Third Time's A Charmer

by St. John, Jodi

  She thought I was talking about the art.

  Chapter 7

  Harris and Olivia grew closer as weeks passed. They started each day early with a run. Moving to the beach lately and running in the sand. It was more difficult for Harris while Olivia seemed to float over it. He watched her more these days. He noticed little nuances about her. How her eyes lit up when she smiled. How she crinkled her brow when she disagreed with something he said, which was often.

  They fell into step easily every morning. Neither of them realizing how comfortable it all was. How easy it was to be together.

  Chapter 8

  Olivia

  Harris had the boys over last night. We were all around the pool until quite late. I enjoyed them. There was a brotherhood about them when they were all together. Will and Luke had their girlfriends with them. It was nice having a few other females around. Lord knows I had to deal with the boys together more and more lately. It was nice seeing the dynamic between them. You could tell they all craved a normal life, with family and friends. Fame as large as theirs didn't allow that. The trick is to find balance and keep the private and public life separate. Most of the boys had figured that out. Except Harris. He liked to live large but didn’t know what to do with the attention afterwards. I was working on that with him. It was the most troubling task so far, that and the fact that he was such a naughty and flirty smartass.

  The get together lasted late into the night. I left the crew by 11:00. Harris looked disappointed. He was trying to get me to stay up with them. I couldn’t. I needed to sleep. My mind had played with my ability to sleep lately and I was hoping I could shut it off. I needed to be alone. I liked being alone, more than the average person and definitely more than Harris. I swear that man would have people around 24/7 if he could. He was used to it after touring nonstop for 5 years, I suppose. He became accustomed to being surrounded by people all the time.

  I slept great for once. Woke up at 6:00 and drank my coffee. I knew Harris made it a late night. Did I dare go wake him to go running? We did this lately. Whoever woke up first got to wake the other, and it was never done gently. Mornings were fun when I woke up first which, let’s face it, I was up first most of the time.

  I decided to sneak into the main house and see what was going on. I was certain the boys all crashed here. I wasn't sure what I was going to find. The sun was already bright when I crossed the patio that surrounded the pool and ran between the guest house and the main house. The door I was going into would lead me straight into the kitchen. I’d get his coffee going. Lord knows he’d need it with the way the place looked. Someone hit the wine hard. I hoped it wasn't Harris. He was awful when he was hung over.

  I crossed into the main room and stopped quick to admire the art piece we hung together. That was the night I felt things shift between us. We were on a new plane now. There was a sexual attraction definitely to him. How couldn’t there be. Have you looked at the man? But it was more. There was a calm inside me when I looked at him. It felt good. Too good. Shit!

  This room looked great. The whole house was getting pulled together. The last room to get done would be the master bedroom. Harris' room. It had a weird sacred feeling to it. Like I shouldn't be entering there or planning the bedding and such. I would find myself imagining what he would be doing in that bed, with women other than me. Ugh. Stop it, Olivia. These thoughts were coming way too frequently to be nothing and I knew it. Damn it, I knew how this was going to end. I'm determined to not go down that road again. I won’t!

  I ran up the stairs making sure not to disturb all the sleeping bodies in the living room. I’m glad I picked out the largest sofas I could find for that room. They were a hit with the boys.

  It was all quiet outside Harris' room. What if he had someone with him? Should I really burst in there?? Maybe I’d just peek. I cracked the door open enough to peek inside. Looked like only his moppy head was sticking out of the covers. I crept over to the bed. I was ready to pounce on him when his arm shot out, grabbed me and threw me on the bed. In a flash, he had me pinned with my arms over my head and he was only wearing the biggest dimply grin I'd ever seen. Sweet Jesus! Harris was naked, on top of me, in bed! Fucking hell!

