Hey everybody, ya'll all right? Well I'm great, and so happy that so many of you are enjoying this version of Olitz! I am posting this chapter before I go on vacation for the next ten days. (TBOT is vaxed and waxed, and ready to have some fun!) Thank you all for reading this story and leaving kind and constructive reviews. Also, thanks for all of your encouraging PMs.
Well, it looks as if Fitz may be breaking down Olivia's walls, but he still has his work cut out for him. Will she finally say yes to a date?
If you're going away this holiday weekend, please be careful. Wear a mask if you're going to be indoors with a crowd of people, or anywhere really. Enjoy the holiday, and happy reading.
TBOT
The following Monday, Olivia sat in her office reviewing a deposition for an upcoming trial. It had been four days since she'd seen Fitz, and she couldn't get him off her mind. Logic told her that his attraction to her was directly related to the fact that he couldn't have her. So, what would happen if she gave in to the chase?
Being honest with herself, the more she was around him the more she wanted to be around him. Though the public saw the superstar quarterback, she had been privy to a personal side of that him that most people didn't get to see. There was a vulnerability that she saw when he talked about his family. The love and care he'd shown when he was dealing with his sister. Those instances proved that maybe the man behind the fame and fortune wasn't so bad after all.
There was knock on her door.
"Come in," she said, but didn't look up when the door opened.
"Is it your birthday?"
"No, it's not until…" Olivia's words trailed off as she searched for the face that belonged to the voice. It was impossible. The only thing she could see were orchids, lilies, chrysanthemums and roses. It was over-the-top and Olivia didn't think she'd ever seen such a large arrangement.
"I was at the receptionist desk when security delivered it," Marc said, watching as Olivia moved things around on her desk to make room. "I told Robin I'd bring it to you," he said, setting the large arrangement on her desk.
Standing, Olivia leaned forward and inhaled. Arranged with baby's breath, Italian ruscus and Lily of the Valley, the entire packaging was extravagant, and within seconds, the aroma filled the room.
"You've been holding out on us," Marc said, watching her open the card. "I don't recall you ever receiving flowers outside of your birthday. What's the occasion?"
Olivia glanced at Marc and noticed the expectant look on his face. Did he pay this close attention to all of the lawyers in his unit, or just her?
"Your guess is as good as mine. Probably my brother or my parents." She removed the small card from the envelope and froze.
"That's not the reaction you'd have to a card from a family member," Marc teased. He was suddenly interested in the small smile on her face; and was equally intrigued when it disappeared, as if she didn't want him to see it.
Just then, her cell phone rang. Olivia breathed a sigh of relief, but Marc didn't make any effort to leave.
"Saved by the bell," she said. Picking up the phone and walking around her desk, she pushed Marc toward the door, and tried to get him out of her office.
Glancing one last time at the flowers, he gave her a knowing smile as he walked through the doorway.
"This isn't the end of this conversation."
"It is for now," she said and closed the door.
Alone again, she didn't bother to answer the phone. Walking to her desk, she sat down and reread the card. It was handwritten and she wondered if he'd written it himself. But she didn't have to wonder if the words were his, she knew. They made her heart beat a little faster, and the smile that she'd hidden from Marc, spread across her entire face.
Since you believe it's all about the chase, put your running shoes on, lady, because I'm coming after you full speed. –F
She sat grinning and rereading the card until her cell phone rang again, startling her. She glanced at the screen, and answered abruptly.
"What?!"
"What's your problem? Did I catch you at a bad time?"
"Hey, Jo," Olivia said. Joey had been swamped all weekend and they hadn't had a chance to talk and catch up. She had no idea what happened with T.C. or about Olivia's third trip to Great Falls.
"I just have a lot going on."
"Then you'll love the reason I'm calling."
Olivia sat back in her chair. "I'm listening."
"I have a meeting two blocks from your office. How about lunch?"
"Sounds great," she said, glancing at the flowers again. "I have a couple of things I want to talk to you about anyway."
"Ooh, sounds interesting. One o'clock?"
"Perfect. See you then."
For the next two hours, Olivia tried to force her attention away from the flowers, and the indecent thoughts about the man who'd sent them, but she was having a hard time concentrating on her work. When her stomach growled, she glanced at the clock, relieved that Joey would be arriving in thirty minutes.
X
There was another knock on her door, and it opened before she could answer.
"Ready to take a break?"
Olivia recognized the voice before she looked up. She leaned back in her chair, and smiled.
"J.P., what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be meeting with a client and billing them at some insane hourly rate?"
"Not funny," he said, stepping inside her office. He was impeccably dressed, as usual, like the well paid lawyer he was. The dark blue Paul Smith custom three piece suit, light blue check shirt and navy micro dot silk tie was flawless on his tall body and broad shoulders. At thirty-two, her brother's resume already read like a road map for success. He'd graduated law school, joined Pope and Pope, and was a partner at thirty. The only thing missing was a woman that could tolerate being with a man so driven and career focused.
It definitely wasn't for lack of trying that he was still single…on his part, and their mother's. He'd dated many, many women over the years, and often talked about settling down and starting a family. He was also frustrated that it hadn't happened yet. The siblings used to talk quite a lot about their lack of social lives, but lately he'd been tight lipped about his personal life.
