2. A Cue To Start The Game
Back at the house, Colin chilled out for a minute from running his errands after the business dinner with the architect.He sent Beth home with some more food and put on some good tunes to listen to. He had his ventilation system going and was smoking a cigar downstairs in the basement, as he took a second to text Jonathan to make sure Olivia left on time and was on her way before he turned back to his computer screen. Setting himself up at his pool table and leaning over his laptop, he tapped on the keyboard lazily, searching for what he wanted.
Flicking the ash, he glanced up at the multiple monitors he had on the walls in the swimming pool and billiards room.
Colin smiled, momentarily content with some music playing over the system and enjoying a really expensive scotch. So expensive, his dick got hard just from the process of buying it at the store.
He was lingering down in the basement lazily, just spoon feeding the fucking beast inside of him all the filthy things he’d wanted until Olivia came home. His dick jerked in his pants, impatient. Setting his mouth, the features of his face tightened as he made sure his computer synced appropriately to the mounted televisions. Doing a test run, he smiled a filthy smile when he heard the monitors start with the videos he’d selected.
Colin hadn’t even changed when he got home, taking multiple trips from his car to the indoor swimming pool, Choosing instead to carry and unload bag after bag of ice into his pool fully dressed in his work suit.
Looking over, he saw the chunks floating, happy to know it was cold just like he wanted it. Then he took his time leisurely cleaning all the pool balls, placing them back into their rack on the pool table and off to the side.
Flickering his eyes to his phone as it lit up with a notification, he saw that she was pulling up the driveway. He pulled up their text thread.
Come straight downstairs.-C
Turning to face the entryway of the basement, he waited patiently, leaning against his pool table in his usual stance with his legs crossed and a cigar lit in his hand. A Gurkah His Magesty’s Cigar, at seven hundred and fifty dollars each, his favorite. His eyes narrowed as the door opened and he saw Olivia walk through, her legs looking delectable in some heels that she shouldn’t be wearing in this weather.
Olivia froze when she walked through the door and saw Colin.
Her eyes widened, clocking him leaning against the pool table, his suit pants and shoes still on from his fancy dinner. Colin’s white button down was opened to his pants, exposing his slabs of hard muscle and big body. The sleeves were rolled up, showing off his muscular forearms and he was puffing on a cigar slowly. His eyes were hard as steel as he watched her.
She let her bag drop to the floor carelessly with a hard thud and turned her head to the side silently as her ears picked up the sultry music.
Colin just stood there, not greeting her. Smoking on his cigar.
Olivia’s heart beat painfully in her chest as they stared each other down in the big space of the basement. She swallowed hard as she realized she was going to finally get what she needed. She could tell just by looking at him. He looked different, severe in the set of his body. Her nipples hardened, and she gasped as he lowered his eyes slightly and noticed it himself. Taking an appreciative drink, he suddenly spoke, breaking her of her trance.
“Come here,” he said, his eyes never leaving hers. She shivered at his intensity, suddenly feeling very exposed, and very…trapped.
Olivia flinched as she immediately felt her juices saturate her panties. She whimpered as she willed herself to take the steps required to cross the space to get to him. When she was about five feet away, he held up a hand to stop her, taking another deep drag of his cigar, content to stare at her with his searing gaze. Her eyes pricked with tears, her body tightening painfully. She let out a little pained sob in response, starting to tremble.
“Don’t you want to know how my night went baby? You’re being awfully rude tonight,” Colin said, tilting his head at her. His thick forearms rippled as he raised his arm to grasp his cigar, flicking it off to the side where he had an ashtray for it.
He absolutely relished her shocked stare.
“I-I’m sorry. It wasn’t my intention to come across rude, Colin,” Olivia said, her heart almost choking her words. That magnetic feeling sizzled between them, and the slow flame that was already there burned brighter as he fed the inferno with his casual assessment of her.
