Chapter 25
The heat radiating from Noelle's body was alarming Olivia. It was about 12 hours now, and the fever still had not broken, making for one sad little Noelle.
Despite the fever, Noelle still championed her way through a few games of Candyland with Liv and Fitz. Her eyes heavy, not from being tired, from her body trying to fight this viral infection. It broke Liv's heart to see her trying to smile, rather than it come naturally.
Liv sat now on the couch, fireplace crackling, and Noelle snuggled close to her body. They were watching her favorite show "Abigail's Big Adventures." Liv lost count if it was show number 2 or 3, but Noelle was content through it all and Liv wasn't going to disturb her.
At one point, Abigail turned to her mommy. "I am happy you're my mommy and you can come on this adventure with me." Abigail hugged her mom. Liv felt Noelle's arm go around her waist and her head droop to Liv's chest, as Noelle was losing her fight to sleep.
"I have Ovivia mommy now." Noelle snuggled her nose to Liv and her breathing got a bit heavy. Liv rested her head on Noelle's head, her arms wrapped around the young girl, and she thought of the amount of love she grew to have for Noelle.
"She's not wrong." Fitz came up from behind, kissing Liv on the head and rubbing her shoulders. He walked around and sat next to them, rubbing Noelle's hair from her forehead. "She's still warm." Fitz looked concerned.
"Give the medicine a little more time." Liv pulled Noelle close. She watched Fitz turn to the TV screen. "She loves Abigail, doesn't she?" Liv asked.
"Yeah, for about a year now. Tiffany told me it was Abigail that put the mommy thought into Noelle's thoughts. I'm glad she heard it while she's watching with you." Fitz smiled.
Liv bit her bottom lip. "Yeah, me too. This little munchkin stole my heart." Liv kissed her head, feeling the warmth.
"Let me bring her to her bedroom, if the fever doesn't break in a few more hours, I am going to call the doctor." Fitz stood up, taking Noelle's exhausted little body into his arms. Liv could tell Fitz was growing alarmed.
When he came back downstairs, Liv was just daydreaming into the fire from the fireplace. She felt the warmth now from his lips on hers as he lay down next to her on the couch, cuddling close to her.
They began to slowly kiss one another, as Liv's thoughts went to their time together coming to an end soon, and the kissing went deeper, not wanting it to end. She would tell him in her body language.
"So are you on board with it? Should I tell the layout team?" Harrison stood there waiting for an answer. "Liv, you with me?"
Liv blinked realizing she wasn't at the Inn anymore; she was in her office. Harrison was looking at her. Liv cleared her throat and looked down at her schedule. "Yeah, tell the team to go with the floral layout. Sorry, just lost my train of thought for a bit."
Harrison nodded. "When did you last see them?" Harrison knew his best friend too well.
"Two days ago." Liv sat back in her chair crossing her arms and spinning it to look at the skyline outside her window. "Feels like a month." She took a deep breath.
"He's been cleaning up Wall Street, Liv, have you seen the business news? What put him on this mission?"
Liv thought back to when he told her about his suicide attempt. Then, Randolph going through with his own put him on this mission. "Well, his business venture in the Bahamas went up in flames, so I'm sure he's rebuilding. He's doing it his way; he doesn't become as rich and powerful by getting defeated." Liv spun her chair back around.
Harrison had a seat now across from Liv. "That's some rock on your finger. Any talk about a wedding?" Harrison had a big smile.
"No, I don't think we are over the engagement yet." Liv looked at her finger remembering New Year's night. There was a new picture on the desk. It was the one with the three of them, and the word yes in lights in the sky behind them. "It just all happened so fast."
"Between getting bombarded here with work and Fitz over at Wall Street, I'm guessing the nights are late getting home." Harrison asked.
"Yes, I didn't get in until after midnight since I've been back and Fitz even later than that. I don't want to disturb Tiffany's routine with Noelle, so I'll wait for Fitz to be there. Being in the lonely penthouse just getting to me, I guess. At least we facetime and talk." Liv stopped, closing her eyes. "Anyway, the photo shoot. Are the clothes ready? Have we been in contact with Liam and his wife?" Liv waited.
