The Rented Husband (Southern Nights Series)

by MercyRose
Chapter 1
Olivia gawked at the excessively decorated wedding invitation that sat perfectly
isolated centered on her desk. It was as if it was mocking her; taunting her wi
th its fanciful, silver writing embellished on the front.
That separated invitation served as a reminder of the one thing she didn t have, t
he one thing she wasn t sure she even desired to have and the one thing that her y
ounger sister was apparently now getting; a husband.
Olivia Murray, twenty-nine years of age and second youngest of the four Murray c
hildren, is the only one left, yet to be hitched. Her family members made it the
ir personal sanction in life to point out that obvious fact.
Olivia s mother, so sweet in her maternal nature, had worked diligently to set her
up on countless blind dates that turned out to be one astronomical disaster aft
er the other. Erica Murray always looked so exceedingly hopeful whenever she tol
d her daughter about the newest beau that she prearranged her daughter to go out
with. But Olivia just couldn't find it within herself to disappoint her mother
by telling her no .
Then there was her father, the Ex-Navy Seal who was consistently inviting one of
his poker buddies over with their presumed available sons. She was skeptical re
garding the timing of her father s poker setup time so conveniently planned around
the same time she usually stopped by her parent s home for a Sunday afternoon lun
cheon visit.
Olivia tried on several different occasions to talk to her father about these vi
sits but he refused to hear any of it. Ted Murray was a stern man, still extreme
ly fit for his sixty two years of age and effortlessly able to wave off any of h
er protests with one steely look.
And if that wasn t enough, her older brother, Cane Murray, had recently jumped on
the find-a-husband-for-Olivia band wagon. Last week he recommended one of his old
college buddies to her for what he had told her was some great legal advice on a
peeping Tom.
Greg, the college buddy in question, wanted some legal advice alright; legal adv
ice on how fast he could get into Olivia s pants. He didn t even have the dignity to
be more unassertive in the matter either. The man actually had enough pomposity
to walk in her office and flash what she was sure he d considered to be a brillia
nt smile.
Olivia thought otherwise.
Why don t we just cut to the chase, babe? When he casually referred to her as babe,
she should have taken that as her first clue. Let s go back to my room and do a lit
tle math where we can add a bed, subtract our clothes, divide your legs and then
multiple!

Olivia didn t hesitate. It took her nothing but five seconds to show him the door
and then instantaneously called her brother, warning him to never send another o
ne of his old college buddies to her for legal advice again.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Olivia slumped in her chair and sulked. She couldn t und
erstand why it was so important to her family that she have a husband. Yes, this
was the prime time of her life but she was happy with the way things were curre
ntly going. Olivia worked hard to get to where she was at today and she did it a
ll without the aid of any man. She didn t need a man then and she most certainly d
idn t need a man now.
Over the last few years, she made quite a name for herself as one of the most so
ught after defense attorneys within a tri-state area. She had plenty of money re
served to do as she pleased. She owned her own Town house, in what was considere
d a good middle class neighborhood, and she found gratification in showing off h
er success.
Her car was her one indulgence in life. The 2010 midnight black Chevy Corvette w
as, for a lack of better words, her baby. She had it tricked out with a pricey s
et of chrome rims, twin overhead cams and a monster of a v-8 Engine that roared
to life every time that she turned over the ignition. Just thinking about her ow
n personal achievements brought a proudful smile to Olivia s lips. Who needs a man
when all that power was parked in her garage?
I have caffeine, Marcey announced cheerfully as she waltzed into Olivia s office wit
h two Starbuck cups in her hands. Marcey was Olivia s assistant and best friend. T
he tall, leggy redhead looked model perfect with her high, curvaceous body and f
illed with such a seductive personality that could charm a rattle snake. She was
also smart as a whip when it came to crunch time in a legal brawl. Olivia found
her to be invaluable.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Olivia breathed out while she took one of the jav
a filled plastic cups from her. You just don t know how bad I need this right now.
Slowly, she brought the rim of the cup to her lips and clutched it carefully as
she blew away the rising steam. Marcey took a seat in the chair that was positio
ned in front of her desk and sipped at her own cup of Joe.
After she was settled, Marcey took a quick glance at her friend s crestfallen expr
ession and immediately knew something was up. Uh oh. Which one was it and what di
d they do this time?
Marcey and Olivia had been friends since their early days in college and she d met
all of the Murray clan on one occasion or another. Over the years she heard abo
ut each and every one of their set ups, hook ups and mess ups. She had an inklin
g that Olivia s mood, more than likely, had something to do with one of them.
Olivia let out a not so humorous chuckle. You know me all too well. This
she noted
and leaned over her desk, pointing at the cursed invitation. Is the problem?
Marcey sat up and grabbed the card that she was referring to. She ran her finger

s over the embossed lettering and softly muttered, Impressive. Sitting back in her
chair, she opened up the invitation and began to read. It was an invitation to
Caley Murray s wedding. Caley is the baby of all the Murray siblings. Marcey s eyes
widened when she realized that the wedding was going to be held in Hawaii in jus
t two weeks time.
You lucky bi-otch! Marcey exclaimed tossing the invitation back on the desk. You re g
oing to Hawaii and you re complaining, why? This is vacation in paradise. She was f
ailing to see exactly what Olivia Murray s problem was.
Olivia rolled her eyes and carefully set her cup of coffee down on the edge of h
er desk. If you want to go so badly, then be my guest, Olivia stated seriously.
gladly give you my ticket!

I ll

She stood up from her oversized chair and walked over towards the window at the
back of her office, which overlooked the park. This time of year the scenery was
breathtakingly beautiful. Slowly, Olivia exhaled. She was frustrated because sh
e anticipated what would happen in Hawaii and she really did not want to have to
deal with it. You know how my family is Marcey. They won t ease up on me just beca
use Caley is getting married. If anything, they are all going to be even more in
sistent.
Ah, Marcey nodded, understanding the problem now. This is about the find-a-husband-f
or-Olivia campaign, she said, shaking her head and laughing.
Olivia glanced over her shoulder and glared back at her friend. It s not funny. The
y all have their own families to deal with. Why is it that they all feel the nee
d to stick their noses in my business? Can t they see how happy I am now?
Marcey had to work to hide her smile but she understood what Olivia was telling
her. Olivia s family had proven to be relentless in their efforts to tie her to a
man. Marcey sat her cup down and tried empathizing to reassure her. .
It can t be that bad. This is Hawaii for crying out loud. Beautiful sunsets, exotic
flowers, men with bodies made of pure sin walking the beaches .
Any hope that Marcey had at coaxing a smile from Olivia quickly dwindled when sh
e found herself on the receiving end of a peeved glare.
Not you too?