"You didn't answer my question, Julian? What are you doing here? I can't remember the last time you came to see me at work. You slumming today?"
Olivia hadn't seen or spoken with anyone in her family since she'd attended the dinner party almost two weeks ago.
She sat up. "Is everything okay? Did something happen to Mom or Dad?"
Noticing that his sister was getting worked up, Julian quickly moved to calm her down.
"Everyone's fine, Liv. However, something did happen," he said.
Reaching into the inside pocket of his suit jacket, he pulled out an envelope and tossed in on her desk.
"Nice flowers, by the way," he said, giving her a knowing smile.
Ignoring his comment about the flowers, she picked up the envelope and opened it. Removing the single sheet of paper she read it, and then pulled out the tickets.
"You've been holding out on me, little sister. I've received my share of good seats, but never in the owner's box."
Olivia glared at him before refolding the note and shoving it, along with the tickets, back into the envelope, and tossing it back to him.
"Since when did you become friends with Fitzgerald Grant?"
"Fitzgerald Grant and I are not friends," she said with a look of annoyance.
"That's not what the note said," he teased. He pulled the paper out of the envelope again. "And I quote: 'Olivia mentioned you when she visited me at my home. I hope you're a football fan. It's the least I could do for my good friend Olivia.' End quote."
Chase wasn't a strong enough word to describe what Fitz was doing. He was determined and wasn't pulling any punches, and he wasn't above using her brother to get to her.
"The last thing I am to Fitzgerald Grant is a 'good friend.'"
The tone of her voice and her body language set off the warning bells in his head.
"Then what are you?"
"We're nothing."
Julian knew his sister and could read her body language, which is why he didn't believe a word she said.
"Then why would he give me tickets for the best seats in the stadium for the home opener? Tickets for that game went on sale two weeks ago and sold out in an hour. That doesn't sound like the two of you are 'nothing.'"
Olivia shrugged, reached for the stress ball on her desk and squeezed, pretending it was Fitzgerald Grant's head. Squeeze, release. Squeeze, release.
Julian waited patiently for her to say something, but she completely ignored him. He looked at the large arrangement again.
"Where did you say you got the flowers?"
"I didn't," she said, offering no further information. Squeeze, release. Squeeze, release.
"It's not your birthday."
"Nope."
"Did you win a big case?"
"Not today," she said. "And I'm getting bored with this conversation."
He nodded his head, grinning at her, and it grated on her nerves. But she kept her mouth shut. Squeeze, release. Squeeze, release.
"Would they happen to be from the man who means 'nothing' to you?"
Rolling her eyes, she looked at him. "Why are you so nosy? You should mind your own business, ever think of that?"
"I'll take that as a yes," he said.
"You can take it however you like."
"Testy," Julian said, picking up the envelope. "If you don't tell me what's going on, I'm going to have to come to my own conclusions. After which, I'll share my theory with our mother. I'm sure she'll be very interested in finding out why the Fitzgerald Grant has been showering our little Olivia with gifts.
She knew he was bluffing because of the smirk on his face. Julian was fully aware that telling their mother anything about her love life, or lack thereof, would annoy the hell out of her. Just the mention of a man would have Maya Pope calling, asking many questions, and talking about weddings. That's why she hadn't brought a man around her family in over two years, for fear her mother would run him off.
Olivia sighed. "Fine," she said. "Close the door."
After telling her brother about the pool party, the situation with T.C. and Fitz's requests for a dinner date, she leaned back in her chair. "Now you have the sordid details. The flowers and the tickets are a lame attempt to get me to say yes to dinner."
Waving the envelope in the air, Julian grinned. "There's nothing lame about these tickets."
"Well I hope you enjoy them, because they will probably be the last tickets you get from him. Soon, he'll lose interest in me and move on to another woman."
"Liv, from what you've told me, he seems to be genuinely interested in you. Why won't you go out with him?"
That question was easy to answer a few weeks ago. The first time she saw him at the pool party, she was hung up on her assumptions about him, and men like him. But since then, she'd gotten to see a different side of Fitz, one she hadn't expected. A side that was caring, smart and normal, despite who he was. She wasn't ready to admit that she really couldn't come up with a good reason.
"Because."
Julian waited for her to expound on her answer, and when she said nothing else, he laughed.
"What?"
"Four years at Spelman, three years at Georgetown Law, hundreds of trials under your belt and 'because' is the best you can do? Mom and Dad wasted a lot of money on your education."
"You know how those people are," she said, getting defensive.
"Those people?" he repeated, relaxing in his chair and crossing his leg over his knee. "Now this I have to hear."
"Don't play dumb, you've lived and worked in this city long enough to know what I mean. People that have money, power and fame. They think the world, and everyone in it, revolves around them."
"And you think Fitzgerald Grant is one of those people."
She sucked her teeth, something Maya Pope detested. "You should have heard him demanding that the charges against his sister be dropped, as if she deserved special treatment. Not to mention the women who were throwing themselves at him at the pool party. You'd think he was the only eligible bachelor in the country. When you look that good and have a lot of money, regardless of how much charitable work you do, you can't help but use the power that comes with it. I am not interested in being a groupie."
