Palmer Technologies

Midnight

With John's advice ringing in his ears, Oliver tore across the lobby of the building that used to bear his family's name. The guard behind the heavy oak desk snored softly as Oliver jogged toward the elevators. Clutching a crinkling parcel in his left hand, Oliver jabbed the "up" arrow with his right thumb. When the doors slid open seconds later, he strode into the car and selected the number 33 on the illuminated panel.

As the elevator carried him upward, Oliver breathed deeply, trying to suppress the panic flaring in his chest. His nostrils filled with the scent of lilies. He had no idea what he was going to say to Felicity when he reached her office, but he hoped she'd accept the flowers as a peace offering. Earlier, when Felicity had mentioned having dinner with Palmer, Oliver had known he was being petulant, but he hadn't tried to stop himself.

Upon reaching the thirty-third floor, the elevator halted and opened its doors. Oliver exited the car and moved swiftly down the hallway toward Felicity's office. Before he rounded the corner, he slowed his pace and came to a complete stop. He took a few more deep breaths, trying to calm the erratic thumping in his chest. In stark contrast to every one of his prior relationships, this time, Oliver knew he would do anything to prove himself to Felicity. With a grimace, he admitted to himself that he'd never tried hard enough to make things work with the other women he'd pursued over the years. In fact, he'd barely pursued them, typically preferring to maintain cool indifference.

Oliver shook his head decisively. He wasn't Ollie Queen anymore. Rather, he'd embraced his role as Oliver Queen-upstanding citizen by day and Starling City's protector by night. That man-not his younger, brasher self-was about to beg Felicity for a second chance. That man was about to tell Felicity that he couldn't live without her.

He continued down the hallway and rounded the corner to her office. As he reached for the door handle, he glanced through the glass panels.

Dizzying rage swept over him when he saw Ray Palmer press his lips against Felicity's. Oliver dropped the cellophane-wrapped flowers on the floor, turned from the doorway, and retreated toward the elevators.

Through half-lidded eyes, Felicity thought she saw someone lingering in the doorway of her office. She tried to ignore it, instead focusing on the way Ray Palmer's warm lips were tentatively exploring her own. Though it was gentle and sweet, the kiss wasn't enough to eclipse her curiosity. Gently pulling back, she smiled sheepishly at Ray before darting her eyes toward the door.

Her gaze landed on a tangled mess of silver, green, and pink. Noticing the stray flower petals littering the floor, Felicity gasped. "I have to go. I'm so sorry," she said guiltily, chancing a look at Ray's handsome, easy-going face. She thought she saw hurt flit across his eyes, but it disappeared so quickly that she couldn't be sure. With a solicitous nod of his head, Ray said, "Of course. I'm sorry. I meant to keep this platonic."

Moving quite nimbly in her towering heels, Felicity hurried across the room. "Ray, it's not you. It's me." She winced when she reached the doors. "That sounds like a line, but I promise it's true. I'll explain later." With an apologetic smile, she flung the doors open and bolted for the elevators. "Please still be here, please still be here," she muttered. As she rounded the corner, she saw Oliver stepping into an open car. "Oliver!" she shouted. "Wait!"

He gave no sign of having heard her. Once she had closed the distance between them, she saw that Oliver's expression was stony. He had definitely seen her kissing Ray. The doors were about to slam shut, so she sprinted the last few yards-no easy feat in her skintight couture dress-and jammed her leg between the metal panels. They sprang apart instantly.

Panting, Felicity joined Oliver in the elevator car. Oliver pressed the button for the first floor, and silence filled the small space. Then, Felicity abruptly asked, "What are you doing here?"

Oliver met her eyes but said nothing, his face impassive.

With inexplicable hope, she asked, "The lilies on the floor outside of my office?"

Oliver nodded tersely. "I wanted to apologize for being shitty earlier." His brow furrowed. "I didn't know I'd be interrupting your date with Palmer," he added bitterly.

Felicity shook her head. "It wasn't a date, Oliver."

With a scoff, Oliver retorted, "Yeah, that's why he was mauling you in your office."

With a sigh, Felicity said, "He wasn't mauling me. It was a very sweet-" She stopped mid-sentence and narrowed her eyes at Oliver. "You know what? This is none of your business. I can date or kiss or fuck anyone I want. I don't have to explain myself to you," she spat.

Eyes darkening, Oliver moved slowly toward Felicity, who backed away from him until the cool metal of the wall grazed her bare shoulders. Arms twitching with barely suppressed fury, Oliver caged Felicity in, placing a hand next to each shoulder. "Did you feel anything when he kissed you?" he demanded in a low, rough voice Felicity barely recognized.

Felicity made no attempt to free herself. "What-" Her question died in her throat when Oliver moved even closer, positioning his face two inches from her own.

Enunciating each word, Oliver asked again, "Did...you...feel...anything?" He paused. "He can't kiss you like I can," he taunted.

Trying to ignore the heat pooling between her legs, Felicity raised an eyebrow. "I'm not participating in your dick-measuring contest with Ray Palmer, Oliver." She could feel Oliver's breath skating across her lips.

"Your nonanswer tells me that there is no contest," Oliver whispered, dropping his head toward hers.

Felicity froze, trying to remember all the reasons she should be angry at Oliver Queen. She tried to focus on the ways he'd broken her heart (the false declaration of love and, eventually, the true declaration of love that he'd negated by pushing her away).

However, when Oliver crashed his mouth to hers, Felicity wrapped her arms around his neck, her anger momentarily forgotten.

Seemingly intent on devouring Felicity, Oliver wasted no time in breaching her lips with his tongue. He plundered her mouth hungrily, running his hands up her sides. His fingers brushed the sides of her breasts before dropping to her ass.

Felicity's core twinged with need as Oliver's hands roamed up and down her body. She tried to suppress the filthy thoughts conjured by the feeling of his tongue sliding against her own.

Encouraged by Felicity's enthusiasm, Oliver pressed himself against her, pinning her against the wall. Then, as Oliver brushed his growing erection against Felicity's pelvis, two things happened simultaneously: Felicity moaned into Oliver's mouth, and the sound was drowned out by the shriek of metal grating against metal.

The elevator shuddered and screeched to a halt before the lights flickered and plunged the car into darkness.