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Something Ordinary (Reydan & Andnich123)

‘You make the most wonderful partner, I can tell.’ The words made her smile on the inside as she didn’t want him to see her reaction.

As he began to talk about his past and Chicago, she listened carefully. ‘He seems normal. Nice and normal. That’s what I need. Friends, people around me, that are normal. My life has been far too crazy in the past to surround myself with anything other than that.’ She looked up at him, watching him push bits of the food around on his plate. ‘He was in Chicago. Strange to think we were in the same city. Well of course we never met. The city is a huge place. Big enough to make a person feel so small. Then again, it could have been the people I was with.’ She stopped eating, taking a sip of water. “I don’t think that’s the most interesting fact about you. Something tells me you have more than that, that is interesting about you Oli.” She met his eyes as she spoke to him. They really were warm eyes. Gentle. Soft.

She looked away towards the glass and gasped. “Cindy! Where’s….Marissa?” Her sister appeared behind with her arms folded. “No play place mommy.” She could only laugh. “I know.”
“This really looks like work Lizzie,” her sister had to add, her disappointment clear in her voice. “Excuse me please,” Lizzie told Oli joining her sister and daughter outside. She hugged her daughter picking her up. “Lizzie what the heck are you doing?”
“It’s called lunch Marissa. Some people actually do this in the afternoon. You should try it.”
“I mean with him.”
“I’m being smart. He offered to pay. Why would I say no to someone buying me lunch?”
“Be careful.”
“Of what? The breadsticks?”
“His breadstick.”
“Marissa! Not in front of Cindy.”
“Oh please. She doesn’t understand, and I’m wondering if you do.”
“What’s that suppose to mean?”
“If you think that man only has lunch on his mind, then you’re naïve.”
“Come on Marissa. You are over-reacting.”
“I hope I am. You’re my sister. It’s my job to take care of you.”
“No. It’s not. I’m a big girl.”
“Can we go to the toy store now Marissa?” The child’s voice broke the clear tension between the two sisters. “Yeah kiddo. We sure can.” Lizzie let her child slip from her arms back down to the sidewalk. “Just be careful Lizzie. Remember….you know who and you know what. Don’t forget.” She took Cindy’s hand and headed away. ‘You know who and you know what. David and what he did to me.’ She looks back at Oli. “You ready? Maybe we can go back to the office and see if the power is back on. We can get some work done.” All traces of warmth and kindness have now vanished from her voice. Her face one of pain and hard.
 
Oli watched the two sisters talking, taking in the subtle similarities and differences between the siblings. Whilst Lizzie was dark and a little curvy in places, Marissa, who still had her height, was blonde and petite. He watched them, through the glass, occasionally making teasing faces at the little one outside and chuckling as Cindy giggled and stuck her tongue out in return. She was a precious little thing, he thought, full of joy. He smiled at her and was rewarded with the sight of the child sticking her nose up against the glass and grimacing at him theatrically.

He frowned as Lizzie returned, suddenly cold and business-like, to their half-finished meal. Everything had shifted whilst she had been outside, talking with her sister. Had he said something wrong? It had been clear the conversation was about him from the obvious sideways glances and defensive hand gestures, but he had been unable to hear anything through the glass beyond muffled noises. Now, suddenly, the tentatively kind and amusing Lizzie, who he had coaxed from her shell, had vanished. He stood, placing the money on the table, and followed her out.

It was a chilly drive back to the office, despite the afternoon sun, Lizzie refusing his few attempts at conversation and keeping her hands folded on her lap and her gaze set on the horizon. He was tempted, more than once, to pull the car over and make her tell him what was wrong but, before he had screwed up the courage to do so they were at the office.

The boss called them into the reception area, still dark and powerless, and sat heavily in a chair. "We need to make sure this doesn't happen again" he began, rubbing his forehead. "I mean, we lost several thousand dollars today because we weren't able to process orders or take new ones."

"Short of becoming electricians...." Oli supplied with a shy shrug and a grin, but Mr Schuman waved an amused hand for attention.

"No no" he said "I want you and Lizzie to go to Chicago to attend a workshop on paperless working and telecommunications and things I'm far too old to understand. You'd need to fly out tomorrow, I'm afraid, but the company will pay for your two nights at the hotel." He glanced over at Lizzie, who had been silent this whole time, "Can your sister cover with little Cindy for that long?"
 
“Of course Mr. Schuman. That won’t be a problem. She’d be happy to watch Cindy for me. I’ll give her the news tonight.” Her gaze, still cold and professional, shifted over to Oli. “Can you drive me home now please? I need to go ahead and speak with my sister about this matter as soon as possible. Be at my house tomorrow morning, early, so that we can catch our flight.” Mr. Schuman nodded. “I have your flight information as well as everything you will need for your booking at the hotel. I took care of it myself.” He stands, leading them towards the door, only stopping long enough to retrieve the information handing it to Lizzie. “Thank you Sir. We won’t let you down.” He gave her a warm smile as his hand rested on her shoulder. “I know you won’t.”

Lizzie made her way back out to the car ahead of Oli. “I’ll talk to Marissa tonight and pack. Our flight leaves out early. 8a.m. in fact. So be at my house early enough to give us enough time at the airport. I’m not big on flying. The last time I flew was to come here from….” Her voice trailed as her eyes lifted to meet his. “Well come on then. Let’s get a move on. I have a lot to take care of.”

The car ride to her house was as equally quiet as the one to the office had been. Her mind was busy, and when he pulled up to the curb, it took her a minute to realize he had stopped. “Alright then. I will see you in the morning. No need to call before you come. I’ll be waiting outside. I don’t want anything to wake Cindy.” She climbed from his car and headed inside.

Marissa was waiting with Cindy, who wasted no time rushing up to her. She gave her daughter a warm hug, a kiss, and told her to go into her room and play. As soon as her door was closed, she turned to Marissa who was still fuming. “I’ve got nothing to say to you about this afternoon, but I do need to talk to you. I’m flying out tomorrow for business. I’ll be gone a couple of days. I need you to take care of Cindy. Please.” Her sister folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. “Where are you going to?”
“Chicago.”
“Chicago? Are you nuts?”
“It’s a big city, and I’ll be there on business.”
“With him. Right? He’s going too right?”
“What difference does it make?”
“The difference is, is that you’ll be alone with him.”
“You’re not my mother Marissa. I’ll be fine. It’s just business.”
“Yeah, and we both know how easy it is to get wrapped up in business. Just like that woman was wrapped up in David’s arms when you walked in on the two of them in bed together.” The comment cut Lizzie to the bone, and she simply gave her sister a look before going into Cindy’s room to tell her.

The next morning she was waiting on the steps with her bags packed when he arrived. Her face still hard and cold. She greeted him, but it was clear they were just words. There was no kindness behind them. “Good morning. Shall we get on our way?”
 
He lay awake in bed, that night, thinking about Lizzie. Why had she become so cold? Why was she so....He frowned, staring at a ceiling that became more and more familiar as he spent time musing over Elizabeth Elders. Then again, the woman was the most interesting, independent, brave girl he'd ever met. Maybe she could be forgiven the odd lapse in etiquette after all she had been through. He sighed. Chicago. The sins of the past. He hoped, with all his might, that this was going to be a smooth trip. He'd traveled so far, been so good, tried to make amends. Yet one's past had an odd way of haunting one, ghosting around and lurking in the most unexpected of places. He rolled over onto his side willing, unsuccessfully, sleep to come.

The flight was uneventful. Lizzie was, from airport to plane to airport to cab to hotel quiet and cold. In some ways, however, this was alright for Oli. He'd grown steadily more nervous, steadily more anxious, as they drew nearer and nearer to Chicago. By the time they were at the hotel, late afternoon, having collected their room key and been told that the convention was already underway, he was fit to burst. His fingers could hardly fit the pin of the namebadge to his jacket. The first opening seminar was suitably mundane and businesses-like, however, and he felt the adrenaline slink away from his system. Maybe this was going to be ok..... He sank back in the uncomfortable function chair as the speech finished and people began to mill about before the next session.

Then it happened.

"You've got a lot of nerve". He didn't need to look up to know who it was. Chrissy Standish, standing in the row in front of them and looking at him with fierce eyes. "You....You shouldn't be here."

