"We used Ingo's greed as a weapon against him."
"I'm impressed."
Unfortunately, Trey's machinations had unforeseen consequences. Though he felt responsible, he didn't mention how Ingo went after the Benedict sisters. The story wasn't his to tell and contained too many personal details.
Trey trusted Olivia. However, he didn't feel he had the right to share with her or anyone what happened to Andi, Calder, Bryce, and Destry Benedict.
"You're the strongest man I've ever known, Trey Stanton."
"You may be a bit biased at the moment," Trey chuckled. "Tell me again when you aren't dazzled by my superior sexual prowess."
"I won't change my mind." Olivia touched his cheek, then his hair. "Kind of sorry I missed your mountain man phase. When did you lose the disguise?"
"Recently." Trey took his phone from the bedside table. "Here's a picture from last summer."
Looking from the phone to Trey, and back again, Olivia let out a slow whistle.
"I prefer you blonde. As for the beard? Kind of hot." She sent him a wink. "Who are the people with you?"
"Liam and Destry."
"The Liam?" Olivia touched the screen before her gaze lifted to his. "He's very handsome."
"Mmm." Trey wasn't jealous. Besides, he was used to the way women reacted around his brother. Reaching over, he teasingly wiped Olivia's chin. "Drool isn't a good look on you."
"Stop," Olivia laughed. "Destry. She's beautiful. Is she Liam's wife?"
"Wife?" Trey grinned. "Definitely not."
"Really?" Olivia seemed disappointed. "They look so in love."
"They are."
"Then why…?"
"Long story." And Trey was talked out. "I'd rather engage in a non-verbal activity."
"Sex?"
"You read my mind."
"But I like to talk during." Olivia giggled as he disappeared under the sheets.
"You talk. I have a better use for my tongue."
"Like what?" Olivia gasped. "Oh."
Trey lowered the covers, in case she wanted to watch. She did.
"Do you approve?"
"Yes." Olivia let out a long sigh filled with approval. "Please."
"My pleasure, Olivia." Trey kissed her hand, then the inside of her thigh. "My pleasure."
CHAPTER TEN
~~~~
OLIVIA COULDN'T REMEMBER a better Christmas Eve. Even when her mother was alive, the lingering memory of her father seemed to hang like a shadow over the festivities. Her mother's constant sadness wasn't conducive to a happy holiday.
Trey, Carmichael, and the festively decorated room filled Olivia with a spirit for the season she'd never experienced before. She was happy.
Though she knew their time together was temporary, she refused to let the knowledge ruin even a second of her joy.
After a short trip outside, the three of them were curled up by the fire. Carmichael, worn out from his romp in the snow, was fast asleep. Olivia was right where she wanted to be. On the sofa, wrapped in Trey's arms.
"Do you ever visit your family for Christmas?" She sipped her tea. "To Ireland?"
"Not as often as I should." Trey stared into the flames, his gaze pensive. "I thought when my father went to prison, I'd feel free. Suddenly, I realized the invisible chains that bound me to him broke long ago."
Olivia heard something in Trey's voice. A hesitation. He had something on his mind.
"You spent years implementing Ingo Hunter's downfall. Makes sense if you were left with a restless feeling."
"Restless." Absently, he wrapped one of Olivia's curls around his finger. "You're right. I keep asking myself, what now?"
"Have you found an answer?"
Trey smiled, his eyes clearing. "I have an idea or two rattling around in my head. Nothing definitive. I just know something has to change."
Another connection between them, Olivia thought. She was on a path to change. Trey had no idea how much he'd helped. When they met, she was halfway out of her shell, still not certain if she would fully emerge or take the safe way and continue with her stifling, unfulfilling life. Like him, she knew a change had to come. The question was, could she finish what she'd started?
"You once asked what I did for a living."
"If I recall, you didn't answer."
"Because I'm not sure." When Trey raised an enquiring eyebrow, Olivia sighed. "I want to be a teacher. No. I will be a teacher. After I finished my Ph.D., I received several job offers from colleges around the country. And a few in Canada."
