Brief Encounter
Summary: Can anything good come from a mix-up?
Disclaimer: High School Musical and all of its characters belong to Disney, I just have them on secondment.
A/N: Sorry this has taken me so long but I hope it was worth the wait.
Gabriella giggled softly leaning forward to kiss the mark she'd left on his shoulder, "Nah, just making a point." Troy shot a puzzled look at her, "I'm not the only one who's vocal in the throes of passion," she said with a satisfied smile.
Rock Solid
Gabriella awoke to find the space beside her empty and cold, the sun spilling through the blinds beckoned to her to get up and start the new day, although she wasn't sure what time it was; the brightness of the sun was not a good time indicator. She rose from her warm cocoon, pulling on her silk robe as an afterthought, drawn as she was to the patio door that was slightly ajar, letting a welcome cool breeze circulate the stuffy air in the room, stepping outside she was surprised to see a body trawling through the blue water of the pool, smiling when it turned and she realised it was Troy; that explained the mystery of the open door. She sat on one of the poolside chairs, watching her boyfriend cleave through the water, his strong arms glistened with droplets, his hair was plastered to his head, appearing darker due to the water, the concentration on his face made him all the more adorable to her. Her breath hitched in her throat as he stopped at the side, standing up in the pool to reveal his highly honed chest and abs.
"Morning beautiful," he said when he spotted her, his wide smile revealing his pearly white teeth.
"Morning, Troy. I think I should be saying that to you," she replied returning his smile as her eyes devoured him.
"Are you going to join me?" he invited with a grin.
"Uh-oh, I didn't bring a costume with me," she replied regretfully shaking her head.
"Neither have I," he smirked when Gabriella's eyes widened in shock, "but I haven't let that stop me."
"Troy! What if your mom or Amy saw you?" she gasped. He chuckled at her astonishment.
"They won't, it's way too early for them," he reassured her putting his hands on the sides and hauling himself on to the side, strolling casually over to her in all his glory. She gasped, her hungry eyes looked longingly over his supple body from top to bottom and then part way up again.
"Hey! Montez, I'm up here," he teased mockingly making her blush as her eyes locked onto his.
"That's not the only place, Bolton," she shot back with a giggle, her hand reaching out on reflex to stroke his erect member, laughing when he sucked in his breath only to screech when he shook his wet hair over her.
"Shush! You'll wake them all up," he pleaded, his panic-filled eyes searching the house for signs of movement, making her splutter with laughter. Troy scooped her up and ran back into his room, smirking as she let out a moan when he let her feet down to the floor but kept her body pinned against his wet one.
"Troy! I'm all wet now," she moaned.
"That's good to know Gabi, for what I have in mind," he teased suggestively lowering his head to capture her lips, his arms running down her back to her ass pushing her hips against his, his protruding wood stabbing her inner thigh, showing clearly his intention. Gabriella ran her hands over his shoulders, loving the feel of his cool skin under her hands, the ripple of his muscles a turn on for her and she groaned as his tongue invaded her mouth, searching every crevice and corner. Troy pushed her back on the bed and proceeded to show her what he had in mind.
An hour later Gabriella stretched luxuriously within the rumpled sheets, listening to Troy killing a song in the shower with a smile on her face, she also heard movement within the house and decided it was time she made a move, she quickly made the bed then pottered around the bedroom, choosing clothes to wear for the shopping excursion, deciding flat shoes would be the safest option when she remembered what she had been like at eighteen and still was according to Troy. As Troy emerged from the bathroom she snuck in to take a quick shower to wash off the smell of sex; sitting down to breakfast with Troy's family smelling of sex didn't sound so good. Once refreshed she quickly brushed her teeth, added a light coating of make-up and lip-gloss before going back into the bedroom to change into the clothes she had chosen, conscious of Troy's appraisal as he sat in the chair waiting for her to finish.
They walked out of the bedroom together, linking hands as they moved into the spacious lounge and through to the kitchen area where all the activity appeared to be if the delicious aroma was anything to go by.
"Good morning," greeted Lucy with a bright smile when she noticed them holding hands.
"Morning, mom, that smells good," enthused Troy, "where's dad?"
"He's in the garage, sorting through his golf stuff," she replied rolling her eyes, "you know how he is." Troy grinned at his mom.
"I'll go see if he wants any help," he said heading towards the hallway.
"Troy, don't be long, breakfast will be ready in about ten minutes," advised his mom. Gabriella asked if there was anything she could do to help and was given the task of making the coffee.
