The Pain We Nurture

Oysters and O playlists

Oysters and ”O” playlists

They rode in almost complete silence, apart from the music. Colin occasionally broke the silence by telling her gently which songs he liked as the phone ticked through playlists. Putting her eyes on the clock, she’d noticed they’d been driving for almost an hour, and her eyebrows raised in shock.

“Okay sooo...are you kidnapping me or what’s up?” Olivia said hesitantly.

Reaching into her purse she nervously checked her phone to make sure her location was still on. She sent her location to her friend Aliyah as well who she affectionately called Beau. Aliyah replied with a “?” and Olivia’s brows furrowed as she hurriedly sent a short text to her.

I’m out on a date. We’re out further than I expected, just pay attention to my location. If I’m not home by 1a call the po-po. Colin McDermont is his name. -O

Olivia typed out the message fast before lowering her phone and glancing nervously at Colin.

He remained looking out the windshield and smiled cheekily, as if he realized what she was doing.

“You’re safe with me, Olivia,” Colin rumbled reassuringly in his smooth voice, before reaching over and placing his hand on her thigh. She sucked in a breath at the contact of his hand on her. His accent seemed thicker, and she briefly wondered if it’d be weird to ask him to speak to her in his language.

The warmth of Colin’s hand seeped through her dress, stunning her and saturating her senses. He gave her thigh a slight squeeze before reaching to turn on her seat warmer, and putting his hand back on the gear shift.

Her heart beat a strange tattoo, stealing her breath and making her slightly dizzy. Thinking maybe that’s why she couldn’t talk, she couldn’t breathe right next to him. She briefly contemplated offering him the hundred dollars for him to turn and take her back home, knowing it would be incredibly rude. However, she really didn’t care for these feelings she was having. They were genuinely scaring her.

“We’re going to this little Italian restaurant that I know; the chef is pretty famous,” Colin spoke quietly, keeping his tone neutral.

Olivia watched him steer, maneuvering them along a steep hill before turning onto a hidden asphalt road that led to a pair of gates. Stopping shy of them by a few feet, he grabbed his phone off the dock and quickly texted a number. A few seconds later the gates opened before letting them into a plush clearing with a small parking lot.

Olivia glanced at him. He had a rather smug look on his face.

“This is the restaurant? It looks like a house!” she gaped at him, watching the last two cars leave the parking lot, their lights fading in the background behind them.

She quickly let herself out before he could open the door.

Colin rounded to her side quickly, placing his big hand on the door before she could slam it shut. She furrowed her brow, seeing he looked irritated.

“Olivia, when we are out together you will allow me to open doors for you. Don’t do it again,” Colin clipped, his expression turned haughty before he put that smooth mask in place. The transition was instant as he again became the considerate and refined gentleman she’d come to know him as.

You cocky, arrogant ass, Olivia stayed silent, lifting a brow in return.

She didn’t argue, admitting to herself that she wasn’t used to anyone much less a man demanding that she let him treat her with respect.

Colin held out his hand and waited patiently for her to step away from the car before closing the door softly. He turned to her, his eyes crinkling as if he was thinking of something amusing.

“It’s a membership only private restaurant, small and very exclusive. I had to pull some strings since you couldn’t make it at five. That’s why I wanted you here earlier. I asked the chef, staff, and owners to stay later tonight,” he said, opening the back door and grabbing a suit jacket.

He closed the car door and placed the small of his hand on her back. Leading her to the ornate iron double doors of the restaurant.

She stopped abruptly as the information processed, shooting him a fierce glance as he turned and looked down at her.

“Colin, I would have been happy with a fifty fourth street bar and grill! My fucking God. You didn’t have to inconvenience everyone!” she whispered hotly to him, drawing them to a sudden stop before they reached the doors. Annoyed, Olivia squeezed the bridge of her nose with her fingers, trying to breathe through the irritation.