Olivia groaned. Marcey held up her hands in surrender.

Just saying, she replied innocently. I m not telling you to go out there and marry th
e first guy you see. I m just telling you that you should loosen up some. Why don t
you let your hair down and open yourself up to some other possibilities?
Olivia turned and strode back to her desk, stomping every step of the way. She d
idn t want to open herself up to any possibilities. She was happy just the way she
was. It s going to be a week of torture.
Well geez, Olivia, the way you talk, it sounds like your being shipped off to som

e sort of Chinese torture camp. It s just a wedding. Your baby sister s wedding at t
hat! If the family gets to you that bad then why not just find some random guy a
nd pretend that you re with him? As in, seriously with him. Maybe even tell them y
ou pulled a Vegas trip and got married. I bet that they ll leave you alone then.
Marcey wasn t really being serious. She was only trying to show Olivia that she wa
s being down right petty about the whole situation. At least she had a family th
at cared about her enough to want to see her happy, even if their definition of
happy was slightly different than her own.
What did you just say? Olivia s mind was already racing thoughts. Marcey just might
be on to something there. Rent-a-husband? It s perfect!
What do you mean, what did I say? When she glanced up, Marcey eyed Olivia carefull
y. She had seen that look before. The fixated look that says she s thinking about
something. That same intensified look that says the wheels in her head turning a
nd her mind mulling over something that s absolutely crazy.
Then she remembered what she said and it all clicked. You can t be seriously consid
ering what I just said? Marcey looked completely horror stricken that Olivia woul
d even go there. When she didn t immediately respond to her question, Marcey walke
d around the desk and grabbed Olivia by the shoulders, turning her so that they
were face to face. Olivia, please tell me you re not really thinking about going ou
t and finding an impromptu husband?
Olivia looked up at Marcy and blinked a few times. That was exactly what she was
thinking. Why not? It seems like the perfect solution.
What guy would you even consider going along with something like this? No self-re
specting man is going to play hubby for a week and not expect anything in return
.
Olivia furrowed her brows in concentration. Taking a step back and pulling away
from Marcey, she walked back over to the window.
I can pay him, she spoke aloud. She was considering the possibilities from every p
ossible angle that she could imagine. I have the money and my family would be thr
illed to see me with a man. She turned back around and shrugged. So why not? I cou
ld tell them we did one of those quickie drive by ceremonies in Vegas like you m
entioned and none of them would be less desireable. All their attention would ke
ep focused on Caley s wedding instead of me. The poor single attorney whom can t see
m to find a guy that wants to spend the rest of his natural born life with her.
It makes perfect sense to me.
Marcey was speechless. She stood rooted in her spot. You re one crazy lady, Olivia
Murray, if that s what you think. You have finally lost every marble in that tiny
head of yours. Again, I m going to ask you
who in the world would you get to do so
mething like this and then pull it off successfully in front of your very distin
guishable family?
Good morning ladies!

Brody O Connor ducked his head in Olivia s office and grinned widely. When neither o
f them said a word he simply nodded to them both and kept on walking towards his
own office.
After the door closed behind him, Marcey turned around and looked at Olivia who
had that starry look in her eyes. No, she told her, horrified that she would even
consider a guy like Brody.
"Yes. He s perfect." Olivia replied knowingly.
"No, you can t. It s not right." Marcey insisted.
Brody O Connor was the type of man that was all business when it came to the court
room but outside of court he was the ultimate playboy. The guy came to work on
most days smelling like cheap perfume and on the others he carried with him the
telltale signs of lunch time quickies with the evidence of left over lip stick s
taining his starched, white collar.
It was also a well-known fact that he had a black book filled with every availab
le woman s phone number that resided on this side of the Mississippi river. It was
official; Brody was a player.
He s perfect. He s a good looking man and there will be zero chance of us ever really
hooking up. I can offer him money and an unforgettable, sensational trip to Haw
aii; for that one week, at least, my family will be off my back. It s a win-win si
tuation. Everyone will be happy.

Marcey closed her eyes for a minute wanting to shake some sense into Olivia. She
could see that she was dead set on this new plan of hers. She could see it in h
er eyes. Going off past experience, there was nothing she could say that would c
hange her mind. Olivia was stubborn like that. When she was set on something; no
thing and no one would be able to stand in her way.
You are asking for a world of trouble, Marcey cautioned her as she started to back
herself towards the door. She pointed her finger at Olivia and narrowed her eye
s. Don t let it go unsaid that I didn t warn you Olivia Murray.
Olivia gifted her friend with an honest smile.
Don t worry about me. I know what I m doing, she assured her as she sat back down in h
er chair. She had dallied long enough and now it was time for her to get some re
al work done. She felt a hundred times better since she had come up with a plan
of action to ward off her families attempts at setting her up with another blind
date disaster. Just watch. She picked up the first file that she needed to deal wi
th for the day and muttered to herself, You ll see.
Chapter 2

