Holly's Story – Part II

Chapter 3 - Oliver

The weather had quickly deteriorated into a full blown blizzard. Holly was paralysed with fear. She knew her car was slowly but steadily sliding backwards towards the bottom of an endless drop. It was then she saw, with hope surging in her heart, a car driving off the road towards where her car was hanging suspended, with half its body still on the cliff. The other car stopped right beside hers. A man got out and walked towards her. He was careful. He was dressed very formally in a dark blue chequered suit. She hoped he wasn't too old to help her. Praying with her and perhaps reading her the last rites is not what she needed right at this moment. He opened the driver's door very carefully and spoke to her.

"Please let go of the steering wheel. We need to move... now, as there's no time to waste."

Holly was in a state of shock and her hands gripped the steering wheel more firmly. "I can't!" She whispered.

"Yes, you can. Please grab my hand. We haven't got much time." He then reached out and tried to loosen her grip from the steering wheel. He was trying to be gentle. "Are you hurt?" He asked. "Are you able to get out of the car?" He started to sound a bit more desperate. He seemed to decide he couldn't waste any more time, so he grabbed Holly's fingers and peeled them off the steering wheel, using a fair amount of force. Once that was accomplished, he put one arm under her knees and the other around her shoulders. He then pulled her out of the car as it started to slide off the mountain and drop hundreds of feet below.

Holly's knees buckled under her as the man scooped her up in his arms and carried her to his car. He placed her in the back seat and sat next to her. He grabbed her hands and started to rub them vigorously to warm them up and get her circulation going.

He then spoke to her again. "First things first, I'm Oliver O'Toole. Are you feeling a bit better now?"

Holly couldn't see what he looked like, but she liked the richness of his voice and he definitely did not sound old. Holly was badly shaken and hardly managed to reply with a weak voice, "We… we're gonna die here… aren't we?" He responded firmly, "No, I will not allow that to happen. What's your name?" Holly felt better by leaning into the confidence he put into that statement, allowing it to wrap around her like a blanket. "Holly O'Connor." She answered.

"Well, Ms. O'Connor, it's nice meeting you, but I wish it were under better circumstances."

"Thank you, for saving my life." Holly replied weakly.

He then opened his jacket, snuggled right up to her, hugged her, and tucked her right inside his jacket and up against his chest. She stiffened, not knowing what to expect! He noticed it and he explained it to her, "Excuse me, Ms. O'Connor but we will need each other's warmth if we want to survive this night. We can't drive down the mountain in the middle of this blizzard."

"Oh! Ok." With no other option, Holly leaned into his hug. She actually felt a stir in her heart that she hadn't felt since Remy. This man, this complete stranger touched a nerve within her. He was gentle and obviously very kind. He also was physically stronger than Remy. She could feel his well toned bicep muscles. His scent was intoxicating. She took in a deep breath of his white musk and sandalwood cologne. He obviously had good and expensive taste. She lifted her hands and touched his face gently with the tip of her fingers. "Excuse me." She said. "I can't tell what you look like, so I'd like to feel your face."

He chuckled. "Ok." He said grabbing her hand and laying it flat over his face. "What's your name again?"

"Oliver!"

"Well, Oliver, you're my hero, thank you again." He smiled and touched her face with the back of his hand.

"It's my pleasure… Holly." They sat there in silence for a long time. Eventually they both started to shiver as the cold intensified. Just then Oliver remembered he had a blanket in his trunk. "I think I have a blanket, Holly, let me go and I'll be right back."

She clung to him desperately and with chattering teeth, she asked, "Where are you going?"

"Just to the trunk, I'll be two seconds, that's all." He was indeed back immediately. He snugly wrapped the blanket around both of them and pulled her again inside his jacket. She warmed up enough to fall asleep tucked under his arms. Oliver didn't. He told her later he couldn't stop thinking about how close he had been to not spotting her car hanging precariously over the cliff. If he had not seen her tail lights going off the side of the road, he'd have missed her altogether.

The night was long and cold but eventually a tow truck appeared with the first rays of sunshine, apparently arranged by Oliver's colleagues. The tow truck pulled Oliver's car back onto the road. The driver waited to make sure the car would start. Once he was satisfied the car was running and the couple was ok, he left.

"Shall we go home?" Oliver asked, smiling at her. Holly nodded, mesmerised by his beautiful blue eyes. She was overjoyed to realise she had spent the night wrapped in the arms of this most gorgeous man. For the first time ever, she met a man who interested her and she didn't immediately compare him with Remy.

"I'm starving. Shall we grab breakfast?" She asked.

"That's a great idea. I know just the place." He said with a gorgeous smile. Holly felt her heart doing summersaults.