“You brought me over an hour for spaghetti?” she just couldn’t wrap her head around it. She glanced up at him through her lashes, knowing her green eyes were narrowed but couldn’t find it in herself to care much about how he felt about her temper.

Colin stepped just slightly into her space, it wasn’t a lot, but it was enough for her to get the picture. Olivia”s lips tightened in response and her eyes narrowed slightly more.

She was willing to fight in a parking lot, an hour away from home if she had to. Colin”s eyes flashed back at her and she bristled, realizing again he wasn”t one to back down.

“You will be happy wherever I choose to take you, Olivia. Be it a bar and grill, or a fancy expensive restaurant, a vacation to the other side of the world perhaps? I’m not sure, but you will relax yourself and enjoy our dinner and our time together tonight. Let yourself have a good time, okay?” Colin replied in his elegant smooth voice, looking down at her.

Olivia’s jaw dropped, shocked at his words. And just then her arm spasmed, almost causing her to drop her purse. She grabbed her arm in earnest, feeling the sharp burning pain there.

Olivia glanced up at him again in embarrassment before painfully placing her purse on her other arm. Her cheeks heated.

“I won’t be hopping on a plane with you anywhere, so you can just forget that right freaking now,” she whispered, attempting to get the focus off her incident.

“Are you okay?” Colin asked smoothly. His eyes flicked over her in concern and curiosity before he once again placed his warm hand on her lower back.

Olivia tensed as he smoothly slid her purse off her arm and held it in his hand, guiding her through the front doors. She was thankful he didn’t comment on her embarrassing moment, though he looked like he wanted to.

Colin chose not to comment on her outburst either, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she realized this was indeed a restaurant. And he didn’t bring her here to kill her.

“Yes, I’m fine. It hurts but it’s nothing serious I don”t think... I hope anyways. I have a high pain tolerance. Thanks for asking,” she said before licking her lips and stepping slightly away from him. Needing space from the magnetic pull between them.

“Hmm,” his sound came across slightly judgmental, but he continued to lead them through the foyer without commenting further. He shot her another complex glance and looked up as the host greeted them warmly and led them through a lavishly decorated dining room and to another lavish, yet intimate deck where there were only four small tables. They were all decorated by glowing, flickeringcandles and their seat overlooked a sparkling pond that shimmered brightly in the moonlight.

Big, beautiful lights strung from beams in the air above them, lending a romantic ambiance to the serene atmosphere.

It was quiet, being enough removed from the city. The strains of beautiful classical music sounded in the peaceful air around them. Olivia had a moment of shyness, thinking that this was a very intimate, romantic situation she was in.

”This is so pretty,” she whispered, giving him a smile as she waited for him to pull out her chair.

Olivia sat down gingerly in the seat Colin held out for her, managing to say thank you to him before she realized he tipped the host two hundred dollars as he shook the man’s hand. Still behind her, he reached around her to hang her purse on a hidden hook under the table.

Olivia”s breath froze in her lungs as he took the opportunity to graze his nose alongside her shoulder and neck with his movement. His warm breath washed over her, and her eyes widened as she stiffened, glancing away nervously and looking at her menu. She felt her nipples become painfully hard and with effort she bit back a soft sound trying to crawl through her throat.

The words on the menu came into focus.

Fucking Italian. Dammit, she thought. She closed her eyes briefly, fighting against a wave of insecurity. Opening them, she kept her gaze averted from his as he settled into his seat.

“I’ll just take a broccoli alfredo,” Olivia said slowly, closing the menu abruptly and placing it carefully to the side.

She winced as the menu clanked against the silverware and stemware laid neatly out for them. Looking up at him in apology, she felt her face grimace slightly as she twisted her lips. “You know, this is totally not a first date place,” she nervously pulled the sleeves of her peasant dress up higher.

Colin chuckled as he smiled, reaching forward he took her menu and opened it back up, handing it to her.

