Chapter 24*
"So I have some good news," Alex smiled, it was so bright and big it made Gavin smile.
She was actually aglow, Gavin could see that she had good news long before she said anything. It was actually a departure of what she had been for some time now. Now that she was no longer working on the wall.
"What's that?" he asked as he sat his fork down. He wanted to give her his undivided attention.
"Well you have been on me for weeks to get back to art," she said picking up her wine glass and taking a small sip. He nodded.
Ever since the Expo, she had not touched any of her sketchbooks or paintings. Gavin had converted the guest room to a studio for her, but all her supplies had sat untouched. He had converted it to motivate her to work as it had been two months since she did any. She had fallen into a melancholy mood because she couldn't find any inspiration. It was as if the wall had drained it from her.
"I want you to do what makes you happy," he corrected her. "I know your art does that."
"I know," she smiled. "You make me happy as well! Does that mean I can just do you?"
"I think we have been doing that, haven't we?" he chuckled with and arched eyebrow.
"Not nearly enough in my book!" she smiled bashfully.
"You are going to wear my ass out!" he laughed. She looked to her plate with a blush. "So, your news?" He prodded gently seeing her embarrassment.
"I got the maternity leave thing for the south side school!" she said proudly. He nodded and forced a smile for her benefit.
"You don't look happy," she pointed out, not being fooled.
"No, I'm happy that you're happy but...," he sighed.
"But?" she pushed.
"I'm not real wild about you having to go to the south side!" he told her picking up his wine glass and taking a drink with a shrug of his broad shoulders. "There are some rough neighborhoods down there! There were three drive by shootings just this weekend."
She dropped her head and frowned. She knew he would not like it.
"Look," he smiled reading her. "I love that you are going to teach art, I really do, but it's the neighborhoods that I'm worried about!"
"I know," she nodded. "But these kids...I loved working with them for that one day I subbed...now I get the opportunity to do that until Christmas!"
She knew he was going to be worried, he did that all the time with her. His overprotective nature sometimes getting in their way of their continued growth both sexually and emotionally.
"I get it," he nodded. "Doesn't mean I'm not going to worry."
"I get it," she said with twisted lips.
At least he didn't outright forbid it. If he did then the fight would be on. They rarely fought anymore, thankfully. He was just always on her positively to move back to art. She knew she was in a funk, but she couldn't come out of it. He thought the art would do it but she just wasn't motivated to do that anymore.
"Can we address that car of yours now?" he asked her with a frown.
"There is nothing wrong with the rabbit," she warned him. This had the makings of a fight. He kept spoiling her, clothes, shoes and jewelry. He doted on her constantly, normally she didn't mind. But he had been on her to buy a new car.
Her car was almost twenty years old and on its last leg but she just couldn't afford a new one right now. She had spent the bulk of her money from the paintings and the wall paying off her monumental student loan debt. What was left, paid back Lena, who had initially refused, but after constant pressure accepted half of what Alex was offering for payment of back rent. Now that she was debt free, she wanted to stay that way. A car payment just put her back to struggling.
"The oil slick under it says otherwise!" he countered. "I'm surprised Greenpeace isn't here about another oil disaster because of the sheer amount of oil that thing puts out!"
"Hey!" she laughed defensively.
"I'm just saying," he shrugged.
"I'm doing my best," she said shaking her head. "I've saved up some money, now with this gig I should be able to save up some more. I don't want a payment or anything because I don't know where or when my next paycheck is going to come."
"I told you I would take care of it," he said with a deep exhale. How many times was he going to let her argue her way out of it before he just lost it and went ballistic? He couldn't explain it himself.
He was doing is very best to keep this from becoming a massive argument. He was trying to balance being a Dom and being a boyfriend. He didn't know why he was doing that but he was trying for her. She never asked, but he just felt he should do it.
"I'm not much on charity," she said firmly.
"It's not fucking charity!" Gavin growled his temper rising. "I want to help you out!"
"I know," she frowned, she had to derail his temper, she didn't want an argument. "But I want to do this on my own! I've always done everything on my own!"
"That's bullshit," he said tossing his napkin on the table.
"What is?"
"That you won't let me help you," he said angrily.
"This isn't like a set of clothes," she pointed out. "Or some shoes! We are talking thousands of dollars! I wouldn't be comfortable with that!"
"You know," he started slowly. "I don't know why I let you refuse me the way you do, or why I accept the way you talk to me the way you do. I have never let a sub do that!"
"It's because you love me," she smiled, trying to take some of the anger from him with her innocent smile.
"That's why I should just buy the fucking car and suffer with your pouting afterwards!" he said picking up his fork and going back to dinner.
She didn't point out to him that he didn't make a denial of her statement. That was as close as she could get him to saying the words. Saying them for him and having him
not
deny it.
"Can I at least have my mechanic look at the piece of shit?" he asked her angrily.
"I could live with that," she smiled knowing that was going to happen with or without her consent.
Alex moved into the living room after putting the dinner dishes into the dish washer, as Gavin flipped through the channels on TV. When she walked in he shut the TV off and set the remote on the table next to him.
"Can't find anything to watch?" she smiled at him.
"No," he shrugged. "Just not in the mood for basketball tonight, seems like the only thing on."
She nodded as she stood there as he looked her over. She had on a white v-neck tee that was nearly see through. She had tight blue jeans on that absolutely drove him crazy when she wore them. They formed tightly around her ass and hips, giving him a visual that would cause him to hold his breath when she was around in them.
He crossed his legs, and watched her standing there.
"Can I help you? Sir?" she smiled as she felt him undressing her from the couch.
"Yes," he nodded. "Entertain me."
"How?" she asked as she lowered her eyes and felt herself hold her breath.
"Take your clothes off," he said in a tone that meant not to question or hesitate. "Slowly."
She started with her button on her pants, slowly pulling the edge until the button popped loose. She then tugged the t-shirt over her head slowly. It pulled free from her free flowing hair as she shook her head to get it loose afterward. She dropped it near her as her eyes locked on his. He never took his eyes off her, nor did it look like he blinked.
She smiled as her face flushed with warmth, her body began to show its early signs of arousal as her breathing increased. She pulled the zipper of the pants down slowly before running her hands up her hips and then letting her fingers dip between her pants and onto her skin. She eased the tight jean material down, shimmying her hips to help them loose from the pants. This simple action caused him to groan softly in pleasure which made her smile.