Someone asked why I don't update every other day anymore, well my uncle suffered with and died recently of cancer so as you can imagine, this hasn't been my priority. I also have been very ill which I'm not asking for sympathy for, I'm just explaining why I can't post as often as I used to.
I hope you're all enjoying it still :) (Thanks for reviews!)
CHAPTER 11
"So, how's the lady?"
Eric's voice was friendly enough but Troy could hear the protective edge. He turned to his friend as they carried gym mats from the cupboard out into the hall for the Yoga session Troy planned to integrate into the meeting.
"Do you mean Elle…uh…Gabriella?" He adjusted quickly.
Eric dropped his mat and gave Troy a look.
"Do you have any other women that I don't know about?"
Troy twisted his lips into a smile. "No…"
"Then of course I mean Gabi," the man used his name for her.
"She's…fine." Troy described.
"Just fine?" Eric glanced over as they each grabbed another mat and heaved them out.
"Well," Troy began breathlessly, then dumped his mat and brushed off his dusty hands. "There's a bit of an issue…"
"Oh?" Eric looked over interestedly.
"This cannot get back to her, Eric," Troy warned.
"Hey, we were friends way before that angel came along," Eric mused.
Troy met his gaze and held it as he grasped another mat. "Alright. Well, we're getting to the point where I'm going to have to start making excuses not to have sex, put it that way…"
Eric flapped down the last of the mats and put his hands on his hips. "Huh."
Troy looked at him and made a face. "That's it? That's all you got?"
Eric broke into a smile. "What did you expect?"
"Advice?" Troy admitted.
"Aren't you the one who's the expert on these things?" Eric wondered.
Troy sighed and threw his hands down. "You'd think…"
"Hey, dude," Eric called as Troy turned to leave. "Why do you need to make excuses? You know as well as I do that you just cap it and all's good," his friend phrased.
Troy lifted his eyes with a swallow. "Because I'm afraid, bro. I'm afraid of…hurting her."
Eric nodded. "Be safe and you won't."
"What if…" Troy took a deep breath in and let it out. "What if I fuck it up?"
Eric stared at the man before him for a long moment and considered how much his young shoulders had had to bear already by being diagnosed at such a young age with a disease that was possibly going to cut his otherwise long life short. It didn't surprise him that he was scared about passing that legacy onto anyone else; it didn't even surprise him that he was putting Gabi first.
But he was shocked that Troy was worrying about his…performance. That surprised him. But then, the guy put on a big show every week and it was only now that he was coming to realize his friend's vulnerability. Troy absorbed all their problems. Only he seemed torn. He gave everyone advice but didn't take it. And right now, he was falling in love and he had no idea what to do about it.
Eric walked over and wrapped his arms around the slimmer boy; smirking as Troy startled on his feet at his action and then gave in, patting his back as they hugged.
"Just go with what's in your heart," Eric told him as he stood back.
/
Yoga was a success. Everyone enjoyed the change and he'd even inspired some people into going for professional sessions to help manage their health.
Gabi hadn't come home with him tonight; she told him she was not going to be late for work again, or worse bunk again and that the only way she could ensure that happened was by going home alone.
He shrugged, knowing that was true, but a smile danced across his lips as he thought about Gabi's feelings for him. She was finding him hard to resist, that much was true and he was secretly pleased at this fact because well, that's what he had kind of planned.
But then he was reminded he wasn't the same guy he once was and actually, every time he drew her closer, he had to push her further away to hold off the urge his body craved.
He couldn't not have sex with her, he knew that. But he could put it off as long as possible.
If she let him.
/
"Oh, Troy dear, there you are…" Julia Bolton spoke to her son as though he had been in his room all night instead of just having walked into the house to greet her.
"Hey, mom," he sat down and waited for her to finish her thought but she distractedly put her newspaper down that she had been reading and dished up some scrambled eggs onto a plate for him with some fresh muffins and slices of bacon she pulled from the grill.
"Do you cook for me every day even when I'm not here?" He wondered of the feast.
"No dear," she replied, placing the plate in front of him and going back for orange juice before she sat again. "Next door's cat loves a bit of scrambled egg…" She commented and he flicked his eyes to her and grinned.
"I see…"
"There's something in the paper here that might interest you," his mom said then and folded up the paper to pass it to him in a more manageable state.
"Hm?" He picked it up as he ate one-handed and frowned in concentration.
Master-bake!
The cake equivalent of Master-chef is at our doors! Albuquerque will be hosting it's very own baking extravaganza this Winter at the Round Hotel. On Sunday 3rd November, celebrity cake baker, Jordan Demarquette will be judging your baked goodies along with three other surprise celebrity judges!
Yes that's right, anyone can enter this cook-off and the four finalists will be whittled down with a series of knock-out rounds before the big day.
