Sorry for the delay but I wasn't sure how to write this chapter.
Hope you will enjoy it and see you at the end.
"Ouch!" Gabriel groaned as he landed with a thud on his living room floor. Riley stood above him smiling triumphantly.
"How is to have your ass kicked by a girl, honey?"
As an answer, Gabriel sneaked a leg around hers and tripped her, making Riley fall over him.
"You're an ass, Gabriel!"
"I know." Grinning like a little boy, Gabriel helped Riley stand up and circled his arms around her waist.
It was Sunday afternoon and they were in Gabriel's apartment doing what seemed to be a training session. And probably it was. For Riley. As she kicked his ass repeatedly in the last hour, using on him every trick she knew. He remembered Cassidy's words about Riley using force on him and he realized that his older friend had a point. Riley took a little too much pleasure in their working out session and he knew that, even though Riley forgave him for his short runaway, she had her insecurities. And he will be doing his best to prove his love and devotion towards her.
His mind flew back to the day before. After he and Riley confessed their feelings, they spent the rest of the day wrapped in each other arms, sharing tender kisses, making love, losing in each other for hours. It was an unique feeling that he never had for any other woman before. He thought that making love to Riley would be the highest point of their relationship, but he discovered that every small moment with her was intense and he couldn't wait to know the woman behind the though exterior she casts as an agent.
A small palm caressing his cheek put a stop on his short trip down the memory lane.
He looked down in Riley's worried eyes and displayed the biggest grin. Leaning a bit he took her lips in a scorching kiss, making Riley moan and wrap her hands around his neck, drawing him closer to her. Minutes later both of them resurfaced with a short breath, caused by both their training and attraction they felt for another.
Gabriel's rumbling stomach interrupted their intimate moment.
"I think is time you feed me, Riley." Gabriel smirked at her.
"I fed you yesterday and this morning, Gabriel. I think is time you cook something."
"Ordering pizza and making sandwiches is not cooking, honey" he answered back.
Riley rolled her eyes at him, annoyed. "Fine. I know I am not a great cook, but I didn't poison anyone so far."
"Yeah, because you don't cook."
"Fine. I am not some chef but I survived." she told him proudly.
"Aha. How about we make something together?" he tried to make peace with her.
"Hmm... I like your idea. What do you have?"
After perusing the fridge, they shared the responsibilities of making roasted chicken with vegetables, both of them working as a team under Gabriel's instructions.
Two hours later, sated from their cooking, they were finishing doing the dishes and decided to enjoy a glass of wine on Gabriel's couch.
"I must confess again that you are a great cook Gabriel." Riley said as she sipped from her wine glass.
"Mom thought it was useful for me and my brother to learn how to fend for ourselves."
"Hmm... I will definitely thank her next time I see her."
"I think you will sooner than you expect." Gabriel told her with a groan.
"Yeah... the bet." Riley laughed.
"I am curious which were the conditions, Riley. I mean, they were sneaky. I tried to find video footage on the cameras from CyberCom, phone calls, e-mails, but nothing." Gabriel was getting frustrated.
Riley smirked at his annoyed face. She moved closer to him and started to massage his shoulders.
"Relax, Gabriel. I am sure we will find out everything in due time."
"You bet we will. I mean, it's fun but now, if I think better, what will they bet on next? When we get married, the number of kids we will have?"
Riley's hands froze on his shoulders and moments later she withdraws them and places on her lap, a worried expression on her face.
"Riley... hey... what's wrong sweetheart?" Gabriel took her small hands in his own and searched her eyes with his own.
"I... I don't know Gabriel. I mean... I know we just admitted our feelings for each other, but what next? I know that there won't be any problems with Lillian because of her new policy and all, but how will things work for us?" Riley asked him, concerned. "I like my job even though you are a pain in the ass" she added with a smile, "but if we pursue what we just discovered and turn it into a relationship, I don't want to treat me any different when we are on the field."
