Lovesick

[ABIGAIL JAMES]

Abby woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside her window. The sun was blinding and she buried her face into her pillow with a little whimper. That's when she realized her pillow was actually someone's chest. Her big eyes lifted to see who it was she was sleeping on in her drowsy state, and the moment her eyes found Gavin's face, she melted. He hadn't left. He had promised he wouldn't leave, and he was still there, his arm wrapped around her, both of them buried in blankets. Her heart pounded with happiness at how adorable he was sleeping. Part of her wanted to smother him with kisses and wake him up, but another part of her could watch him sleep all morning. Well, what was left of the morning. From how bright the sun was, it was late morning already. Her hand reached up to stroke his stubbled jaw affectionately. She loved him so much it hurt. It felt like she had known him much longer than one night.

A shifting on the comforter between her and Gavin drew her eyes down, and Ham had curled up right between her stomach and Gavin's hip. It was adorable, and she adored how much Ham loved Gavin already. The hand that was on his face tickled Ham's sleepy head and he stretched his little limbs out as he yawned. He then leaned into her hand and started to relax again, falling back to sleep. It was a sleepy morning for all of them. They made such a good little family. Abby sighed with satisfaction at the thought. Her head turned back up to Gavin again and she smiled from ear to ear. Why was he so cute?

Gently, without shifting Ham too much, she moved up further so she could cup Gavin's face and draw it close to hers for a kiss. Softly she kissed his cheek a couple times, making him stir to her satisfaction. "Good morning, mi amore," she said quietly in a still drowsy voice, making sure he was waking up. She just couldn't go any longer without hearing Gavin's voice.

[GAVIN BROOKS]

"What do you mean you think we should cool things off for a bit!" Lindsay screamed and Gavin winced. This wasn't going the way he hoped. He would be an idiot to believe it would go the way eh hoped, with his fiance agreeing that things had gone too quickly. That maybe they were rushing things a bit, that maybe they should postpone the wedding a few more months and not think about a house and kids yet. But that wasn't the case with Lindsay. She was on the four year "M" plan; meet, marry, move-in, mate. It was too much too quickly. She'd rushed him into marriage. Did she think it was what he wanted? He thought it was for a short time.

"Baby, I just need more time. Things at work...." "You just got a promotion!" She screamed, cutting him off and throwing her hands exasperated in the air. Gavin was starting to realize love wasn't worth it. Women just weren't worth it! "And I'm miserable!" He shot back, getting angry. "Baby I want this to work..." "So you wait until four months before our wedding to decide you need more time! Grow up, Gavin!"

He stirred a little feeling that unforgettable anger that always swelled in his chest when he thought of that day with Lindsay. "I'm the best thing that's ever happened to you! You said so yourself!" "Well maybe I was wrong!" The look on her face was one he would never forget. She looked hurt, and he was angry, but he felt guilty for saying it. "Baby..." "Don't you baby me, Gavin. Do what you want, it's over. Have fun being alone for the rest of your life!"

"Good morning, mi amore,"

Gavin groaned and shifted a little. Was it all just a dream? His chocolate eyes fluttered open and for a moment he was confused. Why was he with Lindsay? Had she forgiven him? and why was her hair brown?

The previous night came flooding back and the dream wooshed away, all but forgotten as he relaxed there beside his real true love. He didn't even know her last name! "Mmm... I like when you call me that." He said as if she'd been using the pet name every day for the last few months. Had they really met only twelve hours ago?

Gavin smiled and nuzzled his face close to Abby's kissing her lips gently. "I can get used to this.." He pulled her closer and in a moment he'd flipped over her playfully, still mostly leaning on his side as he looked down at the beautiful woman he was in bed with. "What did I do to deserve this.." He breathed softly, his voice full of wonder as his free hand cradled her cheek, gazing down into her face as his sudden playfulness subsided into adoration. "What's your last name, Abby?" He asked, running a hand through her hair. His eyes moved to the tiny black fur ball who was climbing up towards the pillow.

"Hey, buddy!" He greeted, his voice gruff with sleep. He reached out and picked the little critter up with one hand and gave him a big old kiss on the top of his head before placing the kitten down on top of Abby's covered breasts, turning his attention back to his girlfriend.

