The Clinch

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

The house is silent - thank fuck for that - as I tiptoe down the corridor with my heeled boots in hand and hair finger combed into place. I feel really trashy right now, sneaking around my own house to try and keep myself hidden, when in fact all I want to do is scream from the rooftops that Gabriel Azazel Lancaster is all mine!

"Morning."

I jump around and make eye contact with my mother where she's propped against the kitchen counter with her morning coffee in hand, a knowing smile lighting her face.

And here I was thinking I'd got off scott free. "Morning mother." Oh fuck, is that my voice? Why is it that damn husky? Clearing my throat of the morning fog, I offer her a polite smile. "Where are the boys?"

"AJ, Ray and Sid are all at school. Your elder brothers and your father are all out at some sort of gym meeting. Now that you know there's no-one around, why don't you come sit down with your mama and explain to me why you're only just getting back home?"

Oh boy... I think I'd rather take my chances with dad. But damn, she's the only female I've got that I can squeal all of my girly secrets to, so she'll have to do. Setting my shoes and bag on the counter, I give my mother a peck on the cheek.

"So... Sleepover's at Gabriel's now?"

I offer her shy smile and a quick nod. "Does daddy know I didn't come home last night?"

My mother shoots me a sardonic grin as she pushes a cup of hot peppermint tea in my direction and takes a seat opposite me at the kichen island. "Everybody knows, Darryl. But forget your father, I'm happy for you; Gabriel is a nice man. I presume it's serious then?"

"I love him!" I gush, and shyly dip my head, swirling my finger around the lip of my steaming mug and avoiding all eye contact. My mother's gasp tells me that she's suitably shocked. "And he says he loves me too. I don't even know what's happening with us, it's just so..."

"Have you had sex with him yet?" My mother inquires with a an eyebrow lift.

"Mother!" Thoroughly scandalized, I slap my palms to my cheeks and bury myself. Oh god, what did she eat this morning that's suddenly made her this brazen? "That is none of your business!"

"So that's a yes then."

I glare at her, trying to incinerate her with my gaze alone. "Yes, we had sex, alright?"

"And..." She encourages me on.

With a small grumble, I relent. "And it was... Euphoric. I never thought it would be like that but when he was inside me... Oh boy." Fanning myself, I smile to see my mother cracking up. I guess she must know exactly what I'm going through here.

"So it was a good first time?"

"Yes mum. It was a perfect first time. It only hurt for like, a second and then I was buzzing. And I cried afterwards, ma, it was just so intense and I didn't know what to do with it. He was really worried about me crying though, I thought he was going to have a panic attack; it was so cute."

My mother reaches across the table and takes my hand. "My baby girl's in love." She's got that right; I'm in deep.

I cringe and scoop my hair back off of my face. "Alright, well... I'm going to go grab a shower and then hit up the gym. I probably won't be back until later..."

"You can't avoid your father forever, Darryl!" My mom calls out after me as I bounce out of the room and collect my things. How does she know me so well?

"I can try."

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I open my eyes to find a water bottle thrust in my face and I jerk my gaze up to glare at the owner of the pro-offered bottle.

Gabriel frowns back at me and shakes the bottle for emphasis. "Drink. Now. Before you pass out."

With a groan, I reach up with a shaky hand and take the bottle from him. About thirty seconds ago I jumped off the treadmill and my legs buckled with exhaustion. But as I drink, I feel the blackness around the edges of my vision gradually recede, my energy levels repleted, and I can finally look up at Gabriel with an appreciative smile. "Thanks."

He shakes his head at me before hooking his arm around my back and hoisting me to my coltish legs. "You've got to stop doing this to yourself, princess."

"No!" I protest, shoving slugishly at his chest "Don't tell me what to do. You wouldn't understand."

"What wouldn't I understand?" Snapping his head in my direction, Gabriel pushes my struggling hands away and starts walking us out of the gym. "I'm trying for us princess, but you can't keep things from me. You can tell me anything."

My gut swirls in protest. I know I can trust him with complete confidence, hands down. But I'm not ready to verbalize what I've kept to myself for four years just yet. "Not today" I shake my head.

"Okay" he accepts quite easily, almost too easily. And after a couple of minutes of complete silence in which he's dragged me back home and we're waiting patiently on my doorstep, he turns to me suddenly with a brilliant smile. "A few friends of mine are going down to the beach for a couple of days next month; bonfire on the beach, that sort of shit. You wanna spend an extended weekend with me in Calif baby?"

My jaw drops. "California? You want me to go California with you?"

 Gabriel shoots me an askew smile. "I'm not too sure anymore; I only invited you to get to your hot mum, but... Hey!" He squeals in protest, grabbing at his bicep with a pout whilst he stares down at the spot where I backhanded him. "What was that for? You know they say you can tell what a woman's gonna look like when she's older by looking at her mother; and damn baby, you'll look fucking fantastic. I'm gonna be one lucky old man." 

I cock an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to catch on.

Not one to disappoint, Gabriel quickly amends his cocksure grin to drop a kiss to my forehead. "Just like I'm a lucky man right now."

"Not for long if you carry on like that." Simply shaking my head at him, I open my front door and nudge him off of the porch. "G'night Gabriel."

"Goodnight, princess." He replies, snapping me into his chest and rewarding me with a fairwell kiss to remember.