"So, Oliver, what do you do?" She asked, while they drove back down the mountain.

"I work at the Post Office in the Dead Letter Office."

"In the what office?"

"Dead Letter Office!"

"What's that?"

He smiled again and his chest seemed to fill with pride.

"It's a department of the USPS that deals with lost letters and parcels."

"Oh… I'm sorry, you spend your day looking for lost letters?"

He smirked. "No, the letters find us and we deliver them."

"That sounds incredibly boring… I'm sorry."

"That's ok, but it's not boring. It's in fact very rewarding."

"How so?" She asked, sceptically.

"Well, to return what's lost to its rightful owner is a very good thing, wouldn't you agree?"

"I suppose." She said non-committedly.

Oliver drove to a neat cafe near Washington Park that served the best waffles in town. He ordered waffles with bacon, banana and chocolate. "Very decadent", he said with a chuckle but after the night he had, he certainly needed sustenance. Holly ordered French pastry with goat's cheese and spinach. While they waited, Oliver returned the question. "What about you, Holly, what do you do?"

She smiled flirtatiously at him. "I'm a lady of leisure. I write and read poetry… between jobs… when I can find them. When I can't, I don't stress."

"Oh, so you're a poet?"

"No, not really. But I'd like to be… one day." They finished their breakfast quietly, both lost in their own thoughts. Then Holly asked sheepishly, "Is there a Mrs. O'Toole?"

He raised his eyebrows at her, surprised. "If there was, I wouldn't be here with you."

"Oh, you're the faithful kind then." She said, smiling sarcastically.

"I'd like to think so. Once you make vows, you should stick by them."

"People can change their minds, though." She retorted.

"Yes, they can, but I hope I won't be one who does."

Holly could tell Oliver was getting uncomfortable with the conversation topic, so she quickly changed it. "Well, now that I know you're free, would you like to go to the movies with me tonight? It's a low-budget French production with subtitles." Holly noticed he hesitated. Eventually he said. "Maybe another night. I think I'm going to bed early tonight and sleep like a log."

"What about tomorrow night?"

"Well, I don't usually go to bed late on Sundays as I hate being late for work next day. Thank you anyway."

Holly was disappointed, but she tried not to show it. In fact, she decided she wasn't going to give up that easily. "Alright; I have the perfect solution then. Come to my place tomorrow afternoon. I have loads of DVDs and we will choose a cool one."

He hesitated again, so she grabbed his hand on the table and said, "Pleeeease. I need to show you my gratitude for saving my life." Then she flashed him the most adorable smile.

He caved in. "Ok then. What time and what's the address?"

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Chapter 4 - Sunday

Oliver arrived at Holly's at about 4:30. She noticed he looked extremely uncomfortable. She even wondered if he was gay. She'd be very surprised if he were though, as he exuded male sensuality, organically and unforced. He was just the epitome of manly beauty, which oozed out of him quite naturally. She gave him a hug and a kiss on each cheek, European style. She smiled at how stiff he was, considering that two nights ago he had quickly and snugly tucked her inside his jacket.

She made coffee and they sat on the couch talking. After awhile, Oliver asked her, "So, Holly, what would you like to do with your life?"

"I'd like to be free to see where life leads me."

"What does that mean?" He asked, looking a bit confused.

"Well, I don't want a rock tied to my feet. I want to go where the excitement is. I want to be spontaneous. All I require is a backpack, my notepad, a pen and a few pieces of Chanel." He nodded, but he didn't look any more enlightened than before. She decided to show him rather than explain. She put her mug down on the coffee table, then reaching out, she took his cup out of his hand and placed it beside hers. She then slid down the couch until she was right next to him, grabbed his face and kissed him.

He had no time to react. Before he knew it, she had already let him go. She then smiled at him and said. "Just like that!"

He shook his head, looking annoyed. "Like what? So you want to be spontaneous and go around kissing people?"

"No, I wanted to kiss you, and so I just did it."

Oliver stood up abruptly and walked towards the fireplace, pacing back and forth for a moment. "What do you want from me, Holly?"

She got up, walked towards him and said, "This!" And she grabbed his face again and kissed him. This time she didn't let go, instead she clung to him. He found himself pressed against her body with her kissing him in a most sensual, demanding and hungry way. She started to undo the buttons on his shirt without breaking their connection. He tried to push her away, although gently, but she held on tightly to him. Before he knew what was happening, he was swept up in the intensity of her passion.

They made love right there on the rug in front of the hearth. When it was over, he sat up and raked his fingers through his hair. She remained lying on the floor, reaching out and caressing his back.

"Go with the flow, Oliver. I wanted you, you wanted me. Don't stress about it." "What has just happened, Holly?"

