Fitz and Olivia were cozied up together in their room at a little Victorian bed and breakfast; tucked away along the scenic Finger Lakes wine trail in Central New York. Freezing rain pelted the windows behind their bed. They'd watched as fluffy little spheres of delicate ice landed on the window panes and quickly melted as they hit the heated glass, leaving streaks of water as they fell. Olivia was running out of excuses to remain clothed as Fitz's soft, firm lips against her throat and the roaming hand beneath her sweater were quickly making her forget why she was resisting him in the first place.
"Fitz!" she gasped as his palm lightly caressed a bare, satiny breast before giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Hmm?" he half-groaned, flexing his hips at the feel of her hardened nipple against his palm.
Olivia's hand flew to his nape and she purred as Fitz angled his head to rub his neck against the pads of her fingers. Encouraged, he moved to lift her sweater over her head and Olivia grabbed his hand. If his lips joined the action, there'd be no turning back and Olivia had plans for the evening.
"Fitz!" she said again, lifting her hands to his face to stop his wonderful assault on her collarbone. "It's Christmas Eve," she explained desperately. "I want our first one together to be special."
Fitz trailed his open mouth back up her neck, his voice deliberately low and gruff when his lips reached her ear. "It already is, Livvie…"
She shivered as the rich timbre of his voice seemed to travel straight through her and his warm breath wet her ear. Fitz grinned.
"Not fair," she whined as she gripped his shoulder. "Get your lips off me before you sabotage your gift."
That intrigued him and he pulled away, searching her beautiful, flushed face. At his cocked brow, it was her turn to grin.
"You first," she said coyly. "Mine requires some—preparation," she explained as the blush deepened.
Fitz looked Olivia up and down at her tone, but decided to behave himself and be rewarded with whatever delicious treat she had planned for them. She giggled at his eager expression, crinkling her nose as he pecked her there and rolled from the bed to retrieve his gift for her.
It had been Olivia's idea to share holiday traditions with each other. Fitz had shared one from childhood, when his mother had allowed him to open a single gift on Christmas Eve. They'd just returned from Olivia's parents' home earlier that evening, having shared Christmas Eve dinner in keeping with her own family traditions. It was a little after 9:00pm when they returned to the bed and breakfast and Fitz was ready to unwrap his new fiancé.
Olivia took a deep breath, hiding her relief with a smile. That was close. She knew that if they'd started, they'd have remained in bed the rest of the night and sharing Fitz's tradition was important to her. Besides, her gift would require a bit of stamina to pull off anyway.
Fitz pulled a rather large gift box from the closet and set it on the bed before her. His eyes fairly twinkled as he sat on the edge of the bed, his anticipation at her opening it almost as great as hers.
"Happy Christmas Eve, Livvie."
Olivia smiled, meeting his eyes briefly and, at his nod, lifted the lid of the gift box. "Whoa," she whispered, reaching in to gently lift the model house from the box.
It was entirely alabaster in color and the detailing on the beautiful miniature structure was incredible. Olivia immediately recognized the floor-to-ceiling windows at the south end and gasped; turning it a bit to admire the familiar wrap-around deck. There were even grooves indicating the planks of wood the deck was made from, and exterior lighting just like the ones on the house Fitz rented in Penn Cove.
Olivia's eyes narrowed as she fingered the tiny fibers making up the rigid parts of the house.
"You printed this?" she asked in awe.
Fitz nodded, thrilled at her reaction. His heart was beating faster as she turned the model again. She hadn't yet seen the best part and he held his breath as he watched her. Olivia frowned again just then. Something was different.
"Fitz?"
"Take the roof off," he gently instructed. "Have a look inside."
Olivia carefully lifted the ends of the roof and it came completely off! Inside was a perfect replica of the beach house, each room complete with removable furnishings and detail equally as stunning as the outside—like the natural granite of the free-standing fireplace in the living space and the logged walls of the bedrooms. Perfect—except there seemed to be extra space.
"I don't remember that being there," she told him, registering the crinkles at the corners of his eyes as he grinned.
"That's because it isn't there yet," he hinted with a mischievous smile. "Turn it again, but this time go slow."
