by Alexa Davis
I knew I'd hit home as I watched Linc's face begin to turn red. "I'm a wimp? Is that what you think of me?" he asked as he struggled to maintain his outward calm. I could see his hands clenched at his sides, though.
"I don't know, it kind of seems like you let Russo dictate the terms of engagement." I shrugged. "Just saying."
"That's probably because you have no idea what's at stake," he replied as he moved toward me. I wasn't keen on having an argument in the lobby of my building, but I didn't want to continue it in the elevator, which didn't seem to be coming, anyway. I quickly slipped out of my shoes, bent to grab them off the floor, lifted the skirt of my dress up, and flung it over my arm as I headed for the stairs with Linc hot on my heels.
"Perhaps whatever it is that you have at stake is of little interest to me," I tossed over my shoulder as I began quickly climbing the stairs. "Have you ever thought of that?"
"Why are you so incredibly difficult?" Linc shouted into the stairwell. "You're impossible to actually have a conversation with!"
"Did I ask you to?" I shot back as I kept climbing. I knew that I'd better slow down. I was in pretty good shape from regular runs around the city, but at this pace, I wasn't going to make it to the sixth floor before I collapsed.
"God, Olivia, you're so defensive and hard that it's nearly impossible to say anything to you without causing a major blow up!" He continued climbing in an attempt to keep up with me. I was surprised that he hadn't given up and headed back to the comfort of his limo already, but I wasn't in any mood to stop and find out why.
"Do you ever stop and wonder why that might be?" I yelled at the man two flights below me. "Do you ever think that maybe I have a perfectly good reason for why I behave the way I do, and that maybe, just maybe, you're part of the problem? No, of course you don't: you're Lincoln Redding, billionaire businessman who can get anything he wants at the snap of his fingers, why not reporters, too?"
"That's completely unfair!" he yelled up at me. "You know nothing about me, either, and yet you make all of these assumptions about who I am and how I live!"
"Am I wrong? I mean, I spent an afternoon listening to you talk about how you have a vendetta against Davis Russo and the AWN," I countered as I tried to keep breathing, talking, and climbing. It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be and Linc was gaining ground. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Redding!"
"You're wrong, Moore!" he huffed as he continued climbing. "You're absolutely wrong because you never listen!"
"When have I never listened to you, Redding?" I shouted. "I sat in your office listening to you talk about your business and your plan to bring Russo down by making guns safer, and then I wrote an article about you!"
"But you didn't listen to what I was trying to tell you!" he yelled as he rounded the last set of stairs. I had yanked open the door that led to my hallway and was standing looking down at the lower landing when he appeared. "Why don't you listen to what I'm telling you?"
"Because I believe actions speak louder than words, and your inaction at the gala speaks volumes!" I shouted as I spun on my bare feet and headed down the hallway toward my apartment. Linc followed closely, not saying anything. I stuck the key in the lock and quickly opened the door and stepped inside. "What?"
"God, Olivia, just stop fighting," he said throwing his hands up in the air as he shook his head. "Can't we simply have a conversation? Does it always have to be so combative between us? Please, let's just talk."
The shift in his attitude caught me off guard and suddenly, I felt ashamed. I wasn't sure what to do because if I slammed the door on him, it would feel childish and petty, but if I let him in, it would mean I'd be agreeing to talk, and I wasn't sure how that would go. I made an instant decision and stepped back, ushering him into my apartment with a gesture. He smiled weakly and entered.
"Something to drink?" I asked, trying to find my footing. "I've got wine and might be able to mix a martini for you, if you want."
"Wine would be nice, thank you," he said as he looked around.
"I know it's probably pretty small and incredibly sparse compared to the places you're used to living in," I said as I dug into the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of Rioja. I quickly opened it and poured two glasses and carried them out to the living room. I offered him one and then gestured toward the couch. He sat down and gathered up the skirt of my dress and sank down next to him. "This is probably kind of shabby compared to your place, huh?"
