It's too early when I wake, and cold. When I fumble in the darkness for my phone and my ears attune to the softly playing piano in the study downstairs I know I'm alone.
4:18 am
Shit.
Turning the bedside lamp on I grab my robe from the end of the bed and shrug it on, tumbling sleep riddled across the landing. I stop when I arrive at the study threshold, in two minds whether or not to enter as the soft melody continues, it's a tune I recognise, but cannot place. It stops abruptly.
"Come in then."
I push the door open, forever alarmed at his astute awareness of my presence.
"How did you know I was there?" I mutter, looking anywhere but at Garys face as I make my way over to the upright piano.
"I always know you're there." Gary shifts, planting his hands on his tracksuit clad thighs and twisting on the stool to face me. I don't resist the urge to clamber onto his lap, wrapping his arms around his bare shoulders and resting my toes on the keys of the piano, producing a mangle of notes. "What are you playing?"
"Coldplay." Gary mutters back and I can tell his mind is elsewhere as his nose strokes against the back of my ear, his arms encircling both my back and stomach, cocooning me against his pleasingly toned chest.
"You okay?" I coax quietly.
I feel Gary nod against my head, but he remains silent for the next minute. His chest drops beneath my cheek on a deep breath. "You dropped that one on me didn't you?" His teeth nip my earlobe and I feel the corners of his mouth slip into a slow smile "Pass out on me after telling me youre pregnant and expect me to sleep?"
"Sorry." I smile, because i know he is too.
Garys fingers move to pull loose the belt of my robe, i dont stop him and instead sink my teeth into my bottom lip at the carnal sound of his low growl when he pushes it off of my shoulders.
"Why dont you come back to bed?" I shift to face Gary, pressing my chest into his until there is not even a fraction of air between us.
"Sorry." I smile, because i know he is too.
Garys fingers move to pull loose the belt of my robe, i dont stop him and instead sink my teeth into my bottom lip at the carnal sound of his low growl when he pushes it off of my shoulders.
"Why dont you come back to bed?" I shift to face Gary, pressing my chest into his until there is not even a fraction of air between us.
"Do you want me to come back to bed?" Gary purrs, the tips of his fingers gliding easily to the small of my naked back, leaving, as always, the inevitable trail of sparks, setting alight my flesh until I am burning from head to toe.
"I always want you in bed." Smiling, I lean in to nip Garys jaw, feeling the small rake of stubble beneath my teeth. He hums appreciatively in response, slipping his hands to the curve of my butt, hitching me closer against him.
"Do you want to grab a coffee?" Luke's head pops around my office door at half past eleven on Monday morning.
I glance briefly at the piles of binders strewn across my desk and decide a caffeine fix is definitely going to be needed.
"Sure." I stand, grabbing my bag and making for the door.
"Good Christmas?" Luke asks, throwing a chunky grey scarf around his neck as we step out into the cold. I smile, genuinely.
"Yeah."
In ten minutes, we're in a mile long line in Starbucks, waiting contently to be served at the understaffed counter.
"Looks like everyone's had the same idea.." I mumble, studying the menu boards above our heads, Luke nods and squints further down the line.
"Oh look."
Following his line of sight, i know instantly what, or whom, hes looking at. Gary places his order with his usual self preservation, only faltering once to turn and smile hello to a passing woman, gasping ecstatically when he touches her elbow. My brow raises, its an instinctive reaction.
"Want to go over?" Luke smiles, but i sense his reluctance. I know Gary isnt exactly the poor lads biggest fan, so i shake my head and insist we wait where we are. Although of course my decision was, as usual when it comes to Gary, pointless. He catches my eye a second later and leans back in towards the flustered assistant to, what i can only assume to be as placing another order. But the action goes unnoticed by Luke, so i let us stand in the queue until Gary strides over, three white cups easily cased behind his fingers.
"Hello."
"Hi." I role my eyes when he smacks a kiss against my lips.
"Coffee?"
"We could have queued ourselves." I shake my head, taking two cups from Gary and passing one to Luke as we slip strategically into a window seat four business men have just vacated.
Gary shrugs. "No bother. Hiya." He turns to Luke and offers him the seat next to me.
"Hi." Luke grins back as enthusiastic as ever. "Thanks for the coffee."
Gary holds up a hand, dismissing the gratitude in a languid manner. "How long have you got?"
I glance at my wrist watch. "About ten minutes. You dont have ten minutes though." I raise an eyebrow, fully aware of Garys jam-packed schedule. But he shrugs nonchalantly and fishes his Blackberry out of the front of his black jeans. "Ill find it; hows work?" He looks straight at Luke, who swallows a gulp of coffee.
"Er, yeah, its yeah its good its really good."
Gary nods encouragingly as he types a quick message and hits send before glancing back up. "My wife still showing you the ropes?"
Luke nods again. "Ye-, yes, yeah, shes very patient."
"Oh is she?" Garys eyebrow hits his hairline and theres a trace of a simper playing at the corner of his mouth. "Shes not with me."
Luke laughs, almost oblivious to Garys icey undertones. I shoot him a warning look, but of naturally of course, he ignores me.