“Oh no baby, you’re not allowed to use my name. But you know that, right?” he chuckled darkly at her. “You call me Sir, don’t you remember?” his voice caressed over her like butter.
“Oh, sir. I’m so sorry, sir,” she said, sarcasm dripping heavily with her tone. “How was your night, sir?” she said in a little princess voice, causing him to flash her his dangerously dazzling smile. The first real one he’d felt since the accident.
Colin pushed off the pool table and came to her, slightly to her side and stood still next to her, not touching her. She shivered, feeling the danger seep off of him in waves. He stared ahead of him, not even blessing her with his gaze. Taking a deep draw on his cigar, he sighed low in his chest.
“I think it goes without saying that you already know I can more than fuck the sass out of you so…. how’s that pussy baby?” he asked, taking another drag of his cigar before turning his face slightly and regarding her closely, his eyes dark, slightly frightening in his intensity.
Olivia inhaled sharply and recoiled slightly at the heat she found in the depths, suddenly overwhelmed. The simple question pierced deep into her brain and her eyes widened.
Colin reached out quickly and easily grasped Olivia by her arm and held her still. His physical warmth sank in, grounding her.
“Answer the question. It’s a very simple one. How is it? Is it good?” he asked.
“It h-hurts,” she stammered around the lump in her throat. Looking to the side she froze, feeling slightly lightheaded at the ice floating in the pool. He caught the direction of her gaze and turned his eyes to her. Always concerned with her emotions first.
“Is the ice in the pool going to bother you baby?” he asked softly, not wanting to traumatize her. The last time she’d been in a cold pool was during Allison’s accident.
Olivia shook her head no slowly. Her eyes narrowed and her lips parted, needing to jump in. To quench this hot feeling that he was making her suffer through.
“What are you going to do to me?” she asked. Her voice quivered, coming out as a whisper. He smiled, almost pityingly. He suddenly moved slowly to face her back, taking his hands and slowly tugging the zipper of her dress down her back, peeling the fabric away from her body.
He ignored her question for a moment.
“Why does your pussy hurt? What have you been doing to it?” Colin said softly from behind her, admiring her flawless skin, the shape of her neck and shoulder, which suddenly shrugged up at his question.
He embarrassed her.
Colin pushed her dress down her beautiful arms, watching as it wisped away from her body.
“It’s so hot,”Olivia whimpered, feeling like she could fall through the floor. A sob hitched in her throat as he unclasped her bra next. She was so turned on it scared her. She briefly turned her face to try and find him in her peripherals, so he stepped slightly to the side, facing her and giving her the comfort she needed.
“It’s cool down here, sweetie,” he said softly, tapping her legs to have her step out of her dress. He tossed it and her bra to the side, leaving her in her heels.
Olivia jerked when he suddenly placed his warm big hand against her belly and pressed hard, molding her back to his front. She whimpered at the feel of his big erection against her bottom, and he began to move them in time to the music. Making her gyrate her hips, he stepped them to the beat of the music, the speakers playing a dangerous beat wreaking havoc on her senses.
“Phil Collins In The Air Tonight. A classic,” Colin said to her, his lips close to her ears as the man’s voice suddenly sang to the opening sound of the snare.
He turned her suddenly, and he pressed close, one arm splayed on her lower back, keeping her flush against his strong hips and thighs. He kept his hand holding his cigar free and would take a drag occasionally, just enjoying slow dancing with her and his cigar. She suddenly flushed, feeling vulnerable. The stark intimacy feeling like he was splitting her open slowly, painfully.
A tear slipped down Olivia’s cheek. Her vagina had swelled and tightened painfully, and she was about to scream she needed release so badly.
He ignored her and continued to move them, almost imitating sex with her, him still fully in his clothes. Olivia felt so exposed with no clothes, while he just manipulated her to the music, the lyrics causing damage as he met her gaze while they turned and swayed. He expertly careened them around the basement floor, his body doing incredible things to her imagination.
Colin turned her once more, walking her to the pool table where he held his computer.