[ABIGAIL JAMES]

"Mmm...I like when you call me that." Abby giggled, the sound of Gavin's voice making her heart flutter. As he nuzzled close, she grabbed her fingers around his ear, her palm still on his jaw. She kissed him gently, feeling happier than ever. "I can get used to this..." Her grin was wide as he shifted them, making her lay on her back as he leaned over her more. She felt Ham spring away, probably afraid he was going to get crushed, but if he made any sound of protest, she didn't hear it. "I could get used to this too," she said, her arms wrapping around his shoulders. His warm hand came to her face, and she melted at his words. "What did I do to deserve this..." One of her own hands cradled his face, her red-brown eyes gazing at him adoringly as her smile spread across her pink lips. "I'm the lucky one," she insisted. There was an Abby in her stomach rolling her eyes and covering her ears against such mush, but the lovesick Abby in bed with Gavin ignored her.

"What's your last name, Abby?" It struck her that she didn't know his, either! She was head over heels for him, and she didn't know his last name! This was important information when they got married. She was about to answer, but Gavin got distracted by the mewing fur ball making his way to the head of the bed. "Hey, buddy!" Abby smiled at Ham and then wider as Gavin kissed him and put him on her chest. She could just squeeze his face, he was so cute. Her hands cupped his face as she pulled him down for another kiss. "You are so cute," she gushed before bringing her lips to his. And he was. When she pulled back, one of her hands came to Ham's head and scratched it gently. "James," she finally answered. "Abigail Lena James. It's a pleasure." She playfully reached down and shook one of his hands before twining her fingers with his. "What's your last name?" she asked. She was starting to envision how she would sign her name once they were married. The Abby in her stomach was kicking her.

[GAVIN BROOKS]

"Abigail Lena James. It's a pleasure." Her smile was contagious and he shook her hand happily, bringing her knuckles up to his lips and kissing them lightly, going down the row. "Believe me, the pleasures all mine." He said in a very un-typical-Gavin way. Gavin wasn't normally like this, but it wasn't so weird or bad with Abby. Everything seemed better with her, more acceptable and not so lame.

"Gavin Thomas Brooks." He told her when she inquired about his own name. His smile was slight as he stared down at her and then the hands in his. He looked at her naked ring finger and envisioned how beautiful it would be with his ring on it.

"Abigail...Lena...Brooks." He tested softly, his voice hushed as if he were talking more to himself than the goddess beside him. "Yah know? That's got a real nice ring to it." He said in his sweet, mild accent that didn't quite belong anywhere. Not real east coast, not quite west coast, not exactly southern, and not really northern. It was a mix of everything.

He yawned sitting up and pulling Abby with him. "I'm going to use your bathroom, and then I'm going to cook you some breakfast. What do you like? The skies the limit, because if you don't have the ingredients I'll just go buy them, or I could always take you out for breakfast. It could be like our first real date! But I think eating breakfast in bed sounds like a mighty fine idea." His face came to hers, pressing his nose flush against his girlfriends and offering a wicked little smile.

"Maybe I'll just eat you for breakfast. Or lick... mm, that actually sounds pretty good." He teased, kissing her deeply, his arms snaking around her as he dipped her back playfully.

[ABIGAIL JAMES]

"Gavin Thomas Brooks." Abby adored his name. She adored everything about him. They just lay there smiling at each other for a few moments, before his eyes turned to her hands. Why was he looking at her hands? "Abigail...Lena...Brooks." He said it so softly, but she heard it, and she almost started to cry. She wanted to be Abigail Lena Brooks, and he wanted her to be too! Her heart had stopped just for that moment. "Yah know? That's got a real nice ring to it." It was perfect. Everything was perfect. She was grinning from ear to ear, adoring his strange mixed accent. "It does," she agreed in a voice barely above a whisper. Stomach Abby felt terrified, but she was too little to matter to lovesick Abby.

Gavin yawned and pulled her up, making Ham spring away again, peeved. She would make amends later. Her boyfriend got all of her attention right now. "I'm going to use your bathroom, and then I'm going to cook you some breakfast. What do you like? The sky's the limit, because if you don't have the ingredients I'll just go buy them, or I could always take you out for breakfast. It could be like our first real date! But I think eating breakfast in bed sounds like a mighty fine idea." Abby had to agree and she giggled as his face came to hers. "I think we should eat in bed," she agreed, looking into his chocolate brown eyes. They made her crave chocolate and him, more him as that wicked smile crossed his face, which made her blush.