Olivia had been working nonstop all morning since Marcey had left he
r office. She surfaced through a total of five files, contacted two important w
itnesses for interviewing and even managed setting up a hair appointment for the
next day s afternoon. She had been busy to say the least.
Olivia was rubbing at her temples in an effort to ward off an impend
ing headache, when the sound of her cell phone started to go off in her purse.
Frowning, she looked down at the drawer and wondered who would be calling so lat
e in the day. Everyone knew to call her office just in case she was held up in
court.
Opening the drawer she carefully reached into her purse and pulled o
ut the ringing phone. Looking down at the number, her glowering demeanor deepen
ed. It was an unknown number. Since she was physically in her office, she figu
red, what the hell, It was probably a wrong number.
Effortlessly, she answered th
e phone.
Hello?
She was greeted with a gasping silence.
Hello? she repeated, expressing a little irritation in her tone.
Heavy breathing ensued on the other end. Olivia was getting ready t
o hang up, assuming it was some jacked off kids playing around making prank call
s, when a scratchy voice spoke.
Olivia, your time is running out the voice said, and then the call was
disconnected. She was left lingering with nothing but a chilling silence. Pul
ling the phone from her ear, she stared at it momentarily not able to fully comp
rehend what had just happened.
What the hell was that supposed to mean? she muttered to herself.
My t
ime is running out, running out for what? she wondered. Whoever it was knew her
name and that tidbit of information didn t sit well with her either.
Sitting there at her desk, still slightly shaken, Olivia was startle
d when her office phone rang. She stared at it dumbly at first, before shaking
off the last bit of jitters and chiding herself for being so silly. It had to h
ave been some dumb prank, nothing more. Probably one of her brother s old college
buddies again trying to tease her or something, anything to get Cane s baby siste
r riled up. Exhaling slowly to regain composure, she reached for the receiver on
her desk phone and brought it to her ear.
Olivia Murray, she quipped.
Liv, how s it going?

her always overly chipper sister blurted out.

Fine, Ashley. How are you? she answered back. Ashley, thirty five ye
ars old, was the second oldest of the Murray siblings and was the first of them
to get married. She was head over heels in love with a very handsome Seth Wells
, a former navy seal, now security expert. No need to point out how happy their
dad was with this particular match up, considering his navy seal background.
I m fine, thanks for asking, she replied as she intently listened to the
sound of children s laughter in the background. Ashley and Seth had a set of thr
ee year old twin girls and they were Olivia s little bundles of sunshine. She lov
ed her nieces more than anything in the world.

Hey, I was calling to see if you wanted to do lunch maybe today or to

morrow. I wanted to talk with you about Caley s wedding next week and some other
details about the trip to Hawaii.
Really meaning, that you wanted to try and hook me up with another o
ne of your friends, Olivia thought to herself. No thank you! Been there and do
ne that. Her sister s efforts were just about as fruitless as the rest of the fam
ilies . The last blind date Ashly arranged, he chattered nonstop and not in a goo
d way either.
Olivia knew of polite dinner conversation and on many occasions actu
ally enjoyed it herself, but Rex Goben took that concept to a whole other level.
He not only talked through the whole date, he monopolized the conversation by
telling Olivia too much personal information about himself that she cared less t
o hear. He went so far as to tell her about Mr. Winkles.
That did it! That was
the final straw that broke the camel s back. In the middle of dinner, Olivia consi
dered their conversation immediately over. She didn t even respond to him, she ju
st stood up and walked away, never once looking back. Any man who had the audac
ity to talk about his personal body parts on a first date, even going as far as
naming them, was a no-go in her book.
I m kind of busy today, Olivia answered her while thinking about her pla
n and Brody O Connor. She could probably catch him on a lunch break and make her
proposal to him then. The sooner the better because if she didn t come up with so
mething fast, there would be no way to deter her sister and whatever cockamamie
plan she was in the midst of cooking up.
Oh, Ashley said sounding slightly disappointed over the phone. Well, wh
at about tomorrow? I ll even take you out to your favorite steak house, Ruth Chri
s. Wow, she must really feel strong about this one to want to butter Olivia up b
y taking her out to her favorite eatery.
Fine, Olivia told her, inwardly wincing.
added, more as a question than a statement.

I ll meet you there at noon? she

Sure, that sounds perfect, Ashley replied excitedly, almost too excite
dly for Olivia s taste. It seemed as though the more her family championed a part
icular guy as a potential hubby candidate, the worse the guy turned out to be.
Olivia loved her sister, she just wished that she would keep her nose out of Oli
via s business and let her live out her own life.

Alright, see you then, she said glancing over at the clock on her wall
.
See you then,

Ashley affirmed and hung up the phone.

Olivia hung up the receiver and sat back in her chair, dropping her
head backwards against the head rest. It was never going to stop. Her family w
as determined to see her tie the knot . Just knowing that fact, she was now more h
oned in on her plan that involved Brody O Connor. It was perfect, she thought to
herself. Now, all she had to do was convince the very egotistical Brody O Connor
just how perfect it really was.
**********
Olivia walked up the steps of the court house in her sharply ironed
black pant suit with lustrous black heels clopping in time against the pavement.
With each airing step she took, Olivia accomplished flaunting the look of a hi
ghly successful and confident attorney that she was. Olivia had come here today
on a mission; a mission that involved Brody O Connor, and she was poised to compl
ete her mission.

Good afternoon, Ms. Murray, Judge Woodock said in passing. He was an

older gentleman that had tried several of her cases and always seemed to be fair
. He was always one of her favorite people to talk to when she needed a breathe
r from the normal rigors of work.
Good afternoon, Judge, she answered back with an award winning smile.
How is Mrs. Woodock doing these days? she asked. Judge Woodock had stopped and s
miled warmly back at her.
She is doing well. She has taken up bird watching now,
eemingly happy about that.

he told her, s

Every time that Olivia spoke with the Judge his wife had taken up a
new hobby. Last week it was knitting, the week before it was scrapbooking and w
ho could forget the week before that: surfing. The poor woman almost broke her
neck and nearly gave the Judge a heart attack in the process.
That s good to hear, Olivia replied back honestly. Bird watching was muc
h safer than her surfing hobby. "What about Patton? How is she getting along t
hese days?"
"Fine, fine," he told her. "She's doing an internship with Gordon Ma
cVoy. Her mother and I hope that she will follow in my footsteps."
"I'm sure she will," Olivia assured him. "She's a bright young lady
and from what I've seen, she is a real go-getter." The Judge laughed at her com
ment, when she spotted the gorgeous looking Brody O Connor stepping out of one of
the court rooms. Her mind shifted gears while she watched him shaking an older
gentleman s hand who was pleasantly smiling back at him. The great Brody O Connor

must have won another case.