“Kick off your heels,” he said as he leaned from around her, pressing slightly into her back and using the same hand holding the cigar to wake his screen up and tap some buttons. She lowered herself on her feet, heels off. She jerked and gasped as she heard raunchy moaning, slapping sounds, groaning, the sounds of hard sex coming from the speakers within the large area and she jerked in earnest as it sunk in what was happening.
The man was playing porn.
Oh dear Lord,Olivia thought to herself, feeling like she’d just caught on fire she was so embarrassed.
“Col-“ she hissed painfully as he suddenly gripped the hair at her scalp in warning. “Sir,” she corrected herself. She squeezed her eyes shut.
Colin manipulated her head with his grasp around her hair, feeling her head turn.
“Open your eyes,” he said.
She complied, almost collapsing when she did.
On every flat screen in the general area there was a different porn scene featuring a redhead woman getting railed every which way to Sunday. She cried out, her knees buckling. Feeling her body go up in flames. From embarrassment or desire, she wasn’t even sure anymore. It was all blending together in one incomprehensibly rough mind fuck. And he hadn’t even touched her yet.
Suddenly she regretted every time she begged, every time she was upset that he took her too gently, every time he ignored her requests.
The man was making sure she was good and thoroughly fucked, from her mind on.
And she wasn’t sure how she was going to survive this one.
“I’m going to cool you off baby. Get in the pool,” he said in her ear. Knowing her dilemma without her saying it.
He let her go suddenly, letting her find her balance. She walked slowly to the pool, not able to hide from the televisions. Hearing the tap of his shoes on the floor behind her, and the slow drag of something behind them.
She watched as one man had a pretty redhead tied up and was making her orgasm repeatedly. The woman’s high screams for mercy not bothering the man in the slightest, she was dripping sweat, mascara running down her face and drool was dripping from her mouth.
Olivia looked away embarrassed as she took the first step into the pool moaning and closing her eyes. Cold, but feeling instant relief from what felt like the fires of Hell licking at her skin.
Colin had grabbed a chair and took it to the side of the pool and sat with his ashtray, balancing it on his knee. Resuming his usual stance of his ankle on his knee, he rested his head on a finger against his temple as his eyes flickered from screen to screen. He’d fired up another cigar and was leisurely dragging on it, sounding like he enjoyed it very much.
Olivia watched him as he leaned his head back and blew impressive smoke rings in the air. She hissed as the water rose to her vagina, cooling her off wonderfully, only leaving an empty sharp ache instead of the unbearable burn.
Olivia plunged into the water, heart swelling as it enveloped her completely. She sunk to the bottom, willing her heartbeat to slow. She glanced up from the bottom of the pool and opened her eyes. Colin was crouched down, taking a picture of her. She floated back up, lungs burning as she broke the surface, flicking her hair back hard and splashing him, giving a little giggle as she got a nice amount of water on him.
Colin just sat there, not flinching, smoothly moving his cigar out the way of the spray. Flicking the tip with that sexy movement of his and letting her have her fun. He grabbed his scotch and offered it to her over the side of the pool.
“Come here, tilt your head back and open your mouth,” he said, watching her comply.
Olivia stuck her tongue out slightly as she did, and he hummed deep down in his chest as he smoothly tipped the glass with two fingers holding the ice inside, and poured the liquor straight down her throat. He watched her swallow before allowing her another drink, her pink tongue doing wild things to his imagination.
Suddenly one of the televisions took center stage and she turned in the water, her attention absolutely riveted as it stole her breath.
A woman was tied down, squatting on her knees on a large dildo. Her hips were encased by a leather harness that was hooked tightly to the floor by bolts, and her hands were restrained together by a rope hanging from the ceiling.
A crack rendered the air followed by a groan as some man whipped her back and her buttocks repeatedly. Her juices were copiously running down the dildo and onto the floor and she cried out as she orgasmed, throwing her head back in submission, looking like she was deep in subspace.
