Olivia always had been loyal to a fault. He should have known she’d defend him for all she was worth.
Hunter reached out his hand to comfort her, his desire to connect with her overwhelming him as tensions flared between them. She reached out and angrily swatted him with her hand. “Don’t you dare put words in my mouth! I always knew that you’d make a success of yourself, from the very moment you told me you were leaving. Don’t you ever say any differently either!”
Hunter felt a burst of emotion rising up within him at Olivia’s words. She had believed in him! Sweet, loyal Olivia!
“I see you’ve still got that feisty temper,” Hunter said with a chuckle as he watched Olivia's chest rise and fall with her heated words. He was surprised he didn’t see steam coming out of her ears.
“I don’t have a temper!” Olivia said, her eyes flashing with outrage.
Hunter threw back his head and howled at Olivia’s words. “No temper? Are you kidding me? You practically skewered me on the spot! If you had any more of a temper you’d be sprouting devil horns!”
A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and he knew in that moment that she'd forgiven him. “Well, you bring the devil out in me, that's for sure.”
“I guess you bring out the devil in me too, Miss Olivia Renault,” Hunter said in a husky whisper as he leaned down and captured her lips in a soaring, romantic kiss.
**
The very moment Hunter’s lips brushed against hers, Olivia felt her insides melt like butter on hot popcorn. She had been dreaming of this moment for ten long years. She felt his mouth moving tenderly over hers, and without a moment’s hesitation she began to kiss him back. Hunter ran his fingers through her hair and pulled her closer toward him. For Olivia, it felt as if time stood still. She was soaring, flying, with this wonderful, soulful kiss.
When Hunter ended the kiss she wanted to cry with frustration at the loss of his touch, at the emptiness he left in his wake. He'd stirred up all these feelings within her, ones that had lain dormant since the last time he'd taken her in his arms. She'd been all of seventeen years old at the time with no clue as to how relationships worked. All she'd known then was that he always made her feel special and that her heart ached with love for him. And she'd needed him in her life, had felt enriched by all the things he brought into her orbit. Excitement. Laughter. Emotion.
His kisses had always made her feel so grown-up and so alive. When he left town she'd felt more alone than she'd ever known possible. It hadn't been easy dealing with all those feelings of loss at such a tender age. But she'd done the only thing she could under the circumstances – she'd let him go and gotten on with her life. Thankfully, she’d had her best friend, Callie, to lean on during that sad time, as well as the other girls. And her sweet, compassionate Mama.
Hunter stared into her eyes, his own gorgeous, ink-colored eyes looking a bit dazed as he scanned her face. She wondered what he was searching for? Joy? Reassurance? Regret? What was he so confused about? After all, he was the one who had initiated the kiss.
“Tell Mama I walked home. A little fresh air will do me some good,” he said as he began backing away from her. His eyes were wide, his movements slightly robotic.
Once again, he was walking away from her, leaving her craving his nearness and the very air he breathed. Why did it always seem as if he was leaving her?
Come back, she wanted to cry out, so much so that she had to practically stuff the words down inside herself. It would only show that she was weak-minded when it came to him. And she had no intention of allowing Hunter to see how deeply he affected her.
“T-They’ll wonder why you didn’t stay for dessert,” she said in a trembling voice, her mouth still tingling from his blistering kisses and the warmth of his fingertips against her skin.
He moved back toward her so that he was a few inches away from her. Hunter’s lips tilted upwards in a lazy smile as he reached out and trailed his finger up and down her lips. “Tell em I’ve already had my dessert,” Hunter said dryly as he treated her to a pearly smile before walking off into the darkness.
Olivia wrapped her arms around her middle and stared out into the pitch black, the sound of Hunter’s whistling echoing through the stillness of the autumn evening. She raised her hands to her swollen lips and shuddered at the memory of Hunter’s soul stirring kisses.
