Update: Sorry for the time between post. Things have been crazy. Last week I was admitted to the hospital because my blood pressure spiked to 192. They said I was going to be on bedrest in the hospital for three weeks and they were going to induce the pregnancy at 34 weeks due to Preeclampsia. Well, after a day of hospital bedrest the scariest thing I've ever experienced happened. By blood pressure kept spiking and the doctors did everything they could, but we had to have an emergency C-Section due to severe preeclampsia.
My son was born at 31 weeks on February 19th. He was 2lbs, 14 ounces and 16cm long. His name is Oliver and he is currently taking up all of my mind space since he is in the NICU. He's doing great, Doctors say he is fighter. He could be in the NICU until April. And being home without him is by far the hardest thing. I worry all the time, I cry almost all time. Its super hard, and all I want to do is hold my baby.
Yesterday we discovered that he might have a breast milk allergy so today we will be in the NICU just holding him while they clean his system out and wait to try a special kind of formula. It's been an emotionally exhausting month. I don't know when I'll post next, but I just wanted to let you guys know what was happening. Keep us in your prayers and thank you so much for all the love and support you have given me so far.
"Hope you're happy with yourself," grumped Troy, lying on his back, staring at the living room ceiling. They'd only made it to the couch last night. Both of them falling into a peaceful sleep cuddled together under a throw blanket.
She hid her grin against his side, breathing him in. Turns out, the man smelled even better the morning after hot sex. She wanted to lick him from top to toe, then come back for more. Instead, she yawned, cautiously stretching. Certain things hurt in the very best way. After months of neglect, joy had finally come her way. "I honestly don't think I could be happier."
A grunt.
"I mean it, I really, really feel amazing."
"You went straight to sleep after." He said shifting a little.
"I know," she said. "But it had been a very long day and I'd just come hard enough to cause myself actual neurological damage."
Another grunt.
"Now that I think about it, it was probably closer to a coma than sleep."
"Ella, you're not funny." He slipped an arm around her despite his lack of amusement, fingers stroking the side of her bare breast. "I wanted things with you to be romantic."
"It was."
He raised his head, "Ella, you've got bruises down your back from me banging you so hard against the door. I might not have a lot of experience in this area, but I'm pretty sure that's not romance."
This from Mr. Bitey himself.
Stripes of sunlight shone through the gaps in the curtain. Just enough to illuminate the living room. She shifted in his arms turning so she could see his face. The bruising had gone down, the purple now fainter but still visible. "At least we match."
He lifted a hand to her cheek gently touching the side of her face and sliding his fingers into her hair. "Not. Funny."
Gabriella rolled her eyes as she shifted away from his hand. "I should go. Before my mother realizes I didn't come home. Not to mention if I don't have coffee soon I'm bound to become insufferable."
Troy smirked as he watched the blanket fall away from her. She made her way around the front room gathering her clothes very much aware that he was watching her every move. "Are we still on for dinner?"
Gabriella began the task of putting her clothes back on. "I don't know, did you still want to?"
When she'd gotten her shirt on she'd turned around to find that he'd left the couch and was now standing right beside her. Still naked. Hard. Her eyes drifted up to his blue eyes watching her hungrily. Whoa.
"Beautiful," he murmured as he let a hand reach up to her collar bone and touched her lightly. "Of course, I want to spend some time with you later tonight." He murmured softly. "I'm nowhere near done with you yet."
"I thought you asked about dinner?"
"I am," he said with a slow smile coming to hover just above her mouth. He paused for a moment, letting the tension build between them before his lips touched hers. Troy's mouth was soft, coaxing, and she melted against him, fully understanding the "quivering limbs" she'd read about in her romance novels. As he deepened the kiss, she realized that it wasn't the same as before. Kissing Troy before had been about falling in love for the first time, hesitant, sweet and searching. This kiss was about longing.
Kissing Troy was like licking raw cookie dough off the spoon; it might be bad for her, but it was too delicious to care.
His hand drifted up between her legs and she opened them to him, sighing against his lips as his fingers sought out her core. They passed her folds and she tried to concentrate on what she'd just been saying, but when he thrusted a finger inside her, her breath hitched. Her eyes closed briefly as he added another, his thumb moving higher to tease her clit, and she moaned as an electrical current raced through her veins with each press of his hands.
"As long as we both understand what's for dessert."
"Oh," she said breathlessly as her muscles tightened and her heartbeat thundered in her ears. There was something about the right man's touch that not even a vibrator could compete with.
The right man's touch.
Her eyes popped open at that thought, but before it caused panic to override the sensations he was creating, he hooked his fingers over the rough patch of flesh inside her and she exploded, pushing back against his hand as she rode the orgasm, the throbbing easing slightly as he removed his fingers from inside, only to glide up her slit to play with her clit, and she jerked as he rubbed the sensitive nub.
He chuckled softly, "you alright?"
"Yeah," she said breathlessly. "I think so." She added after a moment.
Freshly showered and still lingering in the glow of her orgasms Gabriella was lying in her bed watching a DVR recording of The Vampire Diaries she'd already seen twice when her phone beeped. She picked it up and there was a text from Troy: Hey Firecracker, what are you wearing?
Laughing, she looked down at her sweatpants and tank top and texted: Nothing.
"Well, at least we've moved past the sulking stage." Her mother's voice sounded from the doorway.
"Hi mom," she said as her phone chimed again. Such a tease. Why do you have to mess with me?
A smile grew on her lips and she could feel the faint blush on her cheeks. No one had ever called her a tease before.
