Above it All Ch. 08-10

I smiled. "Well, I have a stationary bike in the spare bedroom, there's a pool outside that's heated, and I walk for exercise as well. Beside, you don't look like you're one pound over the weight I remember you at."

"That's very kind of you, Kyle, but I know better," she said with a sigh.

"I'll tell you what, we'll go on a hike this weekend," I said. "Nothing radical, but I know a place up at Auburn that has good hiking trails. Nothing too demanding, naturally, but still good exercise."

"That sounds like it might be fun," she agreed. "But, I don't have any hiking boots."

"Not a problem," I said with a wave. "There's an outfitters store not far from the shop. They carry some good quality stuff there."

She looked at me for a few moments before agreeing. "Okay, I can use the exercise, and the fresh air up in the Sierras will do me good."

"Great. Why don't you meet me at the shop tomorrow and I'll guide you to the store. You'll probably want something that doesn't require breaking in. There's nothing worse than blisters from new boots. Trust me, been there, done that, not again."

She chuckled and nodded. "I know what you mean. I'll probably put moleskin on my heels just to be safe."

"Good plan. It should be nice weather this weekend. The Western States Trail and the Pardners Trail are all in or near the Auburn State recreational area. They run along the American River on its way down to Sacramento. A really pretty area," I said.

"That sounds nice," she smiled, clearly warming to the idea.

Gabrielle moved to her laptop to do some work and I headed for my makeshift office-cum-exercise-cum-music room. It had been a while since I'd picked up my acoustic guitar and I set up the keyboard recording unit, punched in the selection I wanted, and tuned the guitar. I put on my headphones and began to play. With a few moments I was lost in the music and playing along with the melody. I had a voice that would frighten anyone, so I don't sing.

I played two or three pieces before I went back to the Yamaha keyboard to choose some further selections. I hadn't noticed, but when I looked up, Gabrielle was leaning against the door frame, listening to me. She was smiling as I picked away at another tune, enjoying myself. Making music could be such a simple pleasure and good therapy for the lonely times. I ended the tune and took off the headphones.

"You play really well, Kyle. I see you have a keyboard now."

"Yeah ... I liked the one you had, and this one was on sale. It had the same features that yours did, so I bought it. I've got some small speakers and an electric guitar as well. Out here, by myself, I can play it loudly and badly and no one is offended," I kidded.

"Is that offer for a massage still open?" she asked. "My legs are quite sore."

"Yes ... of course. Let me get the oil and towels and we'll do that. I'll set it up in the master bedroom. The ensuite will be more convenient. I'll warm up the oil and we can get started."

She gave me an odd smile, then retreated to her bedroom while I got up and headed for the master suite. I don't know why I'd kept the massage oil, but I was immediately glad I had done so. I grabbed two large beach towels and having pulled the comforter off the bed, I laid the towels down on the top sheet.

I was nervous. I hadn't done this for a while, and I wondered how I'd react in her presence. I was going to leave my khakis on for modesty. I remember what had happened the first time I'd massaged her and I was torn between repeating the scene or being a little more modest. I did remove my shirt.

It wasn't long before Gabrielle walked in wearing a robe. She smiled as she saw me, then asked, "Aren't you going to take off your slacks? You wouldn't want to get oil on them. It might not come out in the wash."

"Oh ... uhhm ... yeah, I guess so," I said uncertainly. I undid my belt, unzipped the fly, and stepped out of them.

In the meantime, she had loosened the tie on the robe and with a studied move, allowed it to slip over her shoulders before falling to the floor. She was naked. Not a stitch on her. I could feel my chest tighten and my cock stiffen. There was no escaping it. I was going to embarrass myself.

"Like what you see?" she taunted.

How could I not. "Yeah ... of course. But ... you've shaved," I said, looking a where her lightly covered pubic hair once resided.

"Like it?" she grinned. She was clearly feeling a lot more confident than I was at that point.

"Yeah ... It looks ... nice," I stammered.

She climbed onto the bed and lay face down, remembering the position she held when I gave her the first massage. I took a few, silent, deep breaths to calm myself and picked up the warmed oil and began trickling it onto her legs from her upper thighs to her feet. I spent a few moments spreading the oil over her leg muscles, rubbing it in, but not using the force I would typically use for the massage.

