A Beautiful Mess

by T. K. Leigh

  Olivia walked through the front doors of her building and hurried to the elevator, wanting to get back to her office and some sense of normalcy, even though nothing had been normal about her life since she met Alexander Burnham. He entered her life in a whirlwind and had quickly implanted himself in nearly every facet of Olivia’s existence. She thought about him every second of every day. And Olivia didn’t know how she felt about that.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  SOMETHING MORE

  “CHERYL, I need some good news,” Donovan said into his phone.

  “I wish I had some, boss. We’re getting there. He has Carter on an unofficial protection detail as of now. She noticed Matthew following her yesterday. It was good that he made it so obvious. That’s got Burnham spooked.”

  “Yes, but I was hoping he’d assign you to the protection detail.”

  “I know. I’m working on that. But as of now, there’s no official detail anyway. From what I’ve been able to find out, she seems hesitant to agree to it, thinking it’s entirely unnecessary.”

  “Well, do something to make it necessary,” Donovan growled into the phone.

  “Yes, sir.” Cheryl hung up and threw her burner phone into the nearest trash bin. She walked to a nearby drug store and bought a replacement.

  ~~~~~~~~~~

  “Hello, Mr. Burnham,” Olivia crooned into her phone.

  “Good afternoon, Miss Adler. Come to my place after practice at Mo’s tonight?”

  “Is that a question or an order?” she asked as she sat at the desk in her office, looking out the window at the bustling Boston streets below.

  Alexander chuckled, listening to Olivia’s voice, happy to break the monotony of pouring over case files. “Maybe a little of both. We’ll order sushi and watch a few movies. Take it easy. Keep you off your feet. You’ll be pounding the pavement pretty hard this weekend.”

  “That’s not the only thing I want to pound hard this weekend,” Olivia said coyly.

  Alexander inhaled quickly at her words, feeling a familiar twitching in his pants before regaining his composure. “Be there at seven, Love. And be ready to leave direct from my place tomorrow when we get up.”

  “So demanding.”

  “Don’t you know it. Till then, Olivia...”

  “Bye, Mr. Burnham.”

  “Good-bye, Miss Adler.”

  She hung up, collected her items, and headed out of her office. She sent Kiera a quick text reminding her to check on Nepenthe over the next few days.

  “Bye, Libby! Have fun this weekend and good luck!” Melanie said as Olivia walked out the front doors of the wellness center.

  “Thanks, Mel. See you next week.”

  When Olivia walked out of her building a few minutes later, a black SUV pulled up front.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she mumbled under her breath.

  “Miss Adler,” Carter said, running around to open the rear passenger side door.

  “Good afternoon, Carter,” she said curtly as she stared into the passenger compartment of the SUV, hesitant about getting in. If she did, she was more or less agreeing to Alexander’s ridiculous protection detail.

  “Please, Miss Adler. It’s just a ride home.”

  Olivia looked at her watch and noticed she was already running late. “Fine. But only because I’m short on time.”

  “Thank you, Miss Adler.”

  Olivia was home in record time and, after Carter did a quick sweep of her house, she began packing for her big weekend.

  That evening, rehearsal with the band went by fairly quickly. Before Olivia knew it, she was on her way over to Alexander’s penthouse, courtesy of her chauffeur, Carter. She wasn’t in the mood to start a fight with him, not when they were going away for the weekend. If he was providing her with her own personal driver for the evening, so be it.

  “Olivia, Love,” Alexander said, rushing to her when he saw her walk through the foyer. She was dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a tee shirt, but she still made Alexander’s heart skip a beat whenever she was near. He planted a long kiss on her lips. “Have I told you how much I missed you today?”

  “Maybe once or twice, but you can tell me again.” Olivia stared into his green eyes, reveling in the warmth coming off his body. He must have just gotten out of the shower. His hair was wet and he smelled of body wash and aftershave. He had changed out of his normal office attire and was wearing a white polo shirt and a pair of jeans.

  “I missed you. I missed your eyes.” His thumb ran over the corner of Olivia’s eyes. “I missed your lips.” He brought his mouth to hers, kissing her softly. “And I most certainly missed your tongue.” He kissed her again, coaxing her mouth open as his tongue danced with hers before pulling back, leaving her completely breathless.

  “Come, Love. Sushi has arrived.” He led her down the hallway into the den. It was a spacious and homey room with a large pool table set in the far corner. Immediately in front of Olivia was a luxurious leather sofa and a giant flat screen TV. It was the one room of the penthouse that didn’t appear to belong in a museum. Walking over to the couch, Olivia noticed that Alexander had set up a small feast worth of sushi on the large coffee table. Runner sat next to the table, anxious for scraps. When he saw Olivia, he immediately ran up to her, his tail wagging.