Harrison pulled out his iPad. "We have the clothes arriving tomorrow, fittings at 4pm, and the photo shoot happening the day after from 9am until whenever." Harrison stopped and scrolled his iPad. "Wait, it says here." Harrison stopped again and looked at Liv. "Did you change this?"
Liv gave a laugh. "Yes, I changed it to Fitzgerald Grant: Rich, Well-Dressed Family Man. There will be just him, enter Noelle, then enter me."
"So you're going to be in the photos too? This is great. Aww, little Noelle, she's going to look beautiful in Mrs. Steven's girl's line collection. She's trying to launch that anyway."
"I know." Liv shook her head. "This is the perfect opportunity." Besides, this will put to rest any thoughts the women that see the layout may have of Fitz. He was taken and not on the market, so look, but no one better dare tries to touch. "Who's taking the pictures? Has Mr. Walters gotten back to you?"
"Not yet, still up in the air since Josh up and left for Variety."
"This could be interesting; still can't believe he did that over the holidays." Liv shrugged.
"Alright, I'm going to call the team back in to let them know of the changes. See you in fifteen, left conference room?" Harrison left.
Liv picked up her phone. "Got a minute to talk?", she texted Fitz, waiting for a response that came through a minute later.
"I have an hour to talk, but I'd much rather be holding your naked body in my arms while I do that." Fitz replied.
"Have you no shame Mr. Grant?" Liv answered. "Pick up your phone I'm calling you."
Liv gave it a minute so he could read his text and dialed the number. "I'll never have shame holding your naked body Livvie." Fitz's voice cut to her core, even through a phone.
Liv took a deep breath. "Still free tomorrow at 4 for the fitting?"
"All set up, 4pm fitting with you and Noelle, 9am the next day clear all that day." Fitz answered. "I miss you."
"I miss you too, Fitz." She put her head down. "How's Noelle?"
"Asking for you, sad that I'm working late nights again. What time do you get done today?"
"After my meeting in a minute, I should be finished in about an hour. Why?"
"I'm wrapping up here, I'll have Gil swing around and get you. Maybe we can have some time at your place before I relieve Tiffany tonight. Then you can come and have a sleep over. Noelle would love to wake up seeing you in the morning."
"Look forward to it. I'll text you when the meeting is over." She paused. "I love you Fitz." She took a deep breath.
"I love you." Liv heard some voices in the background then Fitz's voice. "No, we're selling that…" He stopped. "I'll see you later Livvie." Fitz's line went off and Liv shivered. Finally, some time with him later.
Before leaving for the meeting, Liv looked over to the corner of her office. If they could leave a little Christmas up at the Inn, she can do the same at her office. The tiny Christmas tree Fitz brought for her was still up, giving the office a small Christmas glow.
It would always be a time she cherishes, and Liv wasn't quite ready to let it go yet. She grabbed her laptop and a few sheets of paper. She gave her finger one last look, the diamond sparkling the colors of the Christmas tree lights and she left to meet her team waiting for her.
Marcus had no intentions of being back so soon, but honestly he was bored visiting his family. Once Fitz returned to the office and he watched the business news, Marcus couldn't sit back anymore.
Boris had cleared any suspicion about the fire. Unfortunately, the hired help Randolph had wasn't experienced at all. The fire was electrical, and any foul play was ruled out. Marcus knew Fitz would be on a mission to get the Bahamas project restarted. For the moment he couldn't blame Jenkings for this mishap, but down the line, Fitz will make sure he remembers Randolph's name.
Fitz had come in from his two weeks away and he was savage. He began with all of Randolph's companies that went bankrupt, purchasing them and keeping the ones he saw as profit.
Next, he went to his shares in the major companies he had, and he doubled them, using what he earned from the selloff of Randolph's now defunct ones. By the end of the first working day back, Fitz was in the clear to make 200 million dollars by the end of the week.
Marcus was having difficulty keeping up with everything, which was rare, but he had to work harder in one day than he had in his five years with Fitz. Marcus had to relay all the sales, all the buys, everything in between, and more to the runners. They had to give it all to the financial teams, this was relentless.
When they both looked at the clock, his first day back, Fitz had worked clear into 2 in the morning. Marcus swore, but wouldn't dare say it, Fitz must have forgotten he was an engaged man, because he hadn't even called Olivia.
