by Tracy Reed
He reached over and covered her hand. His gesture surprised her. “I know.”
“You know?”
“I know you’re not there yet, and that’s cool. However, I’m not sure I can be in relationship where there is no physical intimacy.”
She pulled her hand back. “I see.” She was wishing for something stronger in her tea right now. “So, this is over?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You pretty much did.”
He pushed his cup and saucer a few inches away from his hands. “I said I’m not sure. That doesn’t mean I’m not willing to try.”
“I’m confused.”
“I like you, Olivia. I like spending time with you, and I think you like me as well.” He looked down and saw her list. She caught him looking at the notepad and reached for it. “What’s this?” He grabbed it before she could.
“Nothing.” She tried to get it away from him, but he was too quick.
He read over the list and looked at her. “Financially, yes, I’ll be a good provider. I would like to think my training as a therapist would make me a good emotional provider. My practice is doing very well, and I’ve started writing my first book. As for my family, both of my parents are alive and healthy, and live in the city. My father is lead counsel for Smith, Tyson and Griggs, and my mother doesn’t work. Anything else?”
“No.” She folded her arms across her chest.
“Stop it.”
“Excuse me.”
“Your arms. You do that when you get defensive.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do.” He sighed. “I wish you would relax. I’m not going to hurt you. And, I’m not breaking up with you.”
“But the way you left the other night and I hadn’t heard from you, I thought…”
He stood up, walked over, lowered her arms and took her hands in his. “As much as I want to make love to you, I don’t think you’re ready. I think the other night things may have gotten out of control.” He was delivering his speech perfectly. He almost believed the crap he was telling her.
He did want to sleep with her, but not because he cared about her. He was attracted to her, but his desire to sleep with her was for control. When they finally made love, it would be on Olivia’s terms. Then she’d be his, and willing to do whatever he asked of her, or didn’t.
“So, you’re fine waiting?” She looked surprised.
“Not really,” he smiled, “but I will.”
She pulled his face close. “I respect your honesty.” She gently kissed him. “Thank you.” Maybe Eric was worth changing for.
Chapter 12
Olivia couldn’t believe how well things were going with Eric. For the first time in quite a while, she was excited about her boyfriend. They weren’t trying to be discrete. They just didn’t frequent places where most of her friends went. She spent her days with her charity work, visiting with Mr. Wilson, and doing a little marketing for her father. He was expanding into the south and needed her help with the promotion.
Olivia was considered a consultant, which meant she could work from home. Three days a week she worked from home, and every other Monday morning she met with her father at his office. Only David Bennett would use Sunday family time as a business meeting. After church, she and her parents had brunch, which turned into a mini staff meeting.
She had been contemplating inviting Eric to church and Sunday brunch, but she wasn’t sure it was time to subject him to her father. She’d introduced him to her mother a few weeks ago, and he passed with high marks. Meeting her father was a whole other challenge. Instead, she called her friend DeeDee. A double date would be perfect. DeeDee and Mike were the kind of couple she wanted she and Eric to be. She hoped spending time with them would sort of push Eric to take their relationship to the next phase.
She had always wanted to get married, but there wasn’t anyone she really wanted to get married to. Apart from her two near misses, there hadn’t been anyone else. Truthfully, she was too scared to bring up the subject. She didn’t want to scare Eric. She knew she was already asking a lot of him by not sleeping with him. She felt that if she wanted the kind of relationship DeeDee and Mike had, she was going to have to make a few adjustments. That meant no more using men just because they were using her. And, really taking her commitment to God seriously.
She looked at the clock on her phone. Her lunch date was late, which was strange. DeeDee Matthews was never late. If anything, she was usually the one sitting and waiting on Olivia. She looked around the restaurant, trying not to be noticed. She sipped her wine, and when she put her glass back on the table, she got a surprise.
“Got a hot date?”
She almost choked. “Hi.” Her smile covered her face. “What are you doing here?” He kissed her lightly on the lips.
“I was having lunch with a colleague. What about you?”
“I’m meeting a friend.”
“A friend?” Eric smiled.
“Yes.”
He looked around the restaurant at the nosey eyes observing their exchange. “How much longer are you going to let me stand here?”
“I’m sorry. Please,” she extended her hand toward the empty chair across from her.
“I didn’t mean to intrude…”
“You didn’t. I’m just surprised to see you here.”
He looked around the restaurant. “It’s really not my kind of place.”
She was finding it hard not to fidget. Her nervousness around Eric had gotten better, but there was still something about him that made her feel like a giddy school girl.
“No, it isn’t.” He looked at her, smiling. They rarely ate uptown. He liked having uptown clients, because he preferred a more relaxed atmosphere. He noticed all of the people watching them. All of this attention and scrutiny wasn’t his style. He ignored the prying eyes and tried to keep his hands to himself. “Do you want to have dinner in tonight? You can come over to my place and I’ll order in.”