Oh fuck, I want that,Olivia thought, her skin heating up again, despite the cold pool water.
Colin tilted his head, watching Olivia’s reaction. She was incredibly excited and panting shallowly. Her irises dilated, only leaving a sliver of green.
“Get out,” Colin demanded hoarsely, walking to the wall and grabbing several towels he had stocked for the pool. He tossed them carelessly on the pool table and moved his laptop to the side. She walked out of the pool looking like a fucking goddess, her red hair made dark by the water and slicking to her head. He groaned as she walked slowly to him, knowing the effect she had.
Olivia’s skin was pulled tight due to the cold, her nipples were rock hard, and her body had a pink flush. He picked her up and placed her onto a towel he laid out on the pool table. Bending down he took her lips hard in a rough mating of mouths. His hands encased the side of her face, warming her up. He groaned as her unique taste invaded him. Pulling away, he turned and snatched up her heels, placing them back on her feet.
She looked at him questioningly.
“It’s going to hurt, isn’t it?” she whispered. “It’s going to be painful,” the thought thrilled her, pulsed through her veins, heightening her desire.
His intense gaze bore into her eyes.
“And if pain is what I want to give you, what do you say?” Colin asked, pulling his hand up to grasp her nipple hard, tugging rhythmically. Causing her to make a lovely sound. He waited as awareness slammed into her.
“I’m supposed to say thank you, sir,” Olivia swallowed, her body slightly undulating. He helped her onto her back, his big hand warm on the back of her head, lending her comfort. She bent her legs back and tilted her pretty heels in the air. He made her wait as he dragged his laptop back to him and pressed a couple of buttons. Suddenly, all the moaning and porn sounds stopped before an eerily familiar playlist started.
Her brain struggled to make sense of it, the monitors flickered back to life, and the image came into focus right as Colin dipped his head to her pussy and grabbed her whole mound in his teeth, biting her firmly.
Olivia cried out in shock and pleasure, and bucked under him as her brain processed the televisions.
Colin was playing a recorded video of them fucking in the closet that night after the gala. She orgasmed hard as she watched Colin completely take control of her body on the screen. Her helplessly tied to the wall with the belt and him pounding into her. The sound of her screaming his name suddenly entered the room, along with his growls, grunts, and sex groans.
Flesh slapping penetrated her ears and drove deep into her brain, echoing around and driving her crazy.
Olivia drew her knees back further as he’d begun to nibble and work her clit, pressing two fingers into her and twisting, searching. She flinched her hips hard in pleasure. Her gaze torn between watching him work his dark head in between her legs, and him absolutely turning her inside out on the screen. She suddenly gripped his hair and pulled hard, worried she was going to combust.
Colin ate her out for several minutes, his fingers manipulating her G-spot, until she came with an embarrassing groan, knowing she was ruined. He’d fucking ruined her.
He was proving effortlessly that he not only had control of her body, but her mind. And that’s what tonight was about.
He got up suddenly, giving her a brief reprieve, his fingers sliding out of her wetly.
“You’re perfectly swollen baby,” Colin murmured, reaching over and slamming the rest of his drink, not even stopping to swish the expensive liquor around his mouth. He looked down at her contemplating her expression, before leaning over and pulling the ball set over within hands reach. The balls clinked together softly as he moved them.
“Pick one,” he said gently, cupping her breast with his warm hand before leaning over and taking her erect nipple in his mouth.
“For what? Sir what are you-” she gasped, arching. He took her hand and placed it on the rack of balls.
“Pick. One. And do not make me repeat myself for the rest of the night,” he said roughly, a warning in his gaze. He turned his attention to her hand, watching her closely, as if her reaction was important to him. She glanced over, her brow furrowing as she searched through the balls confused.
“What’s the matter?” he said, already knowing the answer. He’d leaned forward and was doing distracting things to the inside flesh of her knee.
