by LuAnn McLane
“Let go tonight, Livie. Don’t worry. Don’t think. Just be with me. Will you do that?”
Olivia swallowed hard and then nodded. “Yes.”
“Trust me.”
“I will,” she said, with a smile that was filled with emotion and yet didn’t tremble this time. “Noah, I do trust you.”
“Good. I know it sounds like a line, but I’ve never felt this way before.” His eyes held hers for a moment longer and he searched her face as if wanting to be sure that she believed him.
“Me neither,” she admitted and waited for the fear to grip her heart. In previous relationships she had always held back, afraid to give her heart only to have someone trample on it, like her mother did to her loving, trusting father.
For a second Olivia thought he was going to say more, but then he dipped his head and kissed her once again. She could feel the emotion behind the desire, and it swept her away. For the first time in her life, she loved without holding back. She wrapped her arms around him and when he picked her up she laughed and hooked her legs around his waist. She kissed him with heat, with such passion that she trembled from the intensity.
They kissed all the way to the bedroom and tried to keep kissing while undressing. Fingers fumbled, hands tugged, and shoes were toed off and went flying across the room. They laughed, groaned when he paused to slip on protection, and then sighed when they finally tumbled to the bed in a heap of tangled legs and white-hot passion.
When Noah scooted up and leaned against the mound of pillows, Olivia swung one long leg over and straddled him. She boldly let him look his fill while he cupped her breasts in his big hands.
“You are gorgeous.”
Olivia wanted to thank him, but all she could manage was a gasp when he rubbed his thumbs over her nipples. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth but couldn’t hold back a throaty cry of pleasure when his warm tongue replaced his thumbs. He licked, sucked, and when he lightly nipped with his teeth Olivia arched her back and wantonly, brazenly offered him more. “Noah …” She threaded her fingers through his hair, and when she rocked suggestively against him a muscle jumped in his jaw.
“I need you now,” he said in a low, husky voice that felt like a physical caress. When his hands slid down to span her waist, Olivia came up to her knees and then slowly eased down onto the hard length of his penis. Her breath caught at the exquisite feeling and she gripped his shoulders while she moved at a slow, sensual pace. “Ah, Livie …” His eyes closed, but Olivia watched his handsome face, loving the play of emotion and the stark masculine beauty. Warm pleasure started to build and her heart raced. She moved faster and faster with a passion that felt wild and free. His strong hands guided her, helped her when her thighs quivered. “Noah!” Her breasts brushed against his chest and when he thrust upward deeply, his throaty cry of pleasure carried Olivia over the edge with him.
He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, and then kissed her neck, her shoulders, before pulling her mouth to his for a hot, sweet kiss. Olivia leaned against him and enjoyed the feeling of being skin to skin, heart to heart. For a moment they were silent and simply remained entwined. Finally, Noah swept her hair over her shoulder and said, “That was incredible. You blow me away, Olivia.”
Olivia cupped his cheeks between the palms of her hands and kissed him softly before saying, “The feeling is mutual.”
“I know you have school in the morning, but I want to stay with you tonight.”
“I want you to,” Olivia told him. Sleeping in his arms all night was something she would never pass up. “I’m going to slip into my pajamas,” she said and then kissed him lightly before easing off the bed. “There’s a new toothbrush in the hall bathroom if you want to use it,” she offered with a smile.
“Thanks. I will,” he said, but then shook his head. “But I have one request.”
Olivia raised her eyebrows.
“Forget the pajamas.”
“You’re right. Pajamas are overrated.” Olivia laughed as she headed into the bathroom. After flicking on the light, she stared at her reflection and put her hands to her cheeks, thinking that she was glowing with happiness. It felt so good to love, to trust, and to allow the luxury of believing that somehow they would make this last beyond the summer.
