All His Own Fault

Finally I screwed up my courage to publish a story. Be kind and helpful with any criticism please. There is no sex in this first chapter. All characters are over 18.

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As a man reaches a certain level of maturity there are certain things that he should have learnt. Chief among them is that when dealing with women there is a time, no matter how tempting it is, no matter how honest the words or logical the argument... he should just shut the fuck up!

Gene realised he had no one but himself to blame for the fact that at a quarter after midnight on a Friday night he was walking down the street on his own having been kicked out by the woman who had asked him who he thought had the better figure; her or her (drop dead gorgeous) best friend.

Like an idiot he had started with "Well, she IS rather hot!" and it all went downhill from there.

Well, further downhill. They had been together for a year but it was hard graft just trying to keep it together. Claire was a good looking woman but insecure to the point of neuroses and so always flirting with guys to get their attention to boost her ego. At first he sort of got it, then it started to annoy him and after the last fight, caused by a guy who decided he had a green light, he had finally told her to cut it out...and so on to tonight. Truth be told he had had enough and there and then he decided that in the morning he would go collect his things and call it a day.

In the meantime he headed to his friend Gerry's house. They had been best friends since a childhood summer camp where the pair of them had faced down a bully twice their size. Family and friends had referred to them as the "Terrible Twins"! Gerry was out of town on business but Gene had his own key and knew Gerry would not mind him crashing in the spare room or indeed moving in for a few days until he could sort his life out. He would probably be glad to see the back of Claire as he had also found her hard work and could not understand what Gene saw in her. The more Gene thought about it neither could he.

Arriving at Gerrys place he put his key in the lock, opened the door and stepped in to find a low light in the lounge and the flatscreen on. Suddenly this tousled red headed demon jumps up from the couch and grabs the poker from the fireplace screaming "Who are you! What are you doing here? What do you want?" All the time brandishing the poker.

Gene stopped dead in shock then realised who this crazy female was. His face split into a grin and he started to laugh. "Calm down Fireball, its me Gene!" A look of recognition crossed her face and she slowly lowered the poker. "Stop laughing! You scared me half to death!"

He laughed again and said "I can see that. You're all goosebumps!"

She looked down at herself and realised that not only was she scantily clad in just slim panties and a half cup bra but her nipples were hard and peeking over the top of the cups! She squealed in embarrassment, covered her breasts with her arms and ran for the stairs.

Gene stood there totally amused, amazed and...hard! So Gerry's little cousin Dawn (no longer so little by the very nice eyeful she had just given him) was staying at Gerry's place. That put a spoke in his plans. At least for tonight he would use Gerry's room as she would be in the spare. The picture of the tousled shoulder length red hair, the firm (C cup?) breasts and the long legs that went all the way to the top...! was firmly fixed in his mind! Nor had he missed the small tattoo on her inside thigh although what it was he was not sure, clearly the cute little kid (all of 3 years younger) he remembered really was "all grown up!"

He closed the still open front door and went through to the kitchen and put the kettle on. He really needed a cup of tea. Gerry always ribbed him about his "English Habits". A legacy of his dads time in the US Airforce and the two years the family spent living in England. A liking for Tea, Marmite and Mars bars! The only three things he had consciously brought back with him from that time. He was 16 when they arrived and 18 when they returned to the USA.

He had graduated from the American School in Uxbridge just outside London. That was also where he had developed a taste for redheads! All thanks to a certain little Irish charmer who he had met whilst out shopping and who was as enamoured by his accent as he was by her. They had lost heir virginities together one summers night in the long grass by the lake at Ruislip Lido! He smiled to himself, a sweet and innocent time. That ended far too soon as her parents took her back to Ireland and then he went back to the States.

He was brought out of his revere by a clatter of metal in the lounge and Dawns entrance into the kitchen. He turned to see she was now wearing a dressing gown over a sleep set T and shorts.

"I'm relieved you put the poker back," Gene said with a smile.

"Next time don't scare a girl half to death bursting in on her!" she said returning his smile. (OMG she was beautiful!)

