by Molly O'Hare
“Why is he in timeout?” Olive asked not taking her eyes from the soon to be the leader of the world.
The moment the words were out of her mouth the Corgi stood. He faced her, staring her head on. The judgment was substantial in his eyes.
Great! Now when he overthrows the government I’ll be the first to go.
Olive placed her hands up in surrender. “No worries, Pancake. I’m sure whatever you did doesn’t warrant being placed in timeout.”
At the name “Pancake” the dog shot his nose into the air before falling onto the bed like she’d offended it.
What in the world?
“Oh my god, that was awesome.” Holly threw herself into the rolling chair as she laughed. “Don’t mind him. He’s overly dramatic.” When Holly pulled herself back to the computer, she reached for the clipboard. In the process though, she knocked over a mug. “Shit! That’s the third one this morning.”
Olive’s eyes widened. Where the heck was she and what the hell was going on? Plus was this lady alright? Olive did her best not to laugh when Holly started to clean up the spilled coffee, only to have a cup of pens fall over.
Holly threw her hands in the air. “Forget it.” She moved back to the Corgi before scooting him over and plopping down next to him. The woman pointed behind her as she scratched the Corgi behind the ears, before pointing past Olive. “Have a seat over there. Ben will be with you shortly.”
Deciding to leave well enough alone, Olive heaved the carrier to the waiting area, but not before she took one more glance at the Corgi over her shoulder. I’m watching you.
Olive nearly dropped the carrier when the Corgi winked at her.
Holy hell.
She did her best to ignore the new leader of the world and went to the waiting room.
Olive only waited about ten minutes before she was called.
“Dog?”
“That’s us.” Olive stood readying herself to carry the monster once again. However, the man in a white lab coat beat her to it.
Olive took a step back not sure what to do. The chances of this guy stealing Dog were slim to none.
Oh, how nice it would be if he was stealing Dog, though…
She hadn’t been to a vet hospital before, but was this normal?
She followed behind as the man placed the carrier on the exam table like it weighed nothing. “Hank left a message that someone else would be bringing her in,” the man spoke.
Olive couldn’t take her eyes off him. She didn’t know if it was the honey that poured out of his mouth when he spoke or the fact that he took Dog from her so she wouldn’t have to carry her, but she could swear she was in love with this man.
Dumb dumb, he’s married and you have Hank. She blanched. I do not have Hank, she argued with herself. We are doing the nasty and it’s purely for research. She looked at the man again. Looking wasn’t against the law, plus, she was always storing away information in her head for future characters.
The man cocked his head to the side regarding her. “I’m Dr. Ben Richman.” He held out his hand to her.
“Olive.” She took his outreached hand.
“It’s nice to meet you.”
Olive nodded. “Ditto.”
The doctor chuckled before he reached for the carrier gate. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
Thirty disastrous minutes later, Olive walked out of the clinic.
She still couldn’t wrap her mind fully around what had happened. The moment the doctor opened the gate Dog took off like a bat out of hell.
Dog was on a mission and that mission was to get the hell out of there, and she didn’t care about the number of casualties she left in her wake. To her, the more the merrier.
Olive had to jump on top of the bench in the room to avoid Dog trying to kill her. Too bad her attempt to save herself was short-lived.
As the doctor and vet tech ran around the room trying to capture the monster, it turned out, Olive’s left leg had been a perfect target for Dog.
Olive saw her whole life flash before her eyes.
As the cat jumped to seek her revenge and finally do Olive in, Dr. Richman had intercepted the creature. Once she was under control, Dog got her shots and was shoved back in the carrier.
There was no way in hell she was ever bringing that thing back here. No amount of sexy times would change her mind.
Finally, Olive placed Dog in her back seat. She got into the driver’s side before she plopped her head onto the steering wheel.
“Well, that was fun.”
Dog answered her with a meow, then a hiss.
Olive’s eyes narrowed as she turned to face the creature. “Oh, I bet it was loads of fun for you.” She was about to start the car when her phone rang. When Olive saw the picture of a shirtless Hank, she rolled her eyes. Leave it to him to make his caller ID be a shirtless photo of him. Albeit, it was a sexy photo.
She bit her bottom lip lightly, knowing exactly what was only a few inches lower that the picture had cut off.
Olive shook the thoughts out of her head. She was mad at him, and that’s how she planned to stay for the time being. “Yes,” she answered.
“How was Dog?” Hank’s deep voice came through the line causing her body to involuntary shiver.
Get it together body! Now is not the time. “She was a pain in the ass, Hank. How else do you think that would have gone?” She looked in her rearview mirror to see Dog staring at her, before licking her lips. Jesus.
Olive heard Hank chuckle. “I’m sure she was fine. Did she get all of her shots? Did she get a clean bill of health?”
She rolled her eyes. “Only after she decided to take a lunge at my leg and Doctor Richman was able to catch her in the air, yes, she got her shots. And, a clean bill of health. If you want to call an unnatural desire for spilled blood healthy, that is.”
“That’s good to hear.” Hank clearly ignored her. “I’ll be home early tonight. I traded with one of the guys on first shift.”
