Chapter 14 – No one else
May 28, 2010 3:03 pm
He couldn't get her into his arms fast enough.
Elliot had been sitting on the small, maroon loveseat, twisting his hands nervously and scanning the small room absently when she walked in. His heart leapt at the sight of her and a wave of relief warmed his extremities. Olivia looked ragged and tired, but she was alive. Her hair hung disheveled, her complexion was mottled, and her clothes were battered. To him, she had never, ever been more beautiful.
When their eyes met across the small room, he feared what he would see in hers. Would it be anger? Disappointment? Disgust? Ambivalence? Had he seen any of those emotions, he would have hesitated, would have let her approach him when she was ready. But none of those feelings were present in her soft, dark, molten eyes. All that lingered there was warmth and happiness, mixed with a bit of uncertainty as she scanned his face for the same negative sentiments. Any hesitations he may have had were gone when she smiled at him and whispered "Elliot . . ."
Elliot was off the couch and across the room in four long strides. Olivia's lower lip trembled and tears pricked her eyes as he pulled her into his arms, tangling one hand in her hair while the other tugged her tight against him. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his neck and hugging him closer than she ever had before.
Squeezing his eyes closed, Elliot rested his nose in Olivia's hair, dropping a gentle kiss on the crown of her head, fighting desperately to keep his emotions under control. After what felt like months of worrying about her, he was filled with an overwhelming sense of relief. Finally, she was in his arms again, safe.
Gently, she withdrew from his embrace, reaching up and pulling his mouth down to hers. The kiss was hot, passionate, and forceful, both parties desperately trying to translate all of their feelings into that one action. His hands cupped her face while hers ran through his close cropped hair and down his neck. If they could have had it their way, that kiss would have lasted forever, but they were only mere mortals and eventually they needed to breathe. As they both gasped for breath, Elliot rested his forehead softly against Olivia's, his thumbs following the line of her jaw lightly.
Wrapping her arms back around him, Olivia murmured "I'm sorry El. I'm sorry I walked away. I'm sorry I got angry. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I love you."
Elliot shook his head fiercely. "No, don't apologize Liv. I'm the one who's sorry. I was a total jerk. The things I said about Stuckey and Porter. Thinking that you had been flirting with Chad. I was totally out of line. It's no excuse, but I was really upset. The thought of another man with his hands on you just . . . made me crazy." Gently, Elliot pulled back and kissed her forehead. "I trust you." Olivia felt herself melt as she lay her head on his chest, feeling peace wash over her, oblivious to everything else around them, lost in the feeling of being in his arms.
Elliot moved to brush her hair away from her face, but jerked his hand away when she gasped and winced. Frowning, he carefully peeled a few strands of hair away from her forehead and caught sight of the huge lump, as obvious as a mountain on grassland, the top still glistening red with fresh blood.
"Baby," he choked, stroking her hair gently as he closed his eyes and swallowed the lump that filled his throat. Erroll had told him the story on the car ride to the village, but he didn't really appreciate just how close Olivia had come to dying until he saw the lump and took in the scrapes and scratches that blemished her pristine skin.
"Hey, look at me." Elliot felt Olivia's soft hand against his cheek, her thumb stroking over the day old stubble. Slowly, he opened his eyes and met hers, breathing deeply. "I'm okay El." Her concern for his distress made him choke up again and he tried to cover it by pulling her into him for another hug. He didn't deserve her.
"Please don't ever scare me like that again. If I had lost you . . ." He let that thought hang in the air, uncompleted, neither one of them wishing to contemplate the answer.
"I'm right here." Olivia laced her fingers with Elliot's and rested their joined hands against her cheek, kissing his fingers softly. "Carina has been taking excellent care of me." Turning to introduce Elliot to the older woman, she found they were alone in the room. Frowning, she spun around, her eyes roaming the small space. "Carina?"
At the sound of her name, Carina's head popped out of the bedroom, a wide smile on her weathered face. "Right here dear. We just thought we would give you two a few minutes alone." Carina and Erroll emerged from the cramped bedroom, holding hands, and introductions began.
Once the pleasantries were out of the way, Carina gently elbowed Olivia in the side.
"Now Olivia, shame on you. You told me many good things about your Elliot, but you never mentioned how extremely handsome he is!"
Olivia smiled up at Elliot affectionately. "Yeah, he's okay looking." As Elliot scowled playfully at her, warm laughter filled the small home. When it died down, Elliot grew serious and somber.
"Mr. and Mrs. Croes, there are no words to thank you as much as I want to. For what you did for Olivia. And for me."
Both Erroll and Carina smiled, their eyes twinkling when they looked at each other.
"No need to thank us. We just did what was right," Erroll said, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders affectionately and kissing her cheek.
"Now Elliot," Carina stepped forward, taking Elliot's arm and pulling him aside conspiratorially, although both Erroll and Olivia could hear everything she said in the small room. "Olivia might act tough, and she might tell you that she doesn't need you to take care of her, but let me tell you something. When she was at her worst last night, you were the one she wanted. No one else. There was no comfort for her without you. Remember that."
Raising his eyes, Elliot shot a small smile at Olivia over Carina's head, which she returned genuinely.
"I will. I promise."
"Good!" Carina clapped her hands and walked back to stand beside Erroll. "Now, if you two really want to thank us, there IS one thing you can do."
"Anything," Olivia agreed sincerely, slipping her hand into Elliot's.
Carina smiled, her eyes sparkling joyfully. "Go back to the resort, and enjoy the rest of your vacation!"
