More Than That - Chapter 5: Shh, We Have A Secret (Gwen/Luis)
by hot4luis
 

Chapter 5: Shh, We Have A Secret
Never under estimate the power of denial.
-- American Beauty

Gwen stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body. When the mist from her shower settled down a bit, she saw Luis standing near the sink, leaning against the counter looking at her with an amused smirk. She smiled shyly at him and felt a self-conscious blush rise to her cheeks. Nervously she tucked a strand of wet hair behind her ear. “What?”

“Just thinking,” Luis answered as she walked to the sink and picked her toothbrush up from the holder. She raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “You know, I just never figured I’d be standing in your bathroom watching you take a shower.”

Gwen stopped applying toothpaste to her brush and stared at him. “You watched me take a shower through the glass?”

“Did I do something wrong?”

“It’s just that taking a shower is so…I don’t know…personal.” Gwen managed to get out and ran her hand over the towel wrapped on her body.

Luis smirked, then slid his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “And what we did last night was very impersonal?”

“That’s different,” Gwen answered, another blush coloring her cheeks. He seemed totally unfazed by what had just happened to them in the past couple of hours and by the fact that he was standing in her bathroom, watching her take a bath. In fact, he was smiling. She tried to explain the difference. “That was sex.”

“Yes it was,” Luis answered with another crooked smile. “And as I recall it was very personal.”

She laughed at the mischievous glint in his eyes and squatted him on the arm. He let go of her waist and came to stand behind her as she dried her hair with another towel. He was watching her intently and she turned her head trying to figure out what he was thinking. “What?”

“I was just looking at you,” he answered defensively, “Is that such a crime?”

“No,” Gwen answered with smile. She stood on her tiptoes to give him a peck on the cheek. “But you need to get out of the bathroom so I can get ready for work. I have to swing by the hospital too.”

“Work?” Luis asked curiously. “You’re going to work?”

“With Daddy in a coma, I don’t see what other choice I have. Mother isn’t really good for anything except scheming.” Gwen answered noticing the surprise on his face. “What? You think I don’t know what my mother is like? The woman is a complete bitch.”

Luis was taken aback for a minute but then just laughed. “Well, speaking of mothers, I should be heading back home. Mama’s probably wondering where I am.”

“You’re not going to tell her you were here, are you?” Gwen asked whirling around to face him again. She had already made up her mind she wasn’t going to tell anyone about this new development in her sex life but she hadn’t vouched for Luis actually going around telling everyone. Given Gwen’s history with his family, she was certain he wouldn’t.

“I don’t want to give her a heart attack, Gwen,” Luis teased and she smacked him on the chest. “I mean, her life is back on track in a way with Papa and Antonio back and I don’t want to trudge up the past again. We’ll just play it by the year, right?”

“Good,” Gwen answered with a relieved sigh. She didn’t want families getting involved in something as trivial as a no-strings attached relationship. “Are you going to stay for breakfast?”

“I’ll have to take a rain check on that, kid,” Luis answered as he pulled on his shirt from the night before. Gwen raised an eyebrow at the nickname. “See you tonight?”

“Yeah,” she answered with a smile. He dipped his head and seized her lips with his. She kissed him back eagerly, her body and mind already wishing he didn’t have to leave. He pulled away and pushed a strand of damp hair off her face. “Tonight.”

He smiled and left the bathroom, leaving Gwen to stare at herself in the mirror wondering how fate had ended up on her side. She smiled idiotically at her reflection and then started to hum as she continued to finish drying her hair. After finally making it out of the bathroom, she changed into a stylish black suit, grabbed her purse from the dresser and flew out the door.

Twenty minutes later, she arrived at the hospital. Her mother was there at her father’s bedside, making a fuss over the temperature of the room again. Gwen rolled her eyes, disgusted with Rebecca’s failed attempt to show she actually cared about Jonathan Hotchkiss. Gwen often wondered why her father hadn’t divorced her mother after Rebecca tried to become the next Mrs. Julian Crane. She knew her parents had a loveless marriage and it wasn’t like she or her brother was going to be traumatized by the divorce. The only reason she could think of was that in some odd way, Jonathan Hotchkiss had grown attached to his wife and had kept her around.

“Gwennie,” Rebecca said softly. “About the last time we talked - ”

“Mother,” Gwen cut her off coldly. “We’re not having that conversation anymore. Ethan is part of my past and I’d like to leave him there.”

“But sweetheart,” Rebecca complained.

“I’m back in town for one reason and one reason only and that is to be here when Daddy wakes up. I don’t need a relationship and I don’t need Ethan Crane…Bennett… Winthrop – whatever he is!” Gwen stated firmly.

Rebecca looked at her daughter suspiciously. “Is there another man, Gwen? Have you found someone else? Is that why you don’t want Ethan?”

“There is no other man,” Gwen lied. “Just back off, Mother.”

“Is this a mother-daughter quarrel or can anyone drop in?” a deep voice came from the door. Gwen looked up and let out an excited squeal when she saw her brother, Jacob Hotchkiss standing in the doorway of the hospital room. Six feet, blond haired, blue eyed and amazingly handsome, Jacob Hotchkiss was the splitting image of his father.

