Thank you everyone! Cancer touches all of our lives and it can be a good ending as well as a sad one.
Bluebell: Sounds like you had a great time; I saw so many fireworks where I live too, top floor flat lol. Sorry to hear about your mum :(
Chapter 13
Troy found them curled up; Gabi's small body laid over Chad's in some kind of warped hug while he half sat, half laid on the sofa and stared into space.
He knew that even though Chad's eyes were flat and unfocused that Gabi's all-encompassing hug was having an effect because he could see the tears streaming down his friend's face and he should have been jealous in that moment, but all he felt was pride.
He wouldn't have been able to get through this day without her; or the days that would follow and he once again thanked someone up above for bringing her into his life.
He knew Chad could ask her to leave; he knew that she could end up moving out and that they would go back to seeing each other when they could either manage it; but for now she was here and he couldn't be more thankful.
"Your girl has a thing for me, Bolton," Chad joked weakly and shivered.
Troy lay the hot drinks on the coffee table and sat in the single chair. "Yep, she sure does," he agreed lightly, smiling at them both. "Don't spread it around."
"I'm not moving until you say I'm too heavy," Gabi clung on for dear life.
"Well, racer-girl, you were too heavy twenty minutes ago but I didn't like to mention it…"
She sat up and reached for her drink, sipping it slowly and wiping her own tears away before Chad could see them.
Troy gave her a concerned look and she smiled reassuringly at him.
"You two are having eye-sex again," Chad complained, sitting up to sip his own drink. "Dang, Troy, what did you put in here? A bag of sugar?"
"I made it," Gabi admitted.
"Hmm, remind me why you're here again?" He teased.
"To make Troy happy," she answered sweetly, making him smile.
"I'm so glad I could bring you love-birds together, but can you cut out the soppy romance? It's making me ill." He complained lightly.
"It is not," Gabi elbowed him. "You're just grumpy today."
"Yeah." He nodded. "I have had a whack day."
"Tomorrow will be better." She assured.
He squinted and looked into his drink. "I'm thinking I might go back to mom and dad's…"
"Dude, no…" Troy argued right away.
Chad shook his head. "I can't ask you to do this anymore…before it was just to make sure I didn't choke on my own vomit at night or something stupid but now…now it seems obvious that vomiting is going to become a regular thing."
"So, I'll clean it up. You're my brother." Troy assured.
"I don't want this…" Chad sighed. "I never wanted anyone to see me like this or have to look after me…"
"We're not looking after you," Gabi chimed in, surprising them both. "I mean, when I was drunk and falling over; you just told Troy to carry me, right?"
"That's different," Chad argued.
"Friends do things for each other," she insisted.
"This is too much."
"How do you know unless we try?"
"You don't even belong here, Gabi. We just let you stay so you could work it out with Dex and now you have to go home and take care of your own family."
Gabi's large eyes met his and she didn't flinch.
"You are my family, Chad. I'm not going to just leave that behind when I walk away…"
His tired brown eyes met hers and then Troy's and he didn't have the strength to argue with them any more tonight, so he accepted their insistence to take care of him –for now.
"Alright, we'll see how it goes. On a trial."
"How many more sessions?" Gabi asked.
"Six weeks."
"Count me in," she assured.
"Me, too," Troy nodded.
"Go and make out," Chad tried to insult them. "I need my beauty sleep…"
/
"I have to move out, right?" Gabi stroked Troy's tummy as his arms enveloped her in a reassuring hug as they lay on the bed together.
Troy sighed. "Eventually, yes."
She closed her eyes and felt the ache in her chest. "I'm going to miss this."
"Oh, me too," he ran his hand up and down her stroking arm as he spoke.
"You won't miss my drunken-ness," she teased.
"I will if you start drunk-stripping…"
She giggled, looking up even though she couldn't see him.
"Is it wrong, that we're happy?"
"No, of course not," he kissed her hair. "Why?"
She propped her self up and looked into his face; pushing her hair back before she kissed him and then her hair curtained down again.
"Because I want to make love with you."
"Now?" He marvelled.
She shrugged. "It might be our last night together."
"Gabi, it won't be, let's not rush this…"
"I'm not rushing. I'm ready."
Troy squinted at her and cupped her face; feeling the tightness in his belly at her words; knowing they were true. And all that stood in their way was his consent; his approval that they take this step.
"I'm ready, too."
She smiled back, just a tiny flicker of her lips before she kissed him and then a slow, sweet build up began where neither of them felt hurried or pressured; or even driven like they had the last time they'd indulged in foreplay.
Gone was the combustible urgency; no more uncontrolled desperation; only love. Pure and untouched; true and strong; their love manifested in their touches and kisses and the way they undressed each other.
"Gabi…this is…" Troy frowned at their paced, but intense foreplay.
"Amazing?" She whispered, kissing down his chest. "I know…"
He let her explore him; with timid hands and then with bolder lips and when she faded; he took up the reign and sucked and kissed her skin until her body was at breaking point, that dark deep want exposed in their later moments of passion.
"Show me, Troy," she asked as she lay above him and he gently rolled her over; applying his protection before he positioned between her thighs.
"Like this," he grazed her ear, rubbing his body against hers; feeling her rise in answer.
"Mm, oh yes," she agreed breathily, staring into his eyes as their fingers twined momentarily and then he let his hands cascade her again; slickening her even more.
"Don't rush it, Gabi. This moment will be over so fast…" He begged on a husked whisper, his body heavy and hard and telling her what he needed.
"I'll treasure it forever," she promised, sipping his kiss.
"I love you," he told her right before he joined them and she looked right into his eyes as he entered her, filling her with his love.