Julian watched his sister as she continued her tirade, shaking his head in amusement.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You like him."
"What? You obviously haven't been listening to me," she said. "If you had, you never would have let those words come out of your mouth."
"I have been listening," Julian said, standing to his feet. "You've talked more about Fitzgerald Grant since I walked into your office than you've ever talked about any other man in the last two or three years. That means something."
"That's ridiculous. I've talked about other men before."
"Oh really," he said, leaning over and resting his hands on her desk. "Like who?"
"Gregory Hill," she answered.
"Gregory Hill?!," he said incredulously. "Congressman Gregory Hill? The guy you broke up with two years ago because he loved the spotlight too much? Congressman Eye Candy, as he's known on the Hill?"
"Okay, okay, I get your point, J."
"You always said that he loved being in front of the cameras more than he loved you."
"He did. Greg didn't care about my privacy and when I tried to shy away from the cameras, he told me I needed to enjoy my fifteen minutes. That's when I realized that he was an egomaniac, and broke it off."
"Well last I heard, the Congressman is married and exploring a run for the upcoming empty Senate seat in Maryland."
"Good for him," Olivia said, this was news to her. "What about Nate Cousins? I know I spoke of him often."
"Did you just compare what you and Nate Cousins were doing to dating? You were so busy with work, and he was working on his PhD, that you never saw each other. The only thing you ever said about him was that he was a nice guy."
Olivia thought about what her brother said and realized that he was correct. "Well I still talked about them," she said in a prickly manner.
"Maybe, but I don't recall anything about how good either of them looked, their charitable work or the care they had for their families."
Olivia threw the stress ball at her brother, hoping to knock that cocky grin from his face, and he caught it with one hand.
"Leave me alone."
"Look Liv, my only point is don't write him off before you get to know him, and definitely don't write him off before I have a chance to attend a few more games."
Olivia pointed at the door. "Get out," she said, not the least bit amused by her brother's comment. But Julian did make some valid points.
"Seriously, I hear what you're saying J, but I'm still not sure about him."
"Just think about it." He glanced at his watch. "You want to grab some lunch?"
Olivia shook her head. "Too late. I'm having lunch with Jo."
Julian's face contorted into a deep frown at the mention of Joey's name. "I can't believe you still hang out with that woman."
Olivia stared at him. "And for the life of me, I still can't figure out why you two don't get along, after all these years."
"It's hard for me to understand how you two have managed to remain friends when you are so different, Liv."
"That's your response whenever I ask you that question," she said, thinking that there had to be more to it than that. "What's your problem with her?"
"She's loud, aggressive and too damn opinionated," he said. "Need I say more?"
"Yes," Olivia said, folding her arms across her chest and watching the vein in his neck that always popped out at the mere mention of Joey de Matteo.
"She loves plucking my last nerve, and she loves to flaunt that body of hers too. And does she have any home training?"
Olivia stared at her brother curiously. "You talked about how I got worked up about Fitz, but listen to yourself talking about Jo."
"Two completely scenarios, Liv."
"How?" she asked. Was her brother attracted to her best friend?
"From what you've told me, there is some kind of attraction between you and Fitzgerald Grant that should probably be acted upon. There is absolutely nothing between me and that woman that even comes close to that."
Olivia thought back over the years of her friendship with Joey. She was like a member of the family. Even her bourgie mother had finally accepted her. However, Julian didn't want to have anything to do with her. Or did he?
"You've been saying that for years, yet today you seem to be warming up to her."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," she answered.
"Now I know you've lost your mind," he said, picking up on her subtle hint. "We do not now, nor have we ever had anything in common."
"Yet your eyes light up whenever her name is mentioned."
"No different than the light in your own eyes when I say the name, Fitzgerald Grant."
The last thing Olivia wanted to do was get into another conversation about Fitz.
"Weren't you leaving?" she asked, glancing at the door and back at him.
"As a matter of fact, I was." Julian opened the door, and there stood Joey poised to knock.
"Looks like your lunch date's here."
Joey heard the sarcasm in his voice and rolled her eyes. Stepping around him, she walked into Olivia's office and turned to face him. Their bodies weren't touching, but they stood inches apart.
"At least we have a date."
Julian stared at Joey with indifference while perusing her body from top to bottom.
"That smart mouth of yours is going to get you into a lot of trouble one day."
Reaching up, she fixed the knot in his tie. "Don't worry about my smart mouth. Most men like it. It's just too bad you'll never get to find out why."
He playfully slapped her hand away and stepped back.
"I don't want to know, because who knows where it's been."
"That's enough, you two," Olivia said, speaking to them as if they were children. At this rate they'd be sticking their tongues out at each other in the next few seconds. "You sound like kids."
"Bye, Liv," Julian said. He then took one last look at Joey and without a word, turned and walked away.
Olivia watched her best friend stare after her brother for several seconds before she turned her attention back to her. She started to say something but changed her mind. She had too many feelings of her own about Fitz to make any accusations about Joey and Julian.
She reached into her desk drawer to retrieve her purse.
"Let's go, Jo. I'm starving."
