“Just ringing to let you know that Matt’s been sent home from school early cause he’s been ill, so I’ve got him here with me” she told me.
Running up the NSC steps to the front doors, Bert grabbed the pastry I held for him under my chin and opened me the doors with a big smile as we mouthed a ‘hi’ to each other.
“Right okay mum, thanks for letting me know. I’ve got to go, I’m late for the second time this week and my boss is not gonna be happy” I quickly ended the call.
With my head down, juggling my paperwork and pastries, whilst trying to put my phone in my bag, I bumped smack bang into a group of suited men.
“Fuck, shit, bugger” I exclaimed on a hiss as I squatted down to pick up all my scattered paperwork.
“Miss Adams!” Peterson shouted “Late again? That’s twice this week!” he bellowed angrily.
Still crouched on the floor I groaned inwardly and spun on my heels to look at him. “I’m so sorry, Mr Peterson. I’ve been having trouble with my car this week. I got here as soon as could” I apologised with a grimace.
“Well fucking hurry up woman” he snarled.
Nodding quickly I turned back and slammed my face straight into a man’s groin. “Bollocks!” I wheezed.
Peterson tutted and one of the other men snickered as I quickly stood up. “Oh My God, I’m so sorry Sir” I muttered, without removing my gaze from the floor.
Highly embarrassed, I refused to look up and I heard the man take a sharp inhale of breath.
“Liv?”
Oh Jesus Fucking Christ!
Raising my face slowly, I also took a sharp breath. My blood pounded in my ears, my legs vibrated and my hands started sweating as my heart stuttered wildly in my chest.
My eyes slowly reached his, the pure bright, blue beautiful eyes that never left my memory.
My lips parted and I struggled to breathe as his eyes surveyed mine. Time seemed to stop as we stood intently looking at each other.
“Liv” he breathed, as his hand reached towards me and then dropped back down to his side, as though he wanted to touch me but changed his mind.
“Nate” I croaked, my mouth suddenly seriously dry.
He shook his head slightly as though to clear his mind. “Jesus, Liv. I… I...” he murmured, “I… Wow, you look great” he finally said as a smile grew on his face and his gaze roamed over me.
“You too” I managed.
The man stood beside Nate coughed and raised his eyebrows at him as he looked back and forth between us.
Nate cleared his throat and grinned mischievously at me again. “I should’ve recognised you when your head was in my lap” he smirked mischievously.
Laughing, I shook my head at him. “You should recognise every contour of the back of my head, Nate” I shot back with a grin of my own.
I heard Peterson snort and Nate’s sidekick chuckle, “but, seriously, it’s good to see you” I continued.
He looked really good. He was wearing an Armani dark grey suit with a crisp white shirt and pale blue tie. The suit fitted his frame as though it had been specifically made for him.
He still had the same head full of blonde curls and his chin was still square, but was now peppered with a dusting of stubble. His beautiful eyes were now partnered with a few laughter lines and his body still had the same hardness, the same muscled physique I had loved all those years ago.
He was still a very beautiful man… just Wow.
Peterson huffed at me, reminding me I was already in trouble. “Well, work to do” I said with a disappointing smile, “Take care, Nate” I said softly as I started walking away.
Nate gave me a puzzled look and grabbed my arm. “How about I buy you lunch and we can catch up properly?” he asked, vaguely cocking his head to one side.
“I’d love to Nate, but I’ll have to work through my lunch cos’ I’m late today” I apologised.
Nate turned to Peterson frowning “Oh, I’m sure Simon can manage without you for an hour. Can’t you Simon?”
Peterson nodded and smiled, “Of course. Olivia, you must still take your lunch break even though you’re running late” he informed me, giving me an obnoxious glare.
“Great!” Nate declared “I’ll meet you in the foyer about 12.30 Liv, okay?”
Flustered, I nodded my agreement and hurried through the building, stepping into the already waiting elevator.