"Is Amy joining us for breakfast?" Gabriella asked.
"She'll be out as soon as the food is on the table, I swear she has hollow legs," commented Lucy.
"She sounds like Chad," giggled Gabriella.
"Uhm no, no one can beat Chad for eating," confirmed Lucy, "that boy sure likes his food."
"Yeah, I had noticed," said Gabriella, "talking of Chad, he kinda asked me to take him some of your wonderful cooking back," she added hesitantly. Lucy laughed and rolled her eyes.
"That doesn't surprise me, he always said he liked my cooking better than his mom's," she preened then winked at Gabriella, "I'll see what I can do."
After breakfast, Troy set off to play a round of golf with his dad whilst Gabriella and Lucy sat in the lanai enjoying a second cup of coffee as they waited for Amy to get dressed. Once she was ready, they set off for downtown Palm Springs to browse the assortment of boutiques, jewellery stores, gift shops, art galleries and numerous coffee houses offering alfresco dining due to the desert climate. The buildings were painted mainly in terracotta or an earthy rose pink to match the mountain backdrop giving it a quaint Mexican feel, inviting shoppers to take their time, the usual bustle she felt in LA was nonexistent here as they strolled down North Palm Canyon Drive. She was amazed to see bronze statues of Lucille Ball and Sonny Bono as they walked down the main thoroughfare. They stopped for coffee in a little square with a fountain in the centre; the tables from the café were placed strategically around, each sporting a large red umbrella to shade the clientele from the heat of the sun. Gabriella and Lucy opted for an iced coffee while Amy went for a low fat milkshake as they sat consuming them at a leisurely pace before starting off again. Gabriella treated Amy to a pair of Manolo pumps similar to the ones she was wearing in red although Lucy protested but Gabriella held firm, insisting she wanted to. Amy, of course, was delighted especially when Lucy bought her a pair of designer jeans and a camisole top in red to match the shoes.
By the time they got back to the house Lucy was exhausted, complaining that she was never going shopping with them again, Gabriella laughed when she noticed the twinkle in her eyes, belying her grumble. She'd just settled on the sofa when Troy and Jack came in, arguing over the last shot or something, Lucy rolled her eyes at Gabriella and they laughed together sharing a female moment. Lucy and Jack walked out of the lounge and into the kitchen to make coffee.
"Hey, I missed you," Troy said pulling her close and kissing her, "How was your morning?"
"Hey, it was good. The town is really pretty but I think Amy and I have worn your mom out," Gabriella replied with a smile.
"I'm not surprised, I guess I should have warned her what a Shopaholic you are," he grinned.
"Oi! I'm not that bad," she protested.
"Oh yes you are but I still love you," he said softly, kissing her cheek.
"That's reassuring, I think," she replied cuddling into his lean body. Troy looked up as his mom walked back into the lounge with a tray of cups.
"Hey mom, don't go making any dinner tonight, I'm taking you out to eat."
"You don't have to do that, Troy," she said.
"Yeah I do. You deserve a treat after being subjected to one of Gab's retail therapy sessions," he explained with a smirk, yelping as he received a scowl and a poke in the ribs from his girlfriend. "Believe me, I know the pain you suffered," he chuckled rubbing his chest. Lucy chuckled back shaking her head.
"Oh it wasn't so much Gabi, as Amy," she informed him winking at Gabi, "It was fun though."
"Oh god! A female conspiracy," he groaned just as his dad appeared.
"Now you know how I've felt since you left," Jack said with feeling as he sank into a lounge chair. "It's murder being in a house full of women."
"Anyone can see how maltreated you are, Jack," Lucy shot back sarcastically, looking at his growing paunch until Jack coloured up. Troy and Gabriella burst out laughing at his face. "Besides, there are only two of us."
"Really, you wouldn't think so at times," Jack muttered.
"Come on dad, you love it," Troy interjected with a smirk.