"Oh, I don't think so," Joey said, closing the door. "Not until I get some answers."
"About what?" Olivia asked, a look of confusion on her face.
"You've been holding out on me, Liv."
"Holding out? On what?"
"Not what, who. Fitzgerald Grant."
She spoke as if Olivia should've known what she was talking about.
Olivia threw up her hands. "Why is that name coming up so much today? First I get this huge, beautiful floral arrangement. Next J.P. shows up with tickets to the Football Team's home opener, in the owner's box no less, and…"
"Now this," Joey said, reaching into her bag and retrieving her phone. Opening an email, she handed the device to Olivia.
She scanned the email and then looked up at her friend with a puzzled look on her face.
"I don't understand. It's just a list of people."
"Not just people, Liv. It's a list of some of the Football Team organization wives and girlfriends who are looking for a personal trainer. As you saw in the email, they're expecting my call. This could triple my business, Liv," Joey said, excitedly.
Olivia looked at the phone again and knew what was going on. "He's got some damn nerve."
Joey heard the anger in Olivia's voice, but she couldn't go there with her friend on this one.
"Well he's definitely getting no complaints from me. You make it sound as if what he's doing is a bad thing."
"You don't get it, Jo," she said. "He's trying to buy me and I am not for sale."
"You can't be serious, Liv."
"You don't think so?"
"No."
"Then what would you call it?"
"He's wooing you."
Reaching into the leather bag on her desk, Olivia grabbed her phone, scrolled through the contacts and tapped the screen without any hesitation.
"I need to talk to you."
"Hello, Olivia. What a surprise." It was obvious that he was expecting her call by his greeting. The satisfaction in his voice only enraged her more. Ignoring the excited beat of her heart, she remembered why she called him.
"Leave me, my family and my friends alone!"
"This sounds like a conversation that we should have face-to-face…unless you're afraid to be in a room with me, lest our attraction get out of hand."
Olivia could tell by his voice that he wore a smug grin on his handsome face. She knew a set-up when she heard one. He'd backed her into a corner. If she didn't' meet him, he would say that she was afraid of what could be, and would probably continue to send her gifts. If she did agree, he'd get the satisfaction of feeling that his plan worked, so she took the lesser of two evils.
"I'll be there around six."
X
Olivia drove her car along the private drive as the gates closed behind her. As she came up on the house, she saw Fitz standing on the porch waiting for her. He was casually dressed in a pair of jeans, a polo shirt almost the same color as his eyes, and leather flip flops. He smiled at her and another part of her body tingled.
Stepping out of the car, she gave herself a silent pep talk. You are here to tell him that his little games will not work, and to stop trying to get to me through my family and friends. It is a waste of time, and I am not for sale.
Walking up the stone steps to join him, she decided her best strategy would be to go on the offensive. If she stuck to her plan, she could be back on the road to D.C. in less than ten minutes. But looking at him now, she knew it wasn't going to be easy.
X
Always remember, you're a Grant. And we Grants don't accept defeat.
Fitz thought about his father's words as he watched Olivia exit her vehicle. His eyes took in her full body in one sweeping gaze. She was beautiful and sexy, as usual, in a simple cobalt blue belted sheath dress with short sleeves, that showed off her perfectly fit body. The four inch black leather pumps matched the belt on the dress. Her hair had a center and hung straight past her shoulders, and her subtle make-up only enhanced her natural beauty.
"That scowl on your face tells me I'm in trouble," he said, stepping to her and reaching for her hand. "I hope I'm wrong."
The moment Fitz touched her hand, her mind drew a blank and all of the determination she'd had when she arrived suddenly disappeared.
"I'm sure your brother and Joey don't have a problem with me."
That did it! At the mention of the underhanded tactics he'd used to get to her, she snatched her hand away.
"The scowl on my face is there because of your insult to my character."
"How so?"
"You're trying to buy me and I am not for sale," she seethed. "How many times do I have to tell you that?"
Instead of getting upset at her reaction, Fitz continued to stare at her with those sparkling blue eyes, completely unfazed by her response.
"Why don't you come inside so we can get comfortable and talk?"
"I don't need to get comfortable to tell you that your plan won't work. Tossing your money and influence around is a weak attempt to gain my attention, and you should be ashamed."
Fitz stepped back, put his hands in his pockets and leaned against a column on the porch. "I think there's been some sort of miscommunication, because I'm not trying to buy you. I'm trying to impress you."
"Semantics," she said. "Buy. Impress. Whatever. I am not in the mood for word games."
"No games," Fitz said. "They are just two different things."
"Then please, Mr. Grant, enlighten me."
"Are we back to being formal?"
"We're back to me telling you to keep your gifts to yourself. It's not going to work on me."
Fitz watched as Olivia squared her shoulders, her back straight, unforgiving. But he remained as calm as ever.
"I had my manager contact my favorite jeweler, so I could select a few vintage pieces from a private collection that would look stunning on you."
As he spoke, Olivia's eyes narrowed into slits. She was tempted to give him a few choice words that would make her mother clutch her pearls. Was this man out of his mind? Did she look like a groupie?
