A Dozen Dates (7 page)

The first thing Michael did when they sat down was lift the armrest which separated them, creating what he called a “Love Seat,” and Gemma began to feel awkward again... She took a sip of her cola and then placed it in the cup holder in armrest on her other side. Michael did the same and then he asked her while holding out the bucket, “Popcorn?”

Gemma took a small handful, “Thank you.” She sat back, then as the previews were playing, she felt Michael’s hand slide across her shoulders and start lightly stroking her arm. The move happened so naturally but it inflamed Gemma’s senses and to her embarrassment she began to twitch in pleasure. She froze urgently in an attempt to disguise her reactions, forcing her breathing to become deep and precariously controlled.

Michael smiled at her bashfulness and assured her, “You don’t have to be nervous...”

“Huh?” Gemma exclaimed.

“It’s only our second date...” he illuminated with a grin and her heart began to race with foreboding.

“Huh?” Gemma looked at him, edgy, but still bewildered.

“Well, technically it’s our third, but it is date
number
two...” Michael enlightened her nonchalantly.

“What are you talking about?” Gemma whispered, paranoid of other people around her hearing, even though the cinema wasn’t crowded, and nobody was in direct earshot.

Michael leaned in, and Gemma could feel the warmth of his breath as he whispered, “This is date number two... I wouldn’t think I would try and feel your boobs until date... say number five.” Gemma eyes widened and she gasped in surprise as she looked around to see if anybody might have heard. Michael snickered at her panic before adding, “Date number two... this date, will probably only involve me putting my arm around you and giving you a good night kiss,” then he looked down at her lips, “and maybe a little kiss... now.”

Michael half turned his body and Gemma watched as he subconsciously licked his own lips while he looked at hers. Her inconstant breaths became pants and her own lips parted as her head fell slightly back, submissive to his play. He leaned in and Gemma felt his lips as they barely touched hers – teasing her. She could feel his warm moist breath on her mouth and feel the wetness and softness of his lips as they bumped hers. She could smell his buttered popcorn breath and his mild aftershave... Her gut started to tie in knots and her chest began to heave in anticipation. She tried to relax and conceal her wanton desires but before she knew it her body betrayed her and a moan rose up out of her... It was from somewhere deep inside and it was raw, and although her own, the noise startled her. But this time Gemma didn’t panic, instead her primal impulses took over and she tenderly wrapped her voluptuous lips around Michael’s and began kissing him. Michael sighed in what sounded like pleasure, and Gemma finally felt delivered when his mouth joined hers in a brief, but very intense kiss.

When they pulled away from each other it was with regret on both sides. Michael closed his eyes and turned away and started whispering, reminding himself, “Date number two; date number two; date number two...” Then he tightened his arm around her and pulled her closely into him, altering her centre of gravity and leaving her no choice but lean against him for stability.

Gemma too, turned to the screen and tried to ignore his masculine scent. He felt so good, supporting her and she rested her head against him. She listened to his heart thump its rapid tune and she smiled to herself – had she caused that up-tempo beat..? She hoped so... But in the end, his heart beat, though comforting, was distracting so she raised her head slightly and subconsciously and naturally slipped her hand along his jeans clad thigh to help support her toppled angle.

Instantly she heard Michael repeating again, “Date number two; date number two; date number two... Oh boy... This is going to be a long night.” He leant in and started planting little nibbling kisses on her neck, groaning quietly in pain as he did so, and Gemma began to break out in goose bumps and she once again struggled for reason under his enchanting spell.

Thank goodness the movie was commencing... “Michael, look, it’s starting...” she informed him. Michael regained his composure and faced forward, and for the next hour and a half they allowed the movie to entertain them, Gemma enclosed in her companion’s warm, protective arm.

After the movie Michael took Gemma’s hand and led her to the aromatic coffee shop. “What would you like?” he asked her.

“I’m paying for the coffee,” Gemma adamantly told him.

“I’ll get it...” he said.

“You paid for the movie... I’ll get the coffee.”

“But I asked you out, so I will get the coffee,” Michael insisted.

“You paid for the movie and dinner last night... I promise you, I am paying for the coffee,” Gemma was obdurate in her tone and her expression and Michael conceded.

“I feel like a loser now,” he claimed and Gemma smiled.

“You are a loser,” she quietly informed him.

“You be quiet Missy or I will start nibbling at your neck again...” Michael threatened in a low and husky voice.

“You can’t...” Gemma claimed with an air of confidence.

“
Oh, I can
...” Michael assured her.

“It’s only date number two... You can’t!” Gemma explained and then she snickered.

Michael stood up straight and glared, impressed, yet staggered by her savvy manner. She met his accusing eyes briefly and then faced the front, a moment before feeling a firm smack on her bottom. Gemma gasped again, her eyes excited, but not wanting to push her luck she restrained herself from turning around or saying anything, instead just moving forward with dignity and ordering the coffee.

“Well, I get to carry it...” declared Michael as he reached over and collected the coffees from the counter, and directed Gemma to a table in the corner of the busy shop. They sat down and talked for a while, laughed, and just spent time getting to know each better.

“So what was it like being home schooled?” Michael asked her, generally fascinated by the whole alien concept.

“Compared to what?” Gemma asked, taking a sip of her coffee. “It’s actually hard to compare when it is all you have known... But I think in some ways it would be better because you get very personal attention – if there is an area in which you need help, you get it. And if something was particularly easy, you can whip through it and get out early.”

“So you can set your own pace..?”

