Chapter 28

As usual his girlfriend looked stunning tonight. Fitz did a double take as she walked toward him. Her smile was directed to and for him. The love in her eyes was shining brightly. It made his heart soar. He smiled back as she continued walking toward him. She walked with such grace and poise. At times she strutted like a model on a runway. When she wore heels with than strut, she was damn near irresistible. He could watch her ass sashay all day, every day!

"Dammit girl, you are so fine. That dress was made for you. Red is definitely another one of your colors. You are matching my shirt and tie. People will think we coordinated this look when in fact, it was off the cuff. I'm so proud to be escorting you out tonight, Lady Olivia. You look lovely. I'll have to be on guard. Hearts will be broken tonight when they realize you are taken."

"You cut an extraordinary rug yourself, Sir Fitz. I may have to exert the evil eye tonight to warn others that you too are taken. You might say red is your color. Whatever made you choose it? It intensifies your blue eyes. I can only imagine the effect should your eye color change to gray. Humans of the female persuasion would be falling at your feet! You look very handsome tonight."

"From the moment you purchased that dress today I've had images of you in it. They were crystal clear. You were wearing that dress, those shoes, and some stunning jewelry. I was pulling out a seat for you at the dinner table. It was a vision that I saw days ago. Our connection from day one has been uncanny. The fact that we both can see glimpses of our future is amazing to me. We are meant to be Olivia, without a doubt."

"Without a doubt. I haven't seen that particular vision but I have seen one recently of us as well. It was lovely but our clothing choice wasn't similar. Odd that we're having visions here at Christmas." Olivia saw no need to tell her boyfriend that they had no clothing on at all in her vision. The two of them were writhing in passion on a bed. The thought of it was making her damp. The heat between them was already sizzling enough! They were on their way out to meet some of his friends. Telling Fitz of her vision could throw a wrench into the best laid plans!

"Would you zip up my dress and fasten my choker Fitz? It will complete my ensemble. I love this thing. It's so fabulous. Rubies and diamonds. Thanks for buying it for me."

"It's a stunning piece. You have the perfect slender neck for it. Promise me you will wear it for me one day and nothing else."

"I promise." Olivia smiled a secret smile to herself. In her vision she didn't have on a stitch of clothing. However, there was a diamond and ruby choker around her neck. "Shall we go?"

"Grant, a party of six."

"Good evening, Mr. Grant. If you will follow me. Two members of your party have already arrived."

Damien Hostler and his wife were already seated at the table. He stood to shake Fitz' hand and acknowledge their arrival. Friends since they were sixteen, he and Fitz remained extremely close. He was anxious to see the woman that had captured Fitz' heart. A house plant would have been a step up from Margot Lily. Thank God Fitz had ditched that horrendous woman! Damien had turned just as Fitz and his girlfriend rounded the corner. Good God! His friend had finally seen the light. Fitz had been right. He had gone to the Caribbean on holiday and returned with a Nubian queen! His girlfriend was a raving beauty. She was almost as beautiful as his Christy. He rose from his seat and greeted his lifelong friend with a knowing smile. Fitz had gone there and he would never go back!

"Good to see you man. Damien and Christine Hostler, this is my girlfriend, Olivia Pope. She's out here visiting me for the holiday. I'm so glad you were able to join us. I wanted you to meet her. You look ravishing as usual Christy, lovely to see you again."

Damien had met Christine Jackson on the UCLA campus. She was working on her doctorate and he was part of a business seminar. She had stayed after the last presentation for the question-and-answer session. He was part of the panel. His heart had literally jumped from his chest when he saw her! She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He had pursued her until he "caught" her. They became exclusive and dated a couple of years before he proposed.

Now more than ten years later and three children, they were still very much in love. Olivia smiled to herself upon meeting the Hostlers. Fitz had told her their story and how Damien was uncertain how to approach the young beautiful Black woman. She had rebuffed his overtures outright declaring she didn't date white guys! Time and time again, she said no. Somehow, he had changed her mind.

They weren't in a totally private area but they were in the "PWM" section, the people with money section. Their server, Jacques knew Fitzgerald Grant by name. He and his family had been coming here for years.

Damien and his wife were sitting opposite of each other. Fitz pulled a chair out for Olivia next to Christy. Right away they engaged in polite and interesting conversation as they waited for the third couple. The table for six was lavish in its décor. Bouchon's was a top-of-the-line French-American establishment with notable flair. Known for its excellent wines made right in California wine country, the restaurant's menu was also banging. Along with its excellent wine was a gamut of local farm fresh vegetables and high-quality meats. Top chefs incorporated that into a five-star menu and restaurant. The downtown ambience was special as well.