"Hardly surprising," Trey smiled. "With your brain, potential employers should be lined up around the block."
Olivia didn't try to suppress her blush—what would be the point?
"After a lot of thought, I eliminated all but two. One in the town where I live."
"Safe," Trey nodded. "But, come on. Really? Don't you want to get away from Aunt Gayle?"
Lord, yes. Still, Olivia felt a lingering sense of loyalty she felt compelled to justify—or at least try.
"I know she's self-centered. But, she gave me a place to live when the only alternative was foster care. I had a roof over my head, plenty to eat." Olivia peeked at Trey. His skeptical expression made her smile. "Gayle and my cousins are the only family I have. If I move to New York—"
"The other offer is in New York City?"
"Columbia University," Olivia nodded.
"I'll be damned." The side of Trey's mouth quirked upward in a mysterious half smile. Olivia sent him a puzzled look. But whatever the joke, he decided not to share. "New York is hardly the end of the world."
"Except Jim Dillard lives in Oregon, not New York."
"You don't want to marry Dillard." Trey's dark eyes narrowed. "Unless you changed your mind."
"Jim would mean security for Aunt Gayle and my cousins. And for me." And, Olivia would be miserable. If she hadn't known before, Trey showed her, while Jim was a nice man, he wasn't what she wanted—or needed.
"What good is security if you're miserable." Trey echoed her word but with a lot of added heat. "You deserve better, Olivia. Hell, Jim deserves better. A loveless marriage can take the life out of you. I know. I saw one up close."
"I don't want to marry Jim."
"Good."
Trey looked a little too smug for Olivia's liking.
"Not because of anything you said. Because we wouldn't suit. Besides, I'm not ready to marry anyone until I establish my career."
"Good." A twinkle entered Trey's eyes. Still arrogant, but with enough humor for her to let the moment slide. "If Jim isn't in the mix, why hesitate. Columbia is one of the top universities in the country."
"Not only will I be in line for a tenured professorship, but I'll also have a state-of-the-art lab at my disposal. I can teach and do research. I just… They need to know my decision just after the first of the year." Olivia's nerves begin to jangle. "I'm scared, Trey. I'm a small-town girl used to county fairs and Fourth of July picnics. New York is sophisticated and, I'm…"
"You're what?"
"Not. I fear I'd be way out of my league."
Olivia waited for Trey to object. To say she could fit in anywhere she wanted, all she had to do was try. And she continued to wait and wait.
"You agree with me?" Olivia was annoyed, and a little angry. He was supposed to jump to her defense—even when she was the one tearing herself down.
"Not even a little. I know you'll be fine wherever you go. However." Trey took her chin in his hand, his gaze straight and true. "Nothing I say matters."
"Matters to me."
"Olivia." His touch gentled to a caress. "I could tell you all kinds of things to pump you up—and mean every single one. You're brilliant. Beautiful in every way possible. But, nothing I say will help. The decision must be yours. You have to believe in yourself."
Trey was right. His kind words wouldn't be worth spit when she was on her own. New York or Oregon. Her life,
no one else's.
"We're in the same boat." He linked his fingers with hers and settled back against the sofa. "I have to decide whether to stay here, in my safe world, or leave. Might be time."
"How will you know?"
"Beats me. We both have a lot to think about." Trey kissed her hand. "But not today. Let's enjoy the quiet while we can."
"And each other?"
"And each other."
Olivia's heart felt a little lighter. Light enough to feel in the mood for some playtime. She tossed aside the blanket and in one smooth motion, straddled Trey's hips
"Think Carmichael would be scandalized if I had my way with you right here on the sofa?"
"Carmichael is a big boy. But, just in case."
Trey stood, taking Olivia with him. She laughed as he used one arm to hold her in place and the other to herd the sleepy dog into the mudroom.
"What I have in mind isn't for anyone's eyes but ours."
