"How do you have this many bags, Liv? You're going to Mexico for the weekend; you just need three swimsuits and a maxi dress!" Abby complained as she shoved the last of Olivia's luggage into the back of her SUV.
"It's Marcus' wedding, Abs. He's invited us all to the rehearsal dinner, there's a happy hour before that and who knows what else. You can never be too prepared." Olivia replied, as she used the airline app to check-in to her flight. She continued to mindlessly scroll through her Twitter and Instagram feeds, anything to keep her mind off seeing… him. It had been two months since he'd left the firm citing he was better suited with Canaan & Banks. He'd been gone just over two weeks when Marcus let it slip he'd filed for divorce from his wife, Mellie. It was two weeks after that when he called her. She hadn't picked up.
What would she have said? What is the appropriate thing to say after two years of working side by side, looks laced with unspoken words, late nights at the office spent preparing for cases, sharing mediocre Chinese food; the fortune cookie launching into stories about life, failures, and dreams. What is the appropriate thing to say after celebrating yet another case win, sharing a booth in the back corner of the little dive bar on 4th and Kensington, four Tequila shots too many and the unspoken words take the form of dueling tongues, finally exploring the unknown. They'd stopped themselves before it went too far, at least that's the justification she continued to tell herself late at night while lying in bed; wondering if the universe would send real love in the form of forbidden fruit.
This would be the first time she'd seen him, spoken to him since that night. His resignation had blindsided her. She avoided him, opting to work from home as much as she could until his very last day, when she forced a brave face and came into work to attend his farewell luncheon. She had almost made it, until her nerves unleashed themselves, throwing up in the bathroom and taking the stairs two at a time until she was safe in her car, texting Cyrus she wasn't feeling well and headed home.
Did he know she would be there this weekend? Had he checked with Marcus before he sent his RSVP? If Marcus knew of that night, he'd never said a word. He'd been a friend since she first started at the firm but she kept her personal life separate from work, Marcus even wondering if she'd come to his and Michaela's wedding.
"Liv! Seriously, do you want one of my Xanax? I can feel the anxiety from over here." Abby asked, pulling Liv out of her reverie and into the airport drop-off.
"Nah, I'll be fine. I brought my earbuds for the plane."
"I wasn't talking about for the plane," Abby countered, pinning her with a knowing stare. She was the only one who knew about that night; about him.
"You'll pick me up here Sunday night, right?" Liv asked, ignoring Abby's offer and her worried stare.
"Yeah, I'll be here."
"Thanks, Abs. Love you," she hurried out of the car, signaling an attendant to help her with her bags.
/
"Thank you so much…..Adam, I appreciate it." Olivia said to the attendant lifting the last of her bags out of the town car.
"Welcome to Casa Velas, Senorita. I'll take these to the front desk," the young man said as motioned toward the doors of the resort. She peeled her eyes away from the lush tropical surroundings and followed him into the lobby.
"Miguel will take care of your reservations, ma'am. Enjoy your stay," Adam smiled and swiftly exited back out the doors.
"Buenos Dios, Senorita. Welcome to Casa Velas! Can I have your name, please?" Olivia made her way toward the portly, older man behind the granite counter.
"Olivia Pope. I'm should be booked with the Walker wedding party."
"Ah yes, Senor Walker and the lovely Miss Pratt. Boda alegre! Let's see here," the man pecked at the keyboard. "Oh, Ms. Pope your … uh, the gentleman over there checked into your room," he said as he motioned toward the atrium in front of the bar. Olivia turned and scanned the area, quickly taking in the fountain surrounded by banana leaves and hibiscus. She glanced at the bar, not seeing Marcus or anyone she knew. She turned toward the elevator banks when her breath hitched—there he was. Leaning against the marble pillar in white converse, khaki colored shorts, a worn grey t-shirt and curls so soft, the insides of her hands itched to feel them again.
She quickly turned toward Miguel, "The gentleman by the pillar over there- he checked into my room?"
"Yes ma'am. Ms. Pratt booked all of the rooms in both the Azul and Blanca wings of the resort. Mr. Grant checked into Suite 106," Miguel replied looking cool as a cucumber, as if he couldn't hear Olivia's heart beating, echoing off the marble floors.
"Ok, I think…I think there has been some confusion. Surely Michaela booked enough rooms for all the RSVP'd guests. I'm certain she would have," Olivia tried to keep the rising panic out of her voice.
"Well yes, Senorita she did. All of the guests have arrived, only you and Mr. Grant left. See, no problem," Miguel's smile was extra wide.
Olivia took a deep breath and forced a smile, "Miguel, it is a problem. I can't share a room. Are there any other available? On another wing, perhaps?"
