Nolan nodded his understanding. “Okay. Later then.”
“Maybe we won’t ever need to…”
He kissed her, stroking her hair away from her face. “If you do need to, I want you to know I’ll listen—as a friend, as a lover—I’ll always listen and I’ll be there for you, Livi.”
“I know you will.”
He took a deep breath. “Promise me, if any of this freaks you the fuck out, you’ll talk to me?”
“I promise.”
“Okay, then we just have one thing left to do.”
She frowned at him. “What’s that?”
“We need to get you moved in here before that happens.”
“I don’t know, Nolan. This changes everything. I can’t move in with you when…”
“Fuck. I knew it. You are about to freak out on me.”
“Hey, come here and kiss me.” She put her hands around his neck and tugged him toward her. When he kissed her, Olivia’s stomach fluttered. “When you asked me to move in we were just friends.”
“We’re still friends, Livi. I’m not going to rush you. You can still have the spare room, we’ll take this slow, I’ll give you time. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you. Move in, please.”
She chewed on her lip as she tried to come up with a reason why not, but she must be falling into madness or something because even after everything that happened between them, she wanted to… God, she really wanted to. “Okay, but I can’t promise anything. We’ll take this one day at a time?”
“I’m prepared to take this as slow or as fast as you want, sweetheart.”
She leaped up off the couch, taking him by surprise. “In that case we should get dressed.”
“What?”
“We need to go to my place and collect my things.”
He laughed at her serious expression. “Didn’t you say something about one day at a time?”
Olivia squared her shoulders and jutted out her chin. “If we don’t start now, I might change my mind tomorrow.”
Nolan took a step toward her and ruffled her hair. “In that case, I’ll take a quick shower and give Raul a call to see if I can borrow his van.”
She nodded, a lump forming in her throat. Her knees felt like jelly and a wave of panic swept over her.
He tugged her against him. “Mmm, I have a large shower, there’s plenty of room for two.”
The panic subsided and lust took its place. “Now, that sounds like a very good idea.”
Chapter 9
Nolan
Monday Morning…
Outside the high school gates, Nolan leaned in and kissed Olivia. It took him back to his teen years, fumbling before the bell—except this time he was necking with the cutest math teacher to walk the planet.
“Mmm, I should let you go before any of your pupils see us.”
“They won’t be here for another hour, but yeah. I need to go through my lesson plans and photocopy the worksheets I’ll need.”
Nolan groaned. For the whole weekend, he’d barely left Olivia’s side—he could get used to this. “Can I pick you up later?”
She laughed and patted his cheek. “I think I can find my way back to your place.”
“Our place. You’re still moving the rest of your stuff in tonight, aren’t you?”
She hesitated, biting her lip before she nodded.
Nolan sighed with relief. They’d gone back and forth over this all weekend. Olivia was nervous about the humungous step they’d made and she’d been stressed out about continuing with the plan to move in.
“It makes sense, Livi, you know it does. Otherwise you’ll end up in some crummy basement studio you won’t even be able to fit your couch in.”
“I know.”
“And you’ll end up staying at mine anyway, so what’s the point of paying rent?”
“Okay, okay. I surrender. We’ll collect the rest of my stuff after work, before I change my mind. Do you think Raul will lend you the van again?”
“I’ll sweet talk him and, failing that, I’ll buy him a case of beer.” He stole one more kiss from her and as he stepped away, Olivia giggled. He frowned at her, “What now?”
“I just realized, you owe me a hundred bucks.”
“I do?”
“Yeah. We had a bet that you couldn’t abstain from sex.”
He laughed. “No, we modified that, remember. We turned it into a resolution and there was a caveat. I’d give up sex until you fucked someone.” His grin grew bigger. “Considering that someone was me then one canceled out the other. The resolution is fulfilled and the bet is moot.”
“Oh, my God, Nolan! Did you play me so you could get out of our bet?”