Olive’s face hardened as his words registered. “Wait a freakin’ minute there, Bub? Hank, are you telling me you purposely traded to have an early shift so I would have to take the creature to the vet?” She was going to kill him.
When Olive heard Hank burst into laughter over the phone, she lost it. “I swear to all things sugary and delicious, Hank, the moment I get my hands on you, you’re gonna regret it. When you mess with me, you lose every time. Remember that.”
Olive thought he’d disconnected the phone when she didn’t hear a reply. However, after a few deafening moments, Hank’s voice broke through the silence. “That’s where you’re wrong, Olive Oil. I win the second you get your hands on me.”
Chapter Thirteen
Three Months Later
Olive was sprawled out on her bed, with Hank right beside her. It had been an interesting few months, to say the least, but Olive wasn’t complaining. Not when she got to spend her nights, shower time, and random intervals throughout the day at the mercy of Hank’s body.
Overall, her writing had improved too. Olive no longer found herself writing thousands of useless words, or staring at a blank page for hours. Her sexy times scenes also improved, instead of constantly scolding herself for daydreaming about Hank’s body, she let it flow and wrote everything she thought about down. She was back to her original writing self.
She had Hank to thank for that.
Even if she didn’t want to admit it.
Olive felt the bed dip at her feet.
“Here she comes,” Hank’s groggy voice sounded from next to her.
Olive looked at the end of the bed to see that Dog had indeed decided to grace them with her presence. Over the past few months, even her relationship with Dog had improved tremendously.
Well, sort of.
Most of the time they tolerated each other, which was an improvement from when Dog was trying to eat her.
“Here kitty,” Olive said patting her thigh.
“You know she doesn’t
like that,” Hank announced before pushing himself up to lay his back against the headboard. “It’s Dog or nothing. She takes offense to kitty.”
Olive crossed her arms over her naked chest. “For your information, she lets me call her kitty.”
Hank turned to her, his eyes narrow. “No, she lets you live because you’ve taken to feeding her tuna when I’m not looking.”
The fake menace in his voice had Olive shrugging. “Toe-ma-toe. Ta-ma-toe. Same thing.”
“Whatever you say, Olive Oil.” Hank grabbed her waist and hoisted her onto his lap.
“Hey!” she screamed before she fixed herself so she was more comfortably situated on him. “No manhandling.”
“You like it when my man hands handle you.” To emphasize his point, he started moving his hands up her curves until he reached her shoulders. He then placed one of his hands behind her neck bringing her to him.
“Whatever.” Olive leaned into his touch as he moved closer. He placed his head in the crook of her neck.
“I don’t want to get out of bed yet,” Hank grumbled as he started kissing down her throat.
Olive instantly moved her head to the side giving him better access. “We don’t ever have to get out. As long as you keep doing what you’re doing, we can stay here forever for all I care.”
Hank pulled away causing Olive to nearly fall into him as her skin still begged for his touch.
“I have work in a few hours and you need to start that next book,” the bastard said.
She wanted to punch the smug look right off his face. “Who died and made you my boss?”
Hank spanked her ass causing her to jump. “You love it when I’m the boss.”
True.
“I just let you believe you’re the boss.” Olive jutted her chin out in defiance, but lost the battle when Hank leaned forward lightly biting it.
“Is that so?” In one move, Hank flipped her before pinning her body beneath him. Yes, please. Her body opened for him. There was something about letting Hank take control of her that drove her body to obey him instantly.
As Hank had her arms pinned above her head, he started peppering kisses down her body causing her to laugh. However, her laughter was short-lived when he reached her left breast.
Hank let his tongue circle her nipple before he drew it into his mouth. Olive’s body arched into his mouth, begging.
“More,” she moaned. “Give me all you’ve got, Captain.”
Hank released her with a pop before he looked at her. “Really?” He cocked his right brow.
Why is it whenever he does that, it’s so sexy?
“Less talkie more suckie,” she demanded as she ignored the amusement in his eyes.
Hank shook his head with a chuckle before he moved his mouth back to her nipple. He then moved her hands so he could pin her down with only one of his hands. The other started to migrate down her body. He let his fingers move across her curves.
The moment his hand reached her stomach her first reaction was to tense. However, the gentle caress she felt on her skin from Hank reminded her he’d already seen every inch of her body. And not once had he complained, on the contrary, he worshipped every lump, bump and stretch mark she had.
Olive hadn’t known when her insecurities changed around Hank, but they had. Instead of rushing to hide under the covers, she freely walked around naked.
Hank made her forget her imperfections.
Olive worked her bottom lip trying to make sense of the new-found knowledge.
However, the second Hank’s hand reached her mound all thoughts were lost. Her eyes rolled back into her head as his fingers stroked her.
“That’s right, baby,” Hank’s voice broke through her trance. “Let go.” He sought out her clit causing her body to jerk at the sensation.
“More, please more,” Olive pleaded as she felt herself teeter on the edge.
“I’ll give you more.” Hank removed his hand from Olive’s core, causing her to jerk forward.
