As they broke up their kiss, he let out a sigh, so relieved, but at the same time confused.
''Matt- you can stay.''
Gabby was the first to broke the silence as they still held each other close, standing on the porch.
''Gabby, please, let's just take this slow, okay?'', Matt said concerned, not letting go of her in his arms though, just grateful he finally got to hold her once more.
''Matt-''
''I just don't want to ruin things between us again'', he said concerned.
Quiet, they stood there, looking at each other in the dim light of the porch. She was still holding his hand as their fingers intertwined, but neither of them seemed sure of what to say.
''I will come over for the shower tomorrow…and we can have dinner together?''
He only now managed to say something, overwhelmed for what had just happened.
''Yes,'' Gabby agreed and they shared a kiss.
Sharing another kiss, he held her close before letting go of her. She waved at him from the porch as he walked to his car. As much as he wanted to stay, he didn't want to rush into it again.
Driving back towards his hotel, his heart was still fluttering. Him coming here had not been for nothing and Gabby did still love him. But somehow that now seemed like the easiest part, as with the distance between them and their different wishes in life it was only going to get harder.
Every fight, one of the things that always seemed one of constant things was the make up sex and he couldn't say he didn't love it. But it also meant that a lot of their problems remained unresolved.
He knew that there was lot more to fix between them than just intimacy.
Waking up in the morning, Gabby smiled as there was very sweet text from Matt on her phone. As much as she wanted him to stay last night, she knew it was for the best that they didn't spend the night together.
The last year of their relationship was them fighting, making up with intimacy and never fixing the core problems in their relationship. She knew he was right about not staying the night. She was sure it would have been fiery, hell, she wanted nothing more than to touch and be intimate with him again. But eventually that flame would have overshadowed all the problems they were still feeling.
As much as she felt the feelings for him grow, she knew that was right for nothing wanted to rush into it again.
She had left when Matt arrived at her house. Gabby had texted him earlier about leaving a key in a flowerpot on the porch and he entered the house to put the tools that he had rented down.
On the table was a stack of blueberry pancakes, one of his favorites with a small note from Gabby, noting that she couldn't wait to see him after work.
It was so sweet and thoughtful of her and it reminded of those mornings in the kitchen after a long shift, where they would have breakfast together before taking a long and well deserved nap.
Smiling as he sat down to have breakfast, he couldn't wait to see her later.
Getting up on the roof, he frustratingly had to conclude that he was not able to fix it, as he needed more parts. Climbing down again, he moved onto the project that he had taken with him. As the hotel was getting busier, they had asked him to clear out from the parking lot. He hoped Gabby wouldn't mind he would finish it here.
Deep in thought, he forgot about the time as he was cutting out and the pieces and sanding the pieces of wood carefully.
Excited he got up as he heard her jeep and heard her parking. As he got up and walked into the house, he walked through the backdoor as she came through the front door.
''Hey you,'' he smiled.
Without doubting for a second, she leaned on the ball of her feet, kissing him.
''How was your day?''
He looked as she put her bag down.
''It was fine, how was yours?''
''Fine,'' she smiled. It was strange asking about each other's day, as they had always been together.
''I started a project in your backyard, I hope that is okay,'' he said as he took her hand to show her.
''Hotel didn't want me working on the parking lot anymore as it's getting busier, hoped I could finish it here,'' he explained as they walked towards the project that he had started a few days ago and taken here.
''It's – It's a small dollhouse, for the kids in the hospital'', he said as he showed it. He had just finished all the walls and the second floor of the dollhouse, carefully cutting out the pieces of wood and sanding them down.
''Matt –''
''I know it's not much yet, I just thought I might do something useful with my time.''
''Matt, it is amazing, wow!'', Gabby exclaimed as she walked around, taking a closer look. Matt carefully smiled, so glad that she liked it so far. He knew that it needed a lot more work, but then he also still had a little over a week to finish it.
''It's amazing Matt, really. Thank you so much, the kids are going to love this,'' she smiled as she laid her arm around him.
''Bad news though, I have not been able to fix the shower.''
''It's oka-''
''Gotta pick up some more stuff, will look at it again.''