Nolan grew serious and placed his hand over his heart. “Never. This is real, sweetheart. So fucking damn real that my head is spinning. This weekend… what we started… it fills my heart so much it terrifies me.”
“W-why does it scare you?”
“Because I’ve never felt this way about anyone, Livi. Ever. And I’m so damn scared that I’m gonna wake up and find this is all a dream.” Somewhere down the street, sounds of laughter echoed reminding them that it was growing late. “I’ll pick you up at five?”
“What about the gym?”
“It’ll survive without me. Someone else can take my clients. Now, you better hurry inside before the kids arrive.”
Nolan had a spring in his step all day. This was it… the thing that had been missing from his life. Love. Least he presumed that was what had his heart fluttering and his brain in such a tizzy he couldn’t focus for one goddamn minute.
“Why the hell are you looking so smug?” Raul stood at his office door smirking back at him. “You got laid this weekend.”
“Better than that.”
“What can possibly be better than getting laid?”
“I met someone and she’s moving in.”
“What? Rewind. Who? How long have you known this girl?”
“Eight years, maybe nine.”
“Okay, now I’m seriously confused. You just met someone but you’ve known her nine years? Actually, forget that, we’ll come back to that part later. You asked this woman to move in with you?”
“Yup. I need your van again, to finish picking up the rest of her stuff. We didn’t get it all on Saturday.”
“Wait, the rest? You were moving Olivia in over the weekend. Shit! This girl moving in with you is—”
“Yep.”
“As in Lenny’s Olivia?”
Nolan frowned. “She was married to Len, but as he died two years ago…”
“Fuck. You can’t be serious. He was your best friend.”
“So?”
“But she’s his missus. Jeez, isn’t that fucking weird?”
“Don’t try to guilt me, Raul.”
“Huh, so did you and her have a thing before?”
“No. Look, I’m going to say this once—I never thought of Olivia that way when she was with Lenny. She was his wife and I’d never have come between them but when we lost him in Bali, I dunno, we both needed each other and we’ve grown close. Then, for whatever reason, this weekend things just escalated.”
“That’s a fucking understatement.” Raul scratched his head. Look buddy, have you thought this through? What’s Shona gonna say? Or Len’s mom?”
“It is none of Shona’s business and when the time comes, I’ll talk to Mama Tessa. She knows Livi has to move on sometime and she always liked me. I grew up in her house just as much as my own.”
“Yeah, but still… you really think she’s gonna be cool about you fucking Lenny’s wife?”
“You know what, Raul, you’re a buzzkill. Can’t you be happy for me?”
“I am… I think. God, it’s the shock. Nolan Carmichael actually falls for someone and it turns out it’s his dead buddy’s wife. They make soap operas about this shit.”
“So, can I borrow your van?”
Raul dug in his pocket and tossed the keys into Nolan’s outs
tretched hand and the guy’s usual amiable grin was back. “Guess I’ll have to find another wingman.”
“I don’t think you need that kind of support, buddy. Anyway, aren’t you seeing that Ronnie chick?”
“Yeah, just planning ahead, you know?” Raul headed to the door.
“You should try it, sometime.”
“Try what?”
“Falling in love.” Nolan couldn’t keep the sappy expression from his face. “I’d have never thought it but, man, it’s fucking good.”
Raul rolled his eyes. “So, you’ve been in love all of ten minutes and now you’re a fucking expert?”
The door crashed into the frame behind Raul and Nolan went back to his scheduling. For a second he wondered if Raul’s reaction was going to be the norm. Olivia and he shared a lot of friends—friends that were also Lenny’s. At some point, they’d have to face them and, while Nolan could rationalize this, he wasn’t sure Livi would be able to under that kind of pressure. Perhaps he should talk to her, strategize for the inevitable backlash, prepare for the storm ahead.