"We made sweet love. Uninhibited, free, spontaneous! That's what happened. It's the best way… always!"

He looked at her blankly. "I've got to go." He got up, grabbed his clothes and angrily started putting them on.

"I don't know why you're so upset." She said, looking at him, confused.

He pinned her with his eyes. "Because you ambushed me, Holly. There was nothing spontaneous about this. You knew exactly what you were doing when you invited me here. You calculated it perfectly. Spontaneity would be if the evening progressed naturally, and we arrived at this point together. Not one of us randomly calling all the shots."

"Ah! So, you're upset because I was in charge instead of you."

"No! I'm upset because I had no say in it, not because I wasn't in charge."

"You could have stopped me if you really wanted to, Oliver."

"Could I? Really?"

She bit her lip. She got up slowly, covered herself and said, trying to look contrite. "I'm sorry, Ollie. I suppose I just got carried away. Can you forgive me? I just wanted you so much. I'm not the most patient woman. But then can you blame me? You're so gorgeous and you drive me crazy. I… I just wanted you."

The last sentence was said very softly and she knew she was starting to pull at his heartstrings.

His gaze softened and he looked at her tenderly. "Can we get to know each other better before we jump in to bed again?"

"Absolutely!" She said enthusiastically as if mommy had just promised her dessert after dinner.

They sat back on the couch again and she put a DVD on. It was an artsy French drama. Oliver found it hard to follow. Once the movie was over, he said goodnight and made his exit.

Holly was confident she'd see him again. He fascinated her. She wanted more of him. She was pretty convinced he was the best kisser she had ever had, even though he was reluctant. She could only imagine how much better he'd be if he was keen.

She just couldn't wait. It was the first time she had been with another man and not spared a single moment of her time to remember Remy. She was pretty sure she was already falling in love with Oliver O'Toole and she couldn't wait to see where this feeling led.

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Chapter 5 - Tuesday

As soon as Oliver left her house, Holly started planning her next move. She was not going to wait for him. If there was one thing she learned with Remy, it was you don't waste time as you never know when time is up.

On Monday, she went to a gift shop and bought a small silver box. She then went to a jewellery shop and asked them to engrave it for her. She bought something meaningful and put it inside the box, gift wrapped it with a beautiful ribbon and looked at the finished product. "Perfect!" She said.

On Tuesday, she made her way to the Post office. At the main reception she asked to see Oliver. She was expecting to be able to go and surprise him in his office. Instead, the girl at the front counter called him on an antique looking phone. Within a few minutes he appeared. He was formally dressed, including a waistcoat with a pocket watch… and he called her Ms. O'Connor.

Holly was very irritated. "Dear me, Ollie, you don't need to be so formal." She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. She noticed he went beet red in the face. She enjoyed seeing him embarrassed already. She concluded she was gonna have an awful lot of fun with him.

"I have something for you, but I don't want to give it to you here. It has to be at a special place."

"Oh, ok… what did you have in mind?"

She bit her lower lip flirtatiously and leaned in, as if telling him a great secret. "Well, you could take me out for dinner."

He looked around as if not wanting anybody to hear this exchange.

"Ok, I could certainly do that. When would you like to go? And where?"

"I'd like to go tonight. The where I'll leave it up to you."

"Well, I'll see where I can get a reservation. Shall I pick you up at 7?"

"Yes, thank you. I'll see you then."

She then leaned in again and hugged him as well as kissed him on the cheeks. She left feeling very happy with how things were progressing.

At 7, Oliver arrived. He was very punctual. Holly noticed how beautiful he was. He took her breath away. She had also made a huge effort to primp for the date and looked very attractive. She noticed that he noticed.

He looked her up and down admiringly and said, "You look beautiful, Holly." She batted her eye lashes at him, "Oh, thank you. Where are we going?"

"Well, I have managed to secure a reservation at Urbanos. Have you ever been there?"

"Oh, wow! No, I haven't. How nice. What a treat, Ollie."

He cleared his throat and said, "Funny you should call me Ollie. My mother was the only one who ever called me that. I liked it then, but I haven't been called that for a long time, I had forgotten how it made me feel."

"Do you mind if I call you Ollie?"

"No, not at all."

"Doesn't your mom call you that anymore?"

"No! She's gone now." He looked so sad Holly took a step forward and hugged him. He stiffened for a few seconds then he relaxed and hugged her back.

In the car on the way to the restaurant, Holly chatted the whole time, telling Oliver about her poetry club. At Urbanos she was like a kid. She loved the live music and chatted animatedly about dancing and how much she loved it.

She dragged Oliver to the dance floor, even though he told her he couldn't dance. He felt awkward and out of place. He hated it.

