A Beautiful Mess

by T. K. Leigh

  Several minutes went by and she hadn’t heard back from him. Olivia figured he was in a meeting or on his way to work, so she returned to sorting through the various financial statements she needed to review from the current quarter.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Olivia saw a tall figure appear in her doorway. She felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. Never in a million years did she expect Alexander would show up at her office.

  “May I come in, Olivia?” he asked politely.

  God, this man is gorgeous, Olivia thought as she took in his tan suit, white button down shirt, and green tie. Green really was his color.

  She simply nodded, unable to find her voice yet again. He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. Olivia's heart fluttered when she heard the door lock. Not saying a word, he walked over to the windows and drew the shades closed, shrouding the room in relative darkness. The only light came from the small lamp on her desk.

  “Now, what were you saying, Olivia? I left you high and, what was it?” he asked with an amused look on his face.

  “Dry,” she croaked out as she sat at her desk, unable to move or take her eyes off the man in front of her.

  He walked over to the love seat in the office. Sitting and crossing his legs, he said, “No. That wasn’t it.” He draped his arm across the back of the couch, his eyes remaining glued on Olivia. “It was something else entirely, Miss Adler.” His grin made Olivia’s body ignite with a foreign feeling. Just thinking about him and his devilish smile made moisture pool between her legs.

  “Wet. High and wet, Mr. Burnham,” Olivia replied softly, her heart racing.

  Alexander couldn’t take it anymore. Her voice was deep and full of desire for him. He desperately wanted to make her feel good. “Come here, Olivia,” he said, uncrossing his legs.

  She gazed at him as he held his hand out to her. She rose from her desk and walked over to him, reaching for his hand. Electricity coursed through her veins as he pulled her down, forcing her to straddle him. Her excitement grew when she felt his erection against her body.

  “Olivia, do you feel the effect you have on me?”

  She stared into his eyes, unable to find her voice, the sensation of feeling him between her legs overwhelming her. All she could do was nod her head.

  “I want to know what kind of effect I have on you. It’s only fair, Love.” He looked at her, raising his eyebrows as if asking for permission.

  She nodded. “Yes,” Olivia breathed out, finally finding her voice. “It is only fair.”

  “It’s only fair, what?” He raised his eyebrows again.

  “Mr. Burnham. It’s only fair, Mr. Burnham,” Olivia said, her breathing becoming more and more erratic.

  “Good girl,” Alexander said as he slowly slid his hands up her thighs, finally slipping one hand underneath the little gym shorts she wore. “Mmmm… No panties.” Closing his eyes, he let out a little moan as he teased her folds. “I could get used to that.” He opened his eyes and they were full of desire.

  He slid his fingers further into her shorts, finding her most sensitive spot. “Oh, Olivia.” He closed his eyes again as he started to gently stroke her wet clit. Desire began to pool deep in her stomach. She couldn’t remember ever wanting anyone as badly as she wanted Alexander Burnham.

  Opening his eyes, he whispered in a husky voice, “I do affect you, don’t I?”

  Olivia simply nodded and closed her eyes, reveling in the pleasure of his fingers on her, thousands of different sensations overtaking her core.

  “Open your eyes, Olivia,” Alexander demanded forcefully. She obeyed him, glancing down at his stomach, avoiding his eyes as he slowly entered her with his fingers. She moaned and her breathing increased. “Look at me, Olivia. I want to see your eyes when I make you come.”

  She straightened her head, her eyes meeting Alexander’s as he continued to push in and out of her with his finger. “You’re so tight, Olivia,” he whispered, licking his lips. “I’m going to have to stretch you out a little before I can fuck you,” he explained, his voice husky and deep as he kept his hungry eyes glued on Olivia’s. “But I will fuck you.”

  His words sent her over the edge, causing her to explode around his expert fingers as waves of pleasure flowed through her body. She growled and leaned in, biting his neck softly. “Holy fuck,” she breathed, her heart racing with the aftershocks as he removed his hand.

