“Yeah, I have got that part, Olivia. I meant which apartment?”
Olivia rattled off her apartment number and leaned her head against the window. She briefly closed her eyes while Will drove.
“We’re here,” Will announced. Putting the car into park, he opened the door and waited for Olivia to respond. After she opened her eyes, Olivia took in that they were indeed in front of apartment Building 3 at Ramstein Air Base.
He helped Olivia out of the jeep. “You’re up on the third floor right?”
“Right,” Olivia confirmed. They walked up three flights of stairs and then they were standing in front of Olivia’s apartment door.
Olivia fumbled for a second with her keys. They slipped from her fingers and dropped to the ground.
Will bent down to scoop them up at the same time that she leaned down to pick up the keys. They ended up bumping their heads together with a hard crack.
“Ow,” Olivia said softly, stumbling back against the door while she tried to reach out behind herself to break her fall.
“Damn, I’m sorry. Are you okay?” Will instinctively reached out to grab Olivia around the arm to prevent her from tumbling all the way to the ground.
“It’s fine. Yeah, I’m okay.”
Will picked up the keys with his right hand and then unlocked and opened the door for her. It wasn’t dark inside; a soft glow of light greeted them as soon as the door swung open. Olivia had left the hallway light on.
Her small living room contained a white leather loveseat, a small flat-screen TV that was mounted on the wall, a white antique desk with a computer, and a small table with a fresh bouquet a flowers. A stack of green medical scrubs sat on the kitchen table, as if she had been interrupted while folding them and later forgot to return them to her bedroom dresser. In one of the corners of the living room sat an electronic keyboard complete with a stand and seat. The whole apartment smelled of a slight floral scent. Like Olivia’s hair.
She stepped inside of her apartment and then turned to stare at him. He watched, completely transfixed, as Olivia leaned over to step down out of her heels. She was wearing jeans that showed off her long, slender legs and toned calves.
“Hey Prince, do you want to come in for a drink?” She looked up at him again and smiled. He could almost swear that she winked at him. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking on his part.
Regardless, Will’s heart still did an aerobic flip in his chest. His heart sped up a little bit and he tried to ignore the uncomfortable tightening in his groin. “Are you sure about this, babe? You did turn me down earlier you know … and gave me the middle finger…” his voice trailed off.
Olivia considered him silently for a moment. “Come in. And my name is Olivia or Liv, try to remember that,” she told him saucily and turned toward the kitchen.
“Oh yeah?” Will followed her into the apartment and shut the door behind him. “Liv, huh? I like that.” He couldn’t believe where things were heading. All right, inviting him into her apartment didn’t necessarily mean that things were heading anywhere. But Will had thought that she completely hated him. The fact that she invited him inside must have meant that she liked him—at least a little bit, right? Or maybe she was just being friendlier because she was a little tipsy. He was hoping that the former was true and not the latter.
Olivia walked over to her refrigerator and got out two beers. “All I have are Corona Lights.”
“That works for me.”
Will walked around Olivia’s living room. He noticed a few framed photographs that she had placed on a side table. In one of the photographs, Olivia was sitting beside her twin sister at a booth in a restaurant. Both were smiling and wearing Mexican sombreros.
It was very difficult to tell the two women apart as far as their facial features were concerned—which really were identical. However, Will was guessing that Olivia was on the left in the photograph because the other woman had her honey brown hair cut in a short chin length style.
In another photo, Olivia was standing at her graduation ceremony with her sister and an elderly black man who had to be her father. Olivia, smiling from ear-to-ear in her sky blue graduation robes, was standing in the middle with her arms around both of them. In the last photograph, Olivia was sitting in the lap of a young man on old-fashioned porch swing. She had her arms wrapped around his neck and both of them were smiling up at the camera. She looked very happy.
Will cleared his throat. “So uh, is this like your boyfriend back home in this photograph?” Will picked up the photo and tilted it toward Olivia so that she could see the picture.