If you ll please excuse me, Judge, the person I came to see just appear
ed, she said to him not taking her eyes off of Brody. The Judge chuckled when he
saw who Olivia Murray was looking at.
Brody O Connor, huh? It s about time the two of you got together.
turned around to look at the Judge with wide eyes.

Olivia

Oh no, she said too quickly.

It s not like that, I mean we re not together
like that or anything, she stumbled out. The Judge only gave her a knowing look
. He was catty like that at times and that was the one thing that drove Olivia
crazy about the man.
Run along Ms. Murray, I would hate to be the one to detain you .
Olivia started to protest once again. She didn t want the Judge to ha
ve the wrong impression but instead he turned and she was left watching his retr
eating back, feeling dumbstruck in the process. What in God s name would make him
think that Brody and I would ever fit together? We are like fire and ice, peas
and corn, oil and water. That was just plain madness, she mused. Turning back
around to where she had last seen Brody O Connor she cursed aloud an unladylike ex
plicative remark. He wasn t there.
Where could that man have run off to so quickly? she muttered, while b
riskly making her way through the court house. She really needed to speak with
him.
Olivia initiated her quest for Brody O Conner by looking in all of the
court rooms that were now seemingly empty due to lunch breaks. Nothing. Not on
e sign of him. She scurried by several of the Prosecutors offices in hopes he st
opped by there to talk with someone, but no where was he found. She raced up an
d down every hall in that courthouse and concluded that he had just vanished. S
omehow, Mr. O Connor had managed to disappear right from under her nose.

With only thirty minutes left of her lunch break, Olivia started he
ading towards the deli, just a few blocks down the street, to grab a salad befo
re heading back to the office. Brody would surely be heading back to the office
sometime today and when he did, she would sit him down and give him her proposi
tion.
Feeling a little ragged from the first half of the day s events, Olivi
a deliberately took time walking down the street. She was entranced with soaki
ng up the sun s warmth on her face and took pleasure, in drawing deep breaths of S
prings fresh air into her lungs. Spring is one of North Carolina s best complimen
ting seasons, with its perfect seventy degree temperatures, all blooming flower
s, and sweetly hidden array of birds singing their symphonic songs in nature s bea
utifying scenery. The outside atmosphere of harmony and pleasantry was simply c
ontagious. Olivia was still looking upward when she, not so gracefully, rammed
into something hard, or rather someone with a body that felt like brick.

After stumbling and losing her balance she started to apologize prof
usely, I m so sorry, I should have been watching where I was going but I was enjoyi
ng the sun and well, I m sorry, there is no excuse, I should have been looking out
A familiar laugh caught her by surprise. Straightening herself and
brushing clumsily at her pants, Olivia looked up and found herself gazing into t
he bluest eyes that she had ever laid her sights on, eyes so blue that she could
see herself in them.
You okay there? a deep voice spoke; when she realized that she was st
ill staring into the face of Brody O Connor. He was still holding her elbow firml
y to help steady her and they were so close that she could smell his aftershave;
it was spicy and pretty damn appealing.
Olivia shook her head and took a step back. She needed some space i
n order to think. There was just something about this man that threw her off he
r game and that was unusual for the always confident Olivia Murray. It must be
that she was tired and the stresses of dealing with the family that were too muc
h for her, she gathered, because there was nothing, absolutely nothing that attr
acted her to the playboy known as Brody O Conner. That was why he was the perfect
candidate for this idea of hers in the first place.
Brody stood back and eyed the very astute Olivia Murray. She was on
e creature that he had yet to figure out. She was very beautiful with her darke
ned blonde hair that she kept pinned up in a tight bun on her head. If she woul
d just let it loose sometime, he had no doubt she would turn many heads. Then
she had those eyes, those dark chocolate brown eyes that were always on guard.
Not only beautiful, but Olivia Murray was smart and quick on the draw. Nothing
went over her. Oh, the things he would do just to know what made that woman ti
ck.
I m sorry

Olivia said again seemingly back on her game.

No problem, Brody answered her with his head slightly tilted to the si
de. Olivia was still standing there with her brow furrowed and it crossed his m
ind that maybe there was something else that she wanted.
Would you like to join me for lunch? Olivia busted out quickly. She w
as slightly taken back by the way she just blurted out the question and from the
shocked look on Brody s face, he was just as surprised.

Hm, he said stroking his chin as if in thought. The great Olivia Murray
has just asked me out to lunch
He stopped stroking his chin and crossed his hand
s over his chest, offering her a smile that would make any other woman go weak i
n the knees. What do I owe this honor? he finally asked after a long minute of si
lence.
This was why Olivia didn t associate with the likes of Brody O Connor.

He could be a real ass when he wanted to. All she asked was for him to join her
for lunch, not for extra commentary from the peanut gallery.
She did her best to paste a forced smile on her face and mumbled out
between gritted teeth, I have a proposition for you .
Brody took in the steely features of Olivia s face. He had riled her u
p and he liked the way that she was trying so hard not to show it. Whatever she
wanted must be good because on any other given day, he would be watching her ba
ck as she stalked away from him after the comments that he had made.
A proposition you say? he calmly reiterated , keeping his eyes firmly
locked on hers. When she didn t flinch, Brody casually shrugged his shoulders, Wha
t the hell, I m game for anything and this sounds like it could be interesting. L
ead the way, Counselor.
Chapter 3
Brody reached out in front of Olivia and opened the door. She stopped dead in he
r tracks and peered over at him out of the corner of her eye looking at him susp
iciously. He flashed her one of his million watt smiles and simply shrugged his
shoulders.
Ladies first,

he said cordially.

