I shrug. “What can I say? I can’t be a blindingly good shag, eloquent and good at accents, but I can live with two out of three.”
We stare at each other for a few seconds but can’t keep a straight face and both break out into a grin. Okay, I haven’t got him laughing but I’ve hopefully lifted his spirits from the depths of despair where they were lurking just a few minutes ago. He kisses me on the mouth.
“I love you Lauren Day, I love you so much.”
“You better.”
“Do you get sick of me telling you? I feel like it’s all I ever say?”
“Yep. I never want to hear those words again.”
He stills and looks down at me. “Gabe? Seriously? You seriously want me to answer that.” He nods his head slightly.
“I’ve never said it to anyone before. I mean, Obviously Ava and my family but I’ve never told a woman and I don’t know how often. How many times a day I’m supposed to say it. I want to tell you all day every day, it runs through my mind constantly, it’s the first thing that wants to come out of my mouth every time I look at or think about you but I worry that I will just get on your nerves.”
“I live for it. I live for those words, if you want to tell me all day every day, then go for it, tell me as often as you need to, there are no rules to loving someone Gabe, love is different for everyone so just go with what feels right, what works for you but just so you know, I love hearing you tell me that you love me, I love the way you say my name, the way you never shorten it, it’s always only ever Lauren with you, I love it when you call me baby, I love the way you say I’ve got ya when you know I’m about to come, I just love you period. You really have no idea do you? Just accept that what you feel for me is matched by what I feel for you tenfold.”
He shakes his head again. “Not possible.”
“It is, accept it.”
“Do you think I’ve turned into a pussy since we met? Jake and Zac reckon I’ve lost my balls and grown a mangina.”
“Jake and Zac can fuck right off and mind their business. You’re just new to all of this that’s all. You’ll eventually learn how to handle your feelings.”
“I don’t think I will. Not where you’re concerned.”
“Good. Coz I want you to always love and want me the way you do right now, I’m a very insecure person. I want to always hear you tell me you love me.”
He gives a small laugh and shakes his head. “I have a plane to catch.”
“You best move your sexy arse then.”
“Well I can’t seeing as your sexy arse is parked right in my lap right now.”
I huff and go to stand but before I do, he lifts me in his arms as he stands the both of us up. He wraps his arms around my waist and kisses me gently on the mouth, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back. He slaps my backside.
“Go woman, otherwise I will never make my flight.”
I huff and step out of the water, grab a towel off the rack and wrap if around my hair, pulling my bathrobe on I head off to make us coffee and leave Gabe to get dressed. The words from our earlier conversation churning through my brain, I feel so inadequate at trying to help him, he really needs professional help and it’s something that I am determined to look into, whether he will agree to counselling or not, I’m really not sure but I will do some research regardless.
I love Gabe naked; he has a long lean body, broad shoulders, a nicely defined six pack and that V that just does things to me. The only thing that matches a naked Gabriel Wilde in my book, is Gabriel Wilde in a suit. Today he is wearing a three piece, light grey Prince Of Wales check suit with a very light blue line running through the check, he has teamed it with a white cut away collar shirt and a light blue tie, which he has tied with a wide knot, his hair is still damp and pushed back off of his face but because it’s in need of a cut a section from the front has flopped forward, he has shaved, which I don’t like so much, preferring a couple of days stubble around that sexy jaw of his, but this is an important meeting and he needs to look professional, so I’ll live with it. By the time he gets back to me he won’t be so smooth anyway. All in all, he looks drop dead fucking gorgeous; I pass him his coffee with a smile.
“Stop with that look Lauren, it’s already gone seven thirty, I need to check in by ten.”
“What did I do?” Seriously, am I that obvious?
“You know what you do. To me. With that look. So stop it.”
“I didn’t do anything, I just looked at you, it’s just the way I look when I look at you. In a suit. All smoking hot. And fucking sexy. It makes me w…”
“Lauren, I’m going, now, before I end up missing my flight.” He interrupts.
“Jake and Zac are right, you do have a Mangina.”
He ignores me. “Do not drive too far, keep your phone switched on and call me at any time if you need me. What are you doing today?”
“Hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, mani, pedi, out for an Indian with Stella tonight, then she’s staying over to babysit me.”