"I guess," conceded Jack reluctantly, a grin appearing on his face. They settled into easy conversation whilst they drank their coffee before Troy excused him and Gabriella, taking her for a drive out to Indian Canyons, parking at the Trading Post in Palm Canyon, Troy bought a couple of bottles of water and a map before they strolled off to view the natural beauty of the desert. They followed one of the paved footpaths leading down into the base of the Canyon, the patches of shade on the way down provided by the California Fan Palm Trees were most welcome as they rose majestically from the sides of the canyon. The starkness of the rocky landscape was breathtakingly beautiful, enough to make Gabriella stop constantly to take it all in while Troy viewed things he had become accustomed to from her perspective, smiling as she spotted the odd lizard or bird flying high above the canyon, they even spotted a trail of horseback riders further down the canyon. They rested at the bottom beside the gentle flowing stream, the sound of the bubbling brook providing a tranquil oasis to the starkness in front and above. Gabriella sat beside Troy, leaning her body on his firm chest whilst Troy put an arm around her shoulders to pull her close, loving the feel of her body nestled against him. They sat beneath the shade of a rocky outcrop, drinking in the natural beauty that surrounded them.
"It's hard to believe we're only a few miles from town," said Gabriella in wonder.
"I know, it seems we're a million miles from civilisation," agreed Troy with a smile, "which is good when I want to do this," and proceeded to kiss her, teasing her with feather-light touches until she groaned with need, grabbing the back of his neck with a hand, holding it firmly while she slammed her lips on his, inching her body round until she straddled him ensuring he couldn't move. She flicked his lower lip with her tongue, smirking when he opened his mouth to groan, delving her tongue into the recess to twirl around his, sighing in delight with her success, her butt shifted to get into a more comfortable position and delicious shivers ran up her spine when she felt his arousal. The sound of footsteps approaching snapped Gabriella back to reality and she broke the kiss abruptly, sliding from his lap to sit back next to him just as a couple of hikers came into view. The older couple dressed in khaki shorts and hiking boots drew level with them, the female of the duo sent Troy a look of disapproval before walking past.
"What did you move for?" hissed Troy, color staining his cheeks, his erection clearly visible to the world. Gabriella couldn't help giggling at Troy's embarrassment however the promise of retribution in his eyes gave her fair warning of payback as she edged away, struggling to stand as he lunged for her. She turned and fled down the path in the opposite direction to the hikers, her shriek of laughter echoed around the canyon as Troy gave chase, the sound of running steps gaining on her as she followed the path alongside the stream sent the adrenaline rushing through her bloodstream, her heart pounded in tune with his feet hitting the pathway, her lungs cried out in protest, her raspy breaths grew shallower as she tried to keep a distance between them although they were being drowned out by his impending presence, his laboured breaths matching hers. Gabriella looked up and gasped: there was nowhere left to run. In front of her the path petered out to be met with a wall of rock, only the stream had the right of passage slipping underneath the overhang. Her eyes darted around looking for a way out seconds before Troy pulled up behind her and she spun round to face him.
"Gotcha! Looks like you're caught between a rock and a hard place, Montez?" he smirked enjoying the view of her heaving breasts as she gulped air into her lungs, sweat glistened on her neck and he watched mesmerised as it ran down into the valley between her breasts. Troy walked purposefully towards her making Gabriella take a step backwards then another and another until the cool rock on her back brought her up short.
"Talking of a hard place," Troy said suggestively as he placed his hands either side of her head against the rock, trapping her within his arms as he rubbed his lower body on hers, "I have an itch that needs to be scratched."
"So scratch it then," teased Gabriella, her eyes glowing with merriment as she gazed into his darkened orbs.
"Uh-oh! It's no fun alone," he moaned. "This needs the female touch," he added hopefully, gasping in delight when she obliged, her hand holding his bundle through his canvas pants. "Oh yeah, Baby, just like that," he moaned crashing his lips on hers, forcing her lips apart to drink the nectar beyond with his tongue. Troy cupped her cheek with one hand while the other slid down her body stopping to tease her breasts, grunting when he got the reaction he was looking for as her nipples puckered beneath his palm. He continued on his quest until he reached the bottom of her vest, sliding his hand beneath to touch her silky skin. Gabriella's breath hitched in her throat as his hand reached her breasts, his fingers squeezing her hardened peak sent spirals of delight rushing through her nerve endings. Troy moved his hand from her cheek to help it's partner unhook her bra, revelling in the release of her engorged breasts into his waiting palms, pushing up her vest top until they were visible to the naked eye, his naked eye. The temptation was too great as he released her lips to taste the promise of the rosy tips, delighting in the soft cries coming from her lips. Gabriella snuck her hands under the back of his shirt, her hands splaying over his firm back pulling him closer to her body, she pushed her hands inside the waistband of his pants then slid a hand round the rim until she felt his top button, sighing in delight when it popped open without little resistance. She slid his zipper down slowly, smirking as she heard Troy groan when her finger scraped against his manhood through the fabric of his Calvin's. She pushed his pants down until her hand could cup his pride and joy, thrilled that she could get such a reaction from him from just one touch. Not satisfied, Gabriella inched his one remaining garment down until she achieved skin-to-skin contact, her hand wrapped round his engorged trunk, her thumb teasing the tip relentlessly. Troy, feeling like he was going to burst, quickly opened Gabriella's jeans, pushing them and her bikini briefs down swiftly until they pooled at her ankles, lifting her clear of them, she wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms securely fastened around his neck, he pushed her back against the rock, positioning her body before thrusting into her moist cavern in one smooth swoop. Gabriella moaned as Troy stroked her body to fever pitch, his steady thrusts creating friction inside her, touching her very being, building the tension until it spiralled out of control, sending her to edge of oblivion.