“I’m glad to hear you verbally acknowledge this as a date. I’ll help you order. Follow along please,” Colin said quietly, his eyes meeting hers for longer than she was comfortable with over his menu. Looking down and away from her, he began to translate the menu in English so she could understand.

”Let”s start with the appetizers on the left upper hand side,” he said confidently. Olivia tore her eyes from his lips to concentrate as he began to read her the menu.

In the end she’d picked a salad course, a small charcuterie board, and a half plate of bolognese. Not knowing how much anything cost, as there were no prices next to the items listed, which really pissed her off. She didn”t have control of anything and she wasn”t used to that.

Looking up from her menu at the silence from across the table she leaned forward, noticing displeasure in his suddenly cool expression. She leaned back in her chair and softly ran her fingers up her bare arm, feeling her flesh pebble under the stare he’d just made her endure. Somehow icy and hot at the same time. She blinked slowly.

“What’s wrong?” Olivia asked, meeting his gaze as he sipped on the red wine their waiter served them. His eyes were studying her fingers on her arm, watching her caress herself with interest before he turned his eyes to hers again.

“There”s nothing necessarily wrong. However, I encourage you to pick what you want. There’s absolutely no need to spare my wallet. I have money and I love to spend it. So, pick what you desire even if it”s everything on the menu,” Colin stated simply.

He tilted his head at her as he rubbed the forefinger of his left hand that was holding his glass against his lips. He leaned back in his chair comfortably, placing an ankle over his knee before licking his full lips and giving her a sly grin.

She briefly wondered what it’d be like to kiss them. Then killed the thought as quickly as she had it.

“What do you want?” he asked, his voice holding a seductive ring to it.

Olivia’s eyes widened slightly, and she lowered them to the table in front of her, a heavy feeling suddenly coming over her and settling into her heart. She tilted her head slightly, inwardly battling emotions that she knew she could never share. With him, or anyone else.

I want my niece to be healed.I want to be an architect. I want to stop beating rich people for money every month.I want to sleep more than five hours a night for once. I want peace. But I can’t have these things. Nor wish for them, she thought, looking carefully down at the embellished menu.

But she couldn’t share this with this arrogant stranger. So, she picked something easier.

“The…the oysters. And…. maybe the duck with the fettucine,” she gave him a small smile, proud that she expressed it more calmly than she felt. Trying desperately to reduce the tremors that started somewhere deep inside.

Colin appraised Olivia over his menu, seeing the candlelight flicker on her beautiful face before reaching a hand up to motion to the waiter. Never leaving her eyes he repeated her order, and then relayed his order of lasagna, before giving the waiter both of their menus.

She squirmed under his patient gaze as he just sat there with his wine glass loose in his hand. His elbow relaxed gently on his knee, and his other hand stroked his fork ever so often. He seemed content to just stare at her. Memorizing her face.

“Um…. why aren’t you saying anything?” Olivia said, suddenly self-conscious.

Tucking a long, thick lock of hair behind her ear nervously, she waited for him to respond to her question. She put her gaze to the pretty pond next to them, sparkling in the moonlight. Her unsettled feeling magnified, and she momentarily hated that he had the power to make her feel like that.

He made her feel weak, powerless, vulnerable.

Olivia contemplated quietly that perhaps it was Colin”s age and effortless confidence making her feel out of place. Frowning slightly, she stayed quiet. Thinking that though they did have an age gap, and it might be true statement, she had an instinctual feeling that her hackles were up due to something else she couldn”t see. But she certainly felt it.

Or was it her lack of social grace? Not having hardly any opportunity in the past few years to date, or to even foster friendships that could help in this area.

“I”m being quiet because you are a woman of few words... I’m finding. At least… words that aren’t true to you. We made most of the drive in silence, did we not?” Colin explained in his elegantly cultured voice.

He continued to sit back confidently as the waiter placed the oysters in front of them before placing another wine bottle in the ice holder on their table. She shivered, knowing his words hit a spot inside of her she never let herself inspect. She swallowed another small sip of wine before picking up an oyster and then looking at him rather sheepishly.

