Chapter 18
Oliver stirred me awake by nuzzling my cheek with his nose. I mumbled something incoherent, and he repeated the gesture.
”Do you want to go down to the beach?” he whispered.
”Now?” I groggily responded.
”Yes, now. Everyone went to bed,” he urged.
”I think I ate too much at dinner,” I admitted, feeling the weight of the meal still lingering in my stomach.
I had expected Oliver to have the chef prepare something extravagant, but instead, we had enjoyed a simple yet satisfying spread of chicken kabobs, T-bone steaks, Swordfish steaks, and several side salads. I had indulged in too many marinated chicken kabobs and a hefty portion of spring dill potato salad. Even hours later, I still felt stuffed.
”Then come to the beach, and we can work it off,” Oliver suggested.
”You can do the same thing here,” I countered, not quite ready to leave the comfort of our bed.
I heard him sigh audibly, and the bed shifted as he got up. Opening the French doors leading to the terrace, he let in the soothing sound of the waves. A gentle breeze wafted into the air-conditioned room, bringing with it the scent of the ocean. Oliver returned to bed and nudged me onto my back, his hand slipping under my t-shirt as I kept my eyes closed, relishing the sensation.
“Get undressed,” he growled.
“Oliver, I don’t have the energy,” I whined.
“I’m not asking you to do anything. I’ll do it all.”
“You want me comatose?” I asked.
“You won’t be after I get done with you.”
I whimpered as I sat up and removed my t-shirt. Oliver tugged at my panties, and I quickly lifted my hips before they ended up in shreds as so many pairs had before. The moonlight lit the room and I saw him in partial silhouette as he removed his boxers. Now I was wide awake.
He got between my legs, spreading them with his hands. I shivered in anticipation. He held my lips open and stroked his tongue through them and I couldn’t help myself and moaned loudly.
“You taste incredible. Must be the salt water.”
I groaned my approval as Oliver spread me wide and tongue fucked me. After a few minutes, he slipped two fingers inside me and sucked my clit. I was so close and clenched the sheets with my fists before I exploded. Oliver didn’t let up after I came, he stopped sucking me but kept his fingers inside, plunging them in and out until I felt another orgasm building.
I gritted my teeth and tightened my core as he continued, coaxing another mind-numbing explosion until my body went limp.
“That’s my girl. Do you energy now?” he chuckled.
“I doubt it. I feel weak.”
Oliver climbed up my body, planting kisses along my heated skin. His flesh was damp, and he left a wet trail as he ascended to my lips.
“I love you, Ryleigh.”
“I know,” I murmured.
“Wow, that’s mighty arrogant of you.”
“It’s not arrogance. It’s security. I know you love me.”
He latched on to my ear, while he positioned his cock at my entrance and sank into me. I was wide awake now, loving how he stretched me with his penis. I wrapped my legs around his back as he rocked into me. We came together and I was done for the night as I went limp under him. I was fading off to sleep when I heard the familiar jingle of his phone.
I woke to a refreshing ocean breeze gently blowing through the open terrace doors. Oliver was nowhere to be found, and I found myself entangled in the sheets. I pushed them aside and reached for my shirt from the floor, the sound of voices drifting in from outside. The patio was directly below us, shared with three other bedrooms on each side.
As I stood up and closed the doors, I caught a glimpse of my mother, Anders, Sadie, and Finley gathered around the table outside. Matthew was likely out walking Blackie, and I had no clue where Oliver had disappeared to. After a quick shower, I made a feeble attempt to straighten the covers on the bed before slipping into gray terry shorts and a navy polo shirt.
Downstairs, the kitchen was bustling with activity as the chef and two waitstaff members prepared breakfast, arranging silver trays with covers. Despite having overindulged at dinner the night before, I found myself feeling hungry once again. I joined my family outside.
”There she is,” Anders greeted me.
“He’s in his office working.”
I frowned but said nothing as the food was placed on the serving table. I lost my appetite and went inside to find Oliver. He said he wouldn’t work this weekend. He was pacing his office dressed in a pair of pressed olive shorts and a black polo shirt. A small earpiece was in his ear as he talked. I didn’t make my presence known as I peered in the partially opened door.
“We need more security. I don’t want Ryleigh to worry.”
My stomach tightened as he mentioned my name. Were we in danger? I waited by the door, listening to his conversation which ended less than a minute later. When Oliver hung up, I pushed into the room.
