Love & Loss by C. J. Fallowfield Page B

looked up at him, he had to be the same height as Gabe and looked like he had a body to rival his too. He’d always been toned in his swim trunks back then.
    ‘Ermmm yes,’ I managed to utter as I gazed at him and remembered to close my mouth as I gazed into his light blue eyes.
    ‘Tyler, Tyler Jackson, I worked as a life guard at the pool and rescued you the once.’
    ‘I remember,’ I nodded. O boy did I remember. Four years my obsession had lasted for and when he’d saved me … well it had been the highlight of my young teen life.
    ‘You look amazing. I haven’t seen you around for a while,’ he smiled. He reached out to hold my shoulder as he leaned down and kissed my cheek. I looked amazing? What was it with blond sex Gods finding me attractive? He was in a black suit, jacket undone with a white fitted shirt undone at the collar and his hair was all spiked up and sexy. It must be lack of sex with Gabe, because I shouldn’t be finding another guy attractive, but I could feel my body sparking. Tyler Jackson had it going on in all the right places and I still liked what I saw.
    ‘I’m at Uni in Westhampton, I started in September. How about you?’
    ‘I’m a surgeon. I did five years at Uni for a medical degree and I’m now doing a residency here.’
    ‘A surgeon? Wow ,’ I exclaimed. O my God, my very own McSteamy fantasy in the flesh.
    ‘It’s long hours, but I love it. What are you studying?’
    ‘English and Modern History. I’m not sure I’m as passionate about it as you obviously were with your choice, but I enjoy reading and culture so it seemed a natural choice.’ I reached up and tucked my hair behind my ear as I looked at his mouth, his lips were nearly as perfect as Gabe’s and I felt myself getting flustered as I imagined them on mine.
     ‘Are you seeing anyone?’
    ‘Yes … yes I am, he’s here somewhere, we met at Uni,’ I stammered. Had he really just asked if I was seeing someone? I felt my skin prickle and a hand go around my waist.
    ‘Mia baby, everything ok?’ came Gabe’s concerned voice as he kissed my temple and I was surprised to see Tyler flinch.
    ‘Yes sorry, this is an old friend of mine, well someone I used to know. This is Tyler, he’s a surgeon in town.’
    ‘Tyler,’ Gabe nodded as he held out his hand. ‘I’m Gabe, Mia’s boyfriend.’
    ‘Hi Gabe,’ Tyler replied taking his hand and shaking it firmly. I looked from one to the other. They could almost be brothers, tall, athletically built, blond and stunningly good looking, at least I was consistent with my attractions. Being sandwiched like this between them was sending my sexual desire through the roof. For a moment I even got an image of me sandwiched between them, naked , in bed with both of them devouring me at the same time, then I mentally slapped myself for having such illicit thoughts. I hopped awkwardly from one foot to another feeling some tension in Gabe’s arm around me. He was doing so well lately, I didn’t want to antagonise him by standing talking to a guy that I actually did have the hots for, not when he could go mental over Milo who I didn’t feel that way about.
    ‘It was really nice to see you Tyler, but we’d better get back, I’m here with Lexi and her boyfriend and some girls from Rowleys that I’ve not seen for ages. I don’t want to be rude by staying away.’
    ‘Of course, it was really nice to see you too, wait a second will you.’ He turned to the bar and grabbed a beer mat and scribbled on it. ‘Here’s my number, please let me know next time you’re in town and we could have lunch or something. It would be really nice to see you again.’ This time my mouth stayed open as I took the mat out of his outstretched hand, and immediately regretted it as I heard Gabe inhale sharply and his fingers dug into my waist.
    ‘ We’ll do that,’ he retorted, before taking my hand and squeezed it to the point that I nearly winced. ‘Come on baby, we need to get