He opened his mouth but the words wouldn't come, his larynx dry and frozen in fear. He could feel Lizzie looking up from the program, taking interest, but couldn't meet her eyes. Knew what was coming. He wanted the ground to open and swallow him.

Then it got worse.

"Chrissy what's goin.....OH GOD. GOD." This time he did look up, seeing the pale face of Gary Wallis backpedaling away from him. Babbling. "You...you can't be here. Can't be. The...the....the restraining orde.......the court said....." the short man was wheezing in terror, hiding behind Chrissy. He met her eyes and wished he hadn't. She jabbed a finger at him.

"You can't be here. The court says".

"Please...Chrissy....It was last minute. How was I to know you would be here...." he said, his face burning, feeling people turning to see what the raised voices were about. But the worst thing was feeling Lizzie's eyes on him. He wished he was dead. Wished that a heart attack or aneurism would just strike him dead in that second. But no relief came.

He saw Chrissy turn to Lizzie. "This guy, you work with him?" she asked, felt Lizzie, clearly stunned, nod next to him. "He's got a temper. You should know that. I dumped him and the next day he walked into the office we all worked in and put by friend here in Hospital. Four broken ribs, a fractured eye socket, and in need of a blood transfusion. And then he struck two of the security guards that tried to pull him off. One of them was a woman. He was DAMN LUCKY that the judge only placed him under a suspended sentence."

He stood, unable to hear anything else, and pushed past. Everyone was staring now. He could feel them, feel his chest tighten in panic, as he rushed out of the room, unable to confront his past.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It took her a few hours to find him. He wasn't sure if she'd been looking or just wandered into the bar. Wasn't sure of much after a half dozen beers followed by, in this dive of a bar, nine shots of whiskey consumed on a stomach that only contained an airline breakfast. He saw Lizzie appear, pale and angelic, through an alcoholic haze.

"Took you a.....a whilllleee" he slurred, patting the stool at the crumby bar next to him. "Ish not everydays that you find out that yo....your workmate is a bashtard". He necked another shot. The liquid burned deliciously. "Ish just such fucking bad luck....you goes to the seminars....youse works for...for charities...you goes to therapy and tries to make you...r life again and then the universe she she" he gestured wildly, trying to summon the words, "She kicks you in the ballsh" He held up his empty glass to the light, puzzled by its sudden emptiness, and slapped it down on the bar. "Help me out buddy" he said to the unsympathetic bartender "I gotta fly home tomorrow, quit my job and...and find a new place to fuckin' live where no-one knows me".

"He's had nine" the bartender said, looking to Lizzie.

"S'ruude to count" Oli slurred.

The bartender ignored him and continued"and by the sounds of it a pretty shitty day too. If you don't want to deal I can call the Cops, but if this guy is a friend of yours, for God's sake take pity and put him to bed."
 
Lizzie was lost in her own world for such a long time. All her past, the things she and her sister had said to her, and of course, her little girl played on her mind the entire flight. She felt as though she were being beyond stand-offish to Oli, but in truth, she really couldn’t help it. With her mind in the state it was, she was sure wasn’t in any state to be good company. So she sat there, on the plane, wrapped up with her own thoughts.

The convention was nothing more than a much needed distraction. She pinned her name badge to her blouse, and entered quickly taking a seat. These things did seem to drone on and on. She had forgotten that part. Having worked for the company a bit longer than Oli, this was not her first time in this position. The first time coming back to Chicago, yes, but not to a convention. In fact she offered weak smiles and waves to those she knew from the business after the seminar came to a close, and she and Oli remained seated.

The woman’s voice caught her off guard. Lizzie had been to conventions before, but never had someone called out something like that so loudly. She slowly looked up to the woman starring right at Oli. Glancing over at him, he had his head down, and so she shifted her eyes back to the distressed woman. She was joined by a man, whom at first seemed clueless, until he saw Oli. Narrowing her eyes, she knew something had happened between the three of them. Anyone within earshot knew that. ‘The court? What the hell,” she thought. Directing her question to her, Lizzie slowly nods. She unleashes a tale that had no business being disclosed so publicly. She turned watching Oli flee, the look of shock and panic clear on his face. Slowly she stood up, putting her purse over her shoulder, gripping her program, before turning to the woman. “Yes. I do work with him, but I’m also fucking him on the side too. It has nothing to do with romance. It’s all physical. He’s the best lover I’ve ever had. He said I did things to him his last lover could never do. I guess he meant you. Thank you for the information though,” she nodded before making her way through the people in search of Oli.

Lizzie began an extensive search to find him. She asked several people at the convention which direction he had gone in, and she finally ended up going back to the hotel. Nobody had seen him. So she began the daunting task of searching the local bar scene. After several offers for free drinks, and one marriage proposal, she came across a small, hole-in-the-wall bar. Opening the door, the lights revealed him sitting at, more like slumped over, the bar.

The bartender smiled as she sat down. “Nothing for me thanks. I think my friend here is drunk enough for the two of us.” As he spoke, he only confirmed what she already knew. “Yeah. This is a big city. We both know that already.” She watched him, drunk, ranting, and as he spoke about flying home, she snatched his empty glass up. “No you don’t. Stop acting like a whiny, little brat. You had a bad experience. Get over it. It happens. You think you’re the first person the world took a shit on? You don’t run away every time things get tough. If you do, you’ll be running for the rest of your life Oli. The bartender tells her how many he’s had, and she shakes her head. “He’s cut off. Here,” she tells him laying some money on the counter. “That’ll be more than enough to cover his tab I’m sure. Keep the change. I got a feeling you earned it. As for you, we’re going back to the hotel.” She reaches around him pulling him up to his feet. “Come! On! Oli you’ve got to help me. I can’t walk you to the cab by myself. Come! On! I’m taking you back to the hotel to put you to bed.” It takes her forever, but she manages to get him to the cab outside. Inside she lets his head rest back as she tells the driver to return to the hotel. “Come on Oli. Stay awake. If you pass out, there is no way in hell I can get you inside. Stay with me,” she tells him slapping his cheek slightly. “Come on Oli. Stay with me. Please.” She gazes into his hazy eyes. “Talk to me Oli. Just talk to me about anything. Come on. You can do it.”
 
He struggled to focus. Lizzie. She...ugh...she.... His head swam. He didn't want her to see him like this but the part of his rational mind that cared about such things was buried under a funk of alcohol.

"Are...are we in like....are...are we moving?" he asked, slurring his words, as the cab drove through quiet Chicago streets.

He leaned in, suddenly aware that he was on her shoulder. He could smell her hair, soft and floral, and feel the softness and warmth of her skin through her business wear. "You...you...." he groaned. "You shouldn't see me like this. I...." he blew out his cheeks. "Fuck. Its so...so unfair. You work really hard and you do, like, all the things that they tell you. Like you go to the therapy and you...you do your community service and you think "OOH I'LL GET A NEW JOB AND START AGAIN" and you meet this smoking hot co-worker and then....then the universe shit on you". He gestured, annoyed, with drunken hands. "Like 'go to Chicago and rake up your past' but also, ha ha, the girl you really like, she's got a violent ex who used to beat her and she'll look at you like you're something on the bottom of her shoe from now on." He groaned. "Its so unfair cos, like, you're sooo hot. And funny. And just perfect. And I wouldn't have cared about having to bring up your little girl. She's a sweetheart like you. And I'd have been the best fucking boyfriend ever". He was slurring now, his mouth running away with him, and hadn't realised that the taxi had pulled up at the hotel. He swayed as, between them, Lizzie and the driver prized him out and she helped him across the foyer to the lift.

They reached their floor and, inadvisedly, Oli made a bid for independence. "I can...I'm fine" he slurred, letting go of Lizzie and almost toppling over before she caught him. They made it, thanks to her alone, to their room door. The key card flashed in the lock, red to green, and the door opened to reveal one double bed. And no other beds. "Crap" he murmured "You want me to sleep on the couch?"
 
“Yes. We’re moving. Shhhh now. Just relax. Rest your head back.” She catches sight of the driver looking into his rearview mirror smirking. “Don’t,” she tells him. He shakes his head gazing at the road.