"I take it last night went well?" her mother said coming into the room and taking a seat on her bed.
Gabriella shifted so she was sitting up and turned her phone face down. "It was, we went out to a bar and I actually got to ride a bull."
"That sounds exciting," she smiled warmly. "You and Kelsi always did get into all sorts of mischief and normally Troy wasn't too far behind." Her mother let out a sigh as she examined Gabriella's left shoulder that was currently sporting a slight bruise.
"Honey?" she said questioningly as she lifted a hand to touch her shoulder.
"I also fell off of the bull," she said meekly.
Her mother nodded in understanding, thankfully accepting her explanation. "So, you haven't really told me what happened between you and Thomas."
Gabriella felt a small frown form on her lips. "It just wasn't working out." She shrugged, "I tried to make it work but–"
"I know you did sweetheart." Her mother said softly. "I know you wanted it to work out."
"I feel so awful about calling off the wedding. Everyone was so excited."
"And they'll get over it." her mother reached out and patted Gabriella on the knee affectionately. "The most important part is that you realized the problem before it got worse."
"Did I?" Gabriella said with a shrug. "I spent nine years in a relationship that wasn't going anywhere."
Her mother smiled. "Sometimes people we love in life are not the destination, just part of the journey to our destination."
"Well, I still feel foolish," Gabriella said quietly. "I imagine that's going to take time to go away."
"And it will, I promise you."
Gabriella smiled softly, swallowing the urge to tell her mother about Troy. To say something, anything about the man she currently felt like she was falling in love with. But that was impossible, she couldn't really fall in love with Troy Bolton. They lived on two opposite ends of the planet. Not to mention wasn't he planning on leaving back to California soon?
"Vampire Diaries?" her mother asked looking up at the television.
Gabriella nodded, "Yeah."
"Which episode?"
Gabriella laughed, "Does it matter? I have two words for you. Klaus and Damon."
Her mother smiled. "I'll go make us some popcorn."
Troy waited in the dark, on her porch, as she asked. Although he would have preferred to go inside. He tucked his hands in his pocket leaning back against one of the posts and closing his eyes.
"Troy?"
He jerked upright at the sound of Kelsi's voice. What the hell was she doing here?
"Kelsi," he said trying to mask his annoyance. "Did we have plans?"
"No, just stopping by for Ella. She's been a wreck during this breakup. Last night we practically had to drag her out of the house."
Troy nodded as he hoped his features displayed concern and not irritation. "Right, I saw you girls from the window. Looked like fun."
"It was, we had a blast. And she got hit on all night long." Kelsi laughed. "Sharpay and I had to almost beat them off with a stick."
And yet, she had come to him readily and almost begging. A small surge of triumph overwhelmed him. "What's on the agenda tonight?" he asked curiously, eyeing the bag in her hands.
"Thought I might talk her into heading over to Taylor's condo. The gang's getting together." Kelsi answered then as if realizing something she cocked her head to the side. "What are you doing here?"
"Maria wanted me to fix something."
Kelsi's eyes narrowed. "You're wearing your good jeans for handy work?"
Just then Gabriella's door opened and she stepped out onto the porch, coming to a stop when she saw both Troy and Kelsi on her porch. And damn, did she look good wearing a black top with little red cherries on it, red shorts and black jeweled wedges. Her hair was down around her shoulders and her lips were painted a lush red.
"Hi," she said shooting a nervous glance to each. "What's up?"
Troy took the lead. "Kelsi came over for girl stuff, is your mom inside?"
Gabriella's shoulders deflated a little and he smiled knowingly. "Mom actually went out earlier, she wouldn't tell me anything other than she was going out. I imagine she's out with her bridge club or something."
"Oh," Troy nodded. "Well, I guess I should just get going then."
"You look nice," Kelsi said eyeing Gabriella's clothes. "Where are you off to?"
"I was uh… I mean I just thought I'd go have a beer." She shrugged, "I didn't want to stay in bed all day."
Kelsi smiled, "Great then it's settled, we all have nothing to do, let's go hang out with the gang."
At that Troy shook his head immediately. "I rather not."
"Where are we going?" Gabriella said over his rejection.
"Taylor is putting together a little party. Lots of drinking, games, and fun promised. Come on, it'll be just like those college nights where we'd go play poker at the frat."
Troy raised a brow at the thought. "You play poker?" he said, raising a brow in Gabriella's direction.
"Yes, I do."
He couldn't stop staring at her mouth. The lush, red lips took his thoughts in some very dark directions, and the last thing he wanted to do was spend hours at her friend's house, staring at that mouth and fighting a hard-on. "How long do we have to stay at this thing?"
Kelsi let out a tisking noise. "Why? You got something else to do?"
His eyes drifted from Gabriella's long legs to his sister who was eyeing him cautiously with a hand on her hip.
"Nope," he answered in defeat.
"Good, come on let's get going."
Although Gabriella was nervous about being around a bunch of her friends with Troy, she tried not to show it. Zeke shook Troy's hand at the door, greeting him with a beer and ushering him over to where Ryan was.
Kelsi and Gabriella watched as the boys ambled away.
"Oh my God, how did you get him here?" Taylor said handing them both a glass of wine.
"We just asked him," Kelsi said with a smile.
Sharpay snorted as she walked over. "There's no way I would want to go to some guy's friend's house when I barely knew anyone unless I was getting a really big favor."
Kelsi laughed, "He's my brother. He's hardly a stranger to any of us." Kelsi walked further into the kitchen area with Taylor as they both went on about dinner.
