New Leaves, No Strings (Austin Erotic Romance Series) Read online

  ‘Well a beautiful damsel in distress how could I not?’ he said with another smile that flashed a perfect set of white teeth.

  Beautiful eh? My stomach fluttered again. Hmmm weird, that was a new sensation I’d not experienced until today. I stood there trying to think of a response, while I did a quick mental check that my mouth was closed this time, then suddenly realised he hadn’t let go of me.

  ‘Gabe, you’re still holding my hand.’

  ‘Sorry.’

  He slowly let go and I bit my lip and registered that I’d just tucked my hair behind my right ear, I always tucked it when I was nervous. I felt on edge, I could still feel a throbbing from between my legs, just from our handshake. The fact that he was standing so close to me, smelling so edible wasn’t helping take the edge of my desire at all.

  ‘So, you got a clean bill of health from the Nurse?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes I did thanks. She told me it was probably a combination of low blood sugar and too much heat.’

  ‘Well it was hot, though not as hot as today.’

  I saw him cast an appreciate eye over my figure, lingering on my breasts and I nearly melted on the spot. The way he said “hot” was so sexy. With that Vin Diesel husky voice, I was sure anything he said would sound sexy. Even his name was just so masculine, Gabe. I repeated it a few times in my head testing it out, I liked it.

  ‘How’s the forehead?’ he asked, as he reached over and tried to brush my fringe out of the way, to inspect where I’d hit it on the desk. I took a surprised step back and bumped into the tree behind me.

  ‘Fine, a bit tender, but fine,’ I stammered, feeling totally embarrassed at my awkward stumble.

  ‘Good, I thought you might’ve bruised it, but I can’t see anything.’

  ‘You’re not looking hard enough.’

  ‘I’m looking pretty damn hard,’ he replied, making me blush again.

  ‘I’m told it wasn’t very elegant, you must’ve found it very funny.’

  ‘I didn’t find you fainting funny at all, I was rather concerned. On the other hand you and your friend tumbling to the floor and then Mr Jenkins comments, that I found very amusing. Was the male posterior you were drooling at mine by any chance?’

  ‘Well you were bending over right in front of me, with a very tight pair of trousers on and in my defence you’re, how do I put it, pretty toned in the arse department,’ I retorted, annoyed that he’d realised I’d been checking him out.

  ‘I’m glad you noticed,’ he smiled and I could detect a hint of pride in it.

  ‘Bit hard not to when you’re waving it in my face like that.’

  ‘You know that’s not the only area I’m toned, I like to keep in shape.’

  ‘I can tell,’ I said with a small involuntary sigh as I stared at his flat stomach, trying to imagine how it would look without the shirt.

  ‘It appears you do too, yoga?’

  ‘Pilates.’

  We stood staring at each other for a moment and I felt the air between us scorching and my chest began to heave, I felt my nipples harden and reached behind me to touch the tree to steady myself. I think he could make me come right now, just by talking to me. His voice and the way his eyes were inspecting every inch of my body. I had to keep reminding myself to stay looking from his chest up, I was sure I’d just seen that he had another erection and I was dying to look to find out. God I wish he’d just step forwards, push me up against the tree and kiss me with those delicious lips of his. I could tell, just by looking at them, that he’d be a good kisser.

  ‘You’ve gone rather flushed Mia, are you feeling faint again? Do I need to pick you up now just in case?’ he asked with a charming grin.

  O god, how to make me worse. The thought of those muscular arms around me and his chest pressing up against my face again was just too much. I jumped as my phone blasted out Fall Out Boy’s “The Phoenix” in my bag, I’d left the volume on rather loud.

  ‘Shit, sorry,’ I muttered, annoyed at the intrusion.

  ‘F.O.B fan?’

  ‘Yes, I love this album,’ I said as I managed to silence it. I looked to see that I’d received a text.

  Mia, I miss you so much. We really need to talk, call me, please. Kai xx

  ‘Who’s Kai?’ Gabe asked as he looked down at my phone.

  ‘Wow. Are you majoring in reading upside down and being nosey?’ I exclaimed as I hastily shoved it back into my bag.

  ‘Sorry, you should’ve read it in private if you didn’t want me to see it. So is Kai your boyfriend?’