"Then I asked him to contact a few high-end retailers and designers to arrange a private shopping spree for you."
"Have you lost your mind? Here's a little information for you, mister. Jewelry and clothes don't save the world or help people. You wasted your time and your money."
"I had him cancel the appointments almost as quickly as they were made."
Whatever she was about to say got stuck in her throat. "What? Why? Why did you cancel it all?"
"Because that, Olivia, would've been me trying to buy you."
Olivia relaxed as she realized that her assumptions and accusations about him were completely wrong.
Fitz removed his hands from his pockets, stood from the column and took her hand in his again, relieved when it wasn't snatched away again.
"I thought about what you told me the last two times you were here. You talked about Julian and Joey and I realized what was important to you. When I sent the flowers, the tickets and the referrals, it wasn't to buy you. It was because I was trying to impress you, to show you what kind of guy I really am."
Oh, he was smooth. Too smooth. She definitely wasn't expecting this explanation for what he'd done, but now that she'd heard it, he'd dispelled several issues that she'd had with him. If this continued, she'd have no reason to not like him.
"Which is?"
"Thoughtful, considerate, kind and very interested in a certain AUSA, who insists on giving me a hard time."
Olivia had to admit that Fitz's explanation made sense. Those material things wouldn't have meant anything to her. But by doing what he'd done for Julian and Joey, to impress her, he'd put himself in an entirely different light.
"So…" he said, looking down at her, waiting on a response.
"So, what?" she asked.
"Are you?"
"Am I what?"
"Impressed?"
Olivia stared at the hopeful expression on his face. The confidence that had been there when she showed up at his home, was now replaced with expectation and anticipation. For the first, she looked at this entire situation from his perspective. Regardless of his fame and profession, underneath it all he was still a man. A very handsome and rich man, but one who had the same anxieties as any man asking a woman out to dinner.
"Oh, come on, Olivia," he said, noticing her hesitation. "Not even a little bit?" he asked, holding up his thumb and index finger within an inch of each other to show her how small.
"She laughed and decided to tell him the truth. "Yes."
Fitz let out a sigh of relief. He had never worked this hard or cared so much about what a woman thought of him. But for some reason, it was important what this woman thought. From the moment he'd first laid eyes on her, he couldn't put his finger on what was so special about her. He still didn't know, but now he had the chance to find out. Attraction he'd felt many times, but this feeling was definitely new.
When he first came into the league, he was too focused on his career to pursue a true relationship. As he attained success on and off the field over the years, he got caught up in the fame and dated more women than he could remember. Now that he was in his thirties and beginning to think about life after football, he didn't want to ignore what was happening between them.
"Does that mean you'll join me for dinner tonight?"
"I'm still not sure if this a good idea," she said.
"Eating?" he asked.
"No, dating."
'Well what if we don't call it a date?"
"Semantics," she said with a shrug, smiling at him.
"I'm just being a polite and considerate gentleman."
"Really?" she asked. "And how is that?"
"You told me you were coming from work," he said. "It had to have taken you over an hour in rush hour traffic to get here. That means you must be hungry."
Olivia shook her head and chuckled. "You would make an excellent attorney, Fitzgerald Grant."
She watched as he stepped aside to allow her to enter his home. She only hesitated a second before following him into the foyer.
"How's T.C.?" she asked.
"She's good. Thanks for asking. She's been spending a lot of time hitting the books." Leading Olivia down a hallway, he caught her up on what his sister had been up to. "She also quit her job and stopped hanging out so much. After the incident at the store, she realized how easy it is for trouble to find you. She's in a study group for a statistics class that's, her words, 'kicking my ass.'"
Olivia laughed along with Fitz. "Looks like that incident was just what she needed to get her on the right track."
"Looks like it," he said, squeezing her hand.
"The dining room is this way."
Olivia walked into the entrance and stopped. The table was set for two, and the centerpiece was a vase of the same flowers he'd sent her. There were several covered dishes and a bottle of wine.
She side eyed the large man standing next to her. "Confident, weren't you?"
Fitz shook his head. "Optimistic."
"Well, where can I wash my hands?"
"This way." He led her to the same powder room she'd used the first time she was in his home.
"I'll be in the dining room."
She nodded and he turned to leave.
X
When Olivia returned, Fitz stood and pulled out her chair and seated her before taking his seat again.
Uncorking the bottle of wine, he served her a tasting pour.
"2009 Louis LaTour Chateau Corton Grancey. Good choice."
Fitz looked at the bottle and then at Olivia. "Are you also a sommelier?"
Olivia laughed. "No, I just like good wine. I was in law school when my father turned me on to the beauty of a nice bottle of red, and I've been hooked ever since."
Fitz smiled and poured more wine into their glasses.
"I didn't really like wine before and my father convinced me that it was because I'd never had fine wine. He was right. There's nothing like a full-bodied red wine."
"I'll have to remember that."
Fitz raised his glass. "I'd like to propose a toast. To our first official non-date."
Olivia couldn't stop the huge smile that spread across her face. "Cheers," she said as she touched her glass to his and took another sip while he began to serve the food. There was rosemary chicken, cauliflower rice, grilled vegetables and a garden salad.
