“Hi Mr. Basso.”  I shake his hand back.  I am surprised to feel no calluses on them, telling me he is not a worker with his hands like the rest of his family.

“Please call me Mitch.”

“Well then it’s Maddy.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.  I have heard about you nonstop by not only your mother but my family as well.”  He smiled showing no signs of the horrible things I could imagine Mrs. Basso saying about me.

“How is it that I have never meet you?  I mean I have known the Bassos my whole life and usually attend every holiday…until recently.”

“Uncle Mitch lived in Arizona.  Never came home much.”  Gabe chimed in.

“Until last year that that is” Mitch said smiling down at my mom.

“Am I to assume you are Mr. Basso’s brother?”  I ask.

“You assume right, younger by two years.”  He confirms.

“Even though he looks older than me by ten.”  Mr. Basso comes to Mitch’s side slapping his back in amusement.  “Where have you two been all day?”  He stares at Gabe and me.  His face is calm and relaxed.

“Just riding some rides and stuff.”  Gabe’s response quick and short.

“I thought Maddy didn’t ride roller coasters.  At least that’s what I remember.”  Mrs. Basso snidely comments standing alongside her husband.

“Oh Wendy she rode the Eagle today with Gabe.”  My mom cheers not noticing the glare coming from Mrs. Basso.

“How nice that must have been for the two of you?  Too bad Trent couldn’t be here to join you” The coolness from her voice shakes everyone in our circle.  Even Mitch seems taken back by her comment looking from her to my mom questioning.

“As you know Mom, Trent has stuff to do with the team today.”  Gabe responds giving his mom a look of death.

“If you will all excuse me I need to use the restroom before we head back.”  I say.

I can feel Gabe’s eyes on me as I walk the ten steps to the women’s bathroom.  Right before I open the door, I peek over to him seeing the smile that encases his lips and I shake off his mom.  He obviously doesn’t care what she thinks so I shouldn’t either.

By the time I get out of the bathroom, taking my time willing his mom to leave I am happy to see Gabe sitting in front of the water fountain by himself.  His elbows rest on his knees while he leans forward typing something onto his phone.  He hasn’t spotted me yet so I take him all in.  He is absolutely gorgeous and I can’t believe he wants me.

“Where did everyone go?”  I walk up to him taping his foot with mine.

He encircles his arms around my waist bringing me down to his lap.  “Gone.  Thank god.  I need those lips on mine.”  He crushes his lips to mine and I welcome them.

“Are you sure everyone is gone?”  I pull back a little.  “Where is my mom?”

“She went with Uncle Mitch.”  He kisses me again.

“What about Ian?”  I stop us again.

“Went with your brother.”  He kisses my lips again.

“What about…”

“Maddy, everyone is gone.”  He irritatingly says placing his hands firmly around me.

“Ok, cause I just don’t want…”

Gabe quickly stands up practically shoving me onto the ground.  “I know, you don’t want it getting back to Trent.”  He starts walking to the front gate.  “Let’s go.”

“No…Yes, I thought we were in agreement over this.  After the wedding we would tell everyone.”  I stutter while trying to catch up with him.  In all my years of knowing Gabe I have never seen him possess so many moods in such a short time frame.

“I know Maddy.  What did you think?  That I would kiss you knowing someone was still here to catch us.  I hate it that I can’t just take your hand in front of them or kiss your cheek but I will do it for you.”  He never stops walking spitting the words towards me.

“I wish it was different Gabe, I do.”  I put my hand on his arm for him to stop but he doesn’t so I grab his hand pulling it down.

“What Maddy?”  He turns around staring at the ground.

“Gabe.”  I sigh putting my hand to the side.

“Sorry, I just want everyone to know you are mine and I feel like you are so worried what everyone will think and I don’t know.”  He shakes his head not being able to finish.

“I want that too.”  I stare at him.

Before I can open my mouth he has his lips on mine again but this time he is more forceful and demanding.  Thrusting his tongue in my mouth exploring until mine joins in.  He grabs my hips pulling them into him and I feel how badly he wants this.  His hands grab my ass pushing me up so my legs wrap around his waist. I wrap my arms around his neck bringing his mouth on me.  His mouth starts to explore my jaw, neck and ear as I clutch him closer to me.  Somehow Gabe gets us to the car never letting go of me and when he opens the back seat we both climb in.

Ours hands are frantic.  He pushes up my shirt cupping my breasts while I strip him of his.  He pulls down my laced bra freeing my breast sucking it making my nipple harden against his tongue.  I arch my back pushing myself against his mouth moaning in the pleasure.

“You are so beautiful Maddy.”  He whispers.

My hands reach for his shorts, unbuttoning them but before I can grab the zipper Gabe’s hand is on top of mine.

“As much as I want this Maddy.  I don’t want to take you in the back of some car like a bunch of teenagers.”  He grabs my hand bringing it up to his mouth kissing my palm.  “And if I let your hands roam where they are going I won’t be able to stop us.”

I put my head on his shoulder knowing he is right “I know”

“It will be worth the wait.”  He smirks up to me and I instantly melt.

“I know it will be” I smile back to him.

“Go to dinner with me.”  He asks playing with my fingers.

“I wish I could” staring at our hands together, they have always somehow fit like a puzzle.

“You can, just say yes,” his eyes are imploring with me.

“I already have plans.” I know it was going to tear him apart.  He wasn’t going understand that I have to go.  Trent seems desperate to tell me something and although our past is confusing at the moment he is still my friend.

“With your mom?  I hate to break it to you Mad but I think my Uncle coming into town today might have changed those.”  He smiles obviously thinking it is wonderful that my mom and his uncle are dating.

“Um…No.”  I put my head down peeking up through my eyelashes.

“Oh” his sudden sadness in his eyes affirms he knows who my plans are with.

“It’s not what you think Gabe, he asked me yesterday.  He said he has something to tell me.”  I sit up on my knees at his side making our faces meet.

“Something important I am sure.”  He rolls his eyes looking away from me.

“Gabe, its dinner.  Nothing more.”  I place my hand on his chin bringing him back to me.  “I will call you as soon as I get home.”  I kiss him on the lips.

“It better be early.”  He murmurs against mine before kissing me back.

“Let’s not waste more time talking.”  I put my lips on his.  He slowly moves his lips with mine until the eagerness gets the best of us.

A couple minutes later while Gabe’s hands are getting closer up my shirt and my lips are swollen from the kissing his leg starts vibrating.

“Um.”  I start laughing pulling away from him pointing to his leg.

“I should probably see who it is.”  He pushes me a little off his lap but rests his hand on my knee telling me not to go too far.  Reaching into his pocket he thumbs the screen and then puts the phone back in his pocket.

“You can get it”

“No, just a work thing.”  His good mood suddenly dissipates.  “We should get going anyway.”  He nudges me off his lap the rest of the way opening the door from the backseat.

I follow Gabe’s lead and get out moving into the front seat.  He is quiet on the way back to my house and I know it has something to do with the phone call.  I assume he would be returning that call once I am out of the car.   Gabe has always been so straight forward and honest with me, it feels weird that he is holding something back.  I don’t want to push too much but when he pulls in my mom’s driveway and fails to put the blue monster in park I have to ask.