  Chapter 9

  Harris

  I heard my bedroom door open. I knew Livy was going to creep over to my bed and jump on me to wake me up. I had a plan today. I sensed her by the bed ready to wake me. I grabbed her and flipped her over me and onto her back on the other side of the bed. In one swift move, I grabbed her arms and pinned them above her. She was under me now as I flashed my wicked grin. But, I quickly realized I had gone to bed like I always did, naked. Fuck! I guess I didn’t think this one through to the end. Good thing when I flipped over on top of her, the comforter came with me and provided the barrier needed so my dick wasn’t slapping on her thigh right now. She was grinning. I hoped I could cover up again without her noticing. It was a long shot but I’d try. I rolled off her as she started to laugh and took the comforter with me. She was on the other side of it laughing so hard she had tears rolling down her cheeks. I could tell I was turning red, but I couldn’t help but grin. Damn, she’s something. I jumped her, completely naked, and she laid there laughing obnoxiously at my embarrassment.

  I tugged on the blanket and broke it free of her. I wrapped it around me and stomped off to the bathroom, like a toddler being told to go brush his teeth. Olivia won this round.

  Time for her to kick my ass on the beach, which is fine with me considering the view I’d have with her ahead of me.

  Chapter 10

  Olivia

  The shock of Harris' peep show earlier stayed with me our entire run. I could still feel what he felt like, hard against my thigh, his wicked, sexy smile on those delicious lips. I kept throwing him naughty, knowing smiles to watch him turn red all over again. I don’t know why he was embarrassed. Trust me. From what I felt poking at me, no embarrassment needed. I was intrigued at this point, that and the fact that it had been far too long since I’d had sex.

  I don’t care how much longer it will be either because it will not be with him. I couldn’t do that. Not again. The key here is to keep him happy so he can write fresh new songs. Keep it fun and flirty, like we have been for the last few months. I wonder who he’d been hooking up with. He’d been doing a great job of hiding it from me and the press. At least he’d learned that.

  Running back from the beach I stripped my shorts off. I had my bikini bottoms on underneath. I kicked off my shoes and dove directly in the pool. The cool water felt incredible. It was going to be another gorgeous day and I couldn’t help but smile. I could feel the sun reaching the innermost part of my soul and warming it from within.

  There was nothing better after a long run than jumping in that water. Floating on your back with the water cooling down your muscles, and whisking away the sweat.

  Chapter 11

  Harris

  I was right. She kicked my ass all over that beach today. I even had to walk the last stretch that led from the beach back up to the house. Only to find her floating lazily in the pool. There she was, all tanned and toned with her hair splayed out in the water. She looked absolutely breathtaking and she didn’t even know it. My heart was starting to pound like it’d done for the past few weeks. I had finally admitted to myself that I wanted her. I wanted her badly, all the time. It was getting hard to hide it. And speaking of hard...Damn it, Livy!

  I swam over to her as she squinted at me with the sun in her eyes. She was smiling. She looked content and I had to ask her why. She let her feet drop to the floor of the pool and stood in front of me. She put her hand on my chest, over one of my bird tattoos, and told me the sunshine had finally made it through the clouds. Then she swam to the edge of the pool, got out and walked away.

  Chapter 12

  Olivia

  I couldn't explain to Harris the darkness that had consumed me for so long. He would never know the sadness and hurt I endured. No one would. But for a m
oment in the pool just now, there was no sadness, no hurt. I actually felt the warmth of the sun deep inside and it felt incredible. A part of me was coming to life again. Much like how a flower must feel in the spring when the sun brings it back to life after the cold winter. It’d been so long that I couldn’t remember how it felt to be whole. The cracks inside me were disappearing. They say time heals all wounds. Was it that? Or was it him?

  We had to be at the studio in an hour. Harris was cutting some new tracks for his first solo album. He’d been working so hard on the writing and recording. I was impressed. I knew he had amazing talent as a performer but the behind-the-scenes stuff was nothing short of amazing. My admiration for him as a man and as an artist was growing by the moment. He was even learning how to be out in public but still maintain a low profile. I was proud of him. I was starting to realize the feelings I had for him were growing.