"I wasn't sure if you had any food allergies so I went with chicken. Everybody eats chicken," he said with a chuckle.
"Actually I do."
He looked at her, concern written all over his face.
"I have a shellfish allergy, so tonight's dinner is okay."
Fitz exhaled visibly.
"Did you cook?" she asked, cutting into the tender and flavorful chicken. "If so, then you have surely succeeded in impressing me." She smiled at him.
"I didn't cook tonight's dinner, but I do enjoy cooking."
Olivia swallowed and then turned to him, not believing what she'd just heard.
"Really? Do you usually cook for yourself?"
Fitz nodded. "Yes, but not enough. I don't have a lot of time during the season, but off season, I try to cook at least three times per week. I also enjoy watching The Food Network, and other cooking shows."
Olivia saw the excitement in his eyes. Apparently he had more interests than football.
"What's your best dish?"
"Shrimp and grits."
She was surprised to hear that. Fitzgerald Grant was full of contradictions.
"Years ago, I went to dinner with a few teammates while we were in New Orleans to play the Saints. The guys couldn't believe I'd never eaten grits before so I ordered the dish, and fell in love with it. Of course I put my own spin on it.
"So you like southern cuisine."
"I love it. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it for you, but I'm sure there's something else I can cook that you will enjoy."
"You think so, huh?"
"I know so."
X
Almost an hour later, Olivia sank her teeth into the best chocolate cake she'd ever had. She could hold her own in the kitchen, but the person who'd made this could be serving up this recipe in a five-star restaurant.
"This meal was absolutely delicious. Please give my compliments to the chef."
It had been a relaxed dinner with good conversation, and by the time they'd made it to dessert, Olivia was quite comfortable with the man she had once considered an entitled jock.
"That would be, Roberta or Bert, my housekeeper. Since I eat most of my meals alone, this was the first time she's had in a while to cook for more than one person. The fact that you enjoyed it so much will make her day."
Olivia held her water glass in mid-air, staring at him. Did he just say that he eats most of his meals alone? Since when did Fitzgerald Grant begin living without female company?
Noticing that she'd gotten quiet, Fitz knew it was because of what he'd just said. He crossed his arms across his chest, and leaned back in his chair.
"Getting over last season has been hard for me. I came home from that championship game angry at the world, and myself. We should have won it all.
Olivia nodded in understanding. "When you put your heart and soul into your work and you lose, it can be one of the hardest things to get over," she said, thinking about the ups and downs of her own career. "There's nothing anyone can say or do to make it better. You just have to find a way to get over it, in your own time."
"You sound as if you speak from experience."
"There are thousands of cases that come through our office every year. Once in a while you get that one. The one where the crime is so heinous, and the defendant shows zero remorse, you want a conviction, and to throw away the key. However, just like you can't play every position on the field, I also have to rely on others. The police, CSI, witnesses willing to cooperate, and finally, the jury. They're always unpredictable. I've experienced my share of devastating losses too."
As Olivia spoke, Fitz could hear the disappointment in her voice, and knew that she understood. The more time they shared, the deeper his attraction became. He'd contacted his teammates and his ex-teammates to get referrals for Joey. They were all more than willing to help him out and gave him the names of those they knew who were looking for a trainer. Of course none of them would let him off the phone without questioning him about the woman who had his interest. It was the first time he'd gone to such great lengths for a woman.
Fitz reached out and took her hand in his, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb, his eyes locked with hers. Despite their rough start when Olivia had arrived, the rest of the evening had been damn near perfect. And it was taking every ounce of control to stop himself from leaning over and kissing her on those pouty lips.
"So, tell me more about the voluntary workouts you guys are doing," she asked with a nonchalance that told Fitz she had no idea just how much he wanted to kiss her.
"Do you really want to talk football?" he asked. "I would much rather hear about how you and Joey met."
Olivia frowned in surprised. "Really?"
"Really."
"Let's see, we were in first grade and Jo was the new kid in school, and being the new kid, the playground bully picked on her everyday. Poor Jo was terrified of that girl and would never defend herself. Well one day I'd had just about enough of Lizzie North's bullying. I walked through the crowd that was always around Lizzie, and stood between the two. Of course they were both taller than me but I didn't care. I told Lizzie if she wanted to fight Jo, she'd have to go through me. Needless to say, she backed down and Jo and skipped away to play together. I remember another kid saying, 'You let a hobbit threaten you!' and the others laughed. No one had problems with Lizzie after that."
"Wait a minute, Joey has at least three inches on you. How tall was this Lizzie?"
"Tall. But I wasn't afraid. Plus my big brother was always there looking out for me."
Fitz laughed. "You stood up to a bully much taller than you? I think you got off lucky."
"Yeah, right," Olivia boasted. "Don't let this small package and sweet smile fool you. I can hold my own."
"I don't doubt it, Ms. Pope," Fitz said, as he reached out and moved a strand of hair away from her cheek. "That smile, whenever I get to see it, does all sorts of things to me. It's one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen."
Fitz watched Olivia as a blush of color crept into her cheeks. He lifted her hand, and brushed a soft kiss across her knuckles, never taking his gaze from her.
"I like you Olivia Pope."