  ‘Yes … I mean no … I mean … we just broke up.’ God why did I feel so nervous around this guy?

  ‘How come?’

  ‘That’s a bit of a personal question given that I’ve only just met you Gabe.’

  ‘You’re complaining about getting personal now? You openly objectified my arse and quite happily snuggled into my chest as I carried you for over five minutes, I didn’t hear you complaining about getting personal then,’ he replied looking amused.

  ‘I could hardly complain, I’d passed out and I’ve no recollection of snuggling,’ I objected.

  ‘But you’ve already admitted to the ogling. That’s personal, so you owe me one.’

  ‘Fine I apologise for staring at your arse and that it may in anyway have made you feel devalued as a human being, but don’t tell me that you didn’t enjoy touching me up as you carried me.’

  ‘Touching you up? I had my hands rather full at the time,’ he raised an eyebrow in surprise.

  ‘Wow, way to make a girl feel good. Are you trying to say my arse is fat?’ I scowled.

  ‘Far from it, I think your bottom’s pretty awesome, in fact I think it’d make me feel a lot better if you were to reciprocate, bend over right now and let me stare at yours for a minute or two. I’d feel we were even then,’ he grinned, leaving me stunned and silent. ‘So, you’re not going to tell me the reason for the break up with this Kai?’

  ‘Mutual bottom appreciation aside, I don’t know you well enough for this conversation.’

  ‘Bet he’s kicking himself for letting you go.’

  ‘No one let me go,’ I said indignantly. ‘I dumped him. Not all women are desperate for relationships you know,’ I snapped, then regretted it. I didn’t want to come across as a total man hater, not to him anyway.

  ‘What are you desperate for?’ he asked poignantly.

  ‘Some fun, I don’t want all this serious commitment crap,’ I replied with a shrug.

  ‘I thought that’s what most women wanted, commitment from a guy.’

  ‘I’m not like most women.’

  ‘No, I’m getting that,’ he said with another knicker wetting smile that reverberated to my core. ‘Anyway, here are the English notes from yesterday.’

  ‘Thanks that was really kind of you to do that for us.’ I took them from him and gasped as his fingers brushed mine and I felt that surge again.

  ‘Gabe,’ I heard a voice call from behind him, ‘Gaaaabe.’ He looked back and then looked back at me, shifting on his feet and looked very uneasy as an attractive, very well-toned and tall blonde came up behind him. ‘Gabe, come on, we have to get to practice.’ As she drew next to him she slipped her arm through his and I could’ve sworn I saw him tense up.

  ‘Hi, I’m Julie, Gabe’s girlfriend. Who are you?’

  Girlfriend??? Damn it. I tried desperately not to look too bothered at the news. ‘Hi, I’m Mia, nice to meet you.’ I reached out and shook her hand.

  ‘How do you and Gabe know each other?’ She was looking me up and down and I knew I was being vetted. How was I going to explain our encounter without getting him into trouble? He’d obviously not told her how we’d met. Scooping up random women probably wouldn’t go down to well with the girlfriend. I looked to him for support and he jumped in.

  ‘Julie sorry, Mia and I take English together and she passed out in our lecture yesterday.’

  ‘O dear how awful. I hope you’re feeling better now?�
��

  ‘Yes, yes I am thank you. I was very well taken care of.’ I flashed Gabe a quick smile of gratitude and was rewarded with one in return.

  ‘I’m sorry Mia, but we really have to go. We’re both on the swim team and we agreed to get as much practice in as possible before our first competition this week. Come on Gabe,’ she said as she tugged on his arm. He seemed reluctant to follow her, or was it just my hopeful imagination? I watched as she pulled Gabe away and I heard her say ‘She’s pretty’ to him, in an all too accusing tone.

  Gabe shook off her clutch and glanced back and mouthed ‘I’m sorry’ at me. I stayed there, using the tree for support, as I watched him stroll away by her side. Why was I surprised? Why wouldn’t he have a girlfriend when he looked like that? There again, I didn’t just imagine the serious flirting with me and the sexual tension between us. I’d seen it in his eyes, he fancied me as much as I did him. God damn it, bloody men. I rang Lexi immediately and filled her in.

  ‘He’s seeing someone? What a jerk. He flirts with you, gets all manly and protective with you and he already has a girlfriend? O well, I guess it just makes things easier.’

