OLIVER #2
I drifted my hand toward one of the pies that looked especially appetizing. The fruit had bubbled over, the crust glistening with the juice, tempting and warm. Surely she would allow me one of these incredibly delicious treats.
“Don’t you dare,” she warned.
I peeked sideways at her. “Or else…?”
“I’ll have to make more.”
I indicated the bowl of fruit and the unrolled crust. “Which you planned to do anyway.”
“Olly…” she hissed as I touched the crust of the one I wanted. “Stop it.”
I dipped a finger in, the filling still hot, and I let out a yelp.
“Serves you right!” she admonished, jumping up. “Now I can’t use that one.”
“Shame.” I blew on my finger. “I can help you dispose of that one.”
“You are incorrigible.”
I sidled up next to her, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her back to my chest. I pushed her ponytail off her shoulder and kissed her neck, smiling against her skin as she shivered.
“But you’re going to give me that pie, aren’t you?”
“Fine,” she huffed. “Next time your costar calls you pudgy, remember this.”
I burst out laughing. “Maybe you can help me work off the calories,” I suggested slyly. “Burn off the pudge.”
“I should throw you out of the kitchen,” she muttered, but she leaned back into me, tilting her head to one side and exposing her neck again. I brushed my mouth along the column of her throat. She always loved that.
“Try,” I murmured, sucking her earlobe between my teeth and nibbling. “Hmm,” I groaned. “Never mind the pie. You’re so sweet, I’ll just eat you.”
She turned in my embrace and threw her arms around my neck. Our mouths crashed together, our tongues sliding and twisting in a dance we both knew well. I scooped her up to my chest and headed down the hall.
“The pies,” she mumbled, pressing hot kisses to my throat. “I only have about twenty minutes.”
I tossed her on the unmade bed. She was flushed, breathing hard, her eyes wide with desire.
“Not a problem, lovely. I only need ten.”
Then I was on her.
Kassie for breakfast and pie for dessert.
It was a banner morning.
We were in the reverse of last night’s positions.
I was on my back, Kassie stretched across my torso, her head resting under my chin.
I played with her hair, watching as the long strands slipped between my fingers.
Her hair was soft and silky on my skin. I sighed in contentment.
My body was beyond sated, my mind at rest, and I was totally relaxed. All three things were a rarity for me.
She lifted her head, her green gaze affectionate and happy. “Are you okay?”
I wrapped my hand around her neck, pulling her face to mine and kissing her. Our mouths moved together gently. Nothing rushed or frenzied. Simply being close, loving.
“I am, thanks to you.”
She smiled, resting her head back on my chest. I started stroking her head again. “Your hair fascinates me,” I stated.
“It’s hair,” she replied dryly.
“It looks caramel or gold in some lights. Red in others. Wheat-colored other times.”
“It’s always been an odd shade of strawberry blond.”
“Not odd,” I insisted. “Beautiful. I loved it back then. I love it now.”
She tensed a little, and I paused. “Sorry. I guess I shouldn’t bring up our past.”
She lifted her head off my chest. “No, it’s fine. We had a lot of great years. Filled with so many good memories.”
“Until I fucked it up.”
“Until our lives changed. I don’t blame you anymore, Olly. I know the truth. It still hurts, and I will always mourn us. But that’s life. And this is pretty damn good.”
I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “But not forever.”
A shadow crossed over her eyes, but she nodded. “This time, we both know the expiry date. But we can enjoy the time we have.”
I was so tempted to ask her if we had to have an expiry date. But that was unfair. Her life was here, and she was happy. My life was in LA. She would never move there—she would hate it. We had agreed to our time here, and I refused to ask her for something she wouldn’t want to give.
“Are you filming late tonight?” she asked, bringing me out of my musings.
“No, today is an easy day for me. I have more horse-riding scenes.” I grimaced. “My old ass is gonna be aching tonight.”
She smiled. “The hot tub is available to soak in later.”
“Great. I think I’ll need it.”
I glanced at the clock. “I have to shower and get to the set.” I met her eyes. “How is it, time flies by when we’re together like this?”
She smiled sadly and sat up, tucking the sheet around her and moving to the edge of the bed. I hated it. It felt as if she was closing off, removing herself from me.
“That’s what vacations are like, Olly. Everything is great, but it’s not real life.”
“You’re calling what we’re doing a vacation?”
“After a fashion, I suppose,” she said. “Everything is new, fun, with none of the usual day-to-day routine to bore us. It would never work long-term.”
I frowned. “Why not?” I asked before I could stop myself.
