I hold my tongue because there's no sense in arguing with her. My parents hate having me buy stuff for them, insisting that they are still my parents and are responsible for taking care of me. I simply smile and nod at them, but when it's all said and done, I'll end up making the reservations before she can get a chance to and beat her to the punch.
"Hey...I, um...wanted to let you know that I met someone that I really like and I'm sort of seeing her now," I tell my mom hesitantly. I've always been able to talk to my parents about anything, but this little admission doesn't roll out so easily. I suspect because the concept is just so foreign to me.
"Really?" my mom asks in a somewhat disbelieving tone. Okay, granted...I deserve that. My parents have long since given up on me bringing home a girl for them to meet.
"Really," I tell her assuredly. "Her name's Olivia."
"Is she pretty?" my mom asks teasingly. "I bet she's really pretty."
"Yeah, Mom...she's beautiful."
I hear my mom sigh in happiness on the other end, and that makes me smile. "Tell me more," she says dreamily.
"She has cancer," I say bluntly, and my mom gasps.
"Oh, my God. I'm so sorry. What can I do to help?"
That's so my mom...ready to rush in and help save the day, and I love her to pieces for it. "I'm not sure. Just be there for me...maybe to talk. This is kind of new...both the relationship and finding out about the cancer."
"Honey...I know this is probably really overwhelming, but you have more fortitude than most people I know. There isn't anything you can't handle, and I know you may have waited a long time to find that special woman for you, but I have no doubts you are going to make her deliriously happy."
"Thanks, Mom," I say on a breath of relief. "I needed to hear that. I'm scared for Olivia, and hell...I've known her a little less than a week, but I really, really like her."
"Okay...spill everything about her," my mom says, and I can envision her tucking herself on our family's couch and curling up for an exciting round of fresh gossip.
I unload on my mother. I bend her ear hard and tell her everything that turns me on about Olivia. From her beautiful face to her love of dirty jokes to her talent with floral arrangements to her kindness to others. I leave out how hot she is in bed, because moms don't need to know that shit.
I tell my mom about how I found her sick at her apartment a few days ago, and how Olivia was going to hide the cancer from me, thinking that this was just a fling. I didn't hesitate to even tell my mom about how badly Sutton and Alex had hurt my feelings, but that I patched things up with them. Well, with at least Alex. I haven't seen Sutton since the day she brought Olivia home from her second chemo visit.
When I'm done, my mom whistles low. "You've had quite a week, haven't you?"
"That's an understatement," I agree. "Listen...it's getting late, but I had one more thing I wanted to ask you."
"Sure, baby. What is it?"
"Alex questioned me today whether I should bother getting involved with Olivia. He's worried about my heart getting tied up, and then if she were to die..." I pause for a moment, my voice cracking over those words. "You know...how hard that would be on me. He was pointing out the easiest thing would be to not get involved."
My mom is silent for a moment, then she says, "Garrett...the worst pain a parent can feel is watching their child in pain. No mother ever wants her child to suffer, and she would do absolutely anything to protect them from that. However, in this instance...I think it's worth the risk. You don't know what's going to happen to Olivia, and she could lead a long life. Hell...you two could break up for some other reason long before you ever have to worry about whether she'll beat the odds. The point is...if this is making you happy, then I'd rather you pursue that happiness at the risk you could get seriously hurt one day. Life is too short to worry about that stuff, and you should not let this pass you by."
I didn't realize how much I needed my mom to say those exact words until a long sigh of relief gusts out over my lips. "God...thanks, Mom. That's exactly what I needed."
We talk for a few more minutes while I hear all about her sewing club, which causes me to repetitively yawn, but, hey, she listened to me, so now I need to listen to her.
When I finally hang up the phone, I'm filled with a little bit of peace over my decision to press forward with Olivia. I think my mom is right...she is definitely worth the risk.
Chapter 14
Olivia
"I was thinking," I muse out loud, sinking my feet deeper into the hot sand.
