowed. "Let's talk about it tonight. I'll get you at seven." He said and stood, rolling off enough dollar bills to pay for his breakfast and hers. "See you later," he confirmed as he hopped out of the booth and headed for the door, clearly a man with a lot on his mind.

/

He never even gave me a kiss….

Gabriella's mouth pouted at that thought and her mind wondered again what was causing his strange behaviour. He hadn't trailed her, hadn't bombarded her and wasn't even hanging around outside when she locked up.

And okay, she said she hated it when he did that, but deep down, she kind of missed having him around. When he'd pop up unannounced and plan his attack, it somehow made her day and she worried that their quick fall back into routine had somehow killed the romance.

But she was keeping him guessing with her distance…or at least she hoped she was. Did he read her wrong and assume she was pushing him away? Well, she was, but not for good. But he knew that right? He knew that she was his, forever, just like she always told him…right?

She sighed and bit into her lower lip, the collection of encyclopedias forgotten as she packed up her cleaning kit and headed back to her office.

She could ponder the strange behaviours of Troy Bolton more safely there and maybe even work out a plan to assure him she was his for life; she just needed this time to adjust and get to know him again.

Although one could argue they had gotten to know each other plenty well the last couple of weeks, but she smiled secretly to herself at those memories and locked them away deep inside where no-one else could ruin them. Not even Doris.

/

CHAPTER 16

"Woah-kay," Troy parted his lips in evident surprise at Gabriella's evening dress choice.

"What's wrong?" She frowned, looking down on herself.

"Why do you always think something's wrong?" He smiled, flicking an appreciative gaze down her, then over her face.

"You never normally react that way," she explained her paranoia.

"True, but then you don't normally wear dresses like that…" His smile was curly and he helped her step down from her porch and onto the pathway in a gentlemanly fashion, then ruined the guise by sliding an arm around her back and bringing her close.

Gabriella lifted her face, awaiting his kiss, but he merely looked her over; nuzzling her nose.

"You smell amazing," he complimented as her breaths hitched in her lungs.

"I bought a new perfume," she blushed away his intense gaze. "And a new dress."

"Well…makes me feel like a scruff," he mused even though he had an open necked crisp white shirt on under a black suit for their big date tonight.

"You don't look like a scruff," she assured as she grasped his arms and willed him to let go.

"Hm," he leaned away and let her stand on her own feet- a shaky experience for Gabriella as she fought for control.

"I think we should go now," she suggested lightly, venturing her gaze to his.

Troy merely smiled. "After you…"

/

Walking on the beach brought back many happy memories for Gabriella as she linked her fingers through Troy's and let his strong hold support her along the uneven sand; a surface he seemed better placed on as he walked steadily beside her.

They'd missed the sunset but some last rays of gold light poked out of the horizon, allowing them the romantic stroll they'd both secretly hankered after.

For those moments, it was quiet between them. A comfortable, peaceful kind of quiet they both enjoyed with just the promise of each other's touch to bind them together and for a few minutes, Troy even felt like everything was okay again and nothing hung between them.

The dress he'd been so surprised about was knee-length and opulent navy velour; moulding to Gabriella's curves and the toeless matching shoes she carried only vamped her look even more; something he hadn't expected of her but attracted him all the same. She was keeping him on his toes and he liked it. He just hoped it was out of confidence and not because she felt she needed to do it to keep him here.

"Are you hungry?" Gabriella looked up to him and came closer, resting her head against his shoulder.

Troy slowed his walk and twisted to hold her, allowing her to hug him the way she clearly wanted to. He ran his hands up and down her back gently.

"We may as well enjoy this a little longer," he kissed her hair.

She looked up. "I'm hungry," she admitted and he chuckled.

"Then let's go eat…"

"Troy," she stopped him before he set off and she cupped his face before reaching up to kiss him; a tentative, sweet kiss that he carefully avoided deepening before their evening was fully enjoyed.

"Thank you for coming tonight," she murmured, smiling softly as they broke away.

Troy tilted his head. "Are you kidding me? Thank you for inviting me…"

She smiled and took his hand; leading him up the beach.

/

"You were right about the lanterns," Troy lifted his brows and filled a spoon with some of his dessert, then offered it towards Gabriella's lips where she sat opposite him.

She smiled softly and took the sample, chewing thoughtfully.

"It's delicious," she licked her lips, feeling them tingle as Troy's gaze followed her tongue.

"I am so lucky to be here with you right now," he considered as he watched her.