She clentched up tightly as he leaned against her shoulder. “Geez Oli. It’s okay. Really. Shhh now. Hush.” He was so drunk. She could smell the alcholo on his breath. ‘He won’t remember a single bit of this tomorrow,’ she thought. ‘Poor guy. Poor guy? This is the same jerk that snapped at you in the parking lot. True, but he’s also the same gentlemen that you saw the gardens with. The same man that you were dancing with in the gazeboo.’ She runs her fingers through his hair in an attempt to make him look a little more presentabable as he keeps talking. ‘What,’ her mind screams. ‘Smoking hot co-worker?’ Her hand froze in his hair. She shifts slightly looking at him. ‘How does he know that? I never….Marissa. How could she tell him that?’ Her mouth a tight, thin line as he kept talking. She was angry, flattered, and confused. “We’re here lady,” the driver alerted her. “Yeah,” she jumped. “Help me get him inside.”
“That’s not part of my job lady.”
“I’ll pay you extra.”
“I don’t get paid enough for this stupid job,” he grumbled getting from the taxi and helping her get Oli into the lobby.

It was a struggle to get him to the door, and once it opened she noticed the clear problem right away. “No. You’re not sleeping on the couch. I will. You need the bed tonight.” She got him over to the bed and let him collapse to it. She was out of breath. Taking a moment first, she looked down at his shoes. “You can’t sleep with these on.” Moving she slips them from his feet before pulling his socks off. Lizzie moves to open his belt and then his slacks. “Come on,” she grunts as she pulls on the edges of his slacks. “Come on!” They give, moving Oli down the bed a little, and she lands on the floor laughing. “You owe me for this Oli.” She moves to his chest, sitting on the bed beside him, and begins to unbutton his shirt. “Come on Oli. You’re gonna have to help get this off of you though. I can unbutton it, but you’re gonna have to sit up so I can take it off of you.” Once she’s finsihed, she pulls on him, but he’s dead weight. “Come on Oli! Sit up! Now! So I can get this shirt off you! Then I’ll cover you up!” He moves sitting up facing her. “Good. Rest your head on me, and I’ll….I’ll,” she stumbles over her words looking into his tired eyes. “I’ll put you to bed. It’s….okay Oli. Your past is your past. I don’t see the man you were. I see the man you’ve become.”
 
He was being undressed. He wasn't entirely sure what was happening. He could feel Lizzie's feminine presence before him, tugging at his clothes, her soft voice insistent but also strangely soothing. He was too drunk to register exactly what was happening but, really, he just had a vague sense of being looked after. Of the world around him being calmed, like the lull after a storm. He let his arms and legs be manipulated, unaware that the woman he was coming to adore was undressing him. Somewhere, in a parallel universe where he had decided against having a whole bottle of whiskey with his beers, they were making mad, passionate, incredible love. But in this hotel room in the here-and-now, Oli was simply relaxed and adoring.

"God you are the most wonderful woman" he breathed, drunkenly, before finally lapsing into sleep.

xxxxx

He woke aching. Every fibre of his body hurt. He rubbed his face and instantly regretted the action. Pain coursed through him. He looked at the clock. 6 am. God. He was suddenly aware of a soft, sensuous, head of hair lying on his shoulder. He looked down. Lizzie was curled up against him. He watched her sleep, the steady rise and fall of her chest in her t-shirt. She seemed to have fallen asleep whilst getting undressed, as she was in panties and bra but also her light t-shirt that she wore under blouse for work. Her eyes fluttered but she was out for the count. At least for now.

He was glad about that. How the hell was he going to make up last night to her? The stereotype of a drunken bender is that it comes back in dribs and drabs, slowly, like in films. But in reality, or at least in Oli's experience, it was all there and waiting in the morning. He groaned softly and, slowly, disentangled himself from Lizzie. He WOULD make it up to her, he swore, looking down at her. But first he needed to bring himself back to the land of the living.

So desperate was he for a shower that he forgot, in the cotton-wool haze of the hangover, about the open bedroom door and Lizzie, facing the bathroom, sleeping on the bed. He simply stripped out of his underwear and stepped into the warm embrace of the water. He stood there, for a moment or two, just letting the water cascade over him. He stared at the plughole, wishing that he could be washed away too. What a mess last night had been.
 
It was the sound of the shower water running that awoke her. Quickly she looked around. “That’s really stupid Lizzie. You hear the shower running. Where do you think he is?” Her hand covering her face before racking her hair back, she couldn’t help but laugh. Like lightening it hit her, and she looked down at her lack of attire. “Crap. Did I sleep like this? I must have passed out from exhaustion. Crap.” She leapt from the bed grabbing her clothing from the day before. She resolved herself to take a shower when he came out, but she would not be in such a state of undress when he did so. The shower droned on, and she picked up the phone. “Hello. Room service. I would like….just bring up some breakfast type stuff with lots and lots of hot coffee. Yeah. That sounds fine. Thank you.” Hanging up she realized he may not want to eat, but Oli would need to. He would certainly appreciate the coffee.

Picking up the program for the day’s events at the convention, she thought back to the woman from before. She had no intentions of letting Oli run away from this. He was going to that convention today, he was doing his job, and he wasn’t going to avoid that woman. If they came across each other today, she would be there to help him. She turned facing the bathroom, and for the first time she noticed the door opened. Oli’s reflection was clouded in the mirror, but she could still make him out. He was standing there letting the water run over his body. Such a look of despair on his face. He looked lost and broken down. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. At first she was drawn to him simply because of his body language and the feeling she got seeing him. Then it became something more. She noticed the curves of his muscles and how tan he was. She watched the water trailing down his back, across his backside, and down his legs. The program slipped from her fingers and glided to the floor unnoticed. It wasn’t until room service knocked and called out to them that she even moved. “Coming,” she yelled not sure if he caught her looking or not. She opened the door, blushing, and let room service in. “You can leave it right here. Thank you so much.” Tipping the man, she kept her back to the bathroom as she told Oli, “Breakfast is here. You need to eat. I’ve got you some coffee too. Aspirin, coffee, and pancakes. You’ll be good as new. Come on then. We’ve got a lot to do today.” She didn’t turn around not only to give him privacy, but because she dared not let him see her crimson face.
 
As the hot water poured down over him Oli's thoughts turned to his companion. Or more specifically her assets. Lizzie was a stone cold knock out. He remembered the feeling of her frame, delicate but slightly curved, in his arms as they danced. The smell of her hair. The softness of her skin as they woke together in bed. Her kind, caring, loving words last night. The way her bosom strained against the soft fabric of her undershirt... He felt himself grow hard at the thought and, so wrapped up in his thoughts of Lizzie was he, that he let it catch him up. He reached down, taking his hardening cock in his hand, and began to slowly stroke it at the thought of Lizzie. At the thought of Lizzie slipping out of her t-shirt, her pert breasts round and inviting. Of Lizzie climbing into his lap, her chest against his, her lips on his as they rubbed against each other. The sound of her gasping breath, the taste of her lips, the soft warm embrace as he lifted her up and slowly sank her, gasping, onto his hard length.....

He froze as he heard the phone go. It was too loud to be coming through a door. He screwed up his eyes. The door. Fuck. How stupid of him. Now he was showering in full view of Lizzie. Of the woman who'd had to pick up after all his shit last night. What was he doing?

He heard her call out about breakfast and cursed under his breath as he reached for the towel. "Uh...uh thanks Lizzie....I'll...uh...be right out" he said in a high, embarrassed voice. Dripping wet he stepped out of the shower and, noticing her back was turned, thanks his lucky stars and shut the door and quickly dried and dressed. He stepped out, in his pants, and siddled over to the suitcase where his clean shirts were.

Finally dressed he joined Lizzie at the small breakfast table in the room. The smell of pancakes caused his stomach to knot, as predicted, but she was right. He needed the food. Very quickly he polished off his portion of the pancakes, suspecting that she might have slipped him some extra, and only after downing the aspirin and taking hold of the welcoming cup of warm coffee did he meet her gaze.

It was kinder than he expected. Than he deserved, really, and that made him feel both better and worse. Everything that this woman thought, suddenly, mattered to him a great deal.

"Lizzie" he said, his voice deep with the hangover, "I need to talk to you. I owe you an explanation and you need to hear it." He looked up, already blushing, and grinned at her. "And I don't know how I can ever make up for what you did last night. But first...." he sucked in a deep breath of air and began.

