Oliver looked about ready to make a smart ass reply when he turned his gaze to me and stopped.
“You look incredible,” he breathed. “I’m glad the dress fits.”
Feeling self-conscious, I dipped my face to hide the blush rising on my cheeks. When he looked at me like that, I felt incredible.
“Looking pretty good yourself,” I noted. “I’ve been enjoying seeing you in suits again.”
He grinned and brushed a hand over the charcoal jacket as if eliminating imaginary lint. “Well, it’s nice to have a reason to get dressed up.”
“I should get a photo of you two,” Cressida clucked. “Hang here for a sec while I grab my phone.”
Oliver and I made a speedy exit.
I expected a fancy restaurant downtown. I’d spent at least half an hour that day combing over every article I could find on the internet that discussed fine dining etiquette. I didn’t want to embarrass him. But—much to my relief—he announced in the car that we’d be dining at the mansion.
“I hope that’s okay,” he apologized. “But there is a reason for it, I promise.”
I sighed happily. “I was so worried about which fork to use. The idea of eating dinner at your place is the best one I’ve heard all day.”
“I’ll still tease you ruthlessly if you use the wrong fork.”
“And luckily for you there won’t be anyone around to see when I throw my drink in your face.”
Oliver reached across the console and grabbed my hand as he drove, the tenderness of his touch sparking a flame in my chest. We sat in silence for the rest of the ride, just enjoying each other’s company. For the first time ever, I wasn’t afraid of what the silence might hide.
As we headed up the driveway, my first thought was that the decorations from the party were still up. The closer we got, though, I saw they were different. Lanterns and string lights had been hung in a jagged pattern overtop of the circular drive, illuminating the cobblestones in an effusive glow.
“It looks beautiful,” I breathed.
Oliver ginned over at me. “I hope so,” he said. “It was a huge pain in my ass.”
He stopped the car and unbuckled his seat belt. I just stared at him in awe.
“You did this?” I asked.
“Of course.”
“I thought you didn’t do things like this yourself.”
“Only when they’re important to me. But I did have a little help.”
He came around my side of the car and helped me out, keeping hold of my hand as he guided me toward the front door. Inside, more string lights and lanterns lit up a path to the kitchen.
“Who did you wrangle into doing this with you?” I asked. “Is that part of Todd’s job description as your… personal assistant?”
Oliver chuckled. “Actually, Rodney and a few guys from the renos came out to help.”
I looked over at him dubiously. “Are you serious?”
My head contractor was never Oliver’s biggest fan, and I suspected he only hated him more after I was fired.
“He was hesitant at first, but when I told him it was for you he agreed to come out and give me a hand.”
“That’s really sweet.”
Oliver sat me down at the kitchen island and then turned to pull a bottle of wine from the fridge “I mean, I also had to dump a load of money on him, and he still made me do most of the heavy lifting, but I figured it was worth it.”
So did I, and not just because it was beautiful and thoughtful. Oliver knew that Rodney and I had been close, and I suspected he also knew about the big man’s feelings about him. He could have hired anyone, but the fact that he went to Rodney told me he was intentionally trying to mend that bridge. For me. That little extra effort and thought made a world of difference.
“Thank you,” I said, accepting the glass of wine he slid toward me. “It means a lot to me.”
Oliver smiled. “Well I figured I had to do something to make up for firing you like that.”
“You’re right. But don’t think you’re done making up for it yet,” I said, shooting him a playful wink.
Oliver’s eyes grew dark with lust, a playful grin turning up the corners of his lips. “I surely hope I’m not.”
The force of his desire hit me like a bus and I coughed, remembering how he’d taken me overtop this very counter. I could still feel the chilly granite against my breasts.
“I also decided to make you dinner instead of ordering it,” Oliver announced. He bent down to pull a pan from the cupboard, sending the rest of its contents clattering. “So we’re having pepper marinated steak and artisanal greens.”
“Sounds delicious!”
He chuckled. “Don’t get too excited yet. Wait until you see if the end result is even edible.”
We didn’t chat much as Oliver cooked. I was content just to drink my wine and watch his handsome face morph with the concentration of his task. Though he’d claimed not to have much cooking knowledge, he certainly seemed like he knew what he was doing. It was fun to watch him work. Soothing.
Half an hour later, he presented me with a plate of steak and salad that had my mouth watering. He stood opposite me at the island, clearly intending for us to eat just as we were. It was surprisingly casual.