So cut out the form, fill it in and tell us why you deserve to be part of this exciting event!
"It'd be perfect for Gabriella," Julia suggested, even though Troy had realized that fact several sentences ago.
"Now I just have to convince her to enter…" He murmured.
"Is she too busy?" Julia wondered.
Troy looked up. "Let's call it a crisis of confidence," he corrected.
"Oh," Julia looked sad. "Well tell her I would love to see her take part…"
"I will, mom."
"Are you two…?" She asked without asking.
Troy pursed his lips and put the paper down. "No."
"I know I worry about you but I really think you should make the most of your relationship with that girl, she really is so special," Julia enthused.
"I know." Troy said simply.
"Well, I suppose you know what you're doing," Julia murmured, then looked at his plate. "Eat up," she reminded him and he couldn't help his grin.
/
"Okay, so you need to make a cake. Not just any cake, but a special cake. Something you'd make say…if you were entering it for a competition…"
"Troy, what have you done?" Gabi's tone was suspicious as she pulled off her apron as he picked her up from work.
"I…have…done you a favour," he answered with an innocent smile.
Gabi paused and ignored the grimy itch she felt from working all day for a few seconds; to stare at her boyfriend. Yes, boyfriend. It still sounded weird.
"What kind of favour?" She wondered as she locked up and took his hand so he could lead her to the car.
"I…may have…accidentally…on purpose…entered you into a baking competition," he finished quickly and swallowed, feeling her fingers grip his as she took it in.
"You what?" She twisted to look at him.
"Let's get in the car and get you home," he suggested, walking quickly to his car and unlocking it and Gabi stood in front of it for so long he wondered if he might have to get out again to go and get her, but eventually she got in, cool as a cucumber and that's when he felt his tummy tighten in knots.
"So…how was your day?" He offered lightly.
Gabi folded her arms. "Fine."
"No leftovers?" He quickly checked she wasn't carrying any paper bags that he may have missed previously.
"Nope."
"Look you know that lemon cake you brought home that time? I know you said it went wrong, but that was really yummy, can we get some more of that?" He asked.
"You're not getting anything until you tell me about this competition," Gabi replied and he nodded, sucking his lower lip.
Once she was showered, clean and dressed into sweat pants and a vest, she plopped down beside him on the sofa and swiveled with a hard gaze.
"Did I ever tell you that your hair smells amazing?" He offered. "Even when it's washed, I swear I can still smell frosting…"
"You have five seconds before I kick you out," she warned of his attempt to woo her.
"Okay, alright, I was getting there…" He sighed and met her gaze. "It was my mom's idea." he began.
"Way to blame mom," she derided and he smirked.
"She gave me the article- here," he pulled out the folded newspaper piece and showed it to her. "Its perfect for you- your cakes, on a national level- Elle, everyone will be buying them after this…"
"If I could win it," she twisted her lips.
"I know you could." He assured, waiting for her response.
She looked up. "You already filled it in?"
He nodded, sheepishly.
"You didn't think I'd go through with it?"
"No…not exactly…I just…wanted to make sure you did," he amended and she wondered when he had got to know her so well.
She lifted her chin and made him suffer a little longer.
"What shall I make for the taster session?" She finally asked.
/
"You're really not mad?" He checked again as Gabi brought through cookbooks from her selection.
"Well…no," she considered.
"I am so glad, I thought for one second you were gonna hit me…"
"I felt like it," she admitted.
"Oh," he frowned and she smiled and cupped his cheek, leaning over to kiss him briefly.
"But only because you know me too well. I don't like it."
He stuck his tongue out and tried to lick her hand and she squealed and pulled it away.
"I just wanted you to shine like you deserve to," he admitted and Gabi looked up from the book she had cradled in her lap and placed it to one side while she climbed across his lap and fastened her hands at his neck.
"I love you," she said, kissing him with the very emotion she had been trying to express for weeks. And god it felt good, she smiled. She should have done this ages ago; it just made everything feel more…amazing somehow.
I love you. Three words, three million balloons released around her system as her happiness bubbled up; and excitement at this new challenge.
She pulled away and coursed her fingers into his hair. Or what he called his hair, she still thought it looked like a tumbleweed, but you know.
His smile was small and boyish and she felt like kissing his lower lip, just once more, before she finally sat back.
"Is that a thank you?" He wondered, fingering her curls as his other hand claimed her thigh with a gentle grasp.
She shrugged. "Hm…"
"Maybe I should do things that make you mad more often…" He twinkled.
"Please don't…"
"Do I…get another kiss, say?" He pouted.
"Kissing booth is closed," she said as she went to move but his hand cupped her neck and his thumb pressed into her thigh, keeping her there.
"Can you re-open it?"
She smirked, just a little. "What's the prize?"