The steam from the shower fogged the bathroom mirror, blurring the reflected images.
Using the sleeve of her fluffy white hotel bathrobe, Olivia cleared the mirror, the soft squeak mixing with the steady rhythm of water striking the ceramic tub. When she caught a glimpse of her reflection, she wished she had left it blurry. Leaning on the sink basin, Olivia examined the damage to her face. Joining the sore bump on her forehead, she had several gouges down her left cheek, as if she had dragged it across a sharp stick. On her right cheekbone, a gray-blue bruise festered.
"Just got off the phone with Maduro. He'll be here in about thirty minutes." Elliot stepped into the bathroom, hands stuffed into the pockets of his shorts, jaw working thoughtfully.
"Something to look forward to," Olivia muttered. Sliding her hand into the shower stall past the flowered shower curtain, she checked the water temperature. Just about right.
"Best we're up front with him." Elliot leaned back against the wall, running a hand over his face. "We didn't do anything wrong. May as well answer his questions."
"Yeah, I know. It's just a pain." Olivia sighed, rolling her neck to relieve some of the tension. "All I really want to do is order room service and curl up in bed."
"I know babe. I'm sure his questions won't take long. Take your time in the shower. If he gets here a bit early, I'll stall him."
Tossing a towel over the bar of the shower curtain, Olivia sauntered over to Elliot, her eyes shining impishly. Pressing herself against him lightly, her fingers moved to the buttons of his shirt, nimbly but slowly unbuttoning them. As the buttons slipped open one at a time, her fingertips grazed over his chest. He watched her intently and she could feel his breath quickening under her hands. When all the buttons were undone, she let her hands travel up, the backs of her fingers brushing against his soft skin. Sliding her hands under his collar, she pushed it back, gently dropping fluttering kisses along his collarbone. She felt him shiver pleasantly when she pushed his shirt off his shoulders and slid it down his arms, dropping it to the floor. When she looked up at him, her eyes were bottomless, sensual pools.
"Wash my back?" she breathed, quirking one corner of her lips up into a smile.
Elliot grinned, wrapping his arms around her and letting his hands rest on the small of her back. "As tempting as that sounds, Maduro will be here soon. If I get in that shower with you, I am not going to be able to control myself. He has already interrupted us once. I don't want to give him the satisfaction of doing it a second time."
Olivia nuzzled his neck playfully. "You said we have about thirty minutes."
"I don't think I can or want to be that fast," he murmured, tightening his arms around her. Despite his words, she could feel him melting and his resolve wavering.
Slowly, Olivia stepped back, her eyes boring into his. Dropping one hand down, she toyed with the belt of her robe before deftly undoing it. As Elliot's eyes took in her every movement, Olivia slipped the robe off her shoulders seductively, letting it pool around her feet like a melting snow bank.
"Please?" she purred, kissing the crook of his jaw lightly.
Elliot groaned deep in his throat, his eyes raking over her body hungrily. "That's not fair. You're playing dirty." Grabbing her hips, he pulled her back against him, cupping her face and kissing her heatedly. "And it's working. Let's get in the shower."
"Okay, so I was wrong," Elliot admitted, soaping up his hands fifteen minutes later. "I can be that fast."
Olivia laughed cheerfully. "Yes, but in the most wonderful way."
Elliot grinned contently, gently turning Olivia around and letting his soapy hands caress her back and shoulders. Closing her eyes, she drew her hair out of his way and sighed happily. His hands felt wonderful. Softly, he kneaded all of the knots in her back individually and she felt all her remaining tension run away with the water. Between Elliot's hands and the needling water, she was so relaxed she could almost have fallen asleep right there.
Leaning her hands against the shower wall, she let the hot water course over her head and down her shoulders. It felt wonderful to remove all the crusty salt and grit from her skin. When Elliot finished massaging her back, he shampooed her hair. His hands felt incredible against her scalp and she went pleasantly limp.
"If only the rest of our stay could be as relaxing as this," she mumbled, half asleep and enjoyably dopey.
"Maybe it can. Maybe Maduro will get his brain in gear, find the real killer, and leave us alone." Elliot washed the shampoo out of her hair and applied conditioner thoughtfully.
"Maybe. It's about time something went our way." As the conditioner rinsed out of her hair, she removed the soap from the dish and began soaping Elliot's chest.
"Make sure you tell Maduro about the Croes," Elliot advised, watching Olivia absently. "They can back up your story, so he won't think you were avoiding him or making plans to disappear."
"I will." Olivia sighed, thinking back to her conversation with Carina. "You know, Chad was well-known around that village. And definitely not welcome. A lot of people there would have motive for offing him." Olivia shared Carina's story as she soaped Elliot's abs.
"That guy was a real piece of garbage." Elliot shook his head disbelievingly.
"You aren't kidding. Carina told me about one of her friends, Edwina Geerman. He charmed four of her six daughters into leaving the island with him. Can you imagine? Losing a huge chunk of your family to that scuzz ball."
When Olivia's words registered, Elliot froze, grabbing her hands and stilling her movement. "What did you say the friend's name was?"
Olivia frowned, dropping the soap back into the dish. "Edwina Geerman. Why?"
Elliot's mind flew to the bracelet and his conversation with the housekeeper. Maria Geerman. Coincidence?
"El? What's wrong?" Olivia, noticing his sudden distraction, used her hand on his jaw to get his attention.
"Geerman. That's the second time I have heard that name today." Elliot reached around the shower curtain, grabbing a towel and stepping out of the shower. "Stay here and talk to Maduro. I've got to go find someone."