CHAPTER ELEVEN
~~~~
OLIVIA BUSTLED AROUND the kitchen humming a slightly off-key version of Jingle Bells. She knew—because she asked—Trey's favorite Christmas morning breakfast consisted of a fluffy cheese omelet, bacon—crisp, scones hot from the oven, and a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.
Thanks to a fully stocked pantry and the cookbook she found on the shelf above a canister of flour, she recreated his mother's post-presents, pre-church feast. Fingers crossed. Scones, she found were simply a variation on biscuits, something Olivia mastered long ago.
"You snuck out of bed."
Turning, Olivia walked into Trey's waiting arms. He gave her a lingering kiss which she enthusiastically returned.
"I wanted to surprise you," she explained just as the oven timer dinged. "Perfect. Pour yourself a cup of coffee and take a seat. Breakfast is ready."
"In case I haven't mentioned the fact, you look a lot better in my sweatpants than I do."
Olivia's choice of clothing was limited to what she had on when Trey found her, and the few items of his wardrobe she could roll up or secure with a belt. Today, in honor of the occasion, she picked red sweats and a white shirt tied at her waist with gold ribbon. She secured her hair on top of her head with a sparkly bow appropriated from the box filled with wrapping paper and ribbons.
"Thanks." She gave Trey a once-over. Fresh from the shower, he wore a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt under a dark-green flannel shirt. "You look pretty good yourself."
"Where's Carmichael?" Trey asked, leaning against the counter, a cup of coffee in his hand.
"Enjoying his Christmas treat." She nodded toward a square box near his elbow.
Brow raised, Trey opened the plastic container.
"Doggy treats." He held up a bone-shaped cookie. "Homemade? When did you have time?"
"The recipe only contains a few ingredients. I threw them together last night while you and Carmichael were outside. This morning, I popped them in the oven and there you go. Easy-peasy."
"Thoughtful and kind," Trey corrected. He took something from his back pocket and shrugged. "I planned to wait until after breakfast."
"A present?" Olivia frowned. "You've given me enough. You gave me my life."
"Be gracious and accept the gift, Olivia." He placed the long, thin box in her hand. "Please?"
Odd to be nervous. Yet, Olivia's heart didn't get the memo. She smiled at Trey, tore away the festive paper, and opened the lid.
"A watch." Lovely and delicate, the band was loops of silver while the face was surrounded by a circle of red stones. "Trey. How beautiful."
"I thought a newly minted college professor could use something to keep her on time to class." Trey fastened the band around her wrist.
"I don't know what to say." The watch was a perfect fit. "I don't have anything for you."
"Your company has been priceless, Olivia." He wound a stray red curl around his finger, lightly kissing her lips. "You brought light and life to my home."
"Thank you." Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat. "Are the stones garnets?"
"Rubies. They were my mother's birthstone. A gift from her father when she graduated high school."
"Your mother's? I can't—"
Trey shook his head at her protest.
"She would be proud to know I gave her watch to a smart, strong, independent woman."
"I'm going to cry." Olivia blinked, determined to hold back her tears.
"Why don't you kiss me instead."
How could she refuse? A chance to tell Trey what she couldn't say with words, Olivia put everything she had into the embrace.
How could she have imagined, in the middle of a snowstorm, she would meet the man, her one in a million. Olivia never thought herself capable of such deep, all-encompassing emotion. Yet, here she was. Here he was.
For the first time in Olivia's life, she was in love.
~~~~
"LOOK." TREY POINTED to where a beam of sunlight peeked through the curtains.
"The snow stopped?" Panicked, Olivia rushed to the window. "I thought the storm was supposed to last until the end of the week."
Where he sat by the fire, Trey rested his elbows on his knees. The only indication he was upset by the turn in the weather was the small frown furrowed between his brow.
"Olivia. I—" His phone interrupted, the ringtone jarring. He muttered an expletive under his breath. "Hello? Really? When? Okay, thanks for letting me know, Gordy."
"Something wrong?"
"Snowplow will be here any minute."
Olivia sat before her legs gave out from under her.
"On Christmas Day?" Out clearing snow instead of home with their families? What was wrong with people?
