Felicity awoke slowly, tangled up in Oliver's body. Carefully, she pulled herself free from his warm embrace, somehow without waking him, which was amazing since he hardly slept, and she padded on silent bare feet over to the bathroom. That business taken care of, she picked her clothes up off the floor, threw them in the hamper and dressed in a simple sun dress before walking into the small kitchen to make coffee.

Her phone vibrated and seeing John's name, she smiled and answered the call.

"Hey, John, good morning! Any news on Ray?" She stepped out on the small front porch to watch the waves lap against the sand, while she talked, hoping Oliver would sleep on. Goodness, he needed to sleep. How did he survive on such little sleep?

"Hey, Felicity." John's rich voice washed over her. "No, nothing has changed. Just thought I'd check it see how things were. Are you having fun?"

"Loads." She peeked in the window and made sure Oliver still slept on, then settled in a chair on the porch, and sighed deeply. "I'm going to kill him. Seems like all I do is yell at him."

"Is he fighting back?"

"A little." She sighed again. "Mainly, I yell and he looks at the ground like the answers are written there."

"Sounds like Oliver. Ignore those emotions, shut them off and they'll go away. Then lie to yourself and everyone else."

"Be nice. I know you're mad at him, but he's still not the Oliver we knew before the league. Ra's changed him. Now I swear there's a real darkness lurking below the surface, much worse than before. He's even worse damaged than when I first met him."

"As if that's possible. But he's treating you all right, isn't he?"

"Oh, yes, but he hardly sleeps at all. The nightmares haunt him, and he won't open up to me, won't talk about them, won't talk about what happened when he was with the league. Did you know they branded him? Like he was a cow who belonged to them. Just think what else they did to him he won't talk about."

"He needs time, Felicity. He has PTSD just like a solider coming back from war. And he's never been one to talk about his feelings and his experiences. You knew that when you fell for him."

"Maybe you could call him? Talk to him."

"I don't think so."

"Come on, I know he misses you. He looks sad when he checks his messages. I know he's been texting you. You could answer him."

"I'm still deleting his texts. I'm not ready to talk to him in any shape or form. Not yet. Leave it alone. Worry about your relationship with him not my relationship with him."

"Well if that's what you want to call it. This is hard, John. We're not doing the happy ever after thing here."

"Some things are good though? Right?"

"We can't stay in bed all the time even though that's a thought since that part."

He interrupted her. "Felicity, stop, I don't want to know this. Stop talking right now. TMI for God's sake."

She laughed before adding, "Sorry! Okay, I don't know how, but I guess we'll figure this out."

"Time, you both need time. And for now this is what he has to give you. Just remember he's never slept much. Why do you think he spent all that time on patrol as the Arrow?"

"I remember. But how do I help him when he won't tell me what's bothering him?"

"Everything bothers, Oliver. Believe me. And you're helping him by just being there for him, by staying with him. He doesn't believe you'll stay, and you're going to have to prove to him you're in this for the long haul."

"I know emotions are extremely hard for him, and me, I'm like an emotional buffet. The all you can eat type." Felicity blushed as she remembered Oliver's mouth on her body and added, "Frack, forget I just said that."

He chuckled then replied, "Felicity, for years, I think Oliver survived by not having emotions, and now he's engulfed by them. You need to give him time to deal with living with you, with feeling something besides nothing. But he loves you. I still mad as hell at him, but he deserves to be happy. Both of you deserve to be happy. And I don't think you know how deeply he loves you or what he'd do for you."

"I love him too, but I never thought living together would be this hard. I'm struggling here. He's not a code I can rewrite or a computer I can rebuild."

"Life's a struggle, and I've watched you both struggle over each other for years now. He's wanted you forever and wouldn't reach out for you. I've watched him torture himself watching you. He had a terrible time dealing when you were with Ray."

"He caused that choice. I refuse to feel guilty about it."

"I'm not asking you to. But did you know after your first date with Ray, he destroyed part of the lair?"

"What?" She couldn't help the smile that crept on her face.

"Oh, yes, he did. Roy told me that he admitted he wasn't alright. He wasn't alright because you were with Ray."