She looked disappointed and told him she was going to fix that. He looked at her, wondering what she meant by that.

When they arrived back at Holly's house, Oliver was ready to say goodnight and go home. Instead Holly insisted he come in so she could give him her present. He gave in and went inside. He stood by the fireplace, looking at some abstract artwork on the mantelpiece while she went to get the present. He noticed she had no personal photos of family anywhere.

She came back with the little box. He smiled and unwrapped the gift. It was a silver box with the words "My Hero" engraved on the lid and a roll of postage stamps nestled inside. Oliver was touched and looked at her tenderly.

She smiled into his eyes, dropped her gaze to his mouth and licked her lips. She made no move to get closer to him though. It was he who lowered his head and touched her lips gently with a tender kiss.

Her lips opened for him and the kiss grew passionate quickly. She pressed her body into his provocatively and waited to see if he would initiate a deeper connection. He didn't.

She then slid her hands inside his jacket, caressing his shoulders through the thin fabric of his shirt. She went for his earlobe and started kissing and nibbling on it.

He groaned, kissing her neck and finding her mouth again. He was obviously starting to enjoy it.

She allowed him to think he was leading the way, but she was planting the seeds of desire and subtly leading him to continue. Once she pushed his jacket off his shoulders, he started to help her. She loosened his tie and their kiss was broken temporarily when the tie was lifted over his head.

They wasted no time reconnecting again while she started to pull him towards her bedroom. "Where is it?" He asked into her mouth. "Upstairs, to the right." She said.

He scooped her up into his arms and took the stairs two steps at a time. He got to the bedroom and unceremoniously threw her on the bed. He quickly took off the rest of his clothes while she shed her dress and underwear.

She was beautiful and she used that to the best of her advantage. They spent the night in a frenzy of lovemaking.

At 5 am in the morning Oliver left her still sleeping, to go home and change for work. He was exhausted.

The next two weeks went by very quickly. Holly made sure she got Oliver into her house and her bed every time they went out, which turned out to be every single night.

On Friday, exactly two weeks after they met, Holly surprised him at work just before lunch. Holly was introduced to his two co-workers whom she thought were very weird. Oliver was not happy she had again ambushed him and cornered him, this time at work.

"What are you doing here, Holly?"

Holly leaned in and whispered, "I want you."

He seemed really concerned and uncomfortable about what his co-workers might be thinking about this exchange.

"Holly, you need to go right now. I have work to do."

Holly was unmoved, and whispered back provocatively, "Ollie, I have work for you. I need you, I want you right now." Oliver realised he couldn't resist her and frankly, he didn't want to. Then turning to his colleagues, he gave them a lame excuse and left with Holly with the promise to come back later. Holly heard this and thought to herself, "We shall see about that!"

About an hour later, as they lay in bed recovering from their lovemaking, Holly looked at him and said, "I don't want to have to make up excuses to have you anymore, I want you all to myself… all the time."

He looked at her, baffled. "What? What do you mean?"

"I want to marry you." She explained matter of factely.

"What? What on earth do you mean?" He looked at her, totally confused.

She pinned him with an irritated glare. "Exactly what I said, Ollie, I want to marry you."

He got up from the bed, sat on the edge of it and raked his fingers through his hair. "Holly, we can't just get married… just like that… we need to consider this… thing… properly." He said pointing to them on the bed.

"What's there to consider? I want you and you want me, don't you?"

He stared at her blankly.

She asked again, this time she grabbed his arm and held his gaze. "Don't you want me, Ollie?"

"Of course, I want you, but marriage is a serious thing, one shouldn't rush into a marriage… just like that."

"Well, I know what I want, and that's you. Let's get married." She said, pulling herself up and hugging him from behind, caressing his abdomen lovingly.

Holly was determined. This man was just too delicious to let him slip through her fingers. She knew she wasn't madly in love with him as she had been with Remy many years ago, but in the absence of the love of her life, Oliver would have to do. Besides she really liked him. He was the most considerate man she had ever met including Remy.

"C'mon, Ollie, don't leave me hanging. I need an answer."

"Do you really mean it, Holly? Are you really serious? Do you wish to marry me… with all your heart? Do you love me?" He looked at her intently.

"Yes!" Holly said decisively as if trying to convince herself.

He then slowly beamed her a most beautiful smile. "Ok, then, that settles it! Let's get married. It must be God laying his hand heavily upon my heart to marry you, since we have already... Well... It seems there's no time to waste. Let's do it."

She didn't like he brought God into the conversation at all, and immediately she felt a little prick of conscience. She shook her head quickly and dismissed any notion of wrongdoing. Life was short and she lived for today.

Today she wanted him, most passionately! If she came to want something else tomorrow, she would then cross that bridge when she came to it.