After brushing her teeth and quickly washing her face, she looked at her pajamas hanging on the hook on the back of the door and giggled. She had never slept in the buff before, but then again in the past few weeks she had done quite a few things that were out of character for her. “Oh, inner sexpot, I do love you,” she whispered and for some reason felt compelled to tiptoe into the bedroom. She tossed the pillows to the floor and then slid beneath the cool sheet and waited for Noah to return to her.
When the BlackBerry on the nightstand vibrated, she picked it up, thinking that the phone was hers, and looked at the text message. What she read made her stomach plummet. The message from someone named Laney O. read:
Noah, you need to ditch that silly little play in that one-horse town and come home where you belong. I know you must still be angry, but I made a huge mistake and I will do whatever it takes to get you back. Love isn’t the same without you. Call me.
Love isn’t the same without you? Olivia put a trembling hand over her mouth and then set the phone back on the nightstand. When she heard footsteps coming down the hallway, she scooted down and pressed her head into the feather pillow, pretending to be asleep.
When Noah eased beneath the covers and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, Olivia tried not to stiffen. She swallowed a sob and wondered if she should confront him about Laney, but the pain of his betrayal cut too deep. No wonder her father had hurt so badly for so many years. A hollow ache settled in her chest, and she couldn’t find the courage to address the situation. She wondered how she could even go on with the play, but she was going to have to dig deep and act the part. Madison and Cricket Creek were counting on the success of the play, and damned if she would let Noah Falcon ruin it.
When Noah kissed her bare shoulder a hot tear slid down her cheek, but she vowed never to let him see her pain. For her father’s sake, she had learned a long time ago to mask the hurt of her mother’s absence. She was a good actress. She could do this. The game was far from over.
19
Once More with Feeling
“Okay, find your marks and let’s try this scene from the beginning,” Madison directed with a frown. “This time kiss with some emotion!” She plopped down on her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. For the past few days something had been wrong with Olivia, and Madison didn’t understand, but with opening night just two weeks away she was sweating bullets. They were down to final rehearsals and up until now lines were memorized, blocking felt just right, and lighting seemed perfect. After four weeks of rehearsals the stage crew had set changes down like clockwork. In fact, Madison had hoped to allow the stage manager to take over while she observed a run-through, but she just couldn’t keep from breaking in with direction.
Olivia looked as if she had just sucked on a lemon and Noah appeared just plain confused. “Again!” Madison said sharply and rolled her fingertips to her temple as she observed Olivia’s wooden performance. “Okay, you know what? Let’s call it a night,” she shouted to the cast and crew. She shoved her script into her leather case. “I’ll see everyone at six thirty tomorrow. Olivia, may I see you, please?”
Olivia nodded and walked in front of the orchestra pit to where Madison leaned against the back of a folding table. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on with you and Noah?”
“Nothing,” Olivia said but swallowed hard. “I’m just tired from grading exams, that’s all. School is over at the end of the week, so I’ll be fine. I’m sorry, Madison.”
“Yeah, right. Like I’m buying that line of bull? Noah just stormed off the stage and you don’t seem to care.”
“I care deeply about this play,” Olivia assured her in a shaky voice. “I’ll be fin
e.” She pressed her palms downward toward the floor. “Just let me catch my breath. Tomorrow will be better.”
“Better? Olivia, I don’t want better. I need what you already had up there! Passion! Feeling! Emotion!” She pointed to the stage and then put a hand over her heart. “Come on, tell me what’s got the bur up your butt,” she demanded, but when Olivia’s mouth trembled and her eyes misted over, Madison shook her head and then grabbed Olivia’s arm. “Let’s go to Sully’s and slug down a dirty martini.”
Olivia wrinkled up her nose.
“Okay, a glass of wimpy wine … whatever. You have to tell me what in the world is going on.”
Olivia inhaled a deep breath. “Madison, I’m just burning the candle at both ends and I haven’t been sleeping well. I truly just need a good night’s rest, that’s all.”