"And what on earth are you doing here at nearly one in the morning?" she demanded.

"Row with my soon to be ex girlfriend. Figured to crash in the spare room for a couple of days until I get my act together, and you?"

"Sort of ditto!" her smile faltered slightly.

"Sort of...?" I queried.

"Came home early from work to find him screwing the Barbie across the hallway on the living room floor!"

"Ooh shit!"

"Yeah, so I threw her out on her naked ass and then kicked him around the room! The bastard! Two years we were together."

"I'm sorry Fireball! That sucks!"

"Yeah, well...better now than after I've wasted 3 years! She had REAL difficulty explaining to her husband, a Recon Marine, what she was doing in the corridor stark naked when she woke him up to let her in!"

"Ouch!"

"Yeah, when he came banging on the door I invited him in and said he could have what was left of my miserable ex and welcome!"

"What was left...?"

Dawn looked down at her (very pretty) feet. "I wasn't too gentle with him." She looked up.

Gene raised his eyebrows questioningly whilst looking in her beautiful eyes.

"I broke his nose, blacked both eyes, I think I broke a rib and he won't be screwing anything until the swelling where I kicked him in the balls goes down!"

Gene burst out laughing! "What did the Marine do?" He asked grinning.

"Stop laughing at me!... he looked at him and said there wasn't much left for him to have and did I want to be a marine as they wanted people who could kick ass! Then he left laughing! Both of us packed up and left the cheaters that night! I have been here the last three days."

"Well that will teach him not to cheat! You always were a Fireball and he should have known he would pay for it! But..., I AM sorry he hurt you!" Gene gave her an intense look in the eyes to emphasise how genuinely he meant it!

Dawn felt herself drawn into that gaze. She had the most all consuming crush on Gene when she was a young teen. He had not only been the nicest boy among Gerry's friends but he had taken care of her when she was inflicted, or inflicted herself on their group. Her mother always said he was genuine. Her mum would gently tease her about "her handsome hunk" in their Mother/Daughter times. Mom had NEVER liked her ex!

She felt a rush of mixed emotions...pain, hurt, attraction to Gene and...relief (??) sweep over her and her eyes watered.

Gene just saw the tears form and instinctively stepped forward and, as Dawn stepped into his arms, enfolded her in a hug!

As his arms came about her strong, firm, but oh so gently, she felt safe, cared for and a sense of...Home! Later when she tried to analyse it that was all she could think to describe it..Gene felt like home! She just settled in and, because she felt safe to do so, just cried!

Gene felt her settle into his embrace and he felt protective, a need to comfort, anger at the bastard who had hurt her and a feeling that holding her was just...right!

He reached behind him and pulled a counter stool to him and sat down, bent over slightly and lifted Dawn into his lap. He held her until he sobs subsided and she cuddled further into him. Eventually he realised by her breathing that she had actually fallen asleep. He carried her off to her room and lay her in the bed, pulling the covers over her.

He looked down at her a maelstrom of emotions whirling in his brain. Without conscious thought he leaned down and kissed her lightly on the cheek. He heard a Sleepy, mumbled "G'night Gene!" as he stood up.

He moved to the door , looked back at her tousled, riot of red hair on the pillow and said "Good night Fireball" as he switched out the light.

It was Gene who had given her the nickname "Fireball" years before when as a pre teen tomboy she had a temper that carried pretty much all before her! Gene was the only one who could get her calmed down. Although he would often tease her that her red hair was so hot she would burn them all up and would mime warming his hands on her head!

Gene went into Gerry's room took a short shower and fell into bed. He was asleep almost instantly his last thought was feeling of her skin against his lips.

The next morning Gene had a dozen missed calls on his phone from Clare and umpteen messages ranging from tearful pleading, through accusatory to threatening vengeance of biblical proportions. He deleted them all but the threatening ones ("Because, You never know!"). He got up washed, dressed put the coffee filter machine on and went into the garage to find his boxes.

