“Yes.” His voice was a hoarse whisper as his fingers bit into her hips.
She began to move, half on her own, half directed by him. Wild emotions burst free as she rode his shaft, pumping as he thrust into her. For this moment she was his to own, to command. Every flex of his hard muscles sent her hard and fast into her building pleasure. Unable to look away as he threw back his head and closed his eyes, she watched a flush stain his cheeks. The heat beneath his skin burned into her flesh, sending sensation rushing through her.
Desire built. Passion grew in intensity. She panted as her inner muscles clenched and pulled him deeper. Each time they made love she experienced such intense physical pleasure, but this time, opening her heart and giving him everything, transcended anything she’d ever known.
Sammi cried out as her orgasm slammed into her like a tsunami. She clung to Oliver as the powerful wave wiped out everything in its path. Her fear and anxiety shattered. Resentment and blame swept away and were gone, leaving behind the scoured sand upon which she would build her new life.
Oliver’s arms came around her, holding her secure as his climax arrived like a storm. His shudders made her chest ache. Had he too been unmade by the power of their passion? Was he ready to create something new on the ashes of past hurts and grief?
Or did he remain unwilling to give up the familiar patterns that kept him from growing? And how could she move forward with him if that was the case?
Twelve
The morning following the party at Into the Now, Oliver woke alone in bed for the first time in weeks. Groggy from lack of sleep, he lay still and listened, ears straining for any sound of movement in the apartment. The absolute quiet stirred his alarm.
She could’ve just gotten up and made coffee. Her absence from the bed didn’t mean she was gone. Nor did her early departure mean she wasn’t coming back.
As angry and disappointed as she’d been, would she have made love with him if it was over? Still, the desperation in her kisses and the fierce emotion she’d displayed was new. It was as if she’d been trying to cling to something, knowing it was already gone. And at the peak of their frantic coupling, he could swear he’d seen something break in her eyes. Something that set off a chain reaction of despair and sorrow in him. She’d been so calm in the aftermath, so steady and sure. A woman who knew what she wanted and intended to get it. What eluded him was knowing if what she wanted was him.
Oliver rolled out of bed and headed for the closet. He cataloged her clothes with a quick glance and decided she hadn’t moved out. His relief was short-lived, however, because when he walked into the bathroom, he noted that the familiar collection of creams and makeup she used on a daily basis was gone.
He headed back to his nightstand but saw no sign of his phone. Flashing to the night before, he realized it was still downstairs with his discarded clothes. After a quick glance at the clock, he determined it was too late in the morning for him to risk wandering around naked, so he slid into a pair of boxer briefs and headed to his studio.
Heidi had the coffee on when he arrived. His clothes sat in a neat pile on the bottom step along with Sammi’s sexy black underwear.
“Hey,” he said to his assistant, digging through the jacket pockets and unearthing his phone. “Do we have anything going today?”
“No meetings or shoots, if that’s what you’re asking about.”
“Great.”
He opened his text app, preparing to send a message to Sammi, and paused. What could he say to her that he hadn’t already shared in bed last night? The problems that existed between them couldn’t be fixed with great sex. Not only had he failed to give her the love she needed, but he’d also broken her trust with the stunt he’d pulled on her ex-boyfriend.
“I was wondering if you could do me a favor,” he said, accepting the mug of coffee Heidi brought over.
“You pay me to do all kinds of favors for you,” his assistant said with a wry smile that faded as she noticed his expression. “Whatever you need.”
“Send two dozen red roses to...” He trailed off, realizing he couldn’t fix what was wrong with the romantic gesture. The only way forward with her was through letting go of his resentment toward his family and especially his father. “Scratch that,” he amended, determined to do something nice for one of the women in his life. “Take the day off. Use the corporate card and go get yourself a pedicure or take a friend to lunch. Or do both. Or neither. Just do something nice for yourself, on me.”
Heidi’s eyes had widened with shock as he’d spoken. “Are you sure? What if somebody calls?”
“Then we will call them back tomorrow. Go have fun.”
Leaving his stunned assistant staring after him in confusion, Oliver headed upstairs. He opened the app, pulled up his recent calls and dialed the one at the top. When he reached his father’s lawyer, Oliver made arrangements to visit Vernon in prison.
He didn’t need a series of empty days and nights without Sammi to wake him up. He’d already spent too much time letting his anger and hurt isolate him from the people he loved. In his heart, he knew that she’d been right. Confronting his father was the key to dealing with the anger that plagued him. As long as he avoided the source of his pain, he would never overcome the fear of rejection that was separating him from Sammi.
Three hours later, Oliver was on his way to the federal prison that housed his father. He’d been surprised how swiftly the visit had been arranged and somewhat relieved. Less time to
