For any and all disclaimer and stuff go to chapter 1.
I'm sorry it took so long to get this up. Life was... not fun lately. I hope to be picking myself up soon though.
Chapter 7
The two women made it to the cinema just in time to enter the last movie of the evening. Because of the short gap of time they barely had a chance to notice the movie before they opted to go in and see it anyway. Movie good, conversation bad was the mantra circulating slowly but intently in Olive's head on the way to the cinema, in line, and as the usher showed them to their seats.
The movie turned out to be a musical Olive remembered watching after participating in the Belmont Stakes. The horse's owner wanted to show his appreciation to both her and the trainer, or he had to spend a couple hundred dollars more, and so he bought them both tickets. The two original leads were also in the movie and she delighted to see the two interact.
The movie ended too soon for the small blonde's liking.
"I don't understand it: why did they get away after doing all that?" Chuck frowned at the sidewalk as they exited the building. Welcoming the chill and darkness of the night, Olive took a moment to think before she answered.
"I think it was because in the end they both loved the theatre too much. The idea to scam the public didn't come along because they were bad people. They both just needed the money, and you know how people get when they want money and they see an easy way to get it." She concluded in a tone that all but said 'trust me, I know'. Chuck ran a hand through her hair, still frowning, but this time she raised her eyes to meet Olive's.
"But they were bad people! You could say Leo was weak, and he came along because of his dream, but Max had been taking money from little old ladies for years! He was practically a gigolo when he and Leo met." Olive blinked a few times in rapid succession as she absorbed Chuck's words and then let out a small chuckle. Chuck's expression changed to confused in a heartbeat.
"I'm sorry..." Olive managed as she stopped walking, trying to catch her breath. "It's just that I remembered that when Henry and I saw the show on Broadway, we came out singing the songs, and we're talking about the morals, or lack thereof, of Max Bialystock."
"Henry?"
Olive smiled, as fond memories rose again. "Henry was the trainer who worked with Crescendo, the horse I was riding that year." Her smile faded as more memories surfaced. "We had good times together. Until we didn't, and then I left."
"I'm sorry..."
The blonde smiled, trying to keep the sadness away from her smile. "It's all right. It was years ago." Looking down at the sidewalk before returning to meet the blue eyed blonde's eyes again, Chuck let her shoulders drop slightly.
"Olive, I..."
"Chuck, it's all right. Really." With the winning smile back, she had no trouble reassuring the woman she meant what she said. "I had fun tonight." The brunette smiled and it lit up her eyes.
"Me too." The lull in conversation that followed was a light one and they walked the rest of the way in a silence neither felt compelled to fill. They were just a few steps away from the building when Olive spoke.
"Comespendtonightwithme."
Chuck turned and faced her, confusion clearly written across her face. "What did you just say?"
Olive paled, her eyes growing wide, as she felt as though she was looking at the two of them from somewhere beside herself.
"I..."
"Olive, are you alright?" Chuck was instantly by her, so close there was barely a breath between them, and Olive fought the urge to flee. "What did you say before? You were speaking so fast I couldn't understand you."
"I... it's not important."
"Olive..."
"I... was wondering if... you wanted to stay the night... with me." Hoping that her voice didn't seem as small as she felt the blonde braved a look into the jade colored eyes that never seemed to leave her consciousness before looking away again.
"Olive."
"You really don't have to say yes, we were just having such a nice time and I thought that maybe you'd like to... continue having it..." Olive frowned slightly at her own inability to phrase her thoughts as she looked up to her companion's face, waiting for her answer.
"I'd like that. I'll just leave Ned a note so that he won't knock on your door in middle of the night." Olive's response was a slow nod as they entered their building.
It was just a little less than 30 minutes later that the two were comfortably sitting on Olive's living room couch holding two mugs of hot cocoa. Chuck sat on the sofa, her feet placed leisurely on the coffee table while Olive sat leaning back against the armrest, her legs reaching a bit forward to bury her feet in the slit where the two pillows that made up the seat were joined.
"So, tell me about him. You promised..." Chuck's voice was almost a whine. Olive blew out a long breath, her face softening as she smiled.
"What can I say, the first time I saw him he took my breath away. He had just worked out and even the black mane of his hair was glistening with sweat as he came up the last turn and into the straight. I thought I was in love. We raced together for three years before he was retired as a breeder. I once thought that if I was ever going to retire and more to the country then I'd buy him. I think I'd prefer a mare now though. They're quieter, easier to handle and I don't think I'll go back to jockeying, so I don't really need a pureblood racehorse." The last sentence was finished with a giggle. Smiling, Chuck stretched forward placing her mug on the table before turning to rest her forearms and head, atop Olive's knees, closing the distance between them.
"Do you still think about it?"
"Occasionally, but I don't make nearly as much money as I did back then, so it isn't a viable option. Not for a few years anyway." The close proximity was a distraction for Olive. A part of her wanting desperately to move closer, to be touched, and another wanting, just as it had all night, to bolt and retreat to the comforts of a life she knew how to handle.
"Olive?" Emerald locked with jade as Olive 'hmm'ed a response.
"Are you still," Jade eyes moved away and then looked aside to the floral print of the couch, "In love with him?" There was no need to mention who 'he' was, for Olive knew, and her heart broke inside her.
"No." The surprise was clear on her companion's face and the brunette returned her eyes to meet the blonde's before swallowing hard.
"Is there... someone else?" This is your chance. Tell her. She will either want you... or not... Olive sighed as she turned her eyes away. I can't tell her. I can't have another Ned. Her eyes shot up when she felt a soft hand cup her cheek. "There is, isn't there?" Is that… sadness?
She couldn't help but nod as she gave in to the pull she'd felt for days and leaned forward capturing soft lips with her own for a brief moment before pulling slightly back. If you're going to get slapped, get slapped for something worthwhile, demanded the small voice in the back of the blonde's head, and she leaned in again, pressing her lips to the ones in front of her and not relenting until she heard a soft gasp.
"Olive..." Chuck's voice was barely a whisper as she spoke, her eyes closed, as she continued to lean against the blonde's calves. Once again Olive's response was a low 'hmm'. "Olive, please move your legs." Emerald eyes blinked slowly in confusion, but when the meaning behind Chuck's words and expression sank in, she couldn't help but smile.
Parting her legs, she reached for the woman who was now left sitting at her feet, looking back at her with darkening eyes. "Come here." And then, as though her words had been magic, Chuck was in her arms and brown hair was falling around their faces like a dark waterfall.
"I..." With a silent shake of her head Olive stopped Chuck's words.
"We can talk later." She purred, raising her head to once again meet the soft lips now above her. If Chuck was about to say anything when she drew slightly back and opened her mouth she couldn't even get past the first syllable as Olive pulled them closer together and parted Chuck's lips a bit more with her tongue, teasing, promising, and yet not pushing too hard. The thought that she might be left alone was still nagging at the back of her head, too much to bear.
That thought was pushed away when the body on top of hers relaxed into her own, and into the kiss, and began to return it with passion.
Hours later, as the two lay in bed, Olive couldn't help but marvel at the might of feelings and emotions that were running through both her mind and her body just moments ago, and she knew that even though it was the pie-maker whom she once told that 'we all need to be touched', wishing he would touch her, it was the girl named Chuck who managed to touch her very soul.
