This chapter is a continuance of the previous chapter. It starts up a couple hours later.

Chapter Two: Luck for the Worse

Olivia had only been at the party for a few hours, and she was really starting to have fun. She didn't drink much, so she was still nursing her fist pomegranate cosmo. It wasn't a black tie event, with expensive champagne and bowties. Instead there was a DJ, streamers, balloons and beer. It was fun, nothing like what she'd imagined Fitz wouldn't planned. The artist must've planned it for him.

So far, she had met Abby the fiery red head, Huck the soft spoken painter, Tyler the flirt and Amber the busty brunette. They were all very nice, and seemed to be very down to earth, even Amber; who Olivia hated to admit was a little bit of an airhead sometimes. But she did seem like the fun loving life of the party. She and Alex would get along pretty good.

"So Olivia what's your talent?" Huck asked, Abby had told her that Huck rarely spoke, and when he didn't it was usually with only the people in his group.

"I'm mainly a painter. But I also do sculpting." Olivia answered, sipping her cosmo.

"Really that's cool." Amber answered. "I always wanted to try sculpting, but I never had the focus. You should get Fitz to show you some of his work. His is mostly with marble though."

"Really? Mr. Grant is a sculpture. I didn't know."

"Well how did you think he ran this company and not be an artist himself?" Abby asked.

Olivia shrugged. "I just thought he had a great eye for detail."

"Oh hell here we go." Abby cursed under her breath, and everyone all looked in the direction she was scowling in. Olivia looked, and saw a tall shapely brunette coming their way. She was walking around like she owned the place, with her two little minion following behind her. This must be Jenna. Abby had told Olivia about her, and warned her to stay away from her.

"Well hello ladies and gent." Jenna said in a sweet southern accent. "How are we this evening?"

"Just fine." Amber answered, mocking Jenna accent.

"Well that's great." Jenna smiled and turned to Olivia. "So you must be the new girl everyone's talking about." Jenna was a little annoyed, that all anyone wanted to talk about at her party was the 'new girl'. Even the men she was trying to flirt with, all they wanted to talk about was the 'hot new girl' or the 'sweet doe eyed painter'. "I'm Jenna, welcome to my party."

"Olivia, nice to meet you."

"So what do you do Olivia?" Jenna asked in genuine interest.

"I'm a painter and sculptor." Olivia was getting a little tired of answering the same question over and over again all night.

"Hmm sounds nice, I'm a dynamic photographer and aspiring painter. You'll have to show me sometime."

"Yeah, sure I guess."

"Well it was nice meeting you, nice seeing the rest of you. But I should mingle a little more. Tootles." Jenna smiled and walked away, with her entourage of two following close behind her.

"Tootles" Amber mimicked. "God I hate her! And what the hell is a dynamic photographer. Please bitch, you shoot pictures of toothless old people all day."

"Why do you not like her?" Olivia asked, she could tell something about Jenna's whole sweet attitude was a little less than genuine. But she didn't see an outright reason to dislike her.

"Because she's one of those women who spreads her legs to get what she wants." Abby answered for Amber, who was busy sucking down the last of her fourth drink.

"What? How- how do you know that?" Olivia asked again, her sweet naivety was really cute.

"You know Jake?" Abby asked, and Olivia shook her head. "Well you'll meet him soon enough. But anyway he's like Fitz's right hand man. He goes out and finds artist and potential clients for Fitz to look over. He brings them all to Fitz, who ultimately has the final say so. So if you want a job here, you have to impress Grant-"

"But Jenna over there couldn't get Grant to look at her pictures. She'd keep sending pictures and portfolios to Fitz's office and never got an answer or call back." Amber interrupted, after finishing her drink.

"Jenna started off in the mail room and wanted out, so she decided instead of sending things to Fitz, she'd cozy up to his right hand man, Jake. She slept with him God knows how many times, before he finally agreed to talk to Fitz about her and that's how she got her job. She was just using Jake."

"So that's why you all hate her so much?" Olivia asked.

"Well that's my problem with her. But Amber here doesn't like her because-"

"Because she fucked my boyfriend!" Amber interrupted again, and Olivia cringed at her word choice. "She knew good and damn well that he was mine, everyone here knew he was mine."

"Well that's got to be awkward with the both of you here still."

