SERENDIPITY

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

~ Sunday January 1, 2012 ~

Troy's words rang in Gabriella's mind as she got ready for bed in the bathroom – that he'd be waiting for her. As she washed her face, brushed her teeth and changed into her nightie she contemplated whether she would feel comfortable making love at Taylor's place, whether Troy would expect that they were going to. She wrapped her dressing gown around her before emerging, and blushed hard when she interrupted Chad and Taylor in the midst of a passionate embrace in the kitchen.

"Err... sorry," she stammered, blushing.

Neither of them minded, just smiling at her. "If you want anything overnight, drink, something to eat, please help yourself," Taylor requested.

"Thank you, I appreciate it. Good night guys, and happy new year again."

By the time that Gabriella came into the bedroom, Troy had pulled the covers back and was lying back with the pillows fluffed up behind him, having brought with him a pair of flannel pyjama pants with blue stripes.

"You own pyjamas?" Gabriella laughed, closing the door behind her.

He smirked. "I bring them out on special occasions."

"They're sexy," she teased with a smirk. She quickly stripped her bathrobe off and laid it over a small chair in the corner of the room, before switching off the main light, leaving just the lamp on the bedside table on. She brought her cell phone, setting it down on the table between Troy's cell and the lamp, and then climbed in beside him. He immediately moved in closer, snuggling in behind her.

"It's kind of strange feeling those pyjama pants against me in bed," she giggled, rubbing her bare leg against him.

"I feel really strange wearing them," he laughed. "I don't think I could sleep wearing them. Okay, they're coming off."

Gabriella giggled as he wiggled around under the covers, finally pulling down the pyjama pants and hurling them across the room.

"Much better," he declared, and snuggled into her once again.

"Do you want the light off?" Gabriella asked, gesturing toward the lamp.

"Hrm, if you like," was his simple response, and Gabriella moved out of his hold to reach toward the lamp, flick off the switch and then moved back to settle beside him.

It was a double bed, smaller than the queen sized bed which both Troy and Gabriella had at their apartments, and so even if she'd wanted to keep herself segregated from his touch, she was inevitably going to be in fairly close proximity to his body. She remained still, snuggling herself against his form – and then felt Troy's hands sweep aside her hair, and then he proceeded to pepper light kisses on her neck and shoulder. She couldn't help but sigh in pleasure – it was a delicious sensation, simultaneously affectionate and arousing. She was content to allow it to continue, but when his hand fell on her stomach and slid up toward her breast, she had to interject.

"Troy? I um... we're at someone else's place..." Gabriella murmured.

She felt his hand on her breast still, squeeze gently but then move back down to her stomach.

"Does that matter?" he murmured by her ear.

"I just... it's weird. I've never... I've never done it like that."

"Really? Never while anyone else is in the house?"

"Never."

"Not even in college?"

"Not even then."

"Incredible."

They remained quiet, Troy's hand remaining on her taut stomach and gently stroking. The sensation was soothing, but it was also stimulating.

"You know what my New Years' resolution is?" Troy spoke suddenly.

"What?"

"To not fuck this up."

Gabriella shuffled around, turning to face him. The room had just enough light coming in through the sheer curtains to allow her to see the outline of his face.

"This?"

"You and me. Us. I know it's new and who knows what lies ahead but... if I did something to fuck this up, then I'd be the stupidest guy on the planet. So... that's my resolution."

Gabriella reached up, caressing the side of his face with her hand. "Oh... Troy..."

"I mean... if it just turns out we're not meant to be then that's one thing but... we're talking me doing something stupid. That sort of thing."

"Are you known to do stupid things in relationships? Because so far, you've pretty much remained in the 'flawless' category to the point that it is a little frightening."

"Hrm, just wait til we get more familiar and I'm like, leaving your toilet seat up and stuff."

She giggled. "If that's the worst, then I think I can handle it." She leaned forward, pressing her lips to his gently. "And I'm pretty resolved to not fuck this up either – in case you didn't know, I'm kinda crazy about you and I'm hoping to keep you around."

He didn't respond verbally – instead responding physically, returning her kiss and deepening it further. She allowed him to kiss her hard, with passion, with fervour.

"Troy?" she murmured into the darkness.

"Mmm?" he responded, his lips fixated on her neck.

"There's a first time for everything."