Olivia glanced up from where she stood behind the kitchen counter. She had just managed to pop the caps off two of the Corona Lights. A shadow of some sort of emotion crossed her face when she looked up and saw the photograph that he was holding. It was a haunting look of profound sadness, but it was only on her face for a few seconds.
“No. That’s one of my best friends, Jason. Was one of my best friends, rather. He passed away from cancer four years ago,” Olivia softly replied.
Damn. “I am very sorry, Olivia.” Obviously, those five measly words were inadequate, but Will didn’t know what else to say.
“Thank you. He was one of my very best friends from grade school. He helped me get through a lot of … difficulties. It was very hard for me when he died. He was here one day and then gone the next.”
Will wanted to ask her more questions, but he didn’t want to push her. Obviously, this Jason guy had been very important to her.
He watched as Olivia grabbed the two beers, one in each hand, and walked over to where he was standing. She handed him a beer and then she sat down on her loveseat. Will lowered his long legs and took up the spot beside her.
“You were amazing tonight you know. I mean on the piano, really great.”
Wow. Olivia gave him another one of her dazzling smiles. And yes, he checked to be sure, no middle finger attached.
“Thank you. That’s a very nice thing for you to say,” Olivia beamed.
“It’s the truth. How long have you been playing?”
“I started really young, around the age of five. I don’t play nearly as much as I used to anymore, but it still has a way of relaxing me sometimes.”
“Oh, okay. It’s good to have an outlet for stress.”
“So you have a thick accent. What part of the South are you from?”
“I’m from West, Texas. Andrews to be exact. Why did you decide to go to medical school?”
Olivia blinked for a couple of seconds, as if she wasn’t really expecting Will to ask that question. “My father is a family medicine practitioner in Tennessee. That’s where I’m originally from. He still runs a small-sized medical facility. I’d always been around medicine.”
“Did you always want to be a doctor?”
“No, not always. I had thought that I would go to Julliard and then join an orchestra. But during my senior year of high school, I decided to attend UNC-Chapel Hill at the last minute. I had always enjoyed science and math, but I didn’t decide to pursue medicine until my sophomore year of college when I volunteered in Nicaragua for a medical research team.”
“Wow, that’s cool,” Will replied, taking another sip of his beer and then setting it down on Olivia’s coffee table.
“Yeah it was,” Olivia said, turning her body to face him.
“So how did you get into the Air Force?” He was asking her a ton of questions. He knew that he probably sounded like he was interviewing her. But now that she was actually saying more than a few words to him at a time, he wanted to seize on it.
She didn’t seem to mind that he was asking her so many questions, though. “I joined the Air Force Reserves while in college. My father was going through a hard time with finances in his medical practice. So I thought that joining the Reserves would help. He wouldn’t have to worry so much about me. Why did you join the Navy?” she asked.
“An unyielding sense of public duty and follow
ing footsteps, I guess. My older brother Damien is currently serving in the Navy like me. He’s a pararescue jumper. My grandfather, on my mother’s side, also served in the Navy.”
“I see. Well, that’s very honorable. You come from a family of warriors.” She was staring at him now, looking right into his eyes. Will watched Olivia take a sip of her beer before she asked him, “So why didn’t you go back home with that girl at the bar?”
“You were that girl at the bar,” Will said. He leaned toward her, gently nudging her shoulder with his. He was teasing her. He was actually relaxed enough in her presence to joke with her. That had to classify as a minor miracle.
“No, I’m serious.” Will watched Olivia place her beer down on the coffee table and lean in closer to him. Will’s right arm was resting on the top of the couch, slightly touching Olivia’s back as she moved in closer.
Will shrugged. “I promised Joshua that I would make sure that you got back home in pristine condition.”
“Is that the only reason?”
Laughing, Will looked away for a few brief seconds before saying, “No. No it’s definitely not the only reason.”
“What’s the other reason?”
“I like you,” Will answered, being completely honest and cutting out the bullshit answer that he would have usually used to avert that kind of question.