"No, I was just thinking about how warm and homey it feels compared to mine," he said as he took the glass and held it up to toast. "I have a lot of properties, but nothing ever feels like home."
"How is that possible? You've got tons of money, you should be able to decorate a place just the way you like it."
"Yeah, but..." he trailed off as he sipped his wine.
"But what?" I asked and then waited. When he didn't speak, I smiled encouragingly and said, "Remember, you were the one who said I was supposed to calm down and listen."
"Right," he smiled a little, but the light didn't reach his eyes and I was left wondering what was going on. He opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again as he shook his head.
"Okay, so here's the deal," I said knowing that the ball was now firmly in my court. "I'll tell you one thing, then you tell me one thing. We'll trade off so no one is left hanging out to dry. How about that?"
"Are you going to be nice?" he asked. I looked at him and smiled as I gazed into his beautiful blue eyes. I felt a familiar ache begin in my chest and then slowly spread downward as I looked at his handsome face. The scent of his cologne wafted across the space between us and I closed my eyes for a moment and breathed it in. Opening them, I looked up at him and spoke.
"I promised I will be as nice as I can be," I said sweetly.
"That sounds like a trap," he laughed nervously.
"Ask me anything. I'll answer the best I can."
"Why are you so defensive and angry all the time?" he quickly blurted out.
The part of me that didn't want to have to answer that question went on high alert and I felt my defenses quickly going up, but then I remembered that I'd been the one who made the deal, so I took a deep breath and explained, "When I was in Africa, my news editor betrayed my trust and it cost several of my sources their lives and almost cost me mine. I guess I haven't quite let go of that."
"Did the two of you have a relationship?"
I inhaled sharply and then said, "No, no, it's your turn, remember? Why don't you feel like you have a home?"
"I don't know," Linc said as a look of pain crossed his face. "I just don't."
"No, you don't get off that easily," I said shaking my head. "I told you something really personal, and now you have to reciprocate. Why don't you feel like you have a home?"
"I was in college the last time I felt like I had a home," he said looking at me. His eyes were full of pain, so I reached out and gently rested my hand on his leg as he spoke. "When my parents were killed, Mo stepped in and helped put everything in order for me. She was my mother's best friend, and I was so lost that I had no idea what to do. But when that house was sold, I felt like my sense of home went with it."
I nodded, not knowing what to say, but thinking that it was better if I didn't say anything at all. Linc set his wine glass down on the coffee table and ran his hand through his hair as he continued, "I didn't grow up with a lot of money, you know. I wasn't rich until after my parents were killed. Talk about blood money." He winced as he said it. "I made the majority of my fortune buying and selling stocks that Brant's dad recommended. It wasn't something I was doing intentionally; I just wanted to be able to create something that would change things."
"It must have been really difficult," I said softly.
"I don't know if it's been difficult or not," he said with a small smile and then quietly added, "But it's been really lonely."
"I know the feeling, if that's any consolation," I said looking straight into his eyes. He held my gaze as he n
odded, and I was suddenly very aware of the fact that my hand was still resting on his leg. I could feel the electricity flowing between us as he leaned forward and lightly ran his fingers up my arm. I shivered as he followed a trail along my bare skin until his hand was cupping my cheek and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest.
"Give me your glass," he whispered as he leaned closer. I handed it over and he quickly deposited it next to his own on the coffee table. He was inches from my lips when he whispered, "Olivia, since the moment I met you, I haven't been sure whether I wanted to punch you or kiss you, but now I'm sure."
"Sure, sure, lure me close enough to deliver the fatal blow," I replied in a shaking voice. He smiled slightly as he leaned even closer. We were now only millimeters apart and I could feel his breath on my lips. The aching want that I'd felt since I'd first met him rose to a cacophonous level, but I held back, unsure of where this was going and yet knowing perfectly well what we both wanted.
