Angry with herself, Olivia slapped her hand against the side of the wall. Stop looking for trouble. Besides, she reasoned. What ifs went both ways. What if Trey turned out to be a bust in bed? Just because he was gorgeous and could kiss didn't mean he understood how a woman's body worked. Lord knew the men she'd slept with—all two of them—could have used a basic anatomy lesson. Perhaps a little guidance and her lovers would have hit the mark—so to speak.
Olivia snorted at her unintentional joke. Her problem at the time was that she was too mortified to say anything. Never again, she promised herself. She deserved more. She deserved everything.
Her newfound confidence was still in the baby-steps stage. However, she'd learned one very important thing. No one was about to magically hand over her happiness. If she wanted a better now, a better future, a better lover, she had to be a better Olivia.
Step one, she thought as she heard Trey enter the bathroom, don't be afraid to be afraid. No one said change was easy.
"May I join you?" Trey asked with a knock on the glass shower door.
"Please."
No hiding, Olivia. Her heart about to burst from her chest, she dropped her arms to her sides, turned. Trey stepped in, closing the door behind him.
"Hi." He smoothed back her hair and smiled.
"Hello."
"Thank you."
"For?" Olivia was confused.
"Wanting me. Sharing yourself. And just being you."
"I might not be enough." Olivia let herself embrace her anxiety. "I'm nervous."
"So am I."
"Really?" The thought never occurred to her. "Don't men simply jump in and let nature take its course."
"Only the Neanderthals." He placed her hand over his heart. "Feel the beat?"
"Fast," Olivia nodded. "Mine's the same."
"We aren't so different. Trouble is, men are expected to know everything about sex when the truth is, we're clueless." Trey traced the curve of her nose. "Like anything worthwhile, learning how to please a woman takes time and dedication. The basics are the same, but everyone's different. What you like, what you don't like. What feels good, what doesn't."
"I like you." Pressing her body to his, Olivia sighed. "I like the way you feel."
"Good start." Trey breathed the words into her ear. Placing his hands on her hips, he squeezed, moving lower. "You, Dr. Shore, have a first-class backside."
"Do I?" Olivia blinked with pleased surprise. "I hadn't noticed."
"I have. Your butt fills out a pair of sweatpants to perfection. And your cheeks fit as if made for the palms of my hands."
Olivia's nerves still skittered around like water on a hot griddle, but the fact she could laugh was a good sign.
"Are you an ass man, Trey?"
"I appreciate all parts of a woman's body." She felt his lips curve into a smile against the side of her neck. "Consider me an equal opportunity aficionado."
"I imagine you spent a lot of time honing your craft?"
"You imagine correctly. However, lately, I've been on a path of self-exploration."
"Self…?" Olivia's eyes widened. "Oh. You mean…?"
"Don't worry…" Trey chuckled. "I didn't forget how everything works. Or," his hand dipped lower, "where everything's located."
Olivia gasped, her head tipping back as her eyes closed. Trey definitely knew where and how to touch. A moan escaped her lips and her hands balled into fists.
"Relax," Trey urged. Taking her hand, he kissed each knuckle. "Enjoy."
"I don't know if I can."
"You've never…?"
"Orgasmed?" Olivia blushed but pushed on. "Yes. But never with another person in the room."
"Bad lovers?" Trey asked, kissing the slope of her breast.
"Would be nice to blame someone else. But I was there, too." She bit her lip the second Trey bit her nipple. "Should have asked for what I wanted."
"What do you want, Olivia?"
"You."
"You already have me."
Trey kissed his way down her chest, lowering himself to his knees.
"Oh, boy." Olivia burrowed her fingers into his hair. Who knew her bellybutton was an erogenous zone? But when Trey moved lower, she tightened her grip, stopping his progress. "I've never… I mean, no one's ever…"
"Trust me?" he asked, his eyes dark with passion.
"Yes. But—"
Olivia saw stars. Literally, they burst in front of her, bright, blinding, and beautiful. With one final caress, Trey kissed the inside of her thigh. She didn't know whether to feel embarrassed by how fast she came, or grateful for the pleasure he gave her. Typical Olivia, she felt a little of the first and a lot of the second.