"What that woman said was right. Its why I'm in Williamsville. I need a fresh start. I...I was a mess coming out of College. Full of myself and full of the stress of starting a new business and new life. It all got too much for me. I've always had a temper, ever since I was a kid, but it seemed increasingly to just flash and blaze out of control. My girlfriend, Chrissy, she left me for Gary. And, in my rage, I turned up at his place of work and put him in hospital. It was bad. I knew it the moment I stopped. But its like a fog..." he waved his hand. "Stupid. No excuses. Anyway, I was damn lucky to avoid prison. Something about being young and having a clean record I think. So I decided. I swore, really, that I'd not waste the chance. I'd move, go to the group therapy sessions, keep working at it. Make up for everything. Williamsville is my second fresh start. The first one was ruined when someone at work found out about my record." He frowned, not able to meet her gaze.

"I need to tell you this because of what Marissa told me about your past. Don't hate her. She was just looking out for you. You and I...we work together...but there's...." he gulped. "There's something between us. I know you feel it too. I don't know what yet. But you've got a kid. A new life. I can't tell you how I admire you, coming through something like that. Facing someone like me...or who I was. That's why I need you to know." He finally looked up at her, a sorry mess, but smiled. "I think you're the most incredible woman I've ever met. But if you feel in any way uncomfortable with me I understand. Maybe some small towns are only big enough for one fresh start. And you were there first."
 
She listened to the man before her spilling his guts about his past. It was something that he didn’t’ have to, but as he sat there, he felt compelled to do so. Clearly. She didn’t see the arrogant prick from the parking lot the first day she met him. Every feature on his face, the tone of his voice, the words he spoke, it was clear it was hard for him to do this, and yet he continued. All she could think of was how this was his past. She knew their boss would not fire him for this. Her heart went out to him more and more as he told her everything about his past.

As he mentioned Marissa, her eyes shot up to him. ‘Something between us?’ Her mind latched on to the words. She could not believe her sister had told him about David. David. Her past. Her ex-husband. It all made sense now.

“Stop right there,” she said holding up her hand. “Oli, small towns are perfect for starting over. There’s a certain magic to them, a certain charm. You can move into one with a past that you want to forget, one that you’re trying to outrun, but they always catch up to you. Oli no matter where you go, this is going to follow you. The way to handle your past is to surround yourself with people who care about you and face it head on. You’ve already seen how it will catch up to you, and you ran. You see it caught up to again. Oli that woman, your past, it’s never going to change, it’s never going to go away. It will always be just behind you. Where it should be. The trick to keeping it there is to deal with it, and you’ve got people who care about you that will help you and understand. Our boss is not going to fire you for this. He understands that everybody has a past. It’s part of life. He’s not interested in who you were. He’s interested in who you are now. He’s interested in who can get him results,” she smiles. “You learn your job, you do your job well, and he won’t have a problem with you.”

She looked down at her hands with her fingers laced together. “Our town is big enough for two fresh starts. I went there because it’s where I grew up. I have family there, and I needed that connection after my marriage….ended.” This was a subject that she hadn’t spoken of since she moved home and told her sister what had happened. Now before her was a man who had told her everything of his past, and she wanted to do the same. “I met David in high school. He was my high school sweet heart. We had the typical love, romance thing. Prom king and queen. The couple that everyone wanted to be. After high school, David got a job offer in the city. He….He’s really an intelligent man. Not to mention the family connections he has. He wanted me to come with him. He said I wouldn’t need to work. So it was a waste for me to go to college. He said he would take care of me forever, and no wife of his was going to work anyway. I guess that should have been a red flag. David started working longer hours. He moved up in the ranks of the company fast. I never thought it was anything more than the fact that he was a good worker. I was naïve and stupid. One evening, I decided it would be nice if I packed a romantic dinner for him and surprised him at his job. I took the food, wine, glasses, even candles. I dressed wearing something sexy underneath my long coat. It was a special day for us you see. It was….our anniversary, and he had forgotten. I thought he was just so busy that he forgot. I opened the door to his office, and,” she pauses, her voice shaky, “there he was naked and making love to another woman. Well. I can still her moaning as I watched my husband’s….hips rising and falling, pushing into her. I dropped the basket with the food in it and the glass that were in my other hand as well. That’s what got their attention. I was speechless, but David….he….was livid….with me….for coming. He said, ‘you know you’re suppose to call before you show up. I might be busy hammering away at work.’ I told him the only thing he was hammering was his little tart. The back of his hand connected with face here,” she told him as her fingertips caressed her cheek. “I stumbled. The woman screamed. He turned to her telling her to shut her fucking mouth and stay put unless she wanted some more of what she got last time. My mind was reeling. My husband just hit me, and he admitted to hitting her as well. I spoke his name. That was it. He turned and punched me in the face. It was enough to send me backwards landing on my behind. He grabbed me by the hair and pulled me outside his office. There was nobody else in the building. He closed the door to his office before he straddled me. Caressing my face, I thought maybe it was over. No,” she shook her head. “He proceeded to hit me eight times, I think. I don’t know really. I lost count. I was lucky. He didn’t break anything. He did pick me up, put me in my car, and he drove me back to our apartment. He must have taken a taxi back to his job. I cleaned myself up when I was able to, packed up my daughter, and I took the first flight out I could grab. I didn’t care where it went.I just wanted to be away from him. From there I waited for a flight back home. I called Marissa. The house I live in was open for rent. She helped me get it, and she took care of me until I was on my feet again. I got the job and filed for divorce. David never fought me for it. He signed the papers without even contacting me. He never has in fact. I got the job, and the rest you know. Oli I’m telling you this because I want you to know that no matter how badly life beats you down, literally in some cases, you can pick yourself back up and keep going. I had strength because I had someone else who needed me. Cindy is my world, and I had to be strong for her. Marissa is my sister, and I leaned on her. Oli if you need to lean on someone….you can. You’re not alone in this. Small towns are great for fresh starts, and they’re big enough for more than one. Oli it’s not the situation that defines you. It’s how you react to it that does. So finish up your breakfast, drink the coffee, and I’m going to go shower and change so that we can go to the convention today. We’ll face your past together. Alright? I won’t leave you. I’ll be right by your side the whole time.” She stood and headed towards the bathroom. “Besides. I told that girl yesterday we were fucking anyway,” she teased with a smile before disappearing behind the bathroom door. She leaned against it taking a deep breath. Rushing over, she turned on the shower. Lizzie peeled her clothes off and got into the shower quickly allowing the water to run over her face. ‘There’s something between us. I know you feel it too.’ His words fresh in her mind. ‘He’s right,’ she thought. ‘I do feel it Oli, but can I allow myself to do this again?"

She took her shower quickly, and with her robe around her, she opened the door to get her clothes. "I really should have taken these in with me," she teased. Picking them out, she also laid her panties to the side as she searched for the skirt she wanted. "There. Just give me a few more minutes, and we can go," she told him rushing back inside. Towel dried, clothes on, hair dried, and she was ready to go. She opened the door and grabbed her purse. "Now. Are you ready to go?"
 
He listened, quieted, as she told him everything that had befallen her. It seemed to come as a rush, a damn-bursting within her, and he wondered if she had every really confided in anyone other than Marissa. Oli could hardly believe his ears as he heard the horror that she had been through. The violence and the betrayal. It was worse, really, than her sister had led him to believe. He knew now why she had been so protective of her.

He winced, visibly, as she put her fingers to her face to make it clear where he had hit her. Struck her. Oli felt chilled by the very story. He wanted to reach out to her, hold her to him, but he stopped when she suddenly stood and announced she needed a shower. He watched her go, thinking that Lizzie was, without a doubt, the strongest woman he knew. To have survived all of that. To have built her life back up, not just on her own but with her little girl, was remarkable. He smiled to himself. He was, he thought, incredibly lucky to have met Elizabeth Elders even if nothing more than friendship came from their connection.