  “Hey, boy. Good to see you, too. Give mama kisses.” She leaned down so Runner could give her a few kisses on her cheek.

  They sat on the oversized couch and Alexander put on Casablanca as Runner sat back down, anxious for some food to be thrown his way. Alexander, being a total sucker for that dog, fed him the occasional piece of sushi when Olivia wasn’t looking.

  “I love this movie,” Olivia said, her mouth full of yellowtail.

  “I know.”

  “You do?” she asked, scrunching her eyebrows in confusion.

  “Yeah. You mentioned it once and I just kind of remembered,” Alexander replied nervously.

  “I don’t remember that. Oh well,” she shrugged.

  Olivia hadn’t told him how much she loved the movie. Not since she was a kid. Alexander remembered sitting in the living room of his family’s house with Olivia when they were younger and they would always watch Casablanca. Olivia couldn’t understand what was happening in the movie, but she always loved the look on Ingrid Bergman’s face when she looked at Humphrey Bogart. It was the look of true love.

  She smiled at Alexander, leaned over, and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek.

  He turned to look at her, his grin touching his eyes. “What was that for?”

  “Nothing. I just love this movie.” The look on Alexander’s face at her words made her heart melt. She stared at him, their eyes not breaking from each other for several long moments. Runner walked over and started licking Olivia’s hand, making her laugh. “Silly dog,” she said, returning her attention to the sushi feast sitting in front of her.

  They finished their dinner just as Ilsa asked Sam to play As Time Goes By. Alexander snuggled up next to Olivia, laying down next to her on the couch, his front to her back, and he sang along with Sam.

  Olivia giggled as he kissed her neck. There was something so familiar about what they were doing, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. It was as if she had been there before, had watched that movie with Alexander before, and he had sung those words to her before. But that couldn’t have happened. She had only known Alexander for a few months. She shook off the feeling and settled in to watch the remainder of the movie.

  Gently caressing her stomach underneath her tee shirt, Alexander shifted Olivia onto her back and hovered over her, gazing into her deep brown eyes, not saying a word.

  “What?” Olivia asked, trying to break the tension.

  “I just like looking at you. You’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”

  Olivia blushed and turned her head to stare at the flat screen television, not really paying attention to the movie.

  “Look at me, Olivia.” She continued t
o stare at the television. “Come on, Love. Don’t you realize how beautiful you are?”

  She faced Alexander. “More beautiful than Plastic Surgery Barbie?”

  He let out a laugh as he nuzzled against her, inhaling her scent. “Much more beautiful than her. Your beauty comes natural,” he pulled back, gazing deep into her eyes. “She probably shelled out millions of dollars to look the way she does.” He leaned down and kissed her lips softly. “Why do you get so shy when I give you compliments?”

  “I don’t know. I just don’t take them so well, I guess. I mean, I’m not the most hideous thing on the planet,” she laughed. “But, look at you. You’re fucking hot.”

  Alexander laughed. “You think so, do you?”

  “Hell to the fucking yes. You could have your pick of any woman out there who I’m sure wouldn’t put you through half the drama I put you through…”

  “Yes. But I want to be with you, Olivia.” He trailed soft kisses along her collarbone. “It’s you, Olivia. It’s only ever been you,” he whispered quietly.

  His words caused an overwhelming sensation to surge through Olivia’s core. She wrapped her legs around Alexander’s waist and pulled his head to hers, crushing his lips with her own.

  He pulled back briefly. “What made you change your ways, sweetheart?”

  Olivia looked up at him. “What do you mean?”

  Alexander rolled onto his side and Olivia followed, facing him, as he continued to caress her body from her hips to her shoulder. She loved his touch. Even a simple innocent stroke sent heat throughout her body. “I mean, when we first met, you mentioned how you always did the no strings attached thing. So why me?”

  Olivia raised her hands to her face and covered it, not wanting to talk about her feelings. Her feelings petrified her.

  “Look at me, Olivia,” he demanded, pulling her hands away from her face and clutching them in his own. “I’m just trying to figure out what makes you tick. That’s all.”

  “I could ask you the same question, Alexander,” she replied.

  He smiled. “Well, that’s easy. I was waiting to find you. And once I did, I knew you were someone I wanted to get to know more than just a quick fuck.” His words were actually true. He had been waiting to find his Olivia. “Your turn, Miss Adler.”

  “I don’t know, Alexander,” Olivia exhaled loudly. “I don’t know if it was any one thing. We kept running into each other randomly. It was almost like someone was sending me a sign. And there was this feeling I had. I was so comfortable with you after spending just a short time with you. That’s why I told you all about my parents’ deaths. It normally takes me forever to open up to anyone, but there was something about you. I felt as if I had known you my entire life.”