Marcus was the one Fitz had yelled to when he was on the phone with Olivia. There was a company that Fitz put on the maybe block, and when Marcus was going to keep it, that's when Fitz told him to sell it.
After he hung up the phone, Marcus nodded to it. "Was that Olivia?"
Fitz sat back down at his desk. He rubbed his face with both his hands. "Yeah." His hands went back behind his head and interlocked. He leaned back far in the leather chair, and just gave a rocking motion, his eyes closed.
He went back to the night at the Inn when Noelle's fever finally broke. He was just about ready to call the doctor and take her in. After amazing love making on the couch in front of the blazing fire, Liv fell asleep, resting in his arms.
He had taken a deep breath just watching her. The way she had taken care of Noelle, getting her from Meggy, giving her medicine, playing with her, holding her, just all of the above, and Fitz couldn't wait for them to be a family.
If he could just get things back on track here, he could slow it down a bit and begin normal hours again. Then there was the living situation. What was going to happen? Would Liv move in with them? Would they move in with her? Would they move away to a new place?
"Fitz, so it's a go?" Fitz opened his eyes to Marcus's voice. He looked over at the hanging picture, the same one Liv had on his desk, only his was bigger and hanging in his office.
The string of colorful Christmas lights outlined the frame and the glow from them made him smile. "Yes, it's a go, sell that one, and end it for the day. I have to go on a date with my fiancé."
"You got it, I'll take it from here." Marcus went to leave.
"One more thing. Thank you for coming back early, I know what you witnessed wasn't pretty, I appreciate your hard work and if you need more time, you say the word." Fitz looked at Marcus.
"I will. It was rough, but Randolph was in a bad place. You taught me enough that when it gets too rough to slow it down. I won't take that for granted. You go and enjoy your time with Olivia, with Noelle. You're working from home tomorrow, correct?"
"In the morning, I'll check in around 10 a.m. until about 3. Then I'm off limits until Friday."
Once Marcus left, Fitz made several phone calls. One phone call was to Jay. His trip to California was scheduled for a week from today and he wanted to be sure Jay had all the necessary paperwork to take over the building.
"Just got off the phone with David Rosen, everything is set. I can't believe I'm going to be a business owner in California. How is Noelle doing?" Jay asked.
"Had a bit of scare with her fever last week, but overall doing well now. We'll head out next month and check on some preschools with her. I may try to convince Tiffany to stay on as a private tutor and caretaker."
"Ahh, daddy doesn't want to let go." Jay laughed.
"No, just until the future is set with Liv. Don't know about living arrangements yet, and well, you know things moved fast, so it's still something we need to work out. If we do look at schools, I'd like you to check it out too."
"Thanks, but you know you're her father, I trust your judgement. I know you feel obligated because of Jaqui, but she would feel the same." He tried to get the guilt of Fitz not knowing about the pregnancy out.
"I know, well, you let me know if there's anything you need before your trip, hope it goes well."
The next call was to Noelle and Tiffany. He told Tiffany he should be earlier than he had been the passed few nights, just wasn't sure what time. When Noelle got on the phone, he heard the anticipation in her voice.
"Will I see you later Daddy?"
"You may be asleep, but we'll have the morning and a surprise tomorrow."
"With Ovivia mommy?" Noelle asked.
"Hmm, maybe, you know it's a surprise."
"Yay, Ovivia mommy sleep over." Noelle said.
"Wait, hey, Noelle, I didn't." Tiffany got back on the phone.
"She dropped the phone and danced to her room. I'll see you later Mr. Grant."
He had another mission, making sure Liv was waking up in his condo tomorrow. He better not exhaust her too much tonight at her place. With the fittings tomorrow, they could both sleep in late. He stood up and looked at his reflection in the window. "Not a chance. Unfortunately for Liv, it will be exhausting." He made one more phone call to Gil.
Liv was a bit disappointed when Gil got out and opened the car door, without Fitz being inside. In fact, if Fitz was in the car, he would have opened the door himself. "Fitz isn't with you?"
"No Ms. Pope." Gil nodded at her getting in. "Sent me and said he'll see you soon." Gil shrugged.