Her eyes widened, but she couldn't deny what she felt. "I like you too, Fitzgerald Grant," she said as she rubbed the knuckles he'd just kissed across his cheek.
Fitz held her hand there and they sat in silence, staring at each other for what seemed like an eternity, before he spoke.
"Would you like to see the rest of the house?"
For a second she was caught off guard by his question, and took a moment to collect her thoughts before answering.
"I'd like that."
X
Coming down the stairs, after a tour of the second floor, they held hands as if it was the most natural thing to do.
"We could make a deal, you know," he said looking down at her. "Since I've shown you mine, you can show me yours...house that is."
Olivia gave him a sexy sidelong glance. "I'm sure I didn't want to see yours as badly as you'd like to see mine."
Fitz leaned down closer to her ear. "Give me a little time to change your mind."
She laughed. "Are you flirting with me, Fitzgerald Grant?"
He gave her that sexy, lopsided grin. "I certainly am, Olivia Pope. Is it working?"
"Maybe," she smiled up at him coyly, "but I think I should warn you, nothing's going to happen between us tonight."
"That's okay, Olivia. I was only hoping for dinner tonight," he said with a trace of humor.
She picked up on it, and smiled shyly.
Redirecting his thoughts, Fitz squeezed her hand.
"Come on, I want to show you my favorite room in the house."
X
With all the accolades that Fitz had received over his eleven year career, he could probably fill several rooms with trophies, awards, photos, etc. His favorite room would more than likely chronicle his entire career.
"It's right through here, he said, stepping back so she could enter.
The first thing she noticed was there was nothing in the room remotely related to sports. The room was lined with floor-to-ceiling built in bookshelves on opposite walls. The furnishings were not what she'd expected from a professional athlete. There were no trophies or pictures with celebs, framed newspaper or magazine covers.
There were pictures on the mantle. She recognized T.C. in one of them and assumed the others were family as well. If she was looking for a personal 'room of fame,' she'd come to the wrong place.
The room appeared lived in, a place where Fitz came to read and relax. There was a four piece chase sectional and two espresso colored overstuffed leather club chairs, and a massive raised hearth marble fireplace that took up a far wall.
Fitz walked over to the sectional and took a seat, watching Olivia as she made two complete turns, taking it all in. This room represented peace and tranquility. Having been in it for less than a minute, she was already relaxed.
"Your home is quite beautiful. Inviting even," she said, turning to face him.
"Your choices?" Olivia looked at Fitz and realized she was the object of his undivided attention. She watched as his eyes roamed her body in open admiration.
"Fitz?"
"I'm sorry, did you say something?" he asked.
"I asked if you decorated."
"Yes. I chose a lot of the furnishings, but I also had help."
"I have to be honest, when you said favorite room I was expecting life-size cutouts of you, framed jerseys, team memorabilia and televisions all over the place."
"You should have learned by now that just about all of your assumptions about me are incorrect."
Olivia nodded. "You're right."
Fitz reached out his hand to her, silently asking her to join him on the large sofa.
Completely relaxed from the wine, the dinner and man staring at her with his hand held out, Olivia walked over, took his hand and sank down beside him. He rested his arm along the back of the sofa, not touching her.
"You have no idea what it's like to constantly be in the spotlight. To constantly have your game performance dissected by everyone. There will be newspaper and magazine stories lifting you up one week, and tearing you down the next. It's an unbelievable way to live. This is where I come to escape it all. No television or music, nothing to remind me of what my life is like outside these four walls. It's where I find solace."
Olivia listened closely to Fitz's every word, hearing the true peace in them. "I've never looked at it that way before."
"During the season, every move I make is scrutinized, criticized or celebrated. The media and the fans can be unforgiving. This place reminds me that there is more to who I am than football."
He turned to Olivia and grinned. "Do you see how much you don't know about me?"
Olivia nodded. "Did you always want to play football?"
"No," he said. "I walked on freshman year. I'd played quarterback from middle school to my senior year of high school, and I didn't receive any athletic scholarship offers. So I decided I'd get my degree and go to work in the family business. That had always been the plan.
"Where did you go attend college," she asked, even though she already knew.
"Stanford. I was an economics major but I also decided to try out for the football team."
"What position did you want to play?"
Fitz chuckled. "Any position I could. My height and size also helped. I made the squad on special teams my first season. When the starting quarterback was injured in practice, and the back-up was placed on academic probation, I was given the chance."
He glanced at Olivia. "I guess you could say preparation met opportunity. My first start I threw three touchdowns and the rest, as they say, is history."
"Are you big for a quarterback?" She didn't know why she asked that question.
"I'm average height and weight."
"Well it's obviously worked for you."
"My parents thought playing college football was just a phase until the NFL scouts started showing up to watch me. They lost it when I declared for the draft after my senior year, and was drafted in the first round. I saw my father lose his temper for the first time. He threatened to withhold my trust fund until I turned thirty."
Olivia knew that even if Fitz wasn't a highly paid professional athlete, he'd still be a wealthy man.
"I called his bluff and signed a three year contract for an unheard of amount for a rookie quarterback. Meanwhile, my mother took to her bed, paralyzed with fear that I would be badly injured, or worse."