“I”m quiet but I hope you don”t think it”s rude. Because it”s nothing personal against you, and I don”t mean to be at all, it”s just how I am... I suppose,” she tilted her head at him as he regarded her with a serious expression. ”I can admit to you that this is entirely out of my element. I don”t date, I haven”t ever been on a date before, so this was a leap of faith for me. My schedule doesn”t allow for any free social time,” she paused and took a deep breath, surprising herself with how much she”d just shared with him.

Looking away momentarily, she gave him another tiny bit of her.

”I know... that I come across brash sometimes. Like right now, I don’t know how to eat these. I just ordered them to be difficult,” Olivia confessed with a sheepish shrug. She shivered again at his dangerous smile.

“Thank you for sharing that with me,” Colin”s voice carried confidently over the table as he rewarded her with his own head tilt. ”And trust me when I say this, but I can tell you’re difficult. I’ll teach you how not to be,” Colin paused, continuing to hold her gaze with his.

Olivia’s lips parted at his crass words, but she remained silent for a moment, feeling herself become wet in between her legs at his confident, commanding tone. Swallowing thickly, she prayed she didn’t choke when she went to eat her dinner. She placed the back of her hand on her mouth and tried to suppress a hilarious disbelieving, nervous giggle.

”M”kay mister, whatever you say,” she said breathlessly.

”Hmm-hmm,” Colin hummed, his tone amused. He held her eyes as he took another sip of his wine. ”You don”t believe I can?”

Olivia stayed quiet. Feeling her face burning up as she removed her hand from her mouth. She rolled her lips, before chewing on them, not sure how to answer his question. Not quite believing they were talking about this.

Because she knew he most definitely could. She didn”t know how she knew. But deep in her soul she knew this man had that kind of power. And it was as fucking fascinating as it was terrifying.

”How?”she taunted, throwing the words at him, baiting him.

Colin smiled a wicked grin at her, extending the silence out a little longer. He took a deep swallow of his wine and Olivia found herself riveted, watching his throat work around it.

”Como?”he chuckled and clicked his tongue, his dark eyes flashing at her. ”Ah, hermosa chica roja...you are incredibly bold to ask me that,” he almost purred the words at her.

Colin moved, putting his wine glass on the table and settling his fingers over the top. He caught her eye and suddenly flicked the glass hard, and Olivia jerked slightly in her seat and gasped, startled at the high echoing sound.

Colin stared at her with a rather sly grin and shook his head ever so slowly.

She bit her lip, her breathing coming slightly faster as he continued to speak.

“The how doesn”t matter right now, but I think you know I can. And it”ll most definitely be my pleasure when I get the chance to. But first, let’s start with the oysters. Something much simpler and easier than anything I would ever do to you,” Colin continued, his voice becoming gruff as his gaze slipped to her mouth.

Ohhhh myyy fucking God. I want him to fuck me, fuck me, fuck me, fuck me! Olivia licked her lips, feeling them tremble. She bit her lip hard to keep from shouting the words at him across the table. Her heart beat entirely too fast in her chest and she tried to get a handle on her breathing.

Colin made a low humming noise in the back of his throat and Olivia clenched at the sound, feeling that hot need burn brighter in her lower belly. Struck once again with another bewildering realization that she was incredibly attracted to his mannerisms. She trapped a moan in her throat, feeling her body swiftly catch on fire.

Colin reached forward, snagging an oyster before she could say anything.

“Tilt your head back, open your throat, chew and swallow,” he instructed, demonstrating to her with his own oyster. “Make sure you get all the oyster liquor as well, every drop,” he said, sitting back and watching her place the shell to her pink lips.

Oliva prayed she looked sexy and not juvenile as she tilted her head back like he instructed.

“Wonderful... well done, bonita,” he congratulated her in a low, pleased tone as she successfully ate her first ever oyster. Only dribbling just a tiny bit of the liquor on her chin which she quickly scooped up with a slender finger.

