Love & Loss (26 page)

‘Let’s just say dancing’s your forte,’ he teased and yelled as I splashed him. We sat silently for a while, sipping our drinks and just smiling at each other. I felt so happy, like a typical teenager in love and he looked every inch the same.

‘O no! My ring,’ I exclaimed pulling my hand out of the water. ‘Will the chlorine it mess it up.’

‘I’d hope not, but maybe keep that hand out just in case,’ he suggested as he looked at it glinting. ‘Mia, I may not like it but I get your reasons for wanting to take it off and I’ll respect them, but you need to let me do something tomorrow without getting all pissy with me.’

‘Does it involve this ring finger still?’ I asked sticking it up.

‘No.’

‘Ok, what do you want to do?’

‘We’re going to go to Tiffany’s so I can buy you a ring to wear on your other hand, so you’ll at least be wearing a ring from me. Don’t even start, you have your
I’m going to argue with Gabe
face on.’

‘Will it really make you that happy?’

‘Yes.’

‘Then I’ll agree, but it’s on the condition that it’s not platinum, doesn’t contain a quarter carat diamond let alone a two carat one and it doesn’t cost a fortune.’

‘Ok, but define a fortune, we seem to have differing views on that.’

‘£100 max.’

‘No deal,’ he said firmly with a shake of his head. ‘I’m not buying you some cheap tat, besides I doubt Tiffany’s would even stock anything at that price. We also need to get your necklace. How about we agree on a total expenditure on all items of ten percent of what I spent on your engagement ring?’

‘Gabe that’s still £3,600. You’re seriously crazy. How about a maximum one percent?’

‘No. I don’t want to compromise on something we both like and that budget is really going to restrict me. Ten percent if I promise to not deliberately spend up to it.’

‘Why do you feel the need to spend so much money on me Gabe. I love you, I loved you before I knew you had any.’

‘I know that baby, but it’s all relative. How much is your allowance from your Dad each month? Your monthly spending money?’

‘£1,000.’

‘How much have you spent on me for Christmas?’

‘Gabe that’s a bit personal.’

‘You insisted on knowing the price of your ring, you owe me.’

‘About six hundred pounds,’ I sighed.

‘Fine let’s do the math. You spent sixty percent of your monthly income on my Christmas present. If I was to do the same I’d spend roughly £7,000 on yours. When I put it like that does it still sound unreasonable?’ he asked with a raised eyebrow. I scowled at him, of course he had to use logic and percentages to make it seem perfectly reasonable. ‘So can we dispense with the crap and let me have the budget I want of my own damn money to spend on you as I please?’

‘Fine, but I’m not happy about it.’

‘Well you agreed to stop bugging me about money Mia, it was one of our deals when we agreed to move forwards, and I’m not happy you spending that amount on me. What savings or investments do you have to fall back on?’

‘My apartment.’

‘Nothing else?’ he asked aghast.

‘No, whatever savings I had were spent on furnishing the apartment and the rest on everyone’s Christmas presents, not just yours before you moan.’

‘O God baby.’

‘Gabe, you have a totally unrealistic view of what’s normal.’

‘Meaning?’ he asked sounding slightly affronted.

‘Come on,’ I laughed waving my hand around at our surroundings. ‘You’ve been brought up in another world. You’re looking at me thinking I’m poor, well where I come from I’m considered rich. None of my friends had their own apartments mortgage free at eighteen, their University education paid for in full and allowances to cover bills, food and spending. Take poor Lexi, she gets
nothing
. She’s had to take student loans out to pay for her first year and has no income source from anywhere else.’

‘Seriously?’

‘Yes.’

‘How does she manage with clothes and going out?’

‘Mum gives her clothes money for Christmas and Birthdays and I budgeted her loan to pay for her first year fees and give her a small allowance each month for spending. Otherwise I pay for her to go out.’

‘She doesn’t pay you rent or chip in for food?’