“You heard?”
“Are we in some kind of trouble?”
He thought for a few seconds before he answered, “Not particularly. We’re out there because of our engagement. I’ve set up a security detail for you when we’re not together or I’m out of the office. You’re to follow their instructions.”
I bit my lip. “I’m not sure I’m happy with this arrangement.”
”Sweetheart, I”ve been accommodating with many things, but I”m not backing down on this one. I want to keep you safe,” Oliver insisted.
”I understand, but it”s... intrusive,” I countered, feeling conflicted.
”Is Vlad intrusive?” Oliver questioned.
”Vlad is intimidating,” I admitted.
”That”s his job,” Oliver affirmed, pulling me into a comforting embrace.
I knew he was only trying to protect me, but I couldn”t help feeling a sense of frustration. He released me and led me out to the patio where everyone was enjoying breakfast. Despite waking up hungry, worry now dampened my appetite. I mechanically filled my plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, and fruit salad, but barely touched any of it.
As conversation buzzed around me, I couldn”t shake the heightened awareness of the security detail surrounding the house. They blended in effortlessly, dressed casually like the rest of us. Vlad maintained a watchful eye from his position near the patio, while two other men, one tall with brown hair and the other short and stocky with a shaved head, stood further down the property. The lone female security agent patrolled near the beach. I wondered if they had been there all along, and I simply hadn”t noticed.
”You didn”t eat much,” Oliver remarked as he finished his conversation with Anders.
”Not hungry. Can I go to the beach?” I asked, feeling the need for some space.
”You can do whatever you want,” Oliver replied, his tone firm.
”But you said...,” I started to protest.
”You can do whatever you want,” he repeated, his tone leaving no room for argument.
I pushed my chair back, drawing everyone”s attention as I announced, ”I”m going to the beach.”
”I could go with you,” Sadie offered.
”Finish breakfast. I want to go for a walk,” I replied, already making my way down the wide expanse of lawn.
As I passed the female security agent, she nodded in acknowledgment. I reached the water”s edge, the cold surf lapping at my feet as I walked along the beach, kicking at the sand and pausing to examine shells attached to the jetty rocks.
”Ryleigh,” Oliver”s voice broke through my thoughts, and I turned to see him standing a few feet away.
”What?” I replied, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside me.
”You”re upset,” he observed gently.
”I”m unnerved,” I admitted, feeling the weight of our newfound fame bearing down on me.
”It won”t always be like this. Our engagement news will die down, and they”ll find something else to report on,” Oliver reassured me.
”I wish we had our island,” I murmured wistfully.
”We have our island. We just need a house. I”ve spoken with a few contractors. I think we can have our home together by next year,” Oliver said optimistically.
”How? It usually takes a year or two to build a house here, and we have bridges to transport supplies,” I questioned.
”Money talks. I have contacts that will bring in supplies and extra men to build our home,” Oliver explained confidently.
”I want to be alone with you without interruption. I don”t want to be the focus of a news story,” I confessed, feeling vulnerable.
”This is my fault. I should”ve prepared you. I”m sorry,” Oliver apologized, his sincerity evident.
I approached him, gently stroking the light stubble on his jawline. He always tried to make things right.
”You would never be able to prepare me as I step from anonymity,” I admitted.
”You weren”t anonymous. That”s impossible,” Oliver countered.
”I was Oliver until you came along. Now I”m the girl who captured the heart of one of the most eligible bachelors in the country,” I protested, feeling the weight of my newfound identity.
”You”re right, you did capture my heart. I”ll do anything to make you happy,” Oliver vowed.
”Just love me,” I whispered.
”I do love you. Please don”t be upset. I hate when you”re upset,” Oliver pleaded.
”I”m not,” I assured him, taking his hand as he led me back up the lawn.
Today wasn”t a beach day; it was a pool day. Later, we sat around the pool with my family, enjoying each other”s company as Blackie chased a ball into the water. The sky grew dark, and we could see bolts of lightning in the distance.
As the rain began to sprinkle down, we quickly packed up everything and sought shelter indoors. Vlad called his staff inside, and we shut the French doors just as the rain turned torrential. Inside, the chef had set out a delicious spread for lunch.
