The Vacation Chapter 9

The Vacation Chapter 9
 
He was relieved that the bump on his head had greatly reduced overnight though his cheek remained tender and slightly swollen.

The headache was gone, and he was able to do his morning exercises without pain. Well, headache pain at least.

He showered and dressed for cycling. He had only a day and a half of cycling left, and he intended to enjoy the fuck out of those days. Regardless of the lack of quality sleep he got the night before, he actually felt a little clearer headed this morning. He was up early so he leaned over Fiona's sleeping face and gently pressed his lips against her cheek.

"Mmmm... good morning," she purred.

"Good morning. I am just going for a little walk before breakfast. I will see you down there. Can you bring my helmet with you?" he asked quietly.

She smiled and nodded. "A kiss before you go?" she begged cutely.

He smiled and kissed her sensually, pulling back before she could wrap her arms around his neck.

"Fuck! You're a great kisser!" she gasped.

He smiled down at her and noticed her nipples were poking up against the sheet. He gently pinched them, and Fiona gasped as her hunger for him flared.

He moved to the door smiling back at her.

"Oh, you tease!" she scolded with a grin on her face. Her eyes promised payback.

Slipping out into the hall, he listened to the subdued noises of the staff moving around, getting started on the day's preparations.

Downstairs he went, then out into the dawn streets for a walk, aiming for the main square of the village. When he eventually reached it, he watched the early morning sunbathe the old buildings in a cheery glow. All signs pointed to another hot day.

As he walked back to the hotel, he saw Vivian and Ditka preparing the bikes in the courtyard before the building. He smiled at the women and was surprised when Vivian rushed over to him and gave him a warm hug. Ditka was right behind her to get a hug from him as well.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Vivian asked, turning his chin so she could get a better view of his cheek. She winced in sympathy.

"Actually, I'm feeling pretty good all things considered. How are you doing?" he asked looking her in the eye.

She understood his emphasis and shrugged. "I had another little cry when I got to our hotel, but I'll be fine. You were right. I am better off without him," Vivian replied with a smile. Her expression turned serious. "How did it go with Gwen last night?"
It was his turn to wince. "She wouldn't give me my bag until she saw me, but I convinced her to wait until this morning to talk. Wish me luck!"

"Will she be riding with us?" Ditka asked.

Kyle stopped and stared back at her. "Shit! I had not thought of that! I hope not but she might want to. She's not getting Kimberly's upgraded bike!" he said with a scowl.

"We have Kimberly's original bike. It should fit Gwen," Vivian said and he nodded.

He walked inside and heard the murmurs of people talking and moving around in the dining room. Taking a deep breath and steeling his nerves he forced himself to walk in and look around. It did not take long for him to find Gwen. She was sitting in a sunbeam at a table for two by the window.

His breath caught in his throat as she looked... beautiful.

Forcing that down he made his way across the room and spotted his friends at a nearby table.

Carl and Larissa looked up in shock when they saw the welt on his cheekbone.
"You ok, Kyle?" Carl asked.

Kyle tore his eyes away from Gwen's to look to his friends. "Yeah, I'm ok. Thanks!"
Larissa glanced over at Gwen. "We're here if you need us."

Kyle heard and felt her concern and gave the couple a warm smile. "Thank you."

He continued until he was standing next to Gwen's table. "May I join you?"

"Of course!" she said, and he did.

They sat facing each other, both wanting to speak but neither wanting to start off on the wrong foot. Finally, Kyle began.

"Ground rules. No tears. Nothing emotionally manipulative. If, for one second, I believe you are trying to manage me, I am gone, and we will never speak again. Is this understood?" he said stiffly. Her mouth was open, and she appeared to be about to protest so he shut her down. "Is. This. Understood?"

Her mouth closed and her frown was back. She was not used to Kyle dominating their conversation. It threw her off her game. She nodded to him.

"You've changed," she said.

He snorted. "Yes, but that was the point, wasn't it? During our entire relationship, the only constant was how I was changing. Changing for you!"

Once more she made a sound of protest, but he interrupted again. "Not every change you pushed for was bad. I will agree that most were beneficial. I dress better. I eat better. I am fit and I fuck better. All these things I owe to your constant pressure and demand for me to improve. None of these things I'm upset about."

Gwen's eyes were wide with surprise.

"What upsets me is that none of these things were for me. They were all for you. You saw potential in me to be someone you wanted, and you carved away the bits you did not like. My friends. My hobbies. My favorite foods. My choice of books, movies, and television. Even my choice of words. I changed the way I speak for you! And I was so consumed with loving you, I willingly and gladly gave it all up. I forgot who I was and became a blank canvas for you to create your perfect boyfriend and I was only happy when you were. I lost me."

"But you were happy!" she insisted.

"Not for me! For you! Always and in every way for you! When you left for France and we began that long distance torture it was a terrible struggle for me as the most significant part of me, you, were missing. Those months were hellish, but I gradually began to heal. I used to do the exercises only because you wanted me to. When I was alone without your opinions, I discovered I liked how working out made me feel.

I allowed myself to stop eating the really nasty stuff you insisted I eat but I didn't replace it with the crap I ate before. The brightest spots during those months were the few times I visited you and even then, I could tell you were becoming distant. It was only when you finally ripped yourself from my heart that I realized how little of me was left! I am only now beginning to consider my own desires. Like, what would I like to do with my life? What do I want for me?"

"We can have an amazing-" Gwen began.

"No. There is no we." He sighed. "There never really was," he said sadly.

They sat looking at each other across the table. Gwen was struggling not to cry. She knew Kyle would leave at the first tear.

The question that haunted Kyle surged to the surface of his mind once more. His frustration flared and he gripped the edges of the table with white knuckles. He leaned forward, staring directly into her eyes to hold her complete attention. "You invested so much time and effort into making me exactly what you wanted. What the fuck was missing that you couldn't live without?" he growled through his gritted teeth.

Gwen squeaked in surprise at his aggression. She was stunned. This was not her Kyle at all. The man she knew was sweet and endlessly giving, but also passive. This man was... fierce, assertive, and more than a little intimidating. Fuck... he was hot!

"This."

Kyle heard her whispered word and froze. He watched her biting her lip as the word sunk into his mind.

This.

How he was behaving, right now.

The answer felt like a slap in the face. She'd changed him in many ways to be a better boyfriend and lover for herself but... until now, he hadn't owned it. It was hers and when she wanted it he gave it to her but he'd never instigated... because he'd allowed himself to become her puppet. She had to pull the strings.

Ultimately, she did not want what he'd become. When she realized that's all he was, she moved on... but not before punishing him for failing to be what she'd actually wanted. Just another example of her brand of manipulation.

He leaned back in his chair to stare across the table at her. "So, now you want what I've become after you abandoned me?"

"I told you, Antoine seduced me-"


To be continued