Complications (4 page)

She felt like a complete idiot now. A complete, utterly humiliated idiot.

“Tell me about him.” Alex’s quiet words broke through the haze of memories that were slowly gathering.

“Do you always get your way?” she asked, her eyes flashing to his.

His sudden grin stole her breath. “I like it when you get feisty.” Her resulting flush broadened that grin even more. “And yes, most of the time I do.” There was that casual arrogance again…

Olivia watched as he slowly took another bite of his chicken, which reminded her that she had yet to start eating. As though on cue, her stomach rumbled, prompting her to pick up her fork and dig into her ravioli.

“Olivia…” Alex started.

She sighed, knowing he wouldn’t drop the subject until she relented. “There’s really nothing to say. After college, my cousin introduced us and we really hit it off. Fast forward about six years, he dumps me for another woman, with a smaller waist and bigger boobs. What more do you want me to say?” She stared at Alex, hoping that since he could read her so well he would figure out that she didn’t want to talk about Miles any longer. His expression was blank but at least he didn’t show pity, like Olivia’s own family had done. “I’m sorry, Alex. I just really don’t want to talk about him. Better yet, I want to forget that I ever met him and just move past that whole relationship.”

Alex didn’t say anything immediately, so Olivia returned to her dinner while he gathered his thoughts. But Olivia had lost her appetite, so she ended up just pushing food around her plate, waiting for him to speak.

“I can help you with that.” His voice was low. Without even looking up, she already knew that his eyes were blazing with that sensual stare that gave her shivers.

“Help me with what?” she asked in almost a whisper. But she already knew the answer. And while it scared her, it also warmed her to her core.

“Forgetting him. Moving on. I’m okay with being your rebound. I’ve already said that I want you.” Olivia’s fingers trembled at the thought and she quickly put down her fork before he could see the resulting vibration. Not that it would really matter, since she was positive every emotion showed on her face…the shock, the fear, the desire.

She hesitantly brought her eyes to his. He looked like the devil himself drenched in candlelight. Her eyes drank in the broadness of his shoulders and the warm desire in his eyes. “Sex, you mean,” she breathed. He didn’t respond, but the firm set of his jaw told her the answer. “And you always get what you want.”

“Only if you want it too,” he replied. Such a simple reply, but the pounding of her heart told her it was much more complicated than that.

She paused. But did it have to be complicated? He was offering her sex, pure and simple. But was she really the type of woman that could have sex without an emotional connection?

She had to be if she was going to agree. Even though Miles had been an asshole, she had still been in a relationship for six years. Opening herself up emotionally to someone else was unimaginable right now.

Suddenly shy, she met Alex’s eyes again. “Can I think about it?”

His lips quirked, “Of course. But do me a favor.” He leaned closer to her. “Don’t over think it. If we do this, it
will
get complicated. But try to remember that it’s okay if it does. It just means we’re doing something right.” She could feel herself start to melt at his words. Oh yeah. This man would be trouble for her. “Oh, and another thing. I think your breasts are perfect.”

He chuckled while Olivia turned crimson. She didn’t even have a chance to admire the sound due to her own embarrassment.

Oh yes, this man would be pure trouble indeed.

Chapter Four

Alex glanced up at the building Olivia stopped before. Seeing as it was an apartment complex, he figured it was time to say goodbye to her for the night.

After finishing the remainder of their dinner in relative ease and flirtatious teasing, he discovered she only lived down the street from her shop. She told him she didn’t mind walking home alone, but he had insisted that he accompany her.

She turned then to look up at him and he almost smiled when he saw a trace of uncertainty and a hint of nervousness. She was a marvel. Truly. He wanted to discover every emotion that passed over her features.

“Give me your phone,” he said. The softness of his voice transformed it into a question rather than a command. Her eyes briefly unfocused and Alex caught a hint of desire in their depths. The knowledge sent blood rushing to his groin.

