Passing Glances

Once Gabe got dressed, he called his dad and told him he'd be a few minutes late. He headed toward East Bella Drive and parked a couple blocks away. He got out, locking his car behind him and made his way to the house opposite of 1367. He took in the sight of flashing red and blue lights, noting several officers walking around the yard. Gabe knew he'd been spotted by a couple of officers and would be ticketed for loitering if he stayed around. He was about to leave when out of the corner of his eye he saw Sarah, the NAPA girl. "Aww, hell," he muttered.

She was walking around the corner of the house, having come from the backyard. Her hands were wrapped around her and her face pale and ashen. Gabe quickened his step, having changed direction from leaving to coming and hurried to her side. "Sarah. What happened? Are you okay?" he asked.

Sarah's gaze held the man's for a moment and then her shoulders shook, in faux humor. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I was passing by and saw the lights," he lied, not wanting to tell the truth about the scanner with the officer standing beside Sarah. "What happened?" he asked again.

Sarah said goodbye to the officer after reassuring him that Gabe was a friend and she'd be okay. "I was robbed last night, but . . . after everything, I just couldn't mess with calling the cops when I got home."

"Damn, baby," he said and pulled her back to where she'd been last night. He hugged her tight, but felt her stiffen. He released her. "Sorry, I just . . ."

"It's okay. I'm trying very hard not to think about it," she said and shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't know you lived around here," she told him.

"Well, in truth I don't." He nodded toward the officer's squad car. "I have a scanner and heard the name Sarah and thought I'd check in and see if the Sarah on the scanner was my Sarah from NAPA."

Sarah smiled, the "my Sarah" not lost on her. She felt a warm blush flood her cheeks and another settle in her stomach. "Thanks for coming by. As you can see, it is I."

"Yeah, that sucks," Gabe answered. "How much did you lose? And any idea who it was?" he asked.

"I lost a lot, but it was my own fault. I'm not a social butterfly and my neighbors didn't feel it was their place to question the 'moving company' that showed up sometime around 10:30 in the morning to move me out of house and home."

"You're shittin' me. They watched your place be robbed and did nothing?" Gabe asked looking around the quiet neighborhood.

"Yeah, but like I said. I didn't associate with them. I simply lived here. Come inside. I do have furniture, just can't entertain you with my loud music." She walked into the house and set the paperwork the officer had given her down on the table. She opened the cabinet and produced a mug. A heavy sigh caught Gabe's attention and he saw her pick up another mug and hold it as if it were the finest pottery known to man.

"You know they may have stripped you of the expensive stuff, but they left you the important things . . . or didn't they," he quickly added when he saw her shoulders slump. "Aww fuck, I'm sorry, they took more than electronics, huh?" he asked.

"Yeah," Sarah whispered and set the mug down. "I'm really tired of crying though," she whispered and felt a new river of tears threatening to fall.

Gabe walked up behind her and pulled her toward his chest. His hands wrapped around her and he placed his chin on her head. "I'm sorry, hon." He wasn't sure why he was suddenly in this woman's life, but he was. He'd been rude to her, she too toward him. Now he was in her home, and trying to comfort her from the loss of everything she held dear to her heart. He remembered she'd mentioned a brother and a sister; the feeling they would be any help to her died on his lips, when he recalled her words.

"Jesus, this is weird," she said and turned into his embrace, burying her head in his chest and once more crying as she sobbed over the silver, the ivory figurines, the jewelry she'd gotten from her mother's passing, family heirlooms she'd found precious for their sentimental attachment, not their value on the auction plate.

He smoothed her hair down and kissed her scalp. "I know. I was thinking the same thing. Fate?" he asked and stepped back when he felt her calm.

She giggled. "Fate? Nah, just an oddity or something."

Gabe chuckled and took a seat at the table after she pointed him toward it. He watched her walk around the kitchen readying him a cup of coffee. He didn't believe in fate either, but he couldn't deny he was curious as to why he was suddenly interested in the young woman before him.

"How old are you Sarah?" he asked.

She placed his coffee on the table and sat down next to him. "Did your mom teach you not to ask a woman her age?" she asked and winked. "I'm twenty-six. You?"

"Thirty-two." He took a deep drink and grinned. "Very good."

