AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Delivery order is placed—silence.
Food arrives—silence.
Dishes are set on the table—complete and utter silence.
I try starting a few conversations, but Olivia acts like she can’t even hear me. I wish she’d give me a chance to show that it’s possible for us to keep moving forward.
By the time she’s done eating, I’ve barely touched my spare ribs and crab rangoon. She, on the other hand, has happily devoured a frankly startling amount of food. I’m guessing the pregnancy cravings are starting to kick in.
“So what do you think of him?” I ask.
“Hm?” She blinks, looking up like it’s the first time she realizes that I’m actually still here. “Oh, Samson? He seems nice. Better than fucking Blondie and Bozo.”
I’m noticing her cursing a lot more often lately. Honestly, it’s kind of hot. I shouldn’t like pushing her buttons this much—but something about bringing out her fiery side makes me respond in kind.
“You won’t be seeing them again,” I agree. “Samson’s good.”
She nods. “He passed the vibe check.” Then she pops a honey shrimp in her mouth. “You know, he makes the idea of having a bodyguard less obnoxious. I thought he’d be like a bloodhound, following me up close everywhere I go.”
“His specialty is shadowing without interruption.”
“Cool. ‘Cause I want to go out tomorrow. After two weeks cooped up inside, I need to stretch my legs.”
The thought of her leaving puts my heart in my throat immediately. Samson or no Samson, she’s safer here. With me.
Olivia can obviously see the look on my face, because she frowns. “You’re not gonna go back on your word, are you, Reese? You hired the guy, turned my phone back on, and the tracker’s still on there. I deserve to have some freedom.”
I swallow down my pride. There are so many things I want to say, but I condense them in the least assholeish way I can manage. “Nothing is going to stop me from worrying about you and that baby, Olivia. Nothing. All the failsafes in the world, they’re not gonna keep me from thinking the worst every moment you’re out there without me, because there’s shit that I can’t control. I’m trying my best. But no—to answer your question, I’m not gonna go back on my word, no matter how it makes me feel.”
It’s earnest and it’s the truth. She’s the most important thing to me, right up there with Violet and our new baby.
She seems surprised by my answer. She’s quiet for a while, eyes downcast toward her plate. Then she drops the remnants of the shrimp and sighs.
“Thank you.”
Her gratitude hangs in the air. For just two simple words, they carry a lot of weight. I hold onto them, because it’s a start. It’s her opening a door that I slammed closed when I lied to her. I want to tell her how grateful I am that she’s doing that. That I’m getting a chance. I can prove myself—if that door stays open.
And goddammit, I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure it does.
I reach out to her. My hand lingers in mid-air for a moment before I summon up the balls to finish the gesture and brush her hair out of her face.
“Can I kiss you?” I ask quietly. “Nothing has to happen. I just… fuck, I just missed you.”
Her beautiful, trusting brown eyes look up at me. At first, I think that she’s going to tell me no. I wouldn’t blame her. But to my surprise, that’s not what she says at all.
“I missed you, too.”
Before I can say anything, she leans in and presses her lips to mine. It takes me off-guard, but not for long. I tangle my fingers in her hair and draw her closer to me, closing the space between us. Kissing her is a breath of fresh air. It makes me realize just how long I’ve been without it.
My hold on her tightens. Everything in me that had been shoved down in the last two weeks bubbles up and boils over. I want to hold her and kiss her. I need to be inside her. I need to take her into that bedroom and strip her bare and?—
Olivia pulls away from me. It’s like she can read my thoughts. “Not tonight,” she says softly.
“Olivia—”
“Not tonight.” She pulls away from me fully and stands up. “Gonna go… take a nap,” she mumbles awkwardly.
She leaves me. I watch her like a lost puppy, eyes trailing after a master that doesn’t want me but damn, do I want her. It takes everything in my being not to charge right after her.
