NOTE: Chapter 45 is RATED ADULT for sexual content.

(See first part for disclaimer, notes, spoilers, etc.)

Chapter 41
Gregory signs off on the bottom of the bill and reluctantly hands the billfold back to the waiter. He looks around the table and eventually rests his eyes on Olivia. She sits next to him quietly, tapping her fingers softly on the linen draped table.

Gregory opens his mouth to speak when Sean interrupts, "So, we done here?" He glances at his father and meets his glaring eyes.

"Do you have plans darling?" Olivia questions.

"Uh, sorta. Some guys were having at a party down at the lake. I think most of the graduating class is going."

"Is Dan's older brother going to be there?" Caitlin asks, smiling mischievously.

Sean laughs and nods affirmatively.

"Well then," Caitlin sighs, "I think we should put in an appearance at this party."

"Let's go then," Sean says. He starts to get up from the table and goes around to Olivia. "Am I going to see you tomorrow Mom?"

Olivia smiles and says, "Only if you feel up to it."

"Don't worry, I will," Sean says as he bends down and kisses Olivia on the cheek. He turns to his father and extends his hand. "Thanks for dinner Dad."

Gregory shakes hands with Sean and mumbles, "You're welcome."

Caitlin kisses her mother also and promises that they will get together tomorrow for lunch too.

"You two take the chauffeured car. I'll have another car take your mother and I back," Gregory says, despite Olivia's startled gasp.

Caitlin squeezes Gregory's shoulder and follows Sean out of the restaurant.

Gregory turns to Olivia. He takes her hand in his and asks, "Where were we?"

Chapter 42
Del paces the around the small sitting room of their hotel suite. Every few moments, he throws open the door and looks into the hallway, hoping to see Olivia walking down it. He slams the door shut and walks back into the room. As he continues pacing, he furiously steals a glance at the small brass clock on the mantle and confirms the time is quarter after eleven.

So much for being back by ten. It's just like the last time, Del thinks to himself. She was gone all night and came back with that bite on her neck. Damnit! I should never have let her go see those two brats alone!

He abruptly stops pacing as another thought enters his mind.

What if Greg joined them for dinner?

Chapter 43
Olivia slowly pulls her hand away from Gregory's grasp.

"Please…" she whispers.

" 'Please' what Olivia?" Gregory asks. " 'Please take me away?' or 'Please no' or 'Please stop?' "

"I don't know…" Olivia falters. "So much as changed…Nothing is as it was."

Gregory bangs his fist down on the table and rattles the china teacups still there. "Damnit Olivia!"

Olivia flinches and raises her manicured hand to her forehead in embarrassment as other patrons look over.

"Can we not do this here please?"

Gregory chuckles bitterly. "Where would you like to do this? At home?" He sighs and continues, "We don't have a home together anymore."

Olivia sighs. "What do you want from me?" she wonders softly, more for her own benefit than Gregory's. She stands up abruptly and walks away from the table, feeling Gregory's eyes boring holes in her back.

"I want my wife back," Gregory says softly.

Chapter 44
In the bathroom, Olivia sits down on the velour-cushioned bench and stares at her reflection in the mirror.

What is the matter with you! This is what you wanted…isn't it? Gregory professing his love for you and asking you to come home…Your fantasy has come true, she thinks.

"Then why am I not rushing back into his arms?" she wonders aloud.

Because, her conscience whispers, you aren't sure that things really have changed. You may have stopped drinking heavily but you can start again at any time. If things get bad again, that's what will happen. You'll go back to being Olivia Richards…the alcoholic, arm ornament of Sunset Beach's most prominent resident. Is that what you want?.

Olivia looks closely at her reflection. You're getting older, too. Soon, the well of men desiring you will dry up…And then where will you be? Alone…again.

Olivia glares at her reflection and says through clenched teeth, "Oh you!" She reaches into her silk cocktail bag and refreshes her make-up. She looks again into the mirror to ensure that she is composed and leaves the bathroom.

Outside the bathroom door, she walks straight into Gregory.

"Oh!" she gasps as Gregory's arms go around her.

"Come with me," he whispers as he moves closer and breathes in the sweet smell of hair. Rose petals, he thinks. "One night…and if that doesn't convince you how I feel, you can walk out that door and never look back. No regrets. What do you say, Liv?