"Riley, I would never try to change who you are. I fell in love with you, this brave, beautiful, strong, independent woman that puts me in my place and beats the hell out of me." Gabriel assured her with a genuine smile.
"So...what are we now?" she asked him.
"Hmm... I suppose we have to put a label or something. Last time I checked we were partners. We could use the same name and add something with mutual benefits for both of us?" Gabriel answered unsure at her question. The truth was he didn't thought about labels. He had his fair share of brief relationships in his youth, he gave up dating when he joined the army as it wasn't fair for anyone to wait for him to come back from the war. He saw the pain and despair in his mother's eyes when his father and then his brother died and he promised himself he won't ever be a flag on someone's mantel. His wife Amelia was a different story. Their relationship and marriage happened so fast and the years after her disappearance felt like a living hell, a punishment for the tears his mother shed because of him when he decided give up college and join the army.
Now he got over his failed marriage and fell in love with his strong and sexy partner and he was at loss over a small issue such as their relationship label.
"Mutual benefits? Really Gabriel?" Riley was pissed.
"Well... I suppose, I don't know..." Gabriel rubbed his hands over his face.
Riley saw the indecision on Gabriel's face and decided to be the mature one, as usual, and end the discussion before things become weird between them. She knew he had feelings for her, he told her, showed her in the past hours, but his uncertainty told her that he wasn't actually ready for a relationship with her.
"Look Gabriel, I understand if you are not ready for something right now. Let's just keep this, whatever it is, for ourselves and... if you decide there will be a future for us, we will tell the others. Until then I hope we will continue to have a normal work relation that won't be affected by the events that happened in the last 48 hours."
Taking a deep breath, Riley placed a kiss on his cheek, got up from the couch and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?"
"Home. It's late and we have work in the morning. I will pick you up as usual. Night, Gabriel."
"Riley...please stay." Gabriel tried to stop her.
"No. It's better if we just..." Riley pointed towards the door to prove her point.
"OK." Gabriel accepted defeated as he watched her leave his apartment. He knew he acted like an idiot and Riley was pissed at him but he didn't know what to say. He felt so confident the previous day but now, when everything became real, he got scared. He wanted Riley in his life more than anything, but he was government property and the moment he joked about the bet, he realized he couldn't offer Riley more than a partnership. When she froze during the conversation, he thought she didn't want something serious, but he was wrong. She definitely wanted a relationship, probably marriage, children. Could he offer that to her? With his genes, it was a higher probability any kid of his would carry the Athens gene and adding that to the nature of their job, he or she would he a target for every terrorist cell or agency. Him and Riley lost so many things in their lives. He couldn't let her lose more.
With a sigh, he took the half empty bottle of wine off the table and drank straight from it. He hated wine but it was a nice combination with the chicken and he wanted something nice for Riley. Until he destroyed everything with his words or lack of it. Taking another sip from the bottle he let himself render through the moments he shared with Riley, hoping that in the morning things will be clearer and he will find a solution to his dilemma.
Back at her apartment, Riley's cool facade crumbled. She left Gabriel's apartment with her head high, not wanting for him to see the pain his indecision caused her. Feeling hot tears falling down her checks, she headed towards her kitchen only to be distracted by the bouquet of roses that resided on her kitchen table. She wasn't the flowers kind of girl but Gabriel's gesture was nice. She actually thought they will have a relationship, boyfriend/ girlfriend thing, even though both of them were past the age they could use that word. When Gabriel joked about the marriage and children bet, she freaked out for a moment. Most of the marriages she knew, her parents included, ended with a nasty divorce. But somehow she felt deep inside that with Gabriel things would be different. He had been there before.
Before. How could she be so stupid? Of course Gabriel acted the way he did. Their life as agents wasn't easy and with Gabriel's chip... things would never be normal. No white picket fence and 2.5 kids. Riley realized that she didn't want that. She couldn't see herself as the suburbs wife, baking cookies and planning trips or one of those soccer moms. Maybe a kid would be nice sometimes in the future, she thought. A cocky little boy, with crazy blonde hair and killer dimples just like his father. The image made her smile through her tears and she took a deep, shaky breath. Damn it Gabriel!