“You are such a crappy liar,” Madison responded tightly, but then her voice softened when Olivia’s eyes filled with tears. She put a hand on her friend’s arm and squeezed. “Listen, I’m going to Sully’s. If you need someone to talk to, we can snag a booth and chat, okay?”
Olivia hesitated but then shook her head. “I’ll be fine, and the play will go off without a hitch. I promise. The stress is just getting to me.”
“Okay,” Madison sighed as she slung her leather satchel over her shoulder. “If you change your mind, just call me.”
“Thanks, Madison. I will.”
Madison nodded but shook her head slowly as she watched Olivia walk out the door. Something had happened between Olivia and Noah Falcon. Noah seemed frustrated but clueless and Olivia was acting just plain weird! Madison looked around the theater. Thanks to Jason and the art department at Cricket Creek High School, the set was beautiful. The lighting had been perfected over the past few weeks, and everyone had their lines down pat. Posters were placed everywhere, and ticket sales were strong, with opening weekend sold out. Local hotels and inns were filling up, and Wine and Diner was almost ready for its grand opening. Everything was going as planned. Olivia Lawson was the last person Madison would have expected to have a meltdown.
“Go figure,” Madison mumbled as she locked the front door. Suddenly a dirty martini sounded pretty darned good and maybe a bite to eat as well, so she hoofed it down the street to Sully’s. But after opening the door her heart thudded and her eyes widened.
What the …
Jason Craig and a gorgeous brunette sat in a booth with their heads bent together. Madison stood there for a good minute, but he was so engrossed with what the woman was telling him that he didn’t even notice her! Madison’s first inclination was to stomp over and present her sorry self, but she was so stunned by the sight of Jason with another woman that she whirled around and all but flew out the door.
Madison stood outside for a moment and then suddenly felt angry with herself for not having the moxie to march back in there and confront him. But seeing Jason with someone else felt like a sucker punch to her gut, and she simply couldn’t do it. Still, she fisted her hands and contemplated heading right back in and tossing a drink in his face—or whatever dramatic scene she could muster up. But the past few days had already been so stressful that she just kept on putting one foot in front of the other until she reached the high-rise where she lived.
Madison tugged the heavy front door open with a whoosh and then stomped her foot when she remembered that she had driven to the community center earlier. “Grrr!” she grumbled, but she didn’t want to walk all the way back into town. Instead she punched the elevator button way too hard and then stood there tapping her foot while the numbers seemed to descend in slow motion and then stop. After another minute she pressed the button again.
“That won’t make the elevator come any sooner.”
“Eeek!” Madison whirled around to see Noah Falcon standing behind her. “No-ah!”
“Before you say anything, I did not sneak up on you. You were lost in your own little world of pissed-off-ness.”
Madison blinked hard at him. She wasn’t one to give in to tears easily, but when she did it was noisy. “You scared me!” She was precariously close to some serious bawling.
Noah’s expression softened. “You want a drink?”
“Martini?” she asked in a small but hopeful voice.
“My bar has an extensive selection.”
“So the answer is yes?”
“Yes.”
“Dirty?”
“I showered.”
Madison attempted to laugh but hiccuped instead. “This was one sucky day.”
“Tell me about it.” Noah stood back and allowed her to enter the elevator first and then with a long sigh leaned against the mirrored wall.
Madison thought that he appeared exhausted and put a hand on his forearm. “Am I pushing everyone too hard this week?”
Noah shifted his gaze to her in surprise. “Why do you ask that?”
“Because Olivia is one of the most levelheaded people I know and you have pitched in the World Series, for goodness’ sakes!”
“And?”
“And you both seem ready to crack. Look, I realize that this play is mostly you two onstage with very few supporting characters and that the pressure is on, so what else am I to think?”
Noah shrugged and took his gaze away from the changing numbers. “I have no idea what I did to upset Olivia. I’ve tried to talk to her and she pretends like everything is okay.” He sighed and when the elevator stopped on the eleventh floor, he held the door for her to step out. “I might be a dumb jock, but I’m not that stupid.”
