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Oliver Queen couldn't believe the predicament he was in. He had been spending the whole morning trying to dodge Carrie's not so subtle approaches and he especially had put quite an effort in keeping her hands in safe territory, something he had never thought he would have to do.

It had also proved to be an unexpectedly difficult task since to his dismay the woman in question had shown an admirable determination. She probably wasn't used to get no for an answer.

Usually when a woman was so persistent in getting her hands inside his pants Oliver wasn't so keen to stop her. He was a man after all. And he had an impressive record of gossip columns, completed with pretty explicit pictures, to prove it.

But she wasn't any woman. She was one of the crazy girls he used to spend some quality time with while he was in his only long term relationship, with Laurel Lance, a beautiful, classy brunette who met all of his parents' requirement for the perfect woman, the perfect future Mrs. Queen. And now he was in no mood to rekindle the connection with Carrie.

Oliver wasn't the irresponsible boy he used to be, he wasn't going to blow an important business deal for a meaningless fling and he also liked to think that his taste in women had improved during the years.

For some reason he couldn't recall what was that he had found attractive in those women who used to throw themselves at him. These days he could use a little bit more of mystery and maybe a little class over flamboyance.

"Isn't it nice, Ollie?" Carrie looked at him through thick eyelashes from her place across the table.

They were having lunch in a small, exclusive French restaurant in the most glamorous area of Central City and Oliver was thanking his lucky star for being currently out of her reach thanks to the small round table between them so he could try to relax a little, leaning his elbows on the wooded edge.

"Yeah, I like this place." His tone was casual, friendly but he hoped not encouraging. As much as he tried he couldn't remember the kind of relationship she shared with her father. He couldn't remember even if he had ever asked, probably not. He was worried about pissing her off and her father becoming protective towards her and sending him back to Starling City, the deal forgotten over defending his little girl's honor.

He also wondered what Richard Wright knew about their previously acquaintance.

He scanned her body and make up, lingering on her very tight, very provocative outfit.

She surely didn't scream good girl by any means but her father most likely wasn't aware or didn't believe her reputation, or he would probably had locked her up somewhere. Oliver knew he would if it was his daughter since he was already having big troubles accepting his baby sister's short skirts and he didn't even want to think about her having a relationship with a boy.

If Mister Wright was aware of his reputation was another problem to consider. The tabloids made no mystery about how he used to spend his nights or who with so it couldn't be too hard to put the pieces together. And according to the rumors the man was a shark in the business world, sharp and ruthless, not someone who could easily be fooled.

Oliver sighed, he had thought about asking her about that, but that would be a hell of embarrassing conversation and he was determined to avoid it at all costs. He was going to find out that night anyway, so he could probably use a few more hours of blissful denial.

Felicity was going to kill him.

If he closed his eyes Oliver could almost see her frowning at him, while wrinkling her pretty botton nose. Than she would sigh as usual before trying to fix whatever trouble he had gotten himself in that time.

But he had the feeling that this time even his extraordinary assistant will have her issues with the Wright family.

She had put so much effort in this deal, so many hours, for his company, for him. He felt like an idiot, no matter how much he tried he always seemed to let her down.

He had made the worst first impression ever when she was still his father's EA and even when they had started to work together he didn't exactly put his best foot forward.

After a while though, when he had realized how lucky he was that such a special person had chosen not to run away like he deserved and stick with him he had decided to put in his best effort to impress her and show her he could be more than the spoiled brat he used to be and after a while they had become quite the team.

Now she was his trusty confident and her opinion was important to him, maybe more than everyone else's. He had worked hard to gain her trust and respect and he was determined to keep them.

He tried to listen to Carrie's endless chit chat and to make small talk but he was so bored he could hardly keep it from showing.

Oliver heard his phone ringing and as he saw the face of his EA popping on the screen his forced smile vanished in favor of a real one.

"Excuse me. It may be important." He got up from his seat, turning his back to Carrie, so she couldn't overhear his conversation.

"Hello?"

"Hey!Just checking in, to see if you were still alive and well or if your old friend had kidnapped you and locked you somewhere." He didn't miss the way she stressed the word friend or her teasing tone but he wasn't offended one bit.

"So you were worried about me..interesting."

"Yeah, she totally seemed like a "Misery" type. You know Stephen King's Misery. I could picture her losing her mind and tying you on a bed somewhere. And I can't come back to Starling without the CEO, it would raise too many questions."