Olivia afforded him what he figured was a rare genuine smile as they ate in silence, only once breaking it for him to offer her more wine. To which she responded no, having already had three glasses tonight.

She found herself oddly comfortable with their shared silence, seeing that he wasn’t uncomfortable either. He seemed to enjoy sitting back and watching her eat.

Colin tilted his head as she sat back in her seat, watching the fingers of her left arm play with the sleeve of her dress. His eyes flickered to hers as she opened her mouth to speak.

”You”re fluent?” she asked, letting herself be nosy. She returned his slow, sexy smile with one of her own.

”Si, senorita. Hablas espanol con fluidez?” he rasped, arching an eyebrow with a litle smile. ”Also, I”m very pleased to see that we”re getting somewhere with talking, finally. Must”ve been the accent that loosened you up?” he teased her with a grin.

“I’m quiet, guarded even... but I”m not mute, you know,” Olivia teased, referencing his comment from a bit ago as they finished their appetizer. She licked her lips and sipped on some water.

She blinked slowly as he smiled, the corner of his mouth lifting adorably.

“Could have fooled me. In the car I was contemplating buying you a white striped t shirt and some white face makeup and red lipstick. Maybe some white gloves to complete the outfit. I figured you could mime and maybe be more comfortable,” he half laughed, running his hand down his slight beard in amusement.

She shocked both of them by laughing a bright, high lilt laugh. Throwing her head back and putting her hand on her breastbone. Tilting her head back down she wiped a tear away, clearing her throat and grabbing her water once more.

“Colin, you are so clever,” she giggled.

Olivia swallowed her water and gave the waiter a thankful smile as he placed her entree in front of her, removing the cover keeping her food warm. Her eyes widened in appreciation at the delicious food being unveiled between the two of them.

“And you are exquisitely beautiful, and fascinating. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like you before,” his confidently smooth voice floated across the table, suddenly stealing her joyful mood and replacing it with something else she couldn’t name.

Olivia’s breath hitched and her belly cramped slowly, heat infusing her insides as he pinned her with an innately sexual stare. Not even hiding his desire.

Something about seeing how open he was in his desire for her made her feel suddenly ashamed for daring to even entertain the thought of spreading her legs for him. She chastised herself, and her eyes narrowed as she gave him a very slight headshake in warning.

No.

You cannot go there, Olivia. Look at the way he”s talking. This man will ruin you, and that is not something you can afford right now, she thought to herself, instinctively realizing this was true. Even without knowing him. Despite his polite demeanor there was something dangerous.

Seemingly unbothered by her reaction he let it go. Not commenting on it. The waiter offered more wine which he waved away, and ordered them a tea service.

Colin ate his lasagna slowly, even offering her a bite which she surprised the both of them by accepting. He took a bite of her fettucine and leaned back, preferring to watch her attack her duck entrée with gusto and eating his food much slower. Olivia answered his questions about the diner, though nothing inconsequential. Every now and then she gripped her right arm at her shoulder and elbow tightly when she would raise her fork for another bite. Her face betrayed a pained look she worked very hard to hide, but she could tell he still saw.

She was too young to have such pain, they both knew it.

Colin suddenly cleared his throat, and it looked to her like a pained expression crossed his own face before he spoke. “Do you need me to feed you?” he asked, his flirtation obvious.

“No. Thank you though. I think I can manage,” she said, switching her fork to her left hand, slowing her movements even more. But she was determined to not appear weak in front of him.

This is why I can”t beat with my left hand, I just can”t hack it. So uncoordinated, she thought miserably. Her mind started being inundated with thoughts of work.

“Do you play tennis?” Colin asked suddenly, readjusting himself in his seat and sitting back, drinking his tea leisurely.

“What?” Olivia giggled, in a rather good mood after eating and several glasses of Italian wine.