"Thanks. I've been fixing it for several years," she answered. She poured herself a cup and added some sugar. "My brother called and he's relented about coming to the funeral. It'll be tomorrow, so he and sis are flying out sometime late tonight."

"You made the arrangements already?" Gabe asked.

"Yeah, I did all that before dealing with the cops. I just woke up, shrugged my shoulders and told myself to get things moving before I brought more chaos into my world." Sarah sighed and rolled her neck.

"I'm glad your brother relented. That'll be nice, won't it. You won't be alone." Gabe took another swig of coffee.

"Nice? Nah, it'll be tolerable. I'll sit here and listen to them whine and complain about how mom and dad were never here for them, but they were for me and how easy I had it. They'll pick through Pop's things and take what they want, listen to the Will, bitch and moan some more and then leave with their precious cashier checks."

Gabe grimaced. "Sorry to hear. How old are they? They sound very young and fool heartily."

Sarah sighed. "Trevor is forty and Denise is thirty-nine." She noticed Gabe's surprised look and chuckled. "Mom married Pop when she was sixteen, and had Trevor then Denise. She was seventeen with Trevor, eighteen with Denise and with me . . . " Sarah winked, "she was thirty-one."

"Wow, quite the age difference between you and your siblings," Gabe noted, trying to understand the math. "So how old were your parents?" he asked.

"Mom was fifty-five when she passed two years ago. Pop just turned sixty-one a few weeks ago." Sarah finished her drink and poured them both another cup. "Anyway . . . when I came along. Trevor was fourteen and Denise thirteen. They didn't have much use for me."

"Too bad," Gabe said and reached out for her hand. He squeezed it and smiled gently up at her. "Do you need anything Sarah? I know we just met, but I feel like I should help you. I mean . . . "

"I know what you mean. But really, I'll be okay. The funeral will be hard, but small and private, so that'll help. Do you want anything to eat?" Sarah got up and moved to the refrigerator. "I've not had anything since yesterday morning and . . . " Her words died when Gabe jumped up and moved to her side.

"Sit down and I'll make you something." He pulled the chair out and then eased her into it. "How do you like your eggs?"

Sarah sighed and rested her elbow on the table and her chin in her palm. "I don't ever remember how they are called. I like the yoke, but want all the white stuff cooked."

"Over easy?" he asked as he pulled a carton of eggs and a small package of bacon from the fridge.

"Yeah, that's it," she answered.

"Have you had a chance to shower this morning?" Gabe asked as he began opening cabinets, eventually finding a skillet, with Sarah's directions.

"Are you saying I stink?" Sarah asked. Her grin was genuine as was her teasing look.

Gabe rolled his eyes. "I figured since you've not eaten, you may not have showered either. I'm very sure that lovely ensemble your wearing is the same uniform you had on yesterday."

"And we remember how flattering that is, don't we," she muttered and stood up. She completed two full steps before she was pulled against Gabe's chest and was forced to look up at him.

"Yesterday we were both a bit rude and callus. I've apologized and so did you. We don't need to bring it back up right now, do we?" His eyes bore into hers and he watched the flush of embarrassment flow over her pale skin. He studied her face and felt his heart quicken. He released her and stepped back. "I won't apologize though for appreciating the female body. I looked yesterday, Sarah. I didn't touch . . . but I'm single, so if I had wanted to I could have."

"Well, you could have the blonde bimbo at the counter, but not the chick at the shop." Sarah winked and pushed her chair in. "I'm going to take a shower and expect my breakfast on the table when I get out."

Gabe chuckled and watched her walk away, once again having a chance to admire the view the black slacks accentuated. "Stop that " He heard her say as she walked off. Gabe laughed and turned back to the stove and the skillet he'd sat down.

Sarah headed to the shower, her face burning bright as she felt the warmth in her stomach spreading out. She'd felt his eyes on her ass and her pulse raced with the knowledge he was taking in her figure as he had the women from yesterday. As she showered, she thought about the past twenty-four hours and where she'd been.

First, there was a morning coffee with her dad in his office, the quick trip to Wal-Mart and back, then to the hospital, back to the shop, then home to find herself relieved of several of her worldly goods and sentimental belongings. Now she was in the shower while a man, a stranger really, cooked her breakfast just a few walls away.