At the sound of her old nickname, Olivia looks up with surprise. She nods her head slowly and walks out of the restaurant with Gregory, his arm still around her slender waist.

This may be a mistake, she thinks, but it feels so right!

Chapter 45
The Lincoln Town Car slowly grinds to a halt on the graveled driveway.

"You'll leave us here for the night," Gregory instructs the driver and passes him four one-hundred dollar bills. "Be back here tomorrow morning around nine and wait for us."

The driver looks down at the money in his palm and nods affirmatively. "Yes sir," he says eagerly.

Gregory steps out of the car and offers his hand to Olivia. She gets out, shivering slightly as a soft breeze stirs the quiet New Hampshire night.

"Where are we?" she asks, looking around cautiously. She eyes the large cabin in front of her. "Whose cabin is this?"

"Mine," Gregory responds quietly.

Olivia turns around in shock. His?

"I know you weren't thrilled about sending Sean to boarding school here four years ago. I bought this place so you could come here and visit with him."

"Thrilled? That's an understatement," Olivia mumbles, still somewhat shocked that he owns a cabin in the middle of the New Hampshire wilderness. "Wait. You never told me about it."

Gregory looks down at the ground and then back up at her. He shrugs and responds quietly, "I honestly forgot about it. And, you and I weren't exactly on speaking terms then." He sees Olivia shiver and he walks over to her. "Let's go inside," he says and takes her by the arm.

Inside, Olivia is surprised to see that the cabin has been kept in good condition. There are fresh flowers on the end tables and an attractive spray of New Hampshire purple lilacs and pink ladyslippers on the coffee table.

"There's a fire going…How did you know that I'd agree to come here with you?"

"I didn't," Gregory responds, "but I took a chance that you might."

Olivia nods and continues to look around. Her eyes rest on a family picture displayed prominently on the mantle. Sean couldn't have been more than four when that picture was taken, Olivia thinks as she walks over and picks up the picture.

"This was taken when we went to England to visit my father before he died, right?" Olivia looks at Gregory questioningly.

He comes over to her and rests his hand on her back. "I think so," he says softly. He takes the picture out of her hand and places it back on the mantle. "Olivia…," he whispers. Gregory tilts Olivia's chin up and stares deep into her eyes.

"Gregory…," Olivia whispers back. Her hands slowly snake up both sides of Gregory's face and tugs it down towards her own.

Gregory's hands go around the back of Olivia's neck and after a moment, he removes her diamond and pearl twist necklace.

Olivia's eyes follow Gregory's hand as he places it on the coffee table.

He then gently tugs off the earrings that adorn her lobes and places them with the necklace. He turns back to Olivia to find her unbuttoning the jacket of her silk suit. He watches silently, in awe, as she shrugs off the jacket and reaches over, unbuttons his jacket, and then proceeds with his shirt buttons.

Gregory eases Olivia's arms up and he gently removes the silk and lace trimmed camisole up and over her head. He pulls her to him, somewhat roughly.

Olivia tenderly strokes the side of his face and whispers, "I'm not going anywhere."

With that assurance, Gregory scoops Olivia up into his arms and heads towards the stairs.

"What are you doing?" Olivia protests. "You'll hurt your back."

"Nonsense," Gregory answers back, "you're as light as you were on our honeymoon."

Olivia laughs softly and says, "If I recall, you didn't carry me over the threshold. You pushed me into the hotel room and we collapsed onto the bed."

Gregory immediately grins as he recalls the first hours of their honeymoon. "We stayed in bed quite awhile, didn't we?" he asks. Olivia simply smiles.

He walks into the master bedroom and places Olivia gently on the bed. She sits up and kneels on the bed in front of him. She kisses him and starts to unbuckle his belt.

Gregory places his hands on Olivia's hips, simultaneously hiking up her skirt and pulling down her silk undergarments. He places his hands on her backside and pulls her to him. He enters her with such a force and without warning that she is momentarily stunned. As Gregory continues to move rhythmically against her, Olivia feels his lips at the base of her throat then moving down to the swell of her breasts.

There will be marks.

Gregory is marking her as his. He knows Del will see.

She raises her head as he brings his mouth back to her lips. Instead of the kiss he seeks, she turns and sinks her teeth into his neck.

This only incites Gregory more and Olivia tastes his blood on her lips.

She has marked him as well.