Meredith

The ride back is quiet. By the time we wipe down the horses, brush them, and put them up, I am all yawns.

“You look ready for a nap,” Gabe says as we exit the barn.

I yawn again. “Well, if you’re offering, I wouldn’t turn down an afternoon cuddled in bed together.”

“Actually…I have an errand I need to run.” Gabe stops in the driveway, turning to face me. “How about a raincheck? You can have the bed all to yourself.” He smiles. “Huh? Stretch out and get some rest while I take care of it.”

My smile falls. “That doesn’t sound nearly as fun,” I pout.

“Trust me. It’ll be good.”

Gabe and I walk arm in arm up the porch steps. He hugs me in the doorway. “Make yourself comfortable. Get some rest. I’ll be back in an hour or so.”

Attempting my best cute temper tantrum, I stomp my feet in protest. He bends down to kiss me and lightly nuzzles my nose before pulling away.

“Sweet dreams,” he says as he leaves.

I yawn again. Maybe I’ll just close my eyes for a minute or two.

* * *

I wake to the clinking of plates and a faint smell of something delicious. I can’t place the aroma, but my nose and stomach fully approve of whatever it is. I stretch away as much sleepiness as I can and wander downstairs to investigate.

“Hey there beautiful,” Gabe calls from the kitchen. “Sorry if the noise woke you, I was trying to get all of this ready before I came up to get you.”

My eyes roam across the cartons of Chinese food littering the counter. “What is all this?”

Gabe lifts his chin. “My errand. I figured the odds were in my favor that you were going to get hungry sooner or later, and when I noticed you were tired I saw my opportunity to grab us something tasty. So. Tada!”

“You drove all the way to town and back just to get Chinese food?” I wipe the last of the sleep from my eyes. “You didn’t have an errand after all?”

Gabe wraps his arms around me. “I drove all the way to town and back just to get you Chinese food. What errand could be more important than that?”

I can’t believe my eyes. He did this all for me? On a whim?

“Thank you.” I press my head against his muscular chest.

Gabe smiles. “Well, don’t thank me yet. I wasn’t sure what you like, so I tried to pick a little of everything. There’s white and fried rice—as well as lo mein noodles, in case that’s more your speed. As for appetizers, we have crab rangoons, some pot stickers, egg rolls…oh, and soup. I picked up some egg drop soup, too.” He points to a carton of food. “For the main course, we’ve got general tso’s chicken, a staple entrée as far as I’m concerned. And I think this one is the moo shu pork. Over here we have broccoli chicken, and that one over there must be the…I think it’s called happy family.” Gabe shrugs. “Just don’t ask me what’s in it—I was going for variety—so I took a chance. Hopefully something in here sounds appetizing.” Gabe looks at me, eagerly waiting for my reaction.

I stretch up on my toes and cup his cheeks in my hands to get his undivided attention. “Thank you. For all of this. But?” I laugh. “What are we going to do with all this food? There’s so much and it must’ve cost a fortune.”

“Don’t worry about that. Whatever we don’t eat now will feed me for a week. And if I get tired of it, there’s always Hank, or worst case, Marry.” He smiles. “Now, please tell me you’re hungry.”

“You brought a Chinese buffet home for me?” I survey the counter full of food again. “I think I could eat.”

The meal is delicious. I know because I eat a little too much of everything he brought home. “Oh Gabe.” I tear my last crab rangoon in half before popping part of it into my mouth. “Everything was so good.”

“Yeah?” Gabe sits back in his seat. “Well then, mission accomplished.”

“What about you?” I ask. “What was your favorite thing?”

“Watching you enjoy yourself,” he answers.

Part of me wonders how long he’s had that answer in his pocket waiting for the chance to use it. But then I realize, for him to have gone to all this trouble, it must be true.

My gaze follows Gabe as he looks out at the evening sun and, for the first time since waking up, I realize how late in the day it is. “I feel like I wasted our afternoon napping and I feel bad.”

Gabe turns his attention back to me. “Why?”

I nod my head at the window. “Because we lost half the day.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You were sleepy, weren’t you?”

I nod.

“Then how could it have been a waste?”

“I don’t know. It’s just…you’re so busy. I don’t want to waste a minute of our time together. And now, the day is almost over.” I look down at the table. “Before long, it’ll be time for me to go.”

Gabe leans across the table, and with his index finger on my chin, he carefully lifts my face back to his. “Why? Have some place else to be? Who says you have to leave soon?”

“I don’t know.” I pause. “It’s getting late, and you get up so early. And I know you need your sleep.”

Gabe slides back his chair. “Come on. I have one more trick up my sleeve.” He stands and motions for me to follow. On the porch, I begin to walk towards the chairs to sit, but Gabe takes me by the hand, pulling me forward, towards the barn.

“Gabe, the ride was fun, but I don’t think I have another one in me today.”

“I’ve got something way better in mind,” he whispers.

We enter the barn and Gabe stops in front of the ladder leading up to the hayloft. I can’t help smiling as I realize what he’s doing. “Really? What a great idea.”

“I know we always did this at your place—” Gabe grimaces “—so Jim could keep an eye on us. But I thought it might still be fun. Just the two of us, no parents snooping around, watching the stars come out, like old times.”

Fond memories mix with excitement and I’m practically beside myself. “Just like old times?” I ask, coyly.