  ‘Easier? How?’ I asked as I started to head to the main building.

  ‘Well you’re just using him to get in the game so to speak. If he has a girlfriend it’ll make it so much easier for you to walk away once you’re done. This is just about lust, passion and sex remember? It’s not like you’re looking to marry the guy.’

  ‘Don’t be so stupid Lex, trust me it’s all about the hotness. You know me, I don’t do getting serious with guys, no matter how long I date them. Anyway, it’s all moot. I’m not going to go for a guy that’s already seeing someone. That’s just not fair.’

  ‘Well he wouldn’t be flirting with you if things were all peaches and cream with her would he? He wants you, so just get in there Mia. Swim team huh? I totally get how his body’s that good. He must put in lots of hours of practice, bodes well for his stamina in the sack.’

  ‘Ok ok enough,’ I groaned. ‘I’m getting all hot under the collar thinking about him again. What about you and English guy? Are you planning anything for when you see him next?’

  ‘Yeah, I just bumped into him and found out his name’s Andrew. I think he fancies me. I get the impression he’s not very experienced with woman, so I may have to make some moves of my own.’

  ‘When have you ever not Lex?’ I chuckled as I hung up and headed to the library. I pondered over whether I should reply to Kai and decided it wouldn’t be fair to give him false hope, so I deleted his message and whispered ‘I’m sorry’ to make myself feel a little better about it.

  After a few hours of studying I took a break, heading to the cafeteria. When I returned the library was packed. I found the last completely empty desk towards the back and started to unpack my bag.

  ‘Is this seat taken?’ a deep male voice asked.

  ‘No it’s free,’ I replied as I straightened up to look at my new companion.

  ‘Hi, I’m Milo,’ he smiled, extending his hand. ‘Nice to meet you.’

  ‘Mia,’ I replied, shaking his. ‘Nice to meet you too.’

  ‘I think we have English together. Aren’t you the girl who fainted yesterday and had to be carried out?’

  ‘Great, just great,’ I sighed. ‘That’s going to be my legacy isn’t it? I’ll forever be the girl who fainted on day one won’t I?’

  ‘At least people won’t forget you in a hurry.’

  ‘True, very true. Maybe it will work to my advantage after all, see I now have a new friend just because of it.’

  He smiled again as he sat next to me and unpacked his bag. He was about 5’10”, slightly built with glossy black hair, very dark chocolate brown eyes. He was really good looking, though came in second place to Gabe, Gabe was top of the premier league. Two attractive guys in two days, I was doing well.

  ‘Milo, is that Spanish?’

  ‘No, Italian on my mum’s side.’

  ‘Ahhhh, that’s where the dark good looks come from,’ I smiled as I twirled my hair around my finger.

  ‘If you’re flirting with me, I’d better warn you my girlfriend Jenny’s the jealous type and rather feisty,’ he grinned.

  ‘Story of my life Milo when I met an attractive guy. Well we’ll have to settle for friends then. Italian huh? See its kismet, as I love pizza and pasta. Plus I don’t do attached guys, not my style. I hate it when girls fight with all that wrestling and hair pulling and stuff.’

  ‘Now that I wouldn’t mind seeing, especially if skimpy swimwear were being worn,’ he said with a twinkle in his eye.

  ‘If you’re now flirting with me, I better warn you that I too have a feisty girlfriend.’

  ‘Hot, brunette, sharp witted and a lesbian? All of my fantasies rolled into one.’

  ‘Noooo,’ I laughed. ‘She’s just my over protective best friend and roommate. I’m most definitely into men.’ I liked Milo, he seemed fun.

  ‘Good to know. Well as we’re being so honest, if I wasn’t attached you’d be just my type.’

  ‘Then as you’re unavailable, maybe we should agree to be each other’s back up plans.’

  ‘You’re on, backups we’ll be,’ he pronounced and we shook on it.

  ‘Sssshhhh.’ The girl in front scowling at us didn’t look happy at all. I decided that there were a lot of serious people here at Uni and I sighed, flirting time was over.

  I filled Lexi in on my new friend as we microwaved some popcorn for our dinner. It was the most action the kitchen had seen since we moved in.

  ‘I am impressed Mia, two in one day. We’ll be popping your cherry before the weeks out,’ she grinned.

