If you don't care for a #ShOliver romance, then this piece is not for you. :) I hope those of you who do read it, enjoy!
Disclaimer: The characters belong to Martha Williamson and are from the Signed, Sealed, Delivered television series on Hallmark.
The evening carried a certain chill in its air, but Shane McInerney hardly noticed. A glorious Christmas had just passed—one spent with family, unlike seasons prior. The reconciliation between Shane and her sister and the reconnection with her mother had made this year's holiday unforgettable. That in itself was enough to make her overjoyed, but adding to the celebratory circumstances was the fact that in less than one week, Oliver O'Toole would have to relinquish his habitual way of calling her "Ms. McInerney." Would he then refer to her as "Mrs. O'Toole" in their workplace? Or would his need for such formality dissipate once vows had been said and commitments made?
Shane smiled at her musings as she turned over and once more attempted to rest her head on her pillow and go to sleep. Oh, how she yearned to have him next to her, running his fingers through her hair and caressing her, among other things. New Year's would be here in only a few days and those dreams would soon become reality as the couple became husband and wife.
Shane tossed about, trying to let go of the thoughts that excited her and kept her wide awake, but she found it impossible. She finally tired of trying to rest and sat up on the side of her bed. Grabbing her cell phone from the nightstand beside her, she tucked her lower lip between her teeth and looked to the ceiling. It was 11:53 and they were both scheduled to work the next day. Should she call him and wake him in an attempt to satisfy her longing? What would she say? Was it appropriate to tell him that she couldn't stop thinking of him? Would he share her anxiousness? Or was the yearning she experienced due wholly to the fact that she had never been married? He might not be as eager as she, considering—
The ringer from the phone she held pierced through her thoughts and she glanced down at the screen, her heart skipping a beat. She quickly pushed the button to connect the call.
"Oliver!"
"Good evening, love."
Shane felt as though she could burst, but was puzzled at his call at this hour of the night. "Oh, Oliver. It's late. Is something wrong?"
"Yes," he answered abruptly.
There was a pause as Shane began to worry.
"You're not here, with me."
Shane heart lurched and she gasped, speechless, as tears welled in her eyes.
"Did I wake you, Shane?"
"No, you most certainly did not, Oliver," she replied. "I've been tossing and turning and cannot stop thinking of you."
She could sense his grin on the other end of the line.
"It seems that we are both restless tonight," he commented.
"So what do we do about it?" Shane inquired playfully.
"I haven't the slightest idea how to make it through the next few days. I considered coming over just to see you for a bit, but at this time of night it might not be appropriate."
Shane sighed. She knew Oliver wanted to do the right thing—that he would respect her right up until their vows were spoken, and then he could respect her in a completely new way. A chill ran over her, but it wasn't due to the low temperature in Denver.
"Oliver, I have no objections. Come see me if you would like." Shane silently wished that he would let go of any concerns that plagued his mind and give in to his desire to see her again. Of course, they had only parted ways less than three hours before, so they had it bad.
Oliver chuckled. "I would like that very much. I'll be there in ten minutes."
After they had said quick good-byes, Shane rushed to the bathroom and looked herself over in the mirror. She was dressed in cute but not-so-sexy lavender pajamas. She considered changing into regular clothes but decided against it. Surely he did not expect her to be fully dressed in the middle of the night? She brushed her hair and her teeth, then debated about whether she needed to touch up her makeup. She chose to put a little lipstick on but leave the rest alone. She stared in the mirror for a few seconds at her natural look and shrugged her shoulders.
Shortly after midnight, Oliver parked his car in front of his fiancée's house. He tried to control his urgency to see her, but it was to no avail. He bounded out of the vehicle and rushed up the steps. As he reached the door, it was opened by his bride-to-be. He wordlessly stepped inside to the dimly-lit entrance and closed the door behind him quickly to keep the cool air from entering. Before he could even attempt to take a look at Shane, she had wrapped her arms around him. He sensed how much she had missed his presence in just a few short hours apart, and he felt the same. He hugged her tightly to him, cradling her head against his chest. Without her heels for added height, her head fit easily under his chin, the scent of her freshly shampooed hair overtaking his senses. Oliver had to work hard to control his longing for her. They stood in a heartfelt embrace for a couple of minutes, each relishing the feel of the other, then they reluctantly pulled away to gaze at each other.