As he heard the water running he found his mind slowly drifting back to the thoughts of Lizzie he had had earlier. He closed his tired eyes, enjoying the after-glow of the sugary breakfast, and an unbidden image of Lizzie's curves and her slightly sun-kissed skin floated into his mind. The water cascading down, her hands caressing and stroking her lithe body before the shower. He looked down at the end in time to see her panties. They were black and, he suddenly realised, a lot more lacy and dainty than he would ever have expected from a woman as utterly professional as Lizzie. He smiled to himself but quickly had to wipe it off his face when she emerged and snatched up the garment before retreating back to change.

In a few minutes they were ready and, as she smiled at him purse in hand, he stopped her. "Wait. One thing" he said and, in the small passageway by the door, he wrapped his arms around Lizzie Elders. Rested his forehead on hers. He could feel her tense a little at the unexpectedness of the contact but he held her lightly, careful not to shock her, and looked into her eyes. "You are a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful woman Elizabeth Elders. Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise" he whispered. Then he released her and they headed down.

They need not have worried about further upset. No-one seemed to remember the incident yesterday and, thankfully, he saw no sign of Chrissy or Gary. Still, it was a very long work day and they were both flagging by the end of it at 9pm. As they exited the conference Oli spotted a sign pointing down to the pool area. He frowned. No-one had mentioned that. Other guests were, at this late hour, heading to bed or to the restaurant, but he caught Lizzie lightly by the hand and gestured with his eyes to the sign.

"Fancy a little dip?" he said grinning "we might actually get the place to ourselves!"
 
She was glad the color in his face. Oli looked as if he felt better regardless of whether or not he did. Her smile only widened as he headed towards her. When he stopped her, she looked up at him about to ask what. She was taken aback by his arms embracing her. Her first instinct was to pull away, but something stopped her. At first, she couldn’t figure out why, but then there it was. The reason. His eyes. She had looked into them. It wasn’t the kind words he spoke. It was those eyes. Oli could pull her in, in so many ways with his eyes. When he released her, she wanted him to grab her again, but all she did instead was nod and tell him, “Thank you Oli.”

The day passed by painfully slow, but there was one huge, bright spot. No Chrissy or Gary. Sure she wondered why, but Lizzie wasn’t about to try and find out what had happened to them. The scene from yesterday as forgotten much like high school drama. A big even one day, but the next day quickly swept under the rug, consumed by the next big news for the day. Today was someone else’s day to be in the spotlight. Lizzie gladly took her place in the shadows next to Oli. Sweet Oli was right beside her the entire day. Through seminar after boring seminar, workshops, and even bagged lunches they provided for those who didn’t want to stray too far from the convention Oli was there with her. They shared childhood stories and potato chips.

The last seminar concluded, and Lizzie was beyond happy. She was literally dragging through the convention entrance when Oli took her hand getting her attention. She grinned at the thought before nodding. She let him lead down a long hallway and through a set of double glass doors. The pool area was quiet and barely lit. The soft glow from what light sources there was danced on the water. The pool was an average size with steps leading down into the shallow end. Of course the deeper section was divided from the pool with a blue and white rope. A ladder and diving board was placed at that end as well. “We don’t have bathing suits,” she told him. “No problem,” a devilish grin on her face. She began to unbutton the top button on her white blouse. “You look away now. No peeking either Oli.” After he had turned away she threw her white blouse to the side and her bra followed soon behind it. Lizzie had on a white undershirt trimmed with lace. She left that on as well her panties. “Alright Oli,” was all he heard before a splash. “Come on in. The water feels great. It’ll wake you up too.” She had made her way to the side of the pool with her arms holding her up to the side. The water had smoothed back her long, dark hair and was dripping from her face. “Come on Oli. Join me. Show me you’re man enough to jump in without testing the water.”
 
Of course he peeked.

Of course he did.

He was only human, after all, a young man desperately in love, although he didn't quite know it yet, with the beautiful creature in front of him. Lizzie was, for such an emotionally strong woman, also remarkably sensuous. As her white blouse tumbled away he was struck by just how good even such a simple and functional work outfit looked on her. This woman he had sat next to all day, eaten lunch with, chatted to. Felt her nod off, in one particularly boring lecture on office finance, her head soft on his shoulder. This woman was intensely beautiful.

He bit his lip, unable to help himself, and already fully erect at the sight of her in her panties and lacy undershirt. Her skin was soft, lightly tanned, and his gaze traveled up from her slender legs to deliciously rounded hips and rear, clearly a little filled out by maternity, and up to those full breasts. He knew, in that moment, that he wanted Elizabeth Elders. Wanted her more than the very air he breathed.

He heard her laugh, watched her tumble in, and struggled out of his clothes, his actions clumsy with desperate haste. "I'm coming I'm coming" he grumbled in mock irritation "I see your courtesy doesn't extend to averting your eyes as I strip!" He was, actually, a little embarrassed as he stripped down to his boxers. They did little, he felt, to hide the obvious erection that he had for Lizzie. He paused, before he jumped in, and glanced at the door behind him. In one deft movement he locked the doors from the inside. Let them get in trouble. This was his chance. His chance to take Lizzie in his arms and tell her how madly her was falling in love with her.

He jumped, at her urging, but the water was colder than he had anticipated. He gasped as he surfaced, watching her impish face grin at him, and swore. "You're for it now missy!" he called and he was after her in a flash.

What followed was a few minutes of raucous laughter, splashing, feinting this way and that, and the release of days of pent up energy and desire. Suddenly Oli had her, pinned lightly against the side of the pool, their race over and he the victor. He watched her chuckle away before him, her dark hair plastered all over her face by the water, and was struck by how much he loved that laugh. Her voice. Her everything.

Their feet were kicking beneath them, here in the deep end of the pool, brushing against each other in the cool water. His heartbeat seemed loud, louder than loud, in his ears. He gulped. For a second her could hear music, as if from far away, and he thought it was a memory of the gazebo. Their dance. Their almost moment. But then there was a soft babble of voices and he realised it was a group of people moving in the foyer upstairs. He looked at Lizzie, looked at those deep eyes gazing back at him full of something he couldn't read.

Then he pushed forward, her breasts brushing against his muscular chest through her soft wet top, and he kissed her. Caught against the tiled wall of the pool, their bodies pressed together, Oli kissed Lizzie as if his life depended on it.

"God Lizzie" he said, softly, as he pulled back. "I'm in love with you".
 
“No,” she laughed. “You didn’t ask me to. Too late,” she quickly added. The way the dim lights hit the water cast a soft glow to him. This was not the same man she had met that day in the parking lot. No. She had come to know Oli, faults and all, and what she had discovered was a man she found herself thinking about often. It was a warm escape for her. She could get lost thinking about the man stripping before her. His body was a taunt, and she couldn’t help but softly gasp as she watched his clothes peel away. It was true Oli had all the grace of a toolbox rolling down a flight of stairs, but it wasn’t his grace that she was drawn to. It was the curve to his muscles, the tan skin, the warmth in his voice, and those eyes as he flashed her glance. She knew her face must be red.

She looked away just before he jumped in and erupted in laughter as he came up swearing. “What’s the matter? A little too cold for you? Be a man Oli,” she teased splashing him. “Is that a fact? You gotta catch me first!” The two played like teenagers without a care in the world, and for a while, it was true. There was nothing on her mind, no concerns but the man before her. She teased him, trying her best to escape her impending capture. It wasn’t really a shock when he pinned her against the side of the pool. She grinned ,still laughing, her arms no longer flailing about splashing him.

Lizzie looked into his eyes, those same warm eyes she found herself thinking about more and more. She could see it, feel it even, but her heart simply wouldn’t let her believe it. He was so close. She could feel his legs against her own under the water. She swallowed hard, her heart beating so fast. All the signs were there, plain as day, but Lizzie had lived in the dark for so long, she didn’t even see them. Then it happened. It happened so fast she never even saw it coming. His lips, his body, pressed against her own. At first, her eyes remained wide open, but for a moment, one blissful moment, she slowly closed them and her lips returned all the passion she felt from him in that kiss. Her arms wrapped around him, and their mouths danced together; yet, as quickly as it started, it ended. She pushed him away quickly. “What are you doing? What are we doing? No! I can’t,” she yelled as she turned swimming towards the ladder. She climbed up grabbing at her clothing, dressing quickly. “I’m sorry Oli. I have to….I have to go. I can’t. I can’t do this. We can’t do this. No. I’m sorry.” She was babbling. She grabbed the door trying to open it before realizing it was locked. “Damnit.” The sound of tears clear in her voice as she unlocked it and threw it open.