''Don't worry about it you can't, I am so grateful you tried already.'' She assured him as they shared a kiss.
As Gabby got changed, tired from work, Matt got the barbecue going outside as Gabby came back with a bottle of wine and 2 glasses.
Gabby smiled as she looked at Matt throwing on the steaks and sitting down by her again. As happy as she had been here, she realized that happiness was not the same without him.
Pouring the wine, she handed him a glass.
''To?''
''To us,'' Matt smiled.
''Yeah, to us.'' She smiled as they hit their glasses together.
The bottle was barely halfway done two hours later as Matt carried her inside, Gabby's body tight around as his as they made out. Falling into the bed, their hands explored each other's bodies. Nothing was strange for them, but yet it was so amazing. Her hand gripped over his back as he pressed his face in the crook of her neck, panting and moaning as he rocked forward.
Her nails in his back, she moaned in his ear. Feeling her lips behind his ear, he could no longer hold it and climaxed.
Falling back, panting, she smiled at him.
''Thank god my neighbors aren't close,'' she chuckled softly as she rolled over under the single sheet.
''I really missed you,'' he panted, moving closer and kissing her once more.
''I really missed us,'' Gabby told him, wrapping her body around his, so happy to have him by her side again. Her head now on his chest, she smiled at him with that smile, that smile that made his world brighter any time he saw it.
''Got something planned for tomorrow since I am off, if that is okay for you?'', she asked as she caressed the side of his face.
''Anything we can do together.''
''I am going to take you to my favorite part of the island, if that is okay with you?''
''Ofcourse, I'd love to see it,'' he smiled. Wrapping his arms around her, they fell asleep together for the first time in months.
Laying together in the bed, Matt woke up from the rain slamming down on the roof. Gabby had moved from his arms and chest and he couldn't blame her as it was hot.
Groaning he got up from the bed, his back hurting from the construction work today. Walking to the small kitchen, he grabbed some water from the fridge.
''Just grabbing some water, you want some too?''
He asked as he heard Gabby turn over in the bed and groan and yawn. Gulping the water down, he spotted some pictures that were on the fridge. There were some pictures of her family, as well as some that she had made here.
In-between all the pictures though, his heart fluttered as he saw the pictures taken at the courthouse. It had been such a happy day for the both of them. Their wedding was nothing special, but it was special to them.
As he walked back to the bed, Gabby had sat up and was smiling at him.
''You kept our wedding pictures on the fridge.''
''Ofcourse.'' She said as he stood beside the bed.
''I thought you didn't love me anymore.''
Matt didn't want to upset her, nor blame her. It was just something he was confused about, as he had not heard from her for weeks after she had left.
''It wasn't that I didn't love you anymore, it was that I didn't love my life anymore, aside from you. The idea of not having our family after losing our baby, Louie….I had to get away from it. It wasn't you, it was my life,''
Nodding, he sat down on the bed again. She laid against him once more, close together as the both of them
''I am sorry I – my body sold us short,'' Gabby said, tears in her eyes.
''Gabby, as much as I want a family I just want to be happy with you.''
''The thought of never having the family we really wanted, it hurt me.''
His hand caressing her shoulder as she laid against, she could no longer keep the tears from coming. Knowing that there was nothing he could say or do to make this better, he just listened to her. He felt jus the same, it hurt knowing that they would never have the family they had wanted. But there was no doubt in his mind that he would never put Gabby's life on the line for it.
''I know,'' he finally said, equally as hurt by it.
Holding her against him, he caressed her, neither of them sure what to say.
''I love you,'' Gabby said then, breaking the silence.
''I love you too.'' He said, kissing her on top of her head. Holding her close, he didn't even want to fall back asleep. He knew that eventually, he had to go back to Chicago and he knew there was no way her could expect her to come with him. He didn't even want to hope for that, he knew how happy Gabby was here and the last thing he wanted was her to give up on her dreams and the place she was happy.
''What are we going to do?''
''I don't know,'' Matt admit ted as he laid his arm around her. They sat in silence, holding each other, but knowing that their future was very uncertain.
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you thought! Have a great day!