Gabriella looked over at Troy, who was laughing with Zeke and Ryan about something. "He seems to be doing okay."
Troy caught her gaze, and his eyes were smoking with heat and desire. She had to mentally tell herself not to fan her cheeks.
"Whooo-ee, that man wants you. If Zeke looked at me like that, I'd be hightailing it out of here and getting him naked."
Gabriella choked. "Shar!"
"What?" Sharpay smiled. "I'm not as blind as Kelsi is. I know when something is going on and something has been going on between you two since you both showed up to that dinner without Thomas."
Gabriella turned away from the men and began walking into the living room. "Nothing is happening."
"My ass," Sharpay said taking a seat and crossing one leg over the other. "Look, eventually Kelsi is going to catch on. You better have your head on straight here Ella."
Gabriella was quiet for a moment as she took a seat beside Sharpay. "How bad do you think this is going to be?"
"That depends. If you nut up and just tell her she might be pissed off for a day or so, but if she walks in on you two hiding in a closet somewhere you might want move across state and consider a name change."
Gabriella frowned and sipped her wine slowly.
"Kelsi and all that aside," Sharpay said quietly. "How are you feeling?"
Gabriella let out a steady breath. "I'm really tired of people asking me if I'm alright. I mean, how am I supposed to feel. Two weeks ago, we were getting together to talk about china patterns and now I'm just trying to sort out how things got this far."
Sharpay's hand reached out and gently landed on Gabriella's shoulder. "Honey, take my support while I'm giving it and don't try to ask the universe what it all means. There's a guy across the room who seems to be totally into you, and he's sexy as hell. If I weren't with Zeke, I'd be making some very inappropriate comments about his–"
Gabriella playfully smacked Sharpay's arm. "But you are with Zeke."
"Yes, I am, but I'm not dead. Troy Bolton is a gorgeous specimen of manliness."
Gabriella smiled as she took a sip of her wine. "Yes, he is."
Troy had been at the table talking football with Zeke and Ryan when he noticed Gabriella wasn't surrounded by her friends anymore. He excused himself from the guys and went looking for her, hoping she was as ready to go as he was. He liked her friends, especially Zeke and Ryan, but crowds always made him weary.
He found her outside on the back porch with her glass staring out into the darkness. "I like your outfit."
She turned around to see him, licking her lips and making his Johnson jerk. "Thanks."
"It's been a real challenge staying away from you all night," He murmured shoving his hands in his pockets to resist the urge to reach for her.
"Has it been?" She said quietly. "Seems like it hasn't been too hard for you."
"Babe, all I've been thinking about all night is kissing you and untying that little string on your shirt in the front and…"
Covering his mouth with her hand, she glanced behind him. "Is that all you ever think about?"
He reached up and took her hand, nipping her palm. "When you wear red shorts, a top with strings, and kiss-me-bad lips, yeah, that's all I'm going to think about. It's like waving a red flag in front of a bull."
She pulled her hand away from him, biting her bottom lip. She turned around and looked back out into the darkness.
Slipping behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his hands over her flat stomach. Kissing the side of her neck, he asked, "You ready to go?"
"Mmmm. What time is it?" Gabriella tilted her head to the side and he took the invitation to kiss his way down to her shoulder.
"It's almost eleven." He ran his hands farther down into the pockets of her shorts and whispered. "If we hurry, we could go back to my place and watch a movie."
"What kind of movie?" she asked, sounding very suspicious.
He nibbled on her ear and said, "Some girly shit."
She laughed. "Right. More like a Stephen King film or Die Hard Infinity."
Troy moved his fingers in her pockets and she caught her breath. His voice was harsh as he said, "It doesn't matter what it is, because I don't plan on watching it."
"What will you be watching?" her voice was hushed.
Turning her around in his arms, he whispered, "You. I'll be watching every expression on your face while you –"
"There you two are!" Sharpay said from behind them.
Troy dropped his arms from her waist and said. "I was just telling Ella that if she was ready to call it a night I wouldn't mind walking her home."
"Oh, I'm sure you wouldn't," Sharpay said with a knowing smirk. "You two are sickeningly cute."
Troy raised a brow at the comment and Gabriella let out a long sigh. "How bad do you think it would be if we left?"
So Sharpay knew. Interesting. It wasn't the public announcement he'd been hoping for but it was a step up.
"Not at all. You both have very good excuses to cut out early." Sharpay's eyebrow arched and she smiled. "Just tell them you got a thing."
"A thing, huh? What kind of thing?" Troy asked turning his gaze towards Gabriella.
"An I have to be up early thing," she warned as she began making her way back inside. "I'll just go say my goodbyes."
Giving Sharpay a hug, Gabriella went inside, leaving them alone on the porch.
Sharpay's friendly face changed to a hard-eyed stare. She looked like she wanted to put his balls in a vice and squeeze. Possibly crush.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she said, "Okay, I already told her she needed to tell Kelsi what was going on, and now I'm doing the same for you, but I need to know your intentions."
Troy didn't actually hear her advise him to tell his sister, but he let it go. Crossing his own arms, he said. "Intentions?"
"Yes. What are you doing with Gabriella? Are you just playing with her, because I swear to God Troy, if you hurt her, I will hunt you down and castrate you. And then I will take your penis and drop it in the pit at the alligator farm."
Troy wanted to hold his boys and tell them she was kidding. "Okay, before we get into castrating and torture, I have no intention of hurting Gabriella. I like Gabriella. We're just hanging out and seeing where it goes."
"I just wanted to warn you," she said, examining her nails like she hadn't just been threatening him. "Didn't want you to be surprised when you find yourself drugged and left in a pool of your own blood."