"What on earth are you going to do when she goes, ay?"
"Goes?!" Luke almost spits his coffee half way across the table and i cringe inwardly.
Garys eyes widen as he pretends to be shocked, but he doesnt look in my direction. "Shes not told you?"
"Told me what?" Luke turns to me this time, and i try to ignore the burning that is creeping from under my collar, crawling up my neck in a crimson flush.
"Im pregnant." I smile, both as sweetly and casually as i can managed.
Luke gawks. "What? Oh, God, my, Congratulations!"
"Thank you," Laughing, i risk a glance at Gary, who is looking all too pleased with himself. Fury spikes in my veins and i grit my teeth, aiming the latter part of my sentence at him. "..Although, i havent even told my mother yet."
Gary opens his mouth, but i stand abruptly. "We have to get back. Come on Luke."
He stands obediently, and for once im grateful that the boy will do whatever i tell him. I dodge Garys grab for my arm, and push into the swarm of people blustering though the door before he has a chance to kiss me. You'll pay for that later.
"Are you okay?" Luke smiles still, but cautiously this time as we make our way back to the office.
"Im good." I shrug off the bating fury. "Hes just..."
"Exasperating?"
"I was going for an ass, but we can use your word too."
We laugh all the way back to work.
In ten minutes, we're in a mile long line in Starbucks, waiting contently to be served at the understaffed counter.
"Looks like everyone's had the same idea.." I mumble, studying the menu boards above our heads, Luke nods and squints further down the line.
"Oh look."
Following his line of sight, i know instantly what, or whom, hes looking at. Gary places his order with his usual self preservation, only faltering once to turn and smile hello to a passing woman, gasping ecstatically when he touches her elbow. My brow raises, its an instinctive reaction.
"Want to go over?" Luke smiles, but i sense his reluctance. I know Gary isnt exactly the poor lads biggest fan, so i shake my head and insist we wait where we are. Although of course my decision was, as usual when it comes to Gary, pointless. He catches my eye a second later and leans back in towards the flustered assistant to, what i can only assume to be as placing another order. But the action goes unnoticed by Luke, so i let us stand in the queue until Gary strides over, three white cups easily cased behind his fingers.
"Hello."
"Hi." I role my eyes when he smacks a kiss against my lips.
"Coffee?"
"We could have queued ourselves." I shake my head, taking two cups from Gary and passing one to Luke as we slip strategically into a window seat four business men have just vacated.
Gary shrugs. "No bother. Hiya." He turns to Luke and offers him the seat next to me.
"Hi." Luke grins back as enthusiastic as ever. "Thanks for the coffee."
Gary holds up a hand, dismissing the gratitude in a languid manner. "How long have you got?"
I glance at my wrist watch. "About ten minutes. You dont have ten minutes though." I raise an eyebrow, fully aware of Garys jam-packed schedule. But he shrugs nonchalantly and fishes his Blackberry out of the front of his black jeans. "Ill find it; hows work?" He looks straight at Luke, who swallows a gulp of coffee.
"Er, yeah, its yeah its good its really good."
Gary nods encouragingly as he types a quick message and hits send before glancing back up. "My wife still showing you the ropes?"
Luke nods again. "Ye-, yes, yeah, shes very patient."
"Oh is she?" Garys eyebrow hits his hairline and theres a trace of a simper playing at the corner of his mouth. "Shes not with me."
Luke laughs, almost oblivious to Garys icey undertones. I shoot him a warning look, but of naturally of course, he ignores me.
"What on earth are you going to do when she goes, ay?"
"Goes?!" Luke almost spits his coffee half way across the table and i cringe inwardly.
Garys eyes widen as he pretends to be shocked, but he doesnt look in my direction. "Shes not told you?"
"Told me what?" Luke turns to me this time, and i try to ignore the burning that is creeping from under my collar, crawling up my neck in a crimson flush.
"Im pregnant." I smile, both as sweetly and casually as i can managed.
Luke gawks. "What? Oh, God, my, Congratulations!"
"Thank you," Laughing, i risk a glance at Gary, who is looking all too pleased with himself. Fury spikes in my veins and i grit my teeth, aiming the latter part of my sentence at him. "..Although, i havent even told my mother yet."
Gary opens his mouth, but i stand abruptly. "We have to get back. Come on Luke."
He stands obediently, and for once im grateful that the boy will do whatever i tell him. I dodge Garys grab for my arm, and push into the swarm of people blustering though the door before he has a chance to kiss me. You'll pay for that later.
"Are you okay?" Luke smiles still, but cautiously this time as we make our way back to the office.
"Im good." I shrug off the bating fury. "Hes just..."
"Exasperating?"
"I was going for an ass, but we can use your word too."
We laugh all the way back to work.
And when I reach my desk, inevitably, there's a message waiting on my phone.
New message; Gary x
I'll pick you up at 4.
Quickly, I tap out my response.
Recipient; Gary x
I won't be finished. I'll make my own way home x
I needn't have put my phone down te reply came that quickly.
New message; Gary x
I'll be outside at 4. Do I need to call Amanda and tell her to let you go?
I bury my head in my hands and prepare for world war 3.
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