Above it All Ch. 04-05

That was a real let down. I was anxious that I wouldn't be away from Gabrielle any longer than necessary. There was nothing to do except let her know when I called her that evening. Oh yeah, I would be calling her every night to remind her that I missed her.

"Hi ... how are you?" I asked when she picked up the phone that evening.

"Good. How was your flight?"

"Fine ... on time. But I got a disappointment when they told me my return flight had been rescheduled and I wouldn't be back in Oakland on Friday until eight. That really was a lousy thing to learn at the last minute. I'll have to change my schedule in future to avoid that happening again."

"Oh ... well ... don't worry. It's too late for dinner, but I'll wait up for you if you want to stop by," she said. The tone of her voice told me she wasn't just saying that to soothe my disappointment.

"I'll be there, count on it," I promised.

We spent a few minutes talking about our day and I teased her about the phone message I got from John asking about the massage oil. She had no shame at sharing that secret with Georgette, but then, it didn't really bother me that much. I knew women liked to share juicy information about their boyfriends and husbands, so I wasn't upset about it. Who knows, perhaps it enhanced my reputation.

When we hung up after I promised to call her tomorrow, I lay back on the bed and thought about just how lucky I was to have found Gabrielle. Perhaps she found me, but in the end it didn't matter. I felt an enthusiasm for life that I couldn't recall for some time. I wanted to do something to please her. It didn't matter what, as long as she knew just how strongly I felt about her. The impression I was getting from her was that she was equally intent on pleasing me.

We talked both nights and then it was Friday and time to head back to Oakland. I was happy the plane was more or less on time and the flight home was uneventful. I didn't have long to wait for my single, checked bag and immediately headed for the parking lot and my Jeep. It was just before nine when I pulled into the visitor slot in her apartment building's parking lot. I locked my bag and briefcase in the trunk and headed for her apartment.

Her greeting at the door was exactly what I hoped for. I stepped in and immediately she wrapped her arms around me and gave me a very nice welcome home kiss. It was long and passionate and it made my arrival everything I could have hoped for.

"Where's your bag," she asked.

"I locked it in the car."

"Go get it. You're staying tonight," she said.

I didn't hesitate. I was down the stairs and out into the parking lot in a flash. Two minutes later I was back at her door which she had conveniently left slightly ajar for me. I was slightly out of breath, but pumped with adrenalin and anticipation of what was to come. What a great way to come home from a road trip. I could get used to this.

"Have you eaten?" she asked as I shucked off my coat.

"Yeah, I grabbed a sandwich and some salad at the Quiznos outlet, washed it down with some tea."

"Still sticking to your healthy diet, huh?" she smiled.

"Wherever I can," I admitted. "If it's not a problem, I'd like to take a shower. Sitting in those cigar tubes at this time of the year leaves a smell on me that I don't think you'll like."

"Of course. Would you like me to join you?" she smiled with a raised eyebrow.

"Give me a five-minute head start and I'll be smelling and feeling better," I suggested.

"No more than five minutes ... maybe less," she grinned.

"I'm getting the impression you missed me just as much as I missed you," I said.

"You're getting the right impression," she smiled as she showed me to the bedroom.

Fortunately, I had some spare clean underwear and a shirt, so I wasn't forced to reuse anything. Her tub was a conventional size, so any idea that we might indulge in some sexual hijinks could be a problem. She didn't wait the full five minutes to join me, but I was already finished with a proper body wash and looking forward to her arrival.

The floor of the tub had some sort of non-skid surface which gave me some confidence that we shouldn't be in danger if we didn't get too crazy. But Gabrielle had other ideas. She was wearing a shower cap to keep her beautiful blonde hair from getting wet, and nothing else but a smile. She took great care in soaping and cleaning my body, paying particular attention to a certain appendage.

One thing led to another and I was rewarded for my patience when she squatted down and proceeded to relieve me of any tension I might have gathered during the day. How could you not love a woman who would treat her man like this? We wrapped each other in towels before heading to the bedroom. The light on the night table was low and the bedspread pulled down in preparation for us.

If I had any fatigue from my week, it vanished when I slowly entered her and, with her encouragement, I began that ancient primal dance, this time in slow motion. Her earlier oral attentions had assured I would last some time and I made the most of my opportunity to show her just how much I missed her and cared for her. If it wasn't the best lovemaking I'd ever enjoyed, it was close. Neither of us was in a rush to complete and we took full advantage of our relaxed state.

Not a lot of words passed between us, but few were necessary. Gabrielle finished before I did, but only just. Her orgasm set off my completion and as we lay together, I think we both realized just how perfect this had been. It left no doubt in my mind. I had fallen in love with Gabrielle Lamont ... or Lamontaigne as I thought of her. My elegant, beautiful, perfect woman had captured my heart and soul.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I know," she smiled in reply. "I love you too."

Nothing more needed to be said.

To Be Continued