"He told me he was fine with my being with Ray, and he wanted me to be happy at your and Lyla's wedding."

"Jesus, Felicity, wake up, he lied. I kept waiting for him to punch Ray out at the reception, but all he did was watch from a distance."

"No way. He did not. He . . ." Her brain churned remembering that yes, every time she had looked his way, he'd looked down during the reception. He'd done his best man duties and done nothing else but watch the crowd.

"He was green with jealously. Only other time I've ever seen Oliver act like that was when Barry first showed up and you showed interest in him."

"Oh, frack. I never knew. I thought he was being his normal protective self. Why are you telling me this now?"

"I've tried to talk to you about Oliver before and you shut me down. But now you two have done it. You've broken free of the city and are living together. It's a big step for both of you."

"No, it's getting to be more like a free falling leap off the Grand Canyon, knowing you're going to crash and burn."

Dig laughed. "I guess you have to be careful what you wish for. You wanted Oliver and you got him. So deal with him. And as to Ra's, be grateful that for the first time he wants to live and be with you, so live with him, be with him. Work through it."

"I know all that but I'm making him crazy. How did you and Lyla manage when you first got together?"

"We fought like demons and divorced."

"That's not helpful. Really not helpful. Not even close. Wrong answer."

"I never said I had all the answers. Hey, you have to keep trying. Look I've got to go, Sara's crying. She's probably wet or hungry. Or both."

"Kiss her for me. And, please think about talking to him. He needs someone he can talk to and most days lately, it isn't me."

"I'll think about it. Bye."

"Stop thinking and start doing."

John hung up on her.

She jumped as the door opened, and Oliver stepped out, bare chested, in a pair of sweat pants, riding low on his hips. Swallowing hard, she pushed down the sexual rush he caused from being near him. "Morning. Hey, were you talking to John?" He looked down at the ground, avoiding her eyes.

"Yeah, he was checking on us."

"Problems?"

"Only ours." He frowned and she added, "Forget I said anything. No everything's fine, except still no news on Ray."

Nodding, he pressed his lips together and looked toward the gulf, watching the waves for an instant, his face unreadable.

Could Oliver be jealous of Ray? She turned the idea over in her head.

"I'm hungry. You?"

He broke into her thoughts as he held out his hand to her, and she placed her hand in his. "No, but the coffee should be ready. I put it on before John called."

He opened the door for her. "Well let me cook us something to eat."

"You know it's incredibly weird you know how to cook."

"I survived for five years by myself. A man has to do what he has to do. Come on you can watch me eat, and I'll watch you drink coffee." And he smiled at her with his goofy grin she loved.

######OQ######

Uncomfortable surrounded by bikinis and swim suits in the small shop on the board walk, he sat waiting for Felicity to finish trying on whatever swim suit she'd finally decided on. He hated shopping and wasn't thrilled to be here.

But when she exited the changing room, in a skimpy, red polka dotted two-piece bikini, his mouth went dryer than the desert. His brain shut down, and he instantly started thinking with his dick. He wanted to cross the room and push her back into the dressing room and take her right then and there. Instead, he clutched the arms of the chair he sat in, as she sauntered toward him, giving his a real show as she put her hair up in a tight pony tail, with a red hair tie.

"Well, Oliver, what do you think?"

She tugged on the bikini top, adjusting it as she eyed herself in the floor length mirror that gave him a fantastic view of both the front and back of her body, and wanted her and now.

Who invented the bikini?

A sadist?

All she needed was a set of her tall heels, and he'd lose with little bit of control was keeping him in this chair. Even with flip flops on, if she wore that bikini uncovered in public, he'd be hard pressed not to beat someone up for looking at her the way he looked at her right now.

Hormones drowning him, he felt fourteen, as he hardened. Thoughts of where he could take her to be alone filled his mind, and he wasn't sure he could even restrain himself until they got back to the cottage.

Damn and sex in daylight in a Porsche equaled probably get arrested in this small of a town.

Jesus, now she worried her bottom lip with those white teeth, before she frowned, and smoothed her hands down her bare belly. The blood had rushed south and he shifted in his seat and adjusted himself.