Olivia's head jerked as she wondered what he was getting at. She did as she was instructed though; turning the model slowly until the front of the house faced her again and her eyes widened right away. There, just out front, was a tiny signpost that read "Sold."
Olivia yelped. "Oh my God! When? I thought he wasn't selling?" she asked, her voice higher with each question.
Fitz shrugged, grinning with feigned arrogance. "I made him an offer he couldn't refuse."
"Fitz!" Olivia smacked him impatiently.
Fitz chuckled, his shoulder rising against her assault. "My offer was more than fair—well above market value," he explained reasonably. "I could tell he wanted to keep it, but after I told him it held sentimental value for me—and that he could buy a house almost anywhere with what I was offering—I convinced him to sell."
Olivia could have cried. She loved that house and had resigned herself to living somewhere else; convincing herself that anywhere with Fitz would be home. Perhaps it was selfish, but her heart had broken at the prospect of someone else getting to live there; watching the sunrise—their sunrise—every morning.
"And this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she pointed to the extra space again.
"A bigger office, a den, a pool—whatever you want, Livvie," Fitz said softly, becoming emotional himself as he looked into her eyes.
Olivia slid the model to the side, enough to clear the space between them, and beckoned him to her with her finger. "I'm so happy," she whispered against his lips.
"That's all I want," Fitz said, his eyes serious.
Olivia's heart leapt in her chest as his words mirrored her own to him more than a year ago, words neither of them would ever forget.
That's what I wanted to see since the moment we met…You, happy…
Something sparked in her eyes. "Make yourself scarce for twenty minutes," she husked, sending a jolt straight to Fitz's groin. "My turn."
Fitz tucked into some fresh baked apple crisp, made by the Inn's owner, downstairs in front of the Christmas tree while Olivia went to work. The beautiful jetted Jacuzzi in the bathroom, with its rustic pine finish, was pristine; but Olivia gave it a scrub worthy of a regent's bath anyway, not wanting to take any chances. She set two plush towels atop the heater that stood within arm's length of the tub so they'd have warm towels when their bath was finished. There were wine glasses and a corkscrew on a silver tray provided in the room, and Olivia set the tray on a small, decorative table beside the Jacuzzi. Next, she put the bottle of merlot they'd bought from her favorite winery earlier that day on ice and it too was set on the table. She figured ten minutes had passed by then and, tying her hair into a bun on top of her head, quickly got the water running as she gathered a few more things.
Fitz heard the music as soon as he walked into their room. Soft—the softest jazz. Her favorite. He smiled.
Light was coming from the partially open bathroom door, but not in a stream; it glowed. As he moved closer, he was serenaded by Sade's gentle, sensuous vocals. Her buttery tone blended seamlessly with crooning sax, and the sizzling chords of piano and guitar. By the time Fitz opened the door, he felt like he'd inhaled the sound and blown it out; his heartbeat synchronized to the soft tap of brush on drum. There was a candle—or maybe two or ten, Fitz wasn't sure; because the sight before him cleared his mind of any rational thought.
Olivia's glorious, naked form beneath crystal-clear water disturbed the rhythm of his heartbeat and sent it into a frenzy. A tingling sensation filled every limb and a rush of heat spread from his heart and straight down, gluing him in place as his arousal strained against his pants. His eyes were everywhere, seeking out her flawless, honey brown skin beneath the glassy, sweet-smelling water wherever she wasn't covered by petals of lavender. No sooner had he taken her in than his eyes dragged over Olivia's body again. His gaze lingered this time—on her neatly trimmed mound, on the tantalizing dip of her belly button. He licked his lips and his eyes glazed over at the tactile memory of tasting her there. Her breasts seemed to float just above the water and Fitz felt himself twitch at the sight of her sweet, dark nipples glistening at the surface.
And then she stood up and Fitz gasped—He couldn't help himself. His eyes moved over her again as he followed the path of the water that trickled down her body and the few flower petals that stuck to her skin.
Olivia wanted to smile but she was too captivated by the look on Fitz's face. She knew he wanted her, but it was more than that. He seemed frozen in place as he worshipped her with his eyes.
"Hi," she said softly, lifting his hands to her waist and bringing her arms around his shoulders.
Scented water seeped into his clothes but Fitz didn't care. His voice broke when he spoke, splitting the word into two syllables when he answered her back. "Hi-i."