Growing up in the South he had always been taught that opening doorsand pulling
chairs out for the lady was the gentlemanly thing to do, and he considered himse
lf to be a perfect gentleman, most of the time anyway. Although right now, he wa
s insanely curious as to why Ms. Fancy Pants suddenly asked him to lunch. He had
Olivia Murray pegged as the sort that didn t fraternize with guys like him. No, a
ctually he couldn t really see her with any kind of man; not with the stick that s
eemed to be permanently stuck up her butt.
Brody stayed just a couple steps behind her as they walked into the deli andtook
a moment to admire exactly how fine her butt was, even with a stick lodged up i
n it. The way that her rear end swayed with each purposeful step she took would
make any red blooded breathing man stand up and take notice, he mused. The lady
sure had a confidence that radiated from her, one that even possibly rivaled his
own. And that was saying something considering the size of his ego.
After walking into the deli, Olivia was feeling the overwhelming first signs of
nerves settling within.Was she crazy for asking Brody O Connor to do this, to be h
er rental husband? She answered herself by snorting aloud at the mere absurdity
of the question.
Stopping at an empty booth she glanced over her shoulder at the admittedly hands
ome man. His cerulean blue eyes were watching her every move. He was grinning at
her with a charming smile that she was certain had probably melted many women s h
earts over the past few years.

What? he finally asked her lifting a questioning brow. Olivia shook her head and t
ook a deep breath.
Nothing, she said curtly. Averting her gaze and flattening her mouth into a grim l
ine. She added a stiff, Nothing at all, before rigidly sliding into one side of th
e booth. Her mind briefly drifted back to her earlier phone call with Ashley. Ro
mancing the idea of another arranged set up with what her sisters newest idea of
hubby material might be, chased away any jittery nerves she previously had.
Once Olivia had taken her seat, Brody slid into the booth across from her and re
sted his elbows on the table. He could sense that Ms. Fancy Pants had something
on her mind but for the life of him he couldn t figure out why it would have anyth
ing to do with him of all people. He would have figured himself to be the last p
erson on earth that Olivia Murray would have come to for a civil lunch conversat
ion, not that he was complaining. Even with her astute manner and tapering gaze,
Olivia Murray was most definitely hot.
So, he started and lightly tapped his fingers against the table top in a rhythmic
beat. Why did you want to see me? he asked her straight out because his curiosity
was getting the better of him.
Her piercing brown eyes stared back at him with such intensity that he almost bu
ckled under the pressure. She had easily earned the name Dragon Lady in the cour
t room and now he clearly understood why. With just one look, she could almost b
ring a man to his knees.
I- Olivia said and then snapped her mouth shut when two menus were slapped on the
table in front of her and a gaudy waitress stood beside them.
What can I get you two? the assertive waitress with the double D breast enhancemen
t straining out of the top of her too small shirt asked, looking solely at Brody
. She was smiling from ear to ear and not so subtly trying to push her chest out
even further for his benefit.He turned that award winning smile on the waitress
who swayed slightly before grabbing a hold of the edge of the booth to steady h
erself.
I would like a sweet ice tea, pretty miss, he said and then winked at her.Winked,
who even does that anymore? Olivia asked herself annoyed by the situation as a w
hole. Rolling her eyes Olivia loudly cleared her throat, interrupting the little
private conversation occurring right in front of her.

Remember me? she said with false sweetness when the waitress turned to her and fro
wned. Didn t think so, she grumbled under her breath, I would like an ice water with
lemon, please.
The little waitress jotted down their drink orders before offering another sugge
stive smile to Brody. Of course he returned it and the giddy waitress seemed to
skip off happier than when she made her first appearance.

Unbelievable, Olivia muttered when the waitress was out of earshot from the booth.
Brody chuckled.
You know what you need Olivia? he stated leaning over the table so that he could b
e closer to her. Brody didn t know why he leaned, other than the fact he had this
strange desire to count all of the little freckles that rimmed her nose and blit
hely wondered where else she may have some of those adorable freckles.
What? she replied hesitantly. Olivia didn t miss the little glint that he had in his
eyes, the one that had mischievous written all over it. Maybe that should have
been her first warning of caution about what he was going to say next.
Brody crooked his finger in a come hither motion for Olivia to come closer. He c
ould see that she was wary of him already and he was getting a kick out of watch
ing her try to keep that cool faade she was so famous for.
Olivia figured what the hell and leaned in so that she was just an inch from Bro
dy O Connor s face.
Tell me, Mr. O Connor, what is
dy frozeat listening to the way
seeped out Ms. Fancy Pants that
told, it knocked him for quite

it that I need? she asked. And for just a moment, Bro

she posed that question. Such fervid sensuality
startled his thoughts unexpectedly and, truth be
a loop.

I m waiting, Counselor, she breathed out, looking at him expectantly. Brody closed h
is eyes and easily regained his own composure.
You need, he said and kicked up that corner of his mouth before continuing, You nee
d a good ole fashion roll in the hay so that you can pull that shoved up pole out o
f that pretty little ass of yours.
Olivia gasped in shock and covered her mouth. Suddenly jumping back from him she
could hardly believe what he had just said.
You did not just go there, she accused, her brown eyes wide with fury.Brody leaned
back in his booth and laughed.
I m only stating the obvious, Counselor, he said, struggling to contain himself. He
had achieved the reaction that he wanted and was pretty pleased with himself. Th
e look on Olivia s face was priceless. You might want to close your mouth Olivia be
fore a big bug flies into it, he saidlaughing once again.
That s it, Olivia snapped. This was a bad idea. There was no way she could deal with
a man like Brody O Connor for an entire week in Hawaii, pretending to be married
of all things. She d kill the man before they ever landed on the island. Olivia re
ached for her purse and stood from the booth at the same time that the waitress
so conveniently returned with their drinks. The waitress, Tiffany was her name a
ccording to the little name plate pinned to her shirt, had a smile for Olivia no
w.

Leaving so soon?

she quizzed.

