“I meant it when I said you are mine, Olivia,” I tell her truthfully.
“Sealed with a kiss, we can go as fast or slow as you want,” I add, her eyes growing wide again, her pupils dilating as she picks up on exactly what I’m talking about.
Our first course arrives, with two plates so we can share. Olivia’s never looked more beautiful to me, never seemed so innocent either.
I wonder if I’m not overdoing it but the truth be told, I really am just being myself.
I’ve never had anyone to spoil or dote on. Today doesn’t seem so farfetched. If anything, I can think of a dozen things we could have done differently if I was really setting out to spoil Olivia.
Things I hope I still get to do.
Things I know we’ll do together.
“I hope you like pasta,” I tell her, smiling. Knowing there’ll be more coming after this. Relieved when she makes a hungry face.
“I love pasta, it’s my true weakness,” she groans between bites, trying to blow on her food but wanting to eat it more at the same time.
She’s ticked every box so far. There’s nothing I don’t love about Olivia.
“How do you do it?” she asks me, fanning herself with her hand as she finally yields to waiting for the food to cool a little.
I raise my brow in a question.
“I mean, do you eat like this all the time? How do you stay so lean?” she asks, frowning suddenly before remarking she only has to look at food to gain weight.
I half shrug before I feel a little confused by what she’s just said.
“You make it sound like you have a problem,” I remark, meaning like my own pasta cravings. Trying not to smile until I see how serious she suddenly looks.
“Very funny,” she says dryly, looking hurt.
“I didn’t mean anything by it,” I tell her, wondering what’s gotten into her now.
I thought we were getting on great until she opened that damned phone of hers.
“You don’t have to sugar coat it for me, Jack,” she says. “You’ve been more than sweet all day but let’s be honest. An older guy like you and a chunky girl like me half your age? No wonder people were staring.”
“Olivia, stop it,” I tell her firmly. I don’t like what she’s saying about herself and I don’t even understand what she’s getting at.
I guess it’s my turn to feel hurt, I’d forgotten I’m older than her. I really had. All day she’s just made me feel so alive. I never even stopped to remember the age difference.
Mario hovers near the table, but sensing the mood he’s reluctant to get my attention.
“Eh, scuzzi Jack? Telephone, your agent. She says it’s important,” he murmurs as quietly as he can without coming closer.
I nod to let him know I’m coming, and wiping my mouth with a napkin I wonder if it’s the storm that’s making everything so crazy all of a sudden.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell Olivia, making sure I can see her while I take the phone call behind the restaurant’s bar.
“Jack? I figured you’d be there. Weren’t answering your cell. Figures… Listen. The pilot won’t fly you out tonight, too much bad weather and I just checked the airlines, same story. You’re stuck there until the morning at the earliest, tomorrow or the next day at the latest.”
It’s Denise. Straight to the point as usual. If she’d let me know this a half hour ago I would have been a happier man.
But the thought of Olivia and me almost fighting over nothing now, and having to tell her we’re stuck in Hollywood? I hadn’t bargained on that.
So much for my romantic evening for two.
“Jack, you there?”
“Uh yeah, sure Mom,” I tell her, hearing her click her tongue.
“Uh oh. You only ever call me Mom when something’s the matter. What happened Jack?” she asks, sounding more like my mechanic than my own mother. But that’s just how she’s always been.
“I just wished we’d checked the weather forecast is all,” I lie. Not feeling like explaining everything to Denise, to mom right now.
Definitely not right now.
“Uh huh,” she says in that same knowing tone. “Well, can’t do much about it for now. The hotel’s got two rooms, opposite each other on the same floor so you and what’s her name have a roof over your heads at least,” she tells me.
“It’s Olivia, Mom. Her name is Olivia,” I hear myself almost growl, gripping the phone tighter.
“Okay okay, don’t bite my head off. Sorry, you’re stuck there with her, I thought you two might’ve hit it off until I heard she was just a kid. Pity really.”
“I gotta go, Denise,” I tell her, wanting off the phone before I say something I’ll regret.
“Okay, Jack. I’ll call you in the morning, let you know if things change-”
Hanging up without another word, I need to get back to Olivia, more determined than ever now not to make something out of nothing.
I don’t want to argue with her, I want to be with her. I want us to be happy.
This storm, the hotel. It’s the perfect recipe for us to get to know each other better.
Fortunately, by the time I get back to our table, she seems to have come to the same conclusion.
“Can we start over Jack? I mean, back to before the part where I was being so stupidly defensive, please,” she says, scrunching up her face and wincing, murmuring sorry before I take her hands in mine and bring them up to my lips.
“I’m the one who’s sorry, Olivia. And yeah, let’s take two, shall we? Let’s not argue about anything ever again.”
Chapter Thirteen
Olivia
Before I even sense the beginnings of our shared food coma, before we get through what’s been the best meal of my life, I just know somehow that we’re not going home tonight.
The storm outside seems to get worse as the evening goes on, and a couple of times the lights in the restaurant flicker, making the diners gasp and our host cross himself as he looks up.