"Oh don't worry about that. JJ got hooked on drugs and started fucking up. Then he showed up to his gallery party high off his ass, and made a bad look of the company. And one thing Fitz doesn't like is bad publicity and fuck ups. Because when you fuck up you make him look bad. Anyway I heard Fitz let him go this morning though."

"But anyway Olivia. Just stay away from Jenna. She may look sweet and innocent on the outside, but it's not all genuine."

X

The party had ended around nine that night, after everyone had their fill of alcohol. It was now ten and Olivia was walking to her car in the parking garage. She had to get up early for work tomorrow, she mean to have left a while ago, but somehow Abby and Amber had kept convincing her to stay longer.

As she walked out in the parking garage to her car, she cursed herself again for forgetting her coat. It was bad this morning, but now that the cool night chill was setting and wind blowing, she felt a lot worse. Racing to her car, to escape the cold, Olivia unlocked the doors, and threw her bags in before climbing in herself. Olivia put the key in the ignition and prayed it started. It was sort of ironic, that Alex always lied to her boss about her car not starting, when Olivia had to say a mini prayer every time she got in her car.

Olivia didn't have the best and newest car in the world. It was an old two door jeep that she and her sister got when they were sixteen. It was their very first car. After they graduated high school, Alex bought a car off a used sale lot, and Olivia kept the jeep. Now years later, she still drove the car with all its problems. It didn't run like the same bright red jeep she had when she was sixteen. And it certainly didn't look like it.

"Come on, please start." Olivia turned the key again and the same screeching noise started. "No no no, please. I need to get home." Olivia let her head fall on the steering wheel. "Cheese and sprinkles."

X

Fitz was in his car, in the back with his driver drove. He was making his way down the parking deck, when he saw a woman in her car trying to start it. As they drove by, Fitz looked out his window and saw it was Olivia.

"Tom, back up please."

"Yes sir."

Tome back the car up to where Olivia's car was, and stopped. Fitz saw she had her head on the steering wheel and didn't know he was there. He told Tom to park the car, and he got out to walk to Olivia's car.

Her head was still down, so she couldn't see him coming up to her window. Fitz lightly tapped on her window, trying to not scare her. But when she jumped up and screamed, he could tell he had done so anyway.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to frighten you." Fitz said, as Olivia rolled down her window.

"Its fine, I scare easily."

"Are you alright?"

"Uh no actually my car won't start and I'm cold. But I called my sister and she's on her way."

"Oh okay, well I'll wait with you until she gets here." Fitz offered.

"No that's not necessary. She's at practice with her band, they don't practice too far from here, I'm sure she'll be here in a moment."

"That's fine, but I'd still like to wait here with you. You don't really expect me to leave you alone in a parking garage at night by yourself do you? In New York? Two of my employees have already been mugged, and I'd like to prevent number three from happening." Fitz opened Olivia's door, without asking permission first. "Besides, your car won't start and you said you're cold. Come on we can wait in my car." Fitz held out his hand, ready for her to take.

"People don't say no to you often do they?"

"Not particularly, no." Fitz smirked, and Olivia took his hand and let him lead her to his car. "There, you should be warm in no time." Fitz said as he climbed in after holding her door open. "Where on earth is our coat?" Fitz asked, finally realizing she wasn't wearing one. "It's freezing out."

"I know." Olivia chuckled, "But I forgot my coat when I was leaving this morning. It's a bad habit I'm trying to break."

"Yeah well good luck." Fitz said, as he started taking off his jacket. And despite Olivia telling him it wasn't necessary, he put his jacket on her, and zipped it up and buttoned it. It was comical the way his jacket swallowed her up. After he buttoned the jacket, Fitz pulled off his leather gloves and put them on her almost red hands.

"Thank you." Olivia said.

"No problem, wouldn't want you to freeze." Fitz stared into her doe brown eyes, and for some reason he had the insistent urge to kiss her right then. He hadn't been able to keep his eyes off her all night. While she dance with Abby and Amber, who had to practically drag her on the dance floor, his eyes remained on her the entire time. Focused on the swing of her hips and the contempt look on her face. She was a rare beauty.

"Are you okay?" Olivia asked, after a moment of silence with him just staring at her.

"Yes." Fitz moved the same stray hair from before off her face. "Just fine." Olivia blushed, and put her head down to avoid his gaze. Oliva found herself rubbing her hands on her thighs as she squeezed them closed. "So since we're gonna be here for a little while, why don't you tell my about yourself."