Olivia reached in her purse and pulled out a five dollar bill slapping it on the
table with more force than necessary. She shot a look over at Brody that expres
sed exactly how much she did not appreciate his assessment of what she needed. W
ho was he to tell her what she needed anyway? Heck, for all he knew she had a di
fferent man for every night of the week, she told herself. Brody O Connor was noth
ing but a Grade A asshole.
I need to get back to the office to get ready for an upcoming meeting, she saidwith
as much dignity as she could muster. Maybe even go and find me some hay somewher
e, she added before haughtily turning on her heel and walking away. She could hea
r Brody s boisterous laughter even as she hit the door and stepped back out into t
he midday sun.
God, what a fool I was, Olivia chided to herself walking down the sidewalk back
to her office. Marcey was right, she conceded, as always. Brody O Connor was a cer
tifiable, egotistical, pompous of a breathing jerk. Thank goodness she came to h
er senses before she made possibly one of the biggest mistakes of her life. Just
as she hit the steps to the office building, her phone began ringing inside of
her purse. Reaching in, she pulled it out, nervously checking the caller ID. It
was her Mom. This day was getting better by the minute, she thought mockingly to
herself.

Sighing, she answered the phone and said,

mild enthusiasm.
Sweetheart, how are you?

Hi Mom,

with what she hoped sounded like

her mother asked.

I m fine, she said, knowing that her tone sounded short, but Olivia's patience was h
anging by a very thin thread.
You don t sound fine dear, is something wrong? the older Mrs. Murray asked with sinc
ere concern one could expect from a loving mother, sometimes too loving.
I m fine, she reiterated. It s just been a long day, Olivia stated as she sauntered back
into her office hastily collapsing in her comfortable chair.
Alright, if you re sure, she said, not sounding so convinced.
I m sure Mom, Olivia said, trying to reassure her mother while tucking her purse int
o the side drawer of her desk. Was there something you needed? Olivia asked. She l
oved her mother but if she let her, her mother would go on rambling forever abou
t nothing; and she still had several files to get to done before calling it a da
y.

Actually, her mom answered, There is. I would like you to come to the house tonight
for dinner. Your fathers buddy is coming in from Maine and he has his son .
Mom, got to go- important client just walked in, Olivia spoke up quickly, cutting
her off. She already knew where this conversation was heading and she was so not
willing to go there.Couldn t they just give it up already?
But

her mom tried to speak and Olivia cut her off again.

Tell Dad I love him and I love you too, Mom, bye,
cting the phone call.

she said abruptly while disconne

Dropping her head on the desk in front of her she groaned. How was she going to
keep thwarting all of their attempts at once? She knew that her family loved her
, but they were driving her absolutely nuts.
Excuse me, a familiar voice piped up from her door. As soon as she heard the voice
she cursed herself for not closing it when she walked back into her office in t
he first place. Looking up she once again stared into the infamous face of Brody
O Connor. He was still smiling and wow, the man had some of the whitest teeth she
had ever seen. Did he ever do anything other than smile? she briefly pondered bef
ore sitting up only to scowl back at him.
When Olivia didn t respond Brody took the initiative and stepped into her office.
He felt bad for offending her back side at the diner and wanted to try smoothing
things over just a little. They were co-workers after all.
Um, I I just wanted to apologize for my behavior back there, he said with sweet sinc
erity. It was uncalled for.
Olivia only glared back at the man. She couldn t believe he had enough gumption to
waltz into her office, say sorry and expect everything to be okay. Their eyes r
emained locked onto each other s, when her desk phone began ringing, startling her
from the trance like state. Glancing over she spotted the familiar number and s
ighed.Her mother wasn t going to give up; not today, not tonight and definitely no
t in Hawaii. Olivia made no moves to answer that phone call. Instead, she turned
back towards the incredibly handsome man standing in her office.
You re really sorry, huh?

she stated, looking for a confirmation from Brody himself.

Yeah, I am, he replied as he cocked his head to the side. Do you want me to get on
my knees and beg for your forgiveness? he asked cheekily. Olivia sat back in her
comfortable chair and crossed her hands over her chest.
As appealing as that visual sounds, no. But
she said and this time she offered a sl
y smile of her own. Counselor, I have a proposition for you. Are you interested?
Brody took in that smile and told himself that if he had any sense at all he sho
uld back pedal out of the Dragon Lady s office and he should be doing it right now
. But his mother had always told him that when it came to pretty women, all his

good sense seemed to fly out the window, and this case was no different. Taking
a step closer, Brodymimicked her stance and crossed his hands over his chest too
. It was an old tactical move meant to intimidate, but it did nothing in the fac
e of the legendary Olivia Murray.
Alright, Brody said after a moment of audible silence. He could feel the rising te
nsion between them mounting in the room and finally asked the million dollar que
stion of the day. I ll bite, Counselor. Exactly what kind of proposition do you hav
e in mind?

Chapter 4
Brody s stood confidently with his legs and shoulders width apart; hands crossed o
ver his chest, peering down at Olivia Murray. What kind of a proposition would M
s. Fancy pants have to offer him? he wondered idly. He figured he would have bee
n the last person she would turn to if she needed something. They could barely s
tand each other long enough to sit through a simple lunch date much less anythin
g else.
Olivia started tapping her foot anxiously while staring back up at Brody. Her br
ows were furrowed and she silently debated the sanity of what she was getting re
ady to do. It was now or never. If she was going to bite the bullet so to speak, t
his was the time to do it. Blowing a sigh of relief, Olivia spoke.
Mr. O Connor, she said directly pointing to the empty chair that was sitting beside
him. Why don t you have a seat?
Brody s mouth twitched when he glanced at the chair and quickly back towards Olivi
a. Her blouse had come unbuttoned at the top, and from where he was standing, he
was at the right angle to catch a glimpse of the baby blue lace that lined the
edge of her bra. Who would have thought that she, of all people, was a lacy type
of gal? He pegged her to be more of a cotton woman.
I think I ll stand, he stated gruffly. I kind of like this view from up here, he said
as quiet laughter danced around in his eyes. Olivia shrugged her shoulders distu
rbingly.
Alright, she said in a rather non-committal tone. Whatever it is that floats your b
oat or toots your horn, more power to you.
Brody smirked and not so subtly lowered his eyes upon her cleavage peering out o
f her open shirt. He rested his gaze for a moment before lifting his head and me
eting her brown coffee colored eyes.
Olivia took notice of how studiously Brody was watching her.
What? she asked holding her hands out to the side and looking down at her blouse.
o I have something on me? That would be just fan-freaking-tastic if she had been
walking around half the day with a stain decorating her professional attire, she
mused. Brody started shaking his head back and forth slowly.

