Chapter 21
Fucking breathtaking. Those two words run through my mind as I lean against the hood of my car, watching Olive emerge from the apartment stairs.
She outdid herself this evening. Her hair is halfway up; two wavy strands lay in the front, framing her gorgeous face.
She wears a red cocktail dress that hugs her figure impeccably, its length reaching right above the knee.
The front cuts down into a V, showing a tasteful amount of her immaculate cleavage.
Her lips are adorned with a rose stain that complements her blush-dusted cheeks.
However, what draws me in the most are her eyes.
They make my knees weak, which probably makes me sound like a little bitch, but it’s the truth.
She has applied a smoky color on her eyelids that makes her eyes stand out even more.
They almost seem to glow, highlighting the hint of green beautifully present in her honey-brown irises.
It’s easy to imagine slipping that dress right off her and even easier to feel her absence when we are away from each other.
This is my first time seeing her since we left the beach.
Our work schedules have prevented us from being able to see each other sooner, but I’ve enjoyed our little text banters back and forth since. It’s what has kept me going every day.
She strolls over to me, her damning eyes never leaving mine, sliding her body in between my legs. I wrap my arms around her waist, running my hands along the curve of her ass.
She smells like sweet coconut with hints of peony; she always smells so delicious. It’s amazing how certain aromas stick with you. It could be of a place or a person. And there is something about her scent that drives me fucking mad.
She places her arms around my shoulders, resting her hands behind my neck, giving me the cutest lazy smile.
I love that her little cheek dimple appears even when giving the slightest smile.
I take my thumb and run it along her dimple, watching as her warm honey eyes shut from my touch, causing me to grin instantly.
“I sure have missed your beautiful face,” I purr.
She feeds me a wicked grin while twirling her fingers around my hair. “So, that’s all you’ve missed?” I slant my eyes at her and match her grin.
I quickly cup the back of her head, locking my fingers into her thick strands, careful not to mess up her updo. I’ll save that for later tonight. Forcing my mouth on hers, she doesn’t fight back, parting her lips so that our tongues can dance in sweet, tasteful circles.
I’ve craved her mouth since last seeing her. And no matter how hard I try to savor the taste of her smooth tongue, I can never get enough to satisfy the hunger inside me.
When I pull away, I gently nip her bottom lip, and a small whimper leaves her throat.
My dick is already throbbing for her. And I’d love, more than anything, to pick her up and lay her on the hood of my Corvette.
I picture sliding her red dress up and finding that she isn’t wearing anything underneath.
So many dirty thoughts run through my head.
I rest my forehead against hers, caressing her cheek with my thumb. “We would be late for dinner if I went through everything I’ve missed about you.”
She closes her eyes for a moment and replies with so much desire in her tone. “Maybe you can show me how much you’ve missed me after dinner.”
Fuck, I can’t wait to show her physically just what she’s doing to me. I growl back, “ Yes, my little spicy Olive, we’ll save dessert for later tonight.”
We arrived at our 6 p.m. reservation just in time, and luckily, the dinner traffic hadn’t affected us yet.
The server collected our menus and guided us to the table I had requested at the back of the restaurant.
From there, we have a perfect view of the chefs.
My parents used to bring me here as a child, and we always sat at the same table so I could watch them cook our food.
And after they adopted sweet Emma, we continued this little tradition for many years.
I watch Olive as she scans the room, always paying attention to her surroundings.
I hope she likes the food here, as this has always been one of my favorite hibachi grills near home.
I might sound biased, but I truly believe they serve the best sushi around.
I’m eager for her to try it, as I doubt she has experienced anything better.
“So, what do you usually order?” she asks playfully, peering out from behind her menu with a curious glint in her eyes.
I smile and reply, “I was thinking about getting sushi. I really hope you’ll try it—I’ll be amazed if it’s not the best you’ve ever had.”
A flicker of surprise crosses her face, followed by a soft laugh as she shakes her head, clearly skeptical.
“I’ve actually never tried sushi. It always looked unappetizing to me,” she admits, her nose wrinkling slightly. “I think I’ll just stick with teriyaki steak, rice, and vegetables. You really can’t go wrong with that.”
With a playful grin, I shake my head. “That’s fine, but you have to at least try a piece for me, okay? Just one little bite!”
Her eyes twinkle with amusement at my enthusiasm, and after a brief pause, she nods in agreement, a smile spreading across her face. It’s clear she knows I won’t let this go easily, and I can’t wait to share this experience with her.
Our server eventually brought out the sushi; I ordered several California rolls. I wanted to stick with simple since this would be her first time trying it. Olive spends a good minute examining the rolls on the long dish.
I can’t help but let out a small chuckle. “There’s no backing down now,” I say with determination.
She wrinkles her cute little nose at me. “Fine, just one bite.”
She picks up a roll and smells it before I can warn her not to. Her expression makes me laugh again.
“Theo, how do you eat these? They smell awful!”