I groaned with delight at the first bite. “I feel like you only wanted to have dinner at home so you could show off what a good cook you are.”
He laughed, shaking his head. “I wanted to have dinner at home because I wanted you to be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor,” he said, gesturing around. “But I’ll take the compliment.”
My heart warmed. “Really?”
He nodded, chewing. “I know how much this place means to you.”
“How could you possibly?”
“Because I have eyes,” he said, tone laced with amusement. “You look at everything reverently each time you enter a room. It’s cute how full of yourself you are.”
“Hey!’ I objected. “It’s not just because I did a good job.”
“It’s not?”
“No.” I grumpily took another bite, letting him wait until I swallowed before I explained. “It’s also because this place is my first project like this. I just got to create. I had to fight with you on things, but that just makes me like it more.”
He grinned. “I know what you mean.” After a thoughtful pause, he added, “And you did do a good job. A great job. You should be proud.”
“Thank you,” I blushed. “I can’t tell whether you’re telling that to me as my boss or as the guy who’s trying to get into my pants.”
Oliver winked. “Maybe a little bit from column A and a little bit from column B.”
“It feels like just yesterday we were arguing about the tiles in here,” I said wistfully. “But it also feels like years.”
Oliver chuckled and nodded along, glancing down at the floor. “You had no right to be so plucky,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone stand up to me like that before. Not anyone on my payroll, at least.”
“Not even Todd?”
“Well, apart from Todd,” he admitted.
“I’ll be honest, I was a bit pissed that you didn’t acknowledge me when we saw each other that first day,” I said. “It wasn’t very polite.”
“Funny, I felt like courtesy necessitated me pretending I hadn’t had my cock inside of you.”
I blinked and swallowed, my mouth suddenly very dry. “Touché.”
Though we talked throughout the meal, neither of us said anything very personal. Oliver even less so than I. While I did want to get to know him on a deeper level, I also found it impressive we could talk so much without having to delve into our pasts for material. It was just easy.
After dinner, I helped him clean up, even though he ordered me not to.
“You fired me, remember?” I teased. “You can’t order me around anymore.”
“That’s a valid point,” he agreed. “And even when you did work for me, you often ignored my order
s. But I can still ask you nicely.”
“And I can nicely decline.”
“And I can chastise you for your poor dinner guest etiquette.”
“And I can, with the utmost politeness, ignore you.”
When the kitchen was clean, Oliver grabbed my hand and strode with me toward the back garden. Just like the front yard, he’d completely covered it in twinkling lights and lanterns. The air smelled of night blooming jasmine and freshly cut grass.
“I love it here.”
“In the garden?”
“No.” I planted my feet until he was forced to face me. “I mean, not specifically. This house. With you.”
Oliver smiled and pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me. “I love it here, too. With you.”
My heart did a flip. If I went back in time and told myself that one day I’d be wrapped up in Oliver’s embrace with him whispering sweet-nothings in my ear, my past self probably would have started the process of having me committed to an insane asylum. But here I was.
He kissed me then, slow and sweet. His lips trailed warm caresses along mine. I sighed against his mouth and sank further against him, willing him to hold me as tight as a person could be held.
My body sang for him, my core warming with an awakening lust.
But Oliver didn’t push any further.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s go for a walk.”
“Right now?”
He nodded, a smile curving his lips. “Yes, right now. There’s something I want to tell you.”
I had no idea what he meant, but wasn’t alarmed in the slightest. With a dopy smile, I wrapped my hand around his and let him lead me further out into the starlit garden.
We came out of the hedges along the edge of the pool. Mist lazily swirled above the surface, twisting off into the night.
“Working alongside you has been one of the most challenging experiences of my life,” he noted.
I frowned and turned to him. “You were no joy either, you know.”
He laughed and stroked my cheek. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Oh no,” I teased. “I understood perfectly what you meant.” I took a step back, pouting and crossing my arms. “You think I’m difficult.”
Oliver took another step toward me, lips tilted. “Well, you are being difficult right now.”
I stepped back again, intentionally keeping out of reach. “Am not!” I argued playfully. “I’m a pleasure.”
“Well, you are that, too,” he agreed, eyes filling with lust and a dark promise.
I gasped and took another step back. Not from fear, just surprise. It shocked me how quickly he could go from teasing to full blown desire. My insides quivered.
“Liz,” he murmured, reaching for me. “Don’t back away.”
“I will if I want,” I said, taking another step.