Troy stared at the pretty blonde's pink mouth, unable to comprehend the ugliness spilling out of it. "Has anyone ever told you that you are one scary chick?"
She tossed her hair and said, "Only people who piss me off."
"Understood. I will not piss you off."
He followed her inside at a safe distance. When Gabriella came over, she asked, "Are you okay? You look a little green?"
"Yeah, I'm good, just… can you walk on the side closet to Sharpay?" He moved her to his left.
"Yeah, but why?" her brow furrowed.
He shook his head and said, "just a precaution."
Gabriella couldn't stop giggling. "She really told you she was going to feed your penis to alligators?"
She laughed harder when he said, "I don't know why you're laughing about this. It was terrifying. I didn't think I was going to make it off the porch alive."
Rolling onto her back, she held her bare stomach as she tried to control her mirth. They'd gone back to his house and made love playfully, nipping and touching until they had sunk into each other. Afterward they'd just been talking and Troy told her about Sharpay.
"Sharpay's always been dramatic. She likes to talk big."
"Yes, because I'd really hate for your best friend to put a hit out on my junk," he said.
That sent her into more giggles. "I'm sorry, but you said junk…"
He chuckled. "And you're the medical professional."
"I know, I just get the giggles sometimes and I can't stop." Gabriella covered her face and tried to calm down, but it came out more like a snorting laugh, which only made it worse.
Troy went up on his elbow and looked down at her with a grin, "Now that is a sexy noise. You sound like a hyena/pig hybrid."
Gasping between giggles, she hit his shoulder. "That's mean!"
"No, it's definitely hot. In fact, I think all girls should laugh like that." she tried to throw another light punch, but he caught her fist and kissed it. "Be nice. I have been through so much, between being threatened and hanging out with your friends."
She scoffed. "Oh, come on, they weren't that bad. You seemed like you were getting along with Zeke pretty well."
Leaning down, he kissed her shoulder and said, "Zeke is cool. They all are."
"But…"
He kissed up her neck and tickled her skin with his scruff. "But nothing, I had a good time."
She cupped his cheek, and he looked up at her so warmly, her heart skipped a beat. "Me too."
Smiling, he crawled up and pulled her over to him until she cuddled against him. "You're pretty awesome, Firecracker."
I might be falling in love with you.
Probably not the right response to so casual a statement, so she just nuzzled against his side and whispered, "I think you're pretty great too, Troy."
His grip on her tightened, and they lay there quietly until she heard his breathing even out. Lazily, she drew little hearts on his stomach with the tip of her finger until she finally drifted off to sleep too.
Kelsi's instance for her to wear cutoff denim shorts and a pair of red cowboy boots to the fair are in her words purely strategic. She was wearing a baseball hat and the matching t-shirt with the Rhett Family Practice logo and Sharpay took the time to curl her hair this morning giving her a Jessica Simpson circa 2001 look.
Despite her thoughts on the outfit, it seems to be getting a few nods of approval from the men at the fair. Which, she wasn't so sure was a good thing. Yes, she wanted her booth to be a hit, but she also didn't want to be some calendar bimbo knock off.
The fair organizers stuck her in no man's land between a deep-fried Twinkie stall and an elderly woman hawking bedazzled dream catchers. Her punishment for being the newbie she imagined. As soon as she got to her spot she placed the box in her arms on the table and instructed Ryan where to put his.
"Where should I put these?" Ryan says holding up two mugs from the box that say, "Keep Albuquerque Healthy" in a scrolling designer font.
Gabriella shrugs, "I don't think it matters," she says pulling out extra baseball hats and fitted t-shirts. "I mean I really don't think people are going to even come all the way back here."
"I disagree," Sharpay says coming by with a roll of raffle tickets. "A few local businesses agreed to sponsor raffle prizes," she says handing the rollover. "To enter, fairgoers just have to get their blood pressure or BMI checked. I made sure they announce it on the loudspeaker."
It's a brilliant idea, "Thanks Sharpay," Gabriella says gratefully.
"It's cool, it's the least I can do. Sorry for about booth location. Mrs. Grace is a little bitter about things."
Gabriella winced a little, "I can imagine." She glanced around dreading the chances of running into her ex-future mother-in-law. "I forgot she was on the planning committee for the fair."
Sharpay shrugged, "Just try to ignore her. Lord knows I do." Sharpay added the last part with a sigh.
"Right," Gabriella forced a smile. "Well," she said looking over a Ryan, thanks for helping with my stuff, you better get back to Kelsi up front with all the non-deep-fried Twinkie air."
"Kelsi would kill me if I let you set this up on your own," Ryan said as he pulled out a poster with the practice logo on it.
"Oh, those mugs are so cute!" the elderly dream catching gypsy cuts in.
Gabriella smiles as best as she can while handing one of the mugs over. "Thanks. If you have time later, we're doing free blood pressure checks."
She smiles back with adoration and cradles the mug to her chest like she'll cherish it forever.
Sharpay pulls her in tight for a hug. "Careful, she's got a few marbles loose. I'll be around if you need me."
Gabriella nods and looks back over at Ryan who hanging the sign up above her booth. After ten minutes, she's fully set up and her booth is colorful and inviting. In no time, she has four people stop to enter the raffle and the fair hasn't even officially started.
"Gabriella!" Martha comes by with hand on her stomach as she looks around at all the swag on the table. "Jason and I were just talking about you and Thomas."
Doing her best not to drop her composer she smiles. "Hey Martha, how are things?" in an effort to avoid the inevitable she motions to Martha's swelling stomach.