Lizzie ran out to the curb, wet clothes and all, hailing a cab. Jumping inside she simply told the driver, “Drive! Just go!” He nodded taking off. As much as she wanted to look back and see if Oli was there, she didn’t. She leaned her head back against the seat and wept. The driver taking note, he asked, “Are you alright Miss?” Lizzie didn’t respond. She simply gazed out the window. The driver nods and continues driving. In her mind, as his radio plays, she suddenly sees Oli. Her tears continue to silently fall. There he was though, in her mind, clear as glass. So handsome, so charming, and looking at her. “Stop,” she yelled. “How much?” He tells her, and she pays him before jumping out. Though rain had once more started to fall, she ran only stopping when she reached her destination. The gazebo. It was empty of course at this time of night, and there it was. The same song that had was playing on the taxi driver’s radio. She listened to the words, and sank down on one of the benches. That song seemed to follow her now. First in this place, with him, they had danced to it. The taxi. Now it was here again. “How can I love when I’m afraid to fall, but watching you stand alone all of my doubt suddenly goes….away….somehow,” she sang along. “I wish it would. I wish it would so bad. I wish all my doubts, all of my fears, would go away. Oli….I….want,” she brought her knees up to her chest, wrapped her arms around them, and cried knowing no one was there. The rain fell hard, just like it had that day, and she was lost in her thoughts of Oli.
 
Her lips were on his, her tongue teasing against his, as Lizzie pressed her body against Oli's in the pool. He felt her body, her subtle and supple curves, push against him, her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. He was in ecstasy and drank in the sensation.

And then it was snatched from his lips. Lizzie was pushing him back, eyes wide in panic and horror. "Lizzi" he began, shocked by the sudden change in her attitude, but she was already climbing out, babbling about how this was a mistake, a horrible error. He tried to splash after her but in his shock and panic his movements in the water were clumsy and awkward and she had already tugged on her clothes before he had even begun to climb out of the pool behind her.

"Lizzie wait...for God's sake wait...calm do...." he tried, panting, as he stood behind her. But she was out of the door and away before he caught up with her.

He staggered out after her, only to be met by a couple of gasps and chuckles from men and women standing in the lobby as he burst out of the pool doors in only his boxers. Flushed in embarrassment he withdrew and dressed and, by the time he had changed into his clothes there was no trace of Lizzie.

It took him hours. He trailed around the nighttime streets, desperate to find her, scanning the bars and diners and anywhere else that was open this late at night. Nothing. He was frantic, eyes wide, heart pounding. All he could think of was Lizzie. How he had hurt her by being so impetuous and stupid. How could be so blind to her feelings? He cursed himself.

He was about to give up, ready to sink to his knees in defeat, when his senses were filled, suddenly, with the sweet smell of flowers. Rain spattered him, plastering his hair to his face, soaking his clothes, but he suddenly felt invigorated. Could it be? He pushed through the night time garden, immune to its charms in his desperation. Slowly the gazebo grew in size before him and, then, he was there. And a small figure, knees hugged to chest, was sobbing on the floor.

"Lizzie" he rasped, his voice hoarse, his eyes wild "Lizzie....I....." he had no words, his heart pounded so hard and fast.
 
She looked up at him unable to believe he was really there. Oli, sweet, handsome Oli, was standing there. His clothes clung to his body as they dripped from the rain. Her heart raced seeing him there. It has to be a dream. That was the only explanation. As he tried to speak, she shook her head. “Love….you. That’s what you’re going to say? Right? You love me. You’ve fallen madly in love with me, and I….” She closed her eyes tightly while looking up. “I didn’t see the signs Oli. They were there though. Weren’t they? I’ve been so blind, so oblivious.”

She shifted standing knowing that she was just as much of a sight as he was. The two of them there, their clothes in such disarray, wet, and both apparently unable to even finish what it was they wanted to say. “I can’t,” she finally stammered. “Oli, it’s not you, but me….I just can’t. I trusted someone once. I loved someone once. I saw how much he could change my life once. Some say once is all it takes, and believe me I’ve had my once. It was more than enough,” she gestures with her hand. “I poured my heart out to you about that. You already know what happened, and do you honestly think I have it within me to try again? No matter how wonderful I think you are, no matter how handsome you are, no matter how much I want to just reach out and wrap my arms around you, to let you take me in yours, do you honestly THINK I can do this again? I’m not like you Oli. I’m not strong. No matter what you say, I’m not strong. I know all the risks Oli,” she tells him constantly inching closer to him, never taking her eyes off of him. “I know what is all on the line here. I know there would be consequences if things don’t work out.”

The rain starts to let up, and she looks out over the sweet smelling flowers. She was almost ready to pull him into her arms, but her fears stopped her. Her eyes fell to her feet. “Maybe we should just go back to the hotel. There’s a huge couch in the room. I’m more than comfortable sleeping on it for the night.” A forced giggle from her, and she looks up at him. “Why can’t we just be adults about this? Something happened. We talked about it. Why can’t we just move forward? We can both still share the bed. Alright?” She knew it would awkward, but they had to move past this. It hadn’t escaped her memory that she had just told him how she felt about him. She only hoped he wouldn’t mention it. She had been leading up to taking him into her arms, kissing him, and going with her feelings, but Lizzie fell victim to panic at the last minute and pulled back. “I’ll even spring for the taxi ride back to the hotel,” she whispered. “I’m sorry Oli. I really am, but I just can’t. No matter how much I may want to, and believe me,” again her courage failed her, but the sentiment didn’t need to be spoken.
 
It felt like something shattered in him as he heard those words. That soft, desperate, denial. It seemed to radiate from her eyes and her tightly clutched limbs. Her arms were wrapped around her even as she approached. But Oli was no teenaged boy to fly off the handle or mope about. She had been fair with him. More than fair, considering the come-on he had tried in the pool, and this was her choice. She was right. Lizzie had been tossed like a liferaft in a stormy sea. Had endured more than her fair share of misery. He too would probably be hesitant, anxious about opening up again, after such an ordeal.

He put a gentle arm around her shoulder. It landed in a compassionate, but platonic, way. "Lets get you back to the room" he said with a gentle smile. Even though his heart felt like it was made of aching stone.

The taxi driver was by no means ecstatic about having two soaking wet passengers but Oli promised him a healthy tip, pushing Lizzie's objections aside, and they perched on the edge of the seats so as not to splash too much water on the leather as he drove. There were mercifully few people in the lobby as they arrived and he forced a goofy grin onto his face as he guided Lizzie to the elevator.

"Got caught in the storm" he grinned to passersby who stopped to look at the two young people as they passed. "Rotten weather".

All through the taxi drive and the elevator ride he had kept up a soft stream of chat. Nothing and anything slipping off his tongue as he tried, in a slightly forced way, to keep up a light stream of chit-chat with Lizzie. To let her know he wasn't hurt. That it was fine. That he needed a friend, if nothing else, and that Elizabeth Elders was too lovely to pass up on as a buddy.

He unlocked the door and held it open for her. Stepping across to the bathroom he grabbed one of the towels, fluffy and fragranced in a way that only hotel towels can be, and wrapped it around her shoulders and head. She peaked up at him from underneath it, like a woman in a shawl, and he grinned at her. He rubbed her hair, through the towel, gently as he spoke. Unaware of being mere inches from here. "Listen to me Elizabeth Elders - no couch for you this evening. We can be grown up and get into bed together as friends. But you need to get out of those wet clothes before you get sick. Do you want to borrow a set of big pajamas from me?" He had stopped rubbing her hair and was just cradling her head. His heart was beating as he looked down at her, emotions churning within him, and he forced a smile.
 
‘Oh not again,’ she thought looking up at him. Oli had been the perfect the gentlemen the whole back. ‘Why can’t you be a jerk? Where’s the idiot from the parking lot?’ She grinned back at him. “Thanks. I think I’ll take you up on something to wear to sleep in. I’m going to take a hot shower now.” She pulled the comforting towel tighter before turning on a dime and heading into the bathroom. Before she closed the door, she looked back at him. “Go ahead and get out of your wet clothes too. You need a shower too.” She blushed wildly realizing how it might have sounded like she was inviting him to join her. “I mean when I’m out. I won’t use all the….hot water.” She shook her head grinning from ear to ear. “I’m gonna go now. Yeah.” Closing the door, she leaned against trying not to laugh too loudly. ‘Get it together Lizzie. Get a grip.’