But Jack chooses his moment, and soon after his phone call lets me know the situation with the flight, about the two available rooms in the adjoining hotel.
“Two rooms?” I ask, remembering that it’s his agent or other people who’ve made all these arrangements, not Jack himself.
“If you want, we can have separate rooms. Or we can see how the rest of tonight goes,” he says casually, making my breath shiver and my heart start to pound in my chest like a drum.
I know what I want.
I think.
At least, I know what I’d like to be capable of, but hearing him say it. Having Jack Mercury sitting across from me in a restaurant, talking about sharing a bed with him.
This is too much to take in, especially after the day I’ve just had.
The day we’ve just had together.
“Think about it,” Jack says thoughtfully. Not pressuring me or even saying what he wants. He just leaves it up to me to decide how far I want things to go tonight.
But one look in his eyes and I can see what we both want staring back at me. The flickering light in his smoldering gaze is like two flaming figures.
Two bodies on fire, twisting and drenched in each other’s heat with no hope of being extinguished with just one night of passion.
“Coffee?” he suggests, just as casually and I can only make an involuntary sound before I decide against it.
“Uh. No coffee for me thanks, I’ll be up all night otherwise,” I tell him honestly,
He nods slowly, those eyes still holding mine. Suggesting maybe staying up all night might not be such a bad thing if we shared a bed.
“I want you, Olivia,” he finally says. Mouthing the words more than saying them out loud at first, but the effect on me is instant.
“I want all of you,” he finally says loud enough for me to hear him as his hand covers mine. Not a shadow of doubt in his meaning.
“Jack,” I whimper the trembling in my hand migrating through my body like an e
lectric current until it reaches every part of me that I’m craving Jack’s mouth and hands over.
Everything I’ve tried to hold back all day seems to be coming undone and rapidly.
The glue that’s held my decency, my shyness together for so long is finally failing.
It feels like something inside me has come loose, something is being set free and it’s left a Jack-sized hole I know only the man himself can fill for me, making me complete again.
Making me his, it’s all I really want.
He calls for the check, letting the waiter know to bill it to his hotel room, and in moments after grabbing my coat from Mario we’re getting our room keys from the hotel reception and heading for the elevator.
Jack’s hand doesn’t leave mine the whole way up and we don’t say a word. Not until I hear the huge wooden door to his suite click shut behind us when he presses my body up against it.
His mouth hot over mine, my hands clawing at his clothes while he lifts my dress high enough to have him feel what he wants most.
He runs a single flat palm over my sex, instantly drawing a low moan from me. More of an animal sound that’s filled with need.
Filled with longing for him.
I feel my head tilting back as his mouth runs down to my neck, his thick fingers already prodding my drenched pussy through my panties, which he yanks to one side.
I lift a thigh over his hip, opening myself further and feeling my legs tremble to the point of collapse already, his strong arms lift me up as if I weigh nothing.
His equally strong legs marching me over to the bed in long, confident strides before he lays me down. Taking just a moment to survey me with a satisfied growl before pulling me by the ankles to the edge of the huge bed.
On his knees, his face hovering over my drenched and quivering, slick valley. I can hear myself begging him to touch me. To eat me until I come on his face.
The man needs no encouragement, and he’s not holding back to torment me. He’s taking all of me in with his eyes first, eating me with those same dark, intense eyes that have been boring into me since he first set them loose on me this morning.
He’s seeing much more of me now and hitching my dress up higher, I urge him with another whimper. Pleading to have his mouth over my sodden mound.
In a single, swift movement he has both my ankles over his hard shoulders. His huge hands grab me firmly and he has his whole mouth over my twitching pussy, with his tongue freeing an aching, swollen clit from its hood like old friends reunited at last.
“Holy fucking shit!” I gasp, then growl even more profanity. I’ve never sworn in my life, but his hands on my ass, his mouth right where it is, I’m cursing like a sailor and using his hair as a rudder. Steering him towards buried treasure, knowing full well he’s already seen the map.
Jack Mercury knows exactly what he’s doing, even if I don’t.
His own low grunts and groans travel deep inside me, vibrating up to a new place. Somewhere that suddenly connects to everything else he’s doing.
If kissing him was a turn on, this is like dying and going to heaven.
His chiseled jaw between my soft thighs, with both those strong hands kneading me. Working every inch of flesh he can get hold of, he’s not just pleasuring me, the man’s devouring me and loving every minute of it.
Those magic hands, each finger like a thousand, work their way up to my chest and free both my breasts while still circling his tongue over my nub, he firmly takes each thick nipple between thumb and forefinger.
My hands cover his, guiding his warm fingers to grip me harder as I buck and grind my pussy into his face.
Then just as suddenly as I feel myself losing all control. Just when it feels like I’m about to split wide open, his mouth’s on mine.
He’s kissing me again.
His mouth finding my own and letting me taste myself on his tongue.