"I'm doing just fine," Martha beams placing a hand on her obvious baby bump. "Any day now. So, are you doing alright? I was so sorry to hear about you guys. Literally, I was heartbroken for you. Y'all looked so happy."
Gabriella pulled on a tight smile. Shoot me. "Yes. Well, I'm doing alright."
"You sure?" Martha asked kindly. "if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, just come on by and I'll be happy to listen."
"Thanks, Martha."
By lunch, she was out of raffle tickets and her hand hurt from puffing up the blood pressure cuff. Thankfully, the barbecue cook-off started a few minutes ago, finally driving attention away from the booth and her failed relationship status. Seriously. Was there anyone who didn't know?
Falling back into her chair she removed her stethoscope from around her neck.
Troy takes the empty seat beside her. The smell of smoked brisket makes her mouth water.
"Hungry?" he asks.
"Yes," she says with relief as he hands her the plate of food.
"Thought you might be," he said eyeing the left-over swag on the table then the surrounding area. "Doesn't seem like you did too bad," he said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a can of sprite to hand to her.
"You are a freaking God," Gabriella groaned around a mouth full of food as she took the can and put on the table in front of her.
"I'll settle for awesome boyfriend," Troy says making himself more at home and grabbing himself a t-shirt.
Gabriella swallowed her bite. A nervous knot forming in her belly.
"Oh, come on, it's not like I just asked for a pint of blood." He says, tossing her a knowing smile.
She hated when he did that. Smiled.
A camera shutter sounded and she glanced up to see one of the guys from the local paper taking a picture of the booth. "Hi," she said putting her plate down.
"Hey there Mr. Bolton, enjoying the fair?"
"Very much so," Troy said with a smile. "Want t-shirt he said holding up the on from his lap?"
Two more photographers approached the booth. Every once in a while, Gabriella caught a flash, her stomach tightened.
This is a public event, being covered by newspapers and magazines. She reminded herself.
"Hey Troy, who's your friend?"
As if the attention did phase him at all, Troy smiled as he draped an arm over Gabriella's shoulder. "This is Dr. Montez, good friend mine. We go way back."
She smiled.
They asked a few more question here and there before moving on to the deep-fried Twinkie booth. Gabriella let out a relieved sigh. "I don't know how you do this all the time."
"Part of the life," Troy said with a shrug as he tugged his shirt off and changed into one of the promotional shirts. Earning a few gawking eyes from people now surrounding the booth.
"Right," Gabriella did her best to keep her eyes down on her plate.
"Why don't we put all our problems on the back burner for a while? I have some time, and you said I didn't know who you were, so…why don't we date?"
"But," she stammered, "we've already had… we tried to, remember?"
Troy chuckled "So what? Does that mean we can't date? Come on, people come together all kinds of ways," he said pulling her chair a little closer. "Why don't we say three? Isn't there a three-date rule or something, where you know after three dates whether you like someone or not?"
"I think three dates is the sex rule. Three dates before sex," Gabriella said popping the tab on her can of sprite.
Smiling, he leaned in close. "Well, we've already gone there, but we can take it off the table if you want. Three dates, we'll talk, we'll have fun, we'll share things about ourselves, and if the date goes well, maybe a little light petting."
Gabriella let out a sigh as she looked around, spotting Mrs. Grace frowning in her direction. "I don't know."
"I'm just asking you to give it a shot, Ella. After that, we can get down to the heavy stuff," he said lightly running his knuckle against her knee. "What do you got to lose? We already know there's something here. If this doesn't work out, I'll do what you want. I'll never darken your doorstep again."
"Troy–"
"Damn it, woman," he said leaning back in his chair. "Just say yes."
Gabriella rolled her eyes. "We've already been on one date."
"That doesn't count."
She gave him a look. "It counts, and Sharpay is right we need to tell Kelsi."
"I'll go get her right now," he moved to get up and Gabriella urgently reached for him and pulled back into his chair.
"I'll talk to her when the time is right."
"Fine, in the meantime," he said getting up from his chair. "I'll drive you home after the fair."
"You don't have a car."
"I have a rental," he smirked.
Later when the fair was packing up and almost everyone was heading home for the evening Troy waited out by the blue SUV he'd rented to help Kelsi out this morning with a few boxes and inventory.
"Thanks for waiting for Gabriella," Kelsi said as Ryan shut his trunk over the last of the boxes they brought over from The Music Box.
"No problem at all," Troy said leaning against his car. "Might as well wait for her since we're going to the same place and all." At least he wasn't completely lying.
"I was worried about her today. The people around here can be vultures when it comes to anything remotely scandalous."
Troy cocked a brow, "People break up all the time Kelsi, it's not that scandalous."
Kelsi let out a sigh, "True but they were together forever, it's always been, Gabriella and Thomas. Now it's just … strange."
"Well it's not like she's never going to date again," Troy said with an eye roll. "She allowed that much."
Kelsi let out a laugh and reached over to hug Troy. "I love how much of a softy you are." She murmured before pulling away. "You might be all tatted up and Rock Star cool but you're still my big brother just looking out for me and my friends."
Troy huffed, "Between you and Ella I almost consider it a full-time job."
"All packed up," Ryan said as he wrapped an around Kelsi. "Gabriella went inside for another box. Should be right out. You good?" he asked Troy looking into the SUV.
"I believe so," Troy said with a nod. "You two heading home?"
"Yes," Kelsi let out a sigh of exhaustion. "I desperately need a bubble bath and like two glasses of wine," she patted Ryan's arm and motioned towards the car. "Let's get a move on."