“Have you ever dated a black woman before?” Olivia twisted a strand of her wavy long hair around her index finger. She was fidgeting. Was she actually nervous asking him that question? Nah, she couldn’t be, not the fearless doctor.
“No, I haven’t.” Will locked his eyes with hers. “Not that I wouldn’t be interested. It’s just never worked out to where that has happened before.”
“Oh I see,” Olivia responded back. She didn’t say it, but he could tell that it wasn’t the answer she was hoping to hear.
“How about you? Have you ever dated a white man?”
“Yes, I have.”
“How did that go?”
“It just didn’t work out,” Olivia said. She was looking away from him now, staring down at the floor. Apparently, there was something very interesting happening there on the carpet that Will couldn’t see.
“Why didn’t it work out?”
“It’s complicated.”
All right. Will decided to change the subject. “So Ms. Liv, why the change of heart? It’s not just Johnnie Walker whispering in your ear is it?” Will asked, smiling down at her, regaining her attention.
“Would you care?” Olivia asked.
“Would I care?”
Instead of responding, Olivia took a sip of liquid courage and then straddled Will’s lap. Leaning forward, her long hair falling over her shoulders, she planted her hands on either side of Will’s broad shoulders and gave him a deep kiss with those amazing lips of hers. She practically inhaled him.
God. He was going to die. He was either dreaming or hallucinating. Either way, he didn’t want it to stop. Pulling her tighter to his chest, Will kissed Olivia back. His strong hands traveled down her body to cup her firm ass.
Will swallowed Olivia’s soft moans and methodically thrust his tongue inside of her sweet mouth. He slowly rocked her body onto his hard dick, which was straining against his jeans. Will cupped Olivia’s firm round ass with his strong hands, pressing her body down onto him harder.
Jesus. The soft sounds that were coming from her throat were enough to drive him crazy. He was completely drowning in her, and he had no desire to come up for air.
He nearly growled when she pulled back, but stopped when she gave him another one of those brilliant smiles of hers. He watched, completely mesmerized, as she pulled her tank top over her head.
Will laid his head back against the sofa and watched her with glazed eyes. She reached both hands behind her back and hurriedly undid the clasp to her tan lace bra.
She had full, beautiful breasts and her nipples were large, taut, and brown. Will practically salivated. He couldn’t stop himself from touching her. He slowly trailed his hands upwards from her waist. His fingers stroking her gorgeous caramel-colored skin. It was like stroking silk.
“You’re so incredibly beautiful, Liv,” he whispered, rubbing her nipples and leaning forward to take her right breast into his mouth.
“Oh yeah? I thought you preferred your women with more curves?” she said, leaning back slightly to look into his shimmering eyes.
“I didn’t mean any of it. I was just trying to get a rise out of you after you kinda brushed me off. You are gorgeous. You’re absolutely perfect,” he responded in awe, pulling her lithe body back toward him.
“Uh, mmm … I want you so much Will,” Olivia moaned while he suckled her breasts greedily. Entwining her fingers into his long hair, Olivia rocked her body into his and placed scathing hot kisses across the side of his tanned face. Will hastily unbuttoned her jeans and slid a hand underneath her red silk panties, and stroked her labia with his thumb in gentle circles. Jesus, she was shaved.
“I want you too, baby.”
“Oh … mmm … yeeeees. That feels so good,” Olivia shuddered and her eyes rolled back into her head. Her slender hands clutched at Will’s back.
“You’re so wet baby. I want to make you come,” Will whispered, reclaiming Olivia’s luscious cherry-stained lips. His hands cup either side of her heart-shaped face as he pulled her closer into him. Will didn’t want to make Olivia come just once, he wanted to make her come again and again, until a part of him was imprinted on her. He wanted her, hard and fast—he wanted to possess her.
Olivia reached out and hurriedly unbuttoned Will’s white dress shirt. She trailed soft kisses down the side of his cheek, neck, and chest, slowly moving downward. They were open mouth kisses, and she tenderly suckled on his exposed skin as she moved downward. When she got to the last button on his shirt, Will’s breath caught with anticipation. She reached down to unbutton his jeans.