She wanted to go back to his apartment and beat the hell out of Gabriel, but she felt too tired to confront him. Tomorrow, though, she will.
Monday morning came too quickly for Riley. She tossed and turned all night in the bed she shared with Gabriel for the last two nights, felt his smell on her pillows, heard his heated whispers as he moved inside her, marked her as his own. Only to toss her aside twice in two days because of his insecurities.
Getting ready for work was a hard task. She masked the signs of the hickeys Gabriel gave her with a long neck blouse and took one of her favorite jackets. But she decided to be a little bold on the lower side of her body, as her decent blouse allowed her to wear a pair of tights and a nice pair of boots with 3 inches heels. She applied her mascara and a a light pink lipstick, took a deep breath and left her apartment.
She did the usual check up for their work car and ten minutes later she was knocking on Gabriel's door. No answer. She tried calling him on his cell and same thing happened. Remembering the events from over two years ago, she took her key and unlocked the apartment's door. This time though she didn't have to search much for him. Gabriel was passed out dressed in his yesterday clothes, snoring his heart out on the living room couch, an empty bottle of wine next to him.
Great! Now I have to take care of his hungover ass Riley thought. A distant memory from her college years gave her an idea of waking up the Snoring Beauty. Going as slowly as possible to his fridge, even though she was sure that not even one of Doctor's Cassidy symphonic CD's won't stir him, Riley took a bottle of water, poured it in a big glass and added as many ice cubs as she could find. Mixing them together she smiled mischievously and went back to Gabriel, whose snores were getting higher.
Great! I can imagine my life with a living and breathing lawnmower. Taking a seat on the coffee table placed next the couch, Riley raised the glass and started pouring the ice and water mix all over Gabriel face and clothes.
A startled Gabriel jumped off the couch, landing in a heap at Riley's feet.
"Good morning sunshine." Riley chirped as happily as she could.
"What happened? Why are you here Riley? What time is it?" Gabriel asked confused, his voice rough from the sleep. Looking down, he saw the bottle of wine and he had his answer at the first question.
Trailing his eyes movement, Riley answered his questions.
"Well... for the first question you just discovered the answer yourself, the second question: it's Monday morning so I came to pick you up for work, third: 6:30. Now get up, take a bath and get dressed."
Rubbing his eyes he glared at her.
"And you had to drown me?"
"I considered that, but I would have to justify my actions in front of Lillian." she answered back.
"Riley..." Gabriel started.
"Gabriel, don't. It's late and we have to get to work."
Taking a deep breath, Gabriel got up and headed towards his bedroom to get ready. He felt like shit, not only because of the wine he drank but because he could see Riley's pain and he knew he was an ass for causing it. He remembered the last thought he had before he fell asleep: he was going to get over every insecurity he had and ask Riley to be his girlfriend. And, in a couple of weeks, months, who knows, she will he his wife, consequences be damned.
Twenty minutes later he emerged from his bedroom as fresh as possible considering the night he had. Looking towards the couch he saw everything in its place. Riley must have cleaned up. He smiled at her method to wake him up. At least she didn't paint him with shoe polishcream or some permanent markers. He deserved it.
"Good, you're ready." Riley emerged from his kitched with a travel mug and placed it in his hand. "Your concoction." she added.
Looking in the mug he smiled at the content: soy sauce, tomato juice and peanut butter.