  We left the studio and stopped by the market for groceries. A few fans had noticed him and he was gracious as usual. He was however getting more and more annoyed with them. He would never let on about it but I could tell. Everything has its downsides, even success and fame. He’d figure it out. In time. I was sure of it.

  We pulled up through the gates of the estate. Harris drove the Range Rover around to the front of the house. He got closer and started to mumble. He said something about “Not here. This is my house. You’re not allowed to bother me here, dammit. Fucking arseholes!”

  As he threw his sunglasses on the dash, I looked out the side window to see what he was freaking out about.

  Harris grabbed the car door and started to get out. I grabbed his arm and stopped him. He looked at me confused.

  “Harris, he’s not here for you. He’s here for me.” I said.

  I stepped out of the vehicle and came face to face with someone I thought I’d never see again. He saw the tabloids. He put two and two together and now he was here, looking as gorgeous as the day I left him.

  I stood there staring into his amazing blue eyes. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move. Harris rounded the corner of the Rover with the groceries. He walked over to us and I regained enough composure to introduce him.

  “Harris, meet Andres. Andres, this is Harris.” They shook hands and smiled cautiously. Harris said he’d let us be and turned to walk into the house. That’s when I realized I had been holding my breath. I finally exhaled when Andres pulled me to him. He wrapped me in his arms and whispered in my ear. His lips brushed my skin and sent chills through my entire body. He was here, really here with me. I pulled away to look at him. I still couldn’t believe it. His hand cupped my chin and we both just stood there. Then he smiled. How? How could he smile at me? How could he be here after what I did to him. Why now? Why at all?

  We walked toward the guest house where I’d been staying. His hand was on the back of my neck. It was a possessive grip, one I had grown to respond to. There was undoubted heat between us from the moment we met 4 years ago. He was the singer in the Spanish group I was working for. I was getting them groomed and ready for their next step to stardom and I was running. Hell, I was still running, from the pain and anger I felt after having all that I loved ripped away from me. I thought if I kept running the pain couldn’t catch up to me and drown me. Andres turned all the pain I felt into passion and lust. There were strict rules and consequences, laid out by me, in the contract with the band’s management. Any involvement would not only send me packing, but would force the record company to drop the group. Even with all that working against us...our affair lasted a year.

  Chapter 13

  Harris

  I threw the groceries on the counter and immediately googled this Andres chap. Was he a threat to her? How did she know him? Why was he here? How did he find her? Fucking tabloids! He obviously saw her with me and tracked her down. Well, he’s in a world famous Latin group. Damn. He’s touring and he has a concert here next weekend. I see nothing here connecting them. Maybe she worked with them. Oh God. Maybe they got close like we were. Fucking hell! He must be here for her. Here to take her back. No! This couldn't be happening. He can't take her away from me. I need her. I haven’t been this happy since…….ever.

  Chapter 14

  Olivia

  Andres closed the door behind him and before he turned around, I was on him. Our lips and bodies crashed. All the passion flooded back and all I wanted was him. He spun me around and pressed me against the door. The intensity in his eyes drove me insane. I wanted him to take me, now. He grabbed the back of my thighs and pressed his hips into me, shoving me against the door. I could feel him, hard for me. His breathing ragged. His eyes hooded with desire. He knew what I needed and he knew how I liked him. His lips were all over me as he drove into me over and over, harder and harder bringing me to the brink. I couldn't stifle the scream that escaped me when we exploded together. It was fucking mind-blowing. He was the most amazing lover I had ever had. Take your most intense orgasm and multiply that by 1000. That was sex with Andres. I had forgotten how incredible he could make me feel. God, I missed him. I missed this. We sat tangled up together on the floor in front of the door, panting and sweaty. There it was, that look. He could melt me with a single glance. We hadn’t spoken a full sentence to each other but we knew what each was thinking.