“Your arm... you keep holding it like it hurts. What happened?” he enquired, meeting her gaze confidently over his cup. Not content to let her finagle her way out of this one. And for not the first time that night, was seeing too much yet again.

Olivia’s face went pale as she looked away, licking her lips before biting them gently.

I guess I just literally can”t run away from thinking about this shit, Goddamn...she thought to herself.

“It’s nothing, just a minor inconvenience from working too much,” she explained, not quite meeting his gaze.

He waited a beat before answering.

“At the diner? It was hurting when I met you, four weeks ago?” he quipped, placing his cup down and placing his hand on his elevated knee. “Impressive, how well you hid it chica.”

Olivia bit her lip again, sitting back in her chair and crossing her legs. Her creamy flesh shining brightly in the moonlight against the green material of her dress. The wheels of her mind turned, and he thankfully waited patiently as she worked out what she wanted to say.

“I don’t just work at the diner,” she said. She laced her fingers together tightly to stop them from shaking.

“No?” he pressed curiously, shooting the question across the table, feeling her bristling in response.

Olivia watched his face rather distractedly, seeing a muscle tick in his jaw.

You can tell him without telling him. You need to word it juuusssttt right, she thought to herself.

“No. I also have a couple side hustles. A part time job as a bartender, and a full-time job as an aunt,” she threw back. Feeling his eyes settle on the necklace nestled in the hollow of her collarbone.

“Hmmm,” his throat worked around another deep swallow of tea. “Ally. Is that her… your niece?” he gave her a kind smile, reaching again for his tea.

She nodded slowly and touched her necklace. “Allison,” Olivia’s voice sounded across the table sadly. Her heart began to race as that familiar choked-up feeling slowly tightened its way around her throat regarding her niece.

“Is she what you’re stressed about?” Colin pressed nonchalantly, carefully. He held her gaze over his cup as he sipped from his drink again.

Olivia stared pensively at him before her features subtly pulled into an impassive expression. She shrugged one shoulder, looking over at the pond once more. Hoping that if she took her gaze off of him, it would lessen the almost uncomfortably searing effect he was pulling over her consciousness like a cloak that’s pulled so tight you had no prayer of ripping off.

“You know, I really don’t care for dessert. I think I’m ready to go home. I’ve had a nice time,” she replied, her voice sounding haunted. She turned her gaze back to him.

Colin frowned slightly, and Olivia could see something flash in his eyes again. It looked like what she felt.

Sadness.

Olivia’s shoulders relaxed and she found herself relieved when he nodded his assent. He was seeing too much. And more to the point, she was giving too much. Had given him way too much already, and she knew better.

Colin held her gaze while he finished his tea, silently signaling their waiter for the check. Throwing her off again, he handed her his phone with his apple music app open. Olivia glanced at him in surprise and he smiled a half grin at her as he took the check from the waiter.

“Set us a playlist to drive you home to,” Colin ordered, reaching into his pocket for his wallet.

He fished out his card and thumbed a several hundred-dollar bills for a tip and slid them deftly into the thin black book. Her eyebrows raised as she with what to concentrate on. The fact he’d just spent about a thousand dollars just in tips for dinner, or the fact she had his open phone in her hand, and he was waiting for her to start adding songs onto it.

Thinking how ridiculous it would have looked for her to hand him her little singular hundred dollar bill and ask if he would take her back home earlier, she scrunched her nose.

Olivia started a new playlist for him and titled it ”O’s ”.

She named it simply, making sure to add a bunch of The Weeknd songs, dotted with some other surprises like Lana Del Rey, Ed Sheeran, Jhene Aiko and Beyonce. With a smattering of Elton John, Teddy Swims, SZA and Adele.

She kept the playlist purposefully young, wanting to throw him off, just like he attempted to unsettle her various times throughout the night.

Rolling her lips, she side eyed him, mentally considering his age again. Determining that whatever it was, she probably had no business being with him.

They stood up from the table and made their way through the restaurant to leave, and Olivia found herself oddly comforted by the feel of his warm hand pressing onto her lower back.