"I feel like I already know you, Olivia. Fitz has spoken of you so much over these last months. Everything has been positive. Not to mention the fact that he's head over hills in love with you. I knew when Cupid's arrow actually struck him it was going to strike hard."

"Damien, stop ribbing Fitz. I should warn you Olivia. These two are incorrigible at times, acting little better than teenagers. They have been best friends since high school. When Fitz moved to the East Coast, I thought this one would die. For a hot minute I thought we would be moving East ourselves. As Damien said we have heard a lot about you, all good. I imagine Fitz is very happy to have you here for the holidays. And please call me Christy."

"I'm very glad to be here. So far everything has been wonderful. I could easily fall in love with California. Some things about it reminds me of my Caribbean Island. Mostly It's the people though. They have a certain aloofness to them but they are actually very friendly. And of course, the Grants are the most special people. How could they not be, to have produced a son such as Fitz."

"I understand you had my friend Fitz shopping on Rodeo Drive today. That's one for the history books Olivia. Fitz hates shopping! How did you pull that off?"

"Well, Fitz asked if I wanted to go shopping and I said yes."

There were peals of laughter behind that answer. Lance and his wife arrived during the table's period of resounding laughter. "Hi everyone. What's so funny? Sorry we're late. An accident held us up. Good evening, Olivia, I recognize you from the description of you Fitz texted me the night he met you. The boy was struck hard. I'm the third member of this trio, Lance Davidson and this beautiful woman beside me is my wife, Kimberly."

"So pleased to meet you Lance and Kimberly."

"If you can believe it Lance. Fitz has been shopping all day. For more than six hours it seems. Is that not the signs of a man in love?"

Olivia spoke up again. "I think it is Damien. Fitz was an excellent helper and shopper. I can't imagine he would've done as he did today if he didn't love me. It was a perfect shopping day. I've never experienced anything so grand and loving."

"To be sure, I do love you, immensely. And it was a very perfect day, Olivia. One of the best of my life."

"You two lovebirds are very inspiring. I'm so happy that you found each other. Yours is a remarkable love story."

"Yes, it is. I'll have to tell you more about it. Let get Jacques' attention and get dinner rolling. Olivia and I last ate around eight this morning."

"I guess we aren't the only ones' starving then? We took the kids to Game Palace today. Now that was a fun-filled three hours. Christy had the two girls, while I had had DJ. We had lunch there and needless to say. The food sucked. The kids loved it."

"Sounds like a fun day. How many kids do you have Damien?"

"We have three. Two girls and a son. Ages seven, five, and three. If I'm in town we always plan a family day once a week with the kids. They are a hand full but they have the best mother in the world."

"Goodness, you have three kids! I imagine your days are quite busy. Are you a stay-at-home mom Christy, or do you work?"

"I gave up working when I got pregnant with my first one. I had a difficult pregnancy and I just never went back. I was a teaching assistant at UCLA when I met Damien. I had just entered into a doctorate program. Two years later we were married. Wouldn't you know it, I became pregnant right away. Because of the difficult pregnancy I was on complete bed rest for months. I ended up dropping out of the program. I did however get back into the game and completed my doctorate. However, I'm not ready to leave my babies just yet. I loved teaching and I may eventually get back into it."

"I can't wait to meet your little ones. Fitz has told me he is a doting "uncle."

"This is true. He's a wonderful godfather to the kids. They love their Uncle Fitz!"

"What about you Kimberly? Are you a mom as well?"

"Not yet. I'm too career oriented for kids right now. Maybe before I reach forty, we will reconsider. Our lives are much too busy for children. Like Fitz, Lance dotes on Damien and Christy's kids as well as our nieces and nephews. I understand you are a doctor, Olivia. What could be more rewarding and exciting than that?"

"Actually Kimberly, I won't be a doctor until the end of May when I graduate Med School. I will receive the title of Doctor but my training will continue for many years to come. I'm pretty stoked about it."

"I bet you are. What a noble profession. And Harvard trained, that will be some resume. I'm currently in public relations at Warner Brothers."

"Actually, Kim is being modest and not throwing around her title. She's a corporate Vice-President and one of the head honchos over at Warner. My wife is quite the business woman. I'm very proud of her."

"You all have such interesting lives. Between the stimulating company, the excellent conversation, and the aromas coming from the kitchen; I can tell this is going to be a night remember. You have excelled once again, my valiant knight."