She started the water and stepped inside. Something other than Oli’s body was finally warming her. She allowed the water to cascade down her body. Her hands trailed the now soapy cloth over her neck and down her chest. She paused feeling the textured surface brushing against her nipple. Suddenly there was Oli in her mind. Biting her bottom lip, she began to wonder what it would feel like to have his mouth cover her nipple, to have his tongue teasing her, and his hands on her skin. She felt the crimson flush across her face. She rubbed the cloth in small circles over her hardening nipple. Her eyes looked down for a brief moment before she closed them letting her imagination run wild. Further down her body she moved the cloth until she was resting on her sex. The cloth, her fingers, delving between her lips. Her breasts now cradled by her other arm as he hand continued to knead the tender nipple. “Yes,” she whispered. “Oli.” He was before her. He was making her feel these sensations gripping her body, making her legs tremble. Inching ever closer, she was shaken from her pleasurable reverie by the slamming of the door to the room next to theirs. A couple of laughing voices trailed down the hall as she stood there still reeling from her thoughts. She rinsed her body off and remembered, once more, she had not brought any panties in with her. Wrapping a towel around her body, she opens the door tip toeing out to get them quietly. “Forgot these,” she grinned before heading back. She grabbed the shirt he had laid out for her, and took off rather quickly behind closed doors once more.

When she emerged, she thanked him for the shirt. “I’ll clean it and get it back to you.” Once he disappeared into the bathroom for his own shower, she helped herself to something cold to drink while switching on the television. Nothing of any interest as she flipped through the channels. Of course she found a channel with porn playing, and quickly changed it. ‘Did he hear that girl moaning?’ Again her face burned brightly as she fell over on the bed laughing. ‘This feels too good,’ she thought.

When Oli came out, she hoped against all hope he would not ask her anything about what he may have heard. She didn’t make eye contact for a while as the TV droned on and on about the news. “Come on Oli,” she said patting the bed. “Let’s find something to watch.” He climbed up the bed towards her, and she couldn’t help but look at him. He came to rest next to her, and as she changed the channels, they finally agreed on a movie. It was a story about an impossible romance. That’s what Lizzie thought of them as. Something where two people are so madly in love and circumstances keep pulling them apart. Somehow they find their way back to each other, against impossible odds; he loves her with a love so strong. She slowly began to lean against him as they watched this tale unfold on the screen. At one point, she thought she heard the gentle, soft breathing of someone sleeping. Looking over to him, Oli had fallen asleep. She couldn’t help but look at his face. ‘He’s so handsome.’ Lizzie slowly raised a finger to his forehead and began to trace down his nose and to his lips. A smile on her lips, she begins to caress his cheek lightly. The TV cast a warm, white glow to his features. Her thumb began to trace his lips. ‘Those lips touched mine tonight.’ She shifted slightly, and his eyes opened. “Hi,” she whispers to him before leaning in and pressing her lips to his. All of the doubts, all of her fears from before, melted away. All she wanted in that moment was the man next to her. Her hand still rested on his cheek, and as she broke the kiss, she smiled at him saying simply, “I changed my mind.”
 
He chuckled, despite the pain in his heart, as she teased him inadvertently about getting undressed. Oli enjoyed the flush in her little face, a sharp contrast to her pale skin and dark hair. "Its fine" he chuckled "get going you". His hand curled. He had been about to slap that little ass to get her moving. He chewed his lip instead as she vanished through the door.

He flicked around the tv but wasn't really watching. He wasn't really a sports man and the late night re-runs and highlights seemed to be all that was on. He gave up after a few minutes and laid out one of his clean shirts for Lizzie. A soft white cotton one with long sleeves for her to nestle into. Part of him wished he hadn't offered. He always found a woman dressed in a man's shirt and little else utterly arousing. He had just settled back onto the bed when she re-emerged from the shower, a soft towel clinging to her softer curves, and picked up the panties she had forgotten. Oli tried hard not to examine the satiny material as it, along with the shirt, disappeared into the bathroom.

As they swapped places he stepped into the cubicle and welcomed the spattering of warm water that juddered out of pipes. It felt cleansing. He looked down at his throbbing erection. God damn Elizabeth Elders. The woman was just too fucking hot for her own good. He knew he had to deal with it. Slowly he formed a fist around his cock and began to jack himself off. He tried to think of a woman the polar opposite of Lizzie. Some impossibly pneumatic porn star, all fake blonde highlights and dumb as a bag of spanners. But his mind kept tugging him back to Lizzie and he came with a gasp at the memory of her pressed against him in the pool. If he did hear the gasp from the tv he ignored it, too wrapped up in his illicit fantasy.

He climbed into bed with her, not sure why she was so amused and flustered, but happy just to settle in. He was calmer now after his little indulgence, and tiredness soon began to tease and play at the edge of his consciousness. His eyes drooped. The couple of the screen were on a roof top arguing. Blackness. He fluttered awake. Now they were in Hollywood and the guy seemed to be stuck on the Hollywood sign. He frowned. Wha...? Blackness. He fluttered awake one final time and they were kissing on a beach. Then he was asleep.

Oli dreamed of Lizzie. She was everywhere in his mind. Her kind smile. Her gentle way with her daughter. The way she had so effortlessly put him in his place after he was so rude to her in the parking lot. And the way she had so willingly forgiven him. Her kindness. Her bravery. Her belief in him...

He awoke softly to the exquisite feeling of soft finger tips on his face. A beautiful pressure of touch. His eyes fluttered open to see hers mere fractions of space away, yet he didn't shift back. He met her caring gaze with his own. Her hand was on his cheek and she pressed in to kiss him. It was delicate but needy and seemed, at least to him, resolute. The action of a mind made up.

"Oh yes?" he said in answer to her statement, voice still husky with sleep, "a woman's prerogative? But what if you've missed the boat?" He craned his chin up a little, teasing her, moving his lips out of reach as hers chased his up his throat and tried to reach him.

He over-balanced, tipping backwards into the soft mattress and Lizzie came with him, soft body spread across his chest. Her hair, freed from its business-like style, fell around their faces. His hand stroked her back, moving lower and finding the crescent of skin where his shirt had ridden up, that slender bit of lower back above the line of her panties. Her skin was impossibly smooth and warm to the touch.

"Lizzie" he murmured "Lizzie". His other hand tangled in the hair of the back of her head and pulled her in, their lips locking together, and his other hand urged her closer to his body that was already aflame with desire.
 
She allowed him to take her back with him. She wanted him to. There was something so freeing in not only admitting to her feelings for him but also her desires. She wanted to feel his lips pressed to her own. She longed to feel his body touching her own. Lizzie was becoming lost with this man. “Well….if you….don’t….want me….I can….go,” she teased in between kisses, but somehow she didn’t believe that for a second. She rested on his chest, and once more she began to explore his face with her fingertips. Down his nose and straight to his lips she traced grinning. “Perfect. Two perfect lips. Perfect to look at it.” Her thumbs brushed back and forth against it.”Perfectly warm. Perfect to kiss.” She pressed her lips to ones she was now admiring once more, briefly. Her nose rested against his. She knew what she wanted, but Lizzie was actually nervous. It had been a while since she and David had been together. The only person who knew her body as of late was her. “What if I….do something wrong Oli? What if you don’t like….what you see?” She never asked him if this was just a one night stand. There was a passion to Oli that screamed otherwise. She could see in how he looked at her and feel it in kiss and touch. Shifting once more, she rested her body on his chest. Her cheek rested against his body, hearing his heartbeat. Biting her bottom lip she whispered, “I’m nervous Oli. Afraid. What if….It’s been so long.” In her mind, she had images of the two of them taking each other’s clothes off as they were locked in a lust filled kiss like the people she saw in her impossible movies. She thought, ‘maybe I should move and slowly remove my clothes. Well. What little I’m actually wearing. You’re ruining this moment by over thinking this Lizzie!’