Oliver was a bit puzzled by Felicity's always wild imagination, but he quickly recovered, shaking his head and grinning widely. "You know I never told you that, but it's something that had really happened to me." He teased her.

"What?Did a crazy stalker kidnap you?" He heard the surprise in her tone and laughed wholeheartedly.

"No, I had girls who enjoyed tying me up. It was quite popular back in the days." He said smugly, waiting for her reaction.

"Eww, I didn't need to know that."

"Hey, you asked."

"I only asked if you needed help. It was a totally innocent conversation."

Oliver didn't quite agree. Somehow his conversations with Felicity always seemed to take a dirty turn, much to his amusement and her mortification.

He genuinely liked teasing her, but knowing how much embarrassment she felt every time she made an accidental sexual innuendo he avoided contradicting her this time.

"Actually I could use some help."

"No kidding." It was Felicity's turn to be smug now and she seemed to enjoy it.

"Fe-li-ci-ty."

"Ok boss! Work emergency, come here ASAP!"

Oliver shook his head amused, than tried to conceal his expression with a neutral one as he made his way back to the table.

"Sorry Carrie, I have to go. Work emergency."

"Oh come on Ollie! There are so many more things I had in mind" She whined at him, crossing her arms over her chest, clearly ready to throw a tantrum.

"I'm sorry, I' ll see you tonight." He gave her his best smile, the one which used to get him off the hook with the ladies. "I had a great time, thank you."

Oliver knocked at Felicity's door. He smiled as his assistant flung the door open instantly and she appeared in a baggy MIT shirt, colorful shorts with tiny space ships and an eager expression lighting up her face.

"Uh sorry" She blinked, clearly not expecting him. "I thought you were room service. What are you doing here?"

"I told Carrie I had a work emergency, so I came here to check with my EA. You know I don't like to lie."

She shook her head giving him a stern look, but the slight spark in her eyes gave her amusement away.

"Well don't worry, boss, I took care of everything." She indulged him, "I also made reservation as your sweetheart demanded at a lovely Italian place that I hope will make up for the a little less lovely company."

He grinned at her. "Nobody ever complained about my company before."

She adjusted her glasses. "Yeah, yeah, I figured that much."

That made him smile widely and he was getting ready to tease her a little more when someone behind him interrupted their banter.

"Excuse me?" A young man was waiting at the door, trying to peek inside the room but the way was blocked by Oliver's broad shoulders. He turned to face him, his left hand leaning on the door frame.

"Oooh, it's lunch! Perfect, thank you!"

Felicity strode past him, beaming at the waiter. She tipped him, taking the lunch tray and walking back inside the room.

"What are you doing?" She eyed Oliver warily. "Do- do you want to come in or something?" She was a little hesitant as she started putting her food on the little table in the middle of the room, still watching him from the corner of her eye. "I mean, I' m going to have lunch and you already ate. I just- you know the leaning on the door frame and staring is a bit weird-"

Oliver just shook his head and came inside, closing the door behind him. "I don't have much to do, you know."

"Well you had to do" She emphasized, "but apparently the almighty Oliver Queen is scared of a woman" she grinned widely.

"You are having the time of your life, aren't you miss Smoak?"

"Kind of, yes."

He stole a handful of her fries as she smacked lightly his arm "Hey!"

Felicity stayed silent for a moment, picking nervously at her burger, before glancing at him, pondering if she wanted to ask the question that had been bothering her all morning.

"I was wondering..is this going to be a problem?"

Oliver heart sank at her words, already understanding what she meant but not happy to deal with the matter anyway. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. We are having dinner with Richard Wright and his daughter, who happens to be one of your old flames." She took a sip of her coke, than looked back at him with a kind expression "At least she is not cursing your name, just trying to get into your pants. That's something, isn't it?"

"I really don't know how to respond to that." Oliver took a deep breath and leaned heavily into the chair. "Look I, I know how important this deal is, we are going to get it, I' m not ruining it, it's not going to happen." His tone was firm, but after two years Felicity apparently had become quite good at reading him and could see how much this was bothering him as well and she smiled, nodding.

"Ok" She said slowly, after a moment, softly, understanding he needed that, he needed her to trust him.