Fabian's smile when he saw Olivia was contagious and Olivia smiled back. "Good to see you Ms. Pope, welcome home." Fabian hadn't seen Liv since before the holidays.
"Thank you, Happy New Year, how is Ally?"
"Good, thank you very much. I hear congratulations are in store for you." Fabian nodded at Liv's finger with the ring.
"Yes, thank you, I'm sure your little friend spread the news."
"Yes Ma'am, said right to me. Ovivia is my mommy and daddy is going to marry her. She was returning from a grocery store run with Tiffany yesterday. I am so happy for both of you. Have a good night, Ms. Pope."
Liv took a deep breath in the elevator. She stared at the number 8 so tempted to push it just to give Noelle a hug, but Noelle wouldn't want her to leave. She would wake up Liv in the morning, and they could spend a few hours together before going for their fittings. Reluctantly she pushed the P and headed up to the penthouse. She wondered why Fitz had not called.
Perhaps he was in a meeting, and it just went over time. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she missed him so much. She rubbed her neck and thought of taking a brief nap before Fitz arrived.
Before the elevator made it to the floor, she typed a quick text. "Hey Mister, thought you would be in the car when Gil got me. Hope everything is ok, and I'll be in your arms soon." She hit send and was standing at her door.
The lights Fitz had outlined her number with were still there. Truth be told, her whole condo was still decorated. She hadn't had the time to take anything down. Walking into her place one would think it was December and not the middle of January.
Her finger outlined the lights as she turned her key and she walked right into the arms of Fitz, who pulled her close to him and buried her in a hug. Liv let the door close and just took in his smell.
The smell of Creed that she missed so much overtaking her and she wrapped her arms around him, her head buried into his chest. She looked up at him and their lips met immediately. "How I've missed you." She said as her face now went to the crook of his neck.
"I figured you would want something to eat, so." Fitz pointed to the table. "I got some things and cooked up some chicken alfredo. Hope you're hungry."
Liv tilted her head towards the candlelit table. Her hand rubbed his face. "You cooked? You worked all day, and you came here and cooked?"
"Well, I went to see Noelle for a bit. I told her I was leaving to go get you from work, but it would be late, so she had to sleep and hope you would be there in the morning."
"I'm glad you had some time with Noelle first. Fitz, this smells and looks amazing." Liv sat as he held the chair out for her.
With one hand, she ate, fed him some chicken, leaned in kissing him every so often, and he did the same. Their other hand, interlocked together with the occasional rub of the top of each.
"Work has been exhausting. We're catching up on the layouts, meetings galore with all the committees. As much as I enjoyed our two weeks, the work sure did pile up. How's your days?" Her forehead met his.
"Nonstop. Randolph's companies, the companies we already have, the following of the market." Fitz stopped. "It's been a few days." He rubbed her shoulder. "The fire wasn't Jenkings." Fitz seemed annoyed.
"That's good, right?" Liv shrugged. "I mean not the fire, but that it wasn't him."
"I don't know. Just wasn't right what he caused Randolph to go through." He leaned in and gave her a small kiss.
That kiss didn't stop and they both decided they were finished eating, standing up in a deeper kiss together. Not letting up on one another, Fitz lifted her, walking her to the bedroom.
Liv was now lying in the bed, waiting for the man she's missed for the passed few nights. As tired as her body was, it came alive when she saw him walking naked towards the bed. She gave a moan of anticipation as he slowly made his way down to the bed towards her.
She opened her arms and wrapped him up in them, as they continued their kissing where they left off. His hand going over her breasts, then down to her stomach, rubbing around, then back up again.
"Livvie," he heard her breathing, "tell me what I'm doing to you."
"Uh, you're making me so weak Fitz. So, fucking weak." She tilted his head towards her and buried her lips back on to his.
His hand made its way down and his finger slightly touched her clit, making her bottom arch in want and need for him. "What is it Livvie, tell me."
"You're touching my clit, please, don't stop…" Then her head went to the right, as her eyes closed tightly.
"What now, Livvie, walk me through it, tell me what I'm doing." His mouth was full now, engulfed with her breast, as his tongue circled her hardened nipple, and he felt the touch he loved so much. Her hand began to rub his hair, and it was the cue that she wasn't in control anymore.