She looked up and saw DeeDee walking towards the table. “That might be nice.”
“Or, we can go old school and do burgers and a movie.”
She smiled. “I can’t remember the last time I went out for a burger.”
“Then it’s settled. I’ll pick you up at seven.” He saw her attention was elsewhere.
She beckoned to DeeDee to come over. DeeDee walked up to the side of the table and stopped.
“I see I’ve been replaced,” she smiled.
Eric looked up. “I’m sorry.” He stood up.
“Who’s your friend, Olivia?”
“Dr. Eric King, DeeDee Matthews.”
“Nice to meet you,” he shook her hand.
“Likewise.” She sat down, and Eric pushed her chair in.
“If you’ll excuse me. I’ll leave you ladies to your lunch.” He lingered a few seconds before leaving.
Olivia watched him walk away and DeeDee turned around watching him. She turned back to face Olivia. “So that’s him.” She placed her napkin in her lap.
“Who?”
“The man you’ve been seeing and the reason you invited me to lunch.” She sipped her water and smiled.
“He’s not the reason I invited you to lunch.” She smiled.
“Olivia, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were in love.” Olivia smiled and sipped her wine. “Oh, my God. You are.”
“Who said anything about…how’s Mike?”
“Oh no, you don’t. I want to know all about the doctor.”
“There’s not much to tell.”
“The smile on your face says otherwise.”
“Shhh…the last thing I need is for some nosey reporter or blogger to hear you.”
She looked around. “Honey, the only people in here are too stuffy to know what a blog is.” They laughed.
“But that doesn’t stop them from talking.”
“Who cares what they say?”
“I do. My father definitely does.” She sipped he
r wine. “So, how is Mike?”
“He’s fine. He likes his new position.”
“That’s good. What about…”
“Back up, Missy.”
“What?”
“We’re not skating over the new man in your life.”
‘What do you want to know?”
“Who, what, where, how and why am I just meeting him?”
“We met at a party and have been…uhm, we’ve been…”
“This is a first.” DeeDee smiled.
“What and why are you smiling like that?”
“I can’t believe cool, collected, Olivia Bennett is at a loss for words.”
“No, I’m not,” she protested and sipped her champagne.
“Yes, you are.” DeeDee sipped her water. “If I’m not mistaken, you’re blushing.”
“I’m not blushing.”
“Honey, that color in your cheeks isn’t from your blush, but from that man.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“You’re right…it’s love.” She smiled.
Chapter 13
Eric stood staring out his office window wondering what his next move should be. Things were going well with Olivia. They had been together almost a year. However, she still wouldn’t sleep with him. He needed her to invite him into her bed in order for his plan to work. He believed once he slept with her, she would be willing to do anything he asked. Until then, he was sort of stuck.
His practice was going well, but he knew if he had some of the Manhattan elite as his clients, it would be even better.
He had completed his first book, and thanks to a friend at a small press, he was able to get a decent book deal. However, his publisher wasn’t willing to put out a lot of money to market a self-help book from an unknown. Another reason why he needed Olivia. If she were to endorse a party for him, all of Manhattan would attend and the press would be phenomenal.
He couldn’t figure out where he went wrong. He was doing everything he could think of. He was even attending church with her on Sundays, and having brunch with her family. Charming her mother was a piece of cake. Her father on the other hand, was a challenge. Getting David Bennett to like him was just as difficult as getting Olivia to sleep with him.
His phone rang, interrupting his strategy session. He walked over to his desk and picked up his phone. He looked at the screen, Olivia. He pressed the button and her face appeared on the screen. “Hey babe.”
“Hi, baby.”
He looked at his watch. “I might be running a little late.”
“Me too.”
“Oh. What time do you want me to pick you up?”
“Uhm, three hundred and forty five hours.”
“What?”
“I have to go out of town.”
“When?”
“Today…now.”
“Miss Bennett, will there be anything else?” The attendant asked.
“Where are you?”
“On my way to Dallas.”
“What?”
“My dad has the flu and this trip couldn’t be pushed back, so I got drafted.”
He sighed. “Thus the strange pick up time for dinner.”
“I’m sorry.” She sipped her champagne. “I thought it was just a couple of days, until I got the itinerary.”
“I see.” He was cool on the phone, but cursing inside.
He needed every moment he could get with Olivia. The more time he spent with her the better. Although it didn’t seem like he was making progress, he knew she was barely holding on. The past few weeks, he noticed she seemed a little more aggressive when she kissed him. He could feel her body reacting differently. She no longer flinched when his hand accidentally brushed up against her breast and lingered into a slow massage. In fact, he noticed she sort of invited him to feel her up. But her being away from him for two weeks was bad. That was a cooling off period he couldn’t afford.
“I was thinking…”
“What?”
“What are your plans for the weekend?”
“I’m not sure now. Seems the beautiful lady I was taking to the theatre and dinner cancelled on me. Why?”
