Reading the Defense Ch. 04

A little over an hour later, Gabe was driving her home after they had dinner with Ernie and Camille. Throughout the dinner both couples exchanged stories from the game, each of the men grumbling when the topic of a post-game meeting that had been called off, was mentioned. Ernie was quiet while Gabe blamed the management for putting pressure in areas they should leave up to the coaches. The mood of the dinner had shifted several times and Samantha couldn't help but feel some of Gabe's aggravation in her own bones. He'd held Samantha's hand for the majority of the dinner and even leaned in close for a kiss a few times when the conversations lapsed, something both Ernie and his wife had caught seen and smiled from across the table.

As the truck weaved through the evening traffic leading out to the western suburbs, Samantha reached down to run her fingers along Gabe's hand as it rested on her thigh. "I'm sorry about the loss Gabe. You worked so hard this week."

"You have to lose some games." His jaw clenched as he remembered a particular play that he would have to study up and work with Jennings on, the kid never listened. "We should have had them."

Nodding her head she leaned over and kissed his cheek, Gabe turned to give her a sideways glance and tried to smile as best as he could. "About tomorrow night...."

"I'm looking forward to you meeting some of the other teachers."

He turned his palm up and held onto her hand. "With the loss, we're going to be buried with game film and one on ones."

Samantha looked confused, "but it's Monday. You never have evening meetings on Mondays."

He squeezed her hand and looked back over at her wounded eyes. "I know. It's different with this loss sweetheart. It was one of the reasons why tonight was optional. I'll make it up to you I swear."

She blew out a breath and Gabe felt her hand squeeze his back. All of her own preparations couldn't hide the hurt that crept its way into her heart. Looking over at him she gave a weak smile.

"It's your job Gabe, you don't have to make it up to me." Glancing away from him, she turned her attention back to the widow. "I knew this would happen at some point, I just wasn't ready I guess."

He pulled up to her house and turned off the engine. Twisting in his seat he pulled her close and kissed her lips, sweet with the mint she had been sucking. "Iwillmake it up to you. Can I come in with you?"

She scoffed at his question and was greeted with the deep rumble of his laughter. Opening her door she scooted out and dashed to her front door with Gabe right behind her. As she started to unlock the door, he wrapped his arms around her from behind and started to rub them along her body. He pressed his front to her back and she felt the strength of his thick arousal straining against his pants and fighting its way to press against her.

"I have neighbors Mr. Russell, very nosy neighbors." Gabe nibbled her neck adding a few extra seconds to her failing attempt at opening the door.

"Well I guess that's a penalty against me, are you putting me into a timeout?" The lock gave way and she ushered him inside with a giggle, he'd decided was extremely sexy.

Tossing her purse on the floor she threw her arms around his neck and clamped her mouth up to his. His response was immediate and he lowered his large hands to her bottom, scooping her up. Her arms tightened and her legs wrapped themselves around him.

Gabe cursed softly as he moved them in her front room, as if reading his mind she wrenched her mouth from his and spoke breathlessly against his lips. "The stairs are too far...couch." The silk of her tongue teased him in the worst way, as it brushed his outer lips with its movement.

He growled at her request and thrust his tongue deeper into her mouth, all while walking them over to her couch. Trying to be gentle, he really did try to sit gracefully but as Samantha rocked her hips against his erection and her tongue darted in his mouth, he lost his footing and fell on the couch with her straddling him.

They broke apart and both started laughing at the ridiculousness of what had just happened. She looked behind her but seeing nothing through her blurred vision, she spoke first. "I knew I got this couch for a reason."

Gabe laughed at her but lost his train of thought as her pupils expanded, the light cast off from the moon pooled through the windows falling on her body delicately. He started to pull at her sweaters, aching to feel her burning skin.

"There's too many clothes." He spoke raggedly against her open mouth and stroked her giggle with his tongue. She lifted her arms as he pulled the garment over, keeping their mouths joined, her fingers gripping his shirt and pulling it up hard. Gabe noticed the vigor in her attempt to strip him, which only quickened his breathing and fueled his excitement.