My legs have wrapped around his waist, the fabric of his suit pants brushing my mound before I feel the thick head of his cock pressing against me.
I moan his name, trying to tell him I can’t hold it any longer. I’m about to come so hard and my whole body starts to shiver with a warning.
Jack lets out a low growl, pleased with his efforts, but telling me how it’s gonna be.
“You’ll come when I say so, and only in my mouth,” he says huskily, making me gasp as I feel it’s already too late but quickly moving his whole body back down mine, ready to give me my reward.
Ready to claim his.
Whether he’s timed it perfectly or if I just can’t stop from climaxing, I feel my whole body stiffen with new pleasure before wave after wave of release grips me.
Jerking and twisting under his grip, with his firm hands extracting as much ecstasy from me as his mouth, I shudder for what feels like forever until collapsing in a heap.
Spent.
All of me consumed and devoured. Given freely to the one person I know I love.
It’s not a crush anymore. And once I feel Jack’s warm, strong body move back up over mine, resting all his weight on me once I pull him close. I tell him as much.
“I love you, Jack. I always have…”
He kisses my neck, and rolling onto his side he holds me tight in front of him.
Big spoon to my still trembling body as he pulls some covers over us both.
Neither of us having to say a word, but there’s one thing I think I should tell him.
Feeling his own arousal so hard still, pressing into me from behind, it’s only fair.
“I’ve never done this Jack. Never been with a man. Never been with anybody,” I whisper, suddenly worried I won’t measure up somehow.
“I’m a...” I try to say out loud, but his mouth on my neck stops me.
Murmuring his reply while his lips are on my throat, he tells me all that matters now.
All I want to hear or will ever need to.
“You’re mine now, Olivia. My only. My love.”
Our fingers lace together and he holds me so tight, so tenderly. I’m sure I fall asleep with his name on my lips.
With him telling me one more time he loves me.
That I’m his.
Chapter Fourteen
Jack
I’ve never wanted anything so bad. Never needed someone so much.
Telling myself I could even try to sleep in a different room with her so close. Knowing that body of hers was resting on top of anyone else’s sheets without me to hold her.
Mine.
Mario’s concerned that there’s something wrong when I call for the check, but even he can see the obvious.
Like the raging storm outside, there is some force of nature that we’re helpless against.
And the tides of love, the passionate need for two to become one is sometimes beyond the control of the people themselves.
Once we’re alone, truly alone, I know we don’t need to pretend anymore.
Not even with ourselves.
I know she’s shy. Nervous even, but not afraid. I feel the same.
I’m more afraid that if I don’t act I could lose her forever. If I don’t show her how much I want her, how much I need her, she could be gone tomorrow and I couldn’t live another day without her knowing.
If being near her, finally kissing her was enough to send me to the limit, pushing her skirt up as she wraps herself around me, burying my face in her sweet pussy is enough to tip us both way over the edge.
I want her fully naked, her smooth skin against mine. But her dress, my suit. We end up half undressed before all that matters to us both is me pleasing her, telling her she’s mine.
I want to claim her properly, of course, I do. But feeling how hard she comes for me. Feeling her release and then having her tell me this is all new for her.
We’ve got time.
All she needs to know, I tell her, I know she’ll be mine.
That she loves me and I love her, even though we’ve just met.
Words I never
thought I’d hear in this life, and ones I find come easiest for me only when I’m telling her the same.
We both rest easier now that the ice has well and truly been broken. There are no real doubts in either of our minds now.
The storm outside still rages, and even though it’s been refurbished, the old building lets me know what’s happening outside with creaks and groans. Long after Olivia’s and mine have finished for the night.
She falls asleep in my arms, playing big spoon to her little one.
The only role I want from now on, deciding quietly to myself that the dreams I’ve chased in the past or thought I was working towards are all for nothing if I can’t have this feeling every night when I rest my head.
If I can’t bed my queen every night why would I call myself king of anything, let alone Hollywood?
I only shift once or twice as she sleeps. The last time to take my arm out from under her so she can sleep better.
I watch her, stroking her hair back and noting the sweet smile still on her lips, I kiss her neck more often than not.
I can’t help myself having her so close.
As the night becomes a gray dawn through the shades half drawn across the windows, I notice the storm has finally passed.
Our first night together turning into a new day for both of us and I wonder if I’ll ever sleep again with my need for her so strong.
Her milky soft skin against my loosened tuxedo shirt. Her dress still hitched up and her fine ass pushing back against my heavy morning wood as she mews herself awake, making us both smile.
I lean over to kiss her good morning, wondering how so much time could pass so quickly.
It feels like I only just lay down with her and now a whole night’s passed just like that.
The phone by the bed blares an antiquated ring, making Olivia groan and bury her head under the pillow before I can pick it up.
True to her word, it’s Denise.
Not Mom today, but my agent who’s already interrupting my morning.
“How was your night, Jack?” she asks. “I hear she was a real tempest. Damn near screamed the roof off.”
Hollywood Hearts: A Steamy Standalone Instalove Romance Page 7