"Lo siento Senorita, I'm afraid we're completely booked. "
"Oook. What about another resort- where is the nearest from here?"
"Ay, Ms. Pope it's about a half an hour away, however they are fully booked as well," Miguel replied, looking only slightly sympathetic.
"Is there a problem?" his baritone voice added an immediate calm to the situation while simultaneously causing her pulse to quicken.
Olivia turned, slowly taking in his face. He had a 5'oclock shadow growing along his strong jawline. There were slight indentions from his sunglasses on either side of his nose, and his eyes….his eyes were still blue like the waves of a hurricane torn ocean. She must have taken too long, drinking him in again, because Miguel answered, "Senor Grant, we are fully booked. Ms. Pope was not aware you would be sharing the suite."
"What?" Fitz's head snapped toward Miguel, "I wasn't aware we would be sharing a room, either."
"Ay, dios mio. All of the rooms Ms. Pratt booked are shared."
"Perhaps I can switch with another guest?" Olivia quietly inquired.
Miguel pecked at his keyboard once more. "Lo siento Ms. Pope, all of the checked in- guests appear to couples. You and Mr. Grant are not…a couple?"
Olivia could feel Fitz stop breathing, having lost the wind herself; she only shook her head in response.
"Miguel, how close is the nearest resort, I can book a room there and Ms. Pope can stay here."
"They're all booked, too" Miguel and Olivia replied in unison.
There was a silent stand-off, Miguel a silent audience, when Olivia finally caught Fitz's stare. He spoke softly, "I can sleep on the floor, or, I can try out the couch over there by the fountain," motioning toward the small loveseat in the atrium as a grin formed, lighting up his face. God, he was beautiful.
"You must be crazy, Fitz. Even I wouldn't fit on that!" She paused, "We can see if they have a roll out bed for the room, if you're okay with this?" so many more questions in her eyes than just sharing the room.
"It's okay, Liv." He reached for her and softly rubbed from her shoulder to elbow, "We'll make it work," as if answering all of her questions.
/
"One….two….c'mon Liv, jump!" Fitz coaxed her from the water.
"It's not cold," Michaela yelled from her spot in the water, next to Marcus.
Everyone had met in the resort bar that first night, Olivia still jet-lagged and a lightweight, headed back to her suite early, accompanied by Quinn and her husband Huck, who were staying in the room next door.
The next morning, the roll away bed had already been made and pushed under her bed before she woke, a note on the nightstand from Fitz saying 'Everyone is meeting at El Cardenal Alameda for brunch around 11am.'
The rest of the day went by in a bit of a blur- spa appointments with Michaela and her bridal party, happy hour at the resort lounge, and finally the rehearsal dinner at Testal. Olivia and Fitz made small talk but neither had risked bringing up the elephant in the room. She was feeling only slightly tipsy when they all decided to take a swim in the ocean after dinner.
"Okay, okay…here I come!" Olivia squealed as she dove into the water, the rush of cold bringing along a giggle as she appeared above the surface.
"There you are," Fitz softly said, as he swam closer to her. Everyone around them oblivious, all of them indeed couples, as Miguel assumed, captured by the romance of the weekend.
"I'd thought I lost you," he whispered, now close enough to touch, but she was barely keeping herself afloat, lost in the way he was looking at her.
"Here," he said, reaching for her feet, silently seeking permission to wrap them around his waist.
She let him.
"I've thought about you every day for two months, Livvie. I called, but I figured you didn't want to speak to me."
"You left, Fitz. The day after…you turned in your resignation and you just… left." She exhaled the breath she had been holding since the day she found out.
"I'm a senior partner, Liv. I was married. I needed to clear the way."
"Clear the way for what, Fitz?"
She saw he looked down briefly and swallowed, as if mustering the courage for his next words, "For there to be an 'us', Livvie;" his blue eyes now asking her the questions.
Only the tops of their shoulders were visible above the surface. Liv slowly rested her hands on his hips, gently rubbing her thumbs back and forth over his skin.
"Let's go to our room," she whispered.
Fitz remained there a heartbeat longer, possibly stunned at her request, but took off for the dock like an Olympic swimmer. Olivia quickly followed. Fitz hoisted himself off the dock bending to help Olivia out of the water.
"Ya'll leaving?" Quinn asked.
"Yeah, it's getting chilly and tomorrow's a big day!" Olivia responded, nodding toward Marcus and Michaela who were currently…well, she couldn't say but it was probably best the water was up to their necks.
"Ok, well rest up. We'll see you tomorrow," Quinn blew a kiss toward the dock.
They were silent on the walk back to the room, both afraid of breaking whatever Mexican spell this was, both hoping it wasn't a spell at all.
Fitz unlocked the door, letting Liv enter first. The energy in the room changed as soon as she heard the door latch. Fitz gently grabbed her hips and pulled her backside to him.
