Olivia stood when she heard the sound of his vehicle pull up, followed by the slam of the car door. She hated how eager she felt, how her heart raced, how she’d been ready to jump up at the slightest sound for the last twenty minutes. A good hostess greets her guests as they arrive. Deep down she knew that wasn’t the reason for her attentiveness. The feeling of fluttering wings in her stomach told her the truth. She missedhim.
The thought felt strange and foreign no matter how many times she’d felt the void of his absence over the last two weeks. She had nearly requested that Ellie enact her plan sooner on more than one occasion, each time stopping herself just before hitting send. She wasn’t used to the feelings he stirred in her or the longing she felt. She reasoned the feelings were simply because it was new and he treated her differently, but somewhere deep down she knew the truth. One feeling, one word she was too afraid to acknowledge.
Olivia had never before felt this anxious to see someone, not even Liam. Their conversations via phone and text only made her miss him more. During the day, she kept busy trying to keep him off her mind. It never worked; he was always a persistent thought. Try as she might she could never keep him out of her mind for long. Each thought of him bringing a smile to her lips and making her heart flutter.
She smiled when she opened the door, the sight of him walking towards her making her heart soar to the heavens. At least I found what we need so we can hide away and spend the next three weeks together fucking. Her knees nearly buckled as she thought about all the ways his touch set her body on fire.
She watched him approach as if in slow motion. She felt an odd pull towards him, a sudden urge to run his arms. Not too eager or you’ll scare him off. She instead fixed a welcoming smile on her face, one that didn’t say the words she refused to say: I missed you.
Bastien couldn’t keep the broad grin from his lips as the sight of her filled his vision. She was always one to behold, dark wash skinny jeans, charcoal gray fitted sweater and winter boots only making her look more breathtaking. How does she look more beautiful dressed so casually? He quickened his pace as much as his slight limp would allow. He felt drawn to her like a magnet.
He dropped his bag as he reached the threshold of the door, taking them both by surprise as he lifted her into his arms. He twirled her around as his lips fused with hers in a passionate kiss. They broke the kiss as he set her feet back on the ground.
Her eyes narrowed as she gently swatted his chest. “Next time you do that you better be fucking me against a wall.”
Bastien fought to push down the memory of when he fucked her against the door. Now that they had admitted their mutual feelings he was determined to do everything he could to sweep her off her feet while proving she was more than sex. She sure doesn’t make it easy. All their late night phone conversations during their time apart repeated in his mind. The memory of her soft sighs and moans nearly seducing him to abandon any activity that didn’t leave them both sweaty and panting tangled in the sheets. “No more kisses if you’re going to be mean.”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t kiss me, just no picking me up unless you plan to fuck me.”
He chuckled shaking his head. We have real feelings, prove it to her. He was aware she’d fight him on any romantic gestures given that she wasn’t used to receiving such attention. He felt she deserved it and he planned to show her just how real their feelings were.
She grabbed his hand, pulling him further into the manor. “Now show me how much you missed my touch.”
He stood firm, keeping her from pulling him in further. “You wouldn’t just be using me for sex would you?” He watched as her lips curved upward. At least she admits it. He wanted nothing more than to feel her body under him. You’re here to show her how we work. He named the duchies from oldest to newest in his head, anything to quell the urge to cave to the desire to run his hands along her curves, making her gasp and pant his name. “I had something else in mind.”
She arched her brow. “As long as we’re naked…”
He knew she’d fight him. He didn’t expect her to blindly follow him; she wouldn’t be the woman he was falling for so quickly if she did. Her insistence that they be naked made it harder for him to deny her. You can’t jump her the second you get here. “Not yet, no.” He chuckled slightly as he watched her smile falter. She’s not going to like the next part. “I thought we could go skating.”
Her smile dropped completely. “You can’t be serious.” Why must he insist we act like teens?
“Very, besides I need to stretch my leg after being cramped in the car for hours.” Sell it to her? “You want me to be able to please you, don’t you?” He smiled as the sparkle returned to her eyes.
“Fine, as long as you have me moaning your name later.”
*
“It’s not that cold out.” Olivia chuckled as she cinched the belt on her red pea coat as she watched Bastien pull on a knit hat and pull his own jacket tighter. “Wasn’t it your idea to go skating in the first place?”
“We aren’t all used to the cold of Lythikos.” He smiled as he took her hand. “Though I guess I may have to get used to the climate.”
“Why…” she trailed off as the implication of his statement sunk in. He plans on this lasting. Her stomach flipped and her cheeks turned pink, though not from the air. She tried not to dream of it lasting; she knew her heart couldn’t take it when the dream faded into dust. She kept her gaze diverted the rest of the walk to the pond because she didn’t want him to see what his promise did to her. The promise of them being more felt more intimate in that moment than any of the times they were tangled in each other.
They changed into their skates in silence. Olivia’s heart and mind raced. What if he merely liked the idea of her and soon found that she wasn’t what he really wanted? She looked up surprised as he took her hand once more, pulling her to her feet.
“You okay?”
“Of course.” She replied, unwilling to let him know how much his comment affected her. Get it together or you’ll push him away sooner. It wasn’t an if it ended to her, it was a when. Things always had an expiration date for her and she planned to enjoy his attention, cheesy ridiculousness and all as long as she could. “You better not make me fall on the ice.”