Samantha removed her tongue from his mouth and rested her lips against his, Gabe tried to coax her tongue back into his mouth but she resisted. He opened his eyes to see hers still closed. Just then her teeth sunk into his bottom lip causing his hips to jerk up. She opened her eyes and ran the tip of her tongue over his injured flesh.

"Playing rough?" Gabe's hands stroked the soft skin of her back, with nimble fingers he unhooked her bra letting it fall to the side of the couch.

Leaning forward, Samantha pressed her mouth to his ear and purred, "Just playing."

He groaned at her words and made an indecipherable sound as she rocked her pelvis against him, he wanted to play with her but wouldn't last long with her taunting. His head fell back against the couch at her movements and then suddenly he was alone. Gabe's eyes snapped open to look at Samantha as she stood in front of him. Slowly, she pulled the boots off and slid the leggings down her legs, kicking them to the side. His breath caught at her beauty, there she was standing in front of him with her breasts exposed and wearing very skimpy panties that did nothing but add a little color to her pale skin. She watched in satisfaction as Gabe's eyes darted all across her body. Placing her hands lightly on his splayed thighs, she started to kneel down in front of him. On the floor, she looked up at him then reached for the snap of his slacks.

Nothing could tear his eyes away from her as her clever fingers started tugging at the pants trying to get the opening undone. When she stopped and tapped his straining erection still fully tucked inside of his pants, letting her finger linger along the length of him, his eyes rolled back. She laughed seductively and reached up to pull his shirt over his head, her nails scraping him as the shirt inched further up his body. Gabe had started to break out into a sweat and once she got the shirt over his head, he stole her lips for a bruising kiss. Tearing away first, she tsk'd him with her index finger like the school teacher she was.

"You've hurt my feelings real bad coach, and I've thought it over. I think I need to make it up to you." Gabe laughed at how she had turned the tables, but that laughter turned into a loud groan as she dropped the zipper of his pants and pulled the heavy weight of him out with her hands. Looking up into his eyes, she smiled, and then lowered her lashes and her mouth on him, dropping light kisses on the shining head. Gabe's hips jerked up at the contact of her moist lips, one of her hands pressed him back down to the couch. Wrapping her kiss-swollen lips around the head, she swirled her tongue, starting at the top and trailing down his rigid length. One of her fingers directed a path of its own on the opposite side she was stroking with her tongue. He moaned at the contact of her mouth and hands on him as she took her time. His eyes rolled back, as his head fell back against the cushions. Her free hand moved and stroked his thigh before she brought it up and ran the palm along his burning chest, trailing her nails through the mat of hair. Sweet humming sounds of pleasure escaped her throat, pulling Gabe from his feeling of ecstasy. His eyes flickered open as she released him. She trailed moist kisses from his groin up to his neck until she settled herself back in his lap.

Forgetting about keeping things gentle, he pulled her tightly and kissed her hard, moving his hands between them to push her panties to the side. Samantha broke from the kiss with a cry at the touch of his fingers. Gabe buried his face in her neck and guided her body up.

"I need you Sam. God, I need to feel you." The words were tight as they fell from his lips. Samantha looked down at him, to see such raw tenderness in his eyes; she welcomed the sight and knew he was seeing the same in hers. Through the haze of her lust, she needed him inside of her, filling her with his sex and heavy thrusts. She sank down onto him, his hands shaking as they gripped her hips, he began to guide them into a rhythm that lost its lust and became sacred.

Intensifying the rhythm, she moved rapidly on top of him grinding her pelvis, trying to feel him as deep as possible, her breasts rubbing against his chest. She was thankful he was wearing dress pants instead of jeans as her inner thighs were rubbing against them, bound to leave red burn marks but she didn't care. Gabe's large hands were holding her bottom keeping him inside her as she moved frantically on him. As her breathing quickened he dropped his hands and rubbed her where they were joined together. Samantha arched her back, squirming to get away and feel more of his cruel touch. Her body started to shake uncontrollably. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she moved faster until she felt the burst from deep within. Throwing her head back, her muscles tightened around him, clutching his sex as she cried out while her sensations exploded within her.