"Tell me you want this, Livvie," his deep baritone even lower.
"Yes," she breathed her response.
"Turn around," his voice now lust laden.
As soon as she did, he was on her, lifting her onto the console table next to the door. He tasted her mouth like a starved man, his hand pulling her toward him like he was afraid he wouldn't get enough. He began to untie the strings of her bikini at her neck. He tore himself away from her mouth like it pained him, but the look in his eyes when he took in her exposed breasts said he was simply moving on to his next course. He sucked each of her nipples while his hand trailed down her stomach, into the bottom of her bikini. He opened her folds to find her dripping. "Fuck," his baritone now almost a gasp. He used his fingers while he feasted on her breast, slowly working her, "Fitz. Fuck, I'm close. Oh." Fitz continued his ministrations, Olivia latching onto his biceps and squeezing tightly until, "Yesssssss," he felt her release, from his biceps and from her essence now coating his hand. He lifted the two soaked fingers to his mouth and sucked each one like a popsicle. "Sweet, Livvie. I want to taste more of you. I want to make love to you until the sun rises in the window above that bed over there. But right now, I need to fuck you. Hard. Do you want that?"
A whimper and slight nod was all she could manage, but she pulled at the drawstring of his swim trunks, tugging them lower on his hips. He grabbed and lifted her off the table and walked them to the bed. He quickly pulled down his shorts the rest of the way and reached over into his bag for a condom.
"Let me," Olivia sat up on the side of the bed, taking the condom from Fitz but not opening it. She wrapped her hand around the base of his cock and slowly stroked him before taking the tip of him in her mouth. She swirled her lounge, lapping up his pre-cum.
"Later, Livvie. I. Now. Please," Fitz mumbled somewhat coherently.
Olivia fought her threatening grin, and quickly sheathed him with the condom. Fitz pushed her back onto the bed, and lifted her legs around his waist. He slowly entered just the head of his cock and she sucked in breath, "Fitttzzz."
He pulled the tip back out, swirling it around her cum soaked lips. He slowly entered her again, this time pushing more of himself into her wet heat. "Oh, fuckkkk," she yelled. The sound took the last bit of restraint he had and he plunged his cock inside her, bottoming out.
"Holy shit," he stilled. Letting her adjust to his size and letting himself savor being inside of this gorgeous woman; how many nights had he dreamt of this moment?
He slowly retreated, only to push himself inside of her once more, starting a motion that was quickly bringing both of them to the edge. "Oh, god….yes," Olivia moaned. She reached her hand down and started rubbing her clit; and he lost it. He started pumping faster, feeling the need for his release more than his next breath, "That's it Livvie, yes…" he urged her on.
"Oh god, Fitz I'm gonna come…" And she did. He felt her contract around his cock and he came with so much force, he was left shaking. He collapsed beside her on the bed.
"Are you okay, Livvie?" he asked, trying to control his shaking by rubbing his hand up her stomach and over her breasts. A deeply sated giggle was her only reply. He pulled her chin toward him so they were facing one another, lying on the bed.
"Do you regret that night at the bar?" She opened her eyes to see his heavily sated, but not enough to betray the insecurity hiding behind them.
"No. I don't. I was afraid you did, though," she replied, shocking herself with her own admission.
"Never. I'd do it again, Livvie. I want to do it again, which is why I left the firm. Why I filed for divorce. We'd been separated for so long, neither of us willing to change our lifestyles for the sake of the court. I'm a lawyer, you'd think I would've made it happen sooner, but, we didn't hate each other. We always shared finances well, so once or twice a year when we needed to show our faces to a Christmas party or charity function, we'd put on a smile and go. It worked. Until you came walking into the office. You're gorgeous, Livvie, but more than that, you lit me up. I don't know….I don't know how to explain it but I'd been asleep for so long and you came in with your confidence and your mind, goddamn you're so sharp. You woke me up, Olivia Pope."
Olivia rolled herself, draping a leg over Fitz, slowly rising to straddle him. "I need this to move slow- not just for the sake of appearances and our careers but, because I'm…I'm going to be learning as I go with this. I'm going to fuck it up, probably often." She was trying to keep things light, but he saw the fear and insecurities in her eyes. "You set the pace, Livvie. We'll both learn as we go." She searched his eyes for a heartbeat longer, and gave him a slight nod before leaning down to take his mouth in a soul-stirring kiss.
"I believe you promised me an all-nighter, Grant," she sassed.
"Yes, I believe I did, Ms. Pope. Where should I begin?" he grinned.
She rose off him and laid back against the headboard, looking well-fucked and deliciously naked.
With one arched eyebrow, she slowly spread open both her legs….