Ryan and Troy shook hand then he waved them good night when they took off in Ryan's old Ford.
"Where did they go?" Gabriella came out with the last box in her arms a confused look as Ryan and Kelsi exited the parking lot.
"They went home," Troy grabbed the box from her arms and turned to put it in the back of the SUV. "And just as I planned it, I got you all to myself."
"Oh," Gabriella's voice seemed a little nervous and he smirked as he closed the hatchback.
"Get in Firecracker," he said motioning to the passenger side.
"Where are we going?"
"Heading out to Old Raven Road."
Gabriella glanced up at the clouds looming in the distance, "Those clouds look pretty dark Troy."
"Don't worry, we won't be long. We have just enough time to show you my favorite spot."
"Your favorite spot huh?" her lips pulled into a smile and then as if deciding to just admit defeat she made her way to the passenger side door.
Troy couldn't help but enjoy the small victory. He jumped into the driver's side and they were on their way as he drove away from town towards the farms until he hit the dirt road into the Snake River Canyon. The road was barely one lane, with no guardrail along the edge, and he could tell it made her a little nervous.
"Relax firecracker, I know this drive like the back of my hand."
She let out a low breath. "I hate heights."
"I sort of remember that," he smiled teasingly. "It's why you never climbed the rope in P.E."
"That is not a real test of endurance," she muttered. "Making people climb a rope is just another form of torture."
He chuckled as he descended into the canyon. When there was nowhere else to go he parked the car in dead-ended small circle clearing.
"Now what?" she asked.
"Now we walk." He opened the driver side door and got out coming over to her side and opening the door for her.
"Are we going to get shot for trespassing?" she asked, getting out of the passenger side and looking around for some hidden assailant.
Laughing, Troy motioned towards a very narrow trail surrounded by tall bushes and grass. "I haven't, but you never know I'd be more worried about snakes."
Gabriella stopped. "Troy, I'm not much of a hiker," she said nervously.
Troy reached out his hand and took hold of her pulling her towards him. "You were the one who wanted the Troy Bolton Experience," he led her towards the path. "Just stay close to me, and just listen for the sound of a rattle. Like chickchick bzzzz sound," he said.
And close she stood the entire path, checking around her feet for anything slithery. Every once in a while, they would hear something scurry into the bushes making her jump. Troy would squeeze her hand and give him a smile until she started to relax.
Troy hadn't been to Raven Falls since high school and he wouldn't want to see Gabriella's face when she saw it. they came into the clearing surrounded by bushes and trees and he squeezed her hand. "We made it."
The large spring waterfall came out several feet below the canyon rim and formed a clear pool that ran down into the Snake River. The Sun hit the water in such a way that sprays of color arched down to the middle of the pond. He looked over at Gabriella's face, delighted to find her smiling.
"Cool huh?"
"Yeah." Dropping his hand, she surprised him by reaching down to take off her boots.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
Tossing each boot by a bush and pulling her socks off, she asked. "Can't a girl take off her boots for no reason?" As she straightened up, she started unbuttoning her shorts."It's hot out here. Thought maybe it would be a good time for a swim." She pushed her short off her hips and said. "You did say there was skinny-dipping involved, didn't you?"
Troy raised his brow in shock, "Yeah, but it's light out."
Troy watched her shorts fall to the floor and when she reached for the bottom of her shirt, his mouth watered. "So?"
The T-shirt came up and off, revealing her tanned smooth skin. She slipped her thumbs into the waistband of her pink lace panties and bent over as she dropped them to the ground, her boobs nearly falling out of the matching bra.
Gabriella stood up and raised one eyebrow at him as she reached back for the clasp of her bra. "Are you coming?"
He stared at her, naked as a jaybird and so amazingly put together his heart kept stopping as his gaze traveled over her. She had a nice ass, just the right amount definition to make it firm but not too bulging. How was he going to keep this in the realm of light petting when he was already harder than rock. The woman was trying to kill him. He was convinced of it.
"I would follow you damn near anywhere," he murmured pulling his shirt off in one quick motion while he kicked off his shoes. It didn't take him longer than a minute to rid himself of his pants and boxers and then he was walking towards her, lifting her up in his arms, and over his shoulder as he ran for the water.
She laughed giddily in his arms. "Oh my god!" she screamed as she suddenly went flying through the air towards the water. There was a splash as she hit the freezing water and then she sputtered to the surface a moment later, yelling, "You cretin!"
Laughing he dove in near her, and stayed down long enough to swim up behind her saying, "Had to make sure you didn't change your mind."
She turned to face him, letting out a laugh and reaching up to try to push down on his head, but he didn't budge. He was too tall to dunk, and his laughter seemed to be getting on her nerves. Finally giving up on plan A, she swam away from him and proceeded to plan B: splashing him in the face.
Troy stopped laughing, wiped the water from his eyes, and swam towards her with an evil grin. Shrieking, she tried to swim away, but he caught her a few feet away and picked her up as if he was going to toss her again.
She wrapped her arms around his neck like a barnacle, she cried, "No, please, please, please I'm sorry, don't!"
She squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath as if she expected to be flung through the air at any moment. Instead, all he could do was laugh.
"I hate being dunked and tossed. I feel like you use to torment me because I was a screamer." She said a little relieved.
"Yeah, I'll admit it. I enjoyed making you scream," he said with a wicked smile. "Hell, I still do, but for other reasons."