"Maybe I'll just eat you for breakfast. Or lick...mm, that actually sounds pretty good." Abby giggled before he dipped her back, kissing her deeply. She smiled into the kiss, moaning her appreciation, and her tongue snaked around his as her arms came up to his shoulders. The more he kissed her, the more she realized she wanted him again. Her mouth pulled back only a little so she could murmur against his lips, "Don't tease me if you're not going to deliver, Gavin." Her nose nuzzled his affectionately, the deep brown of her eyes staring into the darker brown of his.

[GAVIN BROOKS]

"Don't tease me if you're not going to deliver, Gavin." His smile was wicked and he pressed her down onto her back once more, forgetting his urge to use the bathroom. He had more important needs to take care of.

"Oh, don't you worry, baby... I'll deliver."

---

It was such a nice feeling to be in love. The sun seemed brighter, the birds songs seemed happier, even he felt lighter than air. Everything was going right! He felt motivated to get his life in order so he could begin to make Abby the happiest woman in the world. He wanted her to want for nothing, so he knew he would need to find a good job to provide for her and the children they would no doubt have together. Gavin always wanted a kid or two at some time in his life, but with Abby he could see having a dozen. All that love!

Gavin poked around the kitchen, finding the ingredients he needed. Pancakes were easy and they were made of things that everyone had. He'd memorized the recipe years ago, having helped his mom make them every Saturday morning as a boy. Now it was just ingrained in his mind. Pancakes had always been his go to breakfast whenever he spent the night at a girls house, but with Abby he knew it would become more a tradition than a way of showing off.

Best of all she happened to have some fruit, which meant they were having banana pancakes, one of his favorite varieties! "This is an old family recipe." He teased, grinning at her as the pancakes cooked. "If you're lucky, maybe I'll teach you one day." He flipped the pancakes and made his way to Abby, kissing her and wrapping an arm around her, smiling widely as he smacked her butt with the spatula. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?" He breathed against her lips, still grinning like a moron.

[ABIGAIL JAMES]

Abby giggled as she was pressed back down on the bed by Gavin, relishing in the wicked smile on his face. It was enough to make sure she was ready for her boyfriend to do whatever he pleased with her. "Oh, don't you worry, baby...I'll deliver." It was hard to catch her breath.

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It was almost ridiculous how much she enjoyed watching Gavin move around her kitchen cooking breakfast. Usually she was the one to make breakfast, not the other way around. But it was so sweet, she just grinned from ear to ear like a dope as she watched him, her love potion now sitting on a back burner. She said it was tea that wasn't ready to be drunk yet. A special tea. Maybe she would tell him what it really was later. Abby leaned on the counter, wearing only a long, baggy t-shirt as she watched him work his magic. It would be so perfect if this could be a tradition every weekend. Where did he even learn to make pancakes from scratch? Before she could ask, he grinned at her, and she felt her heart thumping.

"This is an old family recipe. If you're lucky, maybe I'll teach you one day." She laughed. "There's a few old family recipes I could teach you, too," she replied playfully as he flipped the pancakes. He moved to her and kissed her, making her grin against his lips, but she squealed as the spatula came down on her butt. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?" She grinned wider too, feeling his smile on her lips, and she nodded against his face. He was so perfect. She kissed him again, putting her arms up around his shoulders and lacing her fingers behind his head, giggling with her exhilaration. She was so in love with him! When she pulled away, she said against his lips, "I love you so much." She kissed him again and then let him go so he could finish making breakfast, while she hopped up onto the counter to watch him cook.

As she watched him, she cocked her head to the side, and ran a hand through her messy hair. "I used to help my mom cook on Saturday mornings," she said thoughtfully. "She would make chocolate chip pancakes, or blueberries pancakes, whatever I wanted. And she'd make bacon and eggs, but I would always help her. I'd help her make dinner too. Just about every night I would help in the kitchen, unless I was sick or I wasn't around. When I was older, if my parents were late, I would make dinner and it would be just as good as my mom's cooking." She gave a cute shrug, like she was so proud of herself. "I'll make dinner for you tonight and show you," she assured, giggling a little. "Who taught you how to make pancakes?" She wanted to know everything about her loving boyfriend, everything he was willing to tell her.

