Simplicity
R/H
1/1
PG
(Robert came back in 2006, Holly did not)
~December 2008~
Holly could think of better places to spend the holiday. Paris, Venice, Rome, even somewhere in Australia would do. Anywhere but Port Charles and all the suffocating memories that she found flooding back to her the moment she stepped off the plane. But Robin had asked her to come. She wanted her stepmother to be a part of wedding. And so she came.
And the wedding was going to be gorgeous. The rehearsal dinner went off without a hitch. Holly even found herself in deep conversation with Anna about what had transpired in their lives in the past twenty years.
Anna told her about living in Pine Valley and about her husband David and daughter Leora. Holly in exchanged told Anna about her life in London and her teenage sons that kept her on her toes. But what neither of them spoke about was Robert. The one man that they both had in common had been left out of the conversation. Maybe because he was a non-issue, maybe old feelings hadn't been resolved. Either way he was the elephant in the room.
Robert had been working up the nerve to approach her all night. They had said a few hellos and exchanged pleasantries when they were in situations that threw them together. Their was an awkward tension between them. A difficult tension. He watched as Holly said a few goodbyes and headed for the exit of the hotel ballroom.
"May I walk you to your room?" Robert asked, suddenly appearing at her side.
Holly smiled. "Very kind gesture." she said. "Are you walking everyone to their room?"
"No." he replied, extending his arm for her to take. "Just you."
"I see." she hesitated.
"I won't bite I promise."
Holly took his gesture. "I don't see any harm." they began to walk together. "I'm staying on the top floor." she told him. "In the penthouse suite."
"Very nice." he said, heading toward the elevator. "I wouldn't want you to get lonely in such a big suite all by yourself. I better stay for a drink."
Time had passed but nothing had changed about this man. About the only man she had ever truly loved with her entire being. A smile played on her lips. "I think I can manage on my own."
"Yeah." he agreed. "But why would you want to?" there was a sparkle in his eyes. A gleam of happiness. "I'm offering you the pleasure of my company."
Holly stepped inside the elevator, Robert close behind her. "We haven't seen each other in over fifteen years." she pointed out. "I suppose we do have some catching up to do."
"I'll take that as a yes." he hit the elevator button for the top floor. "You think one bottle of champagne will be enough?"
She shot him a look of amusement. "Plenty." she replied. "I already had multiple glasses downstairs."
"You had three when you were talking to Anna."
"Like I said I had multiple glasses."
"What were the two of you talking about?" he asked curiously. "You seemed to be enjoying each others company."
"We were just talking." she told him. "She was telling me about Pine Valley and her family. I was telling her about my business in London and about my children."
"I never really thought you would be running a pastry shop."
"How did you know about that?" she asked arching an eyebrow. "Spying?"
"Robin told me." he replied. "I also know that you have two teenage sons, Jack and Gavin with your ex-husband but I didn't catch his name."
"Oliver."
"Sore subject?"
"Not really." she answered. "It's been about six years now and we've both moved on." she said. "I mean from the divorce." she was quick to correct herself. "There's no hurt feelings anymore."
"I don't mean to pry."
"You're not."
"That's good to hear." he said. "I would hate all my charm to be lost on someone who wasn't available."
Her eyebrow arched. "Available?" she asked. "What exactly did you have in mind?"
"Just some innocent conversation with my wife."
"Your what?" she asked as the elevator stopped on the top floor.
"My wife." he said, stepping out of the elevator and extending his hand to her. "We are still legally married you know."
Holly was silent for several seconds. "I suppose you're right." she said, stepping out just before the doors closed. "I hadn't really given it much thought."
They walked toward her suite. "How long as you going to be in town?"
"I'm leaving the day after tomorrow." she told him. "I want to be home in time for New Years."
"Big plans?"
Holly swiped the card to open her room door. "Just business."
Robert followed her inside, shutting the door behind them. "Have I told you how incredibly gorgeous you look?" he asked, stepping closer to her, closing in the space between them. "I was watching you from across the room tonight, when you were dancing with Mac, and I had never been more jealous in my entire life."
"That's what you get for staying away for almost twenty years." she inched closer to him. "You miss out on so much."
"Mmm, I know." he exhaled. "That's why I would hate to lose anymore time."
Her lips were dangerously close to his. "This could be so simple." she whispered. "Or so incredible complicated."
"I vote for simplicity." his lips met hers in a fiery passionate kiss. Out of breathlessness they parted. "What do you say? Can we do this? Do you want to do this?"
"I'll get you a plane ticket." she said, kissing him again.
"I love you, Holly Scorpio."
She smiled, mischievously. "I love you, too." she said. "We do have a lot to catch up on. Where would you like to start?"
"Anywhere." he said. "Everywhere."
Finished.