Gabriella Ch. 09

"So what now?" she whispered, as she twisted a floppy curl around her finger.

"I want you to come home with me." His words vibrated from his chest into her hers before he rose and stared down at her.

She pulled him in for a kiss. "I'm sure your girlfriend will appreciate that."

He was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "I never cheated on anyone before."

Guilt sliced through her. She had been in this predicament more times than she cared to remember, but his words landed like heavy bricks against her chest. He'd been a good guy until she invaded his life like a cancer, slowly transforming him into someone else. Someone who got into fights, cut his friends loose and cheated on his girlfriend.

She couldn't breathe. She sat up, pushing him away as she reached for her shirt. She could feel his eyes watching her every move as they both dressed, but she needed to leave.

She avoided his eyes as he slid her boot back on.

"Will you come back with me tonight?"

"No, I can't." She slid off the table and made her way to the door.

"Wait a second—"

Ella pulled away. "I shouldn't have done this. This isn't right, you have a girlfriend." Her breath caught in her throat when he drew her to him.

"Hey, shh. Calm down, baby."

"I don't want you to be like other guys. I don't want to do that to you."

"Then don't," Nolan whispered.

She looked up at him confused and he gently kissed her.

"I'll end things with her tonight."

"What?" She wiped her face. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I want you." He smiled. "You drive me crazy."

Whitney's sullen look popped into her head. "What are you going to say to her?"

"I'm going to tell her the truth."

"Which is?"

He framed her head in his hands and pecked her lips. "Do me a favor and meet me at my car. I'll be there in fifteen minutes, okay?" He pulled his keys from his pocket and handed them to her. "I'm parked in the second spot on row G."

She nodded and they walked to the door hand in hand. She reached for the handle when he pulled her back.

"Shit, I'm sorry," he said as he ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't mean to take you so roughly, especially after what you've been through, I just..." He exhaled noisily, "...I don't know what came over me, but I had to have you. Make you mine again, I guess, as dumb as that sounds. I'm sorry."

Her heart fluttered as she wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Just being you."

They made out against the door, greedily wanting more until he pulled away, leaving both of them short of breath.

"We're not going to make it out of here tonight if we don't stop."

Ella laughed. "Okay, I'm stopping."

"But just for now. Because there is so much more I want to do to you tonight."

"Promise?" she teased.

He unleashed a low growl and pinched her chin between his fingers before pulling her in for a hard fast kiss.

He walked out ahead of her, making his way back to the mostly empty gym. He turned around and flashed one more smile before he disappeared through the doors. She smiled, though the heaviness returned to her chest. He was holding up a good front, but she knew this would be difficult for him because he didn't want to hurt anyone.

She took a deep breath and headed toward the parking lot and hopefully towards a new start.

***

Ella vaguely remembered her name being called, but her body and mind were too drained to respond. Nolan's sheets were soft and warm, the feel of heaven on her skin as she buried her face further into his pillow.

"Ella?" he whispered behind her, accompanied with a light tap to her hip.

"Baby, give me just ten more minutes, and I promise you can crawl on top of me and do whatever you want."

He chuckled. "I'll definitely take you up on that offer in a minute, but I wanted to ask you something."

"Yeah?"

"You're going to break things off with Terrence, right?"

She turned to face him. "Nolan, there's nothing to break off. We didn't really have a relationship. I mean, I stopped returning his calls several weeks ago."

He nodded.

"What about Whitney...how did that go?"

"Not great." He paused a moment. "She cried."

Ella groaned and dropped her head back against the pillow.

"It's not your fault, baby. You tried to get away. To stop what was happening, but I was just..." he kissed her, "...too irresistible."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, okay, Mr. Cocky."

"I am pretty cocky, huh?" He lifted the sheets.

Ella playfully pushed him away. "Oh my God, what did I do to you?"

Nolan pulled her onto him, making her straddle his hips. "You did a lot to me." His husky voice sent shivers over her skin as he lightly rubbed her back. "Move in with me?"

"What?"

"Move in with me."

She blinked several times as her brain fought to process his words. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah."

"Nolan, just a few hours ago you had a girlfriend and you hated me."

"I never hated you. I tried to and trust me, it would have been easier if I could. But I was just too crazy about you. And you're my girl now."

