Reading the Defense Ch. 02

One of the other coaches walked past the door to his office and peered in. Gabe threw up a hand and casually waived off the man, everyone else was heading out for a dinner break but Gabe forgot about the grumble in his stomach and would rather stay on the telephone with Samantha.

"Can I ask you a personal question Samantha?"

Her belly began to tie itself in knots as she listened to Gabe. "Of course."

"Are you seeing anyone?"

Silence fell between the two of them, Gabe was the first to break it. "I'm sorry. I just thought I'd ask, before I have some guy coming out on a search and kick ass mission to find me after talking to you."

He was greeted with a hearty laugh and a deep inhale. In whispered tone she answered. "You're outrageous. No. No I'm not seeing anyone." She hesitated. "Are you?"

A huge grin split across Gabe's face, oh he was really glad she answered her phone that night.

" No, but I'd like to see you again."

"Me too."

****

"Wrap a belt around the dress." Liz shouted out from her perch on the bed with Trent, who was sitting in her lap.

Samantha dashed out of her closet past them to grab a belt from the dresser. She and Gabe had talked for a little over an hour the night before and she'd felt a little sad when they hung up. Sad for all of two seconds. Before she tossed her phone on the floor and fanned her body, she had given him her address and they agreed on a time that he would pick her up at tonight.

Tying a thick leather belt with black beads encrusted in an elegant floral design, she turned to Liz. "Better?"

Liz nodded and Trent squealed with delight. Samantha walked over and gave the baby a kiss on the top of his head and then leaned against the wall.

"Just breathe Sam, J-E-S-U-S." Liz's eyes looked down at her son, the boy completely oblivious and perfectly content with the ends of a blanket. "You'd think you were going out on your first date or something. Oh wait..." Liz chuckled.

Blowing out the air in her lungs Samantha just smiled at her friend. "This is completely ridiculous. It's dinner. Food!" Samantha started to blush and Liz started laughing at the nervousness that was creeping up in her friend.

"Exactly."

"There is no way I am going to eat anything!"

"Oh, you can eat something." Liz snickered.

"Oh my god Liz, that is the last thing I should be thinking about."

The two women had been friends for years and Liz wasn't going to take her answers for anything. "Stop thinking and just go with it."

Samantha knew she was right, knew she was acting silly. "You're right."

"I know I'm right. God I love this, and I am so glad I'm married!"

Trent decided he'd had enough of everything and started to get fussy. Taking her cue, Liz gathered everything up and started to make her way home. Samantha stopped her before they headed out the front door of her townhouse.

"Thanks for everything Liz." Before they could leave, Samantha reached over, grabbed one of the tulips that was in a bunch by the front door and placed it inside of Trent's diaper bag.

Putting the carrier down on the ground for a moment, Liz pulled Samantha into a tight hug. "Have fun and just be you. He called you and wants to go out with you. Remember that." Pulling away she picked up her son and walked outside.

****

True to his word, at seven o'clock Gabe rung her doorbell. Taking one last look at herself, she went and opened the door.

"Hi."

With the first sight of her, all he could do was smile at her beauty. Samantha was dressed in a sleeveless black dress that had a flattering collar and flared out above her knees. It was flirty and fun, accenting her hair which was much wavier than he'd remembered from meeting her at the bar. Gabe held the glass door open, stepping forward he slipped his hand around the small of her back. Leaning close he kissed her cheek then leaned back to take her in more closely. "You look beautiful."

Her cheeks warmed at his compliment. "Come in for a minute, I have got to grab my bag."

Gabe walked inside and looked around at where she lived. The spacious townhome was nestled in a smaller neighborhood close to the downtown part of town. The walls were painted in creamy pastels and filled with framed artwork and metal sconces. As he walked up to see one of the pieces of art, he noticed the fresh scent of flowers and saw that there were bunches scattered all throughout her home. The house was utterly feminine, the further he got inside the more relaxed he felt. Everything inside was soft and big, the couches were overstuffed and he could almost picture Samantha curled up on it grading papers.

"One of my students made that for me last year, I just got it framed." She said from behind him, Gabe hadn't heard her come up to him as she spoke to his back. Looking closer, he saw a note at the bottom of the paper.

I love Miss Morrison because she laughs

Turning to face her he raised his eyebrows. As if on cue, she burst into laughter. "There's no denying it."

He gave in and joined her laughter. "Are you ready to go?"

"Hmm, let me think about that one." Looking around her flat, she turned back to him and beamed. "Yes."

Gabe took her to a restaurant along the river, with the warmth of the night surrounding them they were able to sit outside and enjoy the scenic views and privacy. Just after they were seated, Gabe asked what she would like to drink that evening and then ordered a bottle of wine to share. Samantha wasn't used to the gesture, her last boyfriend would always drink beer. Regardless of where they went, he had a beer and would ask for it in the bottle. The glasses had always been forgotten.

Gabe was looking at Samantha intently after the waiter left them behind, his gaze was beginning to make her nervous. Giving in to the stare she laughed and spoke breathlessly.

"What?"

"I was just thinking."

"That's a good thing." She smirked at him.

He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head toward her. "Not all of the time." His voice held a definite diabolical tone; he noticed her eyes widen slightly before darkening. All of the sudden he no longer felt hungry for food, the state of his arousal made him glad they were both sitting. What in the hell was wrong with him? He needed to get control and calm the hell down.

"No really, I was thinking about your place."

"Oh, what about it?" Samantha couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

"I noticed the flowers that were kind of all over the place."