“I really think you shouldn’t…” he said.
I grinned playfully. “Just you try and stop me.”
His eyebrows raised, lips pulled tight in a predatory grin. He took a step forward and I doubled my efforts, skittering three more steps back.
At least it was supposed to be three steps.
As it turned out, walking on water was a skill I hadn’t yet mastered.
I sank into the pool with a shriek. The tepid water splashed up around me as I tried to keep myself from sinking straight down. There was a splash as Oliver immediately jumped in after me.
“I thought you knew you were standing in front of the pool!” he laughed, pulling me to him. “Are you okay?”
I couldn’t help laughing as well. “I can’t believe you just watched me back up into the pool and didn’t warn me!” I splashed water at him in protest, although his shirt was already completely soaked through and stuck to him like a second skin. I allowed myself to stare at his impressive arms.
“I can’t believe you just walked into the pool… you’re mad, woman!”
“You knew that before you invited me over,” I defended.
“And I wouldn’t have you any other way,” he agreed. Oliver pulled me around in a circle, sending water swirling in my wake. I giggled like a fool, blissfully in love.
Wait.
Wait a hot damn second.
Am I in love?
“What’s wrong?” Oliver asked, coming to a slow stop.
“Just a little dizzy,” I lied, throwing on a grin.
“Let’s get you out and dried off, then,” he said.
Oliver trudged over to the side of the pool and pulled himself out like it was no effort at all. Dripping, he extended a hand to me and pulled me out, too. He could dangle me in the air with just one arm.
“I want to show you something.” He led me back toward the house, one arm laying heavily across my shoulders, holding me tight to him as if it would prevent the chill from snaking through my bones. It didn’t, because he was also soaking wet, but I still revelled in the closeness.
We stopped at the doorway and Oliver darted off to get us both towels. When he returned, he wrapped mine around me and secured it under my chin. I smiled up at him from my fluffy cocoon.
He then led me to the library. Once there, it was clear what he’d been meaning to show me.
“You got a bearskin rug,” I observed flatly.
Oliver went to the fire, which was layered with paper and kindling. He grabbed a lighter and set it ablaze, the huge hearth filling with the sound of crackling and popping.
“It’s not real,” he assured, patting the spot next to him on the fluffy monstrosity.
“It’s hideous.”
He laughed. “I only bought it for tonight. For you.”
I settled down next to him, hugging my knees up to my chest. Between the gigantic towel and the fluffy rug, I was in plush paradise.
We sat there in silence for a long time, leaning against each other and basking in the warmth thrown off by the flames. After a while I was able to remove the towel from my shoulders. Soon my clothes were almost entirely dry.
“I think this dress is ruined,” I lamented.
Oliver took the opportunity to look at me from head to toe, a voracious grin on his lips. It sent shivers down my spine.
“I think it still looks amazing on you,” he said.
I leaned back against him and absorbed his heat, absorbed his light. It could have been raining fire outside and I wouldn’t have noticed. In his arms was where I belonged.
It wasn’t until later that evening, when Oliver dropped me off at my apartment, that I realized three important things.
One: We’d somehow gone the whole night without having sex.
Two: Oliver never did get to tell me that thing he’d said he was going to tell me.
Three: Being in love, if that was really the case here, literally felt like my heart had grown wings. Big, feathery ones that were barely contained by my ribs. It made me realize that I may have never been in love before, which was the main reason why I was so sure that was what I was actually feeling. I’d never felt quite this way with or about any other man before.
It was wonderful.
Chapter 34
Oliver
I was going to tell her today. I had to. I couldn’t keep my hands off her any longer, and I didn’t feel right about having sex with her again before she knew the truth.
But she’d looked so happy, splashing around the pool. Lying next to me on the rug. Cuddled in close, trying so hard to stay awake.
I couldn’t take it all away.
So I put it off.
Tonight, there would be no more excuses. I had to do it.
I knocked and Cressida answered the door. She seemed to be in charge of all door-related traffic.
“Hey handsome,” she greeted. “It’s nice to see you. Liz is just making the final touches to her outfit.”
“No I’m not!” came a muffled reply from down the hall.
“It’s nice to see you too.” I stepped in and Cressida took me over to the kitchen. It was the farth
est I’d ever been in their apartment. God it was tiny.
“Don’t worry,” said Cressida. “I’m not hanging around. I’ve got tons of work to do so I’m going over to my parents’ to have dinner and get down to business.”
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