When she walked out of the bathroom, leaving the scent of jasmine behind her, she took a deep breath and inhaled the aroma of fresh coffee, eggs and bacon. Her stomach pitched forward as if it were going to race her feet to the kitchen table. She adjusted the sash on her robe and made sure it was snug. Her hair hung loose and damp. Curls of auburn lay against a thick towel she'd draped over her neck.

"Smells divine," she said and slipped back into her seat. She was more self-conscious now that she had showered and taken a moment to reassess the situation. Her eyes followed Gabe as he poured her juice in the glass near her coffee mug. He then filled her plate with breakfast.

He sat down across from her with his own full plate, topped off their coffee and said, "I hope it's up to par."

Sarah smiled. "I'm sure it's perfect." Her moan told Gabe it was and he grinned. She let the warm food slide down her throat and settle, before she realized she'd closed her eyes on the pleasure. "Wow," she mumbled and took another bite, then opened the hazel orbs. "This is amazing."

Gabe grinned and began his meal. "Thanks, I like to toy with herbs and other things."

"This is great. Damn, you can make me breakfast any day," she told him. Her face grew warm at the implication and she chewed silently for several minutes.

Gabe watched her as she ate. His brown eyes moved over her freshly scrubbed skin that wasn't covered by the thick terry cloth robe. He took in the wet curls and noted the occasional drip of water that slipped from a ringlet of auburn hair and traveled down her chest and between her cleavage to disappear. Gabe shifted in his seat, chiding himself for being a pervert, but eventually accepting it and locking in the erotic image of where the bead of water was traveling. When he heard a cough, he looked up into a pair of hazel eyes that were filled with humor.

"You really have a boob issue, don't you?" Sarah asked. Her lips rose to one side in a smirk and she giggled when Gabe simply shrugged his shoulders.

They continued breakfast and then Gabe rose and began cleaning away the plates. "Stop Gabe. You really don't need to do all this. I've got a few phone calls to make and don't you have a truck to fix?" Sarah asked and stood up to help clean off the table.

"I called Dad and told him I'd be by later. He's in no hurry. He's working on a set of rockers for the store," Gabe said and rinsed off the plates, before handing them back to her to place in the dishwasher.

"I've been in your store before. The Shahanna name is known around here for fine detail and quality work. I bought my dad a small table with Eagle talons as feet and he just loved it," Sarah told the cofounder of Shahanna Custom Furniture. "How do you keep up with the demand?"

Gabe shrugged his shoulders. "We stock other pieces besides our own. The table you mentioned is one my father made. Our clients know that we work best if not pushed. The main funds for the business come from ready-made pieces we buy from other local artist that work out of their home. We have some select furnishings from larger stores, but not many. Dad likes keeping it small and loves using the local artist as his means to expand his talents."

"Oh?" Sarah asked before starting the dishwasher. "Yeah, he likes to study how they do something and usually teaches himself and gives a special spin to it to make it his own when he incorporates it into his work," Gabe leaned against the kitchen counter. He didn't have a reason to stay. She was fed and had taken a shower, so he really could leave, yet he didn't want to. He wanted to find another reason to stay with her. "Do you need anything?" he asked.

Sarah's head tilted and she smiled softly. "Gabe, you've been a big help, a godsend really. I've got it all taken care of though. Trevor and Denise will be here, maybe I'll be lucky and it won't go like before."

Gabe sighed. He'd been dismissed. He knew he had. He shouldn't have been surprised. "I guess my work here is done then," he told her and moved to offer a handshake.

"Like I said, you've been a big help, don't underestimate yourself." Sarah took his hand and felt a spark of electricity coarse through her. She looked into his eyes. Her lips parted slightly and her tongue slipped out to moisten the pink petals. A quiet groan punctuated the air and Sarah wondered who had made the hungry noise.

Gabe pulled her toward him and embraced her, his mouth came down to capture hers and his tongue swept into the warm haven. He tasted coffee and their morning breakfast as he danced with the clever muscle. His hands pressed against her terry cloth back and he felt the rippling of pleasure move through her. His fingers slid down to cup the round ass cheeks he'd admired and he gripped them firmly in his palms.

Sarah whimpered against his mouth and her fingers curled into his shirt. She clung to him. Her lips parting further to take more of his tongue and her head angled to increase the depth and tempo of the kiss. When they parted, she gasped and pressed her head into his chest. "Ummm, wow."

Gabe chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Can I call you?" he asked.