  Alexander placed both hands on her hips and flipped her over onto her back. He loomed over her, his eyes burning into hers, searching. Leaning on his forearms, he nuzzled her neck, saying, “I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did.” He nibbled on her earlobe before raising himself off the couch. “I’ll be in touch, Love,” he said, opening the door to her office. As he walked down the hallway, he chuckled to himself. He figured she would be begging for more in no time.

  Olivia slowly got off her couch, trying to regain her composure, her body still trembling. She couldn’t remember anyone ever making her feel so amazing from a simple touch. She didn’t know whether she should feel satisfied or scared.

  She looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was close to nine. Shit! She had a few more classes to teach. After quickly changing into another pair of gym shorts, she ran down the hall into the studio. As she got her things together for the pilates class she was leading that morning, Kiera sauntered into the room.

  “Hey, Libs! So, how was the date?”

  Olivia immediately started to blush, smiling not about the date, but about just having a mind-blowing orgasm.

  Kiera noticed. “Oh my god, Libby! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!” Her excitement was infectious.

  “Kiera, I like him. I really, really like him.” And I really, really like what he can do with just a few fingers. “I’ve had a perma-grin on my face since he left me last night.” And my body is still shaking from him making me come. “I just don’t know what to do!”

  “What is there to even think about?” she exclaimed, grabbing her friend’s hands, jumping up and down. “Don’t think too much into it. Don’t let your fears ruin this for you, Libs.” She sat down on the teaching platform, pulling her friend down with her. She draped her arm around Olivia. “Don’t let your fears ruin this for me!”

  “I know. I’ve already scheduled an appointment with Dr. Greenstein.” Olivia glanced at her friend. She knew what that meant. Olivia had been hesitant to restart therapy, but she didn’t want to scare Alexander away with her emotional inability to form meaningful relationships with people. She finally realized that she needed to get past her fear of abandonment.

  “Good. Maybe she’ll finally talk some sense into you. When do you see her?”

  “Tuesdays and Thursdays. I start back tomorrow. God, Kiera. I can’t stop thinking about Alexander. I’m gushing! Me! Sarah Olivia Adler! Gushing! Over a freaking guy! This is not me. What is going on?”

  “Olivia and Alex sitting in a tree!” Kiera sang.

  “No! Stop it. Act your age!” Olivia shouted, pushing her friend.

  Kiera just continued, “F-U-C-K-I-N-G!”

  “Oh my god! Shut up.” People had started to file into the studio. “Get away from me. I have to get ready for this class.” Olivia stood up, walking over to the sound system to set up the music she needed for her class.

  “Fine, but drinks tonight.”

  “I can’t. I’m rehearsing with Mo’s band at around six.”

  “Then after.”

  Olivia thought about it. Maybe going out with Kiera and gushing over the new man in her life would be more healthy and productive than staying home obsessing over what to do about Alexander. “Okay.”

  “Good. Meet me at 28 Degrees. Nine sharp.” She winked and went to take her place among the class.

  As Olivia instructed her class, she cleared her mind of everything for a moment. Well, almost everything. Everything except Alexander Burnham. She couldn’t stop smiling as she thought about him and how, in just a short time, he had already h
elped her overcome some of her fears. Fears he didn’t even know she had. Olivia had started to change and she could only think that it was for the better.

  Just nine floors above, Alexander stood against his large floor-to-ceiling windows, admiring the city buzzing below and impatiently waiting on the report from Simpson, when his sister came barreling through his office door.

  “Alex!” she exclaimed, waking him from his daydream about how good Olivia felt as she clenched around his fingers in absolute ecstasy.

  “Carol,” he turned around. “What is it?” There was a file in her hands and her face had a look that Alexander had never seen before.

  She handed the folder to him. He saw that it contained the background check he had asked Simpson to do. On the top was a photo of Olivia when she was a young child. It was the age enhancement he had asked Carol to do. He looked up at his sister, desperately needing an explanation for the strong resemblance between the computer enhancement and the woman he was falling for.