“Where’s the eight ball?” she asked curiously, her hands sweeping over the ball rack once more.
He glanced at her sharply before smiling, making her heart skip a beat. He really was beautiful.
“Oh sweet thing,” Colin said, leaning down and taking Olivia’s lips in a deep kiss. Raising up to regard her once more. “You must know that when one sinks the eight ball, that means the game is over. And it’ll never be over between us. I’m working my way in, so it’s not available. I’ll hand you the eight ball when I’m ready for you to sink it,” he said confidently; his double entendre not lost on her.
Olivia paused, her heart pounding. Wrapping her hand around the white cue ball she handed it to him, the weight heavy in his hands.
“This is the ball that starts the whole game, and keeps the others in motion,” Olivia said, a double entendre of her own.
His neglected erection jerked as desire mixed with sharp satisfaction filled him.
Chuckling darkly, he took it from her. Holding her gaze with his he lowered his hand and held it to her pussy and pressed, making her hiss in surprise.
“Colin!”she moaned wildly, feeling him twist and turn the ball against her private flesh, slickening the resin of the ball and warming it.
He watched her carefully, with a high moan she arched her back and her legs jerked prettily as he pressed it slightly deeper, watching her inflamed tissues part even more for this forbidden act. She squealed and tried to buck her hips as he got it further in.
Feeling her body’s resistance, Colin dipped, taking her clit in his mouth and expertly manipulating it, sending her flying into a surprise orgasm on a shocked scream, not letting her up as this time he pressed firmly and with a small audible sucking sound it disappeared into her body. She made a small sound, and he whipped his head up to assess her.
His erection twitched against his pants.
“Jesus, I’ve never heard you make that sound before. Fucking sexy as hell,” he growled in his low voice. He sank two fingers inside of her and pushed the ball deeper.
She lit the area up with her excited screams, mingling with the sounds of him fucking her viciously on the television. Just for good measure, he gave her another orgasm, having to hold her legs back as she slithered across the pool table trying to recoil from the sensation but wanting more. He jerked her back roughly, rising and bending down into her face. She was panting and moaning, sweat beaded on her upper lip and she was trembling. Her fingers clawed into his biceps.
“It’s so h-hea-heavy, sir,” she panted. Completely shocked at what the delicious pain was doing to her body. A rare warm sensation spread throughout her body, and she marveled in the feeling. The feeling of being free.
Of letting go.
“I’m going to turn that pretty ass red, and if you push the ball out during your punishment, I’m going to stick one in your ass and beat you until I am convinced you learned your lesson. When I ask you to come to dinner for work, you don’t tell me no. And if you ever hang up on me again so help me God woman, I will fucking light your ass on fire till there’s nothing left to singe,” he growled.
She nodded, her eyes wide, the green almost completely gone.
“What?” he said, reaching forward and slapping her breast hard several times in quick succession.
“Yes, sir!” she yelled, moaning as she was assaulted from every angle. His voice, him in her face, them fucking on the tv, the music, the ball, sitting high and heavy inside of her spreading her out so deliciously. She throbbed deep around it, orgasming again at the heavy sensation. She gasped up at him, meeting his stern chocolate stare, feeling safe. Floating on the exquisite feeling.
“If not, I’m sure it’ll be crystal clear by tonight,” he growled, flipping her over on the table. “Head down, ass up,” he ordered.
Olivia hurriedly complied, gritting her teeth as she tightened her muscles painfully, trying to keep it inside of her. She heard his belt buckle before he whipped it out of his belt loops.
“This is going to hurt, and I don’t know when I’m stopping, so don’t bother to ask,” he said, stepping to the side.
Suddenly, she heard a whoosh and felt a sharp stinging pain against her ass. It was decidedly not an easy hit, he meant what he said. She cried out, trying to recoil.
“What the fuck are you supposed to say, when I give you pain?”he growled, his hand snapping forward, the belt hitting her burning flesh.
