AN: Okay here's Chapter 2. Hope you enjoy! Leave me reviews for what you want to see happen!
Olivia couldn't breathe.
As soon as her hand made contact with the handsome stranger's, she felt something akin to an electric current run up her arm. And straight between her legs if she were honest with herself.
Then she heard his deep, baritone voice and all hope was lost.
"Hi," he said while their eyes remained locked.
"Hi," Olivia responded breathlessly.
She didn't know how long they stood there, hand in hand, just staring at each other, but Harrison cleared his throat loudly, startling her as she pulled her hand free.
"So yeah," Harrison started. "I'm going to go, do something, over somewhere… Yeah…"
As soon as he left, their eyes met again. Olivia didn't know what was happening to her. There were plenty of attractive men around, and they always hit on her. She'd learned to ignore their advances and was too focused on her studies to care most of the time. But this was different. This guy was different, she could tell already. Looking into his blue eyes, she felt a connection, the likes of which she'd never felt before.
"Can I get you anything to drink?" There was that baritone again.
"Sure," she responded with a smile. "I'll just have a beer."
She watched as Fitz turned his back to her to order and took the opportunity to admire him. His broad shoulders stretched out his black long sleeve t-shirt and she watched his arms ripple sexily underneath as he reached into his back pocket and peaked at his phone before quickly replacing it.
When he turned back to her, he wordlessly reached for her hand and led her out of a side door onto a porch. Sitting down on the top step, Olivia reluctantly released his hand to accept the proffered beer with a smile.
"Sorry," Fitz said almost sheepishly. "It's pretty loud in there and I just thought-"
He paused and shrugged one shoulder while his mouth curled into a heart-melting half-smile.
Olivia couldn't hide her own grin and so she averted her gaze upwards. There were clear skies, twinkling stars, and fresh air; and not to mention the beautiful man sitting next to her. His long, jean-encased legs stretched out down the steps and his left arm stretched behind her. Almost unconsciously, she leaned into his side and couldn't ignore what a marvelous fit it was. It felt comfortable. It felt safe. It felt like home.
They sat there for some time, leaning against each other, watching the night. Olivia soon noticed how their breathing had regulated in sync and her whole body had relaxed.
"What is this?" she said almost to herself.
"I don't know. But I want to, I have to find out," the last part of his statement faded off with an almost questioning tone.
"You're exactly right."
Olivia lifted her head from its spot on his shoulder and looked him in the eye. There was something about this man that automatically put her at ease. Setting her beer down, she reached up and brushed an errant curl off of his forehead and cupped his cheek. Feeling an almost magnetic pull, she closed her eyes and leaned up towards his face.
Unexpectedly, his hand cupped her cheek, stopping her forward progress. As Fitz leaned his forehead against hers, Olivia opened her eyes and her heart almost stopped at the look of pure anguish on his face.
"I can't- I have to do this right," he almost whispered.
"What do you mean? You can talk to me," she ran her fingers through the hair at his temple tenderly.
"I- I have a girlfriend. But it's not, she's not," he stopped, struggling for words. "I don't want to be a cheater, I don't want to make you into the other woman…"
His next words came out as a plea.
"Let me do right by you."
She gasped, at a loss for words.
He continued, "I want to do this right. I want to give us a chance to get to know each other. Openly. Freely. I can't do that if I technically belong to someone else. And I think its obvious that you've already got me hooked. Now I just have to make myself available to be reeled in." He gave her that perfect smirk but his eyes still looked weary, like she'd bolt any second. And she was thinking about it.
Fitz wasn't available, no matter how anxious he seemed to be to rectify that. The whole situation seemed messy and just what she didn't need. But that's exactly what she felt when she looked into his eyes. Need. She needed him. She needed to figure out where this was going. And her gut was telling her that this wasn't just lust. Sure, there was plenty of that, but there was something more. Some time of connection that had just tethered her to Fitz and he to her. And she wasn't willing to let it, or him, slip away.
"Okay," Olivia whispered.
Fitz smiled fully then and stroked his thumb across the apple of her cheek tenderly.
"I'll find you," he pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. "Soon," Another kiss on her temple. "I promise." And with that he was standing up, and extending his hand to help her up. She took it with no hesitation even though she didn't know where they were going.
"I'm going to let Harrison know I'm leaving so that he can watch out for you," he said as he led them back inside the main house. But he stopped walking when he felt a tug on his hand indicating Olivia had stopped.
