Passing Glances

Her laughter was light so again he knew the answer. "How about I swing by and we have dinner at Bistromi's?"

Again he felt her weighing the decision and smiled when he heard her whisper, "Get over here now " He laughed and told her he'd see her in a bit. After he hung up, he quickly threw on a splash of cologne and darted out to the car. His cell phone buzzed and he answered it, while backing out of his drive.

"Hey Dad, truck running okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, what are you doing for supper tonight?" Mitch asked.

"I'm taking the NAPA girl out," he answered and then turned onto the road. "What's up?" "I wanted you to meet someone, but we can do it another night," Mitch told him.

Gabe chuckled. "Yeah, I'd like to meet the owner of that lacy pink bra . . . " He let his words hang in the air and then laughed when his father chuckled over the phone. The two men agreed to meet another night and Gabe shut off his phone.

He reached Sarah's and was surprised to see her sitting on her porch steps, purse in one hand, sandals hung from the fingers of her other. He was glad to see her face full of peace.

"Hey," he said and walked toward her, leaving the car running. "I see you saved me from having to honk the horn and wait on you."

Sarah giggled. "I bet you're one of those men that would come to the door and meet my Pop." Her smile fell a little, but she shook it back in place.

"Yeah, I would have. I also would have brought your mom flowers and your dad a bottle of beer, but . . . since I was in a hurry to get you away from Trevor and Denise I decided to skip the beer and posies." He swept his hand around her waist and led her toward his car.

"Well, next time, bring me the beer and the posy," Sarah said, adding a smile and a nudge against his ribs.

"Deal," Gabe answered, too excited that she'd agreed to a next time, before they'd even gotten into the car.

Gabe opened the door for her and settled her into the big Cadillac. His eyes roamed up her legs and he noticed she still hadn't slipped her sandals on. "May I?" he asked. His fingers took the straps from her hand and squatted down.

Sarah watched his fingers wrap around her right ankle and slowly slip the sandal under the arch. She moved to grab the strap and assist him, but was stopped by his quiet, "Let me."

She swallowed as he fit her toes into the buckles and then wrapped the thin ribbon around her ankle bone. She whimpered softly as his fingers grazed her skin while he tied the thin strips into a bow. He looked up at her, and locked her gaze with his. Sarah's tongue snaked out, moistening both petals. Her gaze was dragged back to her left foot, which was being cradled protectively in Gabe's large palm.

"I'm sorry," he told her and saw her confusion. "I never should have dismissed you that first day." He slipped her foot in and tied the ribbon and then ran his fingers up her leg, massaging circles along the calf muscle until he reached her knee. "I was an idiot."

"Yeah, but I was on the rag," she muttered, lost in his gaze. She realized what she said and felt her cheeks grow hotter.

"Yeah, I remember and damn I'm bummed about that," Gabe answered. He kissed her right thigh and stood up. "Another time," he told her.

Sarah said nothing, but inside her heart was pounding. "Holy fuck," she whispered under her breath as she watched Gabe come around the car. She felt her sex growing moist and chuckled as she thought of how wet her panties would have been if it hadn't been for the pad.

Gabe slid in and pulled out of the drive. "Do you want to talk about your family and tomorrow or are those subjects off limit tonight?"

Sarah smiled and reached over to squeeze his arm. "We'll play it by ear. They are here until tomorrow afternoon. Both have planes scheduled to leave within an hour of each other. The funeral is at 10:00, the Will should be read around 11:00, and they'll be on planes at 1:00 and 2:00."

"Wow, everything is precise, isn't it?" Gabe asked and reached for the hand that had squeezed his arm. He held it securely in his fingers and brought their joined hands up to his lips. He kissed the soft knuckles and gazed over to her, before returning his attention to the road.

Sarah shivered and softly smiled. "Yeah, precise."

They continued to converse back and forth, touching on the arrangements for Paul's funeral and then moving back to Gabe's Father's furniture business. When they reached the restaurant, both were pleased to be in the other's company.

Sarah tried to feel guilty. She kept telling herself she shouldn't have been with Gabe, but curled into a bed and feeling sorry for her loss. But when her sister and brother had invaded, the sorrow had turned to rage. When Gabe called, she wanted escape and he had offered. She snagged up the lifeline.