She felt as vibrantly alive as she’d ever felt in her life. Every single nerve ending on her body hummed and buzzed. His kiss had left her weak in the knees and dizzy. Olivia fanned her flushed cheeks with her hand and let out a deep sigh. At the moment she felt as if she could do anything due to the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She could climb the highest mountain or jump out of a plane, only to keep feeling the dizzying swirl of emotions he incited. Being with Hunter was like riding the crest of a wave or reaching the peak of a roller coaster and then free-falling. He was all raw energy and excitement and unpredictability.
It must be contagious, she thought. If not, then why was her heart racing like an out-of-control thoroughbred after winning the Kentucky Derby? When was the last time she'd felt like this? She knew the answer to her own question – the last time she'd felt this vibrant was back when she’d been Hunter's girl.
Olivia twirled around the porch like a ballerina, her body feeling light and airy as she relived the events of the last few moments. Hunter had kissed her. Like a man kisses a woman. He hadn't treated her like a piece of rare porcelain the way some of her other boyfriends had in the past. To them she was an extension of her father; She was the sheltered daughter of a very important businessman whom they wanted to impress. In their eyes she wasn't a person separate and apart from him. She wasn't Olivia. She was Olivia Renault. And the truth was that none of them had ever truly wanted her without the trappings of the Renault wealth and status. They'd never really spent time getting to know her as a human being. It was the main reason she had never developed an interest in Marcus. His ambitions were stamped all over him like a price tag.
Hunter was different, she realized with a smile. They shared a past, a history that bound them together by childhood memories and shared experiences. He had never cared about her father’s riches. He may have been humbled by the Renault wealth, but he had never sought to use her for it. They were two pieces of a vast, rich puzzle. His return had changed everything! After so many years of feeling a little empty inside, Olivia finally felt as if she was coming back to life.
**
Olivia awoke the next morning having slept fitfully throughout the night. Dreams of Hunter had filled her head during the night. In one of her dreams they’d been enjoying a summer picnic out by the river. He’d been reading to her from a poetry book, which had been super romantic. The sound of music had drifted through the area. She’d woken up just as Hunter had dipped his head down to place a lingering kiss on her lips.
Just the thought of it caused a warm heat to rise in her cheeks. Handsome, brilliant, charming Hunter. Like a fine wine, the man had gotten better with age. She let out a ragged sigh. And he was still as appealing as ever. She closed her eyes as memories of last night's tender kiss came flooding back to her – the warmth of his lips, the heat of his touch as his fingers practically scorched her skin. Her pulse quickened as she remembered how much she'd wanted the kiss to go on forever.
After taking a quick shower and getting dressed, she quickly styled her hair in a low ponytail and headed downstairs. She'd made a point to take off her pearl earrings, diamond cross necklace and the fancy watch, all items she'd inherited from her mother. Today she was volunteering at the youth center and she always tried to be very low-key in her appearance and her attitude. The kids at the center didn't need to have it thrown in their faces that they couldn't afford luxury items such as designer clothes or expensive jewelry. Things were hard enough in their lives without having to worry about what brand of jeans they were sporting or what logo was stamped on their sneakers. When she volunteered her time
at the center she wanted to be blend in with the kids and be on their level. There was no other way she could successfully connect with them and gain their confidence.
When she came downstairs her father was sitting at the dining room table, his brow furrowed in concentration as he looked over his account balances. It had been his habit to do this each and every morning over breakfast for as long as she could remember. Rascal was curled up into a ball at his feet, enjoying a calm moment in his doggy bed. Her father had his laptop propped next to him on the table and he was staring at the screen with a look of intense concentration and determination on his face. His glasses were perched at the end of his nose, and for the first time in her life he seemed vulnerable. Older.
He was no longer the invincible Daddy she'd grown up idolizing. He was a flesh and blood man, one who appeared to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. Along with her mother's death had come the knowledge that tomorrows are never promised. It terrified her to think that his financial difficulties might be impacting his health.