  ‘Lex,’ I giggled as I shoulder bumped her. ‘So what film have you chosen for our Tuesday movie night?’

  ‘I’m thinking “You’re gonna make a terrific character Nick.”’

  I answered without hesitation, ‘Basic Instinct.’

  ‘O she shoots, she scores in one. An excellent choice to get you started and into the mind-set of a conniving seductress.’

  ‘I want to sleep with the guy, not flash him my snatch then ice pick him to death. Ok how about … “Wood or Wire, they have both?”’

  ‘The bloody Graduate?’

  ‘Damn it you’re good, I’ve been saving that quote for ages. What’s wrong with The Graduate?’

  ‘Besides being so old it’s prehistoric, it’s the wrong way round. You’re the innocent virgin and he’s the experienced seductor. Ok let’s go with – “Bring the dog. I love animals … I’m a great cook.”’

  ‘Too easy, Fatal Attraction and talk about old,’ I said shaking my head.

  ‘It’s not that old, besides there’s a reason Fatal Attraction’s a classic.’

  ‘That’s two Michael Douglas movies in a row Lex. Do we have a bit of a crush?’

  ‘Mia, he’s still a dish, but he’s old enough to be my grandfather,’ she said looking horrified.

  ‘Anyway it’s the death theme again. I don’t plan on turning psychotic over a few encounters with the guy.’

  ‘Ok – “How did you know? How did you know I’d respond to you the way I have?”’ Lexi said clutching her heart dramatically.

  ‘9 ½ weeks and it was my turn to quote you cheat, so you forfeit and I win this week’s round.’ I grinned triumphantly.

  ‘Damn it,’ she moaned. ‘Well 9 ½ weeks seemed an appropriate topic, man corrupting woman with erotic passionate sex.’

  ‘Where they both end up bloody miserable and alone.’

  ‘Well they haven’t released Fifty bloody Shades of Grey yet you obsessive and I refuse to watch Pretty Woman yet again, just because you love apparent insurmountable odds, or The Notebook so you can cry.’

  ‘You cried too.’

  ‘Did not.’

  ‘Did so. You tried to pretend you weren’t, but I saw you. Everybody cries at The Notebook it’s an amazing film, plus Ryan Gosling’s so hot. He had my vote to play Christian Gr
ey, I’m so gutted he’s not doing it.’

  ‘Hmmmm well I didn’t like it, I hate love stories.’

  ‘Well I’m not renting vampire porn for you again Lexi. The Goth sex shop check out guy back home followed me for weeks after that thinking his luck was in. Let’s go for a Fast and Furious, but not Tokyo Drift, I like the ones with more Vin in.’

  ‘What is it with you and Vin?’

  ‘Hello? His voice, that and his body too. He could hold me up against a wall to do me, while he growled sweet nothings in my ear anytime.’

  ‘I just don’t see it.’

  ‘It’s the masculinity, voice and firm muscle thing. You stick to your RPatz, I’ll stick to my Vin.’

  We smiled at each other. Our banter was our trade mark, which others often didn’t get at all.

  ‘Ok I’m calling it on sexy movies, as I can see I’m not going to win and I can’t be doing with you lusting all over Vin again. Every time I had a sleep over at your mums on movie night and you watched Vin, it was guaranteed that you’d get out your vibrator out and I’d have to turn up my iPod to drown it out.’

  ‘Shit are they that loud?’ I exclaimed.

  ‘You’re that loud. Hello they? How many vibrators do you have?’ she asked astonished.

  ‘Only four,’ I replied blushing.

  ‘Only four’ she snorted. ‘I don’t even have one.’

  ‘You don’t need a vibrator, you have sex Lexi. I’m a single, sexually frustrated 18 year old virgin. What else am I supposed to do?’

  ‘Shag a guy that’s what. You and your bloody insistence on waiting to do it with someone who makes you swoon. You’ve just been delaying losing your virginity. You need some real cock inside you, not silicone vibrators Mia.’

  ‘Why do you have to be so crude Lexi?’ I scowled. ‘Anyway, don’t you dare forget your promise. If I die, you grab that box from under the bed and burn it, mum would be mortified.’

  ‘I’m mortified. TMI. Can we get back on film topic?’