"See...that's a problem for me," Garrett rumbles from beside me. "You're supposed to be relaxing, so quit exhausting that brain of yours."
I open my eyes, which had been closed against the scorching Carolina sun, and turn my head to look at Garrett. He's as dazzling as the bright sunlight as he lies back in his beach chair with his eyes closed and his face tilted upward. His skin, which is already tanned, shimmers like bronze under the suntan oil that I generously slathered on him, and his body is a reflective work of art. I still can't believe I'm lying here...on a beach...with Garrett Samuelson.
More unbelievable is the fact that this man who doesn't do relationships for some reason wants to continue to see me. For a brief moment, it crossed my mind that he was sticking around out of some sense of pity. But then I cast that aside, because Garrett just isn't the type to stick with someone he barely knows out of a misplaced sense of obligation. No...I'm pretty sure he's interested in me, and he's willing to take me as I am...ugly cancer warts and all.
"Anyway, I was thinking--" I start again, but I'm cut off as Garrett suddenly lunges out of his chair and grabs me around the waist.
He hauls me out of my chair, across his body, and lies back down on his own chaise longue, snuggling his face against my neck. His skin is hot and moist from the suntan oil, and it makes me want to drag him back to the cottage and get naked with him. It's the first time in three days I haven't felt like my stomach was going to turn inside out, and now, lying across his massive frame, I'm feeling a little frisky.
"No talking," he grumbles. "Just relaxing."
"Let's go back to the cottage and, um...relax up there...together...naked," I murmur against his ear.
Garrett groans and hugs me to him a little tighter. "No sex. You're still sick and weak."
"I am not sick anymore...and barely weak. I feel much better."
"You should be relaxing."
"I am relaxed."
"Relax some more," he says with a chuckle.
Bringing my hands up to his chest, I push my upper body out of his embrace so I can look down at him. Holy Mother of God...the sun reflecting in those green eyes almost has me wanting to strip right out here in public.
"It's me, isn't it?" I say with a serious look on my face. "Sex with me is horrible, right? And you're using the cancer as an excuse not to touch me."
Garrett rolls his eyes at me then grins. "Jeez...enough with the dramatics. Sex with you is beyond amazing, and you know it, you little brat. I just don't want you to overdo it. Just two days ago you were expelling your guts."
"And yesterday I was only slightly nauseated, and today no nausea. See...I'm better, and ready for sex."
Sitting up in the chair, Garrett anchors his legs on either side. This causes me to rise up and straddle his lap. His hands come up to rest on my thighs and his face is only inches away. "Have you ever wondered what it is that could cause a man like me to give up his philandering ways and only have eyes for one very hot and sexy woman?"
"Just to be clear...that woman we're talking about is me, right?"
Garrett swoops in and gives me a swift kiss, pulling back just as quickly. "Yes...I'm talking about you, dork."
I wrap my arms around Garrett's neck and stare at him intently. My voice is utterly serious when I tell him, "Honestly, Garrett...I have no clue why you'd change your ways for me. I'm not exactly an easy woman to be with right now."
"See...that's just it," Garrett s
ays with annoyance. "You are an easy woman to be with right now. The easiest I've ever been with."
"Hey, don't hold it against me that I hopped in the sack with you on our first date," I tease.
"No...I'm not talking about sex. I mean, everything with you is easy. Conversation, humor, silence. I don't feel like I'm putting on a performance with you, and I know you don't need me to. You like me for me, and I like you because of that. It's just nice to be with someone that makes everything easy."
"But you know everything about me isn't easy. Nothing about dealing with my cancer is easy," I say quietly.
"That's true," he says after a moment. "But it's not a hardship for me either."
My fingers play absently with the hair on the back of his head and I chew on my lip while I consider the magnitude of what he said. Raising my eyes to his, I say, "I think you're a very special man. You took a chance...stepped out of your comfort zone and then stepped right into a hornet's nest. Not many men have that type of strength or confidence."
Garrett's big hands stroke up over my hips and across my back. "And that turns you on, right?"