Leaning against the thankfully, empty elevator wall, I slid down to the floor, trying to control my breathing.
“Holy shit” I rasped.
My heart was racing and I rushed to the bathroom as soon as the lift doors opened.
Splashing my face with cold water, I looked at my ruffled reflection and repeated my earlier sentiment “What the Hell, Liv?”
I sat on the loo, locked the door and tried to fathom out what had just happened.
I hadn’t seen Nate for twenty years, and then he just turned up at my workplace, and was friends with my arrogant boss.
I couldn’t picture the two of them as friends. At university, Nate had hated people like Peterson.
He was always the first to stick up for the poor sap that ‘The Petersons’ of this world were bullying. Not thinking twice about smacking the nasty sods in the face.
That’s what I had fallen in love with, the sensitive, gentle side that he had. Although at the same time he had a dangerous edge to him that told people not to mess with him.
The bathroom door opened and I heard someone come in. “Olivia?” Grace’s voice asked “you okay sweetie? You looked a bit miffed when you exited the elevator.”
Straightening myself out, I plastered a smile on my face and opened the cubicle door to greet her. “Morning Grace” I said, “yes I’m fine thanks, just running a bit late… again. Peterson was in reception and gave me a fucking… again!”
I picked my things up from the vanity and waved the breakfast goods under her nose before I walked off towards our work area.
Following swiftly behind me she grumbled “He’s really got it in for you, hasn’t he. Mind you, I don’t think anybody has ever turned him down before.”
Trying to open the food containers, she added “I think you wounded his pride sweetie” she laughed.
“Well, it was either his pride or his dick” I laughed back.
The morning dragged and I kept glancing at the clock. Grace caught me a couple of times and after spotting me for the sixth time she turned to me. “You expecting something Olivia?” she asked with a frown.
“Nope,” I replied “just wishing for my lunch hour to hurry up. I’m famished” I added turning away so she couldn’t see my blush.
By 12.15 I was a dithering wreck. My heart rate had sped up, my hands were shaking and I couldn’t concentrate on my work.
Peterson leant over my desk with a strange look on his face. “Olivia, because you arrived late this morning and you are still having a lunch break, I would be grateful if you could stay behind later and make up your hours” he said, looking extremely irritated.
“Sure, of course Mr Peterson” I replied warily, wondering what else he was going to say.
He narrowed his eyes and stared at me for a few moments but huffed and walked off, leaving Grace giving me a quizzical look. Shrugging my shoulders at her, I went to the bathroom to check my hair and make-up and made my way downstairs.
As I exited the elevator, I saw him, leaning against the main reception desk, talking to Miss Wet Kipper. She was laughing with him and touching his arm, flinging her hair back and giving him a dazzling smile.
As if he sensed me approach, Nate looked over to me. His eyes skimmed over me and came to rest on my face. A slow, sexy smile covered his face making my breath hitch as so many memories of that smile flooded back, heating my insides.
I returned his smile as I walked over to him. “Hi” he said gently as he bent to kiss my cheek, inhaling my scent as he did.
“Hi” I returned, catching the same unique smell, that was always wit
h him; musk, touch of spice and lots of raw male.
He grunted a “goodbye” to a very stunned Miss Wet Kipper as he took my hand and hastily led me out of the building.
A black Jag XJ was waiting at the entrance doors with a suited man stood at the rear door.
“Have a nice lunch, Olivia” Bert shouted to me as I drew near the car. Feeling awkward I turned to smile at him and mouthed my thanks as Nate’s hand tightened its grip in mine.
The suited man opened the rear door for us and I climbed in. “Thanks Blake. Benny’s, please” Nate said as he clambered in beside me.
When the door was shut, he turned to me and grabbed my hand again. His other hand came up to caress my cheek. “God Liv, it’s been forever” he said with a sad smile and I tilted my face into his hand.
“Too long” I sighed, closing my eyes and cherishing his touch.