"Did you know when you blush, you blush all over?"
"Jeez."
She tried to cover her face, but he wouldn't let her. Trey's lips brushed the tip of her nose, her chin, and finally, covered her mouth in a long, searching kiss.
"My turn," he grinned, lifting her into his arms.
"Wait." Olivia grabbed the condom. "I'm on the pill, but…"
"Better safe than sorry." Trey kissed her again. "So damn smart. Nothing sexier than a woman with a nimble brain."
High praise indeed. Olivia never hid her intelligence. However, she'd met a man or two who wanted an ornament on his arm, and preferred she keep her mouth shut—unless she wanted to talk about him.
"You really like smart women?" she asked as Trey dried her off.
"Lord, yes."
"You aren't…. intimidated?" Frowning, she let him wrap her hair in a towel. "My I.Q. is pretty high."
"So's mine." Trey rattled off his number—a few points lower than hers—and shrugged. "Brains don't make the man—or woman. But pure, deliberate ignorance is nothing short of a crime."
Touched beyond words, Olivia laughed when he picked her up.
"I can walk."
"My legs are longer."
A second later, he tossed her on the bed. Olivia checked her hands and groaned.
"I dropped the condom."
"No problem." Trey took a box from the bedside table.
"You came prepared?" Olivia wanted to kiss him. "Now who's the smart one?"
"Tonight, we'll call it a tie."
Fascinated, Olivia watched Trey sheath his erection, his moves sure and efficient. If he were willing, she'd try the next one partly because she loved to learn new things. Mostly, because she wanted to touch him. And, maybe, kiss him?
"Thought we were past the blush stage." Trey joined her on the bed. "Want to tell me what put such a delightful pink color on your cheeks."
"Later." Olivia let out a humming sigh as he settled himself between her legs. "Your turn."
"No." Trey's dark, heated gaze met hers. "We go together, or not at all."
"I'm not sure I can." Olivia didn't want to disappoint him. "I already…"
"Popped off? Jetted your juice? Blasted your load? Splurged? Splooged?"
"You made that last one up," Olivia accused.
"Google it."
Trey was so adorable, so sweet, so sexy. So…
"You're funny."
"Exactly what a man wants to hear when he's about to go in for a landing."
He didn't waste any more time. Before Olivia could prepare herself, he joined their bodies in one easy move.
"Mmm," she breathed. "Smooth as silk."
"My thought exactly." Trey rotated his hips, groaning when Olivia rose to meet him. "Please tell me you're ready?"
"Willing and able, Captain. Pilot this baby home."
Trey's chuckle was followed by a kiss. Then, swept away in a rush of need, they stopped talking, and laughing. All they wanted was to feel.
Olivia wrapped her legs around Trey. He was so strong, so sure. She gave him her body without reservation, certain he wouldn't let her down. And she was right. He reveled in her pleasure, giving as well as taking.
When she fell,
he toppled with her. Over, and over, and over. She never wanted the moment to end. But, when she couldn't take any more, Trey was there to catch her, holding her close.
CHAPTER NINE
~~~~
THE DAY BEGAN with Olivia kissing her way up his body. She stopped at strategic places, lingering to his delight. If the glow on her face were any indication, she enjoyed the journey almost as much as he did.
After a night of wild sex, sweet sex, laughing sex, and so many kinds in between, Trey was content to lie back and let Olivia do all the work. Not that he didn't do his part. He moaned his encouragement, letting her know he was with her all the way.
When Olivia rose over him, a little awkward and unsure, Trey rested his hand on her hips, guiding her. Turned out, she was a natural. After a few minutes, he grabbed the wrought-iron headboard and let her take over. The ride was spectacular, the view, even better.
Understandably shy at first, as Olivia gained confidence—in herself and in him—she bloomed. In his life, he'd never met a woman so sweetly free with her body and her emotions. And once she opened up, she tackled every subject with wit and candor.