I’ll kill him!
Frustration coursed through her body. “That is not more,” she growled. “That’s less. Do you need me to Google it for you?” She tried to release her hands from his hold but couldn’t fight him off.
“Oh, you do know how I love it when feisty Olive comes out and plays,” he said before he took both of his hands to pin her once more. Hank used his knees to open her, before using his hips to guide his dick to her entrance. “You wanted more, Olive. Is that right?”
Her lips thinned as her eyes narrowed. “You better be glad you’re holding my hands right now or I’d punch you right in the jaw. Now stop dilly-dallying and fuck me.” She pushed her hips to his trying to get him to enter her, but had no luck. He pulled back right as she tried.
“What my Olive wants, my Olive gets.” He thrust himself forward entering her with ease.
Poking the beast is fun, her thoughts ran through her head. She knew damn well what she was doing.
“That’s all you got?” Olive yelled as he switched his movements making sure to hit her spot with each thrust.
“Oh, now you are gonna get it.”
Yes, please!
Hank pulled Olive’s body closer as they both collapsed onto the bed. She always molded perfectly to him.
He took a quick glance at the clock on Olive’s nightstand. Thankfully, he still had a few hours before he needed to get ready for work. Right now, all he wanted to do was infuse Olive into his skin and never let go.
He still couldn’t fathom how everything had played out between them. The fact he was in her bed right now, made him want to jump in the air. Sure, they still got into some knock down drag out fights, but Hank was almost positive Olive did them on purpose.
He knew he did.
Make-up sex was the best.
He pulled her even closer to his body before he rested his head on top of hers.
Nothing could get better than this.
Hank tightened his hold on Olive. He couldn’t help but smile when he saw the Christmas tree in the corner.
He cast his eyes down to watch her. Olive’s face glowed perfectly as the twinkling lights bounced off her features. “You never told me why you insist on having a Christmas tree up all year.”
Hank felt Olive squirm in his arms before getting comfortable once again. “I just do.”
“That’s not an answer, Olive.”
Moving a little, she shrugged. “It’s weird. And you’ll think I’m strange or some crazy person.”
“I kinda already do.” He laughed when she elbowed him. “I’m kidding, you know I don’t kinda already do. I know one hundred percent you’re weird. Hit me with all your weirdness.” At this point, there was nothing that would surprise him anymore.
Olive laughed before she huffed out a sigh. “Fine. You know how it was with my parents growing up, right?”
“Yeah,” he growled. “Don’t remind me.” His hand that was on her stomach instinctively squeezed protectively pulling her closer.
“Down killer.” She laughed. “Anyway, it might sound silly, but during the holidays it was different. Maybe it was all the parties my parents would throw, or whatever. But when the Christmas tree came out, it was like I was free. I was no longer their disappointment of the family. Instead, I was just there. I could go on living my day to day life without fear of their judgment.”
“Olive…” His heart clenched.
“I think they were always too busy making themselves look better during that time to realize I was even there.”
His heart broke for her.
“In a weird way, the holidays were my happiest time. Each year I knew the second I saw the tree, I could breathe a sigh of relief if only for a few weeks. As the years went on, I found my holiday spirit more and more. Do you remember the year Miranda and I threw powdered sugar all over your living room so we could make snow angels?”
Hank huffed out a laugh at the memory. “I do, baby. My mom was pissed.”
Olive turne
d her face toward him. The corners of her mouth turned up in a mischievous smile. “For all of five minutes before she got onto the floor and did them with us.”
Hank laughed before he placed a swift kiss on the top of her forehead. His parents were such a contrast to hers. Where Olive’s parents were cold and unforgiving, his were warm and welcomed everyone with open arms.
He couldn’t wait to finally be able to tell his mom, Olive was his girl. He knew both his parents would be over the moon about it.
There was only one thing stopping him.
He needed Olive to see it too.
“The Christmas tree also reminds me to be a realist.”
Hank cocked his head to the side as he studied her.
“I watched from the sidelines how my parents acted. They were always at each other’s throats. They’d fight about anything and everything. From their silverware set, to their napkin pattern. Who was popular enough to be invited to their parties and so on. I’d lay under the tree with a book in my hand and watch as they argued with each other. As soon as a guest would arrive, they’d be the doting couple, it was nauseating.”
“I’m sorry, Olive.”
“Why are you sorry?”
“I hate you had to grow up like that.” Hank looked at the ceiling fan. “No wonder you were always at our house.”
“Your house was better.”
He looked back at Olive. “I used to pick on you because I never understood why you’d willingly spend all your time with us when you had one of the biggest houses in the area. I used to envy what it would be like to grow up being the rich kid.”
Olive jerked out of his grasp to stare at him. “I was never the rich kid.”
“I didn’t know that. At the time I picked on you because I wanted what you had. I never understood why you were always around when you had something better at home, or at least I thought you did. I didn’t really know how bad it was. I used to call you names and mess with yours and Miranda’s stuff because I was jealous. Then when you got older I found myself attracted to you, so I continued with the constant teasing.”