His thumb started stroking my cheek bone and then slowly skated down to my bottom lip. Catching my breath, I placed my hand over his as a forbidden tear trickled down my face.
He caught it with his thumb and placed it on his lips. “Oh, Baby” he exhaled and pulled me onto his lap, wrapping me in his arms and tenderly stroking my back.
It was like the last twenty years hadn’t been, as though it was just the day after he left and my whole body roared to life at his touch as my soul coupled with its mate.
“What happened to us, Liv?” he asked, resting his chin on top of my head.
Frowning, I pulled away and slid back over to my seat. I couldn’t believe I had melted into him within the first ten minutes of being back with him.
Our lives were different now and things were not the same.
“Lots of things have happened to us, Nate” I uttered solemnly, looking away from him and out of the window.
“Liv?” he questioned. “Liv?” he asked again when I didn’t respond.
I turned to look at him, my eyes full of unshed tears. “Why didn’t you answer your phone whenever I called?” he probed as he looked into my eyes, his own full of sadness and longing “Why didn’t you write back? I sent you letter after letter but you never replied. I even came down from Scotland to see you but you had moved house, just… just gone.”
I gazed back out of the window as I chose my words carefully “Nate, you had your career and life in Edinburgh. Our relationship would’ve just been a burden. I loved you too much to become a burden. It was better that way.”
He grabbed my chin and tilted my face back, his anger palpable in the confines of the car. “God Damn it, Liv. I fuckin’ loved you. You were never a burden” his voice a deadly hiss as his eyes scrutinised my face.
I tensed at his forceful caress and knew he had sensed the change in me. I snatched his hand away from my chin as I glared at him. “Don’t fucking touch me like that again, Nate” I spat.
“Baby, I would never hurt you, you know that” he worried, studying my face.
“Don’t call me Baby either. It’s been twenty years since I was your baby Nate” I snapped.
The car came to a halt and the driver got out and came round to open the door. “You will always be my Baby, Liv” Nate asserted, narrowing his eyes on me as he got out of the car.
He took my hand in his again as he strode into the bistro.
The place was packed and I was sure there weren’t any tables free but Nate walked over to the bar.
“Nate man,” the barman exclaimed, giving Nate a powerful hug and slapping him on the back “it’s good to see you. Where have you been hiding? Eh?” he demanded.
“I’ve been in America for 6 months Ben, don’t worry, I would never abandon you” he winked.
America?
What the hell would he be doing over there? His career must have really taken off.
Nate turned to introduce me, “Ben, this is Olivia. Liv, this is Benny. The namesake for this place” he grinned.
Taking my hand in a firm grasp, Benny lifted it to his lips. “It is a pleasure to meet such a beautiful woman” he beamed with a twinkle in his eye, “You need to keep this one Nate, such an exquisite smile.”
Nate took my hand back and, with a wink and a grin, he asked Benny for a table.
He led us over to a booth in the corner and I slid in as Nate wedged his large frame into the opposite bench. “Here’s the menu,” Benny said, passing us each a leather bound folder “would you like a drink while you choose?”
“A bottle of chardonnay, please Benny” Nate acknowledged, raising his eyebrows at me in a query. Nodding desperately at Benny in confirmation to Nate’s choice, I silently wished the man would hurry up with the damn wine.
I needed alcohol before my nerves gave way, and I slid under the table, a quivering mess.
“Still enjoy the odd glass then, Liv?” Nate questioned with a smirk when Benny retreated to fetch our wine. “Ha, of course,” I scoffed “wine and Haribos, always been a constant in my life.”
He picked up his menu and ran his fingers over the gold embossed lettering, tracing each letter with a stern expression. “What else is a constant in your life, Liv? Married? Partner? Kids?” he probed, searching my face.
“Divorced, No and Yes” I answered honestly and elusively to the three questions. “You?” I queried, quickly bringing the conversation round to him.
