Hello, everyone! Before I begin, I just want to say that this was strictly supposed to be an Oliver/Felicity story with a little bit of drama and angst, but my OCs just took over the reins right from the start. Now, it's still going to be an Oliver/Felicity story, but with just a lot... more. Also, this story is set after season 2. I'm fairly new to the Arrow fandom and I was almost all the way through with the second season when this idea came to me. Thanks to Netlfix, I was able to catch up fairly quickly, though now I have to trudge through the reruns of season 3. After binge-watching, an episode every week just isn't the same. :P
Anyway, on to the story. I hope you enjoy!
3 Linny
Anything For Love
Chapter One
It was a humid morning in River City, Pennsylvania. The air was still and stagnant as the sun slowly began to rise. Mist billowed off of the rushing water of the Cobalt River, creating a thick fog. It had rained the evening before and the night had been unusually cool for mid-June. It would be hours before the visibility cleared.
It didn't stop the young couple from enjoying their usual morning routine, though. Staying on the marked jogging path that ran alongside the course of the river, they didn't hesitate to keep their pace fast and even. They chatted back and forth, talking about the long day ahead of them.
Meeting after meeting, it seemed.
"You know, maybe she should take a vacation," the man said, his breathing slightly labored as he fought to keep with with the woman beside him. "It's been a while and clearly we could both use a break."
She chuckled as her strides slightly eased up to his pace. "Wow. A vacation. I'm not even sure I remember what that is."
Rounding a corner, they both slowed as their apartment building came into view. It was a structure made entirely out of steel and glass and the penthouse apartment gave a great view of the city. Even Riverhound Stadium, home of the River City Riverhound football club. "So, then it's settled. We'll go someplace tropical."
She rolled her eyes at his optimism. It did sound wonderful, but she knew how difficult it would be to get away. "You know it won't be that easy. The company is going public in a couple of months and we need to be on the top of our game. I don't think a vacation is in the cards, right now."
He huffed, stopping in his tracks on the sidewalk. "You are such a buzzkill."
Stopping beside him, she shook her head. Her short brown ponytail bounced at the motion. "No. I'm just practical. The company is still recovering and it needs all the love it can get or else we won't have a job come next year."
"So, why are we doing this again?"
"Because, we need all the investors we can get if we want StewartTech to grow. And I don't know about you, but I like having a roof over my head." She'd been lighthearted with a grin on her face until she'd said those words. It was as if they'd brought back bad memories for her.
Cursing under his breath, he reached out to grab hold of her hand. "I'm sorry. Of course, you're right." She squeezed his hand in return. "I'm just being selfish. I can't help that I want some time alone with my wife that doesn't involve mergers and acquisitions and—not to mention—the endless stacks of paperwork." He pulled her toward him and she went willingly, allowing him to wrap her up in a tight embrace.
She moaned into what almost sounded like agony as she leaned into the broad expanse of his chest. "It has been a long time, hasn't it?"
"Too long." He kissed the crown of her head as his hand ran the length of her back. "So, what do you say?"
She didn't immediately move away from him, just enjoying his hold on her for a moment longer. Finally, she took a step back. "I'll think about it." He shot her a look that told her he didn't like that answer. She shrugged. "Until I know that the company is in good financial hands, I can't give you the answer you want."
He sighed heavily, letting his head hang low as he propped his hands on his hips. He was beginning to feel defeated. Yes, he knew he wasn't exactly great with money and his family's company had had its issues in the past because of his bad decision-making. But, he was working on it and with her at his side, StewartTech was quickly growing into a tech mogul that would put them ahead of everyone else.
"But," she said as she sidled back up to him, her tone playful as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Our first meeting doesn't start until nine, so we don't really have to hurry."
His head raised slightly, his eyes peering out at her from underneath a curtain of sweat- and mist-drenched dark brown hair, intrigued. A smirk curled one side of her mouth up as she waggled her eyebrows suggestively. He couldn't hold back his own grin. "Just what did you have in mind?"
"Oh, I don't know. A shower for two, maybe." Stepping up on her tiptoes, she kissed him so lightly on the chin that it was merely a feather-like touch.
