“Well, that mindset is going to have to go.” He chuckled. “Bree, I know your mother did a lot to you and made you think you weren't worth anything, but you are. You are very special, at least to me, you are.”
“I will try to remember that,” Bree said softly.
“Now, back to the original question. Where do you want to sleep? I am not pressuring you to get you into my room, but I want to check the vents in the other room if that is where you plan on going. Out here is nice right now, but I have to get a cover for the ac unit. It does get a bit cold at night.” He said.
“So wait,” Bree said as she wrinkled her nose as she thought, and he couldn’t help but think that was one of the cutest faces he had ever seen her make. “You aren’t worried about not sleeping because you are going to be up a couple of times to check on me or trying to get me to take the easiest answer. You just w
Gabe knew that the meal he had just had was probably one of the best he had in months. Bree was better than most chefs he knew, and she was so good with hardly anything. He knew what she needed to do with her life. Though he would hold off on that for a bit. He was getting ideas the more he knew about her.This girl had been left on her own and forced to grow up way too fast. Somehow he knew that she was going to end up teaching him instead of the other way around. She had disappeared into the deeper apartment as he cleaned up the dishes, and then he decided to go and find her. He just wanted to see what she was doing.When he approached the room, he had set up for her, he heard her moving in it. He stood at the door, propped up on the door jam as she had her back to him. She wasn’t talking or doing anything but looking around. She was just looking around, and it seemed to be something that was on her mind. She saw the notebook that
“I did get the news I wanted to hear, though.” He said with a grin as well. “I don’t think I will be teaching at the high school next year.”She tilted her head and looked at him, “The middle school teacher wants to move to the high school. I think we will be switching.”“Good for you.” She said with a smile.“No, it is good for us.” He said, “That way, you don’t have to worry about other pretty seniors catching my eye.”“So you have a thing for seventeen-year-olds?” She asked.“No.” He said as he moved closer. “I was never attracted to girls younger than me before. I had a tendency to like older women.”“But.” Bree looked at him.“Despite your age, I think you are the oldest I have ever liked,” Gabe said with a grin. “What are you doing in here?”“Looking around for s
She laid down on the bed wrapped up in the blanket he had placed there for her right out of the shower. She was so tired still that standing was a weird thing to do. Moving around for more than a few minutes was also hard. She knew she would have to get used to life soon enough. He walked in and chuckled a bit as he looked at her wrapped up like a burrito in the blankets.He flicked the light on for a minute, and then it was off again. Bree heard the water running in the distance, and she fell asleep before he returned. Though she knew when he was there next to her. The mattress dipped under his weight for a minute, and then he settled into a spot. She didn’t know how close he was, but there seemed to be enough room to move for her though she didn’t want to.“Good night Bree.” He said softly. She mumbled something to the same effect, and he again chuckled softly. That was the last she thought of until the light of
The next few days were spent inside, just relaxing mostly inside the apartment. With the new distance learning that the schools had, he didn’t have to leave the apartment to do his classes, and she was mostly lying on the couch during the day. Her getting up was a rare thing because she was still finding that her body didn’t like moving that much after the month in the hospital. She had slept later in the morning as she could hear him talking to his class. She let herself drift in and out of sleep longer than she normally did in the mornings.He had two classes, and both of them were in the morning. When she woke up again, she didn’t hear his voice or anything in the apartment. Until she heard the knocking on the door. Everything had seemed peaceful up until that moment.“Are you Gabriel Danner?” She heard a male’s voice ask as Gabe had opened the door.“I am,” Gabe said.&ldqu
“My ex-girlfriend has been having people call my parents, and they have been following me when I leave the apartment,” Gabe said.“The name of this person?” The officer asked.“Ann Knnorr,” Gabe stated, and the officer looked at him and chuckled.“I see.” The man said. “We have had a few issues with her and that family in the past.”“What issues?” Gabe asked.“We are not at liberty to discuss those.” The man said, “But you aren’t the first to say this.”“The problem is that we can never prove anything.” The second officer spoke up.“Would a recording of her threatening me help?” Gabe asked, and all three people looked at him. he went into the area he had made to be his school area and got the recording. He played for the officers, and both of them nodded.“That will help a lot.”