She told Gabe about her childhood. The first few years, she admitted weren't fun. Her parents struggled with Trevor and Denise's jealousy at having a new child in the house. Though looking back, she thought it selfish that her fourteen and thirteen-year-old siblings really thought they were loved less, just because a baby had been brought into the house . . . but they had and that meant she never had a lot of fun times with her sister and brother.

Gabe spoke of his youth. His childhood was happy and full of life. The loss of his mother had been painful, to both him and his father, but through time they both came to accept it. He shared with her how he'd walked into his father's home and discovered that his father had a girlfriend, and not just a girlfriend, but a lover. He told her about how he had wanted to call her the minute she left him in the parking lot of the NAPA store and that brought a blush to her cheeks.

When dinner ended Gabe took Sarah's hand in his and led her to a different part of the restaurant that catered as a bar and a dance club. He pulled Sarah into his arms and slowly danced with her as close as propriety would allow. His fingers pressed against the small of her back and he breathed warm puffs of air against the top of her head. The scent of her shampoo washed over him and he swore there was a scent of feminine arousal hidden underneath it. He felt his sex stir to life, something that had been a reoccurring problem throughout the night.

"Sarah," he whispered against her ear, letting his breath caress her neck. "I'm going to kiss you," he told her.

Sarah trembled and turned her lips toward his. "I'd like that," she answered back, offering her mouth to his. Her lids fluttered closed, but stopped when she felt his thumb on her lower lip.

"Not there," he told her and tilted her head back. His mouth moved to the pulse beating under the fragile skin of her neck. He pressed his lips to her flesh, while one hand swept up her ribs and curled around her breast. He licked the skin, sucked firmly and then teased the moist spot with several warm caresses of air rushing across her skin.

"Oh God," she whimpered and felt him grinning against her.

"Yeah," he told her and swept his tongue up her neck and over to her ear. He pulled the lobe and chewed gently on it. He traced the shape of the sweet tender flesh with the tip of his tongue. He felt her shake and pulled her closer to him. "Feel that?" he asked.

"Mmm . . . ohh holy fuck," Sarah hissed. Her fingers clenched the lapels of his jacket and she shook her head against his chest.

"You do that to me," he told her and skimmed his palm down her back. He kissed her shoulder.

"Gabe, I don't think," Sarah whimpered. She stepped back. "Maybe we should go?"

Gabe looked down and stared into her hazel eyes. "Yeah, we should." His mouth pressed against her's and he slid his tongue inside the warm recess. She kissed him back, their tongues dancing in time with the music. When they parted, Gabe kept her snugly pressed against him.

Sarah let him lead her to the car. Her hand lay against her stomach and she took several breaths to calm the fluttering of butterflies. She watched Gabe take his place beside her and reach toward her. She expected a kiss and was rewarded with one, but also was cheated by the quickness of it.

"Damn," he muttered against her lips. Sarah giggled.

He reached around her and took the seatbelt. He pulled it across her small frame and buckled her in. "Damn?" she asked and winked at him.

"Yeah, damn . . . for being a gentleman." Gabe turned on the car and started back toward Sarah's home.

Sarah felt the heat of her sex and knew the arousal was even more enhanced because of her monthly cycle. She also knew her toys would be getting a workout when she got home. She kept her fingers on Gabe's thigh; his hand constantly touched the top of her hand.

He parked his car in the driveway of her home and reached over to release her seat belt. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard. Gabe's tongue lapped at hers, tracing the contours of her teeth and gums and then dove back in to do more battles with her soft muscle. When they parted, he kissed her head and got out of the car.

Sarah walked on a cloud as Gabe led her to the door of the house and kissed her on the porch. A light flickered to life and she heard Gabe curse. She felt his body stiffen and was touched by how he shielded her from the light and the embarrassment of being caught like a teenager making out after a date.

"Sarah?" Trevor said into the yellow-tinted light.

"Trevor, I didn't know you'd still be up," Sarah whispered and turned away from Gabe's protective embrace. She noted the cool night air run over her warmed features and she shivered, already missing Gabe's body against hers.

"I can't sleep. Dad died, I find it kinda hard to have a good time," he muttered and raised a brow to the man that stood behind his sister.