"We lucked out. The mayor likes to ice fish every year on the twenty-sixth. Been a tradition since he was a little boy. Has a cabin a few miles south. Gordy, the driver, is a buddy of mine. Figured, long as he was out here, he'd clear my road before heading back to town."
"The mayor used his position to get plow priority?" Olivia wanted to stomp her foot. Instead, she feigned civic outrage. "Some nerve."
"The way of the world." Trey took a step toward her, then stopped. He shoved his hands in his pockets, his expression stoic. "Soon as the road's clear, I'll give you a lift into town."
"But. I thought…"
Ten minutes earlier, Olivia wouldn't have hesitated. She thought she had another week with Trey. Why did anything have to change simply because the corrupt mayor had to have his way? They were adults, unmarried, free to be together—or not. Apparently, Trey landed on the side of not.
"You want me to go?"
"No." When he saw Olivia's beaming smile, he shook his head. "What I want, and what's right are two different things."
"I don't understand."
"You have a decision to make about your future." Trey rubbed the back of his neck. He looked tired. "You should be someplace where you can think clearly."
Olivia knew what Trey meant. Sex, if done properly, tended to cloud the brain. A hormone/endorphin-laced cocktail wasn't conducive to rational thought. He was right. And she almost hated him for it.
"I'll get a ride with the snowplow driver."
"What?" Mouth agape, Trey watched Olivia run up the stairs. A second later, he was on her heels. "Don't be ridiculous. I said I'd drive you."
"First you tell me I'm so far under your sexual spell, I can't make a rational decision. Now, I'm ridiculous." Olivia grabbed her clothes, slamming the bathroom door behind her. "Not long ago, you called me smart, strong, and independent. Make up your mind."
"You're also irrational," he growled. "Unfortunately, one trait doesn't preclude the others."
Olivia rarely cursed. The words felt strange in her mouth and funny to her ears. Just once, she decided the situation warranted some foul language.
"What did you call me?"
Through the thick wood of the door, Olivia couldn't tell if Trey soun
ded angry or amused. Frustrated—with him, and herself—she jerked her sweater over her head.
"If I can hear you, you can hear me."
"First, my mother is dead. Second, even if she were alive, carnal relations would be out of the question."
Amused, Olivia decided. Trey obviously found the situation funny. Jerk. Dressed in the outfit she arrived in, she left the bathroom, head held high.
"Why don't you go to…" Harsh words were easier when she didn't have to look Trey in the eyes. "Never mind. Sounds like the snowplow is here. Kiss me goodbye."
"Olivia, I— What?"
"Honestly, Trey." Olivia rolled her eyes. "You need to get your hearing checked."
"If you want me to kiss you, why not let me drive you to town?"
"Because, you fool, I'd rather say goodbye now. Here." Too sad to cry, Olivia wrapped her arms around Trey's waist, her head on his chest. "Okay?"
"Okay."
Trey held her tight. His mouth brushed her hair, her forehead, and finally her lips. Olivia sank into the kiss. One more memory.
Breaking away, she ran from the room and down the stairs. Carmichael waited at the door. Olivia sank to her knees. One last hug.
"Take good care of him."
Maybe she only imagined Carmichael's whine sounded like a yes. But, Olivia preferred to believe he understood.
Sensing Trey at the top of the stairs, Olivia got to her feet and walked away without a backward glance.
Outside, she squinted against the sun's harsh glare. She stood on the porch, out of the way, and waved at the snowplow driver to stop. With a nod, Gordy rolled down the window.
"Well, hello." His smile was friendly. "Who are you?"
"Olivia Shore. Can you give me a ride back to town?"
Scratching his head, Gordy glanced at the house and shrugged.
"Sure thing. Hop in."
As she buckled her seatbelt, Olivia had to smile. She doubted she would see Trey again and the knowledge broke her heart. Yet, she would always be grateful for the time they had together, and the man who taught her all things were possible—even love.
CHAPTER TWELVE
FIVE⁕MORE⁕MINUTES Page 8