Searching for Riley, he saw that she was already heading towards the door. And she looked... hot. Her long legs were going for miles in those boots she was wearing. He remembered the feel of her body against his, those beautiful legs wrapped around his middle as he drove into her over and over again. Groaning in frustration, he left he cup on the kitchen counter and ran over to Riley getting to her just as she was about to open the apartment's door. Pushing the door closed with one hand, he circled Riley's slim waist with the other and turned her around. Riley's back hit the door and her lips were captured by Gabriel's fervent ones. Their hands started roaming over their clothes as they tried to get themselves as close as possible. Gabriel's large hands encased her backside and Riley wrapped her legs around his middle.
Breaking their kiss, Gabriel's lips trailed over her neck only to be stopped by her blouse.
"Isn't kind of warm for his kind of attire, Riley?"
If Riley's looks could kill, Gabriel would have been dead at her feet by now.
"Yeah, but someone gave me hickeys." she snapped at him.
Placing her feet back on the ground, Riley tried to get out from his embrace, only for Gabriel to tighten his arms around her.
"Gabriel..." she warned him.
"I am going to fix this Riley. I know what I want baby and..." Riley's cell phone ringtone interrupted him. Looking in Gabriel's eyes, her expression unreadable, Riley took her phone out of her jacket pocket. It was Doctor Cassidy.
Showing it to Gabriel, she pressed the answer button.
"Morning Doc. What's up?"
"Morning Riley. I called you to ask if you and Gabriel could come at the office in the next 30 minutes? We have another audit inspection from the Department of Defence and we need Gabriel here. I hope I didn't interrupt anything." he added fishing for details.
"No. Actually, I just picked up Gabriel. We will be there in due time." Riley answered.
"Ok. See you. Bye!"
"Bye Doc." Riley disconected the line. " We have to go."
"Yeah, I heard, DOD audit. We will finish this conversation later, Riley. Let's go!" Gabriel went back, took his mug and after he locked his door, grabbed Riley's hand and only let it go when they needed to climb into the car. Because they were in a hurry and Gabriel still felt like hell, Riley drove the car. Only that it wasn't a smooth ride, as Riley found all the road imperfections and decided to drive through them, the jolts making Gabriel feel nauseos. He tried to open his mouth and say something but Riley's arched brow made him close it just as fast as he opened it.
Gabriel let out a sigh of relief when Riley stopped in the parking lot of her favorite Coffee House. Maybe after she will have her sugary poison she will be calmer he dared to hope.
Decided to make a first nice gesture, Gabriel opened the place door for her but beat her to the counter and ordered two coffees for them: a soy latte for Riley and a black one for him. Unfortunately for Gabriel, this morning their usual barista was replaced by a flirty blonde in her twenties who didn't hesitate to flash her boob job over the counter and smile seductively at him.
"Hi, stranger! I haven't seen you around here. Do you and your sister come here often?" the blonde asked him in a sultry voice.
Just as he was about to open his mouth and contradict her, Riley snorted beside him.
"Ha! His sister." Placing a possessive hand over his arm, Riley traced it down slowly over his clothed hand and lightly over his palm, until they gathered their fingers together. She plastered a big smile for the now annoyed barista and asked for their coffees. Take it bitch!
Deciding to let Riley take charge of whatever she had with the poor girl, Gabriel kept his mouth shut and just nod politely at her when she placed the coffees in front of them. Riley pushed him on her way out and he had no choice but to trail behind her. She is jealous he thought smiling. Apparently, his smile didn't go unnoticed by Riley.
"I am sure you can use your chip to find out her number." she told him as they got in the car and resumed her crazy driving.
"Why would I want her phone number?" he bit back, annoyed at her insinuation.
"I don't know Gabriel. Probably because she just put a smile on your face."
"Oh, you think I was smiling because of her?" he asked.
Riley decided to keep her mouth shut and not to think about something that involved Gabriel and other woman. She took a deep breath, ignoring him and continued her driving in silence, afraid of a confrontation with Gabriel that they won't finish before getting to work.
They arrived in silence at CyberCom, the tension between them thick enough to cut it with a knife.
Because of the early hour, their were the only occupants of the elevator towards the floor where Doctor's Cassidy lab was placed.