"Troy, what's up?" Gabriella tilted her head. She knew he was grateful for the second chance she had afforded him but she wasn't sure she liked seeing him so insecure. It wasn't how they worked and it made her uneasy.

Troy startled and flicked his eyes to hers. "Nothing, I'm just thanking my lucky stars that's all…"

"If you pretend there's nothing wrong one more time I'm going to beat it out of you," Gabriella warned, albeit with a smile.

Troy smiled wryly back but conceded he owed her an explanation.

"Can we finish dessert?" He checked and Gabriella nodded, hurrying her sweet dish and waiting for Troy to pay before they walked down the dock and found a place to stop, quiet and alone.

Troy took her hands and had trouble looking up. When he did, his face was creased with worry.

"There is something that's been on my mind," he began and Gabriella lifted her brows, prompting him to continue.

"Dorothy mentioned to me that despite my being back here and despite my intent to make it up to you that I ever left at all, that there may be something else for me to accept…"

Gabriella parted her lips in surprise. "What did she say?"

He met her gaze and held it, seeing understanding there and appreciating her once again.

"When I went away…I didn't ask you to come with me," he hedged. "Mostly because it was only going to be for three months, but also because Clive made it clear that the road trip was for the show only."

Gabriella nodded. "I know."

"But after the show ran on and time grew longer, you must have wondered why I never asked you to fly out…"

Gabriella flinched at his words, not wanting to go down that road, despite his apparent concern over the old matter. She had kind of brushed it aside in forgiving him and didn't know why he was worrying so much about it now.

"It crossed my mind," she admitted on a whisper, dropping her gaze and rubbing her thumbs up his hands, silently asking him to hold hers tighter.

Troy stepped closer and brought them up to his chest, squeezing them in comfort.

"I wish I could stand here and say I wanted you there; but we both know that's a lie. I always asked you to wait for me and it was the only way I could survive…"

Gabriella looked up, swallowing. "I don't understand…"

Troy nodded and sighed; afraid his words would ultimately ruin them before they'd even got back together properly.

"Somehow, I couldn't put myself out there every night and push myself like that knowing you were waiting for me, hanging around in hotels while I did interviews and shows and…I was afraid, I guess. I was afraid that the pressure Clive put me under would break us. I didn't not ask you consciously, but somewhere deep down I knew I was better off alone…"

Gabriella heaved a breath into her lungs and tugged her hands back towards her body, bringing a horrified look from Troy's face as she did so and for a few seconds, she realized he thought she was going to walk away.

She quickly put his mind at ease by wrapping her arms around his neck and tiptoeing to ensure she covered as much of his shoulders as she could manage.

"You're never better off alone," she shared her own personal view of that particular experience. "I know I wasn't and I really hope you weren't either," she mused. "Otherwise your coming back was worthless."

Troy secured his arms around her waist and sighed out into her hair. "You're right, but I buried it deep down inside me and I didn't let it up for air…coming back was the hardest thing I ever did... knowing…knowing how much I hurt you and everyone around me…."

Gabriella stroked his hair. "I always did ask myself why you didn't want me there," she shared, opening up somewhat as his arms buffered her. She unwrapped her arms and fell back onto her heels, pressing her hands to his chest.

Troy creased his face and brushed a delicate thumb down her cheek. "I missed you every second I was away. And although I didn't want you to be part of that crazy world, it was out of trying to protect you…and…" He paused, licking his lips.

"And what?" Gabriella lifted her eyes, her hurt showing there but her pressing palms against his pecs reminding him she was connecting them still.

"And I lost myself," he shrugged despondently.

Gabriella ran her hands up to his shoulders and tickled his neck with her fingers; playing with his hair at his neck which fell long and unkempt over his collar.

"I found you, though," she commented on a gentle voice, but with confidence Troy didn't expect.

"You did," he conceded, knowing his true self only existed with Gabriella and no-one else.

"And I won't let you get hurt again," she added, surprising him even more.

"How did you-?" He frowned, parting his lips as he frowned in puzzlement.

"I just do," she answered his unfinished question of how she knew so much.

He shook his head, not believing.

"Troy, I love you remember," she assured. "I love you."

"I know and I love you too but there is so much for you to forgive and so much for me to feel ashamed for…"

"You know, I could have flown out, if I stopped being angry and really thought about it," she angled. "But I left you to be hurt by those people who cared nothing about you and I'm lucky you came home at all…let alone alive," she mused. "We've talked about this now. I don't want to talk about it again."