"Big time," I say with a grin, and then nip at his lips. "But seriously...never in a million years did I imagine that when you and I met it would lead to this. I wasn't looking for anything other than a quick fling, and you weren't either. It's kind of surreal."
"I'm kind of digging it," he tells me with a grin.
"Me too. Now, can we go have sex?"
Garrett stands up from the chair with one powerful move, carrying my weight with him. "No sex. But we can go cool off in the water for a bit."
I stick my lip out to pout, but honestly...I am feeling a little tired from all the shit I've been through in the last few days. So, I hang on tight to Garrett while he carries me down to the water.
--
My eyes blink open as the morning sunlight filters in the window, and the first thing I notice is that I'm ravenously hungry. I haven't felt like that for several days, and I think it's safe to say that the nausea is completely gone. The second thing I notice is that I'm hot because Garrett's body is practically wrapped around me in a cocoon. The third thing I notice is that I have to pee...really bad, so I manage to wriggle out of Garrett's death grip and head to the bathroom. When I'm finished, I pad into the kitchen and drink a large glass of orange juice. I think I'll cook both of us a big breakfast, and I smile...because that would be a nice way to wake Garrett up.
Breakfast in bed.
Of course, I can think of an even nicer way to wake him up, and that has more appeal to me than cooking right now. Setting my juice glass on the counter, I head into the bedroom and take a moment to watch Garrett sleep. After I escaped his clutches, he rolled onto his back and his head is turned my way. His face looks so peaceful...almost boyish in his slumber. The arm with the blackbird tattooed on the inside of his biceps is thrown over his head and his other arm rests casually over his stomach. The sheets are pulled down to his waist and my fingers itch to get at him.
I quickly but silently take off my clothes and stealthily creep back into bed so as not to wake him up. Sliding in as close to him as I can get without touching, I reach out and carefully pull the edge of the sheet up from his waist, taking a peek at what's below. I had gone to sleep before he did last night, but he had stripped down to his boxers before getting into bed. We had gone for another walk on the beach after dinner, and by the time we got back, I was ready to go to bed. I guess Garrett was right...I was still a little weak from everything.
But I didn't feel weak this morning.
The boxers present a little bit of a problem for me, and I chew on my lip while I contemplate how I can best gain access to what lies underneath without waking him up. Possibly I can just slip my hand under the waistband, or maybe even reach in through the fly in the front. Regardless, I know once I get in, I'll have to be very efficient in my ministrations, because I want to get him crazy with lust while he's still incapacitated by sleep so he can't put me off again.
Yup...I think I need to go with the fly approach. It's stealthier, and my blood starts humming with the prospect of what I'm about to do. I reach my hand out very slowly.
"Are you done staring at my underwear?" Garrett says loudly, and I yelp in fright, practically scrambling backward off the bed as I drop the sheet I had been holding up.
He's lying there, grinning at me from ear to ear, while I press my hand to my chest in an attempt to forestall the heart attack that was almost imminent. "You scared the hell out of me."
"Sorry...that was too easy to pass up," he says and laughs. "You were looking at me so intently, I knew it wouldn't take much to startle you."
The realization that he just busted me staring at his groin brings a flood of embarrassment all of a sudden, and I think what a stupid idea that was. I've never been one that was very forward in the bedroom, and now I don't know that I'll ever try anything that daring again. In fact, I should probably just go check in to the local nunnery.
"Come here," Garrett murmurs, and pulls the sheet back.
"Um...I was just going to go make us some breakfast," I stammer.
"Little liar," he teases. "You were thinking of the best way to get me hard before I woke up."
My face turns beet red and I actually back a foot away from the bed. "I was not," I seethe, but damn...he totally knows what I was thinking about.
Garrett just gives a low, husky laugh, then stuns me when he kicks the sheet off his body and wrangles his underwear off. He lies there, fully nude and looking unbelievably sinful. My eyes can't help but stray to that part of him I was so desperate to see just a moment ago. His cock is only at half-mast, lying heavy against his leg.