Chipping the elevator, Gabriel stopped it between floors and grabbed Riley by her waist, holding her tight against him and burying his face in her soft, wavy hair.
"Gabriel, what are you doing?" Riley asked him surprised by his sudden action.
"I was smiling because of you, Riley." He answered his question from earlier.
Riley stepped out from his embrace and searched his eyes. They were sincere.
"Why?"
"Because you were jealous, baby." he smiled at her.
"Gabriel..."
"No, listen!" he interrupted her. "I meant every word when I said I love you Riley. I will be everything you want me to be. I can't let you go, baby. I can't!" he confessed her, his voice rough with emotion.
Riley wanted to tell him what she felt, that she couldn't let him go either, but they were interrupted by the movement of the elevator and they had to compose themselves and act as professionals, as the doors opened and they were greeted by the flurry of activity that it was CyberCom.
They entered together in Doctor's Cassidy only to discover that he wasn't alone, but accompanied by David Collingsworth and his division from DOD.
"Riley, long time no see. How are you?" David greeted her with a smile, totally ignoring Gabriel.
"I am fine, thank you!" she answered back politely.
"Good to see you too, Agent in Charge Collingsworth." Gabriel greeted him. " I see you have your own team now." the agent continued amused, no doubt reading from his file.
"Gabriel, Riley, good morning!" Doctor Cassidy greeted them in a happy mood and looked from Gabriel to Riley with an inquisitive look, wondering no doubt about the two agents relationship status.
Riley placed her hands behind her back and smiled discreetly at the curious man.
Following the protocol, Doctor Cassidy proceeded Gabriel's morning check up under Agent's Collingsworth curious eyes. Because the process itself needed placing electrodes over the vital parts of Gabriel's body, the agent made a delicious show for the audience and took off his shirt, his naked upper body on display for everyone. He even tightened his muscles to offer a better image of his six pack.
Riley knew Gabriel's animosity towards David's flirty nature and the way he gained his rank in the DOD and she couldn't help but snort at her partner's childish behavior, masking her unladylike noise with a discreet cough. She was convinced that if asked to continue taking his clothes off, Gabriel would show David other parts of his anatomy, just to show him he was better. Men!
Soon, their check-up was over and Gabriel had to get dressed. Riley felt her cheeks burning as she remembered the previous morning, when she was dressed in one of Gabriel large shirts and how much he enjoyed peeling it off her body.
"Riley!" Gabriel hand on her forearm woke her from her daydreaming.
"Oh... sorry! Just thinking." She shirked.
"Hmm... wonder about what Riley. You were blushing." He smirked at her as if he knew where his mind went.
"Nothing for you to be concerned about." she threw back. "If we are not needed, let's go into our office and finish the paperwork."
"You're no fun." he pouted and lead her towards the door. "Bye Doc, David!"
They left the lab and they were halfway to their office when they heard hurried steps behind them, soon accompanied by David's voice.
"Riley!"
With a heavy groan, Gabriel turned to the agent, who was sporting a huge smile at Riley.
"Agent Vaughn, if you don't mind I would like to talk a few moments in private with Riley."
"Sure, talk away." Gabriel answered him, making no move give to give them the privacy David wanted.
Fixing his tie nervously, David looked at Gabriel and made a discreet move with his head, no doubt telling him to leave and let him alone with Riley.
Sensing there was no chance for Gabriel to leave her alone with David, Riley let David know he could speak to her in Gabriel's presence.
" I was won...wondering if you could consider going out for dinner...with me... tonight?" he stuttered.
As it wasn't the first time he asked her out, Riley was a bit at loss on how to let him down gently and not to upset Gabriel in the same time.
But, apparently, she didn't need to find an excuse as Gabriel answered for her.
"Sorry to disappoint you Agent Collingsworth but, unfortunately, Riley has a date tonight with her boyfriend!"
"She does?"
"I do?"
Both David and Riley asked surprised.