"I never knew…" she whispered, closing her eyes and giving into the natural reaction her body wanted to make by arching to take him deeper inside.
"I'm so lucky…so so lucky…" he kissed her as their bodies came together; over and over with such slow sweet friction that he wondered if he even remembered what love-making was like before this.
"Troy?" She frowned as his face contorted and he grimaced sheepishly.
"My knee," he croaked, burrowing his face into her shoulder.
"Oh…" She wrapped her fingers into his hair and clutched him close.
"Just give me a minute, it'll fade," he assured.
"Shall we…?" she panicked and he leaned up to kiss her mouth.
"I'm not moving for anything," he promised and she smiled back, gasping as he thrust again; more heavily than before.
"Damn, sorry," he winced.
"Shh," she brushed back his hair and licked her lips; losing herself in the moment again, letting the passion over-ride everything else as they finished their journey together; wrapped in each other's arms as they both caught their breath.
"I could have made that better for you," he mused regretfully.
She shook her head, brushing his fringe back again. "It was perfect."
"If my damn knee didn't fail on me," he grumbled.
"I just want to be with you, Troy. Whatever that means," she assured.
"You could find a younger, fitter model, you know," he smirked, still wrapped in her thighs; his chest to hers.
She leaned up and kissed him. "I only want you."
He smiled slowly. "I'm all yours."
She waited a moment while they both touched and shared; close and intimate from their love-making, something she cherished completely. And then she let her eyes twinkle mischievously as her body hummed with need.
She bit her lower lip and gave him a feline smile. "Can we do it again?"
/
He was ruined, he was sure of it. His hair was impossible, his body ached like he'd never known before and god, his heart beat so hard with the knowledge he loved her; and would never survive without her.
"Jeez, dude, who's the sick one?" Chad asked the next morning as he rose for breakfast; leaving Gabi all gorgeous in bed.
"I had a long night." Is all he said as he sat.
"Oh, man. She's feisty…" Chad grinned and Troy smiled wanly.
"I'm glad you feel my pain."
"You two are so in love!" He accused and Troy rolled his eyes at him.
"What of it?"
"It looks good on you, man. Well, when you're not up all night doing god-knows-what," he added with a disgusted look.
"Did we wake you?" Troy checked.
"Nope."
He nodded. "How you feeling today?"
"Like I want to beat this shit-ass thing that's eating me up inside," Chad quipped.
Troy smirked at him and held his hand up for a high-five which Chad exacted.
"We'll whoop its ass," he assured his friend.
"You and Gabi…you should stay together," Chad suggested.
Troy looked down shyly. "Ah...I dunno…it's too soon to be living in each other's pockets…"
"You already are," Chad pointed out.
Troy shrugged. "I don't want to rush this."
"Well, whatever you decide, I'm here for you, bro."
"Thanks, dude, that means a lot."
"So what's the plan today?" Chad enquired.
"Feed my woman, maybe make love to her again and then take you out for a ride to choose the chassis for our race car…" Troy revealed.
"Bro!" Chad yelled, putting his hands over his ears. "Why did you do that to me? While I'm eating!"
Troy grinned at him over his shoulder as he searched out food items to take upstairs.
"I hope she chokes on it," Chad grumbled as Troy carried his tray of delights through from the kitchen.
"I love you, Chad!" Troy called down as he made his way up the stairs.
"Do I have competition?" Gabi enquired as Troy came in and closed the door and he let his eyes fall down her small curvy body; dressed in his t-shirt and nothing else.
"Hell, no."
She giggled at his profession. "Uh-huh, you're only saying that because I'm half-naked."
"It definitely swayed my decision," he confessed.
She smiled in delight at his breakfast. "You made this?"
He nodded like an eager puppy.
"For me?"
He tilted his head and leaned over to kiss her temple. "You deserve it. For being so beautiful."
"I could get used to this," she conceded, tucking in to his treats.
"I could, too," he echoed softly.
"Not for the same reasons," she smarted knowingly.
"Hey, I'm a sensitive guy, right?" He complained, sitting behind her and stealing her food; sometimes feeding bits to her.
"Right," she derided as he stole a slice of fruit and dropped it into his mouth from above.
"I take care of you, don't I?" he appealed in honey tones into her ear, his arms around her to steal food and now resting on her thighs.
"Maybe," she leaned back into his chest to enjoy his strength.
"You don't think so?" He brushed his lips down the shell of her ear and dropped a kiss to her neck, making her gasp.
"You're totally sensitive," she agreed, wrapping her arms around his neck behind her and running her fingers into his hair.
"That's a very tempting invitation," He husked, running his hands up her thighs, over her flat stomach and up her ribs towards her breasts.
"So take it," she sassed.
"I might ruin my gentlemanly reputation," he rubbed his thumbs just below her flesh.
"I'll forgive you," she promised.
"You will?" He smiled, knowing he was teasing her now.
"If you don't touch me in the next thirty seconds, I won't speak to you again," she warned and he licked her skin at her pulse at the same moment he cupped her small mounds in his large palms.
"Perfect," he groaned of his handfuls of soft flesh, rubbing his thumbs over her hard peaks.
"Is this normal?" She sighed. "To want this again, already?"
"Angel, we made love three times; I don't think I can make it a fourth," he admitted, still kissing her neck.
"You started it," she twisted to kiss his mouth, straddling him as she clung to his neck with her arms and pressed close for friction.
"Honey, I'm not as fit as I'd like to be," he crinkled her a smile.
"Time to shower up, then," she shrugged and climbed out of his lap to do just that, leaving him strangely empty.
"I love you," she came back to kiss his forehead.
"Love you, too," he murmured to the blank space she left behind.