"I expected the flavor to be stronger." She dabbed the corner of her mouth with her finger, examined what she found, then licked the tip with her tongue. "Mostly neutral. With a touch of… lemon?"
"Olivia." Chuckling, Trey's head fell back on the pillow. "You are an original."
"Once, I longed to be like everyone else." She cuddled up to his side. "I thought if I had the same hair, the same thoughts, the same everything, I could fit in. Honestly, I didn't think I could handle the bumps."
"And now?"
"Conformity is safe and pleasant. Smooth and easy." Resting her head on his chest, Olivia sighed. "Boring. Don't get me wrong. I won't go looking for unnecessary drama. But, a few bumps? Bring them on."
"You're an amazing woman." Trey's admiration for Olivia seemed to grow by the second.
"No," she shook her head. "However, I'm getting there. Look what I've accomplished in a few days. I took back control of my hair. I survived a car crash and a snowstorm—with a big hand from you and Carmichael."
"Our pleasure." Trey refused to think about the alternative. If he hadn't found Olivia? The idea made him sick to his stomach.
"Plus, my orgasm total has climbed exponentially."
"You're welcome." He winked, making Olivia laugh. "Again, my pleasure."
"Finally, I gave my first blow job—to pretty good reviews."
"Rave reviews."
Olivia's smile widened. Leaning close, she gave Trey a light kiss.
"Why did you become a park ranger?"
The out of left field question left Trey at a loss of words. Right now, what they had was easy and simple. If he answered, he would need to go down a long, winding, sometimes dark road into his past. Part of him wanted to share everything with Olivia. The other part of him was afraid once she knew, she wouldn't look at him the same way.
His head told him to keep silent. His heart urged him to take a chance.
"Trey Stanton isn't my real name." Taking a deep breath, he reminded himself Olivia deserved all the facts. "Legally, when I was nineteen, I changed my name. My birth certificate read Ingo Milton Hunter III."
Trey waited for Olivia to react. And continued to wait. He didn't see the slightest flicker of recognition in her eyes. Maybe the name wasn't as infamous as he thought.
"My father is in prison for embezzlement, extortion, tax fraud, kidnapping and, if the feds could find enough evidence, attempted murder."
"I…" Olivia sat up, legs crossed. Frowning, she lay the blanket around her shoulders. "I don't know what to say except, so what?"
"Excuse me? Did you hear the litany of crimes I rattled off?"
"Don't get me wrong. I'm sorry for you and the people your father hurt. But his actions have nothing to do with you or the kind of man you made of yourself."
Unbelievable. Trey expected Olivia to recoil in horror. Or, at the very least, question her choice of lovers. Instead, she gave him a pass for his father's sins.
"Did you love him?"
Trey shook his head. "I hated him for a long time."
"Not now?" Olivia asked without censure.
"No."
"Was he falsely convicted?"
"Absolutely not," Trey snorted. "Look up the phrase guilty as sin, and you'll find his picture."
"I have a feeling my next question will be harder to answer." Sympathy filled Olivia's eyes as she took his hand in hers. "You told me the things your father did to other people. What did he do to you?"
Olivia didn't simply ask a question. She asked the question. The way her brain worked was truly a thing of wonder. Damn it.
"How to describe Ingo Hunter." Trey could go on for hours. Instead, he chose his words carefully, hoping to keep his explanation short if not sweet. "He loves two things. Himself and money. His father left him a fortune, enough for a dozen lifetimes."
"He wanted more?"
"What rich man doesn't?" Trey rubbed his neck and sighed. "Trouble was, unlike his father, Ingo is a lousy businessman. Give him a sure thing deal, and he'd find a way to lose his investment and more."
The only reason Ingo Hunter married was the same reason he got up in the morning. For money. Trey's mother was a gentle woman charmed by a man who hid his true character long enough to get a ring on her finger and complete control of her fortune.
"I was a mistake. Ingo didn't need an heir."
"Did your mother love you?"
Trey nodded. Unfortunately, she was weak, and she produced a weak son.