Fitz reached across the table and took her hand. As he often did, he entwined them. Then he brought their joined hands to his lips. His eyes were trained on Olivia. He was hopelessly in love with her. "To make your life interesting and stimulating is my most fervent goal in this life, Lady Olivia. I promise this night is going to get better and better."

For a few moments the lovers forgot that they weren't alone. Heat and sparks were flying all over the place. They had eyes only for each other. The other couples could easily see that Fitzgerald Grant and Olivia Pope were deeply in love. Hopefully there was going to be a dinner served before the two of them combusted at the table! Luckily their server appeared with his assistant to take their beverage orders.

"Good evening, Jacques. We are a little hungry so let's get started. The lady and I will have some water for starters. I'd also like a scotch on the rocks, please. Guys, ladies, what are you drinking? Would you be so kind as to have the Sommelier come to the table? I want some vintage bottles of wine from cellar." Her boyfriend was using some English but he was mostly speaking to the server in perfect French.

Damien interjected, "Fitz and the manager aka the Sommelier here are friends as well. He's the owner's son. The owner is a great friend of Mr. & Mrs. Grant. When they dined here back in the day, Fitz and Bobby were in the back creating mischief."

"Actually, we were in the back having dinner. Afterwards we did sort of have fun-filled nights until my parents finished their meal. I started out eating with my parents until I found out there was another ten-year-old in the back as hyped up about video games as I was."

"Fitz, I heard you had gotten here. I saw your name on the reservation list. I assigned your favorite server to your table. Has everything been satisfactory so far?"

"Hi Bobby. Everything is great. We have all finally arrived. If you have a minute, I'd like to introduce you to someone very special."

"You know I always have time for special friends. Since I know everyone at the table but the lovely lady beside you, this must be Olivia. You are vision, just as Fitz described you. Pleased to meet you. I'm Robert Mangliere. Fitz and I go way back to when we were kids regulated to eating back in the kitchen. I love this guy."

"Then we have a lot in common. Pleased to meet you, Robert."

"You must call me Bobby. Have you made your dinner selections yet, Fitz? Chef Monty is on fire tonight! Everything is delicious. May I recommend the duck or the lamb. The sea bass is also delectable. So great to see all of you back. Again, so good to meet you, Olivia. So, what do you need my friend?"

"We have placed our drink orders. I wanted some of your best red and white wines brought up from the cellar. I'm thinking a bottle of Mongerard-Mugunet and Chateaus Larcis Ducasse? Unless you have better suggestions Bobby.

"Excellent choices. I'll see to it right away. Anything else you need?"

"No, you're the expert. I figured with both a red and white we couldn't go wrong."

"Brilliant deduction, my friend. Enjoy your meal."

The group made their dinner selections after a brilliant presentation of the night's culinary fare from their server. Fitz and Olivia chose the char-grilled rack of lamb and pan-seared sea bass respectively. They both started out with the French onion soup. It was to die for! Olivia could honestly say she had never had any better. A salad liberally filled with figs, walnuts, and hickory-smoked bacon on a bed of field greens paired with a champagne vinaigrette was divine. Olivia was afraid when her entrée arrived, she wouldn't be able to eat a bite!

The talk was lively at the table as they ate their meals and became better acquainted. Everyone at the table was around Fitz' age but Olivia seemed to fit in well with the different conversations. Fitz was enjoying the company of two of his best friends. Their wives genuinely seemed to enjoy the company of his girlfriend. He was glad because Olivia was it. He only had a small circle of "friends" and his path was clear. He intended to marry Olivia Pope.

Fitz knew Olivia would be close to her limit once her entrée arrived. She ate but she didn't eat much. She had thoroughly enjoyed her soup and salad, leaving little in the bowl and on the plate. She ended up eating a small portion of the fish and the broccolini on the plate and she was done. The ladies and the men continued to talk and Olivia continued to learn more about them.

The lamb was delicious. Fitz was hungry and so were the other men. They had consumed their various entrees completely. Apparently, they liked a good wine as well. They were into another round of the expensive vinos. Olivia loved good wine and both of them were delicious. She favored the red.

The server came out with the dessert tray and Olivia couldn't believe her eyes. What a gorgeous presentation of sweets. She was full and couldn't eat another bite. Christy and Kimberly apparently weren't full. They ordered dessert and so did all of the men.