  Alexander growled as he flipped Olivia onto her back. “Oh, darling. I felt the same way.”

  Olivia looked into Alexander’s eyes and did her best Ingrid Bergman impression. “Kiss me. Kiss me as if it were the last time.” She reached up and grabbed his face, forcing his mouth to hers, their tongues doing a frenzied dance. Olivia’s body was on fire, her passion for the man on top of her at a fevered pitch.

  He worshiped her body, caressing and nipping from her neck down her sternum, lifting her shirt over the top of her head. He gazed into her eyes, the dominating man she was so accustomed to, nowhere to be seen. Instead, there was a look of affection, or maybe, just maybe, something more.

  Alexander pulled her nipple into his mouth, sucking tenderly. Olivia let out a quiet cry.

  “Do you like that, my Love?” He looked up at Olivia briefly before he moved to the other nipple.

  She moaned again, bucking her hips, her body alert with sensation.

  Alexander grinned. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  Olivia pulled greedily at his tee shirt.

  “Always so needy, Miss Adler. Patience, my Love,” he whispered as he lowered down her body, licking her stomach, kissing her waist. “Let me worship you.”

  Olivia moaned again, her senses on overload. She bucked her hips once more, telling him to take off her jeans. Alexander smiled and obeyed the command Olivia gave with her body, unbuttoning her jeans and slowly unzipping them.

  “God, Alex, you’re killing me,” Olivia breathed, throwing her arm over her head. Blood coursed through her veins, lighting her body on fire from his touch.

  “I told you already. Patience, darling.”

  Olivia exhaled before pushing Alexander off her into a sitting position. “I’m done being patient,” she growled. She reached for his shirt and yanked it over his head. Her eyes took in the beautiful man, straddling him. She could feel his erection through his jeans as she circled her hips around his waist and kissed his neck.

  “Oh, no you don’t,” Alexander said, flipping Olivia onto her back. “I’m driving.” He unbuttoned his jeans and carefully stepped out of them.

  “You like the control, don’t you?” Olivia asked when Alexander climbed on top of her.

  “Yes. And you like it when I’m in control, don’t you?”

  Olivia stared at Alexander, deep in thought.

  He grabbed both her arms and pinned them over her head with one of his hands. “I know you do, Miss Adler. You love it when I tell you what to do.”

  Olivia blushed and turned her head to see the Germans invading France in the movie.

  “Now’s not the time to turn shy on me, Olivia. Say it. You like it when I’m controlling you.”

  “Yes. I do,” she replied quietly. “It turns me on like I’ve never been turned on before.” Her heart raced with anticipation, his brilliant eyes boring holes through her soul.

  “Good girl,” he said. “Now, remember what I like.”

  “Yes, Mr. Burnham.”

  “Oh God, Olivia,” Alexander exclaimed, pushing into her, making her moan. But unlike so many other times, he went slow, his motions deliberate, filling her to the brim with pleasure and then slowly withdrawing before continuing with the same movement.

  He was in control, but that time felt so different. It was as if he was trying to tell Olivia something with the way he entered her, planting kisses all over her body. She ran her fingers through his unruly hair and pulled his lips to hers. She knew she was falling for that man, but refused to admit it to herself or anyone else.

  Her heart swelled with a strange emotion. She felt so fulfilled, she thought she might cry. Alexander was pushing her closer and closer to the edge with each slow movement inside her and her body began to quiver beneath his.

  She drew his tongue into her mouth, the sensation of his lips on her mouth and him inside her a sensory overload. He retreated, pulling her bottom lip between his teeth, softly nipping it, sending her over the edge. She came undone, the aftershocks of her orgasm trembling around him as he found his own release.

  Alexander continued to push gently into her until the last of her tremors ceased. He looked into Olivia’s dark eyes, his breathing irregular.

  “That was amazing,” Olivia said. And it had been. She had never felt so fulfilled in her entire life. It was so much more than just sex. It was so much more than anything Olivia had ever experienced in her entire life. She thought that she may have found someone she could possibly spend the rest of her life with. And the thought scared her. She immediately wanted to run as far away as she could, but Kiera’s words sounded in her head, telling her to just dive in.

  She pulled Alexander’s mouth back to her own, kissing him deeply and passionately.

  “It was pretty fucking great,” Alexander responded, his breathing still rapid. He slid off Olivia and positioned her on her side, facing the television again, his front to her back. He grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch and threw it over their naked bodies.

  “Watch the rest of the movie, Love,” Alexander whispered as he held Olivia in his arms. Within moments, she drifted off, feeling too exhausted to run.

