A Story Worth Telling

Episode III

MY HAIR FINISHED, I'D STARTED DOING my makeup by the time Gabe wandered into the bedroom. I looked up to see the reflection of Gabriel watching me watching me through the mirror, and I rolled my eyes as I fought my lips forming a smile. I liked the expression on his face because I knew what it indicated he was thinking - that he liked me in his home - but I was still treating him to my annoyance. Except now I also had something else weighing on my mind.

"I've been thinking, and I'd like you to give more thought to moving in when we get back." I turned on my stool to look at him. "What do you think?"

I was silent. Even though I'd heard what he'd said - something he'd brought up before, actually - my mind was still somewhere else. I watched as he pushed off the wall and walked to me, and I enjoyed checking him out as he moved. He was six foot four with well-defined muscle on a bulky frame, unlike Con's leaner frame. He got his reddish brown hair and the dimples in both his cheeks from his mother. I thought those dimples, combined with his smile - when he did smile - were my favourite of his facial features. He hadn't shaved in a few weeks, so his jaw was covered in dark red stubble. It was closer to brown than red, darker than his hair. I liked the contrast. I also liked how small I felt when I was around him, seeing as I was almost a foot shorter than him.

I stood up once he was close, and Gabriel wrapped his arms around my waist. I tilted my head up to catch his eyes, and I wrapped my hands around his biceps. His eyes moved over my face before he frowned. His arms squeezed my waist, pulling me closer.

"Hey, are you alright?"

"Simon asked if we could go have dinner with my parents the day after Thanksgiving." The words just tumbled out of my mouth, so fast that I wasn't even sure if he'd actually heard a word I'd said. "I mean, I... I don't even know what to say. Is this a good idea? What do you think?"

Gabriel didn't say anything as he just looked at me. I could tell from the way his eyes looked slightly over my head that he was thinking, and I rubbed my lips together in an attempt to be patient. It was one of the areas where we differed quite a bit - Gabriel liked to take his time to mull things over to make informed decisions, whereas I sometimes had the bad habit of thinking things through after I'd made a decision. But it made him a great sounding board since he inadvertently forced me to slow down and pay more attention to the details.

"You haven't spoken to your parents in a long time."

I shook my head slowly. "No. And honestly, I don't know if I would've accepted the hand even if they had reached out. But Simon sounded like he really wants this. And I want to give him this, if I can." My voice dropped to a shaky whisper as I finished, "But I don't know if I can, babe. I really don't."

I closed my eyes as I felt him bend down and brush his lips against my shoulder. I felt myself start to calm, my breaths getting deeper and my mind starting to clear. It was one of the reasons I loved talking things through with him. The calm energy he radiated worked wonders getting me to relax, and there was - almost - always wisdom in his words when he got around to talking.

I especially loved that he was affectionate with me, because I knew it wasn't one of his love languages. That said, he knew it was one of mine.

"You want to know what I think, I'll tell you, love," he murmured against my skin. "But first, I'd like to know what you want to do."

I squeezed his arms. "Gabe-"

"They're your parents, Sheba, and it is ultimately your decision. Knowing or not knowing what I think, you have to make your mind up first. And then we can talk about it."

I huffed and glared at him. His lips twitched. He kissed the skin where my shoulder met my neck, and brushed his lips against the spot he'd kissed. "I think you should file that away and get ready for class. We can talk about it when you get back. But for now, focus on what's most important - which is getting this presentation finished."