Liar

“Yes,” Vivian continued, not picking up on Olivia’s innuendo. “We have some finishing touches in decorating to do, and you’ve been so helpful with everything else, I thought you’d be perfect for the job.”

“I’d love to. Let me just set my stuff down, and I’ll be right back.”

“Meet me by the elevators,” I ordered.

Before heading that way, I grabbed Olivia a coffee.

“Thank you,” she said once she’d met me. She smiled, and I tried to find any hint of what she was thinking but found nothing but polite civility. “What floor are we going to?” she asked when the doors slid open.

“Let’s start on seven and work our way up.”

She pressed the button, and I rolled the words I wanted to say around in my head. Her eyes stayed on the numbers counting higher and missed the way I opened and closed my mouth, trying to start the conversation.

When the doors slid open, she stepped out and turned to face me, amusement sparking in her eyes. “Don’t worry, Kent. I’m not going to go stage five clinger on you.”

My jaw dropped, and the only thing that fell out was, “What?”

She laughed softly. “I noticed you trying to say something to me in the elevator.” She opened and closed her mouth like a fish. My brows lowered in irritation at her mocking expression. “I figured you were trying to say something along the lines of, Friday was a mistake and can’t happen again,” she said in a deep voice.

That was actually pretty spot on what I was going to say, but even in my mind, I couldn’t agree with it being a mistake. But it should never happen again. “It was reckless of me.”

She shrugged and drank her coffee like dry humping a man almost twice her age in her parent’s kitchen was no big deal.

“I just know you’re young and figured you have different expectations.”

“I may be young, but I have more maturity than you and Uncle Daniel combined,” she scoffed. She softened her tone like she was trying to calm a toddler throwing a tantrum. “Relax, Alexander. It was a good orgasm. Thanks for letting me use your leg for relief. I made all that shit up about sleeping with my ex, so it was much needed.”

Then she turned away, leaving me there with my jaw hanging open, knowing I’d been played. I almost wanted to laugh at how easily she’d sparked my jealousy on Friday night, pushing me into action. Well played, Olivia.

“Which room should we start in first?” she called over her shoulder. My legs finally decided to start working and followed after her. I led her through the door, and she took in the floor to ceiling windows lighting up the soft grays.

“This is nice. Very open.”

“Thank you. I didn’t design any of it but had some say in the concept.”

“What are you wanting?”

I walked over to an array of paintings leaning against the wall and a desk full of knick-knacks. “I need to decide between these for what I want as decoration.”

She moved the paintings around and stepped back to look at each statue, glass bowl, and centerpiece. She’d pause to look around the room again and then looked back at the items, her head turning this way and that like seeing it from a different angle would give her the answer. I leaned back and watched her work. She was careful with each item, and Vivian was right, she looked comfortable.

“This painting here.” She grabbed it and moved it behind the lamp on the desk. “It adds color to the neutral feel of the room. But not too much. And then this abstract-flower-looking-statue can go here.” She arranged them all and pushed everything else off to the side, standing back to look at her work when she was done. “That way, it gives the illusion of flowers without actually having the hassle of flowers.”

I nodded, impressed with her final product. “Okay.”

Her head jerked to me. “Okay?”

“Yeah, why not?”

“Don’t you need to confer with your designer? A professional?”

“Nah. You seem to know what you’re doing. I’m impressed.”

Maybe for the first time ever, I saw a smile tip Olivia’s lips that wasn’t playful and devious. It was soft and paired with the way her shoulders went back, and her chin lifted, she shined with pride. Olivia was a confident young woman, but I couldn’t recall a time I’d seen her take pride in her work.

I was unable to stop myself from smiling with her. She looked beautiful.

Standing upright, I nodded my head toward the door. “Come on. I’ll show you the other floors.”

“Aren’t they the same as this one?” she asked, following me out.

“Nope. Each floor has rooms decorated differently.”

“That’s so cool. People will want to keep coming back until they’re able to experience each room.”

“That’s the plan.”