The Eternity that Follows (11 page)

Joey held Gabriella’s hand, and walked her over to the
dance floor. When they reached the dance floor, they were unable
to spot Tie, Sara and Josephine.
“I wonder how Tie’s holding up with your friends.” Joey said,
after Gabriella put one of his arms around her hips, while they both
held their beer bottles.
“I’m sure he’s having fun.” Gabriella replied, and then she started
to dance sexy for Joey. She stepped away from him, drooping low
to the floor, and shooting right back up. Joey noticed the move
was something girls did in hip hop video’s, and was stunned by her
dancing.
“Don’t be doing too much of that tonight.” Joey said, noticing a
group of guys watching her while she danced.
“I’m all yours tonight.”
“Then why is everyone staring at you?”
“I can’t help what other people do.”
“No, you can’t.” Joey said, pulling her close and kissing her so her
audience would see.

Gabriella and Joey danced for around a half an hour, both
polishing off their drinks within that time. Gabriella was sweating,
Joey not so much considering he hadn’t moved much while
Gabriella was dancing. Joey couldn’t help but notice how hot
Gabriella looked all hot and sweaty, he was bothered. His thoughts
ran to sex again, and how much the two of them had left to
explore together. He wished they were at his apartment, being
wild together instead out at the club. Joey took one look at
Gabriella’s smile, saw that she was enjoying herself, and decided
he better keep his thoughts in his pants.

Joey was familiar with club Temptation. He had been
there several times over the years since he turned twenty. Club
Temptation was in fact one of the few places south of Candlewood,
he had taken home of one of the few girls he slept with after Diana.
Gabriella, already aware that Joey was familiar with club
Temptation, asked him what floor he wanted to go to. Joey said,
he liked the music on the second floor best, but his favorite floor
was the top floor. Besides having a dance floor, the top floor also
had a lounge. Joey admitted he liked to relax while he was at the
club, and basically just look around. Gabriella was unsure what
floor to venture to.
“Well lets try and find Tie and make sure he’s having a good time.”
Gabriella said, taking Joey’s hand to start walking toward the
stairs.
“Wait let’s get a drink first. The bar down here is the least
crowded in the club.” Joey suggested. Gabriella nodded at Joey’s
suggestion.

Joey went over and ordered two Bud Lights, and paid the
bartender.
“Hey I’m suppose to be paying tonight.”
“Gabriella it’s just money.” Joey said, plainly.

Gabriella thought back to what Jemma had said about Joey
only dating girls with money. Gabriella didn’t know if that was the
case or not, but if it were, then she realized she must be different to
him. With their Bud Lights in hand, Joey and Gabriella walked up
the stairs to the second floor. The floor was packed with club
goers of all types. Joey spotted Tie first, and began laughing. Tie
had both Sara and Josephine dancing upon him. “Well looks like
he’s having a good time.”
“Sure does.”
“Come on lets go before they spot us.” Joey said, wanting to get
Gabriella alone upstairs.
“Oh that would be rude.”
“Do you want to go over there and dance with them?” .
“No, I’m not much of a techno dancer.” Gabriella admitted. “I
can’t really move along to the beat, in fact it boggles me that
people are able to dance to it.” Gabriella said, cutely.

Joey laughed, noting that Gabriella made him laugh often.
Joey adored that, and was inwardly looked forward to being
familiarized with the laughter she caused him.
“So what do you want to do then sweetie?”
“I don’t know. We can find Jemma and Bruce. I’m sure there on
the top floor, that’s Jemma’s favorite spot.” Gabriella said to Joey,
as though he cared where Jemma was or where her favorite spot
was.
“Whatever pleases you.” Joey said, finding he was content with
whatever it was that he was doing, as long as Gabriella was around
him.

Gabriella, with Joey following walked over to Sara,
Josephine and Tie. She informed them that she and Joey would be
going to the top floor. They said they’d meet them up there in a
little while. “You having fun Tie?” Joey asked Tie, before they
went upstairs.
“A blast.”
“Good.”

Joey then followed Gabriella up the stairs, and once on the
top floor, Gabriella noticed Jemma and Bruce sitting down on a
couch in the lounge area. Gabriella took Joey’s hand and walked
them over.
“Hey guys. How’s your night going?”
Gabriella asked.
“Pretty good.” Jemma said. “We’re just taken a break from
dancing.”
“I’m beat. I had to work today.” Bruce confessed, glad to be
sitting down for a moment.
“Oh sweetie your fine, it’s still early in the night.” Jemma said
selfishly.

Joey took it in his heart to get to know Bruce better. If he
and Gabriella were going to make things last, he figured he ought
to at least get to know one of her best friend’s boyfriends.
“What do you do for a living?” Joey asked Bruce.
“Good someone to keep him occupied, come on Gab let’s go
dance.” Jemma said, grabbing Gabriella’s hand and forcing her
onto the dance floor.