His eyes roamed over her face, noticing that her features looked different, but that she was like a breath of fresh air. Her beautiful blond hair fell delicately over her shoulders to her chest and he felt the desire to run his fingers through those wavy locks. He realized that she must be wearing very little, if any, makeup, but her beauty was still astounding. Her face was slightly pale and her lips, slightly pink, enticed him to kiss her. He mustered up as much restraint as possible as he looked at her and smiled with adoration—she was absolutely endearing. Still, neither had spoken.
He took her hands, and looking back up at her, he spoke softly. "You are such a beauty, my dear Shane." He could almost see a blush creep up her neck at the compliment.
"Thank you, Oliver, but this is the midnight natural look after tossing and turning for a few hours," she grinned, then suddenly seemed to feel insecure. "I hope that you don't mind that I didn't apply makeup or change cl—"
Oliver smiled brightly and placed two fingers on her lips to silence her. "I like it very much. I think I can get used to this. You are quite ravishing, sweetheart."
He could no longer help himself. He would not cross the line—not until she was fully his in marriage. But until then, he would do what he could to make sure she knew just how much he loved her. He brought her close to him and slowly lowered his lips to hers. He held one hand on her neck and the other on her lower back, pressing her body firmly but gently into his.
Shane must have been slightly overwhelmed by Oliver's boldness or simply his passion for her. He felt her body slump a little, so he wrapped his arms around her to support her. He broke their kiss to whisper in her ear, "Maybe we should sit down."
Shane nodded and they entered her living room, making their way to the couch. They sat down together and picked up where the had left off. A few minutes later, they parted and Oliver stared into her eyes. He saw the longing there and sighed.
"Three more nights," Oliver reminded her.
"Three nights," she repeated in a whisper. "But it feels like a lifetime."
"I know," he chuckled, sitting back on the couch and pulling her into the crook of his arm. She nestled her head into his neck.
Oliver stayed a while until Shane had started drifting into a peaceful sleep. He knew that his presence had both calmed and excited her all at once, but at least she was past the tossing and turning point of restlessness. He didn't want to leave her alone. His heart wished he could take her home with him, if simply just to be in the presence of one another. Of course he had extreme desires of intimacy and no doubt Shane did too, but he was looking forward to sharing their days and nights together in the same space—to waking up with her beside him and going to sleep in each other's arms, saying only "good night" but not "goodbye" as neither would be leaving. Knowing that their future of wedded bliss would soon be here was comforting, yet the closer they approached the date, the more frustrating it felt. It was like dangling chocolate—serious chocolate—in front of one with a sweet tooth. The hours between now and the wedding ceremony, or er, perhaps the honeymoon, were torturously teasing them both.
Oliver contemplated many things at that moment. He could continue to hold her throughout the night. Or he could carry her to her room and tuck her safely in her bed, and sleep on the couch just to be near her. As tempted as he was to do either, he knew these probably weren't the best options under the circumstances. In fact, he had pushed the limit by coming to her home in the middle of the night. He would not spoil her reputation by staying the entire night, nor would he carry her to a bed—any bed—until after their wedding ceremony, despite his intentions. He decided to ease her away from him and onto the couch. He retrieved a quilt that lay on the recliner and unfolded it to cover her, as she would surely feel a chill after he had left. She slept soundly, completely unaware of his actions.
Oliver knelt down beside her and stroked her face gently, then tenderly kissed her cheek as she breathed deeply. He would see her in a few short hours at the DLO, but while that warmed his heart, it was never enough. His sigh was a mix of emotions, happy to have seen and held her in his arms once more, but melancholy over having to leave her. With more reluctance than he cared to admit, he exited the residence, taking heed to lock his love safely inside. He then stepped out into the crisp, cool air of late December in Denver, welcoming the wintery breeze as he dreamed of new beginnings with the one who had his heart, now and always.