“Within general parameters,” Gemma paused, “But the social side was kind of lacking... In my later years a governess came and all the kids on the station were schooled together in a small classroom, but I was well into high school by then and tended to spend a lot of time working alone anyway.”

“Do you like college?” Michael asked her.

“Yes! It was really scary at first, but so exciting. I still get a buzz when I go!”

“What did you do between finishing school and moving here?” Michael asked, moving his coffee under his nose and enjoying its fragrance.

Gemma smiled, “I was nanny/housekeeper for the station owners... They had two toddlers – James and William.., and a newborn - Caitlyn... They are a lovely family - they have known me most of my life. They knew what I really wanted to do and that I was just putting money away for my course and when I moved – when my parents were ready for me to move.” Gemma grinned.

“So were they ready..?” Michael inquired.

“Well, I’m twenty... They are happy for me. We ring and send e-mails all the time.”

“So was that idiot from the party your first boyfriend?” Michael inquired.

Gemma looked up at him and produced a small smile before informing him, “Apart from Angus Brown... Who I hung out with when I was eleven..!”

“Oh?”

“We were going to get married but he ended up moving away with his parents instead,” Gemma explained and Michael chuckled.

“So apart from Angus Brown..?” Michael questioned.

“Greg was the only one...” Gemma confirmed, and then asked, “How about you? How many girlfriends have you had, Michael?”

Michael smiled, “A few...”

“Well, tell me...” Gemma insisted and Michael went on to briefly talk about each of his four girlfriends. “So you went out with Celia for three years... Why did you break up?”

“We were different... She’s not a bad person, but we want different things... She loves a high-stress corporate city lifestyle and I want a beer by the pool after an honest day’s work. Nathan knew we weren’t right for each other,” Michael tried to explain.

“I think I understand... When did you break up?”

“About fifteen or eighteen months ago...” Michael enlightened her.

“So you haven’t dated since then?”

Michael smiled mischievously and holding her gaze, calmly requested, “Define dating...” Gemma gasped and blushed, placing her hand nervously on her stomach, “There hasn’t been anyone special.”

Gemma surmised that that included her... although he was taking her out... But that was just to ease his conscience... She guessed he treated her a little different because he felt a sense of duty towards her. Michael might have had... some... “Dates” that were not special but she believed he also had a set of morals that he lived by. She didn’t take him for a player, as such.

She wanted to ask him about his affairs... Whether they were just one night affairs... or if he visited them again... Whether they liked him? What he had wanted from her..? What did he think she had wanted from him?

Michael smiled at her again, “Penny for your thoughts...”

Gemma blushed again and grinned shyly as she shook her head, “No way...”

Michael chuckled, “I can tell by your colour that images of our first night together have just run through you mind...”

Gemma shot him a shocked glance, surprised at how easily he could see through her. She would have to work on that. “Spill it,” he insisted.

“Well... Why did you think I... came to you?”

“I figured you were just looking for revenge sex... and I wasn’t above accommodating you,” Michael informed her, smiling.

Gemma looked at him and corrected, “It wasn’t revenge sex...” She dipped her eyes to the mug in her hand.

“Oh?” he exclaimed. Michael had always assumed that that is what it had been and to hear otherwise tweaked his curiosity and he had to ask, “So what was it?”

“I’m twenty years old... I hated being a virgin - it was a hassle,” Gemma enlightened him. Michael looked at her and noticed how bothered her features appeared as she pledged her honest account of her previous status.

“A hassle?” he inquired, saddened by her expression yet intrigued to know her truth.

Gemma looked up at him intending to explain, but then suddenly recoiled her glance and clammed up, “It doesn’t matter...” She clung to her mug with both hands for stability.

“Tell me,” Michael requested softly as he reached out and placed one of his hands over hers, making her jump! He smiled and ordered her, “Stop jumping and tell me...”

She looked up, “It probably doesn’t seem like a big deal...”

“Well obviously it was!” he acknowledged, before taking another mouthful of the brew.

Gemma looked around the room to make sure nobody was listening before explaining in a whisper, “In this world,” she gestured around the room, “It’s not really okay to be like that at twenty...”

Michael’s caterpillars wiggled across his face again and he smiled curiously and asked, “What are you talking about? Why not..?”

“Men don’t like it...” Gemma professed and Michael snickered.

“Oh? I’m sure they don’t mind...” he tried to reassure her.

“They do!” Gemma declared out loud before quickly curtailing her voice. “They do mind...” She paused and then confessed, “Greg minded.”

Michael’s face soured and he declared, “Greg was an idiot!”

“But it always got in the way...”

“Greg should have waited...” Michael retracted his hand and dropped it to his side, discreetly making a fist. “I would have waited...”

“Hymph... You say that, but if you were in his shoes...”

Michael cut her off, “I
would have waited
!” He shifted in his seat, angry, but at the same time trying to lift the sense of guilt from her shoulders. “Gemma... Gemma, having kissed you...” Michael smiled fondly but then his eyes turned out a look of absolute seriousness, “I believe you were ready – it wasn’t too soon for you. But you shouldn’t have been pushed until
you
realised that. My God, you have lived most of your life in isolation – you can’t be expected to totally integrate in a matter of a few measly months!”

“But...”

Michael threw his hand in the air, “My God!”

My God he was angry at that ex of hers – pathetic... loser. He gritted his teeth, livid, but doing his best not to let it show.

“Anyway, I’m glad it is gone...” she affirmed, before taking a drink of her coffee. Michael looked at her and could see she said it with a sense of peace.

“Okay, well that is okay then...” Michael began to calm down – Greg would live to see another birthday...