“Jake!” Gwen said as she bounded into her younger brother’s arms. He held her tightly, laughing at her enthusiasm. She pulled away and looked at him in delighted surprise. “Why in the world didn’t you tell me you were coming home?”

“I thought that was pretty much a given,” Jacob answered sobering up. He looked over Gwen’s shoulder at his father. “How is he?”

“Not too good,” Gwen answered sadly as they walked up to his bedside.

Jacob looked up at Rebecca and smiled half-heartedly. “Mother, nice to see you.”

“Jacob,” Rebecca answered with a smile. “So good to have you home. Listen, why don’t you two go on home, let Jacob freshen up and then head back. I’ll let you know if anything happens in the meantime.”

Jacob looked at Gwen, his father and then back to Rebecca and nodded. “Yeah, I am kinda jet-lagged. I’ll go over to the mansion. Will you come with Gwen? I don’t think I remember Harmony anymore.”

Gwen laughed at how quickly Jacob’s accent was turning British. She pouted her lips and offered her arm. “Well of course good sir. I dare say that you will get lost.”

Jacob laughed and they left their mother in the hospital room. Walking down the hallways, arm in arm, Gwen couldn’t stop smiling. Jacob looked at her and smiled back idiotically. “What?”

“It’s good to have you back, Jake.” Gwen answered. “I feel like I have someone on my side here in Harmony.”

“Well it’s good to be back and on your side,’ Jacob answered with a affectionate squeeze on her hand. “I know things aren’t that good for you here after what happened with Slimeball Crane.”

“Thanks,” Gwen said smiling softly. “Just let’s not talk about him, ‘kay?”

“Alrighty then,” he joked. “Anyone new in your life?”

Gwen’s mind drifted to Luis for a minute as they approached the elevator. “No, but let’s not talk about men. Let’s talk about you!”

“Hey!” Jacob protested.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Luis pocketed his car keys and pushed through the kitchen door, humming the latest Backstreet Boys song he had heard on the radio. Damn these things really get stuck in you head.

He stopped short, however when he saw his entire family gathered at the table. Miguel was sitting with his arm around Charity, Antonio was talking excitedly to Pilar about something, Martin was sitting at the head of table, smiling affectionately at his eldest son and Theresa and Ethan were listening in wonderment. The all looked up when he entered. Luis felt like a deer caught in headlights. “I – uh, hi.”

“Good morning, mijo.” Pilar said with a cool smile. She then gestured to the family. “We were having a family brunch. We wanted to wait for you but you seemed otherwise occupied.”

A deep blush rose to Luis’s cheeks at his mother’s implication. Antonio let out a whoop of laughter. “Why little bro, I do believe you’re blushing.”

“Shut up, Tony.” Luis snapped and the family laughed.

Theresa smiled mischievously. “Hot date?”

“No!” Luis shot back quickly earning more giggles from Charity. “I just spent the night at a friends. No big deal.”

“A friend’s,” Miguel said with a smirk. “I’m sure.”

“Now, leave Luis alone.” Martin admonished with a twinkle in his eye.

“Thank you, Papa.”

“Leave his sex life to him.” Martin added and everyone cracked up again.

“Por favor, stop talking this nonsense!” Pilar said covering her ears. “I really don’t need to hear about where Luis is at night. Please just me let me live in my illusions.”

“Thank you Mama,” Luis said kissing his mother’s cheek. “So, don’t any of you have to be at work?”

“You should talk,” Antonio scoffed. “I’m sure the Harmony PD needs it’s most upstanding officer to be on the lookout for jaywalkers. So Luis, the question really is, what’s your excuse?”

Luis was about to lunge for Antonio but Ethan held him back and pointed to Theresa’s ever-increasing belly. “I don’t think it’s good for Ethan Jr. to hear his two Uncles fighting. Antonio was only teasing.”

“And we’re having a girl,” Theresa answered calmly taking a sip of her apple juice. Ethan started to complain and state the reason why he thought it was a boy. Luis sighed and ran a hand through his hair, glad that the conversation was steering towards another Lopez Fitzgerald. He was sure that this pleasant family brunch would be disrupted if he mentioned he was sleeping with Gwen Hotchkiss. Hell he’d start World War III.

The phone rang and Luis walked over to pick it up, seeing that everyone else was too engrossed in Theresa and Ethan’s bickering. “Hello?”

“Luis, buddy!” Hank’s voice came through. ‘I’ve been trying to reach you forever! Where were you?”

“Around,” Luis answered vaguely. “Did Beth find the brooch and let you into her bed?”

“Yeah she did,” Hank answered with a sigh. “She left it on one of her dresses and it almost ended up at the dry cleaners. God, I tell you that woman drives me insane.”

“That’s why you’re marrying her, buddy.”

“Anyway,” Hank said. “I went to see Sher. I just wanted to report back. Meet me at the Book Café in twenty?”

Luis tenses up considerably at the mention of Sheridan’s name but just nodded. “See ya in twenty, buddy.”

“Oh, by the way, did you have a hot date last night?”

Luis’ mind drifted to Gwen for a minute but he just chuckled. “Nah. I was just out.”