Joey sat and talked to Bruce for a while. Keeping an eye
on Gabriella while she danced with Jemma. Joey noticed a few
guys try to dance with the girls, but they both politely pushed
away. Joey began to wonder what Gabriella was like dancing
when he wasn’t around. He hated the idea of her letting guy’s
dance upon her. Joey had enough of Gabriella dancing, and
leaving him alone with Bruce. Joey was polite, and excused
himself from the conversation. Joey then walked over to Gabriella,
and slid his arm around her waist, pushing her close to him from
behind.
“Guess who?”
“It better be you or I’d have a hot boy friend over her in a second
to plummet your ass.”
“Do you always push the boys away when your dancing? Or are
you just doing that because I’m here?” Joey asked, while grinding
to Gabriella's backside along with the music.
“I always do. I hate dancing with random guys, there always
trying to cop a feel and stuff. I hate that.”
“Oh and do you dance with your guy friends?”
“Eh only sometimes. I feel bad at times not to.”
“Well you have me now so you won’t have to worry about that
now will you Gabriella?” Joey asked.

Gabriella turned around to his words.
“Thankfully.” Gabriella said, smiling as her eyes lit up. “I love
you Joey.”
“I was just thinking the same thing. I love you too.”
“Yuck.” Jemma said, She had stopped dancing the moment
Gabriella turned around. “Keep it in your pant’s Joey.” Jemma
remarked, and then she went back to the couch to sit with her
boyfriend.
“Ugh” Joey said to Gabriella, after Jemma walked away, and was
out of view. “What’s her problem?”
“That’s just Jemma. She’s like that with everyone.”
“Well she better watch her mouth or I’ m going to have some
words with her.”
“Or I’d have to have some words with her?”
“That too.”
“Come on, let’s go sit down and relax.”
“You go sit down. I’ll go get us more to drink.” Joey said, giving
Gabriella a kiss and leaving her behind on the dance floor.

Gabriella walked back to where Bruce and Jemma were on
the couch, realizing quickly, they weren't there. She patiently
waited for Joey to come back to her. When Joey came back, he
handed Gabriella another shot. She gave him a sweet kiss on the
check to thank him, but that wasn’t enough for Joey, he kissed
Gabriella slowly and with full tongue. The kiss was so sweet,
Gabriella felt he wanted to kiss her, and only her for, forever
Gabriella felt scared for a moment, then pulling out from the kiss.
Joey wasn’t all that sure what had happened.
“I was really enjoying kissing you.” Joey said, sweetly to
Gabriella.
“I bet you were. You know you’re so hot and rugged you brought
my sexual guard right down the moment I saw you.”
“Really?”
“Have I not told you that you’re the most hottest, sexiest, most
gorgeous, handsome man I have ever seen?”
“Gorgeous?”
“Yes. It’s your eye’s Joey, their stare, you’re gorgeous.”
“And the rest of me?”
“Ruggedly handsome.”
“I really, really want to kiss.”
“What do you want to kiss me for?”
“Because you’re so beautiful, and I feel strong for you, and I want
to express them to you.” Joey said, bringing himself closer to
Gabriella.
“I feel strong for you too.”
“Does that scare you?”
“A little, I’ve waited a long time to meet you.”
“And I’ve waited a long time to meet you. You are my dream girl,
you know?”
“Really? That’s silly, because you’re my dream guy.”
“I hope I prove to be day after day.”
“Well, how many days do you want?”
“Every single one, for as long as I live.”
“You mean that?”
“I’m certain of it.”
“Well, I want you every day for as long as I live too.”
“I was hoping so.”
“You remember what you told me when we first got here?”
“Yes my dear.”
“I’m going to go get a drink, I’ll be right back.”
“Okay. Well just be back at my side soon. I’ll be waiting.” Joey
said.

Gabriella held out her cheek for a kiss, and Joey gave her a
big wet smack, and then stood up to smack her ass as she walked
away. Gabriella giggled walking away, he had smacked her gently
and she was more than aware, his gesture meant he was turned on
by her.
“Ouch.” Gabriella joked, on her way over to the bar where
Josephine was sitting by herself.
“What happened? Why are you by yourself?” Gabriella asked,
sitting down next to Josephine.
“Well you and Joey looked all lovely dovey, and Sara stole Tie
from me.”
“Where did they go?”
“I think to a hotel.”
“No, you’re kidding me.” Gabriella asked, while awaiting the
bartenders attention.
“Pretty sure. You know I really like Joey.” Josephine admitted to
Gabriella.
“Back off he’s mine.”
“Not like that silly. I mean as a friend, and for my friend.”
“He makes me happy. I really think he’s the one.”
“Who?” Josephine asked, completely loosing track of the
discussion.