Confused, Gabe nods his head. I pull my hand from his and race for the ladder. “Last one up is a loser,” I squeal as I pump one leg after the other up the steps, as quickly as I can.

Gabe reacts faster than I anticipate and makes it to the ladder before my foot is off the third rung. He tickles me as I climb, but doesn’t try to stop me. I wait for him at the top with my hand on my forehead in an L shape. Gabe shakes his head as he climbs off the ladder. “And I’m the one who needed time to grow up?”

“What’s the matter, la-la-la loser?” I dance and giggle like a girl as I run and Gabe chases me around the loft. When he catches me, he picks me up and swings me around, and then pulls me in to him.

“This is everything I’ve needed, Doll.” He deposits a kiss at the base of my neck. “Everything my heart knew I was missing.” He kisses my chin and jaw. “Right here in my arms.” He pulls his head back and looks me in the eyes. “You are my everything.”

My heart melts, my core burns, and I need to be with him. “You talk too much.” I unfasten the buttons on his polo, exposing the top of his well chiseled chest.

Gabe takes a half-step back towards the ladder. “Why don’t we go back to the house for a while?” he says with a smile.

I run my fingers through the strands of hair poking out of his collar. “Too far. Can’t wait.” I pull at his belt buckle.

I don’t know what’s gotten into me, but I am on fire for this man. And I don’t want to wait a second longer to have him.

“Here?” Gabe looks around the space. “Where?”

“Wherever,” I say, as lust consumes me. Right now, I don’t care about right or wrong, about making love, about whether someone might disapprove of what I do. Right now, I care about giving myself to the man I love. I care about the desire coursing through us both. It’s palpable. “However. Whatever.” My chest heaves. “Doesn’t matter, I want you. Now.”

Gabe’s demeanor changes. The glimmer in his eye tells me he understands the urgency of my need. His body straightens, and he lifts my shirt over my head and tosses it onto a nearby bale of hay. He cups my breasts, squeezing them through the bra. “I want you too,” he says with a deep growl. “I want to fuck you.” His touch is hard, and controlling, and exactly what I want.

His words are catnip to my pussy. “Your dick is so hard,” I moan as his cock strains against my touch through his jeans. I look up at him, breaking the trance his erection has over me. “Fuck me.”

Gabe slides his hands off my bra, tickling my sides as his hands trace down my body on their way to my jeans. He pulls and tugs at the button and zipper like an animal, until they succumb to his will. He forces the jeans down around my knees. “Take them off.” His voice is curt and commanding. It surprises me to admit it, but this side of him is exciting and it turns me on in a new way. The idea of him taking control. No questions, no conversation, just a man with single-minded focus, in pursuit of what he wants. I step on each heel of my boots to slide my foot free, kicking and pushing my jeans down over my ankles. When I’m finished, I stand in my bra and panties in front of Gabe, exposed and vulnerable.

“Turn around,” he directs.

My heart pounds and my blood rushes with exhilaration as I comply with his commands. The thought, however unlikely, that someone could enter the barn below us at any time has my nipples hard, and my pussy dripping wet. This kind of behavior is so far outside of my experience and yet, it is intoxicating.

“Now the panties.” Gabe steps behind me and places a hand on my shoulder, bending me forward over a bale of hay as I slide my panties off my hips. This is rough and dirty, but it has me so turned on I don’t care about any of that. He takes his free hand and moves the fabric out of his way, then places both hands on my hips. I feel the pressure of him against my slit as he positions himself. “You’re already wet for me?” he asks. “You need this cock inside you, don’t you?”

“Uh-huh.” I bite my lip. “So bad.”

Gabe pushes forward, entering me. “Shit woman—you feel so good. Is this what you wanted?”

His hands on my skin. His cock filling me. “Oh God,” I moan in agreement.

He fucks me from behind, sometimes leaning forward and biting my back or shoulder, sometimes twisting my hair in his hand and pulling it, and sometimes slapping my ass—whatever pleases him.

“Yes! Use me,” I beg. “Fuck me.” Sex with Gabe is always amazing. But this? This is new. This is primal and rough and naughty. And I can’t get enough.

His pace increases, and I can barely contain the orgasm that’s been building. I rub my button as his body crashes into mine, each thrust harder than the one before.

Beads of sweat run down my face as I look back at him. “Please…tell me…you’re close.” I struggle to speak. “I’m going to come.”

“I’m close.” Gabe thrusts again and again and I lose myself when I feel him release into me.

He collapses, resting his head on my back as he struggles to catch his breath.

“Meredith…” He takes a deep breath and holds it as he pulls his jeans back to his waist. “That was…”

I attempt to stand on my still very wobbly legs, in order to retrieve my clothes, but my knees falter.

“Whoa now, tell me what you need, I’ll get it for you.” The kind and considerate Gabe I know is back. I point to my jeans. “Got it,” he says still puffing for air as he fetches them for me.

After we’ve dressed, we sit cuddled up together in the loft, staring out at the evening sky. Gabe listens quietly as I share whatever thoughts and feelings randomly come to mind. We talk about memories of moments like this when we were teens. I confess my fears and worries about being a mother and how I don’t want to make the same mistakes my parents did.

All in all, it is a perfect day that transitioned into a perfect evening. Is this what happily ever after feels like?