Once the oil was applied, I began as I did before with her feet. She had complained that standing on the ladder had caused her arches to be sore, so I worked the plantar muscles first before moving to the calves and ultimately the thighs.

"How does it feel?" I asked. "I'm not too aggressive am I?"

"No," she answered languidly. "You have wonderfully strong hands."

I changed sides and began on the other foot, again working up slowly to the calf muscles before I moved to the thighs. I couldn't really notice much difference in her from my first attempt at this, but it was three years ago, so I wasn't surprised that I wasn't able to tell. However, she was sighing and I heard the odd moan that sounded like pleasure. I assumed I was giving her some relief.

I turned her over and once again, poured a trickle of oil on her thighs and legs. I gently spread the oil down the inside of her thighs, squeezing the muscles as I did so. Again, I heard a moan of satisfaction from her as she lay with her eyes closed.

"That feels wonderful, Kyle," she said softly.

"I'm glad. Any pain I haven't dealt with yet?"

"Just one," she said, her eyes now open. "This one," she said, tapping her finger on her left chest.

I let the air out of my lungs. I wasn't sure how long I'd been holding my breath, but that one comment from her really shook me. She reached over and just as she had so long ago, slipped her hand inside the fly of my boxers and gripped my erection. I moved over her and leaned down and kissed her. Her other arm wrapped around my neck and held me to her. Our tongues met and the kiss was prolonged.

My free hand was stroking her sex, not yet probing her, but with the oil present, she was reacting to my moves with her hips. Her hand on my erection was warm and soft and she stroked me briefly, but was distracted by what I was doing to her.

I slipped a finger into her and she groaned as I did so. Not long afterwards, a second finger joined it and now she was really reacting to the stimulation. I stayed over her and kissed her deeply once more, receiving an equally passionate response. There was no longer any doubt how this was going to end. I stripped off my boxers before I moved over her and she guided me to her entrance. The oil on my hand and her lubrication internally, made my entry into her almost effortless.

"Kyle!" she cried as I filled her with my rigid erection. Her arms were wrapped around my back and she was holding me to her with all her strength. I hadn't moved yet, but soon I felt her relax somewhat and I began to move in her.

"Oh, God, Kyle. Where have you been? I've missed you so much. I wanted you so badly. You broke my heart, Kyle. Don't ever leave me again. Tell you won't ever leave me again," she cried. I could feel the tears on her cheek and tasted them with my kisses.

"I will never leave you again, Gabrielle. I promise you with all my heart. I will never leave you again."

We made love like we never had before. Some of it was the desperation of two lovers who had been separated for so long. Some of it was the lust of two young bodies finding their own nirvana in each other. My fondest hope was realized. I had nothing left to wish for. This was all I had wanted. It just took me three years to understand that.

I have only a vague recollection of when we finally held each other with the intention of sleeping. I was sure Gabrielle would be sore in the morning, but I doubted she'd complain. I had never experienced such an emotional and loving connection with anyone before tonight. We loved, we laughed, we cried, we said everything that needed to be said.

It was well past eight before we rose and did our morning ablutions. Gabrielle went first while I lay back on the bed with my hands behind my head and a smile on my face. There was no rush as far as I was concerned. I began to think about the conversation we'd had as we lay in the afterglow. All the mistakes and hurts of my past came out in my confession. She was blameless, and I was not. There was no point in my apologizing any more. I had said it all, accepted it all, promising that the "new Kyle" would never be that angry person again.

"There is something about me that you should know," she said as we lay on our backs, holding hands. "It's something about my past that I'd never told you."

I didn't respond, but squeezed her hand gently in acknowledgement.

"It was at the end of my sophomore year and a few of my friends and I decided to go out on a Saturday night and blow off a little steam in celebration. I don't remember the details clearly, but then, I'd had a couple of drinks already. There were some guys who were paying a lot of attention to us, but nothing that was bothersome. I got up to go to the washroom with another girl and somewhere along the line, someone put something in my drink. I began to feel a little more woozy than just the two drinks.