  He picked me up and stood with me, kissing me, caressing me, not wanting to put me down or let me go. I led him to the back of the house to my room. We didn’t get out of bed for the next 12 hours. I had more sex in those 12 hours than I had the last 12 months. It was slow and sensual and rough and hungry. It was us. How we had always been, primal, lustful, forbidden.

  I laid wrapped in his arms stroking his hair and admiring his beautiful features as the sun started to rise. He was so young when we met. He would have been Harris' age, 22. He was 26 now. 6 years younger than me. Those 4 years have sharpened his features. He was stunning, the way he spoke, how he carried himself, and the way he looked at me. It all came flooding back. I didn’t want to get involved. I knew the risks. I knew what he had to lose. I could tell from the moment I heard him they were going to have an incredible career. I couldn’t jeopardize it. That's why I ran. Not because I didn’t love him.

  Andres woke and immediately reached for my lips. I could never get enough of how he kissed. I felt it through my entire body. Harris could barge in here now with a gun and shoot me and I would still feel like my life was complete.

  HARRIS!!!!! Oh shit!!!! I forgot about Harris!!!!

  I leapt out of bed and hopped in the shower so fast my head spun. I was ready and in the kitchen when he knocked before he poked his head in the door. I was ready for our run. I was making coffee for Andres while he showered and must have been beaming because he looked at me quizzically.

  “What?” I said looking him square in the eye.

  “Nothing.” he said with that fucking smirk of his. Oh God…he heard my screams last night. He must have. Just then Andres popped out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist. He looked happy and oh-so-sexy. He smiled and greeted Harris. They chatted a bit while I put my shoes on and grabbed my ear buds out of my bag in the bedroom. I stood and stared at the bed. An overwhelming feeling washed over me. I took a deep breath and went to join the two men in the kitchen. I was glad to see the two carrying on about something. They were both smiling and laughing. My heart flipped a little. I took a swig from my water bottle, looked at Harris and said, “Ready?”

  He headed for the door when Andres grabbed me around the waist and started kissing me. Harris waited outside.

  We started the route to the park. I knew if I could get ahead of him I could pop my ear buds in so he couldn’t talk to me about yesterday, last night or Andres. But no such luck. The little fucker decided to keep up today and asked a million questions until finally I stopped in the park, pretending to have a cramp. The smirk on his face changed to his concerned-furrowed-brow look. I knew all his looks after these months spent together.

  “Olivia, you owe me no explanatio
ns. I just need to know if you're happy Andres is here. “

  I stood there looking at the sky wondering how to answer him. So, I simply said, “I don’t know, Harris, I honestly don’t know.” My eyes pleaded for him to stop with the questions. And he read them correctly and let it go, for now.

  By the time we got back, Andres had dressed, made the bed, did the dishes and whipped up a light breakfast for all of us. I loved how he was including Harris. He knew Harris was important to me. Somehow, he sensed it. It was easy and comfortable sitting around the island with these two. Harris and Andres were a lot alike. I kept looking from one to the other. What the hell was happening? Moments before Andres fucked my brains out I was ready to jump Harris. Maybe it’s out of my system. I just needed to get laid, a bajillion times, by a man that could make you wet just looking at you.

  I heard Andres ask Harris to join us as he walked him to the door. I spun around on the stool to see what he was up to. He stopped at the piano and sat down. He started to play a song, my song. As he sang I wrapped myself around him from behind. I could feel the pain in the lyrics, I didn’t want to see it in his eyes. What were we doing? He was leaving in a week on tour after the kick off concert here in LA. I pushed it all aside, the questions, thought of the future. I’m going to enjoy every second I have with him now.

  We fell into bed again. No rush this time. No urgency in our movements. It was slow and deep, never breaking our lips apart. He was amazing. He would whisper things in Spanish with his hot breath in my ear. I had no idea what he was saying but I didn't care. It sent me to a whole new plateau and he knew it. He knew what to do to me to send me over the edge…over and over again.