He chuckled lightly. “A minute ago you were begging to be under me.”
Her cheeks heated at his suggestion. “I’m all for outdoor play, though maybe not on the ice.”
She couldn’t ignore the way her hand seemed to fit perfectly into his, nor the way the heat from his gloved hand seeped into hers, sending a feeling of warmth through her body. She tried to push the worry aside as they glided across the ice. Though the conversation came easily between them like usual, she couldn’t help the unease she felt brought on by the fear of his earlier admission. What if by admitting that we want this to last we’ve doomed ourselves to fail?
Her eyes flicked over to him, as she tried to ignore all the new doubts and worries. The way his smile lit up his entire face warmed her heart. Don’t get used to it, it’ll never last, it never does. She briefly closed her eyes as she took a deep calming breath. Can I handle the fall? She opened her eyes as understanding washed over her. She didn’t want this to end, ever. The fear of losing him catching her off guard. Never before had she wanted something to work so badly. We have to work. She briefly wondered if this was how Ellie had felt about Liam, so head over heels with everything moving at warp speed. She had pitied the lengths Ellie had been willing to go to stay with him, no woman should be forced to come second to the one they love, but now she finally understood. She resolved that she wouldn’t let anything get in their way.
She released his hand, racing away from him on the ice. She spun around facing him as she came to a perfect stop.
Bastien broke into an eye crinkling grin. He had noticed that his comment had seemed to make her worry. He knew her well enough to not press her, instead he let her work through her feelings on her own. He knew by her slight playfulness she’d come to the other side, her actions saying words she’d never say: come and get me.
He shook his head chuckling as he skated after her. She darted away at the last second, her arm colliding onto his, sending them both careening to the ice. Her reaction took him by surprise, her laughter floating away on the wind.
“Who’s knocking who down?”
She pushed herself up from the ice. “Can we go inside now?” She offered him her hand, helping him to his feet.
He stared into emerald eyes that glistened brighter than the snow. He knew the second they walked inside she’d be all over him, as much as he craved her he wanted to wait. They had time. He glanced at the surrounding snow, the air was much colder than he was used to living closer to the coast, he leaned down picking up a handful of snow, rolling into a perfect snowball. His steely eyes glinted with mischief.
Olivia eyed him carefully. “You hit me with that and all bets are off.”
Of course she’d be on the offensive. “Actually, I was thinking… do you want to build a snowman?”
She groaned rolling her eyes. “If you start singing I swear…”
He held up his hands defensively. “I won’t.”
Ice skating, building snowmen, next he’ll want to drink cocoa. The entire day was new for her, even after three dates she was still surprised that he enjoyed just spending time with her. She found as much as she longed to have him naked in her bed, lightly raking her nails down his toned chest she found she enjoyed just being in his company. “One snowman, and no throwing snowballs.”
“Deal.”
*
Olivia brushed the freshly fallen snow from her crimson locks. She chuckled as Bastien shivered slightly as he removed his wet jacket and gloves. “It was your idea to build a snowman after skating you know.”
“Yes, and it was fun, was it not?” He rubbed his chilled hands together trying to generate heat. “I’ll be fine once I get warmed up.”
“It wasn’t horrible.” She tried to conceal her true feelings with her tone, the smile breaking across her lips revealing the truth behind her words. She took a step closer to him. She pulled his knit cap from his head, her emerald eyes sparkling brightly. “I know how we can warm you up quickly.” She ran her hand through his disheveled onyx locks.
She never stops. He placed his hands on her hips. “Is that so?”
“Mmmhmmm.” A shiver ran down her spine as his cold hands came in contact with her warm skin.
“You were outside as long as I was—how are you not as cold?”
“I’m a Nevrakis. I’m used to the cold.”
He chuckled softly as he kissed the tip of her warm nose. “Let’s go warm up.”
*
“This is not what I had in mind.” Olivia said as she stood next to Bastien at the stove as he carefully stirred the warming milk.
He glanced over his shoulder. “Oh I know what you had in mind.”
“Then why are we making cocoa when you could be fucking my brains out.”
He paused his stirring. “I want you, believe me I want you, but you are worth all of this.” He paused, turning to face her. “If I have to remind you of that everyday I will. You deserve to have someone do all this for you. We are more than just sex.”
She looked at him stunned, his bluntness catching her off guard. How can he be so sure? The fact that no one before felt she was worth more seemed proof enough that she wasn’t. His words echoed in her ears mingling with his earlier statement. He’s serious. No one before treated her with the same regard he did, she wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to it.
He pulled her towards him. “No witty retort?”
She pressed her body to his. “As long as there’s some sex.”
“Of course.” He gave her lips a quick peck before turning back to the milk. He pulled her with him, her small frame tucked into his as he resumed his stirring.
Her body melted into his side, she couldn’t ignore the way she fit so perfectly into his. The thought of it going away because of her own ideals made her heart ache. Maybe I can get used to all of this. She laid her head against his shoulder.
He smiled as he looked down at her, he knew all of this would be hard for her, one of the reasons he wanted to do it right so badly. He lightly kissed the top of her head, in the end she would be worth it.