“If you ever call yourself that again, I’m going to kick your ass, Noah.” She jutted her chin out and dared him.
His laughter seemed a bit forced. “I’ll remember that. Hey, drop your stuff off in your condo and I’ll have a very cold, very dirty martini waiting for you. I’ll be on the balcony, but I’ll leave the door open.”
“Sounds heavenly. I’ll be there in just a few minutes.”
She unlocked her door and dumped her purse and leather satchel on the kitchen island with a sad clunk. “Well, this day has really been a winner.” She looked around and then sighed. The condo was small, but the open floor plan made it seem bigger. What she really loved was the long sliding glass doors that opened to a double balcony overlooking the river. She walked over and gazed out. The sunrises and sunsets were amazing, and the sight of the winding river usually calmed her nerves.
But not today.
She opted to change into sweats and flip-flops. She grabbed some sliced Cheddar from the fridge and a sleeve of crackers from her top cabinet. In her experience bachelors had an extensive liquor cabinet but were usually lacking in the snacks and chocolate department. She might not be a great cook like her aunt and mother, but she excelled in all things munchy and crunchy. Writers tended to graze rather than take the time for actual meals, and Madison was no exception.
Her flip-flops slapped against the bottoms of her feet as she made her way down the marble-tiled hallway. An antique-looking cherry table with a lovely floral arrangement made the space elegant, and Madison once again thought it a crying shame that the building was mostly vacant. When she reached Noah’s condo, his door was unlocked as promised and she entered. “Hello?”
“Out here,” Noah called from the balcony. The sliding doors were open, allowing the evening breeze to cool the space, which was larger than Madison’s more modest quarters. Used as a model unit, Noah’s condo had furnishings that were a gorgeous mix of deep chocolate leather and mahogany with splashes of crimson accents here and there.
Noah had changed to cargo shorts and a University of Kentucky T-shirt that read UK2K.
“What does that mean?” She pointed to his shirt.
He angled his head at her. “Two thousand wins,” he boasted with a nod.
She shook her head. “With all of the baseball talk I had forgotten how crazy this town was for basketball.”
“Wildcat basketball,” he corrected with a chuckle. “Yeah, I bought this
shirt at the mall last week.” He lounged in a cushioned chair and pointed to the one next to his. A round table held a tray of mixed fruit, a wedge of Brie, and some water crackers. “Have a seat,” he offered and then handed her a martini glass.
“Wow, I’m impressed,” she admitted as she took the wide glass from him and cradled it in her hand. “I brought Cheddar and Ritz crackers, thinking that as a bachelor you’d probably have some stick pretzels.”
“You’d be right. This feast was left over from when Olivia was here, before she decided to hate me.”
Madison sat down and shook her head at Noah. “What’s up with you and Olivia? Everything seemed so great between you two at the baseball game.”
“Tell me about it.” Noah shrugged his wide shoulders. “You got me.”
“Something has to have happened, Noah.” Madison took a sip of her martini and looked at him expectantly. “Can you think of anything that might have upset her?”
Noah took a swig of his beer and then eased back in the chair and crossed his long legs in front of him. “Damned if I know.” He let the longneck dangle from his fingertips and stared out at the river below. “Has she said anything to you, Madison?” He turned and looked at her with such pain and confusion in his eyes that she reached over and patted his arm.
“No, only that grading exams and lack of sleep have gotten the best of her. She promised me that she would get her act together for the play, if you’ll pardon the pun.”
“And do you believe that?”
Madison looked at him for a long, measuring moment. “She might be able to muster a good performance, but I’m not buying her excuses for one minute,” she answered quietly.
“Me neither.” He tilted his beer bottle up to his mouth.
“Have you asked her what’s wrong, Noah?”
He swallowed and then nodded slowly. “Sure. I got the same sort of noncommittal response from her as you did. I don’t get it.”
“That makes two of us,” she said with a long, shaky sigh and another sip of the cold martini. “Any of it.”