[GAVIN BROOKS]

He was elated when she reciprocated, telling him how much she loved him, kissing him back. His heart sang loudly in his chest and he returned to making her breakfast with a bounce in his step. He listened as she explained her mother making pancakes and how she helped. It seemed they had similar traditions growing up, which would be nice for their children one day. It was nice to think of doing this every Saturday with her. They could have a pancake smorgasbord style!

"I'll make dinner for you tonight and show you,"

His smile was enormous. Not only was she going to cook him supper, but she planned on having him stay until at least supper. Gavin would weasel his way into spending the night again, though. He didn't even want to think about leaving her side. Now that he found her he never wanted to let go! "I'd like very much if you showed me." He said, pouring more batter into the pan.

"Who taught you how to make pancakes?"

He peaked over at her, waiting for the pancakes to bubble so he could flip them. "My mom." He told her simply. "My mom's a really cool lady. She has a good sense of humor. I think you need to have a good sense of humor being the only girl in a house with three men. She taught my brother and I to be respectful and domestic." He grinned. "I'm not a great cook, but what I do, I do well. I can iron and sew and I even know how o salsa." His smile was wide. He wasn't usually quick to admit the things his mother taught him, but in this case he wanted to show off a bit. He wanted to seem like a good mate.

"My mom would absolutely adore you. Seriously.. She would go nuts for you. You guys could talk gardening!" He gushed, flipping the pancakes and moving to stand in front of her. "I want you to meet them. My moms been trying to tame me for months now, and she'll be glad to meet the woman who was able to do just that."

[ABIGAIL JAMES]

"My mom." Abby all but melted. How cute! Gavin was close to his mom and she taught him how to make pancakes! "My mom's a really cool lady. She has a good sense of humor. I think you need to have a good sense of humor being the only girl in a house with three men. She taught my brother and I to be respectful and domestic. I'm not a great cook, but what I do, I do well. I can iron and sew and I even know how to salsa." She ate up every bit of this. She wanted to meet his mom, the wonderful woman who raised such a perfect son. And his brother! She wondered what his brother was like. If he was anything like Gavin, she knew they would get along. And his dad! What was his dad like to capture such a cool lady who could actually domesticate her sons?

"My mom would absolutely adore you. Seriously..." Abby's heart soared. He had no idea how happy that made her! "She would go nuts for you. You guys could talk gardening!" She clapped her hands together and held them clasped excitedly in front of her chest. "I'd love that!" she gushed as he flipped the pancakes. He moved in front of her, and she looked up at him, her hands reaching out and resting on his hips. "I want you to meet them. My mom's been trying to tame me for months now, and she'll be glad to meet the woman who was able to do just that." Abby giggled, touching his face now, affectionately. "Awww," she gushed, bringing his face down to her level so she could kiss him. He was so perfect. The kiss was brief and chaste and she she pulled away, she just smiled at Gavin for a minute, admiring his face. It was such a good face. "I'd love to meet your family. I want to see embarrassing baby pictures and hear funny stories all about you, and watch home movies," she teased, giggling. With a big grin, she kissed him again before letting him get back to cooking.

"My parents would love you too. My mom is always saying, 'Bambina, why don't you find a good man? You should settle down, you're getting to that age! And Nona would love if she could meet the man who finally tames you.' She talks like I'm so old, but she'll be so happy to meet you!" she gushed. "And my dad will be happy, too. He doesn't quite push me as much as my mom, but he'll be happy I found such a good man. He just wants me to be well taken care of. They'll show you all of my baby pictures and home videos and tell you all my embarrassing stories too." She laughed, hopping off the counter. She walked up behind him and the stove, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head against his bare back. He was so warm and lovable. She kissed right in the middle of his back between his shoulder blades before resting her head against his back again. "I love you so much," she said quietly, a broad smile on her lips. "You make me so happy. And they'll be happy that I'm happy." Her arms squeezed him gently, never having felt this happy before in her life.

She released him to go grab a banana, feeling hungry, and she peeled it before pulling pieces off the end and popping them in her mouth. Her eyes studied him and she cocked her head to the side cutely as she munched on the bits of banana. "I bet you played sports in high school. Football?" she said out of the blue. Imagining him as a fresh-faced teenager in a football jersey just made her heart flutter. "I bet the cheerleaders loved you." She giggled, a wicked grin on her face. What a stereotype Gavin seemed to be, but just the right one to be serving her breakfast in her kitchen on a Saturday morning.