‘No, she can’t afford to. She feels so bad about it she’s coming to Peppers with me to try and get some regular bar work. Gabe I’m so lucky to be in the position I’m in, you have no idea how many people are out there that aren’t as blessed as me. Most people live in constant debt and worry how they’re going to pay their bills each month, let alone having savings.’

‘Are you in debt? Do you have any balances on your credit cards or an overdraft?’

‘No, but if even if I was I wouldn’t want you to know because you’d try and pay them off for me. Can you see why I find it so hard to see you spending so much money on me now?’

‘Sort of, but I can’t help that I’m in this position Mia. You want me to give it all away to make you feel better?’

‘No of course not, don’t be so obtuse. I’m just trying to make you see how differently we see things.’

‘Obtuse?’ he growled. ‘Fine, but if you think for a minute I’d rather have this money than still have Mum with me you’re very much mistaken.’

‘I know that Gabe, of course I do. Let’s not fight about money. I’ll go to Tiffany’s with you tomorrow and you can spend what you want, please don’t let this ruin a lovely evening.’ I grabbed his empty mug and refilled it and my own and sidled up to him and let him take his wine before offering up my pouted lips. He sighed and kissed them and put his arm around me.

‘If you ever need my help you need to ask me Mia, I don’t want you worrying about money.’

‘I’d say if I was destitute Gabe and I’m not. So remind me other than shopping and lunch with Sofia, what are we doing tomorrow? And when are we going home?’

‘We need to pack tomorrow afternoon,’ he sighed. ‘We can leave our cases with the security guard when we head out and Antonio will pick them up before he comes to pick us up to take us to the airport.’

‘Pick us up from where?’

‘We’re going to the theatre to see a show.’

‘A Broadway show?’ I squealed.

‘Yes, you like that idea?’

‘Yes, I
love
shows. What are we going to see?’

‘Phantom of the Opera, your Mum said you hadn’t seen it and you wanted to.’

‘That’s why you’ve been phoning her you sneaky bugger.’

‘Yes, we were torn between Phantom or The Lion King. Did we choose ok?’

‘I’d have loved either choice thank you.’ I clasped his face and kissed him.

‘We’re booked in for a pre-theatre supper at Sardi’s at six so with lunch at two as well we’ll have to decide which we’re going to eat light at. I can’t do two massive meals in one day, let alone that close together.’

‘Let’s take Sofia’s lead tomorrow. If she wants three courses we will and then we can have something light at night.’

‘Ok. Are you warm enough?’

‘Yes I’m lovely thank you and this wine is going down well.’

‘Drink up, enjoy it.’

‘I thought you didn’t like me drinking?’ I said as I drained my glass and shuffled around to top it up.

‘I’m dealing, plus when you’re with me and safe, where I know I can look after you, I don’t mind. I’m not keen on seeing you throw up though, so try not to get that bad.’

‘Do you want more?’

‘No I’m good thanks. I’d like to go and lie down and look at the view properly one last time. Join me?’

‘I’m naked.’

‘Me too. We have some towels to dry off and we can snuggle under the fur blankets.’ He hopped out and grabbed two towels hidden in some large metal cupboard and held one open for me to step into.

‘It’s hot!’

‘Towel warmer,’ he shrugged. I shook my head, no wonder he thought his level of spending was normal living like this all the time. I really needed to reign myself in when it came to his spending. I kept getting irritated when he tried to control me and things I did, yet I was guilty of doing exactly that by moaning about money. We dried off and he grabbed two fresh towels to wrap around us before taking my hand and leading me to the bed, lifting the top blanket for me to get in.

‘Ok towel off now, no one can see you under there, except me’ he smiled holding out his hand for it. I shuffled out of it and handed it to him and watched him walk around and climb in on the other side and drop his over the edge of the bed before putting an arm around me and pulling the fur up to our necks as we lay and looked out at the view.

‘This is so amazing.’ I said shaking my head and feeling tears pricking at my eyes. ‘I’ll never forget this as long as I live.’

‘You’ve really loved it?’

‘God yes. It’s been magical, thank you so much Gabe, you spoil me so much,’ I sighed as I wriggled around to look up at him.