Nolan leaned on the wall outside the teacher’s break room feeling a tad uncomfortable. He’d attended this high school years ago and spent many a time waiting in this very spot—usually because he was in trouble or had to hand in a late assignment. It felt decidedly weird loitering there now. He looked up and down the corridor. Nothing had changed in the eight years since he’d left. The green and silver lockers still sported the same graffiti that had been there in his day. On the notice board beside the staffroom were the mugshots of the staff. As he perused them, he realized there was an unnerving number of them that he recognized as his old teachers.
“Carmichael, detention again?”
Nolan jolted upright, his head swinging toward the woman’s scornful voice. Tamika burst out laughing at his guilty expression. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist. “
Tamika was also an ex-alumnus, though several years above him. Nolan had a vague recollection of her from his freshman year when she was captain of the cheerleading squad. In fact, it was quite possibly the shapely Tamika who had influenced both Nolan and Lenny’s keen interest in football. She’d been waving pompoms at the club sign-up on his first day.
“Jeez. You gave me a fucking heart attack. For a second, I was fifteen again. Ugh, how do you and Olivia do this? Isn’t it weird being on the other side of that door?”
“Oh, you get used to it. But yeah, it was a little strange at first. Can I help you?”
“I’m here to pick up Olivia.”
“Ah yes, of course. She’s on her way down, I just passed her packing up in the math quad.” Tamika put her hand to the staffroom door.
“Um, did Livi say anything to you?”
She turned back to him with a poker face. “About what?”
“The weekend?”
She dropped the act. “How you guys fucked each other’s brains out?”
He dropped his voice, worried someone might overhear. “Er, kind of. I meant did she tell you we’re together.”
Tamika’s eyes widened. “I knew it! It was that red dress she was wearing when she went out with you. Huh, or maybe my pep talk had something to do with it.”
Nolan turned pale, he was getting the impression he may have just outed Olivia. “She told you, right?”
“No, you did, just now.”
“Fuck! I thought you guys talked about everything. Jeez, don’t tell Livi I told you.” Great, now how was he supposed to explain this to Livi?
“Relax, Nolan. I won’t say a word.”
Relief flooded through him. “Um, are you good with this?”
“Good with what?”
“Me and Livi being together.”
“Why wouldn’t I be? As far as I’m concerned, it’s about time. Actually, I told her exactly that when I was with her on Friday.” She patted his cheek, a huge grin appearing on her face. “You should thank me, Nolan. I may be the reason you two are together. She felt guilty because she’d kissed you and I told her to jump your bones.” She folded her arms in front of her chest. “You owe me.”
He grinned back at her. “Well, if you planted that seed, you have my gratitude.”
“I want more than that.”
A clip clop of heels echoed down the corridor and Nolan saw Olivia turn the corner. “Huh, you do?”
“Mmhmm. How about you set me up on a date with Raul and we’ll call it even?” She winked at him.
“Okay, you have a deal. Er, just one more question, do you think it’s weird? Her being Lenny’s widow?”
She shook her head. “No, I think it is romantic. You guys are perfect for each other because you both loved Lenny so much.”
“Hey, Nolan, sorry I’m late.” Olivia hurried up to the two of them. She looked between Tamika and Nolan and sighed. “He told you, didn’t he?”
Tamika nodded then pulled her in for a hug.
“Tamika, I thought you weren’t going to say anything!” Nolan tried to read Olivia. Lord if this triggered a freak-out then he would have his work cut out trying to convince her this was okay all over again.
Tamika ignored Nolan’s protest and addressed Olivia. “And I’m going to forgive you for keeping this from me because this is the best news ever.” She looked back at Nolan and winked at him. “But I want deets, girlfriend. Lots of yummy details.”
Olivia blushed and Nolan took her hand and squeezed it. “You ready to go pick up your things?”
“Things? What things?” Tamika’s eyes were almost out on stalks. “Oh. My. God. You decided to move into his place, didn’t you?” She clapped her hands together. “Fan-fucking-tastic!”