[GAVIN BROOKS]

Gavin loved how she gushed over everything. It was like he could do no wrong! That suited him just fine, because the more she liked his answers the more he was convinced he could make this work. He wanted her to love him forever!

"I'd love to meet your family. I want to see embarrassing baby pictures and hear funny stories all about you, and watch home movies," He smiled against her lips, both loving and hating the idea.

"Yeah, my moms definitely going to love you." He said as he put the pancakes onto a plate and poured the last of the batter into the frying pan.

He smiled when she insisted her parents would love him. Would they? He would be on his best behavior for them, that was for sure! He would dress nice and have sent out a bunch of resumes. He'd want them to know their daughter was in good, loving hands. Hands that would provide for her, through richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. He flipped the pancakes, watching her gush on and on about her family. The way they were talking sounded like they'd been dating for years and were finally tying the knot!

"They'll show you all of my baby pictures and home videos and tell you all my embarrassing stories too." He laughed with her. "Now that's definitely a good incentive!" He relaxed feeling her at his back, turning his head slightly as he felt her lips press between his shoulder blades. "I love you so much," she breathed. "You make me so happy. And they'll be happy that I'm happy." Her arms squeezed him gently, and he melted in her embrace.

He pouted when she released him but her question distracted him for the time being. "I did.." He laughed, putting the last pancakes onto the plate and turning the stove off. He brought the plate over to the table and put a couple pancakes on each of their plates. "I was an all American kid. My parents had me playing basketball, football and soccer. I tried baseball for a year but I got bored because it wasn't active enough for me. I was sort of a high energy kid, so it was a surprise when I decided to go to college instead of joining the military."

"I bet the cheerleaders loved you." She giggled, a wicked grin on her face but he only laughed and shook his head. "I guess maybe a few did... but none of them could ever hold a candle to you.." He watched her for a moment and then looked down at his breakfast, picking at it and thinking.

"Abby.." He said after a moment. "I know we just met, and I know we are rushing things, but I just can't help this nagging feeling inside that this is all right. Too right. Like a dream...I feel like I'm in a dream." He explained, his brown eyes meeting hers. "I want to meet your family." His voice was serious and he gulped. "Do you think your dad would be okay if I asked him for your hand?" His voice was soft, nervous, afraid of her reaction. "I'm not proposing now. I would do it right, with a ring and flowers and all that, but I want your family's blessing. I want them to be able to see me as their son. I want them to know how much I'm in love with the magnificent daughter they raised.."

[ABIGAIL JAMES]

"I guess maybe a few did...but none of them could ever hold a candle to you." Abby put a hand to her heart and gave Gavin a smile that showed she was melting. He was so sweet! "Awww," she said, resting her head against his shoulder playfully. She loved him so much. "Abby..." Her eyes turned back up to him, curious, and she felt her heart beat a little faster at the serious look on his face. "I know we just met, and I know we are rushing things, but I just can't help this nagging feeling inside that this is all right. Too right. Like a dream...I feel like I'm in a dream." Was he saying he didn't like it because it was all too perfect? Had he figured her out? She would just die if he got mad at her and didn't love her anymore. "I want to meet your family." Her big eyes were wide as the request left him, though she felt a surge of relief. She wanted him to meet her family! "Do you think your dad would be okay if I asked him for your hand?" Her heart stopped. "I'm not proposing now. I would do it right, with a ring and flowers and all that, but I want your family's blessing. I want them to be able to see me as their son. I want them to know how much I'm in love with the magnificent daughter they raised..." Her smile broke out across her face and she actually felt tears in her eyes. He wanted to marry her!

"Yes," she said quietly, nodding. She giggled and threw her arms around his neck, bring his face down to kiss her while she stood on tiptoe. When she pulled back, her eyes were glittering and she had a smile that stretched from ear to ear. "Yes, my dad would love if you asked to marry me! My mom too. They would be so happy to see me settle down!" She laughed again and kissed him passionately, so happy she could explode everywhere. Fuck the love potion! This was real! This had to be real happiness! When she pulled away, her hands still played in his hair and her face was glowing. "And I want to meet your family. I want them to see how much I'm in love with you, how wonderful you are. I love you so much, Gavin, I feel like I could just bust into a million pieces because I'm so happy right now!" She kissed him again and again and again, unable to get enough of this perfect man she had in her arms.