"What do you want to know?"

"Well how about that youth group. It sounds like a nice program and I'm always trying to give back. I find it hard to believe I haven't heard of it before."

Olivia spent the next ten minutes talking about the kids at the youth group. She could talk for hours about them if someone would let her. Fitz admired the passion she had for her work and the way her eyes lit whenever she was talking about them.

"They're a great group of kids really. Some of them remind me of my sister and I."

"They sound great, maybe I could meet them sometime."

Olivia looked up in shock. "Really?"

"Yeah, maybe it can be the next project I fund."

"Really? That would be wonderful, the center could really use the help. There's more kids coming every day and supplies are low and they barely have enough to pay staff, and the city is threatening to foreclose."

"Well how about the next time you go into work I tag along. That way I can get a better idea of the program."

"Okay. But I go in tomorrow a little early, since schools out for the next three days."

"That's fine."

"Don't you have to work?"

Fitz shrugged, "That's the good thing about being boss. I can do whatever I want." Fitz noticed a black Camry pull up to the side of Olivia's car and a woman got out. "Looks like your sisters here."

"Uh yeah, here's my number. Text me tomorrow if you can still come." Olivia took out a pen and wrote her number on Fitz hand, not having a piece of paper handy.

"You know I had paper."

"Yeah well every girl wants to write her number on a boys hand like in the movies. You just gave me my movie cinema fantasy."

"Glad I could help."

"Cheeks are you in there?" Alex shouted from outside Fitz window.

"Cheeks?" Fitz asked in amusement of the nick name.

"Well I better get going." Olivia said, ignoring his question.

"See you tomorrow Olivia." Fitz kissed her hand, before she got out of the car.

"Who was that?" Alex asked, when they got into the car.

"A friend." Olivia answered with a smile on her face.

X

The next morning Olivia woke up bright and early, not really having that much sleep due to her sister's sexcapades. They kept her up most of the night, not that she minded though. She was too busy thinking and dreaming about Fitz, so much that she woke up hot and bothered. And if she was being completely honest, a little irritated that it was only a dream.

Olivia was walking into the kitchen, to make her some cereal. She didn't eat much, and rarely ate breakfast. And when she did it was something light like cereal or a piece of fruit and toast.

Olivia nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of her sister's sex buddy' naked ass. "Jackie what the heck do you think you're doing."

"Oh shit Liv my bad." Jackie turned around, with a pot holder on his private parts. "I didn't think you were here, it was so quiet."

"It's fine just please go put some clothes on."

"Jackie what the hell are you doing? I thought I told you it was time for you to leave." Alex had come into the kitchen in her short satin robe.

"Well I thought I'd at least get breakfast first before you threw me out."

"No Jackie you don't get breakfast, and you certainly don't get it while you're flashing my sister."

"Whatever." Jackie growled and stormed out of the kitchen. It seemed every Pope woman was pissing of some man.

"Well that was interesting."

Alex sighed, "I'm sorry Liv, I really thought he had gone."

"It's fine, just make sure you keep your boyfriend on his leash."

"Whoa whoa stop there. Boyfriend? When did I ever say he was my boyfriend? No sweetie he's just a friend I use for sex. Barely even that he's more like a buddy. A sex buddy. Besides, I could never date Jackie, he's not my type."

"So you can't date him, but you can have sex with him."

"Exactly. Why risk the chance of emotions getting involved. This way we both get what we want and no one gets hurt."

"That's not true Lex and you know it. You know he has feeling for you."

"Yeah, I know." Alex slumped her shoulders. "It really sucks though, it means I have to let him go now. And I was really having fun."

Done with her daily dose of crazy from her sister, Olivia slid of the chair with her cereal and headed up to her room. "Okay I'm gonna go. I need you to drive me to work today, so I'm gonna go get ready."

X

"Alright guys, you're doing great. Just remember this isn't a contest have fun." Olivia told the group of kids in the room, as she walked around to check on their progress.

"Yeah but the best in the class is gonna get on the bulletin right?" One of Olivia's competitive kids asked.

"Isabelle what did I say? I told you that everyone was getting on the board."

"Yeah but could the best get a ribbon or something. Ooh or a certificate."

"Belle this is not a competition just paint alright."