Sarah didn't miss the remark or the way it was delivered. She squared her shoulders and was ready to launch into a verbal battle, when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure it is hard to find fun in the day. I'm also sure you are happy to see your sister was able to escape for a few minutes and take a moment to relax after all she's been through, readying the funeral, arranging for the reading of the Will, not to mention the burial and the fact she's put you and your sister up for the night and tomorrow, even after she was robbed. I bet she even bought extra food for you and Denise to eat and has managed to make sure you were taken care of and lack for nothing," Gabe's voice was strong and reeked of both confidence and menace.

Sarah watched Trevor's jaw grow tight as he clenched it and bit back his words. She could tell he wanted to answer Gabe in a manner that would make him look better, but she also knew there wasn't much Trevor could say. Everything Gabe had said was true. Denise and Trevor were staying in her home, she had just been robbed, handled all the arrangements for their father, and become a Bed and Breakfast for two very ungrateful adults.

"Well, I'm glad it was just you and your," Trevor paused and ran a gaze across Gabe, "friend," he added. "I thought of calling the cops after what you said about being robbed, but I figured I'd check first. I couldn't imagine them coming back for the crap they left behind."

Sarah sighed and watched her brother walk away. She turned back to Gabe and touched his cheek. "Thanks," she told him and saw he was still quite upset over Trevor's behavior.

"I could nix the gentleman bit and take you home with me," he said and looked down at her sparkling eyes.

Sarah grinned. "I never said you had to be a gentleman," she kissed his lips, "but since you have been, you probably should continue for another night." She winked and opened the door to her house. "It seems weird to ask, and I'll not expect you to say yes, but do you think you could . . . "

"I'd already planned on it," Gabe answered. "I'll be here at 9:30 to pick you up."

"Thanks," Sarah answered. She slipped inside and shut the door behind her. Trevor was gone and Denise didn't look to be up. She left the kitchen and hurried to the living room. She watched Gabe get in his car and drive away. Her thoughts touched briefly on his willingness to take her to the funeral in the morning and she found herself looking forward to a small part of the day.

Sarah headed to her bedroom and slipped out of her clothes. She grabbed a towel from her bathroom and laid it on her bed. Her fingers slipped down her body and she felt the moisture of her aroused sex and the warm fluids of her monthly flow. She dismissed the later, too thrilled to worry about anything but reaching the peak of a climax that had been teased all evening. Her other hand reached over to open the drawer of the small night stand by her bed. She palmed the artificial cock and pressed the button to activate the rotating head.

Several climaxes later Sarah lay in her bed gasping for air and wishing her brother and sister had stayed at a hotel. She'd wanted to scream and shout Gabe's name, to curse violently and beg to be fucked, but her passion was held in check on that level as she covered the toy with her sexual fluids. After she came down from her high she quickly showered and then cleaned her toy, slipped her panties and a fresh pad back on. Her T-shirt slid over her hard nipples and she groaned at the friction. "Damn," she muttered and then blushed.

Back in bed, she thought of Gabe and rubbed herself through the fabric of her panties and her maxi-pad until she was climaxing again. Finally she fell asleep, knowing she had a smile stretched from ear to ear.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sarah rolled from bed and slipped into the shower. The smell of bacon, eggs and coffee filled the air and she thought of Gabe. The idea of seeing him on such a dismal day brought a soft smile to her face as she washed away the evidence of her late night play. She slipped on clean clothes, noted her period was almost over and smiled at what that meant in the wider scope of things. Perhaps she and Gabe would be able to take a step closer in a few days. She blushed and rolled her eyes as she thought about jumping into the sack with a man she'd only known a few days.

She heard Trevor's deep voice, followed by her sister's higher alto one. A third voice made her jaw drop and she flew through brushing her hair and teeth. When she reached the kitchen she was shocked to see her brother, sister and Gabe sitting down having breakfast together. Her gaze flew from each one's face and then the table, full of the same things she'd smelled when she woke up. "Ummm . . . good morning," she told the group.

Gabe smiled and stood up. He walked over and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tight. "Good morning. I figured I'd help out and make things easier on you and your family." He bent down and kissed her cheek. His mouth moved to her ear and he added a whispered, "for you" before rising up and offering her a seat at the table.