"Ingo wore my mother down from the moment they married. When he realized I was an easy target, he started on me."
"Bastard."
"I wondered for a long time if he killed my mother."
"No," Olivia gasped, shocked for the first time since he began.
"I don't think so." Trey tried to give her a reassuring smile but failed. "She always seemed frail. When I was seven, she simply stopped. Like a clock someone forgot to wind. The day after her funeral, my father sent me away to a fancy boarding school."
"Out of sight, out of mind?"
"Most of the time."
Ingo would show up without warning as if he were afraid Trey might grow stronger if someone didn't periodically chip away at his self-esteem.
"I hate your father."
Trey had to smile at the venom in Olivia's voice. Not so long ago, he felt the same. The old anger would occasionally simmer to the top but hate for Ingo Hunter was something he'd put aside. The man wasn't worth the energy.
"I survived."
"You thrived," Olivia said fiercely.
"You're right. And I had the chance because of one person. Liam Stanton."
"Stanton?" A frown formed between her brows. "Is he a cousin?"
"No. Liam is my brother."
They became roommates at the beginning of their sophomore year. Born and raised in Ireland, Liam was everything Trey wasn't. Strong, confident, with a big, loving family. To say they didn't get along at first was an understatement. But somehow, they found a common ground—a love for numbers and learning. By the spring break, they were fast friends.
"Liam saved me."
"Because he became your friend?"
"Partly." Trey dreaded the next part. "Without Liam, I'd be dead."
Olivia's hand tightened on his arm. "What happened?"
"I swallowed a bottle of pills."
During Trey's senior year of high school, he started to come out of his shell. With Liam, he joined several clubs, including one where they played the stock market—theoretically. Money never changed hands, but Trey turned out to be a natural.
"My father found out, probably from an enthusiastic instructor. Finally, I was worth something to him."
Ingo made his intentions clear. He wanted Trey to work for him—to make him money. After one visit from his father
, he felt his budding confidence slip away. In June, Liam would go back to Ireland. And Trey would be trapped. He saw nothing but darkness in his future.
"In my mind, I had one way out. Suicide." Trey let out a ragged sigh. "If Liam hadn't come back to our room when he did…"
"Oh, Trey."
Tears ran down Olivia's face.
"Don't cry for me." He used the sheet to wipe her cheeks. "As you said, I didn't simply survive, I flourished."
"My tears aren't for you. They're for the young man you were. I can't imagine how alone you must have felt." Olivia's smile didn't quite reach her silvery eyes. "Thank God for your Liam."
"And his family."
The Stanton clan were Trey's real salvation. They insisted Liam bring him home to Ireland. There, under the care of Bert and Minnie, he witnessed for the first time what a real family looked like.
"They adopted me. Literally and figuratively. In a way, Ingo Hunter III died. In his place was born Trey Stanton."
"Trey?" Olivia rolled her eyes. "I just made the connection."
"Everyone at school called me Trey. Since my time at Carver Academy was the only good part of my childhood, I decided to keep the name."
"When I think what might have happened." A shiver went through Olivia's body.
"I didn't tell you because I want your sympathy." Trey hated the thought. He shrugged. "Guess I just needed you to know."
"Thank you." She cupped his cheek, her eyes shining. "I'm honored you trusted me. Now."
"Now?" Trey felt a little raw. But, if Olivia had more questions, he'd answer if he could.
"One thing you still haven't explained. Why a forest ranger in the wilds of Washington State?"
"I always liked nature. And Washington was three thousand miles away from my father."
When Trey left Ireland, he needed a place to hide. He wasn't proud of the fact. But, he was still raw and though he was no longer suicidal, the thought of coming face to face with Ingo frightened him.
"I dyed my hair, grew a beard, and lost myself. And…"
"Yes?"
"Systematically ruined my father financially."
The idea came to Trey while he was in Ireland. With Liam's help—his brother didn't need persuading—they lured Ingo into business deals that on the surface, looked like sure things.
FIVE⁕MORE⁕MINUTES Page 7