Nope, he said the one word making sure to pop that "P" at the end. A slow grin ove
rcame his face as he fixated his eyes down the middle of her creamy white flesh
that was exposed in front of him. For a moment he let himself envision what it w
ould be like to kiss that voluptuous small space of skin that he felt would be s
o smooth feeling as rose petals.
Olivia glanced down again and cried out in a flustering manner, Oh, god as she not
iced the top two buttons of her blouse undone. She never wanted a hole to open u
p in the ground and swallow her as much as she did right now. Even part of her b
ra was showing. For Pete s sake, Brody O Connor was probably thinking at this very m
inute that she was some type of free lancing, wan ton floozy, she guessed.
Huffing, Olivia quickly re-fastened her shirt while her cheeks burned ruby red w
ith embarrassment. Staring awkwardly at her desk, she silently counted to five w
hile she tried to muster up what was left of her dignity. Clearing her throat sh
e looked up at Brody with an expressionless face.
Oh, she was mad. Olivia Murray was about to blow a gasket and Brody could almost
visualize the steam floating out of her ears. He knew it was wrong, but he cher
ished watching her struggle through her testy times like this. She was vibrant a
nd alive; like a little tigress on the prowl waiting for him to make a wrong mov
e; ready to pounce all over him. His notorious grin widened. He wouldn t mind havi
ng her pounce on him, as long as, they were decked out in nothing but their birt
hday suits.
Olivia snapped out of her heated trance. How dare he not say anything? She reach
ed for the first thing that she could get her hands on and flipped it upward.
Ow! Brody yelped, as he began massaging his tender head. He glimpsed down noticing
the stapler she tossed at his head. Pointing at the broken contraption, he anno
yingly looked back at Olivia and asked, Did you seriously hit me with a stapler?
Now it was Olivia s chance to smile one of those shit eating grins that Brody knew
all too well. He knew that smile because he was the one that perfected it!

Yup, Olivia answered and this time it was she that made sure to enunciate the P
he end of the word. That actually felt pretty good, as she scrupulously observed
a little red mark developing along side his head, giving her some semblance of
satisfaction.
Brody was still rubbing his head in disbelief. Well? he growled with a disgruntled
look. When she didn t budge to say anything else, he yelped, What the hell did you
do that for? Olivia contained her inner feelings of laughter, as she relished in
watching him act like a little boy ready to throw a temper tantrum because some
one just stole his favorite toy. "Because you were well just being you."
Brody blinked. I m always me,
Alright,

he honestly replied, quite perplexed.

Olivia said sounding exasperated.

You were being a man then.

at t

Brody wasn t getting it. The woman wasn t making a lick of sense to him. Just to cla
rify the notion, he glanced down at his groin and felt with his hand just to be
sure. Yep, it was still there. He was officially still a man.
Puh-lease stop, Olivia groaned as she covered up her eyes with her hands. It was b
eginning to be too much watching Brody carry on the way that he was. Will you jus
t sit down so we can talk? she asked, her face still buried in her hands.
Brody chuckled. Fine, he said cautiously. I ll sit, as long as, you promise to keep y
our hands where I can see them and no more flying inanimate objects.
Olivia pursed her lips. She shook her head back and forth as if she was debating
the idea.
She stopped abruptly, rolling her eyes over Brody's watchful face before proceed
ing.
Okay, she said holding her hands up so he could see them.
objects as long as you promise to behave yourself.

No more inanimate flying

Brody snorted. I always behave myself, woman. She raised a brow up at him, calling
his bluff. Well, I do, he insisted, hastily taking a seat in the chair. Olivia sh
ook her head in disbelief. Brody only behaved when it was convenient for Brody t
o behave.
Once he was settled comfortably, he leaned forward placing his elbows on her des
k. Alright, spit it out. What s this proposition that you want to discuss?
Olivia inhaled deeply, taking in a pretty good whiff of an unforgettable fragran
ce, she had come to know as Brody O Connor. Clean soap, with a hint of spicy after
shave. The robust scent was overwhelmingly mesmerizing.
Liv, Brody called out to her again awaiting for her to tell him about this proposi
tion of sorts.
Yea, uh right, she began and suddenly clapped her hands together bringing her back t
o the heart of the matter. How would you like, Mr. O Connor, to go to Hawaii? she sp
illed out quickly. Brody couldn t help but to notice her cheeks flushed a pretty p
ink color that actually complimented her skin tone. Then the question she asked
finally registered and he did a double take.
Hawaii?

Brody repeated the word curiously. Why would you ask me about Hawaii?

Well, I have an extra ticket and all traveling expenses would be paid, so would y
ou like to go or not? Olivia said tensely. She couldn t understand what was so diff
icult about answering the question; it was a simple yes or no.

Brody narrowed his inquiring gaze on her. Something was definitely up. Olivia Mu
rray, the one woman he grew to know over the last few years, would not come out
and ask someone like him to accompany her on a trip to Hawaii without reason.
What s the catch?

Brody asked inquisitively.

Olivia tried to play out the innocent routine. Why does there have to be a catch?
she asked resounding offended by his question. Can t one co-worker invite another c
o-worker on an overseas trip? Think of sweltering sandy beaches, crystal blue wa
ters, and pleasant sun rays, she added, hoping to further entice him.
No, Brody said, dragging out the word. Not when the co-workers are you and I, he rep
lied, deliberately pinning her with his stare. You want to tell me what the real
deal is, Counselor? Brody wasn t raised a fool. Olivia wanted something that eviden
tly only he had. Otherwise, there was no way that she would have come to him.
Olivia sighed and glanced up at Brody. I need a husband, she blurted out quickly,
so quickly that Brody was sure he had to have misheard her.

A what?

He stood up in a shocking reply.

Olivia scooted her way around the front of the desk leaning against it so she wa
s left facing Brody. I said I need a husband, she repeated with supreme confidence
. It s my sister s wedding and I need to be married or a least convince my family tha
t I m married so they will quit setting me up on dates with every single yahoo the
y find. The trip consist of all expenses paid. I ll even kick in ten thousand doll
ars if you can play the part convincingly enough to get my parents, as well as,
the rest of my family off of my back.