No one at the table had an ounce of fat between them. They all apparently took great care of their bodies. She knew that Fitz took great care of his and he ate what he wanted. That body, his body was perfect. The chest lightly sprinkled with hair, that six-pack, the infamous vee, that navel, with a thin line of hair leading directly to… At that moment a vision flashed through her head. He was behind her, his body plowing into hers. She was braced against the shower wall. His powerful thrusts flattening her breasts against the bathroom tiles. Her breathing quickened. She quickly closed her eyes to pull her from the vision. She needed to concentrate on something else. There, she had vanquished the vision. She opened her eyes to see the stormy gray eyes of her boyfriend watching her. The way he was smiling at her. His eyes, they were gray. He knew! He had been there with her. Olivia picked up her glass and polished off another glass of the delicious wine.

Finally, the meal and the night were over. It had been a fun evening. Olivia was delighted with Fitz' friends. They appeared to be fine gentlemen and they cared about Fitz. Their wives were very nice and seemed to accept her as Fitz' significant other. She wondered how they had gotten along with Margo. Both of the ladies seemed perfectly matched to their men. The fact that they were in long standing relationships comforted Olivia. That was what she wanted with Fitz.

The couples said goodnight and hoped to get together again before Olivia and Fitz headed back East. Fitz had shared with the group that he and Olivia were basically moving in together. He would be commuting for a while as Olivia went into the next phase of her medical career. They were all pulling for them to make the transition and remain a loving couple. Olivia thought they would be fine. They loved each other which was more than half of any battle they would face.

During the ride home Olivia was talkative. Did Fitz' friend like her? Fitz assured her that they liked her. What was there not to like? Olivia believed the evening had gone well. Fitz had remarkable friends with dynamic wives. She had thoroughly enjoyed the evening. She really did hope to see them again before she left. Fitz had promised her that she would. Olivia knew she wasn't drunk but she definitely had a notable buzz. And she was definitely sleepy!

The fact that she'd had several glasses of the delicious wine had no doubt added to her exhaustion from a day of shopping. No sooner had they started the ride home, Olivia had dozed off. Only this time she was cradled securely in his arms. His sleeping beauty was out for the count. She had mentioned once they were home, they would have to find a way to work off all of the calories they had eaten tonight. Fitz was more than agreeable to that at the time. The vision he'd had at the table had left wanting her badly. That was before he could see how exhausted Olivia really was. When they arrived home, they were going to bed, and they were going to sleep. He realized he was tired too. There was nothing in their rule book that required lovemaking every night.

"Wake up sleepy head. We're home." They exited the car and made the walk to the west wing again hand in hand. Olivia was yawning out loud. It was obvious she was tired. They were let inside by whoever was on duty tonight. Olivia was learning names so she singled the security agent out and wished him a goodnight. Her mind though was on something else. Why was she so sleepy? She turned to Fitz as soon as he bolted the door.

"I'm not adjusting well to this jet lag Fitz. You told me it could take me a couple of days to get into rhythm and I guess you are right. I must still be on East coast time. It was such a wonderful evening. I enjoyed every minute of it but I'm tired as can be. I've shopped for twelve hours and then gone out to dinner and never have I been this tired."

"It's the jet lag combined with your five glasses of wine. You're buzzed my darling Livvy. And you're bone tired. I haven't really given you time to adjust and I'm sorry about that. This is your first time in another time zone and you've been on a constant run. Not to mention all of our extra curricula activities. We need to pipe it down Olivia and give your body a chance to adjust. There's nothing planned for the next several days. We are going chill out for a few days here at the mansion."

"I'm sure I'll love that Fitz but I love the way we conclude our evenings. Especially since it usually involves you being inside me." Olivia a little buzzed lost most of her inhibitions.

"Olivia, you can't talk like that and things go the way I have them planned right now. That type of talk needs to stop. No more talk about me being inside of you, please!"

"We aren't going to finish our evening in flagrante delicto? You aren't going to make love to me? I thought you wanted to. I thought I wanted to. It's a natural progression with you and me. I love having sex with you."

"I'm always happy to be with you Olivia. Having sex with you is wonderful every single time, but we are going to pass tonight. I'm going to massage your feet and legs and we're going to bed. To sleep I might add. You've had an exhausting day. I knew it and I could see it. I had that dinner planned for weeks or I would've canceled it. Come on let's get you ready for bed."

"I will admit I'm tired Fitz and a little buzzed. Too tired for sex? I don't think so. I like having sex with you, a whole whopping lot. It's not a bad thing that I like it so much is it? My only point of reference has been Darcy and she can go on a tear where she says she wants it every day and then she can ignore the urge for months. I've read up on the subject and it could simply be that because it's all new to me and so wonderfully good; that I simply crave it. To be blunt Fitz, I crave you and your big dick and the things you do to me."