"I wanted us to do something normal," she whispered, her lips barely touching his as she spoke. "We've done so many amazing things, but we've never done simple things like taking a bath together before and I—I'd really like to."
Fitz eyes seared into hers and he felt her shiver in his hands. He lowered his hands to her ass, groaning as he squeezed the supple flesh. It was softer than ever—probably because of whatever heavenly concoction she'd added to the water.
"I'd like that too," he muttered softly, unable to resist a nip to one of her breasts before he straightened to get undressed.
Olivia was rapt as she watched him remove first his thin sweater, then his shoes, his socks, his belt—She felt the familiar slow, dull pulse begin in her center and bit her lip to keep from touching herself as Fitz's pants and boxers joined the rest of his clothes on the floor.
He stepped into the very warm, silky water and settled in with his arms resting along the rim; grinning as Olivia caressed him with her eyes. He cocked a brow in amusement when she lingered at his arousal and the pretty blush returned to her cheeks. She moved to sit in front of him, leaning back to rest her head against his chest with a hum of contentment and Fitz laughed quietly.
"I like this gift," he said, lowering a hand to rest on her tummy. "A lot."
Olivia's stomach muscles contracted at his husky admission directly in her ear; her lips parting in anticipation at the thumb circling her belly button. She turned her head and shivered at his unmistakably darkened eyes and the twitch of his erection against her thigh.
"Make love to me, Fitz. Right here," she sighed.
Fitz didn't need any further encouragement. He tilted his head to brush his parted lips over hers, groaning at her shudder in response. He laved her mouth with his tongue; their moans harmonizing with the provocative music in the background. Fitz's kisses were wet. So wet. He was salivating for her and she drank it up eagerly, gliding her tongue firmly along his. He cupped her breasts in both hands, gently molding the undersides and circling her sensitive nipples with his thumbs. The dull pulse in her clit quickly strengthened to an aching throb from the onslaught of so much sensation—the hardness of his chest against her back, the warm water rippling against her sensitive breasts; his hands squeezing and rubbing her in turns and the persistent reminder of his arousal beneath her. Olivia snatched her lips away to release a shaky sigh into his neck.
"More," she whispered as she reached for one of his hands and pulled it down. "Aching for you."
Fitz unconsciously flexed his hips, rubbing himself against her as he cupped her with his palm. He rubbed her mound—firmly, slowly. His expert hand, from the tip of his middle finger to the end of his palm, caressed her clit with each pass. A long, soulful moan escaped her as she pressed herself to him. One hand gripped his thigh, the other the edge of the Jacuzzi for support as she moved. The water undulated with them, like a phantom third party in a sensual dance, intensifying the sensations they were feeling.
"Fitz!" she hissed, the thumping and throbbing growing until it was nearly unbearable.
Fitz gently pinched her clit and she bucked, displacing some of the water as she quivered uncontrollably. Warmth unfurled in her belly and blossomed through her in waves and she rode it; the phantom hands of the warm water caressing her right along with Fitz.
"Shit," Fitz groaned, grinding his hips up to meet her as she keened in pleasure. Even beneath the water, he felt her slippery essence on his fingers. "So sexy, Livvie. So beautiful, Baby," he whispered.
The final tremors left her body as she turned her head to kiss him again, soft presses this time because she was still recovering her breaths.
"That was hot," Fitz managed to quip huskily, the ache of his arousal tensing every muscle in his body.
Olivia grinned, moving from his embrace to pat the edge of the Jacuzzi. "Your turn."
Fitz's anticipation mounted at the gleam in her eye and, using the edge of the Jacuzzi for leverage, he lifted himself to the edge. He watched with his heart beating erratically in his ears as she seemed to glide through the water and up to his knees. Her eyes locked on his, she glided her hands over his knees and along his thighs, gently pushing them apart. And then her hands wrapped around him firmly as she took him into her mouth.
"Jesus," he groaned, convulsing slightly at the feel of her soft tongue gliding along the underside of his cock.
She hummed, long and low, her full lips caressing the length of him as she took him in and out slowly. Fitz blinked away the darkness that threatened to overtake him at the exquisite torture. It felt like he was sliding into silk. He guided her head with a hand at her nape and pushed himself into her mouth gently, his eyes rolling shut in pleasure.