As Nolan walked to the van with Olivia, she was a little quiet. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to tell her, she wheedled it out of me.”
“That’s okay. I should have told her myself but I was worried what she’d think.”
He stopped at the van and kissed her on the cheek. “Well, she seemed pleased for us.”
“Yeah.” Olivia stroked his face. “I just wish that would be the response from everyone.”
“You mean Shona?” Olivia nodded. “We don’t need to go public with this yet. We can wait, give us both time to get used to this, but I think most people will be like Tamika, Livi. I know Shona might give us a hard time at first, but we’ll get over that hurdle.”
“But she’ll poison Tessa’s…”
“I’ll handle Len’s mom. She’s known me since kindergarten. When you’re ready for people to know then I’ll talk to her.”
“Okay.”
“But let’s not leave it too long. I’d hate for Mama Tessa to hear things via the grapevine. I don’t want her to think we kept this from her.”
“A few more days. Let me get used to this idea.”
Nolan placed his hands on either side of her face. “Is regret seeping in?”
She shook her head vehemently. “I feel confused and a little guilty, blessed and very, very giddy… but no, regret isn’t there. I just need some time to make sure this is real before we go rattling any cages.”
That stung a little, but then this had been such a whirlwind and he had to see this from Olivia’s perspective. Only a couple of weekends ago they’d been joking about his lack of commitment and habit of brushing off women. But then none of the women in his past had been Livi, and he now knew in his heart they were destined to be together. With a little patience on his behalf, and a whole lot of trust on hers, he knew they could ride out whatever storms might lay ahead.
Chapter 10
Olivia
Saturday Morning…
The humming from the kitchen woke Olivia and she went in search of Nolan. What she found was a disaster area. Her boxes from her apartment were everywhere as was the furniture she brought with her. They’d moved it all out last Monday night but they’d both been too busy to tackle the unpacking since then. Now it was the weekend again and she guessed she had to face it.
“Ugh, what am I going to do with all t
his stuff?”
Nolan appeared from behind a pile of cartons. “Somehow, it didn’t seem like that much in your old place.”
Olivia wandered from box to box. “I really wish I’d had time to sort it all out before I packed.” She stopped by a carton labelled Lenny. There were at least six or seven boxes of the stuff she hadn’t been able to get rid of after he died.
“Look, I know you want to set up that other room as your bedroom, but as you’re sleeping with me, why don’t we just shift all this stuff into there so you can tackle it bit by bit. We’ll integrate some of your furniture, toss some of my old stuff and the rest we can shut the door on at night.”
“Yeah, it makes sense. So, which couch do you want to keep? Yours or mine?”
“Definitely yours, I had mine in college and have been meaning to get rid of it for years.” Nolan flopped onto Olivia’s couch and pulled her into his lap.
“Good call,” she giggled. “I’m sure mine hasn’t seen nearly so much action as yours.”
“True. But in exchange, we keep my old trunk as a coffee table. That glass monstrosity belongs in the eighties and they want it back.”
Olivia snuggled into him, her lips brushing his cheek. “Agreed. Hmm, maybe this will be easier than I thought. I should dress and we can get started.”
Nolan’s hand stroked her thigh. “Actually, I thought I could undress you first and we could do this after lunch.”
Admittedly, Nolan’s idea did hold more appeal so Olivia didn’t resist when his hand disappeared under his button down she was wearing.
“Mmm,” he moaned as his hand cupped her breast. “Shall we christen your couch or go back to my room?”
Feeling in a playful mood, she tugged him to his feet and led him back through to the bedroom. All those boxes of memories winking at her would be a buzz kill. Nolan’s idea of shutting them behind a closed door had a lot of merit as her dead husband’s belongings littering the living area made her feel the need to escape their guilt provoking influence.
After Hurricane Nina, Nolan's Resolution (Hot Hunks-Steamy Romance Collection Book 2) Page 7