"You're so beautiful, you know that, don't you?" he whispered as his hand moved up into my hair, searching out the clips and pins that the stylist had used to tame it. He patiently pulled each pin out tossing it over my shoulder as he did, but never moving far from my lips. The tension built in a slow, delicious way as my hair came cascading down and he slipped his hand deep into the thickness of it. I felt him sigh as he played with the silky strands, winding them around his fingers and then letting go so he could grab another handful.
"Linc...” I breathed softly.
"Mmm hmm," he smiled as he continued his slow sensual exploration of my tresses with one hand as his other hand stroked the bare skin between my elbow and shoulder. I could feel my body aflame with want and need, and I wanted to throw my arms around him and press my lips and body against his. And yet, I never wanted the teasing to end. The feeling of Linc's hands stroking and massaging my skin was intoxicating.
"Please?" I whispered as his fingers slid across my shoulder and up my neck.
"Please what, Olivia?" he whispered. I could feel the heat radiating from his lips as he spoke.
"Please, Linc," I sighed. "Please..."
"Please, this?" he asked seconds before he closed the gap and brushed his lips across mine so lightly that had my eyes not been open, I would have questioned whether I'd imagined it. I moaned softly as he slid his hand down my side and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me against him as he pressed his lips to mine and kissed me deeply. I responded by wrapping my arms around his neck and sinking my fingers into his thick, blond hair as I parted my lips and let his tongue slip into my mouth.
I heard him groan as I lashed my tongue against his and kissed him harder. His fingers fumbled with the zipper on my dress and then found the tab and pulled it down, loosening the layers of green silk. I was trapped in the layers of fabric, unable to pull it up or push it down. He wrapped his arms around me and lifted me off the couch as he stood up. My dress slid down and pooled around my feet in a green puddle, leaving me wearing nothing but the strapless bra and nude g-string. I heard Linc's pleasured moan as he slid his hands down and cupped my bare bottom, his hands sliding over my skin as he kissed me harder.
I pulled back from the kiss and said, "Reciprocity, Redding, your turn," as I smiled and began unbuttoning his shirt. He smiled as he slid his hand up into my hair and ran his fingers through it as I made quick work of the clothes covering his top half. I leaned forward and rubbed my cheek against his smooth chest and smelled the scent of his musky cologne floating up around us.
"Olivia," he whispered as he tipped my chin up and leaned down to kiss me again, and the damn burst. I wanted this man and obviously he wanted me, too. I quickly unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants, slipping my hand inside only to find he'd gone commando. I grinned as I wrapped my hand around the thick shaft and began gently squeezing. Linc groaned as he slid his hand between my thighs and began stroking the thin, soaking wet fabric that barely covered me.
I bit his lip gently as I pushed his tuxedo pants down and let them fall to the floor. He tried to remove his shoes so he could step out of the pants, but I was quick and pushed him back down on the couch and in an instant, I was straddling his lap as I rubbed myself against his erection and moaned as it hit all the right spots. He grinned and tried to reach around to undo my bra, but I smacked his hands and made a show of slowly unhooking and then letting the garment drop to the floor.
"Jesus, lady," he breathed as he cupped my breasts and massaged them before pinching my nipples just hard enough to make me cry out. He rolled them between his fingers gently then pinched again and I felt the lightning bolt flash from my nipples to my clit in an instant. I grabbed a hold of his shoulders and rocked my hips back and forth until he let go of my nipples and leaned forward to trap one between his lips and suck. The sensation of his tongue and lips on my already sensitive breasts made me grind harder, and soon, we were devouring each other's mouths again as we found a rhythm that felt so good that we got lost in the sensation of rubbing and grinding, losing track of time and space as we explored each other's mouths. We bit, licked, and sucked each other’s lips and tongues as we tried to dive deeper and find release. Linc's hands grabbed my hips and pushed me down harder onto his thick shaft as he pushed his hips up and stroked me through my panties. That thin layer of fabric would have been so easy to push aside and allow us to find even greater pleasure, but we were so lost in the moment that it wasn't until I heard him groan and felt wet warmth spreading between us that I realized what we'd done.