"Fuck," he rasped, pumping faster.
Olivia sucked him harder, holding onto one of his knees as she bobbed faster and gently squeezed his balls. She felt him tense for a long beat and then he was shouting her name, releasing himself into her mouth in warm spurts.
"Ungh, Livvie!" His ass was still clenching as she licked him clean. He blew out a long breath. "God, Baby. That was so good."
Her gorgeous lips tugged into a satisfied grin. "Get back in. We're not finished yet."
Fitz looked at her in astonishment but quickly obeyed her seductive command, sliding back into the water as he regulated his heartbeat to something closer to normal. Olivia pushed a button and the jets of the Jacuzzi hummed to life. Fitz moaned contentedly as the deluge of water massaged him from every direction. He reached for Olivia but she had other ideas, her sexy grin reaching her eyes. He challenged her with a quirked brow. She positioned herself in front of one of the jets, biting her lip as the torrent moved against her clit. Fitz froze, stunned.
"Livvie?"
"Mmmm," she moaned with her eyes closed, moving her hips gently back and forth as a flush spread from her face all the way down to her shoulders.
He cursed and then she heard him move in the water until his hands were at her waist. She shuddered as he kissed her shoulder and then eased himself into her. Olivia convulsed; the water still moving against her clit and the feel of him entering her sensitive folds bringing her to release immediately.
"Jesus," Fitz husked again, his stomach muscles tensing as her contractions drew him in deeper. "You've been holding out on me Livvie," he groaned.
She giggled as her body continued to tingle all over. "In my defense," she moaned, "it never came up in conversation."
"Remind me to follow up on that," Fitz breathed as he held fast to the rim beside her with one hand and her hip with the other and began to move.
"Sssssss," she hissed as she inhaled sharply, pushing her hips back to meet him. "Unh, faster!" she begged, feeling the pressure build again just that quickly.
Fitz grunted, pounding into her as water sloshed around them. A sheen of sweat broke out on his brow as his hips pistoned faster and faster until she tensed and her muscles spasmed around him again.
"Uuuuunnnngh," she moaned, her knees giving out.
"Sweet Jesus," Fitz groaned as found his release again.
He curled an arm around her, holding her until his own tremors subsided and Olivia could support herself. He eased from her and climbed from the Jacuzzi to grab a washcloth. They grinned impishly at each other as Fitz cleaned them up, careful not to rub too hard against Olivia's oversensitive clit. They settled comfortably into the water again with their wine, their skin glowing from being thoroughly sated as they gazed at each other lovingly.
"Happy Christmas Eve," Olivia sighed, leaning her head back against his shoulder.
They finished half the bottle of wine, talking about their upcoming wedding with quiet excitement as soft jazz continued to play in the background. They'd decided to get married in February, not wanting a prolonged engagement but agreeing that they'd need to give people at least some advanced notice.
"I want to start my life with you, Livvie. I don't want to wait," he'd told her fervently during their first video chat after the gala.
"Me neither," she'd agreed happily. "I'm so tired of video chats."
It would be small, just their closest friends and family. Abby and James offered to make the food, and Olivia promised Fitz that he could choose the location. All he'd told her was that it would be on Whidbey Island, but he hadn't told her where yet. Now that the beach house would be theirs, Fitz was ready to share the last part of his gift with her.
"I want us to get married at home," he told her thoughtfully, tucking a damp curl behind her ear. "Every time we look out of a window or sit on that deck, I want us to remember one of the happiest days of our lives."
Olivia's eyes pricked at the conviction in his tone. She didn't trust herself to speak, so she simply nodded; smiling as he kissed her lips, her nose, and raised her hand to peck the ring sparkling on her finger. They touched their foreheads together, silently reveling in their nearness and in how close "the future" really was.
"I love you, Fitz."
"I know."
She smacked him on the shoulder. "I mean it," she insisted. "I know I don't say it as much as you do, but I'm so happy I fed you that stupid line at the lounge that night and stalked you like a crazy person."
Fitz would have chuckled just then, but something in her eyes made him think better of it. "It was bold," he admitted, "but not stupid. I'm glad you spoke to me that night. I'll never forget it."
"Neither will I," she promised, kissing his jaw.