Days turned into weeks. Though the summer was dragging on as the two stayed mostly in the house. The summer nights were cool instead of hot in most places. The apartment was cool as well. Gabe looked at her as he surprised her this day, “Get dressed.” He said as he looked at her.“What, why?” She asked.“Because I am taking you out for dinner.” He said as he tilted his head to look at her. He knew that they had moved past the mostly awkward part of a relationship, but there were sometimes she still surprised him. He watched her as she moved to the room they shared, and she was trying to find some clothes to wear. She came out, and she was wearing something he wouldn’t think she would wear to a nice night out. “Bree, what are you wearing?”“Gabe, there is a slight problem.” She said as she looked at him.“What is it?” he asked.“I can&r
“What is it?” Bree asked.“It feels like we aren’t alone,” Gabe said with a sigh. “I guess staying in didn’t help either. I should probably call the cops, but honestly, at this point, I just want to go and have our night.”“Gabe,” Bree said as she lowered her head again. He knew she was having the beginning of one of her meltdowns. Normally this woman in front of him was one of the most stubborn and headstrong women he had ever met. However, since they had truly confirmed the pregnancy, he had seen her go through a series of emotions in a matter of a few minutes. He knew it was bothering her as well. As well as the fact he wanted her to stay at home and just help with the small things.“Bree. Honey, it is okay.” He said as he closed the car door. Hoping he could stop the roller coaster of her emotions before they got to the store, he wanted to hurry up. All he wanted was a night out with her
Gabe looked around as he waited for her to come back out. He was still stunned at her last statement. He had been in pain for the past two months with her around. He wanted her more every day. He didn’t give a damn about any scars unless they were causing her pain. He knew those were the lines that doctors had made to save her life. Those were there because she was still there. They did hold some value to him, but they weren’t repulsive. They were victories.He knew it was time. It was time for them to stop just being roommates. He had to let her know how he felt. He needed to show her everything.Dinner was the first step. He changed his plans in his head. This night had to be different. He had just wanted to give her a break. Now he was on a mission. He smiled when the idea came to him, and he knew that was the way he needed to go in. He saw her come out in her new clothes and he smiled at her.“Come on, let&rsq
Five years later…“My wife and kids will be here soon,” Gabe said as he laughed as he looked around the middle schoolroom that he taught in for the past five years. It was the open house for the middle school, and this time he wanted Bree to be there like she had been every time to make sure things ran smoothly. The two of them had changed people’s perspectives when they saw the couple together. The act of getting married had done that, and Bree had to laugh when people said that was when they saw Gabe as not a child predator. She knew the truth, and so did he.“Sorry, we’re late,” Bree said as she walked in the room, knowing that they still had about an hour before parents would start to show up for the meetings with each teacher.“It’s okay,” Gabe said with a smile as he leaned down to kiss his wife and lift up his four-year-old daughter, and kissed her cheek.&l
Bree woke up in the middle of the night because of Gabe’s wandering hands on her bareback. She looked up to him from her perch on his chest. He was smiling. “Feel better?” She asked.“In so many ways.” He replied as he moved her to be eye level with him. “Sex was never at the top of the list. I wanted you to be comfortable. When I heard you thought I didn’t want you that way earlier, I nearly exploded internally. Bree, I wanted you that way when you were my student if we are honest completely with each other. Only you could get through to me, though.”“Why?” she asked as she snuggled closer to him, and he kissed her nose that was right there in front of him.“Because I love you.” He said, and he looked at her and waited. He knew she had never heard those words before, probably even from the people, she should have.“I don’t know what love is.