She smiled, thinking about the flowers and was surprised he noticed them at all. He really was observant.

"I can't help myself especially when out at farmers markets. It's terrible, at least my bank account will tell you its terrible but I can't resist. I don't know what it is but it could be the dead of winter and I'll still have a bouquet on the kitchen table or cups filled with whatever flower is in season in the washrooms and my bedroom."

Gabe gazed at her and enjoyed hearing the wistful way she felt about the simplest things. "Don't you have something you can't help yourself with?"

He cocked his head and she laughed at his shrug of feigned innocence. Samantha was really beginning to like his amiable confidence. "Football doesn't count."

"Well, then I guess that's for you to find out."

She licked her lips, Gabe's eyes following the motion and had to fight the urge of pulling her from her seat and sealing his lips with hers. Just as she was about to say something the waiter came over and took their orders, breaking the mood. He asked her about her friends and found out that she was planning a birthday party for a friend's husband; she found out that one of his hobbies was wood work.

The meal was over before both of them were ready and Gabe asked if she'd like to take a walk with him along the river.

Clasping Samantha's hand, they fell into comfortable silence as they walked on the pale stone. The sound of the rolling waves and wind rustling through the branches of the trees surrounding the path brought a sigh from Samantha's mouth.

Leaning her side against him, she brought her eyes up to look at him. "Thank you for tonight Gabe."

His fingers tightened around hers, stopping for a moment he bent his head and brought his lips to hers. Samantha's lips remained closed and Gabe ran the tip of his tongue across her lower lip, then to the crease where it had fallen open slightly. Tightening her grip on his hand, she made a small moan and opened to him.

Taking his time, his tongue moved gently against hers. Gabe ached to run his fingers through her hair, releasing their hands he reached up. The hair felt soft in his hands and he could swear it smelled of fresh roses. His other hand rested in the small of her back, silently begging her closeness. Samantha tasted the powerful flavor of him and lost herself in their kiss. Her hands clutched his sport coat tightly, she tilted her head to take his tongue deeper and realized she needed to feel him. Dimly she heard a sound in his throat as one of her hands moved from his jacket and slipped to rub his side.

Heat shot straight to his groin, he knew if he didn't step back he was going to pull her dress up around her waist and take her against one of the trees lining the path. With great reluctance he released his mouth from hers. She pouted, while Gabe ran a hand through his coarse hair and gave a nervous laugh.

Eyes locked on her swollen lip, he tried to regain some form of control. It was Samantha who spoke first.

"I think I found something you can't help yourself with." She smiled coyly at him and then walked ahead to catch her breath.

Shaking his head ruefully he caught up to her and once again reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together. They started walking back to his truck.

"What are your plans for this weekend?"

Samantha could hardly remember how to spell her name let alone what her plans were, but somehow her brain started functioning.

"My friend Liz is having a barbecue on Sunday so I'll be going over there. Do you have a game?"

"Yeah, Saturday." She looked over at him, her eyes encouraging him to talk about his work. "We're playing New Orleans, they're a good team. There's one kid I've been working with that has the sweetest gift. I've been trying to figure the best way to play him and I think after watching their defense, this kid could be our surprise in taking them."

Gabe continued to talk about his coaching methods and managed to bring up a few of the people he tried to coach like to his players as they got to the truck. Samantha lived practically in the center of the town and they arrived at her driveway in minutes. He shut off the engine and glanced over at her; she was digging in her bag for the keys but stopped to look back at him. Smiling, he just shook his head and got out to walk over and open her door.

As Samantha stepped out she held on to Gabe's hand. "I had a really good time tonight, thank you again."

"You don't ever have to thank me." He reached up and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Sweet breath escaped her lips, Gabe's mind short circuited from keeping cool to wanting her. Pulling her close he crushed her lips with his in a devouring kiss. She responded with fervor and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Her breasts were pressed against the front of his jacket and he could feel the softness against his chest. His tongue was aggressive and she matched his passion with her own. Gabe's large hands reached down grabbing her bottom urging her closer. Samantha groaned into his mouth as she felt his hot and thick arousal pressing into her. She wanted to push her hands into his pants and feel him, feel the weight of what she'd done to him.

Gabe broke the kiss when he felt Samantha rub up his body. It took him a minute for the focus to return to his eyes. Her lips were swollen from his bruising kisses; he couldn't resist taking a little nip on the bottom lip that glistened from the light of a nearby streetlamp.

Samantha brought her arms down and placed her palms on his chest. "Oh, I really want to do this. " The heat from her palms was driving him crazy.

"Me too, but I think I need to go back to my truck." He stepped back a little and tried to adjust himself as casually as possible.

Her eyes snapped up to his. "What?"

Gabe saw her confusion and laughed. "It's a school night ma'am." He leaned down and kissed her nose. "And now you owe me."

A breathless laugh swooped over her. God this man was impossible Samantha thought to herself. "How do you figure that?"

"Well see, I've gone out of my way twice for you. Now you have to take me out." The corner of his mouth kicked up and he gave her a wicked grin. Something that did not help the burning in her belly.

Samantha nodded and turned toward the path leading to her front door. Before she got to the curve of the path, she turned to face Gabe.

"I owe you more than a drink coach."

Turning back, she disappeared to go inside. Gabe stood back for a minute, standing like an idiot in her driveway staring at the space she just left afraid he heard her wrong. He shook his head until he slipped into the driver seat, looking at the garage door he threw his head back and laughed.