"Hmm... sounds intriguing."
"But, that's only if you can catch me first."
Before he'd realized what she'd said, she'd slipped around him, disappearing into the thick, foggy curtain. With a chuckle, he chased after her, catching the smallest glimpses of her slender form as they raced toward their building. There was no way he would be able to catch her, though. They still had about three blocks to go and she'd been born to run.
In fact, she'd been forced to run. For far too long.
Shaking away those morbid thoughts, he picked up the pace, finally finding her as she stood triumphantly in front of the doorway of the apartment complex. She was wearing her gloating face as she bounced on the balls of her feet, her hands tucked behind her back. Slowing, he stopped a few feet in front of her with his hands out at his sides, conceding to her win.
"Aw, are you going to start pouting, now?"
"No," there was the tiniest hint of a smile to his hurt tone as he tried to fight back his laughter. "As usual, you won fair and square. I just can't beat you." It didn't mean that his manly pride was bruised. She would make it up to him, though. She always did.
"It's such a shame, too." She tilted her head to one side as she regarded his features. There was a glint of mischief still lingering inside the green depths of his eyes. "I was actually kind of looking forward to that shower."
"Really?" His eyebrows rose in interest as the glint flared to life, creating a full-blown sparkle. "Well, we'll just have to do something about that, won't we?" Not allowing her the chance to discover his motives, he crouched down and grabbed hold of her by the legs. When he stood back up again, he had her draped over his shoulder in a fireman's hold.
"What are you doing?" she squealed, kicking her legs slightly. A slap to her behind surprised her into silence. It was still early, but the city was waking and they were certain to draw attention soon.
He chuckled as he reached into the pocket of his running shorts for the complex's keycard. Swiping it against the scanner, he chuckled. "Cheating."
"Put me down!" she hissed as he passed through the now opened door.
He just continued to laugh as he carried her through the lobby. He greeted the armed doorman jovially as if nothing were amiss. The guard just sat in his chair and stared as they passed by his desk, heading toward their private elevator. There was the hint of a smile on his lips, though.
It was clear that he wasn't going to listen to her protestations as he swiped the keycard again to call for the elevator. "You don't play fair," she whined as she relaxed in his hold, and finding the delectable sight of his behind encased in his running shorts. "At least I've got a nice view."
He still didn't respond; only waited for the elevator to arrive. Once it did, he carried her on and passed the card once again over a scanner. There was a ping as the information was recognized. The doors closed and the car began to move. It was only then that he placed her back on her feet, trapping her in the corner of the elevator car.
She found herself shrinking back into the corner, her gaze caught on the heated inferno blazing in his eyes. She wasn't afraid. She was exactly the opposite of that. "Rick, I..."
"Shhh," he hushed her by placing a finger tenderly against her lips.
She could only comply, the slightest whimper escaping her lips as she lost herself in the swirling depths of his gaze that only grew darker as the seconds passed. A shiver ran down her spine as his hands brushed against the thin fabric of her pink and gray running top, coming to rest on her lower back.
His breath danced across her cheek as he leaned in, capturing her mouth in a searing kiss.
She moaned as she arched into him, welcoming the heat he was offering her, savoring his touch and taste as it enveloped her. Of their own accord, her arms snaked up the length of his torso, brushing over the flat, hard planes of his stomach and chest. His breath hitched slightly at her touch, his hips flexing slightly against her. Grinning against the heat of his mouth, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.
Oh, she knew the kind of effect she had on her husband. He had the same effect on her. It had been that way since they'd first met. The heat between them—while not always sexual—had always been hot to the point of combustion. It if didn't get taken care of immediately, they were both going to get burned.
"Isla," he murmured her name against her lips when he'd finally released them to drag in a much needed breath of air. As he fought to ease the burning in his chest from the lack of oxygen, his lips continued to touch her, kissing her cheek before moving to her jaw and then the tender flesh of her neck. "I need you out of these clothes."
She gasped, arching into him again as she threw her head back with a whimper of need. "So, what are you waiting for, then?"