“Thank you, sir!” Olivia screamed, losing her mind.
She began crying tears of joy, of absolute bone-shattering relief. Looking behind her, she saw he had taken his belt off and had it folded it double, clasping it in his hand.
“See, I think we’ve forgotten the terms of the agreement and who’s in control here. I’ve been too lax with you. My fucking bad,” Colin snarled, gracing her with another stinging slap, making her ass jiggle with the force. She rolled her forehead on the fabric of the pool table and moaned, as she caught sight of her body going limp on the television screen, his beautiful body pistoning strongly, not tiring.
She nodded to herself in agreement, knowing he was right.
Colin went wild.
Yes! he roared in his head, seeing her flesh start to welt slightly, her creamy skin turning bright red. He noticed she pushed back, anticipating every new strike.
More stings as he slapped her over and over, her screams transforming to moans as the punishment did what it should do: service her greater need. He worked her over for long minutes, some hits stinging worse than others, other hits were gentle. Olivia never knew what the next one was going to be. She felt her walls flutter around the ball, and he paused in his slapping of her flesh, rubbing her ass gently, soothing her. She was calm, her mind slipping into a comfortable daze.
The pain felt so soothing that she would swear she was in heaven.
Olivia had no clue how long she floated there like that, her breasts and head pressed into the pool table completely relaxed. The pool ball had served to anchor her with its weight. Abruptly his voice penetrated her subconscious, easing her back up gently. She shuddered as she felt his big hand soothing across her abused flesh oh so gently.
“Push,push it out baby. Good girl. That’s my baby. I am so fucking proud of you,” Colin crooned as he caught the ball in his hand before placing it on a pool towel. He wrapped her up in his strong arms. Shutting off the electronics and carrying her upstairs, letting her come down easily. And when he was ready, he rocked her world in a different way, no less intensely.
***
A couple of hours later they were lying in bed, and Olivia was tossing and turning, not able to settle. Concerned, Colin sat up and reached over to his nightstand. As he flicked the light on he pulled himself up to rest his back against the headboard. He flicked his eyes down her restless form and decided to break his silence.
“Baby, come here,” he said softly, watching her push her hair behind her as she turned to regard him sleepily.
“I’m trying to sleep,” she said softly, sighing and closing her eyes, stretching out and unable to get comfortable. She groaned.
“Uh huh. You can’t rest because there’s something going on with you. I’ve been ignoring it, thinking it’s school stuff that you were struggling with, but this is deeper. Come get into my lap please,” Colin kept his tone purposefully calm and soothing, not wanting to alarm her.
Olivia sat up with a huff and held the silky green sheets to her breast and rolled to her knees, shuffling to him. Colin tsked and yanked the sheet out of her hand and just shook his head.
“No reason for that,” he said softly. He took her arm and pulled her onto him firmly. He took a deep breath and spread one hand on her back and another on the side of her face. His eyes searched hers, trying to see. Trying to understand, to relate to the hurt that was buried inside of her that she was too scared to share.
It wasn’t lost on him that the only time she’d safe worded was during an emotional conversation where she felt confronted. He’d have to tread carefully.
“We’re about to do the emotional version of page three so there’s no safe wording out of this one,” he whispered, knowing he was forfeiting a seriously sexy and potentially life changing experience that he only got to indulge in with her permission twice a year per the contractual agreement. His heart tugged but he felt it was worth it, she was worth it, this fucked up shit that was killing her on the inside was worth forfeiting anything and everything physically pleasurable.
Colin’s hand tightened on Olivia’s face when she recoiled slightly.
“No. We need to talk,” Colin took another deep breath. “This is hard for me too. The last time I pressed too hard, Allison got hurt. But I can’t continue to ignore that there’s something going on with you because I’m scared that something detrimental is going to happen. I’m not going to continue to walk around you, as if I don’t know you’re hurting. I see it, Olivia,” his eyes flickered between hers and he let her see his own hurt.
