With the front door closed behind me, I tiptoe toward his bedroom, stopping near the living room to pat Pixy as he’s nestled into his bed, before heading back down the hall.
As I enter Oliver’s room, he’s lying with his arm over his shoulder, torso in full view. He’s all muscle, a delicious sight with a small amount of hair in the middle of his chest. I crave to run my fingers through it but know better.
He begins to stir, watching me as he grunts. “What the hell?”
“It’s morning. Rise and shine, baby,” I cheer.
“Do you know this is the first time in months I’ve had more than four hours sleep? And how did you even get in here?”
“Is that how you greet all your women callers?”
“You’re the first one who’s stalked me all the way to my bedroom.” He rubs his hands against his face to wake himself up. “If it helps, I’m going commando under the blanket.”
I so want to test him, but resisting, I tease, “I wouldn’t put it past you. Now, c’mon, lazy bones, we’re going to miss it.”
He turns around, pulling the blanket with him. The top of his ass is exposed, and holy shit, he isn’t kidding. I stare at his back, admiring his skin, and why do I want to bite his ass? That’s very unladylike.
“I’m going to wait for you out front,” I tell him, trying to tame my imbalance of hormones at this point. “To give you some, um… privacy.”
“Are you sure?” He rips off the blanket, his ass now completely exposed. “Come join me.”
I almost choke at the sight of him naked. Backing away from the bed, I turn only to walk straight into the door. The pain ricochets through my face and up to my temple. “I’m sure.”
Struggling to open my eyes, his smirk is all I can see. Asshole.
“You okay, Gabs? I don’t picture you as a prude.”
“I’m fine, I’ll meet you outside.”
“Stop!” He hops out of bed, standing in front of me, and my eyes wander carelessly to see the bedsheet wrapped around his waist.
“Hey, eyes up here. I know you’re keen to see the Colonel Madden, but I need to check your nose.”
He scans my face, sliding his finger against the bridge of my nose. The bone is tender, and my eyes are still watering from the collision.
“You know, a Major General is higher than a Colonel,” I tease, trying to keep a straight face and ignoring the pain.
With a smirk in tow, his eyes dance with delight. “I didn’t know that. Perhaps you should look to make an educated decision.”
I punch him in the chest, pulling away. “Another time, playboy.”
Careful to open the door this time, I’ll meet him outside, praying a bruise won’t appear from the brutal hit. Ten minutes later, he’s there, all dressed and yelling at me to keep up.
Today isn’t as bad. I’ve surprised myself with how fast I can run without falling into a heap on the pavement.
By the time we arrive at the pier, we make it just in time to watch the sunrise. The sun blooms on the horizon, golden petals stretching outward into the rich blue sky. My body relaxes at the stunning sight. It’s the invitation to a new day, new possibilities filled with hope and endless dreams. Dreams I have trained myself to stop conjuring up because they never belong to me.
Even when the world around me feels like it’s drowning, the sky always remains beautiful. It’s become my savior, my glimmer of hope when darkness shadows the light at the end of the so-called tunnel.
And beside Oliver, I allow myself to dream.
I dream of watching this forever.
With him.
“It’s beautiful, don’t you think?”
From the corner of my eye, I can see Oliver staring at me. “Yeah, I think.”
“Don’t you wish you could watch this every day?”
“I wish for that every night,” he whispers.
I turn to face him, unsure of what to say without saying something I might regret. He’s lost in thought, watching the sunrise quietly. I observe his sharp jaw, chin, and cheekbones, and the way his hair, a mess of sandy blond strands, frames his face. When Oliver falls quiet, such as moments like now, he’s incredibly beautiful. An odd description to use on a man, but I can’t help but use a word so fitting to what I see beside me.
“I want to take you out for breakfast,” I say, breaking his deep stare out over the ocean. “Are you free?”
“I have to be somewhere at eleven, but free before that.”
We run back, stopping at Sally’s, which isn’t as busy given the early hours of the morning. Taking our usual table, we both order and sit quietly watching the few people who stroll by as we wait for our food to be served.
“You’re quiet today,” I mention, not oblivious to his calm demeanor.
“I’m thinking.”
“About what?”
“You.”
“Me?” I ask, nervously playing with the end of my braid. “Why?”
“Because I’m thinking about how someone like you doesn’t see all the beauty around you. Every door is open, and she’s only staring at the one that’s closed.”
He’s quick to bring it up again. I grab the napkin, placing it on my lap to avoid eye contact as a waitress serves our breakfast. My acai bowl looks delicious, yet so does Oliver’s bacon, eggs, and hash browns.
“Oliver, you just don’t understand.”
“Make me understand, Gabriella.”
“You called me by my first name?” I lift my gaze, staring directly into his eyes. “I don’t want to be just a senator’s wife. I don’t want that life for me. Sebastian is no different than my father.”
“Then explain to me why a man, no different, has allowed you to walk away?”
“I don’t know…” I murmur, twisting the napkin to calm my anxious nerves. “I thought I just needed time to figure things out… and now… I’m all confused.”
The second I say it, I regret it instantly.
Oliver has