"But of course you have, sweetheart." Gabriel smiled innocently at her. "Now, if you excuse us David, my partner and I, as we are labeled at work, have work to do. Come on Riles, the sooner we start, the faster we finish and have time for ourselves."
Riley was sure her jaw touched the floor upon hearing his words.
Muttering a quick apology to the shocked agent, Riley ran after Gabriel, who was happily heading towards their office. Being taller than she was and considering that the heels were obstructing her movements, What the hell was I thinking to wear high heels at work?, she wondered, when she arrived in the office they shared, Gabriel was already seated at his desk, rummaging through the pile of files, a smirk plastered at the corner of his mouth and whistling with no care in the world.
Slamming the door forcefully, Riley placed herself in front of his desk, her eyes spitting fire.
"What the hell is wrong with you, Gabriel?" she whisper-yelled at him. "On Friday night you want me, Saturday morning you leave me as if I am some floozy you picked up at some obscure bar, no words, no nothing, then you come back a couple hours later and tell me you love me and bring me flowers, we spent what I consider a beautiful week-end together and then, on Sunday night, you give me the cold shoulder and drink yourself to sleep." Not being able to stay still, Riley started pacing all over the desk, spitting his frustration. "And let's continue to this morning: you kiss me, hold my hand, embrace me in the elevator and now" she took a deep breath to calm herself to reign herself from punching him "you act as if you were at a modeling agency and not in front of the audit team, and the most important, you tell David you are my boyfriend? What the fuck is wrong with you, Gabriel? What do you want from me?" she screamed at him frustrated.
"You finished?" Gabriel asked her calmly.
"I am going to kill you, swear to God Gabriel." She hated when he was using his carefree attitude on her.
Raising from his chair, Gabriel held his hand to her. "Come here, Riley!". At her reluctance he added a small "please".
Riley put her hand in his and he gathered her in his arms.
"I know I acted like a bastard to you, but there are so many things we need to consider Riley. Our work, my chip, our enemies. I mean, we won't ever have a normal life"
Riley chuckled. "I knew that already, Gabriel. I know the risks and I don't care. I only want you and the chip is you. Please stop doubting me and just try and see where this is going."
"Well, if I had my way, I guess a marriage, a little Riley to have me wrapped around my pinkie..."
Riley his her face in his shirt, smiling at the wish she had the previous night of a little Gabriel.
Sensing her smile, he lifted her face and smiled questioningly at her. "What is it?"
"I was thinking about a little Gabriel."
"That can be arranged sweetheart. But until then I think I said something about you, me and a date tonight."
"Yeah. You also said something about a boyfriend/ girlfriend thing."
"Aha. I did. So..." Gabriel kneel in front of a shocked Riley. "Gabriel what are you doing? People may see us, you know."
"Shhh Riley... Don't interrupt me. So... where was I?" Gabriel wondered as Riley rolled her eyes at him.
"Got it! Miss Riley Neal, my partner in crime for three years and three days, would you make me the extraordinary honor of being my girlfriend?" Gabriel asked seriously.
Riley felt tears prickling at the corner of her eyes. Nodding her head, she answered the only answer she could offer him "Yes!"
Raising on his feet Gabriel kissed her with all the love he felt for her. "I love you Riley."
"Love you too."
"You know, we should probably tell the others about our status. If you want to." Gabriel told her.
"Ok. But can I keep you for myself just a little more?"
"A little more?"
"Yeah... like until tomorrow. Or until Nelson jumps from somewhere and surprises us." Riley teased him.
"Good point. Now let's get to work or Lillian will lock us here until we finish."
"You won't see me complaining." Riley winked at him.
So... because of my crazy ideas, I kind of played with poor Gabriel and Riley and I didn't cover the parts when they tell the team or Gabriel's mother about the development of their relationship and some more.
If you want me to add a new chapter, please hit the review button and let me know.
Thank you all who decided to read my story, reviewed, followed or added to favorites.