Two years ago

Oliver entered slowly the QC lobby, his steps heavy. This was his father's company, his legacy. He flinched at the thought as he felt his guts twisting in a familiar way, at least familiar since he had heard the news.

Oliver was still in bed, his head pounding without mercy since he had spent the previous night out clubbing with his best friend Tommy, a couple of Russian models and a generous amount of tequila so he winced visibly when their housekeeper, Raisa, had come into his room in a frantic manner, telling him that his mother needed him downstairs immediately. After a while he had managed to climb down his bed, fish a t shirt and he had dragged his worn body in the living room, where his mother was waiting for him.

"Mom, it's early, you know I went out with Tommy, why did you have to wake me?" He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the look in Moira Queen's face, the slight tremor of her bottom lip and the dead grip she had on the phone. "Mom what happened?" Than his world fell apart: his father was dead, gone, vanished. He had drowned in the Queen Gambit's shipwreck. There wasn't even a body to bury, it was like he had never existed.

His heart started beating faster at the memory but he wasn't going to let anyone notice his distress.

He could feel the stares, all the employees' eyes were set on him, or at least he felt that way. What else was to be expected anyway?

Robert Queen had been the gossip of the city: loving husband, perfect father, head of a billionaire empire lost in see while partying on his yacht with his mistress, who happened to be his son's age. A good story, worthy of the front line of the gossip's columns.

Oliver knew it was a news that made his business competitors laugh at his expenses, a slap in his mother's face, a heartache for his sixteen years old sister Thea and what about him? Did he even have the right to be angry? After all cheating on Laurel and partying with nameless, faceless and willing girls had been his favorite activity for a long time. Same father, same son.

Oliver felt something poking his left cheek. It was a tiny finger with an electric blue painted fingernail.

He turned slightly to look at his assistant, her clear, blue eyes watching him warily, with concern, her eyebrows lightly frowned. "Where were you?" Her voice was soft, her tone curious, but a little hesitant.

He shook his head to tear his thoughts from the memory. "I was thinking of the first time I came to work at QC." "Oh." She smiled a bit at him, a hint of understanding in her eyes.

"I remember."

"I made it hard to forget for you. I remember being a jerk."

" I remember you being upset."

A comfortable silence settled between them. " I will close the deal." "Yes you will."

Oliver nervously knocked at Felicity's door. He was fidgeting restlessly with the collar of his white dress shirt, trying to loosen his bow tie.

The problem wasn't the formal attire, he was used to it. He had been to so many Galas, so many pretentious high class parties, so many fancy dinners that this particular evening was supposed to be a walk in the park but for some reason the idea of facing Richard Wright was enough to make him sweat, or maybe it was the idea of meeting the father of some woman he used to fool around with and having to make a good impression that was scaring him.

Oliver was effectively distracted by the woman who had just opened the door.

Felicity was wearing a ruby chiffon gown with spaghetti straps that hugged her body in all the right places and had a little, half moon shaped cut at her waist which let a glimpse of tantalizing soft, creamy skin showing.

"Hey! Eyes up here!" She told him, snapping her fingers in front of his face. As he directed his gaze back at her eyes he saw she was a bit flushed, her cheeks slightly pinker than usual and Oliver realized he must had been caught scanning her body.

He cleared his throat awkwardly and mumbled an apology before guiding her silently to the exit.

While they waited for the car Oliver took the chance to take another look at her.

She had traded her glasses for contacts and her deep blue eyes were highlighted by dark make up, while her lips were painted in a light shade of red. Her blond hair were down, in soft curls and she was clutching a black shawl to cover her exposed shoulders. She looked hot. Classy, but really, really sexy.

"Stop staring." She said annoyed, clearly uncomfortable.

Oliver grinned widely at that. " You look beautiful." She offered no direct replay but he could see her mouthing something under her breath, still keeping her eyes on the road, probably hoping for the car to arrive as soon as possible.

Oliver glanced around the table. He was sitting at one of the best spots of the restaurant. They were in the terrace, enjoying quite the view of the city. Only the best for two of Starling and Central City richest men.

It was a breezy, perfect night but he was far from enjoying the moment. Felicity was at his right, Carrie at his left and he was facing directly Richard Wright.

The business man was charming, elegant, in his fifties and was looking totally comfortable in his element and pretty pleased with the company. Not his of course, but his pretty assistant definitely had caught his eye.