"Nolan, I...I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because...well, don't you think we should take things slow?"

His eyebrows drew together. "After what we just did earlier at the game? Hell, what we just finished doing on my couch and the floor and my—"

"I get it."

"Okay. Well after all that and you want to take it slow?"

She picked at the pillow case. "I just—"

"Jesus, Ella. I'm not asking you to marry me. Just move in with me. It's not that big a deal." He leaned against the headboard. "I mean, you'll live with some stranger, but not me?"

"Steven's not a stranger and it's different."

"What are you afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid. I just..." she narrowed her eyes at him, "...are you sure this isn't because you want a live-in booty call?"

He laughed. "I'm not going to lie, the thought of me being able to roll over and have you beneath me any time of the night has its appeal. But it's not why I want you to move in with me."

She ruffled his curls. "I know."

"So, what do you say?"

"I don't know, Nolan."

"Look, I'm not saying everything will be perfect. We'll both have to try harder."

"How?"

"Well, for one, we have to be completely honest with each other."

"Okay."

"And I'd prefer you not drink unless you're with me."

She nodded. "I can do that."

"Good." He pecked her lips. "Because I can't help thinking that you and I could have something special. Something real." He smiled. "In our own fucked up way."

She smiled back at him. "Well I never saw any of that glass slipper, prince charming stuff in the cards for me anyway."

His smile faded. "I wanted to be your prince charming."

Guilt slammed into her. For so long her heart had been wound so tightly around Simon that Nolan never truly factored into her life.

"I know," she whispered.

"So can we make it official and you move in with me?"

She stared down at him, through him, wondering if she was afraid. Of what, she still wasn't sure but it niggled at the back of her brain, a small caution that she didn't quite understand. But what she did understand was that Nolan wanted her in his life which was more than what most people wanted from her.

So before she could come up with any more excuses she said, "Okay."

"Really?"

She bit her lip and nodded.

He smiled brightly and pushed her back onto the bed. "Now can I take you up on that offer?"

She laughed and kissed him again and again and again as his body consumed hers once more.

It wasn't until early into the morning, after their bodies had been worn down and bruised from an overload of strenuous sex that Nolan finally fell into a deep sleep. And even though most of her body had shut down from exhaustion, it was her mind that continued to spin while her eyes remained trained on the far wall, projecting past images against the steel blue paint.

Simon's stormy bluish gray eyes set beneath thick dark lashes stared back at her, evoking memories of the way his fiery gaze would always find her, possessing her no matter where they were and leave her physically stunted and her panties drenched with anticipation. The slow pull of his lips as they curled into a striking smile and the way his casual clothes fit his tall perfectly toned build, rounding out the most handsome man she'd ever laid eyes on.

And some days her memories were so vivid, she swore she caught the scent of his cool cologne, driving her insane as goose bumps prickled her all over her body.

But in the end memories were all she had left. Their love never saw the light of day and she was a fool to think that it ever would have. It remained hidden in a dark cold place until time could eventually bury it, leaving no trace that they'd ever loved each other at all.

One tear tickled the side of her face as it rolled across the bridge of her nose before hovering for a second and dropping onto the sheet. Then another. She took in shallow gulps of air to tamp down the heavy sob that pressed against her chest, crushing her with each breath.

Nolan stirred behind her, placing his heavy arm over her waist. She quickly wiped the tear away and turned to face him. Awake, his impressive stature made him all man, but asleep, he resembled that of a young boy, inexperienced and vulnerable. She hoped she hadn't been hasty in her decision to move in with him because he was one of the rare good guys she'd encountered in her twenty years of living and she wanted to protect him, even if it meant from herself.

His plump pink lips beckoned her and she gave in, lightly kissing them, hoping not to disturb him from his heavy slumber. She stared at him until sleep slowly began invading her restlessness and forced her eyelids shut.

But even in the dark, trapped somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness, awake and dreamland...Simon fluttered before her eyes again, merging memories with dreams. Her body gradually relaxed, tightly snuggled between the thick plush covers, the comfort of Nolan's warm body...and the last mental photograph she'd snapped of the man she still loved more than anything.