He didn't realize he was holding his breath until he heard her whispered, "I'd like that."

He kissed her again, this time slowly taking his time to stir more passion into her small frame. When he pulled away, it was with great reluctance. "I'll call you tomorrow night okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, that'll be good. I'll need a shoulder or two tomorrow." She opened the door and held it for him.

"Sarah, if you want, I'll come to the funeral and help you deal with your family as well as the legal things with the Will." Gabe held the door frame, not quite ready to leave her presence. "And . . . are you sure you're safe here?"

Sarah smiled. "Gabe. They took everything. They'll not be back. I'm safe. As far as tomorrow goes, I'll call you when it's over. Trevor and Denise . . . well you may run away if you meet the worst of the Granger clan."

Gabe reached out and tucked a damp lock of auburn hair behind a slim curved ear. "I don't think I'll be running far," he told her, "and not alone."

Sarah blushed and watched him leave. She followed his walk and then giggled when she realized he'd parked several blocks away to keep from being a loiterer.

Gabe returned to his car, a smile on his face that lasted through the Spanish Inquisition his father gave him concerning his wide grin. By the time he started on his father's truck, he knew he'd be calling on Sarah that night, either by phone or dropping by her house. Hours later, he pulled the truck back into the drive and shut off the engine, after using it for errands that afternoon.

"Test drive's all done, Dad," he called out as he walked into the house. Silence greeted him and he felt his heart catch in his throat. A sound disturbed the silence and he breathed a sigh of relief. He knew he had thought of Sarah and her situation too much that morning and that was what had brought the initial gut reaction to the silence he'd been greeted with.

"Hey," he said, rapping on the door of his Dad's bedroom.

A groan came through the wood and Gabe's brows shot up. He blanched at the sound he'd heard coming from behind the hinged plank of wood. Suddenly, a very feminine shout poured through the house and Gabe's eyes grew wide. "Fuck," he muttered and shook his head in surprised humor.

He quietly left the living room and scratched out a note to his Dad that the truck was finished. He then quickly glanced around the kitchen, wondering if his Dad's houseguest left anything pertaining to her identity laying around. His eyes fell on a lacy pink bra and he grimaced.

"Damn," he said with a smirk. He wondered who the woman was as the shock wore off and was replaced with a sense of pleasure. He was glad his Dad had moved on; he did wonder though why he'd not said anything to him.

Gabe left the house and quickly made his way back to his home. Thoughts of Sarah beat at his subconscious. By the time he'd reached his driveway his hand was running up and down the length of his cock. He pulled several napkins from the glove box of the car and released the swollen member that had been throbbing off and on all morning.

He closed his eyes, thinking of Sarah and her bright hazel eyes, her long auburn hair and her smile as it moved down his chest and over his cock. He continued to see her. He saw her mouth open wide and her white teeth take a tender nip of his swollen dick, before guiding it down her throat.

"Oh fuck," he muttered, the air his only audience. As he increased the rhythm of his self-fucking, he further enhanced his fantasy. He saw Sarah straddle his face, his fingers grabbing at her swollen nipples and her face a glow in the aftermath of several climaxes. He continued to eat her out, lapping at her swollen pussy. When he came, it was hard. Gabe held the napkins over his cock head and shuddered violently as several shots of white dew erupted from him.

When he opened his eyes, slivers of white light floated on a sea of blurred images. He took several deep breaths and rolled the napkins into a handful, and then deposited them in an old fast food bag.

Gabe tossed the bag into his burning barrel in his back yard and quickly headed to the house to shower and give Sarah a call.

"Hello?" a deep male voice came across the line into Gabe's ear.

"Trevor?" Gabe asked.

"Yeah, whose this?" Trevor asked back.

"Sorry, I'm Gabe, a friend of Sarah's. Is she around?" He waited patiently for Trevor to answer and when he did he felt his stomach roll and pitch as he waited for Sarah to come to the phone.

"Hey Gabe," Sarah's said.

Gabe smiled and answered back, then asked how everything was. He could almost feel the tension in her body and he wanted to reach out and hug her. "Not good, huh?" he asked, not really needed her to answer. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, but it can't be helped."

Gabe heard her voice and knew she was on the verge of either crying or screaming. She'd done enough of one and he had a feeling her brother and sister had helped her with the other. "Have you eaten since breakfast?"