Chapter 8: Finding Closure

When Liam returned from work Tuesday night, Gina was waiting up in his apartment.

"Hey Gina, what's up?"

"What do you mean? I thought you'd like that I was here."

"Oh, I do." Liam pulled Gina into his arms and planted a heated kiss on her lips. "However, it's pretty late and I expected to see you in my bed not on my sofa."

"I called my mother tonight."

"Oh. Hold that thought." Liam locked his door and turned off the lights. He kept his arm around Gina as they silently walked to his bedroom.

Liam placed Gina in bed and quickly joined her after removing his clothes. He pulled her into his arms and gently caressed her back. "Okay. What happened?"

"I told her I was getting my Master's."

"Good."

"And she asked how much that would cost her. She asked if I had a boyfriend."

"And what did you say?"

"I told her I did and she told me she wouldn't be able to help if we decided to get married. Oh, and she wanted to know if there were any 'rug rats' in the picture yet."

"Really? She didn't say it like that, did she?"

"Yes, Liam, she did." Gina paused to snuggle closer to him. "In spite of everything, I did invite her and Hal to dinner at the restaurant. Since your party is a week from Friday, I chose the Sunday afternoon after that so I wouldn't spoil the fun memory I'm expecting to have from your party with the memory of the luncheon."

"That's fine. What did your mother say?"

"She reminded me that since I invited them that I would be picking up the tab. When I agreed, so did she."

"I'm sorry, sweetie, I didn't realize."

"Don't worry, Liam. If nothing else, this will give me closure. You were right. I'm feeling better about this decision. I mean, I really don't think there will be any surprises. And once we're done, we're done. I'll be able to move on with a clean slate." Gina raised her head and kissed Liam passionately on the lips. "What's wrong?"

"I just don't get it. I mean, how can a mother treat her only child like that? And you're so complacent; how can you accept this so calmly?"

"Look, Liam, I didn't have the storybook family life that you had growing up. I used to wish it were different, sure. Who wouldn't under those circumstances? Maybe if things had changed after all this time I would feel guilty about being away so long. But since things obviously haven't changed, I don't feel bad about avoiding that part of my life. I'm not that girl anymore." Gina reached over and pulled Liam to her for another kiss. She could feel him losing a little control, but Liam was still holding back. "Promise me something."

"Anything."

Gina sat up and turned her back to Liam. As she removed her shirt, she continued. "If we do stay together, we work at living our life like the one you had growing up, not the one I had." She knelt on the bed and slowly pulled her shorts and panties down to her knees. She leaned forward on all fours, turned back to look at Liam and asked, "Okay?"

"Do you think you can make me agree with you just by displaying your womanly wiles?" he asked, sitting upright and kneading her exposed bottom.

"I can try, can't I?" Gina moaned softly as Liam slid his fingers between her legs to rub against her arousal.

When he could take no more, Liam pulled Gina's shorts and panties off her legs and forced her to lose her balance on the bed. Quickly he was between her splayed legs, lifting her hips up. Liam grunted when he tried to spear Gina with his erection and missed. She repositioned her legs and hips and then helped Liam reach his desired target. Once found, he slid into Gina's wetness with ease.

Liam groaned as he began pounding into her. He reached under her to pull her back onto all fours. Once Gina was settled, she responded by matching Liam's thrusts with her own. It didn't take the lovers long to reach their mutual satisfaction. Their erotic moans mixed as their juices flowed freely.

"Wow, baby! Remind me to talk about your mother more often!"

Gina slapped Liam's bare chest as they settled back under the covers. "Don't even think about it!" she chided. "Besides, once this dinner with her and Hal is over, I don't think there will be much more to talk about."

"If you keep getting hot like that when we talk about her, I will keep bringing her up!" teased Liam, pulling Gina into his arms. Before she could voice another protest, he kissed her lips thoroughly and then turned off the light.

Liam escorted Gina to her company Christmas party that Friday evening. Her friends and co-workers were delighted to meet the man who had lifted Gina to a cheerful holiday spirit. All eyes remained on the couple as they danced the night away. And an office wager began on how long the couple would take before getting married.

Mike and the others had the same response when they finally met Gina at the restaurant's Christmas party a week later.

"So that's Gina, huh? How did you get so lucky?" teased Mike when he cornered Liam at the bar.

"I don't know, man. But I'm not asking questions!"

"She's your neighbor, right?"

"Yeah, that's how we met. Get this ... we both moved into our apartments on the very same weekend. It didn't make sense not introducing ourselves -- we bumped into each other often enough."

"Why did it take so long to ask her out, then? It's not like you had to go searching."

"I know. It just got complicated. We became such good friends I didn't want to risk it."

"So, what's changed now?"

"Honestly, I couldn't tell you. All I know is her ex-boyfriend and my twin sister finally set these wheels in motion."

"I'm not even going to pretend to understand what you just said! However, you'd better get YOUR wheels in motion before O'Malley goes and steals your girl!" Mike chuckled as he watched Liam push through the groups to return to his date before the restaurant's playboy made his move.

"Hey, Tommy! You better keep your hands off my girl or you'll be pulling the most unpopular station in the kitchen for the next three years!" threatened Liam.

Tommy spun on his heels and almost knocked the drinks from Liam's hands. "Sorry, boss! No, it's not like that! I-I was just keeping her company so no one else would make a move on her!" he stammered.

Liam started laughing at the young man's discomfort. "Just you remember, she's mine!"

"Yes, boss. No problem." Tommy moved through the crowd quickly. Liam looked over his shoulder at Mike and winked at the older man at the bar while he laughed.

Gina tried to keep her mind busy on Saturday by studying for her finals. Liam didn't have to work but he had errands to run, so Gina stayed at home. When her mind wandered to the luncheon with her mother, scheduled for the next day, Gina would walk around her apartment and touch anything that reminded her of Liam. Once she had the object in her grasp, Gina allowed the warmth of its memory to flow through her. She was then able to return to her desk and concentrate for a little while longer.