More Than That - Chapter 12: Different Kisses (Gwen/Luis)
 by Jamie Witter
 
 
 
 

Chapter 12: Different Kisses

You need to be kissed and often, by someone who knows how.
-- Gone with the Wind

“So you know about Dad’s decision?” Gwen asked her brother who was sitting across from her at a table in the hospital’s cafeteria. The two of them had spent most of the day and then after a quick lunch, most of the evening with their father. Jonathan hadn’t dropped the bomb on Rebecca because, as he had told his children, he didn’t have the energy to hear her scream.

Jacob nodded his head and then took a sip of his coffee. “Yeah, I heard. About damn time, too.”

“Jacob!” Gwendolyn admonished but broke out into a grin when he laughed. “You’re right. She had it coming. But it’s kind of sad. I just thought that somehow Mother would always be married to Daddy.”

“Well don’t feel sorry for the old battle-axe,” Jacob grinned. “She brought it upon herself. I’m just glad the old man finally got the nerve or the mind to do it. God knows I’m not Rebecca Hotchkiss’s biggest fan – and I’m her son.”

“That says a lot about her parenting abilities or lack thereof,” Gwen mused and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I used to think she always wanted what was best for me. Of course I was given a reality check when it was too late. Rebecca watches out for herself and no one else. If you happen to be on her side, she’ll string you a long into her schemes.”

“I tried to tell you that she’s always been like that,” Jacob stated quietly. “But you were so in love with Ethan that you thought she was the only one on your side. I was terrified that you were going to turn into her.”

Gwen smiled wryly. “It’s ironic how Theresa Lopez Fitzgerald was the one who saved me from becoming Rebecca Hotchkiss. If she hadn’t taken Ethan away from me, I would turn out to be some old, repressed woman who hated her life. I almost have it in me to thank her for it.”

“Well you don’t have to thank he for anything,” Jacob stated curtly. “She hurt you badly. It doesn’t matter if you don’t love Ethan anymore or that you probably weren’t in love with him then, he still betrayed you and so did she.”

“I know,” Gwen replied with a sigh. Her thoughts wandered off to Luis and how she could be so attracted to someone as much as she was to Luis and feel so much hatred for his sister.

“Speaking of Lopez Fitzgeralds,” Jacob said as he eyed Gwen curiously. “Is it just me or does that Luis character have something against me? He didn’t seem so cordial to me when we met. Have I done some thing to him in another life time that I don’t know about?”

“Luis is just weary of people, that’s all.” Gwen felt her lips tugging into a smile at the thought of Luis. “He doesn’t trust a lot of people. I think it stems from his childhood and all the abandonment issues he’s faced. Don’t take it personally. Besides, it’s obvious that you’re making a play for Beth Wallace.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Beth Wallace is engaged to Luis’s best friend,” Gwen explained. “And Beth used to be an old flame. Luis is very protective of the people he cares about most. Especially the women.”

Jacob nodded and took a sip of his coffee. “Like you?”

Gwen’s eyes flew to meet her brother’s amused gaze. “Excuse me?”

“My, my! Don’t we look like a deer caught in the headlights?” Jacob teased. He laughed as Gwen stared at him, her mouth hanging open. “Close your mouth sister dearest, you look simple.”

“What are you talking about, Jake?” Gwen asked in a harsh whisper. Surely he hadn’t caught on about her relationship with Luis because of the tone in her voice when she mentioned his name. Or the smile that had made its way to her lips.

“Gwen, I saw him look at you in the Book Café,” Jacob answered calmly. “A man doesn’t look at a woman like that unless she means something to him.”

“What kind of way?”

“Concerned,” Jacob replied. “He was looking at you like you would break if he applied too much pressure and then, when I walked up his expression turned into stone. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was schizo.”

Gwen pondered in wonderment over his words. Like she was going to break? Yes, she thought inwardly. She remembered feeling protected. I felt fluttery…female. She shivered as he thought of Luis’s intense caramel gaze and then shook her head. “Okay, so I am having an affair with Luis.”

“Aha!” Jacob said, quite pleased with himself. “I knew there was someone.”

“But that’s all it is,” Gwen stated firmly. “A no-strings attached affair. He doesn’t care about me like that. Good God, for all I know he could still be in love with Sheridan.”

Jacob studied his sister’s face for a minute the scratched his chin. “Okay, say that he still is in love with Sheridan. What are you doing with him? What is he doing with you? Shouldn’t he go back and see if he can work it out with her? And why in God’s name are you with a man who you don’t love? I am the Hotchkiss child that has meaningless relationships.”

“Well maybe things are changing,” Gwen answered with a huff. “As for what we are doing exactly…we don’t know. We’re just going with what we’re feeling. There is nothing wrong with having an affair.”

“I know there isn’t,” Jacob acknowledged. “Some times these things get out of hand. Take it from someone who knows. And from the looks of it, you two seem to be headed for that direction.”