Troy looked into her eyes and felt tears crowd his. His face broke as he realized she really was truly forgiving him and all his mistakes. He hugged her close and broke down on her shoulder as the breeze blew the decorative lanterns around them.

"It's okay," she stroked his hair. "I'm not going anywhere."

He had thought tonight would be it- he thought surely she wouldn't ever get over his ultimate betrayal and he'd be back at square one- alone and afraid. The fact she was being the woman he remembered her to be – strong and accepting, just broke his heart even more. But if she was willing to move on, then so should he be.

"I love you. I want to marry you…" He whispered into her hair.

Gabriella smiled and clutched him close. "Them's big words, Bolton…"

He pulled back, wiping his eyes and sniffling his tears away. "I mean it," he said.

She tilted her head. "That was always the plan, wasn't it?" She asked lightly. "Marriage, kids, dogs in the yard…"

Troy stepped back and licked his lips, bending at the waist and balancing on one knee, much to Gabriella's surprise- and embarrassment. Revelers were collecting on the dock to watch the lanterns awaiting release.

"Gabriella Montez…" Troy reached into his jacket and winced, checking his other pocket before pulling out a small velvet box. "Will you marry me?"

He opened the small container and showed her the very simple, very unique single diamond solitaire embedded into a silver ring band- big enough to show he'd not spared on money but small enough to suit her modest ways.

Gabriella gasped, bringing fingers to her lips and touching there as she imagined his kiss, something she realized she could be enjoying if she hurried up with her answer.

"Yes!" She gasped out, still bewildered. "Of course yes!"

Troy let out a relieved breath and stood, one brow arched as applause sounded along the dock, but he didn't care, only one woman existed for him as he leaned forward and gently pushed the ring onto her finger, then kissed her with every ounce of love he felt for her in his body.

Gabriella wound her arms around his neck and let him swing her around while they kissed and happily laughed the night away; among the lanterns, among people who celebrated their love and back in each other's arms where they belonged.

/***/***/***/***/

I now pronounce you man and wife…

"Troy!" Gabriella squealed at being lifted into his arms, strong and shocking the breath out of her.

They had just shared their marriage vows short hours ago; and spent the following hours celebrating their love with their friends; people who couldn't be happier to see them wearing matching gold bands that signified their feelings.

"I am making love to you all night," Troy stated as they came inside their hotel room; leaving no question as to what he wanted with her.

Gabriella clung onto his shoulders with a breathless giggle; conscious of her weight.

"Troy put me down," she argued, touching a hand to her rounded stomach that no-one else would have noticed but that she felt very aware of- a life growing inside her.

"No way, this is tradition," he assured, carefully sliding through the doorway sideways and making his way over to the bed with a devlilish smile.

"I'm carrying a little extra weight now," she mused. "You'll hurt your back…"

"Yeah, the whole two pounds you put on is killing me," he laid her on the bed with an amused grin curling his lips. Lips that met hers in a sweet and tender kiss as he leaned across the bed with her.

Gabriella cupped her growing tummy and met his gaze. "Do you think anyone noticed?"

He smirked. "I'm sure Doris will have her own views on our sudden wedding," he allowed. "Otherwise they'll just think you're a blushing bride…"

"Can I take this dress off now, please? It's so uncomfortable…" She flapped her arms and swam in the layers of her skirt; causing Troy to rise from the bed and smile at her.

"You can take it off as soon as you like as far as I'm concerned…"

She accepted his help to roll up off the bed, turning to let him unlace the back of her bodice while she impatiently sighed and blew her hair away from her face.

"Stop huffing," Troy teased with a warm voice. "This is harder than it looks…"

Gabriella twisted and gave him a reassuring smile. "You're doing great, hubby…"

He grinned as the dress dropped to the floor, leaving her to sigh in relief.

"Thank god!" She stretched and showcased her underwear- a gauzy cream lace affair that consisted of a boned bodice, stockings and matching panties.

"As much as I loved that dress, princess, I have to say I prefer you out of it…"

Troy was washing his gaze over her; appreciating her every curve; even the extra ones she'd gained during the early stages of her pregnancy. The round of her belly only reminded him how protective he felt over that unborn life and he cupped his palm there as he smiled into her face.

"How's baby Bolton?" He enquired, sipping soft kisses from her mouth as her arms crept around his shoulders and gratefully used him to help her stand.

She smiled back. "He or she is fine," she assured.

"And mom?" He irked a brow. "Not too tired?"