The dinner was subdued. The place was one of those places that you wouldn’t think that it could be considered romantic, but he knew that she would see the small things more than a fancy restaurant. It was one of the few places he could remember his father taking his mother, too, without the horde of children. It was just for that reason, as well.She sat back after eating a small amount though he knew she had enjoyed her meal by the way she had attacked it. She looked at him and was quietly taking the place in. “Why here?” She asked.“My mother is a foreigner here.” He said with a laugh, “This always reminded her of home. It was one of those places that we didn’t come as a family very often, but my dad used to take her here when she would get homesick. I think the food is good, but the privacy that it has without making it feel private is why I wanted to come here. I just wanted a good night out t
Gabe looked around as he waited for her to come back out. He was still stunned at her last statement. He had been in pain for the past two months with her around. He wanted her more every day. He didn’t give a damn about any scars unless they were causing her pain. He knew those were the lines that doctors had made to save her life. Those were there because she was still there. They did hold some value to him, but they weren’t repulsive. They were victories.He knew it was time. It was time for them to stop just being roommates. He had to let her know how he felt. He needed to show her everything.Dinner was the first step. He changed his plans in his head. This night had to be different. He had just wanted to give her a break. Now he was on a mission. He smiled when the idea came to him, and he knew that was the way he needed to go in. He saw her come out in her new clothes and he smiled at her.“Come on, let&rsq
“What is it?” Bree asked.“It feels like we aren’t alone,” Gabe said with a sigh. “I guess staying in didn’t help either. I should probably call the cops, but honestly, at this point, I just want to go and have our night.”“Gabe,” Bree said as she lowered her head again. He knew she was having the beginning of one of her meltdowns. Normally this woman in front of him was one of the most stubborn and headstrong women he had ever met. However, since they had truly confirmed the pregnancy, he had seen her go through a series of emotions in a matter of a few minutes. He knew it was bothering her as well. As well as the fact he wanted her to stay at home and just help with the small things.“Bree. Honey, it is okay.” He said as he closed the car door. Hoping he could stop the roller coaster of her emotions before they got to the store, he wanted to hurry up. All he wanted was a night out with her
Days turned into weeks. Though the summer was dragging on as the two stayed mostly in the house. The summer nights were cool instead of hot in most places. The apartment was cool as well. Gabe looked at her as he surprised her this day, “Get dressed.” He said as he looked at her.“What, why?” She asked.“Because I am taking you out for dinner.” He said as he tilted his head to look at her. He knew that they had moved past the mostly awkward part of a relationship, but there were sometimes she still surprised him. He watched her as she moved to the room they shared, and she was trying to find some clothes to wear. She came out, and she was wearing something he wouldn’t think she would wear to a nice night out. “Bree, what are you wearing?”“Gabe, there is a slight problem.” She said as she looked at him.“What is it?” he asked.“I can&r
“My ex-girlfriend has been having people call my parents, and they have been following me when I leave the apartment,” Gabe said.“The name of this person?” The officer asked.“Ann Knnorr,” Gabe stated, and the officer looked at him and chuckled.“I see.” The man said. “We have had a few issues with her and that family in the past.”“What issues?” Gabe asked.“We are not at liberty to discuss those.” The man said, “But you aren’t the first to say this.”“The problem is that we can never prove anything.” The second officer spoke up.“Would a recording of her threatening me help?” Gabe asked, and all three people looked at him. he went into the area he had made to be his school area and got the recording. He played for the officers, and both of them nodded.“That will help a lot.”
The next few days were spent inside, just relaxing mostly inside the apartment. With the new distance learning that the schools had, he didn’t have to leave the apartment to do his classes, and she was mostly lying on the couch during the day. Her getting up was a rare thing because she was still finding that her body didn’t like moving that much after the month in the hospital. She had slept later in the morning as she could hear him talking to his class. She let herself drift in and out of sleep longer than she normally did in the mornings.He had two classes, and both of them were in the morning. When she woke up again, she didn’t hear his voice or anything in the apartment. Until she heard the knocking on the door. Everything had seemed peaceful up until that moment.“Are you Gabriel Danner?” She heard a male’s voice ask as Gabe had opened the door.“I am,” Gabe said.&ldqu
She laid down on the bed wrapped up in the blanket he had placed there for her right out of the shower. She was so tired still that standing was a weird thing to do. Moving around for more than a few minutes was also hard. She knew she would have to get used to life soon enough. He walked in and chuckled a bit as he looked at her wrapped up like a burrito in the blankets.He flicked the light on for a minute, and then it was off again. Bree heard the water running in the distance, and she fell asleep before he returned. Though she knew when he was there next to her. The mattress dipped under his weight for a minute, and then he settled into a spot. She didn’t know how close he was, but there seemed to be enough room to move for her though she didn’t want to.“Good night Bree.” He said softly. She mumbled something to the same effect, and he again chuckled softly. That was the last she thought of until the light of