He was lucky she didn't she know how much he wanted her since she'd use it against him. No, as she angled her head and frowned at the mirror, he knew she didn't have a clue how much she turned him on or how much he loved her.

"Come on Oliver? What do you really think?"

That I can't form words, he thought, knowing he probably looked like an idiot when he finally managed to smile and nod. Struggling, he cleared his throat. "Felicity, have you looked at the one piece suits?"

"You don't like this one? I can try another. There's a nice blue one I liked."

"No blue!" His tone sharp, as he remembered the blue dress she'd worn for Ray, the one he'd see her kissing Ray in.

"Okay." She adjusted the top again, and he slammed his eyes shut for an instant as he licked his lips, thinking about taking that suit off of her.

Stop it, don't get any harder, he thought. How old are you today? Think dead puppies, your old dancing teacher, your mother's friend Susan, who smelled like rotten lemons. That worked until he reopened his yes and saw her in that damn suit.

"No. Yes, I mean yes, I love it, buy it, but take pity on me in public." He caught her eyes and stared deep. "Felicity, that bikini makes me ache to touch your . . . hmm. . . arms, if you remember what I mean. And I do mean right now."

She looked perplexed then blushed and met his eyes, and he could swear electricity flew between them. Oh, yeah, she remembered when he'd told he that when he touched her arms he really wanted to touch her everywhere with his mouth, and he meant everywhere!

"Ooooo! My arms. Well, yes, maybe a one piece would be better." And she fled back into the dressing room.

"Felicity, get the red polka dotted one too but please hurry."

#####OQ#####

"You're aware you're speeding?" She smiling brightly at him, and he gripped the steering wheel harder as his dick throbbed with each beat of his heart.

"Oh, yes, I'm aware, very aware. Trust me."

"You're going to get a ticket. Did you know I haven't ever had a ticket? Safe driver here. Very safe driver. Can't say the same about you. Not safe. At all."

"You've know that for years." He reached and slid his hand down her arm moving her hand to cup him for an instant, proving how much he wanted her.

She blushed, gulped and gave him a very wicked smile. "By the way, Oliver, I seriously don't have panties on. No panties at all. None. Zero. Zip. No panties. Poof gone."

He groaned out loud. "Felicity, why would you tell me that?"

"To drive you crazy," she replied smugly. "Did it work?"

"Did it work? Are you insane? I'll pay the ticket." He caught another gear and then down shifted as he braked hard and turned into the driveway. The car had barely stopped moving when he unbuckled both of their seat belts, flung the door open and pulled her into his arms.

His lips crashed against hers, as he carried her up the steps to the porch, and pressed her against the door of the house. She'd shattered his control with the no panties comment and between that image and the bikini, he couldn't wait anymore. No, not any more.

His lips touched her hot skin, moving to her neck, her shoulder and into her cleavage. His hands roamed freely. Fingering through her hair, he pulled her hair free of her ponytail, pocketed her ponytail holder and then buried his hands in her silky hair in all in of about two seconds. She thrust against him, teasing him while his dick pounded wanting in and he ground against her center.

Biting him on the ear, her hands roamed freely. "Key, Oliver? Open the door. I'm not doing this on the porch."

"Wanta bet?" His mouth moved down her neck. "It'd be your fault if I took you right here on the porch. Against the door."

"Oh yes, there, right there. I love it when you do that." She dug her fingers into his back, trying to pull him closer, her hands blazed a trail to his belt buckle, as she whispered in his ear. "Okay, I'm game. Here will work."

"Stop, you win; let me get the door unlocked."

Forcing himself, he drug his lips from her skin and gasped, as he tried to work the lock to the house. How did she do this to him? It was like his brain shut down when he started touching her.

"Give me the key."

She removed the key from his hand and effortlessly opened the door. Lifting her, he kicked the door shut, then set her down. Stripping the dress from her body in one fluid movement, he saw she really wasn't wearing any panties and pure lust engulfed him. How sexy was she? Sexy enough to set him on fire.

"Wow, I love exceedingly naughty Felicity. You don't have any panties on."

"I told you that. You started it with the whole arm thing. Like I could ever forget what you want to do when you touch my arms."

Smiling, she unclasped her bra and threw it at him and he growled.