Olivia’s heart thudded painfully in her chest, and tears welled in her eyes. I can’t. I can’t…. I can’t. Even for you I can’t, she whispered in her head.
Misery pulled her features tight and, as if she was having an out-of-body experience, she heard a strangled sob escape her throat before she slapped a hand over her mouth. As if that could help keep the pain inside.
Colin’s hand left her cheek and rubbed her arm. His eyes stayed on hers, widening in concern at the sudden wave of emotions that graced her features. His heart broke. It was bad, whatever it was, was bad. And in that moment, he hated himself for not seeing just how bad it was.
“Baby… it’s me,” his eyes searched hers, desperate for her to see. “I’m safe, I love you. And I know you know I love you, and it’s ok if you don’t love me back,” Colin felt his own eyes well up with tears. Olivia began trembling, breathy gasps escaped her fingertips. He gently pulled her hand from her mouth. “But please, just let me love you. I can help you hold this! You’re not alone anymore… you can trust me. Olivia, trust me? Please. Just trust me baby, why won’t you trust me. What have I got to do to earn it?”
Colin’s own breath hitched as he fought desperation.
He placed his hand back onto her cheek, his eyes implored as he leaned in slightly. His chest burned as it expanded with a deep breath, and he placed his other hand on the other side of her head, pulling her to him slightly. His thumbs stroked her cheeks, and he leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers softly.
He shuddered, speaking against her mouth harshly. “Is there someone I need to pay off? I will give up everything for you, Olivia. All this shit can go! The money, the house, the bikes, my cars, everything! Just fucking tell me and I’ll do anything! Just let me in, please. It is killing me to see you like this, mi amor,” Colin groaned, feeling a tear slip out of his own eye as she squeezed hers shut and a mournful cry escaped her.
Olivia bowed her head, leaning forward to rest her forehead onto his chest. Curled in on herself, the pain as it left her body was like someone was slowly driving a knife into his heart and twisting it. “You can’t fix it Colin! It’s already done. Oh my God… oh God,” she cried out softly, her voice breaking as she sobbed inconsolably.
His arms banded around her hard as she began to rock herself side to side, small wails leaving her as she shuddered against him. He leaned his head back against the headboard and let himself join her in her emotions, feeling tears slick down his own face and wet his beard. He stayed silent, not willing to make this about him.
Even the fact that she was crying like this in front of him was a step in the right direction.
He held her until she exhausted herself half of the night, falling asleep with tears on her face and leaning against him. He tightened his hold around her, refusing to let her go.
Even though she claimed he couldn’t fix it, he was determined to fix whatever this was.Colin already knew he was the lock; he was sure of it. He was more sure of Olivia than he was of his next breath, his next heartbeat.
He just needed the key.
***
The next morning, Colin stayed in bed with Olivia, watching her wake out of sleep carefully. She fluttered her eyes open then curled in on herself for a moment, her brain trying to process out of sleep. He ran his hand down her back in great big soothing strokes, letting her take her time.
This beautiful vixen is mine, Colin thought. He was going to call Vanessa and point blank asked her if she cared if he married her. He might have to kidnap Olivia and take her to another country if she didn’t agree. He briefly toyed with the idea, but then suddenly Olivia was speaking to him.
“I don’t greet you, because you’re the one I can’t say goodbye to. And you’re also the person who, if I say hello, it means you were away for too long,” she said softly, shyly glancing up at him before lowering her eyes.
Colin’s eyes widened. Trust. She was giving it to him. Maybe he didn’t have to kidnap her, he would have to wait and see.With the thought warming his heart, he gave her that rare, dazzling smile, just wanting to enjoy her minor concession, making her squeal as he pulled her to him so she could lay all over him.He rolled her all over the bed laughing with joy, reveling in her trust.
Trust. It filled his chest and overflowed that space inside of his heart that’d ached every day for the last twenty-three years.
Maybe trust was the key?
But it still didn’t quite feel like the right key.