The phone she handed him made his eyebrows raise in genuine surprise. “They still make these?” he asked, looking down at the tiny silver flip phone in his palm. There were scratches marring its surface along with a deep gouge near the battery. It looked ancient to him, judging by the simplicity of its design.

The defensive look she leveled at him made him feel like a scolded schoolboy. “That phone has served me well, I’ll have you know. I’m just not into all that techy gadget stuff.”

He wanted to kiss her so badly.

“Techy gadget stuff?” he repeated dumbly, his eyes focusing on her lips. They were currently pulled down into a disapproving frown.

“Yeah, you know. The texting, those app things. As long as my phone can call actual people, it works just fine for me.”

“You do know that I work for a company that produces that techy gadget stuff, right?” He enjoyed teasing her. He liked to see her get riled up and feisty. He had a taste of that over dinner and he wanted more.

Her eyes flashed as she stared him down, even though he was at least a half-foot taller than her. “Yes, I heard you the first time, Mr. Sales Director.”

“Director
of
Sales,” he corrected her, with a purposeful cocky grin. She made a frustrated sound in the back of her throat and his smile broadened. He looked back down to the phone in his hand, flipping it open. “Let me see if I can even work this thing,” he grumbled teasingly. He felt a light slap on his arm as he attempted to locate the contact list. But before her hand could retreat, he caught it with his free hand.

She went still as his fingers lightly traced over her soft palm. He threaded their hands together, but didn’t look at her. Once he was successful in inputting his contact information, he handed her phone back to her wordlessly and took a step closer. Her phone hung limply in her other hand, forgotten, as she stared up at him.

God, those big blue eyes.

“I’m going to kiss you now,” he softly informed her, drawing her closer by their entwined hands. He saw that same flash of desire in her eyes, but also a vulnerability he wanted to make disappear.

Even though he felt a small tremble in her hand, she breathlessly whispered, “Okay.” That did it for him.

He threaded his free hand through her silky dark hair, his heart pounding in anticipation. The moment his lips touched hers she made a small sound in the back of her throat. And it was sexy as hell.

He groaned when he felt how responsive she was to him. He could easily become addicted to her soft lips and eager mouth. He felt as though he had been kissing her his whole life. It felt so
right
. So completely right.

But his body was responding quickly and he didn’t want to scare her off again. He ended the kiss reluctantly, pulling back a little to briefly kiss the soft skin of her neck. She didn’t wear any perfume, but her skin smelled like lavender. And flour.
Delicious
. With his mouth practically watering, he smiled against her neck when he felt the erratic pulse there. He was sure it matched his own.

“I put my number in your phone,” he whispered against her skin. He pulled back so he could see her eyes. They were glazed over, dazed. But his gaze was quickly brought down to her slightly swollen pink lips. Unable to resist, he leaned in and lightly nibbled on her full bottom lip while she gasped. He groaned but he forced himself to pull back again, swearing he felt actual physical pain. “You’re in charge, darling.” His voice sounded rough even to his own ears. “Call me when you want to see me again. But if you don’t call me in the next few days, I just might have to come see you myself.”

Her eyes were so clear they were like mirrors. He could see his outline in them. “Bossy,” she whispered, her sensual lips curving into a small smile.

He had a feeling that this woman had the power to make him beg for her. The connection he felt with her was surreal. It was something he had never felt before. Not even with Julia.
Definitely
not with Julia.

“Damn straight,” he replied. He kissed her quickly one last time and stepped away before he forgot they were still in public. His hand swung to his side, still warm from hers. “Goodnight, darling.”

She looked a little unsteady at first since he had released her so quickly but she eventually gained her footing. She gave him a smile that weakened his resolve to not kiss her again. “Goodnight, Alex.”

He waited until she disappeared into her building, his eyes intently locked to the sway of her hips.

The woman didn’t know how sexy she was.

But she would. And he planned to show her just how much.

She’ll call. Just be patient,
he thought.

Easier said than done. Alex had never been a patient man.

* * * * *

Olivia had wanted to call Alex the second she reached her apartment. She had wanted to hear his deep voice over the phone, wanted to hear his response when she invited him into her bed.