As Colin helped her to the already running car, she smiled in happiness as “Acquainted” from the Weeknd filled the rich vehicle. He was her celebrity crush. The song made her miss teaching her techniques class at her friend’s dance studio. She used to be able to teach more often.

But as Olivia needed to take on more clients, she was forced to give up teaching less and less. Now she was lucky to be able to teach twice a year. She missed dancing in general. It had provided her with an outlet when she was in high school and college, and she was rather good at it and was just as proud of that side of her just as much as her love for architecture.

Walking outside, Olivia paused briefly at the passenger door of the car and looked up at him, seeing his eyes shining in the moonlight. She pulled her lip in between her teeth and her eyes flickered between his as they stood there, close to each other next to the car.

Colin tilted his head slightly, watching her.

Olivia released her lip, feeling herself leaning into him slightly. She wondered again what it would be like to kiss him, to have intimacy with another person.

Colin leaned further in and she tilted her head back, her eyes fluttering as she dropped her gaze from his eyes to his lips. He stepped into her, putting his hand on her waist and pulling her slightly closer. Her tongue darted out as he dipped his head and softly placed his lips over hers.

Feeling her skin buzz with a sharp electrical current as their lips met, Olivia moaned softly. Letting herself experience being desired for the first time in years. She heard him suck a quick breath through his nose as he tilted his head to press deeper.

Colin”s hand sank into her hair, anchoring her and she giggled slightly at the feel of his beard scraping her face as his lips pressed deeper into hers. She put her hands on his chest and parted her lips, welcoming him in, feeling his warm tongue stroke alongside hers.

You taste delicious. God your lips are so soft, she thought as the tip of his tongue swirled around hers.

He stepped into her slightly more, pressing his body against hers and she felt her sex slicken with desire at feeling the hardness of his body against hers.

“You taste so good, mama,” Colin said quietly, pulling back slightly to talk to her before leaning in again. His words dropped her back to reality, and she pulled away reluctantly before his lips could meet hers again. Her eyes fell away from his shyly as she got into the car.

Internally, she felt absolutely wrecked.

Olivia shook herself out of her thoughts and shot Colin a thankful glance as he closed the door beside her, before walking around and getting into the driver’s side. She stiffened as his scent immediately assaulted her. He smelled like sandalwood, a fresh suit smell, and something more she couldn’t put her finger on. But it was magnetic.

Hewas magnetic.

She glared at her purse on the floor at the side of her feet, listening silently while Colin snapped his seat belt and pulled them out of the spot, taking the driveway carefully. She willed herself not to lunge into it and pull out her burner phone to check for messages about the upcoming week. Which is what she’d usually be doing by this time on a Sunday night.

After a few minutes of comfortable music listening, Olivia turned to him. Her eyes glanced over his brown hair, and his side profile. She took several seconds to drink the vision of him in as she didn’t plan on seeing him anymore.

She’d give him the news via text after he dropped her off.

“Thank you for taking me to dinner, the place was lovely,” Olivia said softly, giving him a small smile as she clenched her hands in her seat attempting to give him something for his troubles of showing her a nice time. She didn’t want to be a complete bitch. “It was delicious, and it was my first-time trying oyster, or duck. And the wine really was so good. I’d drink more if I could have that quality all the time,” she said with a little laugh. “Thanks’ for insisting on me getting what I really wanted, it was a real treat,” she continued, noticing a light at her feet.

She gritted her teeth as she desperately tried to ignore her purse suddenly glowing in the floor of the car.

Colin glanced at her, with a slightly amused grin on his face.

“You’re incredibly welcome. A beautiful experience, for a beautiful fiery woman,” he half smiled again, as if he had a secret. She tilted her head, realizing she really liked his smile.

“So, you’ve really told me nothing about yourself,” she continued, trying.