I quickly grab one, dip it in shrimp sauce, and pop the whole roll into my mouth. Then, I gesture for her to do the same. Finally, she follows my lead, dipping the roll in the sauce before putting it in her mouth.
I sit back and patiently watch as she slowly chews, holding a napkin near her stained lips.
She mumbles, “Okay, it’s not that bad, but I don’t see myself eating it again.
I’ll let you handle the other several rolls on your plate.
” Then she gives me a half-hearted grin.
She looks so cute, even with one side of her cheek bulging from stuffing a whole roll in her mouth.
The sushi might have been a failure, but dinner has gone well so far.
As we drive to my house with the top down, the night breeze feels refreshing. Olive asks to listen to Sublime, and I’m more than happy to oblige. I can’t help but glance at her as her hair dances around her face, gently framing her high cheekbones.
She sings along with the band, her smile proving to be contagious. For once, I notice she isn’t lost in her thoughts. As silly as it may sound, seeing her like this makes my heart skip a beat.
And seeing her in my passenger seat makes me so fucking happy; her presence makes my car look good. I give her smooth thigh a light squeeze, and in return, she squeezes my hand, giving me that lazy smile I’ve grown to love.
As we near my neighborhood, Olive turns down the radio. “How long have you lived here?” she asks curiously.
“I started working in the landscaping business with my dad when I was thirteen. I saved up every penny I could. When I turned eighteen, he gave me partial ownership of the business. Since then, I’ve focused on building my credit, and I bought my place about two years ago.”
We pull into the driveway, and I park the car, leaving the headlights on. I turn towards her, placing my hand back on her thigh. She gazes at me for a moment before looking towards the house.
“That is really impressive, Theo. You should be proud of yourself.”
I let out a long breath. “I appreciate that. Truthfully, my parents are the reason. It was working hard and building something for myself or failing and figuring it out on my own.” I let out a short laugh.
“But I’m glad they stuck with it because I probably would have turned out to be a fuckhead otherwise. ”
I watch Olive’s expression fall to her lap while she rubs her hands together.
Maybe bringing my parents into the conversation wasn’t the smartest idea. She never had the guidance and support that I had while growing up, and I can never fully understand what she has been through and what she missed out on.
All I can do is be there for her and remind her just how special she is to me and to others.
I quickly place my hand over the top of hers while taking my right hand and gently turning her head to face me.
I admire her natural beauty momentarily before pulling her chin towards me and placing my lips against hers.
Our tongues reunite, desperately swirling around one another.
I never want this to end with her. She is my addiction.
I pull away, giving her lips another peck, still holding firmly to her chin. Her eyes stay locked on my parted lips. “Hey, look at me.” She slowly brings her eyes to mine. “Look at the life you’ve created for yourself, Olive. You did it all on your own. Few can say that.”
She lays her face on my hand, closing her eyes. “I didn’t have a choice.” Her voice cracks.
Gods, I want to hold her right here in this car and never let go. I recline my seat back and motion for her to climb over to me. “Come here,” I demand.
She looks at my lap, taking her heels off before climbing over. I watch as she straddles me, her red dress riding up to just below her ass. I place my hands on either side of her hip. It’s hard not to appreciate the view of her straddling me.
A view so pleasant that I couldn’t control what was going on in my jeans, and I’m positive she felt it beneath her. Remember, he’s far from shy.
Our breathing becomes staggered, and our eyes lock back to one another.
I reply, “You had a choice. You changed the path of your family’s bloodline. You are stronger than you think, and so many admire you—including me.”
She runs her hands above my chest, her fingers tracing along my neck. A smile graces her face. “ I appreciate you so much, Theo. You don’t understand how much I needed you in my chaotic life.”
I give her ass a light squeeze. “I needed you just as bad, if not more, my little criminal.”
She reaches around, grabs my hands, and pulls them to the front of her. She then places a single kiss on the palm of my left hand, never breaking eye contact. “Now show me the fingers that you pricked yesterday,” she commands.
I lift my index and middle finger, never saying a word. I observe as she runs her fingertips over the small red spots, giving each one a quick, sensual peck. Her lips are so soft against my skin. I run my fingers over her bottom lip, feeling her warm, staggered breath against them.
Her mouth opens, and she slides her tongue across my index. Before I can process what she’s physically doing to me, she sticks both fingers in her mouth, sucking them in an up-and-down motion.
Holy shit, this is hot. She keeps her half-lidded eyes on me as she runs her tongue around my fingers. I’m seconds from taking her right here in this car; this is torture.
A wicked smile plays along her face as she removes my fingers and then leans in, putting her mouth against my ear and whispering, “As badly as I want you right here, I’m dying for you to show me your bedroom.
” A deep growl resonates from within my throat, echoing the primal instinct that has awakened in me.
We are two desperate flames, flickering with intensity, each filled with the potential to ignite an entire house, consuming everything in an inferno of passion and chaos.