**********

Simon

Simon put the kickstand down on his bike and pulled off his helmet. The Friday night crowd at the Lantern Pub was unusually large and rowdy, spilling out of the bar and into the packed parking lot.

It had been ages since he'd hung out with his friends. Liz had tightened the leash on Pete's collar. Tek had recently reconciled with his old flame Angie, and the two had finally moved in together and were living a sort of reclusive pre-marriage honeymoon. And for several months, Steven's place had been off limits due to its current...past...occupant.

Something tightened in his stomach with the thought of her moving in with Nolan. He received the text from Steven earlier today stating that Gabriella and her...boyfriend, were moving her stuff out.

He pushed the thought deep down and hoped that the barley and hops waiting for him inside would keep it down. He made his way to the Lantern Pub's entrance, but slowed when he caught sight of Pete leaning a shoulder against the brick wall with his back to him. Once Simon got closer, he heard Pete arguing.

"Liz, I promise...wait a second, can I talk?" Pete yelled into his phone. "I told you I'd be home in one hour. Promise. One hour, you can time me."

The familiarity forced Simon to smile. He leaned against the wall in front of Pete who rolled his eyes and pretended to strangle the phone.

"Well hold on, he can tell you." Pete handed him the phone. "Tell her I'm not drunk."

"Hey, Liz."

"Simon! Is he sober? Do I need to come get him?" Liz's raspy voice shot out like rapid fire.

He looked at Pete who surprisingly did look sober for once. "Nope, he's in good shape."

"So, everything is good?" she questioned skeptically.

"Yep. I wouldn't worry about him drinking..." He smiled at Pete's expression of relief, "...but the stripper waiting for him to come back inside for the show, well now that's another story." He handed the phone back to Pete, whose mouth had dropped.

"Motherfucker," Pete whispered through a laugh. He closed his eyes and sighed before he placed the phone back to his ear. "Babe, that was a joke, you know."

Simon chuckled and turned for the entrance, barely dodging a punch in the arm from Pete.

"Now she hates you too," Pete whispered to him before he turned his attention back to his phone. "Babe, we're not at a strip club, I swear. Yes, I know Steven likes that stuff, but I don't. You know that." He let out an exasperated breath. "Yes...I love you too."

Simon barely saw over the crowd as he searched for Tek, Steven and Steven's co-worker Danny. When he spotted them by the pool table, he ordered a beer and made his way over.

"Pete still getting bitched out by Liz?" Steven asked, leaning on his pool stick.

"Yep."

Steven shook his head and took a shot, sending the eight ball into the corner pocket.

Tek smiled and pulled his phone from his pocket when it screeched some cheesy pop tune. "Angie," he announced with a goofy lovesick grin. "She programmed that in there."

But he quickly manned-up after seeing the level of disgust on Steven's face.

"But I can call her back later," he said, shoving the phone back in his pocket.

Steven exhaled. "Fuck, I need a new set of friends. If it's not you fawning over Angie every two seconds, then it's Simon and his As the World Turns relationship with Patricia."

Simon flashed his middle finger at him.

"And let's not forget family man over here," Steven said pointing at Danny, "who barely gets out to have fun because of soccer practice, and ballet lessons and God knows what else he and his wife have enrolled their twins in. And we all know Pete's soft ass has been lobotomized by the succubus. Feels like I'm surrounded by a bunch of vaginas, and not in a good way."

Simon smiled. "What's wrong, you lonely?"

"I'm serious. Things used to be different. But then you guys just had to—"

"Grow up?" Tek added.

"Lose your balls is what I was going to say. I mean, case and point," he said nodding to Pete, who stood by the door, his free hand flailing in the air as he continued to yell into his phone.

"Don't start with him tonight," Tek begged.

"Liz has turned him into a pussy-whipped zombie and it's only so much I can take before I have to say something."

"He's happy," Tek said.

"Fuck that, he's whipped and there's a difference. You know as good as I do that we'll put up with all kinds of shit for pussy."

"Good pussy," Danny interjected.

"How often do you really have bad pussy?" Steven asked.

Danny thought about it.

"So back to my point...pussy." Steven quirked a brow and turned back to Danny. "And what would you know about good verses bad? You've been with Lynn since what, eighth grade? Leave this conversation to guys who've actually had new pussy since the Obama administration."