I filled my plate with leftover spring dill potato salad, cold poached salmon and endive salad. For dessert, I ate many fresh strawberries with a dollop of whipped cream. We sat around the large dining table in the kitchen while Blackie went around begging for food. It warmed my heart to see my family accepting Oliver like he was one of us.
I moaned loudly as Oliver sank into me in our bedroom. Sadie, Anders, Finley and Matthew were playing a rousing game of Monopoly in the sitting room while my mother sat near them reading a book from Oliver’s extensive library. I was in no mood to play a game and when I yawned a few times, Oliver asked if I wanted to take a nap. I already knew we would be doing anything but.
He quickly undressed me, then himself, getting me on all fours at the edge of the bed before he thrust his thick penis inside me. Sometimes it made me scared of how much I craved this man.
“You’re so wet. I barely touched you and you’re soaked,” he grunted.
“You don’t need to touch me,” I panted.
Oliver grabbed my hips, curling his fingers into my skin as he pounded me. The room was filled with the slapping of flesh and our moans along with the sound of the rain pounding the house. He pushed my hand away when I reached under to rub my clit.
“You know you can come without that.”
It was true. Oliver was the only man that had ever given me a vaginal orgasm. With my other boyfriends, I needed my clit stimulated. My fiancé was very skilled in bed and knew just how to move to hit that sensitive bundle of nerves inside me. He rolled his pelvis, stroking my tissue until I was on edge. I rippled against him and he immediately stopped.
“No,” I whimpered.
“Shh, it will be so much better if we come together. I’m not ready to stop.”
“I need to come,” I mewled.
“And you will.”
He once again started to move, slowly at first then sped up, bringing me to the edge time and time again until I was practically crying for him to make me come.
“I’m close sweetheart. So close.”
He gave me three more powerful thrusts and I fell apart as he filled me with his liquid heat. I moaned his name before my body grew weak and I collapsed on the bed. Oliver lay alongside me, planting kisses on my back.
He ran his hand over my damp back. “My wife.”
“Fiancée,” I mumbled into the pillow.
“Indulge me, please.”
“It could be months, even years,” I said.
“Months I can deal with, but not years. I want you to be Mrs. Fox.”
I turned to my side to look at him, stroking the damp hair on his forehead.
“We don’t need a piece of paper for me to be Mrs. Fox. I’m committed.”
“I need it. I want to know you’re mine,” he said.
I cupped his cheek, meeting his gaze. “I am yours.”
Oliver pressed his lips to mine, holding them in place until I thrust my tongue into his mouth, stroking along his.
”You taste good,” Oliver whispered, his lips brushing against mine.
”What do I taste like?” I asked, curiosity piqued.
”Strawberries,” he replied.
”From lunch,” I clarified, chuckling softly.
”Everything on you tastes good, especially certain things,” he murmured suggestively.
”Are you sure you”re thirty-six? You act like you”re sixteen sometimes,” I teased affectionately.
”You bring out the youth in me,” Oliver confessed, his eyes sparkling with adoration.
”You are young. You think thirty-six is old?” I challenged playfully.
”No, but compared to you it is,” he countered.
”It”s not. Promise me you”ll live until you”re one hundred,” I requested, half-jokingly.
”I promise, and in the interim, I want to give you the world,” Oliver vowed sincerely.
”I think I”d like to get married at Hotel SW,” I declared, suddenly feeling a surge of excitement.
Oliver”s face lit up with enthusiasm. ”You would? I can arrange it very quickly. I”ve dealt with Sebastian Wyatt before.”
”The singer?” I questioned, recalling the name from somewhere.
”No, the father of the singer,” Oliver clarified. ”He”s amassed quite an empire outside of the Wyatt brand. I”ve worked with him on a couple of real estate projects. I”m sure he could get us into one of his rooms at the hotel in midtown.”
”I don”t want just any room. I want the garden room,” I insisted firmly.
”Why?” Oliver inquired, curious about my choice.
”Because I love the windows and the ceiling,” I explained, my mind already envisioning the beauty of the garden room at Hotel SW. With its stained glass windows and partial glass roof, it was a truly stunning setting that overlooked the Hudson River.
”I”d have to pull some favors to get in there,” Oliver admitted, his expression thoughtful.
”Please?” I pleaded, my heart set on the idea.
I had always dreamed of having my wedding in The Garden Room ever since we attended a function there several years ago. The size of the room and the breathtaking views had left a lasting impression on me.