"Woman, look what you made me do," he groaned, half laughing trying to push me off of his lap. When I refused to move, his blue eyes flashed dangerously and he grabbed me and flipped me sideways on the couch. On my back, I had little leverage, and he soon pinned me as his hand, once again, slipped between my thighs and began stroking and caressing me. I bucked a little, but he grinned and said, "Oh no, now it's your turn,” as he continued teasing. When he pushed aside the sopping wet fabric and slipped his fingers between my slippery folds, I moaned loudly and pushed my hips up to meet his strokes. It didn't take long for him to bring me close to the edge, and once he did, he held me there for long, torturous minutes as he slowly circled my hard nub and brought me to the edge over and over before I begged him for release. Then, with a flick of his finger, he gave me what I'd begged for and I was falling into the waves of pleasure as he continued stroking and rubbing.
"Stop! Stop!" I half laughed and half cried. "I can't take any more!"
"I think you can take a lot more than that, Olivia," he said as he withdrew his fingers and watched me closely. His eyes were a deep blue instead of the icy shade I'd seen earlier, and there was something softer about him.
"Do you now?" I grinned up at him, suddenly feeling self-conscious about the fact that I was naked on my couch.
"I would be willing to bet on it," he grinned back as he leaned down and kissed me again. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and pull him down on top of me, but before I could, his phone went off and he gave me an apologetic look as he picked up his pants and retrieved it.
"Oh shit," he muttered as he set the phone down and grabbed his pants. He quickly put them on as he kept an eye on the phone. "Dammit! Not this and not tonight!"
"What's going on, Redding?" I asked as I looked around for something to cover myself with. I had nothing except my discarded dress, so I grabbed it and pulled it up in front of me like a shield.
"I'm so sorry, Olivia," he said as he pulled on his shirt and grabbed his jacket. "This is not how I wanted to spend the evening, believe me, but I have to go. Please, forgive me."
"Yeah, sure, whatever," I shrugged as I tried to hide my deep disappointment. "You're a busy guy. I get it."
"This is beyond the normal level of busy, believe me," he said, giving me an apologetic look. "I will make it up to you, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, just go already!" I said as I dredged up a cheerful grin that I did not feel. "We'll talk later."
"Thanks for under
standing," he said as he bent down and kissed me one last time before he turned and headed out the door.
After he'd gone, I lay on the couch and let myself cry for a few minutes before I got up, tossed the dress in the dry cleaning pile, pulled on a pair of comfortable sweats, and called the twenty-four hour Chinese place on the corner. I ordered Kung Pao Chicken and three egg rolls to be delivered. If I was going to sulk, at least I wasn't going to be hungry while doing it.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Linc
I wasn't happy about leaving Olivia so abruptly, but business called. When I showed up at the office, Brant was hunched over his computer pounding out an email to the Chinese CEO asking him to hold off canceling the contract until the weapons bill went to the senate for a vote the following week.
"What's going on?" I asked pulling up a chair and watching Brant negotiate.
"They want to pull out of the deal before the vote," he said. "They said we're getting bad press on their end and the risks of being associated with us are going to cost them other business."
"Tell them that if they stick with us, we'll make it worth their while in the end," I said as I pulled out my phone and checked my messages. I quickly tapped out an apology to Olivia, but hesitated pushing send.
"I'm trying, but they're edgy about the shootings and how we're dealing with the press," Brant replied. "It's not good, Linc."
"Jesus, I'm sick and tired of Russo always having the upper hand in this debate!" I stood up and walked to the window. I looked out over the Potomac and thought about what I wanted most and how to get that. Then, I spoke. "Brant, tell them that if they don't give us the time we need to get the vote passed, then we'll go with their competitor."
"But we don't have any kind of agreement with any of their competitors!" Brant protested. "That will screw us so badly that we'll be lucky if we can keep the shirts on our backs, Linc! Don't play chicken with the Chinese!"