She laughed, and he absorbed the sound, as she reached and tugged at his belt, helping his aching hard dick to spring free, while he stripped his shirt off.

He needed skin, and he needed it now. Off came his shoes, his pants and his boxers and he left them in the floor, not caring at this moment where they landed. His hands and mouth were all over her, and she burned blazing hot for him so that he only made it as far as the back of the couch.

"I can't wait anymore. NOW! Let me in now." He lifted her, supporting her with one arm, while he braced her against the back of the couch, his hands touching, rubbing, though he couldn't play this time since he was too far gone in his fever for her. His trembling fingers brushed her wet core, and she moaned for him and it was all he needed.

"Yes, moan for me. I love it." He wanted to put his mouth on her core but he couldn't wait.

"Now, Oliver, do it now. Right now. Come here."

Earnestly, he thrust hard, entering her easily, trying to hold back and go easy, but she slammed against him, reaching for him drawing him deep, amazingly deep.

"Yes, oh, yes."

He rushed, already losing his pace. His thrusts sloppy, erratic, as he mindlessly needed to finish this, as he panted and gasp lost in her.

She bore down squeezing him like a vise and tipped him over the edge.

"Felicity! Oh, God."

His spine exploded, his tight balls throbbing as he came hard, and the release kept coming until he couldn't tell where he ended and she began. Gasping for air, he thrust one last time deeply as her heat absorbed him, engulfed him, and blew him away, draining him like a balloon running out of air.

"Women what you do to me. Only you, ever." The words slipped out of his mouth and he held his and her weight up by leaning against the wall.

"And only you too. Frack Oliver. That's what I'm talking about. I should take my panties off and tell you more often." Her hands rubbed his back, kneading his flesh. "Hey, put me down, I can tell you're having issues holding me up."

"Not happening. I won't drop you." He lifted her body higher." Felicity, wrap your legs tight around me. Hold on to me tight. Let's go to the bedroom."

"You sure you can carry me?" She nuzzled his neck. "We can crash on the couch."

"It's too small for me and when haven't I been able to carry you?" He lifting an eyebrow and grinned at her, and he forced his weary frame to carry her.

She reached and pulled him down for a wicked wonderful kiss and he allowed the wall to hold them both up, while she bewitched him with her tongue.

Jesus what she could do to his mouth as she sucked his tongue.

He pulled back.

Gasping, hard. his hands roamed her firm but soft body.

"You playing with fire, woman." His body hardened inside her.

And he thrust.

She giggled as he barely managed to walk them into the bedroom before collapsing on the bed.

Falling on his back, they lay tangled up in each other, and he plunged upward making her sigh and pull him closer.

Both of them lay there for a while, almost moving but not quite, as he twisted his finger in her soft hair.

"You awake?" She touched his face.

"Yeah, but please, Felicity, you can't wear that red bikini in public."

"You don't like it? I thought I looked good in it."

"You look wonderful good it in. Good enough to eat."

"I like the way you think." She moved against him, tempting him.

Rising up on his elbow, he tucked a blonde stand of silky hair behind her ear, as he looked in her eyes. "I love the way you look in that bikini. But I like it way too much. Don't you remember a few minutes ago? That bikini made me lose it, well that and the no panties thing. You're lucky I didn't take you at the shop. I wanted to by the way."

"Oliver, you did not." She giggled and buried her face in his chest.

"Oh, yes I did. You blow me away in that suit. You're too sexy, and I swear I'll beat someone up for looking at you the way I look at you."

"Oliver! You wouldn't."

"Oh, yes, I would. Right now, I can't share your body with others. Felicity, have pity on me. I'm still adjusting to showing how much I love you. You don't realize how much I love you." He breathed out harshly. "Seeing you like that turns me on. Steals my control. I don't want to stop when it comes to you."

Reaching out, she took his hand. "Okay, one piece in public. I don't want to share you either. And do you know what you just did?"

"No, what?"

She laid her hand on his cheek. "You shared your feelings. That makes me happy."

He smiled as he realized she was right, and then leaned in and softly kissed her, breathing in her sweet vanilla scent and tried to take her slowly this time, well it started slowly.

#####OQ#####

Review if you have time. And thanks for the read.