”I”ll call Sebastian on Monday,” Oliver relented.
”Thank you,” I said gratefully.
”What date would you like?” Oliver inquired.
”Late spring or early summer. I love that time of year,” I replied, envisioning a romantic outdoor ceremony.
Oliver”s face tightened slightly. ”But that”s so far away.”
”It”s not. It”s less than a year, and I”ll need time to figure everything out,” I explained, hoping he would understand.
”Hire a wedding planner. You have carte blanche to do whatever you want. I don”t care about the expense,” Oliver offered generously.
”What about our honeymoon?” I asked, excitement bubbling up inside me.
”If you want to wait that long, maybe our island home will be finished by then,” Oliver said, a hint of anticipation in his voice.
”A whole week on a private island? That sounds wonderful,” I exclaimed, imagining the bliss of being away from it all.
”Not just a week. At least two weeks,” Oliver corrected with a smirk.
”Two weeks away from civilization. That sounds delicious,” I mused, feeling a wave of contentment wash over me.
Oliver pressed his lips to my shoulder, murmuring, ”You”re delicious.”
I rolled my eyes and couldn”t help but giggle. ”You”re so sappy sometimes.”
”It”s because I”m in love with you. You”ll never see this side of me in the office,” Oliver admitted, his tone softening.
”I”m sure. You”re all business when you”re there,” I agreed, knowing firsthand how driven he was.
”I have to be. There”s plenty of competition,” he said.
”Like who?” I asked, wondering about his rivals in the business world.
“Several around the city, Jordan Grayson, Jonathan Lawson, Sebastian Wyatt just to name a few.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Sebastian Wyatt is from Boston.”
He smoothed my hair. “But he holds many interests in New York and the surrounding area. They are friends personally but foes in business.”
“You know them all? Who else do you know?”
“Zane Butler and Katherine Argento in the software space.”
My eyes widened. “I love Katherine Argento. Did you know she sold her share of One on One for half a billion dollars?”
“It wasn’t by choice, but it gave her the ability to start another company.”
“By choice?”
“She was forced out regardless of what you read in the papers. It reminds us all to keep our eyes open. I have another business acquaintance that didn’t and he lost it all. He owns another company that sells collapsible sporting goods like packable kayaks and paddles.”
“Who?”
“Killian O’Rourke. Do you know him?” Oliver asked.
I shrugged. “Not really.
“You might know his wife Victoria better. She built a large business consulting firm.”
“I vaguely remember reading an article about her a couple of years back.”
“Killian took his eyes off his business and his vice president torpedoed the whole thing. It’s why I work so hard. It’s why I want you to be my second pair of eyes. My company is growing, and I can’t keep my eyes on everything. If I have my wife with me, she can help,” he said with conviction.
“I plan on it. “
Oliver pushed me to my back and took my right nipple in his mouth. I hoped it would always be this way between us.
When Sunday rolled around, I felt a pang of sadness at the thought of leaving. Oliver reassured me that we would invite everyone to Southampton again and that the house would always be available for my family to use.
We departed shortly before three, leaving the staff to tidy up the house for the next guests. I leaned against Oliver”s shoulder in the car, attempting to nap and make up for the sleep I had missed the night before. Upon arriving home, I felt utterly lazy and watched as Oliver unpacked my suitcase despite my protests.
”How do you have so much energy?” I marveled.
”I”m used to little sleep,” Oliver replied casually.
”Even before me?” I asked, surprised.
”Absolutely. My schedule has been somewhat disrupted by you, but I can still function quite well,” he explained.
I scowled playfully. ”Disrupted?”
”Distracted, upset, whatever word you want to insert,” he clarified with a grin.
I couldn”t help but giggle at his choice of words. ”Insert?”
”Ryleigh, you like to act so innocent sometimes, but I know otherwise,” Oliver teased.
”Why don”t you come and see just how innocent I am?” I suggested flirtatiously.
”I have work to do,” Oliver replied, trying to sound serious despite the twinkle in his eyes.
”Will this convince you?” I asked, removing my t-shirt and opening my bra.
”You”re such a tease,” Oliver chuckled.
”I”ll lie here like this until you make a move,” I teased, enjoying the banter.
With a grin, Oliver dove onto the bed, and unpacking our suitcases was quickly forgotten as we surrendered to each other”s embrace.