The Honeymoon Period (The Austin Series) by C.J. Fallowfield Page B

leaves and he laughed at my attempts to use a pair of chopsticks on the
dumplings very unsuccessfully.
    ‘Here, let
me.’ He picked one up with his and popped it in my mouth.
    ‘Seriously,
you’re good at everything.’
    ‘I spent a
lot of time in Hong Kong. I’m going to have to teach you before we go.’
    ‘You like
to plan things, don’t you?’
    ‘Yes,
especially with you. I’m looking forward to our trips coming up.’
    ‘You’re
looking forward to meeting my parents and being dragged out around my hometown?’
    ‘Yes. I
want to hear stories about you and I need to make a good impression on your
parents. Now we’ll be living together they need to like me.’
    ‘Gabe, no parent
could fail to like you, but please don’t tell them anything, it’s too soon. I’d
rather wait until I feel they can handle it.’
    ‘You’re
seriously not going to tell them?’ He seemed surprised and a slight flash of
hurt flickered across his face for a second.
    ‘Not yet no,
it’s been a lot for Mum having me leave home, let alone falling in love and
having sex. I’ve also got to break it to her that I’ve had an operation and
have a condition. I think there’s only so much she can take in two months.’
    ‘I thought
we didn’t lie, Mia?’
    ‘We don’t,
we just don’t volunteer information that might freak them out, like my
operation, or us moving in together so quickly.’
    ‘Hmmm, I
hope you don’t employ that tactic with me?’ he asked as he brushed my hair
behind my ear and looked at me quizzically. I smiled with relief as our dishes
were cleared, giving me an out from answering his question. The mains were put
on the table and another bottle of beer was opened for each of us.
    ‘Happy
Anniversary, Gabe.’ I clinked his bottle, kissed him and took a swig, thinking
how nice it was to have happy relaxed Gabe back, and I could only hope it was
the start of better times for us.
    ‘Happy
Anniversary, avoidance Mia. You have a guilty face, what are you hiding from
me?’
    ‘Hello! We’re
on a surprise date, I’m hiding the surprise to follow,’ I advised. He narrowed
his eyes as he studied me, then leaned in and kissed me, before using his
chopsticks to fill my bowl and smiled as I picked up my fork. I talked him
through my plans for our trip home as we polished off the food and beer and
ordered an Irish coffee.
    ‘You keep
checking your watch, is this surprise time sensitive?’
    ‘Yes, the
taxi’s booked for quarter to eleven so we don’t have long. Excuse me a minute.’
I went and handed my card over to make sure I paid before Gabe tried to and
then headed to the toilet, grabbed my stuff from my bag and brushed my teeth,
reapplied my gloss and looked at myself in the mirror, wondering how he was
going to take this. I was more nervous at the thought of his reaction than
taking most of my clothes off on stage. It was amazing what a few weeks with a
man who adored my body, plus a professional dancer who taught me how to move it
even better, could do for a girl’s confidence. With all this exercise I’d been
doing, I’d never been in better physical shape. Gabe had finished his coffee
when I sat down next to him and took a sip of mine.
    ‘Minty
breath baby? You don’t usually carry tooth cleaning equipment with you. Come to
think of it, I’ve never seen you bring anything but a small bag out on a night
out.’
    ‘Then it’s
good for me to be mysterious and shake things up. I need to keep you interested
and from getting bored of me, don’t I?’
    ‘I’ll
always be interested and never be bored of you, Mia,’ he smiled as he ran his
fingers down the side of my face. ‘You’re mine as long as the sun continues to
rise.’
    I closed my
eyes as his lips pressed against my temple. He always knew the right thing to
say and with such a sexy voice as well. I looked at him and bit my lip
nervously. ‘Will you promise me something, Gabe?’
    ‘It
depends, ask me first,’ he replied as he tilted