"This Time Around"
By: gb
Chapter 30
Maybe it was because Gillian's every dream was coming true- she was back with Ryan again and she was scared of doing ANYTHING to hurt it. The next morning, she and Ryan were coming awake and lying in bed in each other's arms. Gillian was quietly tracing her name in little letters all over Ryan's chest without looking up.
He noticed her silence for a long while and joked lightly, "I carved your name there myself a long time ago."
She smiled up at him and then her lips started quivering and she blinked back tears that threatened to come out. She was not moody by nature after they made love anymore like she had been at christmas, so Ryan was puzzled. They had spent a fantastic night together and she had been as affectionate as always. Had he done or said something wrong?
He gently tilted her chin up and brushed her eyelids with the softest of kisses.
"What is it, Baby?" he asked. "What did I do?"
"You're my dream, Ryan. My everything. I live for you!" she exclaimed quietly.
He waited for her to go on while his fingers played now with hers.
"Something's always happening to hurt us!" she told him.
"Nothing's happening," Ryan tried to soothe her. We're fine."
"I have to go to a benefit dinner for the hospital at SOS. I promised a long time ago- when you and I weren't together, Ryan. I was so miserable without you, I wanted to get involved in something to cope!"
"Ok," he said easily. "So, we'll go and a have a great time. Don't worry, Princess. I heard about this at the club."
"That's just it," she said. "Jake's organizing this and I was helping him. I have to go with him- I can't take you, Baby."
She looked into his eyes and he fought hard not to show how affected he was by what she told him.
"It wouldn't be like a date or anything," she explained, guilt lacing her every word. "I told Jake that he and I couldn't be anything more than friends because you and I were back together."
"Sure, I understand." he said quietly. "You do good work at PVH. You should see this through. I'll be there anyway since it's at SOS."
"I'm sorry, Ryan." she told him very softly.
"For doing your job?" he asked.
He gathered her in his arms and held her with a calmness he was far from feeling...
Ryan was on his way to SOS on the night of the benefit. He had quickly offered to give Gillian a ride over, but she had had to arrive with Jake.
She was in her room getting ready when Ryan came by to tell her he was leaving.
He stared as she stood before him in a long, fitted red slipdress with an all over silver lace layer. Silver, strappy mules, soft shawl, and bag completed her look. She smoothed back her upswept hair.
"How do I look?" she asked casually when she saw him at the door. She felt her face grow warm!He always knew just the look to make her feel...well like a woman!
"Like a princess- a beautiful princess!" he stated in awe, leaning againgst the doorframe.
"I hope I can afford to take you to stuff like this one day."
"You take me to heaven every day, my darling," she said simply, shrugging. "What could top that?"
Ryan felt bad as they walked down together and he had to leave her at the front door since Jake hadn't shown up yet. In a way, he was glad. He sure as hell didn't want to watch that little display that Jake would put on for his benefit!
"I'll see you there, I guess." he said as he opened the door.
"Ryan?" she called to him.
He turned around.
"It's not easy being the most handsome man at SOS," she admired his black trousers and open neck shirt. "Try not to gloat."
He smiled then, for the first time that night. He took her hand and kissed it. Gillian had been polite to Jake during their ride over, but it was evident that he was not her choice of a companion. He knew she was with him because he had practically backed her into a corner! He was adamant that she be seen as his date tonight- Lavery would just have to live with it! She was more suited for this anyway! All Ryan did was hurt her and Jake would never do that! Ryan didn't deserve her and maybe if things went well tonight, Gillian would see that! Entering the club with Gillian on his arm and not letting her out of his sight, Jake was making quite a statement! Ryan glared at them from the bar where he was stationed. He wasn't upset at her, but he knew that Jake Martin would love nothing better than to see Ryan go crazy at seeing Gillian with him! He knew Jake had "pushed" Gilli into going with him tonight! He steamed as he watched Jake attend to Gillian and share laughs with her and whisper things that only she could hear. Jake handed her a piece of paper and after looking at it, Gillian smiled at him. Jealousy ate at Ryan's soul as he caught Gillian's face just then and he forced himself to look away.