“I’m an open book-ask away,” he stated in his roughened manly voice, throwing her a grin before turning back to the road. His hand flexed on the gearshift, and she found herself once again mesmerized by his strong hands, thick wrists with crisp dark hair peeking out of his sleeves.

“Well for starters, how old are you?” she asked playfully, realizing she really wanted to know this detail about him.

“Thirty-eight,” Colin answered simply, his fingers readjusting on the wheel.

He smiled wider as he felt her shock from the short distance away in the car. He didn’t mind, he’d liked the fact they had an age gap, it would make things easier as he could use it to his advantage, and it was such a power exchange enhancer.

Olivia suddenly cast her eyes out the window again, her expression contemplative. Unwilling to ask any more questions.

“Are you going to answer that?” he jilted her way over the music, arching his eyebrow at her purse which hadn’t stopped glowing.

She reached in quickly and grabbed the phone, seeing four missed calls from her sister.

She never calls me back to back like this, Olivia panicked, her fingers fumbling with the phone. Thinking something must have happened to Allison.

Her body went in overdrive, tears springing from the back of her eyes and her breathing became shallow as she shakily answered the phone. Turning it on speaker as she didn’t even have the strength to hold it to her ear, she was suddenly almost petrified.

“Hey what’s going on?” she hesitantly asked, her eyes closing as she waited with her heart beating for bad news. Her hand brushed down her thigh roughly, the material of her dress scraping against her legs.

“Auntie Ollie,” Allison’s little voice sounded over the phone. Her breath hitched as she realized Alison was fine. Turning her face to the window she cleared her throat gently before she attempted to speak.

“Hiiii baby. What’s going on love?” Olivia gritted out in a fake cheery voice, reaching up to swipe an errant tear away.

She was conscious of Colins’ movements while he was driving, he’d reached over to put the music at a very low background level.

“Auntie I don’t feel good…” the little girl whispered as she breathed heavily into the phone.

Olivia placed her hand over her mouth briefly, squeezing hard as she suppressed a sob. She quickly sucked a deep breath through her nose as she felt Colin’s hand land on her leg, squeezing reassuringly. His eyes were still on the road. She looked at the clock, eleven thirty. They’d been out later than she expected.

“I know you don’t feel good baby, what can I do to make it better?” she asked, lacing her voice with every ounce of soothing auntie cadence she could stand to muster in front of the man next to her. The heat of his palm sank into her flesh, his thumb traced back and forth across her knee.

“Can you read me a story? Talk to me a ‘wittle?” Allison whispered weakly.

“Yes. Of course, I can, lil” bit. Where’s mommy?” she crooned back. Colin’s hand suddenly making her feel very hot. It laid heavily on her leg, as if he were holding her down. It made her feel incredibly grounded, confusing her feelings even more.

“I’m right here, I’m really sorry to disturb your date, Ollie,” Vanessa’s soft voice sounded tired over the phone.

“It’s ok, I don’t think he’s upset,” Olivia peeked at Colin, seeing his slight grin., “Which story do want me to read tonight? What adventure shall we be partaking in together little bit?” she said playfully.

“Little red riding hood,” Allison said quietly.

She snuck a quick peek through her lashes at Colin who was studiously staring at the road in front of them. He shook his head yes, a brief smile gracing his lips as he squeezed her leg again encouragingly. His fingers had curled around her flesh, bunching the material and cupping her inner thigh next to her knee intimately, curling around to the seat his hand was so big.

His thumb continued to sweep slow strokes over the top.

She pulled up her story book app and found the book, reading and giving her all the silly parts that she knew Allison loved. When Vanessa verified that Allison was asleep, she hung up her phone.

There was a tense silence as Olivia struggled to gain control of her emotions. She sat back in the seat, her breathing becoming erratic. She swallowed thickly, trying desperately to get a handle over what she figured to be a panic attack. She didn’t have them very often.

Her grapple for control lasted briefly before she suddenly bent forward with a small noise in the back of her throat.

Fuck it, who cares? Olivia thought.

She had business to take care of.