They tenderly bathed each other. The soft loofah and vanilla scented body wash Olivia had set on the edge of the Jacuzzi felt heavenly on their heated skin; the intimacy of the act drawing them closer together than ever before. Fitz dried them off with the heated towels and Olivia grinned, thinking of something.
"If anyone asks, your gift was a spa date."
Fitz's lips twitched but he didn't tease her, not after what he'd just experienced with her. "Deal. But we are definitely getting a Jacuzzi."
"Who wants to play Poker with me?" Maya asked cheerfully when they'd all finished dinner.
Olivia and Eli groaned. Fitz looked from Olivia to Eli and back at Maya, oblivious to whatever was happening just then. They were enjoying some down time after Christmas dinner; a beautiful rack of lamb that Eli insisted Fitz help prepare because, according to Eli, Fitz was no longer a guest—he was practically family. Maya and Olivia had made the sangria, drinking half of it as they caught up and watched their men slave away over the grill. A torrential downpour beat away at the windows and roof, so they'd opted against a scenic drive to see Christmas lights. As they sipped Maya's favorite dry red wine, a penchant for which Fitz realized Olivia had inherited, Maya attempted to find something to entertain them as they waited out the storm.
"Bad idea," Olivia whispered with a grin—loudly, so her mother heard her.
"She's a terrible sport," Eli joined in. "And a superior player," he said with pride. "It's no fun to play with her."
Maya wrinkled her nose and Fitz did a double take, realizing where Olivia had picked up the habit. "Alright," she tried again, "Blackjack!"
"Uh-uh," Olivia said.
"No way," Eli said at the same time.
At this point, Fitz was visibly tickled, chuckling as Maya tssked at her family in annoyance. "Fine," she said, defeated. "Why don't we open some gifts? Here, I'll start," she offered, reaching for a gift bag and handing it to Fitz. "Merry Christmas, Baby."
Fitz was surprised. "Wow, thank you!" he said, genuinely touched to be included. He removed the tissue paper and pulled out a beautiful mahogany box with brass hinges. A wide grin spread across Fitz's face as soon as he saw the woodwork. It looked to have been done by hand—an expert hand. There was no lettering, just an intricate carving of a baobab tree. He looked up at Maya, feeling overwhelmed that she knew what that symbol meant to him.
"Open it," she encouraged him with a beautiful smile as she moved to sit in Eli's lap.
Fitz did as he was told and opened the lid, removing a stamper made of the same deep mahogany wood from its red velvet lining. It was laser-engraved with the name of Fitz's nonprofit organization, with space allowed for the address to be added later. He looked at Maya and Eli with a lump in his throat.
"Thank you so much. This is really thoughtful," he said with feeling. "I can't wait to start using this."
"We were sorry to miss your gala," Eli explained.
"It's my fault," Maya said apologetically as Eli stroked her arm in support. "Those kind of events can be—triggering—for me so I tend to avoid them altogether."
"No, I understand," Fitz said, shaking his head. "This means a lot to me—It'll make everything look a hell of a lot more official, that's for sure."
Olivia squeezed his knee. "Okay, open our gift next!" she said excitedly, picking up the gift she and Fitz had chosen and handing it to Maya. "It's for both of you. Merry Christmas," she said, pecking each of their cheeks before returning to her place beside Fitz on the couch.
Fitz moved his arms to make room for Olivia's legs as she threw them across his lap and they waited for Maya to unwrap their gift.
"Ooohhh," Maya said, obviously having no idea what the contraption pictured on the box she held was.
Olivia exchanged an amused glance with Fitz. "It's a selfie stick, Mom. We know how much you like to travel, and we thought it might be nice if you didn't have to ask strangers to take a photo of you."
"Aahhh," Maya mumbled, understanding. "I didn't even know such a thing existed, did you Eli?"
"I did not," he said playfully, bending to his wife's ear. "Could come in handy here too," he teased, squeezing her thigh.
Olivia groaned. "That was not a whisper."
"Oh please," Maya scolded, "How do you think you got here?"
Fitz laughed, deciding to diffuse the situation before Olivia could quip her response. "It doubles as a tripod, too. It's pretty neat. I even got one for us," he said, rubbing Olivia's legs absentmindedly.