Okay, Fitz could feel his dick doing the happy dance. He was serious though. It had just dawned on him that she needed to make an adjustment. Olivia was falling asleep on a dime because she was still on east coast time. He would see to her getting some rest over the next couple of days. This thing of trying to do and show her California in a few days was too much. They would have a lifetime for that.

They would definitely go to Dad's event and the reception, everything else that was on his list was tabled for now. No, he didn't intend to forgo sex for the rest of the trip. That wasn't happening but he could curb things a little. Like right now. He was going to have let his "big dick" know that tonight's plans had been canceled.

"Come here Sweet Baby. No more talk about sex, okay? You will get a foot and leg massage and its nighty night for you. I insist."

"I am very tired but…"

"No buts Olivia Pope. Get into something comfortable and I'll meet you in the den in ten minutes. Okay?

"Okay."

There was a portable foot spa that his father used when his mother came home from long film shoots tired with her lower extremities aching. She had rarely done her own stunts. However, sometimes she did. In most of her films she was the star and in every scene. Now as a renowned director she rarely did more than sit in a chair. She was on scene and on set in her actors faces bringing out the best in them.

To this day her father performed the ritual of masseuse for his wife after a grueling day. His father had always pampered his mother and she had loved it. Jerry Grant would sit at her feet and worship her. He had wanted her to know how much he had missed her and loved her. Fitz often got to watch a lot of it as a child. He had even gotten to help. He had never forgotten his father playing masseuse. He wouldn't be nearly as adept as his father but he was going to try.

When Olivia came out of the bedroom, she looked delectable. Her face had been scrubbed of the little make-up that she wore. Her hair was hanging loose on her shoulders and she had on a two-piece pajama set. Fitz had placed two chairs from the kitchen in the den. He was sitting in one and in front of both of them was a foot spa spitting out bubbles.

"I take it that's for me? You're still spoiling me, even more, Fitzgerald Grant? How did you know I had achy feet and legs?"

"I know all. Have a seat Miss Pope and let me spoil you, even more."

He gave her a wonderful thirty-minute foot and leg massage and surprisingly he was good at it. He had first washed her feet scrubbing them first with a mildly abrasive brush and later a soft simple brush. After the scrub he had dried her feet and legs. He next massaged her feet and the calves of her legs with warm soothing oils. Olivia was in heaven. She had gotten pedicures along with everyone else but she had never had personal pampering or a total foot and leg massage. She had loved every minute of it. She felt totally relaxed. In fact, she felt like she could sleep right where she sat.

"That was a wonderful Fitz. I take it you've done this before." The thought that he had done this before didn't necessarily sit well with her but she had to remember her boyfriend was a man of the world. There was much he had seen and done.

"As a matter of fact, I have. I used to watch my father massage my mother's feet and legs. I even got to help when I was a kid. Most of what my father did came back to me tonight. I hope you enjoyed it, Olivia. Consider it another Christmas present as it's been December 25th for a couple of hours now. Merry Christmas Olivia. Let's get you to bed. Gift exchange start promptly at nine. If we want breakfast, we will have to rise and shine early."

"I'll be fine until lunch. Let's sleep in until we have to get up for the gift exchange. It's late. My foot and leg massage has totally relaxed me. I feel like I could nod out right here."

"Come on let get you in bed. I'm going to join you and we're both going to get some rest." Fitz picked her up and carried her to the bed. Olivia got in between the sheets, and she waited for him to join her. He stripped down to his birthday suit and joined he did. He gathered her in his arms and spooned behind her. He whispered in her ear how much he loved her. It felt so good nestled in his arms. She could feel his arousal against her. He wanted her. She started to turn in his arms.

"No, stay as you are and go to sleep Sweet Baby. I know how tired you are. I can't stop my body from reacting to yours. It's as natural as breathing for me but tonight we are just sleeping in our bed. Close your eyes and dream of me."

Within minutes she was sleeping. Her little delicate snores were music to his ears. "Good night, Sweet Livvy." He pulled his woman closer in his arms and he squeezed her. He probably squeezed her a bit too tightly because she moved within his arms said, "Fitz, are you alright?" He loosened his grip and whispered in her ear. "Everything is fine, Sweet Livvy. Go back to sleep. We'll talk in the morning. He closed his eyes and thought what a great Christmas this was going to be. Olivia was here with him. Finally, his breathing evened out and he gave into to slumber himself.