When she pulled away from his lips, she pressed her forehead against his sweetly, her eyes still closed. "I want to marry you," she said in a voice just above a whisper. "I want to be with you forever. I want to have your babies and watch them grow and be Mrs. Brooks. Or even if we don't have kids, I want to be with you forever and ever. I love you so much, Gavin. I've never been so happy in my life." She opened her eyes to his, knowing for a fact that this was all she needed in life. All she needed was Gavin.

[GAVIN BROOKS]

"Yes, my dad would love if you asked to marry me! My mom too. They would be so happy to see me settle down!" His heart pounded with happiness and he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close as she kissed him. Everything felt so perfectly right! The planets were finally aligning for him! "And I want to meet your family. I want them to see how much I'm in love with you, how wonderful you are. I love you so much, Gavin, I feel like I could just bust into a million pieces because I'm so happy right now!"

He grinned and kissed her back. "You will! I can't wait to show you off! I can't wait for my mom to just hug me and tell me she's happy for me! For us!" His heart swelled with the thought of pleasing his mother. She'd been so disappointed when he'd turned on his current path, but that was ancient history as of last night!

"I want to marry you, I want to be with you forever. I want to have your babies and watch them grow and be Mrs. Brooks. Or even if we don't have kids, I want to be with you forever and ever. I love you so much, Gavin. I've never been so happy in my life."

"I love you, too." He felt his eyes moistening with the deep passionate love he felt for this woman. "God, Abby.. I love you so much it hurts. It actually hurts.." And it did. His heart was throbbing from the elevated pumping it had been doing since he met her. "But I don't even care. My heart could explode with my love for you and I would have died the happiest man on the earth just knowing you loved me, too." He kissed her again, lifting her to put her on the table next to his untouched breakfast, wrapping her legs around his waist as he continued kissed her.

"It's official.." He said softly into her mouth, his hands creeping over her body, admiring the way she felt. "The second I get the okay from my future father-in-law, I'm sliding that ring on your finger. But... until then I have something else that I'd like to slide into you.." He grinned, his mouth finding her neck..

---

Gavin sipped his milk and then took another bite of pancake. "So, what's on the agenda, baby?" He asked, smiling warmly at her. "We can do anything in the world. I'm all yours today."

[ABIGAIL JAMES]

"I love you, too." Abby smiled wider, feeling like her face was going to split in half with all her smiling. "God, Abby...I love you so much it hurts. It actually hurts..." She nodded her agreement, wrapping her arms more tightly around his shoulders. "Me too," she whispered, feeling the pain in her chest. She just knew she would die if she ever lost him. "But I don't even care. My heart could explode with my love for you and I would have died the happiest man on earth just knowing you loved me, too." She giggled, feeling exactly the same that he did. He lifted her onto the table and she kissed him back passionately, her legs wrapping around his hips at his bidding. She was starting to feel that familiar ache in her belly, needing to have him inside her again.

"It's official." Gavin's hands on her body made her heart throb with desire. "The second I get the okay from my future father-in-law, I'm sliding that ring on your finger. But...until then I have something else that I'd like to slide into you..." Abby giggled, her heart racing as his mouth came to her neck. She leaned her head back, sighing with a soft moan. "Well, I can accept that," she teased, her hands gripping his shoulders.

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Abby was happily munching on pancakes, starving after how much she had made love to Gavin. It had to be going on noon now and she hadn't eaten in too many hours to count. She needed sustenance. "So, what's on the agenda, baby?" She looked over at her boyfriend and gave him a warm smile in response to his. "We can do anything in the world. I'm all yours today." A playful smile crossed her lips. "Let's go to Mexico and lie on a beach somewhere. It'll be perfect this time of year," she grinned before popping another piece of pancake in her mouth. When she had swallowed that she shrugged. "I guess we should shower before we do anything," she said with a wicked grin. She would take advantage of him in the shower too. "And then I have to water the plants, but other than that, I'm not sure. We could always just be lazy." She liked that idea. Just lying around making love and talking all day seemed like a fabulous idea. "Or we could go down to the Pier and listen to the musicians," she suggested. "There's a lot of them there on Saturdays." She was just tossing ideas around now. Honestly, as long as she was with Gavin, she didn't care what they did.