“We’re two different people now. We live two very different lifestyles. Yours is lights and people—exciting. Mine is pies and numbers—simple. This—” she waggled her finger between us “—is a break from the norm. Not sustainable.”
I found myself wanting to argue with her, but I held my tongue.
She smiled and closed the subject. “You shower and get going. I have a lot of things I need to get done.”
“Can we do dinner tonight?” I asked.
“What would you like?”
“Wong Man?”
“That would be great.”
“Okay.”
Somehow, I couldn’t let her go quite yet. I stood and held out my hand. “Shower with me.”
“Olly—”
I shook my head. “Please.”
With a sigh, she let me lead her into the shower. Our soapy hands wandered and teased, and she ended up pressed against the wall, with me buried deep inside her, moaning my release into her mouth.
Afterward, it took all I had not to tell her that was the new norm I wanted. With her, simple sounded good.
I had a feeling she wouldn’t want to hear it. And she probably wouldn’t believe it.
Later that afternoon, I pulled on my gloves as I walked into the stable.
Davis and the crew waited as I swung myself up on Rusty, the horse I had been riding the entire time.
His rich red coat and white mane were stunning.
He was high-spirited but we rode well together, and Davis liked how he looked on the screen.
Rusty seemed jittery and tense, which was unusual for him, prancing and pawing the ground.
I patted his neck. “You need to run, boy?”
Davis stepped close. “I need you to lead him out of the stable and pause, then walk out to the tree line, as if you were going slow, checking things out. On my mark, you see something, and you dig your heels in and let him fly. Stay as close to the planned route as you can. We’ve got everything set to catch the different angles we discussed. ”
“Great.” Rusty jerked his head, and I patted him again. “Whoa, boy, it’s good. You can run soon. Stick with me.”
The camera rolled, and I urged Rusty forward, tugging on the reins to guide him.
We walked to the paddock, and I paused as Davis directed, then we trotted over toward the trees.
I kept my head moving, as if searching for something—or someone, in this case.
“Now,” Davis instructed, and I tapped Rusty’s sides, letting him know to go faster.
Rusty took off, his gait fast and agitated. I could feel his muscles bunching and pulling, and I frowned. Something was off. I decided to let him go completely, and I snapped my heels into his flank.
It happened suddenly. One moment, I was in the saddle.
The next, Rusty was up on two legs, and I was flying through the air, the sky and grass mixing and turning.
I landed on the ground, the air escaping from my lungs with a loud whooshing sound.
For a moment, I lay there, blinking, unsure what happened.
I heard the sound of running feet and people yelling.
A golf cart zipped up beside me, and Davis’s face appeared above me.
“Oliver. Can you hear me?”
I met his gaze. “My ears are perfectly intact, thanks. Not so sure about the rest of me.”
“I have medical on the way.”
“I don’t think I need them,” I said. “Give me your arm.”
“You need to stay still,” he argued.
“I hit soft ground,” I replied. “My ass took the brunt of it. Help me up.”
He crooked his arm, and I sat up, groaning as a dull ache made itself known in my lower back.
Loudly.
“What the fuck just happened?” I asked. “Is Rusty okay?”
“The handler is with him. Stay still.”
Medical was there fast, insisting on checking me over. I answered all their questions.
“No, I didn’t hit my head.” I flashed a grin at them. “My mom always said my brains were in my ass, though.”
Not a smile.
“Yes, I can feel my legs. You want me to wiggle my toes?” I did so, then wiggled my fingers for emphasis. “Folks, I fell off a horse. Not a ten-story building.”
I was able to tell them how many fingers they were holding up. They didn’t respond to my one-fingered inquiry, although Davis turned his head to hide his smirk.
I let them shine a bright light in my eyes and, finally, refused to be taken to the hospital. “I’m gonna be black and blue, and my butt is gonna hurt,” I informed them. “Not the first and definitely not the last time in this business. I don’t need to be taken to the hospital.”
I knew the closest one was a good half-hour drive away, and they would probably opt for Toronto, which was even worse.
With their help, I stood, rolling my shoulders and shaking my legs. Davis eyed me with concern. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.” I glanced behind me where Rusty stood, calm and quiet now. “Not sure I want to climb up on Rusty again right away.”
“I got enough. We can film your return scene tomorrow.”
Shawna appeared. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Carl followed, frowning. “That was quite the spill.”
I tilted my chin in agreement. “Ten more feet, I would have been on gravel and rocks. I wouldn’t be so chatty.”
A golf cart pulled up, and Sheri stepped out. “Oh my God,” she cried. “Oliver, are you all right?”