  “Alex… It’s her.” His heart fell as he dropped his coffee mug, the brown liquid splattering all over the hardwood floor.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  28 MARTINIS

  OLIVIA finished teaching her mid-morning classes and returned to her office, hoping to get a little more paperwork done than she had gotten through earlier, although she thoroughly enjoyed her morning interruption. She checked her cell, hopeful that she would have a text from Alexander. It had only been two hours since she had seen him last, but she still ached for him. She smiled when she saw that he had sent her a text not even five minutes after he had left her.

  Alexander: I can smell you on my fingers. You have no idea what a turn on that is.

  Fuck. That guy loved to talk dirty and it was doing things to her.

  Olivia: Just wait till you get a taste, darling. You’ll be begging me.

  She smiled, thinking two could play his game.

  Alexander: Oh really, Miss Adler? Is that a threat?

  Ha!

  Olivia: No. Not a threat. My money’s on you cracking before me.

  Alexander: Only time will tell, Love.

  Olivia got butterflies in her stomach thinking about his voice caressing the word, Love. She could hear the words leaving his mouth in his husky voice. How could she possibly be expected to concentrate the rest of the day?

  ~~~~~~~~~~

  “Livvy!” Mo shouted when she opened the door to his house in Arlington later that evening, letting herself in and walking into his large living room. She had never knocked at Mo’s when she used to sing with the guys and it felt like no time had passed at all since she left the band.

  “So, who’s the guy you were with at the Sox game on Sunday?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as he made his way to greet Olivia.

  “Oh my god! Did everyone see that?” She punched his arm playfully as she followed him through the living room and into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water from his refrigerator.

  “Well, fuck, you were like three rows behind home plate,” he said, sitting down at the breakfast bar. “So, spill it. Do I have to kick some guy’s ass?”

  “No. It’s all good, Mo,” she sighed. “He’s a guy that works in my building. And I think he could probably kill you and leave no physical evidence. He’s an ex-SEAL and now runs a private security firm.” She left the kitchen and headed up the stairs into her friend’s spacious music room to wait for the rest of the band members to arrive. Mo followed close on her heels.

  “Shit! I knew he looked familiar!” he exclaimed. “That’s Alexander Burnham, isn’t it?” He stared at her, wide-mouthed.

  “Yeah,” she answered sheepishly as she checked the tuning on her guitar. It was a tradition for her and Mo to play around a little bit with new tunes before the rest of the band arrived. Nothing really ever came out of it, but they had a chemistry when performing together they both cherished.

  “So, what’s the deal with you guys?” He started to sound concerned.

  “We’ve gone out a few times.”

  “Do you like him? I mean, you don’t date people, Livvy. Not trying to sound mean, but that’s never been your thing.”

  Olivia had always felt comfortable telling Mo everything. Sometimes his perspective was exactly what she needed. He never had a problem telling Olivia what he thought about anything. That was the cause of a few fights, but they would eventually get over it.

  “I know. I usually don’t. But there’s something about him, Mo. I can’t put my finger on it. I even called my shrink to schedule an appointment to start therapy again. All over a guy!”

  “Livvy, I’m happy for you.” He pulled her in, wrapping his arms around her. “But, remember. If he hurts you, I’ve got some moves of my own.” He winked after he released her.

  “Yeah, yeah. Sure. What are you going to do? Sing him to death?” Olivia laughed and Mo joined in before sitting behind a set of congas and grooving along to the song Olivia had begun to sing.

  ~~~~~~~~~~

  “Donovan. Grant here. She’s heading out again.”

  “Okay. Follow her. And let me know where you end up.”

  He pulled into traffic a few lengths behind Olivia’s car and followed her.

  Just before nine, Olivia pulled up in front of 28 Degrees, tossing the valet the keys to her Audi. She walked in to see Kiera already sitting at the bar sipping a martini. Olivia joined her, ordering a martini as well.