Gabriella's smile slowly faded and she seemed suddenly aware of her naked breast pushing against his hard chest. The sensation of his skin against her erect nipples made him want to bend down and taste them. To feel each hard pebble in his mouth and suck until he heard her moan his name. He watched her eyes darken like the ominous clouds forming to the south. Their mouths were so close, he could feel her breath on his lips. She seemed a bit shaky.
"Are you cold?"
Gabriella shook her head. "No. Not even a little."
When he dropped his head to kiss her, she met him halfway. She tasted like sunshine, spring water, and Gabriella. She slid her hands from his neck over his wet shoulders, while his hand rested on her butt before running over her thighs and lifting her so she was 100% against his body. Just as he wanted her.
He could hardly believe that this woman, this girl he once knew, who never did anything foolish, was here with him. Letting him touch her so intimately, and here, in his spot, where he'd never brought anyone before. Not here. He'd taken plenty of girls up to the beach, to that popular spot where the kids park their cars and make out. But this place was different. This was his spot where he came to think and write. He'd never brought a woman here before and somehow it felt so right that Gabriella was the first.
He made love to her mouth as she wiggled against him, making his erection pulse with a want for her that was so blinding he almost didn't register the thunder, it was so faint at first, but he did start to feel a chill in the air right before the first raindrop hit his cheek.
"It's raining," he said, coming up for air.
"It's just a little drizzle," Gabriella said, trying to bring his mouth back to hers. As if the fates were working against them, the sky burst open and started dumping buckets of rain.
"Shit!" he said, laughing.
"Let's get out of here!" Pulling away from him, she started swimming towards the shore. They climbed out of the water and hurried over to their now-soaked clothes, but halfway there she stepped on a rock and winced.
Troy hand rested on her back and he yelled over the pouring rain. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I stepped on a rock." She walked over to her boots cautiously and struggled slightly in the downpour to slip them onto her wet feet.
"Come on," Troy shouted as he gathered their clothes and shoved his feet into his own shoes. She reached out for her own clothes and Troy let out a laugh. "This is chaos." He smiled as he reached out his free arm and yanked her to him, taking her mouth in a hard kiss. He would have stayed right there, kissing her in the rain like one of those damn scenes right out of a movie, except he could hear the thunder closing in. Storms could come quick and change rapidly, and although they were pretty safe from lighting in the canyon, he didn't want to take any chances.
When the next crack of thunder caused the earth to shake, he pulled away from her and grabbed her hand, tugging her towards the trail. The sound of their feet couldn't be heard over the deafening rain and as they reached the SUV, she ran to her side and jumped into the passenger seat. Troy had jumped into the driver's seat tossing his wet clothes in the back and shifting just in time to find her beginning to put her bra back on.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Putting my clothes back on?" she said, looking up at him with a duh expression.
Moving across the seat, he slipped his hand into her wet hair and gently pulled her towards him. "Why the hell would you do that? I'm not done with you yet."
She didn't know what was pounding harder, the rain on the roof or her heart as he covered her mouth with his. Troy removed her bra, his hands wreaking havoc over her skin, sending hot waves of ecstasy with each soft touch. She leaned her head back as his mouth found the sensitive skin of her neck and he breathed across her collarbone. "Let's take this to the backseat."
Giddy, nervous, and excited at the same time, she kicked off her boots and tried to climb gracefully over the middle console but ended up face first on the backseat with her feet in the air. She twisted around and dragged her feet back, watching Troy follow her, his name muscles flexing as he moved. She couldn't believe she was going to do this in the back of a car like some crazy teenager.
Troy sat next to her on the bucket seat and reached for her. As their hands moved over each other's bodies, he slid one between her legs to play with her wet folds. Moaning, she moved her head to the side as he kissed along her neck, collarbone and finally down to take her nipple into his mouth while he fondled her.
Gabriella arched against his hungry mouth and felt the pressure building as his clever fingers manipulated her in swift sure strokes. She cried out when he slipped a finger inside her and rubbed his thumb quickly over her clitoris, working her inside and out. Unable to hold on to a coherent thought or come up with one reason why what they were doing was wrong, her breath came in short gasps as she felt that muscle-tightening throb that told her she was close. As the orgasm hit her hard, taking her higher than she'd ever gone, she cried out, "Troy!"
When she finally came back to herself and stopped trembling, one coherent thought struck her. Maybe none of this feels wrong with Troy because he's the right guy for me?
God, he wanted her to cry out his name again.
It wasn't like he hadn't been with other women, and maybe some of them had even called out his name, but when Gabriella did it, it was like an awesome song. Watching her fall apart as she came and that one, desperate cry, was something he could listen to over and over again.
Reaching down to his wallet and pulling out a condom, he kissed her parted lips, murmuring, "You are so beautiful."
Her brown eyes opened slowly and the smile she gave him was soft and sexy. "So are you."
Smiling in return, he ripped the condom package with his teeth and slipped the latex over his erection. Once he was sheathed, he pulled her into his lap and tongued her nipple again until she made soft, mewling sounds. Rubbing against her wet flesh, he teased her with his touch, stopping only when Gabriella reached down and wrapped her hand around him. He let her take the lead as she adjusted his cock until he was pushing against her opening. He wanted to go slow, to make it good for her, but then she whimpered, "Please Troy, I want you."
It was all he heard before he was thrusting up and inside her tight, honeyed warmth, lifting his mouth away from her breast to shout with pleasure. He held on to her hips as he pumped into her, and she leaned forward to kiss him as she met his movements. Troy could feel how close he was and sweat broke out on his forehead as he groaned.