Felicity was keeping her shawl firmly on her shoulders despite the warm evening, covering her chest from his prying eyes and glaring at Oliver, who she clearly blamed for the situation.

"So miss Smoak what does a beautiful, young woman like yourself feel like drinking? Champagne? I know my little Carrie won't mind letting you choose the bottle, right dear?" " Of course, daddy."

Oliver winced at the exchange. This was a nightmare. The man he was supposed to charm into sealing the deal was ogling his assistant, who was his daughter's age while said daughter was sitting in front of them. And he thought his family was screwed up.

"Actually I prefer red wine." Felicity replied, her voice even.

Oliver was at a loss. He was tempted to grab her and flee dinner but this deal was too important and she would be the first to scowl him for doing something reckless like that.

And they thought Carrie was going to be a problem. He glanced at her, who was watching him from lowered eyelashes. She had a fitted black silk dress, so short it was a miracle she hadn't flashed anyone yet.

He cleared his throat uncomfortably, "We should call for the maitre, so you can pick a bottle" he smiled kindly at Felicity, who apparently wasn't in the mood for forgive and forget so soon and didn't spare him a glance.

He watched her scanning the wine list and choosing one of the most expensive bottle in the list.

"So Mister Wright" He started, better getting to business as soon as possible. "Richard, please. Mister Wright makes me feel old."

Oliver smiled in a way he hoped spelled confidence. "Of course, Richard. So I know you had a couple of points to discuss about our project for the Applied Science Division and-"

"Oh no! No business talk at dinner" Carrie stepped in with a slightly whiny voice. "Right, daddy?"

"Whatever you say sweetheart" her father complied and Oliver pressed his lips together tightly, restraining himself from saying anything.

"I want to know everything about you, Felicity dear. This morning we didn't have any chance to chat." Her voice was sweet as velvet, but the hint of venom didn't go unnoticed to him and apparently not to Felicity either, since she followed the statement with a rather incoherent sound that she quickly disguised as a cough.

"So how long have you been working together?" Carrie went on, not a bit discouraged by the lack of response, keeping her eyes focused on Felicity's bowed head like an hawk.

"A little more than two years." His assistant replied cautiously, probably sensing the goal of the conversation.

"That's a long time! You must be really good if Ollie decided to keep you around for all this time." The innuendo didn't go unnoticed by Oliver who shot Carrie a steel look and answered drily in Felicity's place "She is the most competent executive assistant I could ever find."

Felicity turned to look at him visibly surprised by his praise and he saw her gaze softening and he relaxed giving her a half smile.

"You are very lucky, than." Carrie added, annoyed by the brief exchange.

Than after a little pause she must have realized that her approach wasn't working as well as she had hoped so she mustered a sweet, innocence look and addressed the other woman once again. "I'm meeting some girlfriends tonight. You should come!"

"Oh no!Thanks, no. I' m good." Felicity seemed horrified by the idea but Carrie wasn't going to get no for an answer.

"Nonsense! You are going out with us. So Ollie and daddy can discuss their very important business deal. I' m sure they would be happy to know you are in such good hands and in a great mood to discuss business. Don't you agree daddy?"

"Of course, dear. Whatever makes you and miss Smoak happy makes me happy."

"Ollie?" Oliver shifted uncomfortably in his seat, feeling cornered. He avoided looking in Felicity's general direction. "Yeah, of course. You should go and have fun."

He could feel his assistant's burning stare and he didn't dare to meet her probably murderous eyes.

"It's settled than!" Carrie said happily, clapping her hands in front of her face, a predatory smile grazing her pretty face.

The rest of the meal went on without further incidents and soon enough they were finishing dessert, a delicious tiramisù, the restaurant's specialty.

Carrie threw her napkin on the table and got up cheerfully. "It's time for us to go!" She leaned to press a kiss on her father's cheek and another one on Oliver's, letting her hand linger on his shoulder and her nails dig slightly in his muscles. "Goodbye!"

Oliver looked up to see Felicity slowly getting up from her seat "Goodnight Mister Wright, it was a pleasure to meet you." She said in a professional tone offering her hand for him to shake.

"The pleasure was all mine, darling." He answered, catching her small hand in his big one and pressing a lingering kiss into the soft skin of the back.

Oliver couldn't hide his wince while watching the blonde quickly retrieving her hand and turning to follow Carrie out of the restaurant without sparing him a glance.