Gabe had gotten up early after deciding the night before he wasn't ready to give Trevor or Denise the opportunity to make Sarah feel guilty over having a good time last night. He wanted to be there for her. The thought that he was invading her space didn't occur to him, until he got there, but he pushed it back. He remembered how cocky he'd been that first day he met her and decided he'd just chalk his behavior up to attitude if Sarah had a problem with his being there. The look on her face told him she was surprised, but very pleased.

"Good morning to you," she told him and then watched him ready a plate for her. She gnawed on her lower lip, as the steely gaze from her brother and sister ran over her.

Gabe reclaimed his seat, which was next to Sarah's. His hand rested on her thigh and he casually drank his coffee, waiting for the first round of questioning to begin. When Denise opened her mouth, he wasn't surprised by the first question.

"How long have you and Sarah been seeing each other?" Denise asked.

"This will be day three," Gabe answered. He felt Sarah tense and he squeezed her leg, offering silent support. "When was the last time you visited Sarah?"

Denise tilted her head. "Back when Mom passed, a couple years ago. Are you planning on coming to the funeral?"

"Yes, I am. I was there when your father collapsed," Gabe answered. He saw Sarah's shoulders slump; he moved his hand from her thigh to her shoulders and brought her close to him.

"Well, Sarah shouldn't have let him continue working, if he'd been ill," Denise said.

"He wasn't ill," Sarah told her sister. "You'd have known that if you came to visit."

"I couldn't visit. I had to take care of things at home. Richard and the kids needed me. I can't just take off on a whim and leave my responsibilities at home," Denise countered.

Gabe curled one hand around the handle of his coffee mug, wanting nothing more then to launch into a verbal attack with Denise, but he also knew Sarah wouldn't want his protection if it meant speaking for her. He would intervene if he felt it necessary.

"I wasn't asking you to visit for an extended time. A weekend wouldn't have hurt you and you know Pop would have loved to see the little ones," Sarah told her sister.

Trevor coughed and turned toward Gabe. "So Gabe, do you have kids or an exwife we need to know about?"

"Nope. I've never been married and have no kids. I wouldn't mind having a wife or a gaggle of little Gabe running around though," he answered. His fingers moved to the center of Sarah's neck and he slowly ran small circles against her skin.

"Well I'm sure after three days of Sarah you'll change your mind and be glad you aren't serious about her. She's not very mature and quite careless," Trevor said, his voice conveying the jealousy he felt for his little sister.

Sarah gasped at the shocking public display of malice and stiffened. "Shh . . . " Gabe whispered against her ear. He looked over to Trevor and sipped his coffee. "Since meeting Sarah, I can promise you that I have thought about marriage and kids a lot more than I ever have." He smirked and bent down to kiss Sarah's neck. "But since I just met her, I figured I'd at least wait a couple more days before I take her to bed and worship the ground she walks on. As far as being mature . . . I don't have to point out all she's been through and handled alone. Had you or Denise been here, you'd have seen it."

Sarah shivered and blushed. Her fingers slipped from her fork to his lap and she rubbed his leg. "I think I'll go change for the funeral. I'd ask you to join me . . . but," she winked and slipped off to her bedroom.

Gabe chuckled and began to clean off the table. When he was done, he turned back to the two others that had remained. "I don't know why you treat her like you do, but she is your sister. Like her or hate her, you can't change that fact. Your parents are gone. She's not. Some day she will be, hopefully for all of us it won't be for several years and I'll get a chance to know her more. But today, right now she's mine to protect and care for. I suggest you treat her with respect, in her own home and at the funeral as well as the reading of the Will."

Trevor got up and walked over to Gabe. "We'll be leaving after that, I'm not sure if she's told you or not, but I'll tell you what I told her when we got here. After today's reading, neither Denise nor I will acknowledge Sarah. She wasn't our sister. She was mom and dad's pet. She was spoiled and she was given everything she wanted. She never had to work for anything. Everything was handed to her on a silver platter."

Denise added, "We want nothing to do with her. She came and everything changed for us. Mom and Dad struggled while we grew up, but then they got ahead and things were going great. We had a new house, a new car, new clothes. Then she came home and it all changed. Money had to be put back because they had to save for her too. She needed new things. She was the baby and we were like the help."