He adjusted his hips, pulling out of her for a moment, and then re-entering her hard, and he knew by her gasp that he'd done something right. "Ride me hard, Firecracker."
Her eyes widen and she nodded, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Thrusting deep, she started alternating her rhythm between quick, shallow strokes and deep slow ones until she was making fast panting sounds. The inner walls of her passage tightened around him and he kept going, wanting her to finish again before he did. when her muscles spasmed around him, he let go, pumping into her as he hollered his release. To his relief, he heard her cry out again as she came and collapsed against his chest, her lips pressed against his shoulder. More than anything he wanted to please Gabriella.
When his galloping heart finally slowed, Troy moved his lips over her cheek as he reached between them. Cupping her chin in his hands, he tipped her face back and kissed her softly, sliding his tongue inside to explore every sweet surface.
God, I love this woman.
When had his feelings for Gabriella started to change from mild curiosity and lust to this feeling of…completeness? When he was with her, hell, even when he thought about her, it was like the sun was shining. He felt warm, content, and …home.
"I think we should talk about what exactly light petting is?"
She let out laugh her face falling into the nook of his neck, her wet hair curling and sticking against his skin. "We should get going, my mom's probably going nuts."
Troy let out a groan as he let his head fall back, "Just like high school."
She playfully nudged him, "Do you see my underwear?" she said frowning as she shook out her skirt. Looking along the floor with her, he didn't see them. The thought of Gabriella sitting in the passenger seat after wild sex with him and missing her panties was enough to make him want to start over. "No, I don't."
Pulling her short over her legs with a grumble, she started to work them up over her bare thighs while he watched hungrily. Trying to distract himself, he prodded, "So where should we go on a third date?"
"This was not a date. A fantasy, but not a date."
Swiping his boxers off the front seat, he stepped into them and pulled them up. He didn't know why that comment rubbed him wrong, but it did. "You fantasized about me in the back of a rental?" he said with a forced smile.
Gabriella let out a huff as she reached for her bra. "We just had sex in the backseat of a car. It might be a typical night for you but–"
"Stop that," Troy said cutting her off. "I keep telling you I want this to be different. I don't just want to sleep with you I want to be with you damn it."
Her expression changed from mildly annoyed to darkly furious in a flash. "And bringing me up to your special sex spot is being different with me?"
"One. This ain't my sex spot. I've never brought another girl here because this is where I come to write. And second, I don't know why you're attacking me, but I'm not the one who took her fucking clothes off to skinny dip in the fucking river."
Her hand reached out to smack him and he caught it right before it made contact.
"I might be the boy next door, but I am not the nice guy," he said keeping a firm hold on her wrist. "You're in a different realm of man here sweetheart." He lifted her wrist to his lips and gently placed a kiss on it. He leaned forward, enjoying the way her breathing picked up as he came closer. "I'm here with you because I like you. Your fucking hot, accomplished and I'm happy when I'm with you," he said lowering his mouth over the top of her cleavage.
"I'm happy when I'm with you too," she said quietly.
"That's better," Troy said lifting his head up and nuzzling her neck until he placed a soft kiss right below her ear.
Gabriella couldn't believe her day. After the second round of backseat sex that left her in a daze of satisfaction, they finally got back on the road for home. "I can't believe I lost my panties. What if I dropped them along the trail?" she said.
He grinned. "Then some lucky teenage boy will find them and use them when he gets"–Gabriella smacked him and he rubbed his shoulder– "Ow, cold! I was going to say he could use them as a hat."
"Sure you were," she said dryly.
He wiggled his eyebrows and fingers at her. "Besides, I like you this way. Easy access."
She sat back with a groan and said, "It's late, mom's gonna kill me."
"It's going to be fine."
The rest of the drive was quiet and when he reached over to take her hand, she let him. enjoying the warmth of his touch, the way his thumb caressed her skin. So far, she'd broken all her rules to keep this thing between them uncomplicated, and she loved every second of it. Even now they were making out in Troy's driveway. She couldn't seem to pull away, and if her phone hadn't started screeching, she could have stayed there all night.
Reluctantly, she broke the kiss and reached for her phone. Her mother's name was flashing across the screen and she groaned. "I better get inside."
Troy's hand pushed some of her hair back and gave her a quick kiss on the nose, something that should have made her feel like a kid but instead made her feel cared for. Like Troy felt more for her than just lust.
"I'm going to go inside and shower, but you should leave your window open tonight. Maybe when all the lights go off, I'll come over and we can watch a movie or…something?" he said smiling suggestively.
She returned his smile. "I'd love that."
Laughing as she opened the door and jumped out of the SUV, she raced for her porch, the rain pouring down over her, soaking her to the skin. Just as she was fumbling with her keys the front opened and Mrs. Grace stepped outside.
"And Just look at you," she said with disdain. "That shirt, what there is of it, is practically see-through, and you're not even wearing a bra. You look like you've been out necking in a hayloft with some boy."
Actually, it was the backseat of an SUV, and he definitely wasn't a boy. Gabriella tried not to smile, "I got caught in the rain, Mrs. Grace, and I'm freezing, so if you don't mind I'd like to go inside and dry off."
"I saw you with him. Kissing him like some floozy. Let me tell you something about a man like that, they don't just suddenly grow up and become decent members of society. He's a bad element and I for one can't wait until he does to you what you did to my Thomas."
Gabriella didn't feel like smiling anymore. Instead, she felt an overwhelming amount of guilt, anger, and embarrassment settle inside her.
"And to think, I was looking forward to having you in the family." With that, she opened her umbrella and made her way down the steps.