Rrrriiiiiiiiiiinnnnngggg.
Goddamnit! It was his phone, but there was no way that was he answering it. No way in hell.
Rrrriiiiiiiiiiinnnnngggg.
Sonofabitch! Of all the goddamn inopportune times, this really had to take the cake. Only one person would call him at zero dark hundred, when he wasn’t stateside.
He continued to stroke Olivia with one hand. Her eyes were closed and she had leaned forward to lick his heavily muscled chest. With his other hand, he checked the number flashing across the screen of his phone.
Damnit. It was his CO, which could only mean one thing—that some sort of foreign shit had hit the fan.
He reluctantly removed his hand from stroking Olivia’s labia. “Hey angel face, I have to take this call okay? It’s my commanding officer.”
Olivia’s eyes slowly opened and she took a deep, shaky breath as Will answered his phone—one of his hands still squeezing her bare ass.
“Castle.”
“Will—we have some major shit going down. I’ve already called in some of the others on the team; we need you back to the base ASAP. You’re going to be wheels up within the hour. You’ll be briefed when you get here.”
Will hung up, blew out a frustrated breath, and looked into the sparking, violet eyes of the half-naked goddess who was softly panting and still straddling his lap.
“You have to go,” Olivia said. It was a statement rather than a question.
“Baby, I’m so sorry. I’m not sure what’s up, but it’s an assignment. I’m not sure where I’m going, but I’m leaving Germany within the hour,” Will explained with a pained expression etched across his face.
“It’s okay, I understand. Be careful.”
“I’m so sorry, Liv,” Will sighed and looked at her. There wasn’t really anything further that could say. He had to leave, his job came first. He watched Olivia slide off his lap and pull on her shirt.
“Will, it’s not your fault. It’s your job, I get it.”
Will stood up, cupped her face with both hands, and gave her a deep k
iss goodbye, his tongue gently thrusting into her mouth before he pulled away. “I’ll call you as soon as I get a chance.”
“Sure,” Olivia said, the doubt was evident on her face.
Chapter Six
Two Months Later
Dallas, TX
“
Victoria, you did an excellent job on your coverage of the ‘Dallas Night Stalker.’ Keep up that type of reporting and you may be in the running for a Pulitzer next year.”
Victoria Sanchez looked up from her computer at her boss at the Dallas Star Gazette, Edward Linton.
Edward Linton was a thin and tall man in his late fifties. His remaining sprig of white hair was slicked back in what appeared to be a futile attempt to try to cover his rapidly expanding bald spot. At least he had not yet gone the way of the toupée.
Victoria had endured quite a few bosses over the years, and Edward had been one of the most even-tempered of the bunch, a personality trait that definitely came in handy when he had to keep a staff of thirty reporters and copy editors in line. The personalities of Victoria’s coworkers whose collective tempers ran the range of mild to spicy. It took a special type of manager to be able to pull all of the diverse members of the group together to reach maximum productivity. In the tight knit local news community, Edward had gained the reputation of being a fair and balanced editor.
“Thanks Edward. You are ever the eternal optimist. But I guess a girl can dream,” she replied. The Dallas Night Stalker was a serial rapist who had plagued the Dallas Metro area for about a year. The Dallas Police Department had originally pegged a local University professor as the perpetrator.
The professor had perfectly fit the police analysts’ profile of the unknown subject—a single, older, white male, with severe relationship issues. However, Victoria had been one of the first reporters that started questioning whether the Dallas Police Department was focusing on the right man. Through her tenacious reporting and interviewing of overlooked witnesses, the right man—a local apartment landlord—had finally been correctly apprehended.
“I’m surprised to see that you are still here so late in the evening. Don’t stay too much longer,” Edward continued before he walked away from her cubicle and headed home for the evening.
Pushed to the Edge (SEAL Team 14) Page 7