Gabriella then spotted Vinny walking over, ‘Oh god’ she
thought in her head, ‘why him, why now? Vinny took no
hesitation in walking over and saying hello.
“Hey.” Vinny said to Gabriella.
“You’re talking to me?” Gabriella asked, in a vague manner. “You
never talk to me”
“No, you never talk to me.”
“Whatever” was all Gabriella said, that was all she wanted to say.
She knew Vinny just wanted to get laid, and with whom didn't
matter.

Ignorning Vinny, Gabriella ordered she and Joey a drink,
and saw no need to announce she was leaving. She left Josephine
and Vinny alone, who were already engaged in a flirting
conversation
“Who was that?” Joey asked, when Gabriella came back and
handed him his a bottle of beer.
“Some slime ball I hate.”
“Why?”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m just annoyed with all my friends. First Sara
leaves to go to some hotel with some guy she just met without
even saying goodbye. Josephine is swooning over some playboy
that just wants to get laid, and I don’t like the way Jemma treats
you. It’s like she’s out to get you.”
“Playboy? Who was that guy Gabriella?”

Gabriella sighed loudly. She didn’t feel it were the right
time but she wanted to be open with Joey. Gabriella went on to tell
Joey about Vinny. She told him how he was the first guy she slept
with after Mark, how she felt he had taken advantage of her
because he just used her. Gabriella then continued on to tell Joey
how Jemma had slept with him the next night. Not wanting to hold
anything back, she continued to tell him how she had secret
feelings for him for awhile, and how he would just stare at her
expecting her to be the one to come and talk to him. By the time
Gabriella was, finished Joey was glad that he had approached her
the way he did, with the Quick Draw slip. He was happy that they
were nothing short of a one night stand.
“So he was the one to get you pregnant?”
“Well, No. I don’t know.”
“Oh.”
“I used protection with all of them, I don’t know who.”
“Well, how did you know you were pregnant after just six nights?”
“Well. I went on vacation down to the Jersey shore to my aunt’s
vacation house with Jemma, Josephine and Sara, the next week. It
was also the same week I was expected to get my period. We went
out to the bars, but I found no sexual interest in any of the boys,
and actually spent the whole week regretting sleeping around. And
well, I guess it wasn’t getting pregnant that led to my vow of not
sleeping around. I just didn’t want to take home a random guy.
Vinny was my hot neighbor growing up, and he was every girl’s
dream, so he was able to take down my guard. I was very select
with who I took home after.”
“I see what you were talking about when you said you couldn’t
handle another ex girlfriend story.” Joey said, stern as his own
sexual past came to mind.

Joey was strict with his wording so Gabriella would
understand the importantce of him spilling out the rest of his
sexual past. He spent the next few minutes finishing up his sexual
history, the history Gabriella had requested not to know right away
while they were back in his room. When he was done, he wanted
to express to her how different she was to him. “Gabriella? Did
you know that when I drew up my blueprints I had a dream wife in
mind? And did you also know that when I first saw you, I felt
love at first sight, and that you were my exact vision to the girl I
had sketched my prints for?”

Gabriella was taken back by Joey’s words, she let one tear
of happiness come streaming down her face.
“I already told you, you’re my dream man, and I too had
envisioned you.”
“You’re not just saying that?”
“Nope, I swear.” Gabriella said, picking up there kissing were
it had last left off, when Gabriella shly pushed away.

The kissing got to be so deep, Gabriella pushed away again.
“What is it?” Joey asked.
“I’m scared.”
“Of what? I trust you and you said you trusted me. I promise
never to hurt you.”
“But you can’t guarantee that you won’t.”
“I know what I feel in my heart.”
“I love you, and I want you.” Gabriella said to Joey, running her
fingers through his hair.
“That feels way too good.”
“I just love you so much. I don’t know what to do about it. Truly,
I love you Joey.”
“Do you really love me? Or are you just drunk?”
“Nope I really love you, forever, and the eternity that follows.”
“I love you too. Hey, how serious are you about me?” Joey asked,
with an idea in mind.
“I’m hoping this will last forever.”
“Would you get a tattoo with me?”
Joey asked, intimately
knowing Gabriella didn’t have any tattoos anywhere on her body.
Joey himself had one tattoo, a dragon on his left leg.
“Joey I don’t really like tattoos.” Gabriella said to Joey, not
wanting to say yes even though her heart screamed for her to.
“It’ll be a small one, I promise.”
“Okay.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
“I get to pick where and what?”
“If you wish.” Gabriella said, thinking back to the way Joey had
grabbed her nipple the night at the party, and now, still considering
her body his.
“All right. Today, this morning, when the shops open up?”
“I guess so. But first tell me more about you.“
“I’ve already told you my whole sexual history.“
“Tell me something else.“
“Okay, well . . . ” Joey began, and then took the time to tell
Gabriella all about his time in juvenile detention, and the spent
time in county jail, while adding in his regretting sleeping around.
“. . . And I’ve basically just been waiting for my dream girl ever
since.” he said, to sum it all up.