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“I’m going on a walk in these fucking ridiculous sandals. Wasteful. You can adopt nine freaking children with how much money is in this room! All your fucking money and I haven't seen you volunteer not one time since I've been here!” she nastily threw the words over her shoulder as she stomped out of the door.
“You don’t have any underwear on!” Colin yelled, pissed at how she so easily closed herself off from him. Shutting him out. He glanced at the brush, his eyes closing as he heard their bedroom door slam rather roughly. He cursed, going after her, wrenching the door open and seeing an empty hallway.
Olivia was already gone.
Colin clenched his jaw. What the fuck happened?
He went to the spare bedroom and looked out the window where she appeared, walking towards the long drive. She was curled in on herself, head bowed, hair whipping in the chilly wind. He closed his eyes, gripping the back of his neck hard. Struggling as to what to do with this woman who seemed to be just as hurt and damaged as he was. Her mouth was nasty.
Apparently, she bit hard when she felt cornered.
Can I blame her for wanting to hold on to pain when I haven’t let my own go? Talk about being a hypocrite, Colin reprimanded himself. He walked back to the closet and roughly pulled his clothes back on.
Concerned with Olivia’s reaction, Colin mentally replayed what could have possibly gone wrong when he went to brush her hair.
I’ve ran my fingers through it, blow dried it, touch it. I don’t understand what happened, He replayed the small exchange of time over and over, trying to see it from every angle.
He went downstairs into his study and grabbed his laptop and slid on his glasses. Walking into the formal dining room he placed it on the table and sat facing the window, groaning as he rubbed a rough hand down his face. Feeling pissed that she’d walk out on him after he was worried about her for hours yesterday but understanding that something triggered her and he needed to allow her space.
Even if he didn’t want to.
Forcing himself to be patient he turned his attention to the upcoming holidays. He contacted a lighting company and scheduled work for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Colin loved the holidays despite not having any family to celebrate with, and he found solace in decorating. He got a natural high when pulling up to his home and seeing everything that he’d accomplished with his life, knowing how hard he worked to redeem himself from the accident that changed his life when he was sixteen years old.
It wasn’t always this way; it took years of therapy to settle him enough to be able to be normal.
Colin used to sit at home, numbing his pain until Johnathan found out and threatened to pull him from their business deal if he didn’t enroll himself into a mental health program. He even had to sign a release of information so Johnathan could occasionally check in to make sure he was following through with what he said he’d do.
Colin was proud of his growth but hated that he still suffered from occasional nightmares that were debilitating. His mind traveled back to the day he was diagnosed with PTSD, caused by the accident that left a family of five dead, and him alive. His eyes flickered briefly from the screen to the window, seeing the sun almost finished setting.
Where the hell is she?
His anger flared up, and he truly debated grabbing his bike and going out and looking for Olivia when he saw her petite form walking up the long drive. The white sweater dress molded to her perfect legs as the wind whipped it against her body.
Sitting still, he observed her movements carefully.
When Olivia got closer to the house, she saw Colin at the table and paused, just staring at him. The glow of his laptop reflecting in the window betrayed his presence.
Olivia met Colin's eyes through the window, and he could tell she’d been crying hard as her eyelashes were wet and her nose was red. His heart pulled, but still he made himself sit, needing her to come to him. Needing to feel that trust between them that only she could reveal. He wasn’t going to make her, even though he was within his rights to do so technically if he wanted.
He wasn’t going to push in that way.
If she allowed him to do what he wanted with her body, he could at least give her the safe space for her emotional autonomy.
Come to me baby. It’s ok, I’m safe. I’m here now, I can be your safe space… you don’t have to hold all this shit alone anymore. Just come to me, I don’t need you perfect. You can come to me just as you are, all the words he wanted to say out loud, but wouldn’t dare to.
After what felt like forever, Olivia walked through the front door. Opening it and closing it softly. Her lithe form appeared in the big frame of the dining room, just off the foyer. Steeling himself, he took his glasses off with a deep breath, sliding the chair back to face her, and sank deeper into the seat. Spreading his legs slightly, waiting.
Olivia stared at him with those green eyes, so Colin met her stare calmly. Willing her silently to be the first one to speak.
Come on baby. Please. Give me an inch, something to work with, Colin thought, but he just sat there unmoving. Leaning there relaxed in the chair, the tip of his glasses in his mouth.
Suddenly she bit her lip, a sob breaking through, and she advanced the few feet to him. Closing their distance.
Olivia sank to her knees and placed her head on his thigh, sobbing. The scent of sex mixed with crisp fall air surrounded him, enveloping him in a comforting cloud.
Surprised and delighted at the submissive gesture initiated by her, Colin stayed quiet.