"You're." She had to stop and take a hard swallow. "You're sucking my breast, tongue, your tongue is…." Again, deep breath, a rub and slight pull of his hair, "the tip of your tongue is going…" her head arched back, because now with his tongue circling her nipple, his finger began to circle the top of her clit.
"I'm waiting to hear." He stopped for a moment to get the words out. "Tell me Livvie."
"Going around my nipple and your finger, oh God, your finger…" Liv's hand went down to his and he gently pushed it away.
Her hand fell to the side as her other hand still pulled at his hair, trying desperately not to come, she continued. "Your finger is going down now, down the clit….Fitz..I"
He looked up at her. She could feel his breath now on her lips and she opened her eyes. He was above her and he smiled. "Go on, you were saying?"
A big moan came out rather than words and her mouth opened slightly. "Your fingers, two of them…just went inside….." and Liv moved her hips in rhythm with his fingers.
She couldn't get the words out, and his fingers came out, and circled the top of her clit again with her own juices. "Fitz, I'm going to…."
Fitz felt her hips stop and her body tense. "What, Livvie?" He stopped everything and she looked at him.
"Fitz, no, please, don't stop."
"Say it, what are you going to do?" His finger went to where he left off and she got back into the motion again.
"Come", her body stiffened, 'I'm going to…" As her body felt the pleasuring jolt of a hard, long orgasm, Fitz's lips went down on hers, pushing his tongue in her mouth, continuing with his finger to circle her clit and feel her body just go limp under him.
Even the kiss was all his doing, she had no strength to kiss back, and her lips just went with his. When Fitz felt her heart rate slow down and her hand rest on the back of his neck, no longer pulling at his hair, he stopped.
Her arms now wrapped around his shoulder blades. "The things you do to me Fitz, to my body." She rested on his shoulder. "It was even hotter when you made me talk through it."
"Yeah?" He looked at her, his erection throbbing, screaming at him to do something to satisfy it. He guided it to her wet awaiting entrance and stopped just before he entered her.
He moved it around a bit, as he felt her legs come up bending her knees as another sign of weakness. "What is it now Livvie?"
"Put it in Fitz, please, just…" She arched her head back again, her hands now interlocked on the back of his neck as she tried to take him in herself.
"First tell me what you're feeling."
Two can play this game. She pulled his ear right to her lips. She gave it a quick lick, circling it around, and Fitz's head tilted with a moan.
"I feel that big cock, Fitz. It wants in me, so why are you denying it." She whispered it, hard, in his ear, and his head fell in weakness. She knows how he gets when she whispers in his ear.
"This may get a bit rough, Livvie, you ready."
"Give me all you got, Mister." Her teeth bit softly down on his ear, then to his earlobe, and he entered her with one long, hard thrust.
"Ahh," his head went back, then came forward again and he pushed harder into her. His hand now went to the back of her neck, and he relentlessly gave into what his body wanted, what he needed, the need to be inside her.
His hips just kept going, harder and harder into her, Liv's eyes closed and her hands now just above her backside as if she was showing him the way.
He could feel her walls close, her already wet entrance becoming wetter, and her body, almost all of it, arched up. His hand went under her back, and he held her, right there, and continued to pump into the woman he loves.
"Livvie" out of breath words coming from him, "tell me, so I can tell you."
"I'm coming…" a slight moaning scream. "Again." Her body arched up while he still held her back in his hand.
"So. Am. I". Fitz gave a final, hard thrust, and emptied into her, placing her body back down on the bed, and resting his head just below her breasts. Her hands found their way to his hair again and she just rubbed it softly, breathing still a bit heavily as she tried to come down from the powerful orgasms he caused her body to have.
Fitz now put his forehead on her chest and gently kissed her in between her breasts. He rubbed his hand on her face. "Are you okay, Livvie?"
He felt her nod, no strength to talk and her eyes closed. "No, Livvie, don't go to sleep just yet. We'll sleep downstairs."
"Mmm," she moaned, "just a few minutes, please."
He grabbed his under shirt and sat her up. Her head went to his chest, exhausted, and he put his shirt over her. It went down to her knees as he stood her up, sliding her panties under it.