‘Because I love you and I can Mia. Please no more arguments about me spending money on you in future. I promise I’m not being reckless, trust me.’

‘Ok,’ I nodded. I ran a finger around his lips and down his throat and circled his nipple before moving down his stomach and running it back and forth across his pelvis.

‘Mia, I thought you wanted to look at the view,’ he said in a strangled tone as I felt him swelling and brushing against my hand as he grew.

‘The view I’m looking at right now is just perfect thank you,’ I replied, hearing the breathless tone my voice had taken on. I pulled his hip so we were lying on our sides facing each other and pushed a leg between his and guided him towards me, looking up at him wide eyed full of longing.

‘O baby,’ he groaned as he kissed me and gently gripped my hip and slid into me.

‘
Gabe,
’ I sighed as I put one arm around his neck and the other under his arm to clutch his powerful shoulder blade. ‘O yes …
yes
.’

‘I love how much you want me Mia, how ready you always are for me.’

‘And you for me …
Ooooo
… God that feels
so
good. Do we do it enough for you?’ I gasped as he gently thrust away.

‘What do you mean,’ he asked as he let his lips brush back and forth across mine, making them swell.

‘Would you like to have sex more often?’

‘Mia,’ he groaned.

‘Tell me.’

‘Yes, sometimes yes. I don’t want to come off as some sex addict though … O God baby you feel so good,’ he groaned. I closed my eyes as he kissed me, we seemed to average three times a day as it was, sometimes more at a weekend or when we were away, but I felt like it wasn’t enough for him. On the other hand I wasn’t sure how we’d have the time to fit it in any more. ‘Mia, you’re not happy?’

‘Yes, especially right now,’ I nodded as I half opened my eyes and caught my breath. ‘I just don’t want you to hold back out of some … Ooooo, yes right there, do that again Gabe.’

‘Out of some what?’

‘O sod it.’ I pushed him on his back and rolled with him and sat up letting the fur slide down my bare back. ‘Let’s talk later.’ I arched my back as I moved my hips on him and ran my hands up my body, my skin puckering at the chill, and pushed my fingers into my hair as I threw my head back and cried out when he gripped my hips and thrusted up harder into me.

‘God you look so damn sexy. Lift your hair up,’ he ordered. ‘Pick it up and pile it on top of your head and hold it there.’

‘Like this,’ I smiled.

‘Yes, push your shoulders back, let me see those gorgeous breasts sticking out.’

I did as he asked, with no embarrassment factor at all. He loved me, he loved my body and in turn he’d made me love it. I wanted to be sexy and hot for him, as much as he was for me. I cried out his name as I felt him swell inside me even more, I was so full of him and he felt so good inside me I had to dip forwards and rest my hands on his chest to stop myself toppling backwards, my hair fell down, tumbling around my shoulders and onto him.

‘Mia, you’re so beautiful baby. Keep looking at me, let me see those stunning eyes.’

I parted my lips as I tried to keep up with my sudden need for oxygen, the way he was looking up at me, so full of love and passion made me tingle more than the chilly air. ‘Gabe I’m going to come … and I need … to scream,’ I panted as we worked as one, my clit rubbing on his pelvis firing off signals to my brain that I couldn’t shut off, didn’t want to shut off. I didn’t care I was naked on a lit up roof, where any of the taller skyscrapers occupants could just look out and see me, I just wanted to give myself to him with complete abandonment.

‘Scream, let it out, let me hear what I do to you,’ he pleaded as he let go of my hips and cupped my swinging breasts, gently tugging at my pink nipples.

‘Gabe,’ I uttered as my insides started to clench and the familiar sensation ran up and down my spine simultaneously. I felt my toes spasm and flung my head back as my whole body started convulsing and screamed his name as loud as I could. I was vaguely aware of him groaning and lifting himself right up into me, trembling below me. I felt myself moving sideways as he rolled me onto my back and nuzzled my neck as I tried to catch my breath, my jaw ajar and my eyes still unfocussed.