/
Kissing resumed until Gabi finally kicked Troy out at 'curfew' which she had set at midnight so that she still got (just) enough sleep for work and time to enjoy their 'honeymoon' stage.
He'd pouted and feigned feeling sick to try and get an overnight pass, but she had stood strong and made him leave.
Good job too, she mused as she groaned on her alarm going off at seven the next morning. Seven hours of sleep to some was plenty, to her, it was barely enough, but still. That's what dating did to you.
She'd kind of accepted that 'the night' wasn't happening anytime soon, the night that is, that she and Troy finally made love and got over that hurdle. It had kind of not been spoken about for a while and since their sofa 'session' last week, he seemed to have backed off a little, despite his various attempts to kiss and make out, she noted.
Which was kind of fine with her. Well maybe more than fine with her, considering most of their making out meant she learned more and felt more comfortable making out in the first place- always a plus when you were considering sex for the first time in your life.
But she had told him, now. She had told him how she felt. And so…she kind of hoped they might take that final step.
Maybe she should be more obvious? Seductive even? She knew he was holding off for his own reasons and she didn't want to push that, but also, it didn't hurt to put a little sizzle into their relationship, did it?
The guy wouldn't exactly complain if she wore some nice underwear and invited him to stay the night…he was always trying to sleep over, anyway, she may as well just let him and add her own little twist.
She chewed her lower lip. If she could pull it off, that is.
What did he like, she wondered? Lace? He'd seemed to like her black lace underwear she remembered. Another colour maybe? Red?
She screwed up her face. God forbid she should wear red lace. Maybe silk? A negligee?
She rolled her eyes. Jesus what was she, a burlesque dancer? Hardly.
Something pricked her mind as she remembered buying some sexy underwear for a lap-dancing hen-night Sharpay made her go to. The hot-pink bra and panties were still in the back of her underwear drawer.
Was hot pink the same as red? Too slutty? Did she care?
She shrugged her shoulders and frowned.
What the hell was she meant to wear over it? She couldn't just throw on her normal t-shirt and jeans with these babies…
Oh, this was giving her a headache. She flopped backwards on her bed and closed her eyes.
Maybe an epiphany would hit her in the night.
/
Something did hit her in the night, but it wasn't an epiphany. Apparently she had forgotten that Taylor had an early appointment to get rabies shots done for her trip back to Africa. Wait, not rabies. Malaria, that was it.
She drove with bleary eyes and not in full thinking mode asked her friend's advice.
"Tay, what do you wear over sexy lingerie?"
Taylor nearly choked but to give her credit, she covered it really well so Gabi let it slide.
"Uh…a nice dress?" She offered.
Gabi pouted. "He's already seen me in a dress."
"Gabi, what is this about?" Taylor wondered.
"I just wanted to wear something nice for Troy and invite him over…"
"What night is this just so I remember to stay out…" She teased.
"I just mean to look nice. We don't have to do anything…"
"He's still holding back, huh?" Tay lifted her brows.
Gabi swallowed. "Really, it's okay, I'm okay with it. I just wanted to do something nice…"
"Okay, well, guys love it when you wear their clothes so do you have anything of his?" She suggested.
"His white shirt…" Gabi remembered the item she had stolen.
"Perfect."
"Just that?" Gabi checked with a nervous lick of her lips.
Taylor shrugged. "Yeah…"
"And the lingerie."
"And the lingerie," Taylor confirmed.
"Oh, here's the clinic," Gabi cut off their chat and pulled up. "Are you sure you can get home okay?"
"Yes, Shar's picking me up. I love you, see you later," Taylor hugged her and got out.
"I love you too." Gabi murmured as her friend waved goodbye.
/
"Are you sure this is spare?" Troy grasped the bowl of fudge icing and looked into it like a little boy looking at a pot of pirate treasure.
"Yup," Gabi confirmed. "Look, I wanted to invite you over. Saturday night any good?" She checked.
Troy looked up, already tasting his favourite frosting, his eyes glazed over. "Huh? Oh, sure…"
"Just me and you, Tay's going to her mom's for the weekend before she leaves…"
"Oh…nice," he agreed lightly, still spooning the mixture onto his tongue- well kind of licking it actually but that turned her on too much so she ignored it and swallowed to tame her thought.
"I thought we could have some…quality time together," she emphasized the word quality in case he missed her point. He was a guy after all.
He nodded. "Right."
"Troy," she lifted her brows.
"This is like heaven in a bowl," he said before she could say anything else and she sighed, conceding her position.
"Are you addicted to fudge icing?" She asked outright.
"Only yours," he twinkled back, filling her with a sexy warmth that reminded her how he really felt- despite his avoidance of the obvious.
"Well, that makes me feel better," she remarked, then collected her things.
"I'll come around about eight? Saturday?" He added when she looked up, confused.
"Perfect," she confirmed.