Simon bit back a laugh while Danny went back to quietly nursing his beer.

Tek racked the balls. "Well, you may have a point about Pete, but you need to put a reign on it."

"What?"

Tek leaned against the table. "Look, I'm only saying this because I'm your friend, but when Pete comes out of his Liz induced haze, he's going to pick up on what all of us have already picked up on and then who's going to stop the little guy from whipping your ass."

"Pick up on what?" Steven asked.

Tek glanced at Simon before he looked back at Steven and lined up his shot. "That you want to fuck Liz..." he shot into the balls and they scattered before he stood up, "...and she wants to fuck you."

Steven's mouth hung suspended while he struggled to find a quick comeback. But he quickly turned back to the pool table. Finally someone had voiced what they'd all realized when Liz and Steven first butted heads over the direction of Pete's bachelor party and nearly caused World War III.

Pete brushed by Steven and grabbed the beer from his hand and took a huge gulp. "Alright, I'm in again for the next forty-three minutes, and then I have to be pulling into my driveway or else Liz will have my ass."

Simon held in a laugh as he watched Steven squeeze his lips shut. It was rare that a Liz joke didn't follow an announcement like that.

The night meandered along as they drank, played pool and drank some more. A few women who had been watching them from the bar migrated over to their pool table the louder and drunker they got. Steven flirted with a busty brunette while her pixie redheaded friend tried to get Simon's attention. Simon kept his end of the conversation short and polite while he twisted his wedding ring in the hopes she would get the message. When she didn't, he excused himself to compete with Tek in another game.

Pete was the first to call it a night so he could get home with a few minutes to spare, followed shortly by Tek who had snuck off twice to call Angie.

Simon pulled a reluctant Steven from the brunette who was practically bursting out of her top and reminded him that it was guys' night.

When they were alone at the table, Simon lined up his pool stick to shoot when Steven spoke.

"Can you believe Tek?" He scoffed. "If Liz and I were the last two people on earth, then mankind would be fucked because I wouldn't touch her with a ten foot pole."

Simon shook his head and sliced into the balls sending two striped into the far left pocket.

"I mean, that's just...you don't agree with him, do you?"

Simon stood upright and grinned. "Your turn."

"Traitor." Steven glanced behind him towards Danny. "Now that's just a Goddamn shame. And I'll be the one stuck having to drop that sad sack off at his house and listen to Lynn bitch. How is that fair? I'm not even the married one and I have to listen to wives yapping constantly."

Simon looked over his shoulder to Danny, who was passed out in a nearby booth. "Cut him some slack, he's a father. You try running around after four year-old twin girls and see how long you can hang."

"I do run after twin girls, just in a different age group." Steven gulped his beer. "But speaking of, what did you think of Trixie?"

"Who?"

Steven held up his hands as if he was palming large cantaloupes. "You know, the brunette."

"You mean Trista?"

Steven lifted a brow. "Who told you her name was Trista?"

"She did."

"Shit. I've been calling her Trixie."

"You really are a dick." Simon applied chalk to the tip of his cue stick. "But please tell me you're not seriously considering taking her home? I overheard her tell her friend that her brother was a butthole. A butthole? What is she, twelve? Who the hell talks like that?"

Steven smiled. "Well as long as she shows me her butthole, I could give a shit about her vocabulary."

Simon opened his mouth, but he had nothing as he stared at his friend in wonderment. He finally shook his head. "Do you ever shut off?"

"Nope. And before you had that little golden handcuff around your finger, you were just like me."

"I was never like you. Ever. You're in a whole other category."

Steven grinned. "So that's how selective memory works, huh? But since we're on the subject of you—"

Simon lifted a brow. "How are we on the subject of me?"

"—how's life without distractions?"

He lined up his shot. "Life is good."

"So all is good with the mistress?"

Simon scratched, sending the white ball into the middle pocket. "What?"

"All good with the missus? I know things were pretty tense for a while."

"Oh. I thought ...," Simon shook his head. "Yeah, she's good. We had a nice breakthrough a few weeks back." He couldn't avoid the large grin that spread across his face. "A really nice breakthrough."

Steven smiled. "Well that's good. Patricia's a gem. What would you do if I tried to steal her away?"