That was all the incentive that he needed. His mouth found hers again, his hands sneaking underneath the fabric of her tanktop. His fingers brushed against the velvety skin of her hips and stomach, feeling it quiver under his touch.
It had been too long since they'd last enjoyed each other in this manner. Business, it seemed, was always getting in the way. That was the price of running your own company. It always seemed to come first with other things—some things more important than others—always getting pushed to the back-burners. Guilt plagued at his insides, because it had been his idea in the first place.
After struggling for so long, StewartTech was finally in a good place, financially, creating new tech that could advance the world in so many ways; technologically and medically. It was only logical that they put themselves out there, to let others become involved and reap the benefits of all their hard work.
Unfortunately, Rick could sometimes forget about the one person it could affect the most negatively. But he was going to rectify that. He just needed her to be receptive.
Of course, the way she squirmed and swiveled in his embrace told him just how receptive she could be. God, this elevator was taking forever.
Not that anyone else in the building would have access to it and end up interrupting them. The tech in the building had been designed by him. The property had belonged to his family for years, but had greatly needed an upgrade. That's where he'd come in, turning it into a tech geek's wildest dream that was also environmentally friendly. Now, he and Isla had been living in the penthouse apartment for the last three months, watching over the daily operations. It was the first of its kind and if the six-month testing period he'd set for himself succeeded, he could see others just like it popping up first all around the city, then perhaps the rest of the country.
That was why the stock option was so important, he knew. But even the prospect of losing his family's company—if the deal went awry, that was a very real possibility—wasn't enough to make him forget the important things in life. The most important being his wife.
And as exciting it would be to make love to her in their private elevator, what he really wanted was their bed.
Finally, the ping of arrival had sounded, announcing that they had arrived at their destination. He never disconnected from her. His mouth was fused to hers, his body pressed intimately against her as he lifted her into his arms. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around his waist, causing him to release a growl of arousal.
Her hips ground against his in response, forcing him to tighten his hold on her as he carefully walked her back to their bedroom. He'd tripped over a throw rug in the middle of the living room and a lamp had been knocked over, but neither seemed to care as Rick moved with a purpose both were eagerly awaiting.
Finally, they'd reached the bedroom. Kicking the door closed—not that they were likely to be interrupted anytime soon—he approached the bed. Releasing his hold on her, he dropped her onto the queen-sized mattress.
She gave a squeal of surprise as she bounced slightly on top of the duvet, her eyes swiveling up to meet the heated gaze of her husband. "What now?" she teased, sassily.
That mischievous smirk of his had returned, but he didn't say a word as he stared down at her. His larger frame loomed over her, causing her to unconsciously shiver with what he hoped was excitement. Still without speaking, he reached for the hem of his gray running shirt, pulling it off over his head in one swift motion.
She leaned back on her hands with a satisfied-looking smile. No matter how may times she would look at this man, she knew she would never tire of it. Oh, sure. Rick was a computer geek in the highest sense. Normally, she couldn't understand a single word he was saying when he went into his streams of techno-babble. But he was also a man who knew how to take care of himself. He was in his early thirties, the CEO of the company his father had started, and an avid sportsman. And his body showed just how much time he liked to spend outdoors. He was all muscle and sinew from all the activities he did to stay in shape.
Isla's mouth watered. There was absolutely nothing sexier than her tech nerd.
"Like what you see?" he asked, arching an eyebrow in question. His gaze was absolutely predatory as he continued to stand above her. His hands hadn't been unable to stand being away from her, though. The thumb and index finger of his left hand toyed with the strap of her running top, lightly brushing against the soft flesh underneath.
She gave a shiver as her gaze traveled up the length of his body, taking in every dip and ridge she could see. Boy, did she ever. "Yup," was her simple response.
He chuckled, now leaning down over her, capturing her lips again. His teeth worried her bottom lip as her hands found their way into his hair, raking through it's thickness, her nails scraping against his scalp. His hands traveled down to the hem of her tanktop, yanking it up her lithe torso, bunching just under the swells of her breasts. "Let's see what else you like," he murmured against the softness of her lips before laying her down onto the bed and taking her to heights that only he could.