"Olivia." Olivia turned to the person calling her name. "Someone's here to see you." The woman said, then Fitz came from around the corner. He was wearing his usual clean cut expensive suit. Never had a black suit look been so sexy.

"Fitz hey." Olivia walked up to him and gave him a hug. "You made it."

"I told you I would."

"Yes and thank you again for being here. It really means a lot to me." Olivia smiled wide up at him.

"Well if that smile is the result, I'd give you anything you want." Olivia blushed, and tugged on her ear again. Why did he keep saying things like that? Is he flirting with me? A man like Fitz can't be interested in me. "You sure do blush a lot." Fitz said, pulling Olivia's hand away from her ear. "Do I make you nervous Olivia?"

Olivia cleared her throat, trying to clear her head at the same time. "Um so we uh maybe meet the kids?"

"Lead the way."

After about an hour of Fitz meeting the kids, and helping Olivia with art supplies and painting. Olivia showed Fitz around the facility. They walked along the halls, pointing out different rooms and the use for them. The several different paintings on the wall all done by some of Olivia's kids. The center really was more than just teaching kids how to draw and get them ready for school.

For some of the kids it was the only reason they hadn't followed in the footsteps of some of their siblings or even parents. Instead of being on the streets doing God knows what, they are doing something productive.

The entire time Olivia was talking, it was taking everything in Fitz' body to try and listen to her and not take her in his arms. He had no idea what was wrong with him. He had never behaved with a woman like this before, never been drawn to a woman the way he was to Olivia. It was crazy right? He had only known her for two days. Barely even a whole forty eight hours.

"And here we are back at the classrooms, and the offices are just down that wing there." Olivia said, ended the tour of the facility. "It's really amazing how they transformed this place. It used to be a retire facility for veterans, but they moved and shut down years ago. The building was about to be condemned before Gladys bought it, and made the center."

"It seems like a really great thing she's doing here for these kids. All of you really. It seems to be very productive."

"It really is. The number of kids I see flushing in and out of here every day still amazes me." Olivia took her attention from one of the panted walls and back to Fitz. "So I have something in my office for you." Without waiting for a response, Olivia turned and walked down the hall the offices were on. She knew he would follow behind her, she didn't even have to look back.

"Nice office." Fitz commented, when he walked into the small room. It wasn't much, but Olivia had turned the little space into her own.

"Ha funny, coming from the guy who has floor to ceiling windows and a wet bar in his office."

Fitz chuckled, "It's still nice, lots of character. It's very you."

"Thanks." She replied, before handing him the folder she took out of her desk. Olivia walked to the front of the desk where Fitz was standing, as he opened the folder. "It's the contract. I had my mom very reluctantly look over it for me-"

"Your mother's a lawyer?"

"Yep and she said it was alright after I twisted her arm, so I signed. I can't believe you thought it would take me a week to make up my mind."

"Olivia this is great, I won't make you regret your decision. Although I'm kind of shocked you decided so fast."

"I know a good thing when I see it." Olivia replied, leaning on the front of her desk. She didn't know why she was trying to flirt with this man. Obviously his taste in women was certainly not her.

"So do I." In the next instant, before anyone could think Fitz had closed the space between the two of them. And a moment later, Fitz was gripping the sides of Olivia face and connecting their mouths.

Olivia was caught off guard by his sudden attack on her lips, but as he pulled her closer and ground his hips into hers, she could feel herself instantly relaxing against his touch. Olivia wrapped her arms around Fitz neck, as his traveled down her sides and hooked on her hips. She'd been kissed before, but this didn't feel like any ordinary kiss. She felt like she was about to explode. That wasn't normal was it?

Olivia was on autopilot, she had no idea what she was gonna do next. She felt her hands trailing down his chest, she just wanted to feel him. She didn't plan on doing anything further, when she felt herself pulling his shirt from his pants. She had to fight through his button up and under shirt, before she could run her hands up his bare chiseled stomach and chest.

The feel of Olivia's tiny hands rubbing up and down his chest, was Fitz undoing. Before he could stop himself, he had hoisted Olivia up in his arms, his tongue snaking into her mouth, and sat her on the desk legs spread for him. Olivia's legs automatically locked around his waist, she moaned as his hold on her thighs tightened.

"Fitz." Olivia moaned, and Fitz pulled back away from her. "Fitz?" She called out confused as to why he stopped, and a little angry at the loss of contact. "Fitz what's wrong?"