"Oh god! Troy!" she screamed as she reached her pinnacle, her walls contracting around his cock pushed Troy to release his seed into her only seconds later. He held her close as they both regained their breath; their hearts beat in unison as they slowly returned to earth.
"Hmm! See what I mean, Gabi, participation is the key," he smirked with satisfaction as he reached for his clothes, slipping into them quickly with Gabriella following suit.
"I guess…a hard man is always good to find," she said thoughtfully, a teasing glint in her eye.
"Stick with me honey, cos when I'm around you I'm always rock solid," shot back Troy with a lewd expression.
"Oh I plan to, it's always good to know I have my very own stud muffin," she grinned at him like the cat who got the cream.
It was gone six by the time they got back to his parents house to find Jack already dressed for the evening ahead, Lucy and Amy were busily taking showers and getting ready so Jack informed them which made Gabriella feel guilty as she hurried into their bedroom to sneak a quick shower before Troy. Twenty minutes later feeling refreshed and ready for the evening ahead, she was just selecting what to wear when Troy strolled in, sneaking a kiss before he too headed for the bathroom to wash away the grime from the canyon. After blow-drying her hair and adding a dusting of make-up she finally decided on a multi-colored silk halter neck dress in vibrant hues of orange and turquoise, Gabriella slipped it on letting the dress fall to just below her knee, the dress was cooling against her skin, the design negating the need to wear a bra gave her added freedom, the colors highlighted her smooth olive complexion, her dark brunette hair seemed even darker as it fell around her shoulders. She chose a pair of turquoise Christian Louboutin high-heeled pumps that matched the color in the dress to complete her ensemble. She was adding a touch of lip-gloss to her lips when Troy came in from the bathroom with just a small towel hanging from his waist and she paused in her application to watch him through the mirror's reflection, enjoying the view, her throat constricted and her heart went thud as he dropped the towel to pull on a pair of boxer shorts, she knew she'd never tire of looking at her boyfriend's highly honed body and it took all her willpower not to jump him there and then.
"You've missed a bit?" he smirked, his eyes meeting hers through the mirror.
"Uh?" Gabriella blushed snapping back from her wicked thoughts.
"I'm just saying you've missed a bit," advised Troy looking at her lips in the reflection, "something got you distracted?" he queried with a knowing grin.
"Er…just thinking," she improvised her blush deepening.
"Thinking uh? Well keep those thoughts until later, Gabi, then maybe we can put them into action," he promised with a chuckle as he pulled on a black button up and black trousers, slipping his feet into a pair of vans as Gabriella finished glossing her lips.
They walked the short distance into the town centre, strolling down North Palm Canyon Drive, which, to Gabriella's amazement was surprisingly as busy at night as it had been earlier in the day, the lights from the various shop windows and art galleries inviting residents and visitors alike to stop and peruse their wares. A lot of the galleries were still open hoping to catch the last of the weekend vacationers before they returned to their day jobs. The restaurants dotted along the street tempted the passer-by with mouth-watering aromas that seeped through the open doors, patrons already seated in the outdoor eating areas chatted and laughed, the clink of glasses and the clunk of cutlery drew the eye, tantalizing the pedestrians to come and join them. Troy steered them into the Blue Coyote Bar and Grill that served South Western and Mexican food, the warm and friendly staff welcomed them into their establishment and led them to a patio at the back of the building. The South-western theme ran throughout the restaurant, the patio was paved in terracotta and blue tiles and even had a fountain at one end; dotted amongst the tables were patio heaters for when the evenings grew cooler. They were seated by the headwaiter who promptly supplied them with menus for both food and drink.