"Thank you," Eli said appreciatively. "We'll get a lot of use out of this."
Maya rose gracefully from her perch on Eli's lap to pull an envelope from the tree. "There's one more thing," she told them, handing the envelope to Olivia. "From your grandparents, Baby."
Olivia smiled fondly as she slid her thumb beneath the seal and opened the envelope. She opened the pretty Christmas card as Fitz looked on and airline tickets fell into her lap. She looked up at her parents, a fine brow quirked in surprise.
"Don't look at us," Maya said, raising her hands.
Fitz read the card:
CONGRATULATIONS, OLIVIA AND FITZGERALD.
Fitz chuckled at that. "I don't think anyone's called me that since I was a kid."
He continued:
SORRY WE WON'T MAKE THE WEDDING. IT'S TOO COLD OUT THERE FOR OUR OLD BONES AND YOU KIDS ARE IN AN AWFUL HURRY, AREN'T YOU? ANWAY,
YOUR HONEYMOON IS ON US. ANYWHERE YOU WANT. WE'LL CATCH YOU THE NEXT TIME YOU'RE OUT THIS WAY, WHICH BETTER BE SOON. WE'RE NOT
GETTING ANY YOUNGER.
LOVE, GRAM & GRANDAD.
Olivia squealed. "I can't believe them!" she said happily. "I don't even think I'd considered going anywhere. I was so busy with the gala, and then packing right after—"
"We've both been pretty distracted," Fitz admitted just then. "I think we were just so happy that we'll finally live in the same place that everything else took a back seat," he said, smiling into Olivia's glassy eyes. "This is amazing."
"It is," Maya mused. "My parents weren't so generous when Eli and I got married," she said with a laugh. "Make sure you take your camera stick with you so you can send them photos from wherever you're going. They'd like that."
Olivia looked at Fitz again. "We will."
An hour later, after revealing their impending homeowner status, recounting their engagement story again, and negotiating the number of grandchildren Maya requested down to three, the rain still hadn't stopped; but it had slowed enough for Fitz and Olivia to make the thirty-minute drive back to their inn. They wanted to honor Maya's strict sleeping schedule, as it had helped immensely with her overall mental health of late, so at 10:00pm, they were on their way.
"Liv." Maya stopped her daughter on her way out. "Merry Christmas, Baby," she said softly, handing Olivia a small blue gift box. "Something borrowed."
Olivia embraced her mother and pulled back to look into her beautiful eyes. They were almost black, and seemed deeper than the universe itself as they stared back at her. She opened the gift box and lifted the stunning ornament from its tiny pillow.
"It was a brooch when I wore it," Maya said with a smile.
"The one from the photo!" Olivia said of the well-worn photograph of her parents on their wedding day.
The brooch had been pinned to Maya's dress jacket as she'd clung to Eli's arm.
"Mmm," Maya murmured.
The elongated heart, made from three alternating rows of rhinestones in midnight gray and sparkling clear, surrounded a large, faux opal art glass stone at its center. The shine of the yellow gold setting had faded to a brassy tone over time, a beautiful allusion to the age of the lovely piece. The brooch had been carefully repurposed into a hair comb
"It's beautiful, Mom. I love it."
As Olivia drove past the rich farmland and small towns, rolling hills and vineyards that she couldn't see but were as familiar to her as the patchwork of underground railroad she traveled each day in the City; she let down her window a bit to breathe in the cold, damp air.
Fitz felt as though he could feel every emotion Olivia ever experienced so long as he could see her eyes. He needed her to look at him, just for a second. "Livvie?"
She glanced at him, just long enough to meet his eyes before turning her attention back to the road. "Hmm?"
"What are you thinking?" he asked, his voice low and gentle.
She sighed, trying to frame her words as beautifully as what she was feeling. "I was thinking that soon it's going to be me on a plane flying out here. I'll be a visitor," she said thoughtfully, glancing at Fitz again. "And I was thinking that it sounded nice, because the next time I come here, I'll be your wife."
"Wife," Fitz said the word as though testing it on his tongue for the first time. "I like the sound of that," he said, his hand on her thigh.
She took his hand and raised it to her lips for a moment, quickly replacing it to navigate the dark road, but not before she looked at him one more time with a smile.
"Ditto."