"Did they ever come around?"
Fitz nodded. "Yeah, we reached a compromise. They would respect my career choice, and they wouldn't pressure any of their children to join Grant North America. And I promised once I stopped playing ball, I would consider joining the company."
Olivia envied him. His parents supported his choice of a career, whereas her family never really tried.
"That's a good compromise."
"You win some and you lose some. For me, it was a win-win. But enough about me and football," he said.
"You are definitely not what I thought you were supposed to be."
"Is that good or bad?" he asked.
"After this evening, mostly good."
He nodded, smiling and gently playing with her fingers.
"I was way off base to think that you were a simple jock. You are quite the contrary, Fitzgerald Grant."
"Really?" he said, raising a brow in surprise. "I'd hoped that given the chance, I could change your opinion of me."
She looked into his eyes. "Well you've certainly done that."
Fitz stared at her lips. "Am I now worthy of at least one official date with you?"
Olivia watched as he leaned in a little closer, and her mind screamed for her to say something, anything. But she knew this was what she wanted. He pulled her closer and held her. When he stopped, she knew he was waiting on her to make the final decision. Deciding to stop fighting, she leaned in and placed her lips on his. Permission granted.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed her breast into his chest, and when he opened his mouth, she took full advantage, slipping her tongue inside. A moan escaped her throat and it only encouraged Fitz to kiss her harder and deeper. Stroking the nape of his neck, Olivia felt his arms move around her waist, rubbing her back, moving up and down, causing her body to move closer into him.
This man was awakening her long dormant sexual desire. Gone was the woman who always told herself to be careful and cautious. Gone was the woman who didn't make a move without thoroughly and meticulously weighing the pros and cons. And gone was the woman who believed that anything between her and Fitzgerald Grant would never happen.
In her place was a woman who couldn't care less about anything but this moment and this man. He had revealed parts of himself to her that shattered every preconceived notion she'd had of him since the first time they'd met. In her place was a woman who was suddenly hypersensitive, her emotions on serious overload. The touch, the feel and smell of him was driving her insane. As the kiss deepened, she couldn't find the strength to stop him, nor did she want to.
"I knew you would taste this good," he murmured against her lips. "So good."
"And I knew you would feel this good," she said, trying to speak without breaking contact with his mouth.
As the kiss continued, Olivia moved her small hands to his chest, massaging the hard muscles. By the moans coming from Fitz's throat, she knew she'd found one of his sensitive spots.
Abruptly, her hands were removed and he leaned back. The only sound in the room was her heavy breathing.
"We should stop," he said, "while we still can." He prayed that she didn't feel his stiffening erection.
Hearing his voice slowly brought Olivia out of a daze. Looking around as if she couldn't remember where she was, she nervously ran her fingers through her hair.
"I'll take that as a yes."
"What?" she asked, confused.
"My question about going on a date with me. By your response, I'll take that as a yes."
The hypocrisy of her refusal to go out with him slapped her in the face immediately. She could no longer say that she was not interested in Fitzgerald Grant, because it would be a bald-faced lie. Reaching up she smiled and stroked his cheek.
"That is a definite yes."
X
"I want you to call or text me as soon as you get home," Fitz said as he walked Olivia to her car. He had his arm around her shoulders while her arms hugged him around his waist.
"I will."
"So is Saturday okay for our date?" he asked.
She glanced up at him as they walked to the driver's door. "I'm available."
"Good. I have four days to come up with something that will impress you."
She wrinkled her nose. "We could just stay in."
The look of shock on his face surprised Olivia. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know. Most women like a night out on the town."
"I thought you'd learned by now, I'm not most women."
Fitz grinned down at her. "I can't believe I said that." He looked properly chastised.
Pulling her into his arms, she melted against him, arching her back and sinking into his embrace.
He looked down into her upturned face. "Damn you're beautiful," he said, rubbing his thumb over her bottom lip.
Olivia had never been comfortable accepting compliments about her looks, but coming from Fitz it felt different. Sincere. "Thank you."
He lowered his head and lips covered her mouth in a short kiss. "I'd been fighting the urge to kiss you ever since you arrived this evening. It felt good to let go." He pushed back the curtain of dark hair partially covering her face.
Olivia chuckled. "After all of the bad things I've said and thought about you, I can't believe that you still want to see me."
Was she kidding? He wanted to see her every day for the rest of his life.
"Well I do. Just look at it as starting over, with no presumptions."
She nodded.
He kissed her again and Olivia heard that voice. Careful girl!
She felt his lips brush across her brow just before they pulled apart. You could easily get used to this.
She caught her breath. Be careful.
Fitz stepped back and opened the car door. "I'll call you tomorrow." He smiled sheepishly. "I saved your number into my contacts as soon as you called today."
Olivia laughed, and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight, Fitz."
"Goodnight, Olivia. And don't forget to let me know that you made it home safely."
"I won't."
As Olivia drove down the long drive, a warning voice whispered in her ear to be her usual cautious self, but she ignored it and smiled at her decision to take a chance.
Maybe just this once she'd rely on what felt good. And being with Fitz felt great! Jo will be so proud.