But, of course, she didn’t tell Christie these intimate details when she recounted the entire situation to her the next morning. She also didn’t relay to her dearest friend that she spent the rest of the night staring at his contact information, trying to wrap her mind around the whole evening.
Alex Matlock
was the name he typed in. It was unreal, yet the proof that the evening had actually transpired was clearly inputted into her phone.

Christie dropped by the shop before it opened. Once Olivia was confident that Sarah and Alice could handle preparations for the next half hour without her, she met the clearly excited woman at her shop’s front door to let her in.

The moment the door opened, her boisterous friend practically shrieked. “All of my wildest dreams are coming true! You’re finally free of that super lame, dirt bag, cheating tyrant
and
you’re going to get laid—”

Olivia slapped a hand over her overly thrilled friend’s mouth. “Will you keep your voice down? Sarah and Alice are in the back,” she said in a low voice. But Olivia couldn’t help the smile that crept over her features.

“How can I keep my voice down at a time like this? Livy, please,
please
tell me you’ve Googled him so I can at least see a picture. It would make my morning.”

“How did I get saddled with a nut like you?” Olivia mumbled in exasperation.

Olivia had met Christie during college. Olivia had been taking courses in Business Administration whereas Christie proudly represented the Liberal Arts. But fatefully, they crossed each other’s paths when they both joined their college’s book club the same semester. They bonded over poorly written horror novels and making fun of the group’s president, who made them read an extensive amount of Plato as a hazing method.

Olivia was the more reserved of the two. Christie was anything but reserved. She currently worked as an assistant to the curator of the wackiest modern art gallery Olivia had ever seen. Not that she told Christie that. Nevertheless, they balanced one another nicely.

“Less talky…more pictures,” Christie demanded, holding out her hand like she thought Olivia had made printouts. Her numerous bangles jingled and chimed as she bobbed her arm excitedly.

Olivia collapsed into a chair at one of the three tables in her small shop. “I don’t have any pictures, Christie. And no, I didn’t Google him either.”

Christie actually pouted as she dropped into the chair opposite Olivia. “You’re no fun.” She instantly brightened though as another thought crossed her mind. “But you are going to sleep with him, right?”

“I don’t know,” Olivia said, wincing when it sounded like a whine. “I keep thinking that it’s…”

“Slutty? Oh please, Livy. If this hunk is anywhere near as hot as you tell me he is, then I say slut it up! You deserve to have some meaningless, hot sex with a smokin’ hot guy. God I can just imagine the look on Miles’ stupid face if he ever found out.” Christie mumbled the last part almost to herself.

The thought sobered Olivia. “That’s another thing, Christie. Do you think it’s too soon?”

Christie stared at her, her mouth slightly ajar. “Are you
kidding
me? No! That jerk cheated on you, Livy. For over a
year
.” Olivia flinched, the knowledge still searing her to the core, even as her face burned with embarrassment. “If it were me, I would have slept with someone the very next day just to get back at that loser.”

“But I’m not you,” she murmured. Christie instantly softened when she heard the tired voice of her friend. “I know what he did was terrible and that I didn’t deserve it. But Miles was my first…everything. I was in a relationship with him for
six
years and a few weeks doesn’t change that. And I hate to say this but, even though I want nothing more than to just move on, I have this feeling that there will always be a part of me that will love him.” She gave a frustrated sigh as her throat tightened. With the bad always came the good. Olivia couldn’t forget how wonderful the first few years of their relationship had been. And how the last two had been like a train wreck.

“Sweetie,” Christie said softly. “I’m not saying that you should completely forget about him. I
liked
Miles when you two first starting dating, remember? I thought he was great for you. But afterwards, after all those things he said to you…sometimes I just wanted to shake you to wake you up. I hate that you’re in pain right now over this, but I’m not going to pretend that I’m not happy you’re done with him. He became bad for you, Livy. I’m just glad you can finally see that now.”