She looks up to the man, and she can’t help but wonder what he wants. Lizzie wants to be honest with him. “Oli, it really has been….a while. I’m nervous, but I….want….this. I just know….I like your kisses, how it feels when you touch me, and how you look at me. You look at me Oli. You don’t see through me. You see me, and I see you. Being with you is as easy as breathing to me, and I’m finding I need it just as much. You’ve crept into my mind, my thoughts, and damnit Oli I think about you all the time. I watch those sappy romance movies,” she gestures over her shoulder with a nod. “Guy meets girl. The two fall for each other. Something big happens. They’re separated, but they still somehow find their way back to each other, and in the end there’s some kind of declaration about their feelings for each other. It’s impossible, or at least I’ve come to think that. I want the impossible Oli. I want you Oli, and if you don’t think way, or feel that way, I understand, but tonight, in this room, in this bed, I want you.” She quickly leans into a hard kiss, her mouth opening as her tongue searches for his.

Lizzie’s body warming, a fire brewing just beneath the surface of her skin. Her satin panties cling to her form as the fabric of his shirt brushing against his skin. Both hands reach up to cup his face. “Now Oli. Here. In this room. In this bed. Take me. I want this. I want,” her eyes search his, “you.”
 
Held close to his chest, light kisses peppering his face and teasing words pouring down on him, Oli gazed lovingly up into Lizzie's face. She really was something else.... He'd had a few girlfriends over the years, nothing too serious although he had thought himself in love once or twice before. But nothing as all consuming as this. Nothing like what was threatening to consume his ever waking moment the way the Elizabeth Elders did.

She looked so damn attractive, chewing on her bottom lip, hair ruffled and loose around her, the tops of her fantastic breasts peeping out from the shirt she had borrowed. "Lizzie" he purred "Lizzie. You're beautiful. You don't need to worry about that. I think you're the most incredible woman I've ever laid eyes on."

He stroked her back gently, reassuringly, as he kissed her tenderly on the lips before continuing.

He knew who she was talking about. David. Her ex-husband. The man who had put stitches in her face and fear in her heart and cracks in her soul. But here she was, picking herself up and rolling the dice again. "Lizzie" he said in a serious voice, yet his hand wandering lower to cup the satin-clad cheeks of her perfect little ass. "Lizzie I think you're the bravest woman I know. I can't think of many who would pick themselves up and try again after love had dealt them such a shitty hand." He, too, nodded over at the television as it bathed them in soft light. "Why can't it be just as impossible and sappy and heart-warming as those movies? Why not? I'm absolutely crazy about you. Give me a chance and I'll worship the ground you walk on forever more. I think you deserve nothing less.

As she asked him to take her, the words stiffening his shaft impossibly, he lifted her gently by the waist so that she was sitting astride his waist. His fingers moved, slowly and teasingly, on the buttons of the shirt and he kept his eyes on hers as her breasts and midriff came into view. He could feel her arousal, a soft wetness pressing against his stiff cock through the layers of material, but that could wait. He ran his hands up her sides, strong fingers on her soft curves, and cupped her full breasts. "You are beautiful Elizabeth Elders" he said, before using his knees to tilt her forward for a kiss. "Beautiful" he murmured into her lips.

Then, suddenly, he had her beneath him and was between her legs. Before he sank down he caught her nervous gaze. "I'll take you Lizzy" he grinned, his eyes serious with passion and adoration, "but it won't be just for tonight". His fingers tangled in the satin waistband of her panties. "It'll be forever. Every night. And every day. For all eternity. If you'll let me Lizzie. Are you sure?" He peeled the panties down her shapely legs, tossing them gently to the floor, and sank his face to her waiting sex.

Oli was intent on giving her every pleasure that night. Worshiping her in a way that her fuck-up of a husband should have done. He wasn't going to take Elizabeth. He was going to make love to her.
 
His words seemed so impossibly perfect. Everything about this moment was as if it were scripted, and there was no possible way it could be happening to her. ‘Worship the ground I walk on? Oli. I just want you with me.’

He moved her with such ease, lifting her, settling her over his body. She bit her bottom lip again, looking at him with all the nerves of a virgin exploring her body with her love, knowing how this will evening will end. She released her bottom lip, allowing a soft gasp as she felt her skin exposed to him. Sure she could have covered up, allow her shyness to get the better of her and pull away, but she didn’t want to. ‘Touch me,’ kept repeating in her mind. She wanted to remove the fabric and discard it to the floor, but she wanted him to lead more. All in good time their bodies would naked, next to one another, joined as one. There was no need to rush anything. They had all night. She could feel him beneath her. ‘He wants me. He really does.’ It had been a while since she had felt a man’s cock, and the very feeling of his pressing against her sex only elevated her arousal. Her hands rested by her sides as he held her breasts gently, but she quickly had to shift as he brought her forward. She braced with her hands to his shoulders. Beautiful. The word lingered on her lips and in her mind.

She moved with him, taking a new position on the bed. He felt so strong atop her, looking down at her. “Yes Oli,” she nods. “I’m sure.” Again, his words seemed to impossibly perfect, and yet she did not doubt him. Lizzie brought her knees in together aiding him in removing her panties. The fabric glided down her skin, and she knew he could see her most private place. She gulped as nervous energy ran through her. The anticipation continued to build. She smiled at him. There wasn’t any question as to what he was about to do. It was something she enjoyed. It was something she had not felt in such a long time. Even when her husband would to his for her, it seemed like more of a chore for him, and it was something she felt he didn’t enjoy doing. She worried there was something wrong with her. Maybe her body didn’t please him. Maybe she didn’t react the way a woman was suppose to do. She felt Oli’s warm breath covering her, and her eyes slowly closed as she teetered on the edge of what she knew was going to be sheer bliss.
 
She seemed so nervous, her heart fluttering audibly in her chest, as he bent down. He ran a hand, gently, along her outer thigh. His touch, firm yet gentle, was hopefully reassuring. He was going to take Lizzie to as high a peak of pleasure as he could.

Oli wasn't an expert at this. He'd gone down on previous girlfriends, maybe a dozen or so times, but never gotten that much practice. Yet he seemed now to know exactly what to do. Precisely where to touch her. He listened to Lizzie, felt for her, and let her small noises and minute movements guide his touch and his tongue. He gently teased her labia with his tongue, tasting her sweet arousal as he did, before taking her hips in his hands and tugging her a little closer to his face. He moved up and down, touching her clit and then working back to her little hole. He felt her slender thighs up around his ears, the skin impossibly smooth and feminine against his stubbly beard, and he began to work her faster and more insistent.

His cock ached, the stiffness and need nearly overwhelming. But he wanted Lizzie to be happy. Wanted her to surrender herself to the love and affection that was washing over him in that moment. He needed Lizzie, needed her desperately, but needed to give her pleasure even more. As he felt her desire peak her teased her not just with tongue but, carefully, with a finger slid into her warm depths.
 
She felt as if every ounce of air had been forced from her lungs as the warmth of his breath and mouth touched her. She froze her eyes wide as his tongue connected with her sensitive skin. Small gasps were heard, growing louder with each one, as he began to explore her. Her hand rested on his, squeezing gently each time his tongue washed over her clit. Her mind focused on the pleasure he was giving her. There were no thoughts of work, her ex-husband, a nosey sister, or the people in the hotel moving about in the halls, loud and drunk. There was nothing else in the world except the man who was using his tongue to dip into her sex and taste her sweet arousal. Her chest now heaved as she was panting, softly moaning, still holding his hand. Her head rested comfortably on the pillow as his efforts increased. Her body warmed to him as she was inching closer and closer.

As she felt his finger slide with ease into her waiting and ready body, she lifted her head from the pillow to meet his gaze. “Oli,” she breathed before slamming her head back down. She was on the verge of an explosion with him. Frantically she gripped his hands, pulling him upwards. “Come to me. Please.” Her words breathless as his face comes to rest next to her own. Her lips meet his, tasting her own sweetness. “I wanna cum, and you’re gonna make me,” she grinned, “But I wanna with you. Not because of your tongue Oli. Not because of your finger. I wanna because you’re taking me. Take me Oli. Make me cum. I wanna feel you inside me.” She presses her lips to his once more as her arms wrap around him and her hands come to rest on his backside. Her knees fall open wider as she continues to kiss him deeply, passionately.
 
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