While she was still vibrating from the orgasm, her muscles milking him, Gabe growled into her neck pulling her down while his hips pushed high up into her. As Gabe furiously took her body away from her, Samantha started to whimper as her body was quivering and close to another orgasm. Not willing to send her alone, Gabe gripped her breast and sought her lips. Thrusting deeply, she held onto his shoulders and tried to savor his tongue but couldn't fight the building sensation and tore her lips away. His chest heaved as she pushed her pelvis hard against him, wailing as her most sensitive part rubbed against him pushing her over. Feeling her fluttering around him, his body tightened and he answered her soft cry in a loud bellow before flooding her. Samantha stayed on top, holding him through his aftershocks until his body finally calmed. They stayed that way for some time, Gabe still buried deep within her while Samantha cradled his body with hers. His hands rubbed along the bumps of her spine, and he brought his face back up to hers.

Smoothing the hair from her eyes, he kissed her lightly before speaking. "That was fun."

Nodding, she smiled back at him before kissing his dimple. "I love that."

He looked at her quizzically, which caused her to laugh outright at him. "Your dimple goof. Every time I see it I want to kiss it." To prove her point, as the corner of his mouth kicked up and the dimple appeared she dropped her warm lips and fanned them across it.

Gabe was the first to yawn. As they disengaged their bodies and made their way to her bedroom Gabe reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together. Falling into the sheets she curled up against him before speaking.

"What time do you want me to set the alarm for you?" She rubbed her hands over the skin of his chest before dropping her lips to kiss the area next to her face.

Sighing with contentment he shut his eyes. "I'll get up with you and leave then." He squeezed her tightly and slipped his knee in between her thighs, bringing them closer together.

Gabe was at the point of falling asleep when he felt Samantha's warm breath over his chest. In a light whisper she spoke quietly. "Okay, I forgive you."

Smiling, he turned and dropped a kiss to her head. Within minutes both of them had fallen asleep.

****

Samantha finally managed to escape her classroom the following day and change for the party, before meeting Liz in the parking lot. Of course she waited the typical 'on time' of fifteen minutes later than expected, which gave her ample time to touch up her own makeup. As Liz zipped into a parking stall and got out of the car, all Samantha could do was lift her eyebrows and laugh at the woman. When she told her it was a low-key evening of drinks, food and not a word about school; she figured to wear jeans or leggings. She should have known better. For a woman who did not get out very often apart from their monthly dinners and play dates, she had decided to really spruce herself up.

The chill of the early evening had her bundled in a light cream jacket, which wrapped nicely over what should have been a simple black cocktail dress. Flecks of light sparkled off her as she moved toward Samantha; several chunky necklaces had been layered along her neck catching the light in every move. The necklaces were filled with charms, beads and pearls making it stand out and the dress look runway worthy. The minute she got to the car, she realized her lip gloss was in the cup holder and quickly turned around.

"What could you possibly be forgetting?" Samantha's laugh trailed with the cool breeze.

"Lip gloss, youcannotgo anywhere without having your lips done. Didn't your Mom ever tell you that?" Laughing, Liz slammed the car door and rushed to take a seat in the passenger side of Samantha's smaller vehicle.

"I seriously cannot believe I'm getting a lecture about lips when you have something smudged on your jacket." Samantha laughed as she pointed to the fresh food stain on Liz's left arm.

Laughing Liz retorted, "Sometimes I'd like to put up ultimatums on Dave. I swear that man. Right as I'm heading out--rushing to get here I might add--that is when he asks something he could have asked hours earlier." Liz dropped her voice in an attempt to imitate her husband. "Honey...." She gave a long suffering sigh.

Samantha rolled her eyes and giggled, knowing exactly what she was talking about. Dave was a great husband, an incredible father, but he had his quirks. Just a week before when she had gone to their house for dinner, Dave had been practically out of his mind trying to find a proposal and when he did, he wished he hadn't. How the proposal had gotten into the hands of their son, still remained a mystery but it had and unfortunately for Dave, the papers had gotten covered with mashed butternut squash.

"Thanks for keeping me as your back up, this is going to be fun!"

"Anytime, and by the way you're not a back up, Liz. Well, okay maybe tonight you are but--, you know what I mean."