"I'm all yours to do with as you please," Garrett says as he props both hands under his head and gives me a toothy grin.
An urge to flee is present, but the greater urge to touch him wins out. I crawl up on the bed and kneel beside his hip. My hand reaches out to touch his stomach, but he stops me. "How are you feeling this morning?"
My eyes slide over to his and I give him a reassuring smile. "I'm actually feeling pretty damn good. Hungry, as a matter of fact." I let my gaze slide down his body to his cock, which leaps over the suggestion in my voice and starts to lengthen before my eyes.
"That's all it takes," Garrett says softly.
I turn my gaze back to him. "What's that?"
"Just your words...your eyes on me, and I get hard for you. You don't even have to touch me."
"But I want to touch you," I tell him softly.
"Even better for me," he murmurs.
Resting one hand on his chest and the other on his belly, I lean over and press a kiss right in the middle. Sliding a hand over, I brush my fingers over his erection and am elated when it jerks under my touch. Staring at it...so dark and beautiful...so stiff yet feeling like silk under my fingertips.
"Um...I haven't actually ever done this before," I tell Garrett in a moment of utter honesty. I feel the need to let him know...I could be very bad at this.
"Touched a man's cock?" Garrett asks in surprise. "I find that hard to believe."
"No...I've done that. I mean...I've never given a guy a blow job before."
"Oh," Garrett says softly, then even louder in understanding, "Oh. Well, you don't have to do that. I wasn't even expecting that, really."
"I want to," I tell him firmly. "I really, really want to."
"Fuck, Olivia...your innocence and your exuberance are a really hot combination," he says with a smirk. "I might not survive this."
My fingers close around his shaft and I squeeze him gently, feeling him swell even larger. "Um...I'm not sure if I can...um..."
My voice falters and I'm suddenly doubting every single womanly ability I have. "Not sure you can what?" Garrett prompts me as he brings one hand out to touch my face.
"Swallow," I whisper. "I don't want to take any chances in case...um...my stomach decides it's not through rebelling."
Garrett
blinks at me for a moment, his face a blank mask. I can't tell if I've offended him or maybe he just didn't understand what I mean by that. Then he throws his head back and laughs. A deep, booming laugh. I watch him for a moment, not sure if I should be angry or not that he's not taking me seriously, but then I realize...this is pretty fucking funny. So I start laughing too.
"Come here a minute," Garrett says as he continues to chuckle. I release my hold on him and crawl up his body, until I'm lying almost on top of him.
We stare at each other with goofy grins. "I'm guessing I just took all the sexy out of this little moment, huh?"
Garrett shakes his head, giving another laugh. "You are still sexy as hell. It's just funny...the little ways in which your cancer will pop up. I mean...seriously, if I was feeling sick, the thought of swallowing that wouldn't appeal to me either."
Resting my chin on his chest, I look up at him with a smile. "You're a good sport."
He shrugs. "We'll figure this out together."
"Agreed," I say, and then push myself up. "And now...I think I am going to attempt to give you a blow job. Just give me a smack on the head or something when you're, um...you know, ready to blow or something."
Garrett starts laughing again, and so do I, and it takes a few moments for us to get under control. Finally, I take a deep breath in and blow it out, sliding a quick look at him. "Okay. I'm ready."
He looks at me seriously, and then starts snickering again. I smack him on the stomach to get his attention. "Stop. I need to concentrate."
"Okay, that's enough," Garrett says as he surges up from the bed. Placing his hands on my shoulders, he spins me away from him and pushes me back onto the mattress, bringing his body over mine. "You can blow me some other time. I need to take control of this situation or neither one of us is going to get off."
"Nice," I mutter over his filthy words, but secretly, I'm pleased he's taking over. I really, really want to be good for him, and all my doubts and then us laughing have me off-kilter. I want Garrett in every single way, and that includes having him in my mouth and sucking down every drop he offers me. I need to be on my A game for that because I want it to be perfect for him.
Garrett kisses me softly, then pulls back to look in my eyes. "Seriously, though...how are you feeling?"