  ~~~~~~~~~~

  Same dream again. The crash. The green-eyed boy. The boy getti
ng knocked out. But instead of seeing black as Olivia normally did, she remained conscious. She saw the green-eyed boy fall to the ground and then stared into the eyes of a man. His eyes were blue and cold and he sneered as he moved toward Olivia in the SUV. Then a loud bang. The blue-eyed man fell to the ground, blood streaming from his head. Olivia screamed.

  She heard footsteps running toward the car and she inched away from the open rear driver’s side car door.

  “Thomas! Help me with the body! We've got to get him back in his car!” Olivia knew that voice. It was her father’s voice. She tried to call out to him, but couldn’t.

  “Jack! Let me take care of it. You’re hurt. You need to get in the car! Now!” It was Olivia’s Uncle Charles’ voice.

  “I can do it. Just help me.”

  “Get in the car and check on your Olivia. Get my son in the car, too. You’re losing a lot of blood and you won’t do much good to me if you pass out now. So move!”

  Olivia opened her eyes when the green-eyed boy was placed in the car next to her.

  “Olivia, are you okay?” her father asked.

  She simply nodded, tears streaming down her face.

  “Don’t worry, Livvy. Stop crying,” he said. “Everything will be okay.” Her father closed the rear driver’s side door and climbed in the front. He reclined the seat as far as he could and closed his eyes. “Everything will be okay. Your uncle is going to fix everything, I promise.” It sounded like he was saying that more for himself than anything else.