“No, No and No” he answered frankly.
“Oh, I expected you to be married by now” I stated directly. “Nope” he said bluntly with a pop of the ‘P’, looking directly at me.
Benny came over with our wine and to take our order. Pouring the wine into my glass Nate continued with his interrogation.
“So, how long have you been divorced?” Gulping my wine, I glanced around the room for a distraction, “Ten years” I shrugged.
“Wow, that long? No current interests?” he probed further.
Sighing loudly I shook my head. “Nope!” I said with a pop of the ‘P’.
“So, how long have you been friends with Peterson?” I asked quickly to change the subject away from me.
He looked at me puzzled. “Friends?” he asked, “I’d hardly call us friends.” He tilted his head to one side “He’s your boss. What do you make of him? Be honest” he added with a laugh.
“Well, let’s see. He doesn’t like me. He’s rude, arrogant and very full of himself” I specified.
“I find it hard to believe he doesn’t like you, Liv. How can he not?” he smiled lightly, his eyes sparkling.
Taking another large mouthful of wine, I sneered “Because he told me to get drunk to help ‘loosen up my tight thighs’, so I told him to ‘Go Fuck himself’ but a bit politer than that.”
Nate’s eyebrows lifted to his hairline as he pursed his lips and I noticed his finger twitch rapidly against the tablecloth. He nodded his head once, “Really?” he said, more of a statement than a question.
He went quiet for a while, his face tight with anger and fortunately our meal arrived.
As I picked at my salad, Nate looked deep in thought so I remained quiet until he suddenly looked up and grinned at me.
“You don’t fancy Simon then?” he mocked, “Everybody else seems to. He’s good looking and wealthy.”
I gagged on my food and stared at him. “What sort of question is that?” I asked perplexed “No, I don’t fancy Peterson, Nate. Anyway, I’m off men completely” I added.
It was Nate’s turn to choke now. “You’ve never turned gay, Liv?” he asked shocked.
Laughing full on at his wide eyes, I drained my glass and motioned him for a top up. “Good god, No!” I exclaimed “I just haven’t been interested since my div…..”
I realised what I’d said and clammed up. Analysing my tight face and frowning deeply, Nate swallowed. “Has there been anybody since your husband, Liv?”
Squirming in my seat I shook my head and looked away. He blew out a large breath and covered my hand with his “What happened, Liv? You must have really loved him, to not be able to move on after he’d gone.” He gave me a s
ad smile and looked down at his plate.
Laughing sarcastically, I shook my head “You have no fucking idea, Nate.”
I bit my bottom lip and looked away from his confused stare. “Anyway I have Bob” I announced with a sly smile, trying to lighten the mood.
“Bob?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.
“Mmmm, Bob” I said, lifting my chin in defiance. “And who’s Bob?” Nate requested as his eyes became hard and intense.
“BOB…my Battery Operated Boyfriend” I stated with a crafty grin.
Waiting for the penny to drop, I stared at Nate as I smiled to myself. The moment he realized, his face split into a huge grin and he gave a belly laugh. “Now, I would love to meet Bob” he said with a wink.
“Dear God, you haven’t changed a bit” I laughed, shaking my head.
We chatted lightly for a while longer as we finished our food and wine.
Glancing at my watch, I told Nate I would have to get back to work. “That quick?” he said, looking at the time.
He paid for the meal, escorted me back to the car and drove me back to NSC.
As we pulled up in front of the building, Nate exited the car and walked round to open my door.
“Thank you for lunch” I said, reaching up to kiss him on the cheek. “Always my pleasure, Baby” he murmured as his arm slipped around my waist and he inhaled my scent as he rested his chin on my head.
I pulled away sadly before I walked up the steps and entered the foyer.
I felt his arm slip around my waist again as I approached the elevator. Frowning, I turned to him “What are you doing, Nate? I have to go back to work now” I panicked.
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