“Good morning, Daddy. How are you?” She leaned over and placed a kiss on her father's cheek, inhaling the woodsy scent of his aftershave that took her all the way back to childhood. On many occasions she'd planted herself in her father's bathroom and watched as he performed his shaving ritual. Those moments had bonded them as father and daughter, allowing them to connect on an intimate level. And to this day, she adored the scent of cedar and musk.
He smiled at her wistfully, his eyes reflecting his bleak mood. “Morning, Sunshine,” he said with a deep sigh. He shook his head in disbelief. “I remember the days when the numbers made me smile.” He let out a puff of air then shook his head sadly. “It's going to take a miracle to hold on to Renault.”
Olivia furrowed her brow as she looked at her father. “I know things are bad, Daddy, but you shouldn't give up hope.”
“I haven't given up, but these numbers are pretty grim. The business is in the toilet. It just doesn't want to bounce back.” He gazed at his daughter sadly, then quickly changed gears, sounding more confident as he said, “That being said, at least Marcus is confident we can ride out this storm. He’s giving me a sliver of something to hold on to.”
“He is?” Olivia asked doubtfully. “I know you've promoted him to second in command, but he still has a lot to learn about the business. He doesn't even have his feet wet as of yet. Make sure you trust your own instincts. You've been in business a long time.”
Jack stroked the hair on his chin and shook his head regretfully. “At the risk of having you think your old man is a fool, I must admit when I promoted him I thought the two of you were on your way to becoming engaged.”
Olivia placed her hand over her father's large, wrinkled hand, her voice filled with kindness as she said, “I know you were hoping we would make a life together, but the chemistry just isn't there. I enjoy Marcus' friendship, but we're not going to walk down the aisle anytime in this lifetime.”
“Chemistry?” Jack scoffed. “There's other things to consider than chemistry.”
She tweaked her father's cheek, then smiled at him impishly. “I want what you had with Mama. A soul connection. I want everything – the sweaty palms, the goosebumps, thinking about him whenever we're not together.”
Her father's brows were knit together as a look of confusion passed over his face. “And he doesn't make you feel those things?”
Olivia shook her head and said in a soft voice, “No, he doesn't. Not even a little bit.”
He let out a tremendous sigh. “Forgive your old man for being a hopeless romantic. I thought love would grow between the two of you.”
Olivia felt a pang of intense love for her father, who'd always wanted good things for his only child. “There's nothing to forgive,” she said quickly. “I know you only want what's best for me. Always.”
“Join me for breakfast, baby girl. I need to stop looking at these numbers before I explode.” He logged out from his computer and closed it, then motioned for her to join him at the table.
“Not today, Daddy. I gotta go. They're expecting me at the center.”
Olivia grabbed a muffin from the basket on the table, then quickly poured coffee into her travel mug. She planted a kiss on her father's forehead and headed towards her baby blue VW bug sitting parked in the driveway.
After pushing the speed limit all the way into town, she arrived at the Youth Center in the downtown area, briskly making her way through the hallway amid high- fives from a group of kids anxiously waiting for recreation time.
The moment she entered her small, dimly lit office a light, floral scent assailed her senses. A huge bouquet of flowers rested on her desk – roses, lilies, snapdragons, peonies, tulips. She'd never seen anything like it in her life. Her mouth hung open in shock as she grappled with the notion that this gorgeous arrangement was meant for her. She reached out and lightly fingered a lily, luxuriating in the satiny feel of the flower between her thumb and forefinger. Although she'd grown up surrounded by her mother's flower gardens, this was the first time anyone had sent her a bouquet of flowers.
A group of children had followed her into her office and were buzzing around her desk, smiling and pointing at the elaborate floral arrangement. Olivia had never seen such an exotic, magnificent assortment of flowers. Was it really for her? She smiled as she spotted a white envelope with her name on it nestled in the basket. Warmth filled her at the realization that she hadn’t been mistaken. This incredible arrangement was hers!