A young woman who was one of SOS's barmaids and Hayley approached just then and they began talking with Ryan and he was momentarily distracted.
"Hi,Ryan!" Julie gushed in spite of herself.
"Hey, Julie! What do you got?" Ryan smiled as he nodded to Hayley as well.
"Table 5 needs a couple of Tequillas." she said to him, giving him a breathless smile.
"Coming right up!"
"No hurry!" she ogled him. "I'll wait."
He smiled politely.
Julie, the young barmaid, like all the girls that worked at SOS had fallen for Ryan on first sight. She constantly stared starry-eyed and hung on his every word. While he was friendly and harmlessly charmed her along with the other girls, not one of them was successful in gaining his attention. The others had warned Julie that his heart was only for his wife. This was how Gillian saw him when she looked towards the bar. She couldn't help the small pout that was forming on her face even though she could tell Ryan was just being his own sweet, charming self. Jake saw Gillian's reaction and was pleased. Ryan was just digging his own grave again!
"It looks like Ryan's still a hit with all the ladies," Jake said easily as Ryan grinned at something Hayley said. "I don't think his recent illness has slowed him down any."
"Part of his job is to be charming and make people feel good about being here." Gillian defended him stubbornly.
"Well, he sure has succeeded with his boss and the barmaids." Jake answered and Gillian tried to hide her irritation.
Jake was about to pat himself on the back when he realized that the reason Gillian was upset was that she was in love with Ryan. His frown returned. The drinks that Gillian and Jake had ordered earlier were ready and Ryan insisted on bringing it to them himself. Hayley, for her part, hoped Ryan's temper was still intact when he came up to Jake.
She watched as Julie stared in disappointment after Ryan.
"Put it away," she advised gently, but wisely. "Princess Gillian has a spell over him that's more powerful than any dynamite you're packing."
"Think he'll ever get tired of her?" Julie sighed as she gawked at the utterly gorgeous Gillian Lavery.
Hayley looked over the other girl. Julie was a gorgeous blond with a sweet smile and a nice figure and sunny personality that the customers loved for all that Ryan noticed.
Actually, any one of these girls would walk over hot coals for one word or look from Ryan, but he was a one planet satellite and Gillian was all he knew. No one else could turn his head for long.
"Julie, honey, I'll tell you what told all the other girls. Set your sights somewhere else. Ryan's definitely not on the market."
Julie sighed wistfully.
"Oh, well," she said. "There's probabally not a woman created who can compete with her anyway." she nodded at Gillian.
"And she's not above a back alley catfight, either." Hayley put her arm around Julie and led her to the liquer bottles on the corner of the bar.
Ryan put a smile on his face that didn't reach his eyes. Carefully, he placed the drinks in front of Gillian and Jake. As he placed Gillian's in front of her, she reached for it and he made sure their hands brushed against each other. Startled as if she'd been put ablaze where he touched her, she looked up at him.
"Sorry about that, Princess." His voice was a whisper; almost as if he were stroking her with it and she froze, mesmerized.
"Enjoy your drinks." he said to them and walked away and she looked after him.
Jake decided it was time to put his own plan into action as he saw that Gillian hadn't taken her eyes off Ryan!
He went to the microphone that was placed in the center of the stage area and after accepting applause, went into his speech about PVH. He concluded by saying, " This night was made possible by the unending assistance of one of the volunteers and student nurses, Ms. Gillian Andrassy."
There was applause as Gillian, startled at first, rose and went to the microphone.
Suddenly a thought came to her and she started speaking.
"Good evening, everyone," she began, head held high. "I am Gillian Andrass LAVERY"- she put emphasis on the last name- "And first of all, I would like to thank my husband Ryan Lavery and Mr. and Mrs. Mateo and Hayley Santos for letting us enjoy SOS for this worthwhile cause."