"We'd been dancing with some of the guys off and on and now one or two of them were sitting with us. The next thing I knew was I'd been cut out of the group and on my way out the door. It was like I had no will to resist, and soon, I was having sex with three guys in some crummy apartment. They used me everyway possible and left me there when they were finally done with me.

"I don't remember much except waking up with a massive headache and pain in my vagina and anus. I knew what had happened, but I felt powerless to stop it. To tell the truth, I didn't want to stop it. Luckily, I didn't remember all the details. It was just as well. I don't think I could have lived with those memories. Anyway, I gathered up my clothes and headed for the nearest clinic. I reported the rape and asked for a blood test. They were really good about it and not long afterwards, a female police officer from Oakland came to see me and took a statement.

"I was lucky. Not just because I was on birth control, but they didn't give me an STD despite the fact that they didn't use condoms. I considered dropping out of school for a while, and if it had happened any time but at the end of the spring semester, I might have. But luckily, I seemed to have got past the worst of it by September. It's not something I would wish on any woman and I certainly won't allow myself to be in that position again. So, if I look at little overcautious when I'm in a bar or tavern, that's the reason."

"I feel for you, Gabrielle," I said. "I know it happens, but I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone either. Did they catch the guys?"

"No. I wasn't the only victim. Another of my classmates was apparently in the same building. She'd been drugged too. As far as I could tell, it was a fraternity type building, but there was no one around when the police investigated. The other girl refused to cooperate with the police, so I was on my own. My recollection of the guys was too vague to give them an accurate description, so the case was probably dropped. I never heard from the police afterwards."

"And now ... any after effects?"

"I had some pretty bad nightmares for a while and got some help from the university medical services psychiatrist. Like I said, I'd had the summer to get over the trauma and with some professional help, I survived it."

"You didn't really have to share that with me," I said softly. "I'm glad you did, though. I don't have anything in my background that you don't know about. I haven't been with anyone since I left you. I know why, of course. I couldn't get you out of my mind. I don't fall in love with someone and just erase them like that. I always hoped that maybe we'd find a way back, but as the years passed, I was starting to lose hope. You can't imagine what I felt when I came into the showroom the other day and saw you hunched down looking at the Matchless."

"I wish I could say the same for myself, Kyle, but I can't. I tried to get you out of my mind. I did date, and I did have sex with a couple of other men, but ... there was nothing there. What we had ... what we have ... is beyond special. If I never knew what love was about, I found out during those three years. I loved you then and I love you now."

Chapter 10 Epilogue

Thursday was not a terribly productive day for me. Personally, I didn't worry about it for one minute. My world was spinning on a new axis and I relished the feeling it gave me. I realized I'd not introduced Gabrielle to Mike, even though he knew who she was. We'd agreed that she'd meet me at the store after work and we'd go to the outfitter from there.

She arrived just before four o'clock, a surprise, but a pleasant one.

"Mike, this is Gabrielle Lamont. Gabrielle, this is Mike Trask, long time friend and majority business partner."

They greeted each other.

"I was wondering when I was going to meet the mythical Gabrielle," Mike said with a smile. "You're as beautiful as Kyle described you. I'm delighted to meet you. You've single-handedly brought Kyle's working hours down to something sensible."

"I've heard he made workaholics look lazy," Gabrielle chuckled. "I'm trying to give him new things to be interested in."

"I think you've got his attention," Mike laughed.

"Hey you guys, I'm right here," I said in mock disgust. "Come on, Gabrielle, let's get over to the outfitter."

"Aren't you going to show her the bike?" Mike asked.

"What bike?" Gabrielle wondered.

"Didn't Kyle tell you about the bike he named in tribute to you?"

Gabrielle turned to me with a questioning look. "No ... he didn't."

"Come on then," he said as we marched into the shop.

I followed along, not sure how she would react to my personal project, but knowing that it was inevitable anyway.

Mike pulled the cover off the motorcycle and stood back.

"Oh, my, that's something," she said, moving closer to examine it.

"Once upon a time that was a pile of wreckage. Kyle must have spent a year putting it back together. You'll notice the paint job and the inscription," Mike said.

"The color chosen for the bike was Nissan Mahogany Pearl," Mike said. "The lettering is rich gold."

The lettering was simply "Gabrielle" in script, with a silhouette of a woman's windblown head at the front. She turned to me.