The fog Olivia had been in since she met him was starting to clear just a bit and she found her New York sassiness coming back.
"I don't need anyone to look out for me, Fitzgerald. I can damn well take care of myself," she raised her eyebrow, daring him to challenge her.
Fitz cocked his head to the side and grinned slightly. "I'm sorry," he pulled her hand until she was forced to step closer to his body. The warmth she felt radiating off of his body and the spicy, manly scent she smelled on him were combining to do crazy things to her body. Not to mention his bright blue eyes were baring down into her own as he spoke in that husky voice of his. "I just want to make sure you're safe. But I know you can look out for yourself."
He glanced down at his watch, "I've got to go. But remember, I'll see you soon. Don't fall for any of these college guys." He winked.
"Yourself included?" Olivia teased.
"Never that, sweetheart," he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead before backing away. "I'll see you soon, Livvie."
As soon as Fitz exited the front door of Sigma Nu, he broke into a run. As he nearly sprinted across campus, the fresh air and thoughts of Olivia distracted him. She was so amazingly gorgeous, and the glimpse of her spitfire personality had caused a tightening in his pants that he'd quickly tried to control. When they'd sat on the porch, her leaning against him for support, he'd had an out of body experience. Glimpses of them together flooded his mind. Him rocking gently inside of her body, watching her facial features scrunch with pleasure. Them laughingly feeding each other popcorn while snuggled up on the couch letting a movie watch them. And even further into the future than that. Her gorgeous chocolate skin contrasting with a long white wedding gown as she walked down the aisle towards him. Him rubbing her feet as she smiled lovingly at him over her swollen belly…
Never before had Fitz had a reason to act so drastically. He was usually calm, cool, and collected. Unless provoked, he got along with everyone and he just rolled with the punches. But in just a few short minutes, Olivia's presence had spurred him into action.
He bounded up the steps to Mellie's apartment and beat on the door. He immediately heard shuffling from the inside and muffled voices. That was odd to him because Mellie lived alone and he'd never seen her have friends over.
"Mel?" he yelled. "Are you alright?" He knocked again, this time a bit harder.
"Shit!" Mellie's voice rang out from inside the apartment.
"Okay, Mellie open the door. What's going on?" Fitz was growing frustrated, he wanted to get back to Olivia. Just as he raised his hand to knock, the door cracked open and he saw Mellie peeking out.
"Hey honey!" she said too sweetly. "I wasn't expecting you."
"Yeah well we need to talk. Can I come in?"
"Umm…." she glanced behind herself. "This isn't really a good time-"
"Just let the man in. I'm tired of this shit," an angry male voice came from behind Mellie, startling Fitz.
"What the-" Fitz pushed his way into the apartment, only to come face-to-face with a shirtless man with bed head and red lipstick marks covering his torso.
"Look, Fitzy," Mellie tried to put her hands on his chest and he brushed her off. "It's not what it looks like. I want to be with you. We can still make this work."
Fitz was shocked, but oddly enough, he wasn't upset. He didn't care about Mellie. Sure, he didn't want anything bad to happen to her, but he didn't care what she did, and she sure as hell shouldn't have been dating her. His reaction to Olivia had proved that much.
"Just cut the crap, Mellie. I came over here to end things anyway. We shouldn't be together and we both know it. You're stuck on me being president and carrying you along with me and I was doing my father a favor. We both deserve better."
Mellie looked as if he'd just slapped her in the face.
"Arthur," she turned to the still shirtless man. "Would you please leave us to talk?"
"No," Fitz cut in. "He can stay, I'll leave."
"But Fitzy I want you!" Mellie shrieked.
"Why? Because you're daddy told you to latch on to me and you'd make it to 1600 Penn? We don't love each other and we never will. We're through Mel. If this guy," he motioned to a shocked looking Arthur, "makes you happy, then be with him. Or find someone else who loves you, because I'm sorry, but it won't be me."
With that, Fitz turned and opened the door. He kept walking as Mellie screeched behind me, "But please Fitz! I don't need love! We can be powerful together! Please don't leave me like this!"
But Fitz had already shifted his thoughts back to Olivia. The smile that came over his face at the memory of her quickly faded when he realized it was too late for her to still be at the party. He started the walk back to his apartment and released a breath. The night had turned up. He'd finally grown a pair and ditched Mellie and that was relieving in itself. But by far, the best part of the night, was meeting Olivia. Olivia Pope. There was something there, and as soon as daylight came, he was going to find her and start wooing her. Olivia Pope was going to be his.