As everyone clapped and Ryan, Hayley, and Mateo accepted their cheers, Gillian smiled for Ryan alone, her eyes shone brightly and she was every inch the regal princess! Her mother would've been proud,she was sure!
Ryan returned the greeting while Jake just continued to fume!
When the speeches were done, the dance music started and Ryan headed out of the bar area to ask Gillian for a dance but stopped suddenly when Jake led her to a corner fo the floor where several people began the first dance. Ryan watched, hurt that she hadn't come over and asked him to dance the first one- maybe he couldn't bring her here, but no rule said they couldn't dance! A tiny razor that only he knew was there sliced at his heart as he watched Gillian in Jake's arms. God, Princess was so magnificent- so everything that he could never hope to be! But unlike before, he wasn't about to let the fact she could've done a whole lot better than him come between them again!
"It'll be your turn next." Hayley tried to cheer him up as she looked at Gillian and Jake.
"It'll be my turn now." Ryan corrected her.
His eyes went cold as ice as he saw Jake lean in to kiss Gillian and she tried to put distance between them politely. Ryan walked purposefully over to where they were dancing and reached over and pulled Jake away from Gillian by one shoulder.
She had tried to stop him, but Ryan was beyond reason now.
"Party's over,Jake." he warned.
Jake jerked out of his grasp.
"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Jake demanded.
"An employee of this establishment who can see you've had one too many this evening."
Ryan responded with forced calmness. "So, I'm gonna go easy on you. I'll let you walk away before I beat the stuffing out of you in front of all your guests here and ruin that nice tuxedo."
Gillian looked over and saw Mateo headed their way, but she stopped him with a pleading look to see that a scene wasn't created.
"Don't you ever come on to Gillian again, Jake!" Ryan warned.
"We're trying to enjoy our evening, Rambo." Jake said through clenched teeth.
"This little display you've put on here with Gillian is all for nothing, man, or don't you
remember that she chose to come back to me?"
"Yeah, we'll see for how long," Jake responded angrily. "Knowing your track record, I wouldn't party just yet."
"Jake!" Gillian exclaimed at his insensitivity.
Ryan didn't respond to Jake's taunting- he couldn't because his past actions weren't exactly a secret, but instead warned, "I think you'd better take my advise, Jake, 'cause I've never been more serious!"
Ryan could afford to be smug, but he knew he was walking a fine line because Gillian hadn't said anything yet.
"You're not gonna do anything, Ryan," Jake continued. "Not unless you want to embarress Gillian and hurt what we're doing at the hospital- not to mention the reputation of Hayley and Matt's club."
Jake thought he'd won this round,so he said, "It's been a long night-I think I'll take Gillian home."
"I'll take Gillian home," Ryan insisted, then turned to his ex-wife. "If that's what you want, Princess."
"A real sensitive 90's guy," Jake taunted. "Too bad it never seems to last where it counts."
Gillian was stunned at Jake's behavior and told herself that it was because he had been drinking too much and she was surprised that Ryan was giving her a choice instead of dragging her off. Looking at his eyes, she was convinced that it was the latter that he really wanted!
His blue eyes softened briefly now when he returned her glance.
She didn't return the gesture, but turned to Jake. "The evening was a success, Jake. You did well- congratulations. You have to stay here and say goodbye to your guests. I'm tired, so I'll just say goodnight and go on home to Wildwind."
Jake nodded,obviously disappointed, and scowling at Ryan, walked away.
Gillian turned to Ryan.
Whatever she had been about to say was lost because Ryan guided her towards the door and waved to Matt and Hayley. He didn't let her look back and forced himself to keep his rage in check as he opened the door to his sportscar and she got in, unable to read his expression. He drove without a word and pretty soon, the Castle Wildwind came into view. He stopped the engine, opened his door and then walked around the other side to let her out.
"We've got to talk, Gillian," he said. "It's important."...
end of part 30
(to be continued...)
Next time: Ryan and Gillian's poignant discussion reveals much and turns to mutual passion!....