"I'll have a margarita, " said Lucy without even looking at the drinks menu, as she was busy trying to decide what to eat from the wide range available.
"I think I'll try the house special, the Wild Coyote Margarita," said Gabriella joining Lucy in her tipple.
"Dad, do you want a Corona?" asked Troy looking at his dad who nodded in agreement. Troy ordered the drinks, getting Amy a coke much to her chagrin. Having placed the drinks order they concentrated on the mouth-watering cuisine available; Gabriella and Lucy both chose Trio de Brochetas, which consisted of one skewer each of chicken, scallops and shrimp over a bed of either pasta or saffron rice with a choice of either adobo sauce or the milder jalapeno cream sauce; Lucy chose the milder version whilst Gabriella opted for the spicier of the two. Amy chose chicken Fajitas stating that she needed to leave room for a dessert at which Gabriella and Troy burst out laughing as she sounded so like Chad. Troy and Jack went for the Southwestern rack of lamb cooked in spices. The waiter appeared with the drinks and took their order before going to fulfil it.
"Where did you disappear to?" asked Amy curiously.
"Troy took me to see Palm Canyon," explained Gabriella with a smile.
"It's stunningly beautiful out there," gushed Lucy, "the scenery sure takes your breath away with the stark rawness." Troy sent Gabriella a mischievous smile across the table as she tried to stifle her wayward thoughts.
"It took my breath away, that's for sure," she agreed with Lucy while her foot brushed up Troy's leg causing him to choke on the mouthful of Corona he'd just taken. Gabriella took a sip of her Margarita with a satisfied smile on her face as her twinkling brown eyes danced with merriment at Troy.
"That's boring," said Amy, "he should have took you on the Tramway or to Desert Hills." Troy groaned and glared at his sister.
"You have a one track mind, Dimple," he muttered as his mom and dad burst out laughing and Gabriella kinked an eyebrow questioningly, "Desert Hills is a shopping mall," he explained ruefully as Gabriella joined in the laughter. "What if I told you I'd taken Gabi? You'd have made my life hell for not taking you too," he reasoned.
"Oh yeah! I didn't think of that," Amy agreed with a smile. "Next time you come we can go there, Gabi," promised Amy gleefully. The food arrived at that juncture and Troy took the opportunity of ordering the same round of drinks again. After eating they sat there chatting leisurely as they listened to the in-house entertainment of a guy singing with an acoustic guitar for accompaniment as he weaved in and out of the tables serenading the senoritas. Amy badgered Troy until he caved and catching the eye of the waiter he ordered her a Mayan Pyramid consisting of chocolate ice cream, hazelnut mousse in a marbled chocolate shell and another round of drinks for the adults.
By the time they left, Gabriella was feeling tipsy from the Margaritas but not as bad as Lucy who weaved from side to side until Jack grabbed her, holding her steady as they strolled home. Troy had already flung his arm around Gabriella's shoulders and she wrapped a hand round his waist snuggling into his shoulder in a now familiar way, glad of his support. Troy, Gabriella and Amy laughed at Lucy as she stumbled over a curb, Jack cursing under his breath. Gabriella gazed up at the sky, amazed at how clear it was and how close the stars appeared to be.
"The sky is beautiful, look at the stars, they look so close you could touch them," she said in wonder.
"They do indeed but I have my star right here," whispered Troy pulling her close.
"Aw! Troy, that's so sweet," she gushed stopping to kiss him.
"You never shay things like that to me," moaned Lucy digging Jack in the ribs. Jack glowered at Troy who smirked at his dad while Amy giggled at her mom's slurred words. Jack breathed a heartfelt sigh as they reached the house, wishing them a goodnight as he walked Lucy down the hall to their bedroom. Amy followed suit disappearing into her bedroom as Troy offered to make Gabriella a coffee to sober her up. Gabriella sank onto the sofa thankful to remove her shoes, sighing as her feet landed flat on the floor. Troy finished the coffee and walked back into the lounge to find Gabriella curled up on the sofa, fast asleep. He sighed with regret then smiled as he gazed down at his cute girlfriend, placing the cups on the coffee table, he scooped her up and carried her through to his bedroom, gently laying her on the bed, she murmured his name when he removed her dress but then rolled over snuggling into the mattress. Troy flipped the covers back pushing Gabriella beneath them before stripping and climbing in beside her, pulling her close until her legs tangled up with his. He sighed, contented just to have her lying in his arms the way he hoped she always would.
"Bloody Margaritas," was his last coherent thought.