Gwen’s head suddenly felt heavy. “How do you know when you’re headed for something more than a sexual affair? It’s insane to even think of Luis and me as anything more. There’s one big thing in our way – Sheridan. My best friend and the woman he once swore to always love.”

Jacob nodded and patted her hand sympathetically. “The kisses will be different, the time together will mean much more. In short, you’ll know exactly when and if you’re headed there, Gwendolyn. Looks like you have a lot of thinking to do.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Luis set his small duffel bag near the door of Gwen’s apartment and made his way to the living room. Smiling, he watched Gwen curled up on the sofa, watching a movie on her television set. She was so engrossed in it that, he couldn’t help but stand quietly and watch her. He had been doing that a lot lately, he realized.

Deciding to stop so he wouldn’t have to ponder over why he kept watching Gwen, he slid on to the sofa next to her, hoping to make her acknowledge his presence. When she didn’t say anything, he leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Hi Gwen.”

“Hey Luis,” Gwen answered, her eyes still glued to the TV. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“No kidding,” Luis said and then stared at the TV wondering what movie had her so engrossed. He sighed, as he saw Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith on the TV in what seemed like a very passionate debate. Just what he needed. A chick flick. “What movie is this?”

“Paradise,” Gwen answered. “It’s beautiful. Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson play this married couple that lose a child in an accident and they kind of become estranged from one another, then Lily, Melanie Griffith’s character’s best friend asks her to take care of her son, played by Elijah Wood and - ”

“Gwen” Luis said with a laugh. “Just watch the movie.”

Without looking at him once, she turned her full attention to the movie again. “Good because this is a great part.”

Luis groaned softly. “Why don’t you turn off the movie? We can do something else.”

“No,” she protested. “Just watch it! You’ll like it.”

Sighing, he leaned back on the couch and continued to watch the rest of the movie with her. Even though he missed most of the beginning, the portrayal of two characters by the actors caught his attention and he found himself interested in the movie as well. Although he would never admit it to anyone. Ever.

The movie ended with Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith in an anti-climatic kiss and he could have sworn he heard Gwen sniffle. Turning to her with a grin, put an arm around her. Immediately, she cuddled next to him and he was surprised by how good it felt to just hold her. “Well that was…interesting.”

“You liked it!” Gwen said joyfully. “I knew you would. You softie!”

“Okay, I admit it.” Luis answered, trying to keep his voice gruff. “It was okay.”

“I liked the kiss in the attic the best,” Gwen answered dreamily.

“How was it different from any other kisses?” Luis asked.

Gwen pushed away from his embrace and looked at him as if he had told her that the moon was made out of green cheese. “You don’t think that there are different type of kisses between a man and a woman?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“I’m sure you’ve had your share of bad kisses,” Gwen stated as if she hadn’t heard him. “It’s just like a man to think every kiss is the same for a woman.”

Luis wanted to tell her she was being ridiculous but he was too damn amused by her behavior. Instead, he decided to play dumb. “What do you mean?”

“Okay,” Gwen answered and turned to him. “Let’s demonstrate.”

“Okay,” he answered trying not to smile. “Let’s.”

She leaned forward, totally unaware that he was trying to get her to seduce him. She placed a soft kiss on his lips and then pulled away. “That was a peck.”

“I knew that.”

Then, she leaned forward again as he snuggled further into the couch. Her lips touched his, briefly and less enthusiastically as the first time before she pulled away again. “That was a goodbye kiss.”

“A goodbye kiss?”

“You know, the ones you get when you know the relationship is ending.”

Oh he knew those kisses. All too well. “How do you know about them?”

“I didn’t know at the time, but I was getting a lot of goodbye kisses from Ethan when he well you know…”

“Oh, sorry about that.” Luis replied and then decided to get back to the seduction. “What’s next?”

Gwen came in closer, her eyes a deep blue and her voice low and lusty. “This.”

Luis moaned as she kissed him intensely, her fingers trailing in his hair. She opened his mouth with her tongue and then proceeded to kiss him senseless. Gasping for air, Luis broke away and looked at her incredulously. “And what do you call that?”

“That’s the I-want-you-but-you’re-going-to-have-to-be-the-one-to-initiate-it kiss,” Gwen replied, her own breathing ragged. “Women usually use this on men when they don’t have a clue.”

“Oh okay,” Luis answered and then grinned. Then, he leaned forward and seized her lips again, this time being the one to part her lips and devour her mouth. She moaned somewhere deep inside her throat and he felt blood rush through his system and pound in his ears. Gently, he pushed her back on to the couch and covered her body with his, never breaking the kiss. When he finally did, he looked at the emotions blazing in her eyes and felt his heart skip a beat. He kissed a trail down her jaw line and then flicked his tongue over earlobe and whispered. “What do they call that type of a kiss?”

“I don’t know right now,” Gwen answered in a daze. “I can’t think. Maybe you should just make love to me.”

Luis smiled and ran his hand down the side of her body. “You read my mind.”