Gabriella ran her fingers into his hair and brought his lips down onto hers to enjoy their first moments together properly as husband and wife.

"Not tired at all," he quipped as he pulled away and maneuvered them onto the bed, peeling off her underwear but leaving her stockings on as he let his hands glide up her covered legs and over her bare thighs.

Gabriella proved his point by rolling over to straddle him, commanding him beneath her as she let her hands roam his solid torso; their kisses joining their mouths again and bringing them both to needy cries in such a short time.

"I'll never stop wanting you," Troy whispered, working quick fingers over her beautiful bodice to release it and allow his hands to work up her curevs; falling on her breasts where his thumbs gently peaked her buds. Gabriella arched at his touch and more than that, panted at his words, words she didn't doubt he meant because he always had.

She busied herself with removing the remainder of his clothes; leaving them both naked and ready to consummate their marriage in the only way either of them really cared about- by making love with the intensity they were used to.

Gabriella guided his heat into her body; clenching him tightly there as his thumbs brushed her hard peaks; heightening her passion further.

"Troy," she warned, feeling so close to her edge as his hands worshipped her; an edge she had no place being near so soon into their foreplay.

Troy didn't hold back, he thrust upwards as she bore down, in gentle stroking rhythms. He opened his eyes and enjoyed every one of her curves, especially her tummy that housed his child; his child that she was carrying to bear fruit to their love; an everlasting sign of their commitment if there ever was one. Still now he could remember the day she had told him that news; and he'd never forget the utter elation he felt when he found out.

"My 'Brie," he murmured, groaning as his limit approached, their night dancing and their closeness making him want her before they'd even reached this room.

Whatever she'd said earlier, they were both tired and this was going to be a short, intense starter for their lifetime together ahead.

Gabriella cried out as she arched back and his tight heat brushed her pleasure-spot deep inside; his thumb trailing down to press her nub and intensify her orgasm; something that exploded very quickly for them both once his touch hit her there; his seed pumping directly into her as each time before.

Troy sucked air into his lungs as Gabriella curled up, sated and exhausted from their love making; something he accommodated by wrapping her into his arms protectively. He stroked her hair, and her arm as she sighed and settled beside him.

"Are you okay?" He checked on his wife with soft caring words.

Gabriella nodded. "Just contented…"

Troy smiled at that. "That's all I could wish for…"

"I can't wait to get to Aspen," she added of their honeymoon.

"No skiing for you," he teased.

"Why not?!" She gasped indignantly.

"Your delicate state," he reminded her and she rolled her eyes.

"The doctor said it was fine," she argued.

"Well, then I'm wrapping you in padding first," he twinkled.

"I already am," she mused of her extra weight; just a few pounds but noticeable to her.

"And we're wrapping you up warm, too." He added for good measure as he hugged her close.

"Troy, you drove motorcycles off 60 foot gaps and I didn't once sound like you sound now," she mused of his daddy-talk.

"Well…" he defended. "There's a baby involved."

"And the doctor told you that it was fine for me to be active…"

"I know," he kissed her hair. "It doesn't hurt to take precautions though…"

"Now you think about precautions," she mused of their unprotected sex thus far.

"Well, I didn't think about it much," he admitted.

"Me either," she sighed. "I didn't even know if I could…"

"Get pregnant?" He questioned.

She shrugged. "We never did before."

"True…maybe it was fate…" he suggested.

"It was written in the stars," she agreed with a smile, liking that thought.

"If we'd have had a family before I left, I'm not sure we would have made it," he admitted.

Gabriella clutched him. "We would have. I never stopped loving you no matter how angry I was."

"And I love you for that," he kissed her hair again. "And for taking me back…"

"I love you too." She assured, falling sleepy against his shoulder. "Am I allowed to sleep?" She asked.

Troy pursed his lips in amusement, stroking her hair back to check her face.

"Of course you are…" he mused.

"You wanted to make love all night," she commented of his earlier claim.

"Well none of us are getting any younger," he conceded with a fidget to get comfy.

Gabriella snuggled into his body in affectionate amusement. "Goodnight, husband," she called softly to him as he turned off the lights and pulled the covers up over them.

"Good night, Mrs. Bolton," he called back.

As he closed his eyes and gave into the dark warmth of sleep; he realized how happy he was to be able to say those words and gain the redemption he'd so desperately been trying to achieve whilst returning home from the tour. And now that he had it; along with a future with Gabriella and their plan for children and more; he felt more settled than ever.

Life was good and he hoped it stayed that way for a long time to come.