After he moved into Clares flat Gerry had collapsed them, took them away and put them in his garage "Just in case!" So Gene merely retrieved the half dozen and grabbed a roll of tape. It was going to be a busy morning. If he was lucky she would have gone to work and he could get his stuff out before she came home and he would explain that it was over to her face. If not he faced getting all his stuff together while she alternated between raging, tantrumimg and whining! God, he hated it when she whined! Putting the bundle in front of the house he went inside.

When he got into the kitchen Dawn was there all showered, fresh and VERY lovely, pouring two coffees from the pot. There was a frying pan on the stove with eggs frying and the smell of bacon coming from the grill.

"Good morning" She said "Thanks for last night." She smiled at him softly, gently, beautifully.

He smiled back. "No problem." He teased gently in faux aristocratic British accent "I live to serve m'lady!"

She looked him straight in the eye and said "Good!" Then handed him a steaming mug of coffee and turned to the stove. "Breakfast is almost done!"

"Smells good. I could get used to this!" he said lightly.

She looked over her shoulder, a simple non sexual gesture that, (for no reason he could think of) had his blood stirring, and again simply said "Good!" and turned back to the stove.

While she manipulated the spatula she said "We will need to get some more food with both of us here. I will head over to the store after you wash up! Where do you need to be dropped?"

Gene was suddenly back in his childhood. It was the same tone his mother used to use when "marshalling the troops" (Military Mom!) and getting all the kids in their gang corralled and on task!

Dawn had often been her "Second in Command", clearly had learned a few things and he now had his orders!

"Drop me and my boxes off at Claires?" he asked. "I will pack up and shift it while she is at work. Then go back tonight to tell her we are over and give her the key!"

Dawn had put two eggs, two rashers on a plate and presented it to him. "Good!" she said again. She next added toast to his plate and sat down opposite him at the counter and they ate in companionable, comfortable silence.

After disposing of the washing up and getting ready Dawn dropped Gene and his boxes outside Claires apartment and drove off after they arranged to meet back there in an hour and transport the boxes in one hit with the car rather than have him carry the boxes one at a time!

Claires car wasn't there so he was able to pack everything up, 6 boxes of books, CD's and DVD's and his clothes in a suitcase, large rucksack and personal electronics in his small daysack. Pretty much all he moved in with six months before. He stacked them in the hallway ready to go.

Dawn arrived on time and the last of boxes were loaded into the back of the car just as Claire arrived back early from work!

"What the fuck are you doing?" she demanded as she literally jumped out of her car.

"I was going to come back later to talk to you!" Said Gene in a moderate tone. "We are just not working as a couple and I can't do it anymore!"

"Do what...Be a man?" she screeched at him going from shock to psycho faster than a NASCAR racer off the starting line!

Gene sighed, he had hoped to avoid getting into this with her but, "the best laid plans of mice and men...!"

"Lets not do this Claire." he asked tiredly "You know it gets us nowhere!"

Claire just stared daggers at him and opened her mouth for another volley when she saw Dawn behind the wheel of her car, boxes stacked behind her.

"You Bastard! You two timing Bastard!" She launched herself at him claws out but he just stepped aside and she fell onto the grass where she lay kicking and screaming like a two year old toddler!

"No Claire, I haven't cheated on you. That is Gerrys cousin. She is just giving me a hand to move my stuff!" He bent down and dropped the keys to her flat where she could see them. "Goodbye Claire. I hope you find someone who makes you happy but, it isn't going to be me!"

He then got in the car, Dawn put it in gear and drove away.

They went about two blocks in silence before Gene let out a huge sigh of relief, the tension flooding out of him. Dawn looked at him out of the corner of her eye and said "Can I ask just one question?"

Gene turned to her and nodded "Sure."

"What the everlovin' FUCK was that???" An incredulous look on her face.

Gene burst out laughing, Dawn joined in and they both carried on until they pulled up outside Gerrys house.

God it felt good to laugh Gene thought it has been in far too short supply of late.

He looked at Dawn. Suddenly he had a real good feeling about the future.