[GAVIN BROOKS]

"Let's go to Mexico and lie on a beach somewhere. It'll be perfect this time of year," Normally he would have laughed this off as a joke, but today he actually considered it. He could probably get the time off work if he asked, and she was probably on summer vacation since she was a teacher and all. Mexico sounded great; drinking tequila all night, eating burritos and tacos and making love on the beach. He soon realized she was joking and he allowed the thought to wander to the back of his mind instead, deciding he could definitely do that with her. Maybe soon...Like next weekend!

"I guess we should shower before we do anything," He grinned at the thought of that, liking the way it sounded. "And then I have to water the plants, but other than that, I'm not sure. We could always just be lazy."

Lazy sounded awesome. The Pier did, too. "Let's play it by ear, then." He said, getting up and collecting their plates and bringing them to the sink. Gavin hated doing dishes normally, but he had no problem soaping up the sponge and getting to work.

"Why don't you start the shower and I'll be in as soon as I'm done the dishes." He offered with a grin. He'd do anything for her...even the dishes.

---

"You have a lot of plants." Gavin noted. His hair was still slick from the shower and he was wearing the clothes he'd come home in. They still smelled of liquor and cologne, which didn't bother him too much.

He touched the leaves of one of the plants, cocking his head to the side. he'd never seen anything like it before. "Do you use them to cook?" He asked genuinely curious. "My moms plants stuff she cooks with. We used to eat strawberry everything in the summer, apple everything in the fall... every house we went to had a little garden. The smell of fresh basil still reminds me of home." He grinned and wrapped his arms around his girlfriend as he stood behind her, resting his head on her shoulder as he watched what she did, sighing contently. "You fit perfectly right here.."

[ABIGAIL JAMES]

"Let's play it by ear, then." Abby smiled sweetly and let Gavin take her plate, watching him. "Okay!" she chirped. "Why don't you start the shower and I'll be in as soon as I'm done the dishes." He was just perfect. He would make the perfect husband and father. He cooked, he cleaned, he was a great lay. What else could she possibly need in a man? She got up and moved to the bathroom, stripping out of the baggy t-shirt she was wearing. The water started and she waited for it to warm up before stepping in. She would soap herself up while she waited. What a great day...

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"You have a lot of plants." Abby laughed beneath her wide-brimmed hat that she always wore when gardening. "Yeah, I sure do," she replied, spraying the plants with a mist of water. He was touching the plants and she watched him for a minute, grinning; he was just so cute. "Do you use them to cook? My moms plants stuff she cooks with. We used to eat strawberry everything in the summer, apple everything in the fall...every house we went to had a little garden. The smell of fresh basil still reminds me of home." She loved hearing his memories of home. It made her excited to start their own home and new memories. She would remember how happy she was today until the day she died, old and having had a half dozen of his babies.

"Yeah, I use most of them to cook, some of them to make tea with. My mom and I used to make tea together all the time when I was a kid. The smell of roses is what reminds me of home. We always had fresh roses around," she told him before his arms came around her. She giggled, leaning back into him as she watered her plants. "You fit perfectly right here..." She turned her head, shading him with her hat now as she looked into his chocolate brown eyes. "So do you," she said sweetly. She kissed him softly, smiling against his lips, and momentarily forgetting about the plants she was watering.

"Bitch, don't do that out in public where people can see." The deep, smooth voice caught her attention and she pulled her lips back from Gavin's, turning to the sound of it. There a few feet off from the couple, was a well-muscled black man with gold and black eye shadow, purple lipstick, long gold earrings, and a wrap around his shaved head. He wore several gold rings and a bright gold tank top with a black mesh overlay that hugged close to his body. His jeans were baggy, but held up well on his narrow hips. The man was fabulous, and he knew it as he watched the two with disapproval. "Lala!" she cried with a bright smile. She looked back over her shoulder at Gavin with that big smile of hers. "Gavin, this is my best friend, Lafayette." She turned to look at Lafayette again, obviously wanting to gush. "Lala, this is Gavin. He's--" "Oh, I know who he is," he cooed, his eyes sliding over Gavin. Lafayette smiled, but it was obvious from his eyes that he was suspicious. Abby was far from jealous. Lafayette was the gayest man in town and Gavin obviously wasn't, so there was no threat posed by her best friend. Now she could tell him how in love she was! She was so excited!