"You did this long before we got back together?" she wondered.

"Yeah," I admitted.

"The color looks familiar. It's the same as my old car used to be, isn't it?"

"Yeah," I nodded.

"So, this is some kind of tribute, is it?"

"Yeah," I said again.

She stepped to me, wrapped her arms around me and kissed me the way she had when we were making love. Out of the corner of my eye, I could just see Mike grinning.

"You never forgot, did you?"

"Not for a second," I said.

"I'm going to marry this guy, Mike. He got away from me once, but never again. He's mine now," she said, turning back to me and renewing her kiss.

"Good for you," Mike said happily. "He's been much more cheerful since you arrived this week."

"Yeah, well, I'm going to keep him that way too," she grinned, looking me in the eyes.

"You going to give her a ride on that?" Mike asked, pointing to the bike.

"I guess I'd better," I smiled. "I'll get the helmets," I said, moving to a cabinet behind the motorcycle.

"Even the helmets are painted the same as the bike," she noted.

"Have you ever been on a motorcycle before?" Mike asked.

"Yeah ... when I was a kid. My brother had a dirt bike and I got to ride that now and then."

"This bike is different," I said. "It used to be a Honda Gold Wing, but aside from some of the running gear, most of it is custom built. I had to swap out the motor for a rebuilt and I dumped some of the electronics I didn't think I needed. The fairing is a custom design by a friend of mine. It's a nice smooth ride and big enough for my oversized frame. I promise I won't scare you on it."

I pushed the bike out of the shop onto the showroom floor, and then out the front door. It started at the push of a button and the liquid-cooled motor purred to life as quietly as a conventional sedan. I didn't have to encourage Gabrielle as she slipped into the saddle behind me. I looked back and she was smiling, holding me with her arms around my mid-section. I tapped it into gear and we rolled away slowly before joining in with the light traffic on the street.

It was barely a five-minute ride, but that was enough for Gabrielle to offer an opinion.

"Since it's got my name on it, I think I should be allowed to ride it," she announced.

"Not until you've had some proper lessons ... and not from me," I said forcefully.

"Chicken," she snickered.

A half hour later we had a good quality pair of hiking boots for her as well as a pair of cargo pants that would protect her legs during the hike. She already had a nylon shell for upper body protection. We took a little longer route back to the office to pick up her car and my truck. The bike would go back into the shop and under cover once more.

"Why isn't that at your home?" she asked.

"Our home," I said forcefully once more. "I've been fiddling with it, just to remind myself of why I built it. I guess it's time it came back to its rightful place."

"You're darn right," she said. "I want to show it off to my friends. Where can I get riding lessons?"

I laughed. "I've got a card for the best school around. We've been using them to train the kids. You'll be in good hands with them. Remember, this bike weights over 700 pounds, while the little scooters are between 250 and 350 pounds. That's a huge difference. If it falls on you, it's going to do some serious damage."

"I guess I'd better get into a weight training program to deal with it, eh?" she grinned.

"I'd say that was probably a futile gesture. I don't know anyone who could pick one of these up off the ground. I don't even try. Otherwise, it's a pussy cat to handle. Smooth power, soft suspension, lots of torque. It's a cruiser, meant for the highway. I'd never take it on the freeways with all the trucks and crazies out there, but it's fine on the local state highways."

"What are you going to ride when I take this over," she grinned again.

"I'll just sit behind you and let you do the work," I chuckled.

"Figures," she said with a flip of the wrist.

~*~

A lot had happened in four momentous days. I was still reeling from finding Gabrielle in the showroom and ultimately, having her back in my life. I wondered how I'd survived the last three years without her, but I knew the answer to that. I substituted work for pleasure. Perhaps I was paying penance for my sins, but whatever the reason, Gabrielle had given me back my life. I felt more energized than I had in a very long time.

We talked about marriage and children, knowing that our life wouldn't be complete without both. Financially, we had no worries, so it was a matter of all the other details. The first order of business was to phone her parents and my sisters and grandparents. I was looking forward to that call. I'm sure they'd want to know how Gabrielle and I got back together, but I was going to save that story for another time. We hadn't set a date for the wedding, nor had I even looked for a ring, so there were a lot of things yet to be accomplished.