“How about you come down and we try some Texas beef and check out a rodeo?”
“Are you serious?”
“Why not?”
He looked at her face on his phone and the idea of spending the weekend with her in Dallas was intriguing. Maybe this was her way of saying she wanted to have sex.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“Are you afraid I might attack you?” she giggled.
“Should I be afraid of you?” He couldn’t believe she was flirting like this, maybe it was the champagne.
“How much champagne have you had?”
“A couple of glasses, why?”
“Uh-huh. Can I let you know later?”
“I’m sorry. What was I thinking. You know what, forget what I said. I’ll call you…”
“Olivia, stop it.” When she got embarrassed, she reverted to a childlike innocence which was a little annoying. He wasn’t sure what the cause was, but he hoped to figure it out. “I didn’t say no.”
“Forget I said anything. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Olivia…I think it’s kind of…we aren’t really…a weekend trip is…”
“You don’t think it’s a good idea because we aren’t sleeping together.”
He sighed. “Yea. I come out there, I don’t want to just eat steak and go to a rodeo. Nor do I want to stay in a separate room or bed.”
“I see. I thought you were different.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. I have some reports to review. Good bye.” She was gone.
He cursed to himself. He hated to sound hard, but it was the truth. He wasn’t flying all the way to Dallas for another platonic date. At least if they were here, he could go to La Porte Noir and bang out his frustration with Jasmine.
Now he was screwed without the benefit of a partner and any sort of satisfaction. He needed to fix this mess. He replayed the conversation. Olivia’s last statement was bouncing off the walls of his mind. ”I thought you were different.” What did she mean?
He pressed her number and waited for her face to appear, but the call went straight to voice mail. He dialed it again and the same thing. Either she couldn’t get reception, which he doubted, or she was pissed. It was radio silence until she cooled down.
He texted the concierge at La Porte Noir. He needed to see Jasmine. He booked a double session and decided to deal with Olivia in the morning.
Chapter 14
He exited the airport rental car parking lot clueless. Olivia refused to answer his calls or texts. When his assistant couldn’t get any information, he went to the one person that would be helpful. Clyde told him what hotel she was staying in and wished him luck. He needed more than luck.
That statement she made kept him up most of the night, and caused him to catch the first flight to Dallas. His plan was to get a room in her hotel and sit in the lobby waiting for her, and then apologize.
He checked into his room and sat in the lobby all day watching every woman that entered or exited the lobby. He looked at his watch and realized he’d been in the lobby almost eighteen hours and still hadn’t seen Olivia.
Eric picked up his phone and pressed Clyde’s number. He picked up on the first ring. “Hello, Clyde. Dr. King here.”
“Yes, sir. Did you find Miss Bennett?”
“No. Are you sure you gave me the correct hotel?”
“Yes. She said if there was an emergency, I was to leave a message on her cell and one at her hotel.”
“And she’s staying at the Joule.”
“That’s correct. Would you like for me to call her?”
“No. I don’t want to upset her. Thank you.”
“Good night.”
“Good night.” He pressed the button ending the call and walked back to the concierge. “Excuse me. Are you sure Miss
Bennett hasn’t come in and you just didn’t see her?”
“Dr. King, as I told you the other twelve times, no. I haven’t seen her and no, she hasn’t returned. Just in case I missed her, I took a message up to her room and taped it on the bathroom mirror.” The concierge was trying to be patient.
“Thank you.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how bad was the fight?”
“Excuse me?”
“It must have been a really bad fight.”
Eric exhaled. “It wasn’t so much a fight…”
“Son, take it from someone who’s been in your shoes. If you flew out here and she’s still not returning your calls, it’s worse than you want to admit.”
Eric shook his head. “I said something I shouldn’t have on top of turning down her invitation to join her for the weekend.”
“You’ll be lucky if she doesn’t shoot you. You know guns are legal here,” he joked. He looked up in the direction of the front door. “Pull yourself together. Seems your girlfriend is here.”
Eric turned around and looked Olivia in the eye. “What are you doing here?” This was a new personality…cold and distant. He’d never seen her business persona.
“I wanted to apologize.”
She kept walking towards the elevator. “Olivia…Olivia…” He ran to catch up to her at the elevators.
“What do you want Eric?”
“To apologize.”
“You did, now leave.”
“No.”
“Do I need to call security?”
“Olivia, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I did.”
The elevator opened and she stepped inside and he followed her. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to my room?”
“You’re staying here?”
“Yes. I’ve been sitting in the lobby all day waiting on you.”
“I hope you enjoyed yourself.” She stared at the numbers on the elevator panel.
“You aren’t going to make this easy.”
“Why should I? You hurt me Eric.”
“I’m sorry.”
“So, I’m supposed to just forgive you because you flew out here and said you’re sorry?”
“Yes, and because you know I didn’t mean what I said.”