Fitz shook his head, and slowly began backing away from her. "I- I can't."

"Can't what?"

"I can't do this Olivia."

"Do what? What's wrong with you?"

"This Olivia. You are my employee now, and I don't date employees."

"Employee? I wasn't an employee five minutes ago when you had your tongue down my throat."

Fitz sighed, and ran a shaky hand down his face. "Olivia stop."

"Stop what? I haven't done anything. You're the one that's been practically pursuing me. You've been flirting with me since the first moment we met! You kissed me remember!"

"Yes I remember!" Fitz yelled, beginning to lose his patience.

"Yes and now I'm just an employee!"

"Olivia please stop. I didn't mean to lead you on or make you upset. I just- we need to keep our relationship strictly professional. I'm sorry."

"Professional? Sure I can be professional." Olivia said in a sweet sarcastic tone.

"Olivia-"

"Thank you so much for coming Mr. Grant. I really hope that you can help our efforts here." Olivia said in her same fake cheery tone.

"Stop it." Fitz demanded.

"Stop what Mr. Grant?"

Realizing this was a fight he was not gonna win, Fitz stopped talking. He pulled an envelope out of his pocket, and laid it on the table next to him. "I am sorry Olivia." Fitz apologized once more before walking to the door. "I'll be expecting you at the office at eight."

"Yes sir."

X

"And then he just left, and I spent the next half hour crying in my office." Olivia was sitting on her bed, under the covers with Alex. She was telling her about what happened with Fitz in her office.

"Well sweetie did he say anything?"

"Yeah, he just kept telling me that he was sorry, and that he didn't date employees."

"Well if that's how he runs his business-" Alex tried to explain.

"Then why would he kiss me then?!" Olivia almost yelled, but for her it was a yell. "Why would he toss me on my desk like a mad man if he was only gonna stop in the next second and tell me that we could never be?"

"I don't know cheeks, some people just act on impulse. I don't think that he was intentionally trying to hurt you. He just got caught up in the moment, and stopped himself before he took things too far. You know why he stopped, you can't be mad at him for it."

"Yes I can." Olivia pouted. "I don't even know why I'm feeling like this. I mean I've only known the man for two days! I'm not supposed to feel this strongly about him."

"Yeah, but you do. And there's nothing wrong with wanting a man Liv." Alex moved some of Olivia's hair from her face. "And you have to accept if they don't reciprocate those feelings. I know it sucks and it'll hurt, but you have to accept it."

Olivia sighed, knowing her sister was right. "I know, I just don't like it. And it's gonna be so awkward at work."

"You still going?"

"Yeah, this is my big break. And I'm not gonna let lusting after my boss hold me back. Besides I already signed the contract."

"Well maybe it won't be too bad. Just try to stay focused on your art and only deal with him face to face when you have to. If you both pretend it never happened this'll go away a look quicker."

"Yeah I guess you're right."

"Of course I am. And cheeks, do me another favor."

"What?"

"Please don't let your first sexual experience be on an old desk in a dingy office with like fifty kids running around outside."

"Alex!" Olivia sat up and hit her sister with a pillow. "This coming from the woman who lost her virginity in the back of a pickup."

"Hey! It was a nice truck and we were in love."

"You were dating for a week Lex."

"Whatever. I'm just trying to make sure your fist time is special and far better than mine." Alex said. "Did you tell Grant?"

Olivia looked at her confused. "About what?"

"Ugh! About you being a virgin Olivia."

"Oh yeah I told him in our meeting." Olivia said sarcastically. "Of course I didn't tell him. Why would I tell him? I wasn't planning on doing anything beyond kissing."

"Alright fine, no need to get snippy. Just curious."

"Well calm your curiosity."

"Geez, someone gets moody when they're denied sex."

"Whatever." Olivia rolled her eyes, before turning off her lamp. She figured since her sister started getting comfortable under the sheets, meant she was sleeping in her room tonight. Not that Olivia mined. She loved to be close to her sister. If it was up to her she would never leave her.

"Night Liv."

"Night Lex." Olivia heard Alex's breathing even as she drifted off to sleep. Olivia wasn't so lucky, she stayed awake for most of the night thinking about Fitz and how she was gonna work with him, when every time she saw him she undressed him with her eyes.

"I'm screwed." Olivia whispered, visions of a shirtless Fitz invading her mind.

Catch You Later…