"So where's Mr. Fifty Yard Line tonight? In your message you said, it was a ladies night." Liz said as she pulled down the visor and applied the gloss to her lips.

Laughing at the nickname her sister had given Gabe, Samantha focused on driving. She had called Liz first thing in the morning to see if she wanted to go to the party that evening, since Gabe would be stuck at the Cougars' complex. "I should have never told you what Kelly calls him. He has meetings or something, I don't even know. Before he left this morning he said that he was probably going to be stuck at the complex all night. I honestly don't know how he does it; working for seventeen hours is crazy."

"Adrenaline. That and great sex-- I'm assuming." Liz tossed a sideways glance over at her friend.

"Jesus, Liz." Laughing, they both sobered as the car slowed at a stop light. Even from the passenger side Liz could feel a dip in Samantha's demeanor. After a silence fell between them while driving through the early evening traffic, Liz decided to break the ice.

"What's going on over there lady? The wheels are turning but you seem distracted," Liz asked with genuine concern.

"Nothing really, it's fine. I'm just being a girl." Samantha tried to camouflage her discomfort with laughter.

"Sam, what's up?"

"I was hoping that Gabe would have come out tonight. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited you're here because we'll have fun, but I also really wanted him to meet the people I work with. I don't know, to try and do something that wasn't all about football. The team has been on a losing streak, he takes it on himself and pushes that much harder. Between the away games and his meetings, we've barely seen each other lately." Heat flushed her neck, and Samantha immediately felt guilty for thinking so selfishly.

"I'm sure he was hoping to go too. You guys don't do all things football though; you've gone out to dinners and a lot of other things that I donotwant to know about. I'll leave that up to really trashy romance novels."

"I know, it's just that this is a lot harder than I thought."

"Look Sam, you can't change the man. You've said it yourself that the season has its demands. What you can do, is do what you're already doing. Be there for him and keep giving him all you can, he seems to be giving you all he can right now. I mean, if the guy is working seventeen hours and then coming over to your house for a little late night playtime--he wins in my books."

A streetlight caught the smile that washed over Samantha's face as she turned to Liz. "Thanks Liz, you always know what to say."

"I know you don't like taking things one day at a time, but right now that's what you've got. And you've got it pretty good, so go with it.And stop your bitching!"She laughed and looked out of the windows as Samantha turned into a neighborhood.

At the sight of so many cars that filled the narrow streets, Liz and Samantha knew they were close. They ended up parking around the corner from where the party was, in a cul-de-sac where a basketball court stood abandoned. Reaching beyond the steering wheel, Samantha grabbed the post-it note with the house number and they started walking. Throughout the year, several of the teachers threw parties and faculty gatherings to keep some of them from going insane and feeling overstressed. They figured if they were surrounded by kids that weren't their own for more than four hours a day, they deserved a party.

Carolyn Bricklan, a petite woman with a voice of a world class debater, had been a teacher for seventeen years and was a vital staff member at the school. Samantha was thankful that their classrooms were two doors from each other. If she ever had questions, she could dart across the hall. Lately, there had been some troubles with disruptive students, giving her more than a few chances to do so. Carolyn lived in a quaint two story Victorian home that was in desperate need of a paint job. Something she complained about constantly, including the many other projects she wished her husband would do in his spare time. She was also a woman who enjoyed the simpler things in life. Like garden gnomes, dressed like cowboys.

"Please, tell me I'm awake right now." Liz said as they walked up the driveway.

"Oh, you are so awake."

"Oh my god, the woman has lawn accessories. I am loving this!" Liz's eyes were darting in every direction trying to see as much of the cluttered yard as she could.

"I knew she liked unusual things, but...wow."

Pointing to theBigger and Badder—especially in Texasplaque near the front door, Liz couldn't hold her laughter any longer. "She better be from Texas."

Samantha giggled and had to admit the truth. "I asked her the same thing. You should see her classroom. She has knickknacks all over the place. Oh, and she has a cowboy thing."

"A what?"

"A cowboy thing, personally I'd say it's more of an infatuation with John Wayne but who's being specific. She hasn't even been to Texas ever." Looking over to the side of the house, Samantha whispered to Liz. "There is a copper horse over there."