  “To breaking down those fucking walls once and for all,” Kiera said, raising her glass.

  “I’m working on it,” Olivia smiled at her friend as she took a sip of her drink.

  She glanced around the dark bar and noticed a tall man with dark hair and evil eyes, dressed all in black, walk into the trendy nightspot. He found a few empty stools at the bar opposite where Kiera and Olivia were sitting, giggling about something.

  “Donovan. Grant again. She’s at a bar called 28 Degrees. I left the car and came in to keep a closer eye on her.”

  “Great. Good work. I’ll be there in five minutes.”

  Grant hung up, keeping his eyes trained on his target and trying to pick up on her conversation.

  “Wait a minute! You think Mo is cute? What?” Olivia nearly shouted as she took a sip from her second martini. These drinks are going down way too easy tonight, she thought. “I thought you were just flirting with him for fun! I had no idea!”

  “Shut up. I mean, we started to get close when you left. We were the Olivia Adler Survivor’s Club.” Kiera winked.

  Olivia punched her in the arm. “Stop it. You know I feel bad about that.”

  “You should. Bitch.”

  Kiera took a sip of her drink, finishing it, and stopped to get the bartenders attention. Suddenly, Olivia felt chills. Turning around, she watched a tall, muscular man with a shaved head walk into the bar, smiling at her as he passed. He walked over to the other side of the bar and joined his friend with the mean eyes. Why are they both wearing black? Did they coordinate their outfits? Olivia laughed at the thought.

  “What are you laughing at?” Kiera interrupted Olivia’s thoughts.

  Olivia took a sip from her martini. “The thought of you and Mo in the sack.”

  “Stop it, Libby. And I call him Jack, anyway.”

  “That’s right. I forget that’s his real name.”

  “Why do you call him Mo?”

  “Well, the night I first met him at Scotch, that bar we used to work at, he introduced himself and I didn’t hear the first part of his name. All I heard was the Mo, and I guess it just kind of stuck. And plus, my Dad’s name was Giacomo and he was Jack. I just couldn’t bring myself to call him Jack, too.”

  “Oh. I didn’t know that.” Kiera rubbed Olivia’s back, willing her to not freak out. Surprisingly, she remained relatively calm even though she had just spoken about her father. “Wow, Libs. You willingly spoke about your dad and didn’t go storming off. Whatever Alexander is doing, he better keep at it.”

  Olivia blushed, want
ing Alexander to keep doing the things he did to her earlier that morning. She looked across the bar and noticed the two guys staring at her. They weren’t even trying to hide it.

  “That reminds me. Open Mic mañana, chica?” Kiera asked, bringing Olivia’s attention back to her.

  “You know it! I’m going to get you up on the stage one of these days, I know it!” Olivia laughed at the look of horror on her friend’s face.

  “Oh, absolutely not. You can have the spotlight. But when you get discovered, just remember the little people, okay? I’m talking backstage passes, and you better make sure I get interviewed when you’re on Behind the Music. Got it?”

  Olivia smiled at her friend as she finished another drink.

  The girls spent the next few hours catching up. They hadn’t spent much time together lately, Olivia preferring to stay in most nights to Kiera’s disappointment.

  “Those two guys have been staring at us all night,” Kiera slurred into Olivia’s ear several hours later, gesturing with her eyes to the opposite side of the bar where the two guys in black sat, drinking their beverages of choice.

  “Care Bear, they’re creepy looking, not to mention probably about twenty years older than you.” Olivia was more than a little drunk, having consumed about five martinis. “Take those fucking beer goggles off already.” Olivia laughed. “Plus, I thought you wanted to bang Mo.”

  “Number one, they’re martini goggles. Number two, I do. And I’m still working on that. And you already have Mr. Hottie. I need one, too. I’m going over there.” She got off her barstool, almost toppling over.

  “You’re drunk,” Olivia said, poking her arm.