Harlen, a beautiful, cherub-faced eight-year-old with honey colored skin and a wild riot of jet black hair, pointed to the flowers and asked, “Miss Olivia, is it your birthday?”
“No, Harlen, it's not my birthday,” she answered as she reached out to finger a fuchsia colored tulip.
“Is it from your boyfriend?” a ginger haired boy named Sam asked with a frown.
Olivia reached out and tweaked Sam on the nose, trying to distract him from his jealous feelings. “I don't have a boyfriend. You know that.”
Sam immediately turned his frown into a beatific smile, one that was sure to break numerous hearts in a few years. For now, Sam was determined to make Olivia his “girlfriend” and he didn't take kindly to any man who showed her the slightest bit of attention. After a few minutes of listening to the kids ooh and aah over the flowers, she shooed the children out of her office and sent them to the locker room to get changed for archery class.
Olivia didn't need to read the note to know that the flowers were from Hunter. Who else would order a decadent flower arrangement that must've cost a small fortune? Only Hunter, she thought dreamily. Curiosity got the better of her and she eagerly ripped open the small envelope, her cheeks feeling flushed as she read the sweet words.
Thanks for the home-cooked meal. Next dinner is on me.
The words were like an assault to her senses. She closed her eyes as memories from last night came flooding back to her. Hunter had made her so furious, yet moments later he’d treated her so tenderly. Hunter Rawlings had been back in town less than twenty-four hours and he'd already managed to tie her up in knots.
Shake it off, Olivia! Get your priorities straight.
Hunter was only back in town for the wedding and to reconnect with his family. And she needed to find a way to sway Hunter to help her father out of his financial downturn. Anything romantic between them was out of the question, for more than one reason.
Tell that to your foolish heart, a little voice buzzed in her ear.
Although she was tempted to linger in her office and admire her floral arrangement, she knew the kids were waiting for her outside on the archery range. As usual, they'd be full of excitement and enthusiasm, yearning to learn something new and different. Part of her objective was to allow the kids to experience activities that were out of the norm and far out of their reach. More than anything, she wanted to expose these children to a wide range of activities and experiences that they couldn't
get in their everyday lives.
As she made her way outside to the archery range she saw that the girls and boys had arranged themselves on opposite sides of the range.
“Girls go to college to get more knowledge. Boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider.” The girls were lined up in a row, their faces filled with glee as they chanted the inflammatory song. The boys in response were thumbing their noses at the girls and sticking out their bottoms at them.
“Hey, girls,” she called out, “We've talked about this before. That's not nice talk. Where do we put words that aren't nice?”
In unison the girls shouted out. “Trash talk is for the trash bin.”
“That's right, cause it's nothing but garbage.” She turned towards the boys and wagged her finger at them. “And since when do gentlemen stick out their bottoms at young ladies?”
The boys hung their heads and mumbled a few apologies to the girls, who were looking way more innocent than they had a right to considering their own bad behavior. Olivia tried unsuccessfully to hide the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She loved these kids! She loved the ups and the downs, the bad attitudes and the fights, the diva attitudes, the hurt feelings and the smudged little noses. She loved it all! There was something about being here at the youth center in the presence of these kids that made her feel alive. Vital. Needed.
And even though life was taking her in a new direction with Savannah House, she still intended to volunteer here at the center. It meant far too much to her to leave behind.
“Everyone line up with their bows and quivers.” As soon as the words left her mouth the kids raced towards her, jockeying for position to make the head of the line. With no more than a raised eyebrow she was able to put a stop to all the pushing and shoving in the line. Although the kids loved her, they knew better to risk earning her disapproval. Olivia had been known to put the kids in their place when they got out of line and she prided herself on meting out discipline as evenly as she gave out love. None of these kids were going to have an easy time of it growing up with parents who ranged from addicts to inmates to absentee parents, so Olivia took it upon herself to give them a healthy dose of reality mixed with affection.
A Moment in the Moonlight (Secrets of Savannah Book 2) Page 6