Liv reluctantly woke up, trying hard to stay standing, and Fitz got decent enough to go. He grabbed both their phones and began a slow movement towards the door.
He pulled her close to his body with his one arm as her head rested on him, and they went on the short ride on the elevator.
Fitz wasn't a praying man, but he prayed no one would get on the that elevator from the Penthouse floor to the 8th floor and boy did the praying work.
Expecting Noelle to be asleep and Tiffany close to it on the couch, he opened the door to quite the opposite. Noelle jumped off the couch and ran to them as they walked in. If Liv ever had to gain energy back in a hot second, now was the time.
Noelle threw her arms around her, "Ovivia mommy, I was excited to see you."
"Sorry, Mr. Grant, I was trying to get her to sleep but she was anticipating Olivia sleeping over."
"It's fine, Tiffany, really. I've called Gil, he's waiting downstairs. We'll see you on Friday. Thank you for everything today."
"Sure thing." She looked at Liv and gave her an unexpected hug. "Congratulations Olivia, I've never seen this guy so happy." She ruffled Noelle's hair. "See you Friday kid."
Liv picked Noelle up and walked her to the bedroom. "It's very late, Noelle."
"Uni book?" Noelle's pleading eyes looked at her.
"But not too late for a book." Liv let Noelle climb into her arms, and rest her head back on her chest, giving into Noelee's request.
"I missed you Ovivia mommy. You stay now right, you're mommy." Noelle wanted her Ovivia to live with them.
Liv kissed the top of Noelle's head. "Soon, baby girl, soon." Before Liv passed the first page of the book, Noelle was out.
Fitz walked in, giving his daughter a kiss on her forehead and putting UNI in her arms, he lifted her out of Liv's arms, and placed her gently on the pillow. "Love you, two L's."
After a quick shower, they were finally down for the night. Fitz looked at Liv who was deep in thought. "Everything ok?"
Liv nodded, "we don't have a photographer yet. The one originally scheduled up and left the company during the holidays. I was counting on him, he's the best." Liv turned and looked at Fitz. "I want my guy to look the best."
"Oh, no more jealousy of all the women who will see your guy?"
"No, because they're going to see him with his family who loves him."
He gave her cheek a small kiss. "And he loves them back, more than the world."
"Nothing to make me jealous anymore. Let them all look, because they can't touch and you're all mine, Mister." Liv bit her bottom lip and began kissing him.
"I'm glad you've matured over all that jealousy; it wasn't becoming of you." Fitz laughed back into the kiss.
"Oh, what about all the men going to see me in the V-neck dress I'll have on, the one that shows all the…'
"Whoa! No way, stop there, V-neck? Isn't there a more conservative for a family shoot?" Liv could see Fitz's cheeks turning red.
"Gotcha Mister, where's that maturity." Liv laughed now into the kiss.
Her head rested now on his chest, his gentle rubbing of her shoulder causing her eyes to get heavy, her comfortable state to get ready to fall asleep.
"I noticed Christmas is still up in your place. Reminded me of when we first…you know." Fitz took a deep breath.
Liv wrapped her arm around his waist now, cuddling close to her body. "Mmm, it's a time in my life, I never want to forget." Her head finally fell heavy, and she fell soundly asleep in Fitz's arms, not hearing the words he spoke next.
"Have you given any thoughts to our living arrangements?" He couldn't remember saying it, as he was slowly falling into his own much needed sleep. He'd get an answer soon enough.
While all three slept quietly, Liv's phone lit up with a text message sure to make her jealousy come back instantly.
"Hot off the presses Liv, Ellen Corvina is coming in from LA, she's the photographer Mr. Walters hired. I wasn't going to call you with this news, and I hope you're sleeping already."
When Harrison didn't get a text back, he gave a sigh of relief. It's one thing Ellen and Liv couldn't be in a room together at the LA offices, it's going to get quite interesting when Ellen is touching Fitz throughout the photo shoot to position him.
Harrison rubbed his face with a deep breath. For now, he'll sleep, but tomorrow he'll expect his phone to ring and a Liv of old may be back. At least she wouldn't be in the office for others to see her anger.