Brody stared back at Olivia. She had to be jerking his chain. She could not seri
ously be considering him as husband material. He started to laugh, not some stif
led laugh but one of those deep belly boisterous laughs. He pointed at her mocki
ngly and shook his head. That s rich, he said between laughs. You you he taunted with ro
ring laughter. Ms. Fancy Pants needs needs a husband? He was beside himself squirmin
g over the mere absurdity of the idea.
Olivia glared back at him. Brody O Connor scoffed at her as if she had just told h
im the world s funniest joke. This was serious business to her. If he said no, she
could wind up with another Joe Blow with some irritating idiosyncrasy she would
n t be able to tolerate. Brody had to agree with her idea, no ifs, ands or buts ab
out it. So, she sat there quietly, waiting patiently for him to get it all out o
f his system.
After a few minutes his howling laughter simmered down, as Brody strained to com
pose himself. Repositioning his stance, he realized Olivia was dead serious. A k
not formed in the pit of his stomach. You re not kidding are you? he asked her guard
edly.
Olivia casually shook her head back and forth. I m serious as a heart attack. I nee
d a husband and I need one fast with no strings attached. You attend a few dinne
rs, make a few other casual appearances, take me to the wedding and we pretend t

o be one happy couple, bada bing, bada boom . My parents are off my back, she said br
ightly. In her mind, she already had everything fiigured out. You get a free trip
to an exotic island where lots women go gallivanting in tiny bikinis and I,...
I can attend my baby sister s wedding in blessed peace.
Brody was taken aback. This woman was clearly delusional. Look Olivia, he stated,
already backing up towards the door. I don t think I m the man that you want for this
kind of thing. I m not the husband type of guy, he professed, still inching his wa
y reaching for the door. You need a good man, someone like like Carl Egbert.
Carl Egbert? Olivia cried. "The guy brings his lunch in the same recyclable bag ev
ery day and counts out his peanuts to make sure that he has exactly 22. Hell, th
e guy looks like Lewis Skolnick from that movie Revenge of the Nerds! There was no
way that she would go near him with a ten foot pole. He even smelled like boiled
eggs, she remembered, scrunching up her nose.
Brody wanted to smile at that. She had a point about Egbert. With those Victoria
Secret legs she could do a hell of a lot better than him. But the simple fact r
emained; Brody O'Connor wasn t her guy. There was no way he was going to be the ma
n she wanted him to be.
Olivia saw the indecision written all over his face. She knew that she had to ta
lk and talk fast or he would be out of there. It s free, Brody, with a ten thousand
dollar bonus! Please, you have to do this. I have no other choice, Olivia begged
. If he rejected her now, she didn t know what the hell she was going to do.
Brody felt for the woman. He hated to see her look so forlorn but he couldn't he
lp her out, not in this situation. Liv, I don t need your money and I am not the ma
n for this job. You re a beautiful woman, he said, trying to appeal more to her com
mon sense. Surely you can find a more suitable bachelor to pretend to be married
to you, even without that generous offer.
Olivia grunted. Not someone conventional who could take the deal at face value, n
o strings attached. She looked up at him and reached out to touch his arm. The to
uch was a small thing but it was warm and almost felt as though she was branding
him in some strange sort of way. It made him feel damn near uncomfortable. Pleas
e, she said in such a saddened voice, that Brody knew he had to get out of there
fast before he said something stupid like agreeing to this crazy idea of hers.
Dropping his head Brody pulled away from her. Look, I can t and I m sorry, he replied
and before she had the chance to say anything further he turned around hastily a
nd walked out of the office. He refused to turn back because he knew that if he
did, he might change his mind. That was a risk he wasn t willing to take.
Olivia stood at the corner of her desk and wanted nothing more than to go home,
crawl in her bed and have a good cry. She had just been rejected by Brody O Connor
of all people, the one man that never says no, the one man that with any other
woman, he would have handily agreed. Any woman- except for her.
Chapter 5
Brody high tailed it out of Olivia s office as fast as his two feet would take him
. Without looking back he dashed directly to his office; needing to put some muc

h needed space between him and the attractive blond he left behind.
The torn look on her face when he told her no almost undid him. He had a notion to
turn around, march right back into her office and agree to her all expense paid
Hawaii trip and play the sweet husband she was looking for. Luckily, his consci
ous overtook his urge and inadvertently, kept him moving forward, taking his tho
ughts further away from the enticing offer and sweet temptations.
Of all the things he could have imagined her asking him to do, faking a marital
relationship was nowhere near his realm of thought. She was crazy; the broad was
absolutely nuts. Olivia Murray had finally gone off the deep end and even he wo
uldn t have been able to throw her a life preserver to bring her back in if she re
ally thought that hiring a guy to stand in as a husband for a week was going to
solve all of her problems.
Hell, Brody wouldn t have minded going out with her on a few
wing her a good time with a couple rounds in the bedroom but
was absolutely out of the question. He shuddered at the mere
tending to be a husband. It just wasn t part of his male DNA

dates, maybe even sho

the forbidden H word
thought of even pre
makeup.

Brody O Connor would never marry and willingly tie himself down to just one woman.
He enjoyed playing the field and romancing various types of women; blonds, brun
ettes, and red heads, he was an equal opportunity lover. That was just who he wa
s as a person and nothing, absolutely nothing, would ever change that. Not even
a too sexy for her own good attorney that held the most dazzling chocolate brown e
yes and perfectly formed hourglass figure that could contend with any Victoria S
ecret model. Nope, not even the one Ms. Olivia Murray.
Brody slipped into his office and closed the door firmly behind him. He could fe
el the onset of an impending headache already pounding at his temples. Leaning h
is back up against the door he relinquished a breath of air, he hadn t even realiz
ed he had been holding. Taking a minute to close his eyes, Brody sighed. That wa
s a close one, almost to close for comfort.
After a few minutes of being in his office, Brody s desk phone began to buzz. He k
new instantly it was his secretary, Leslie. Leslie was young but very astute for
her age and had been undeniably a major part of his recent success. At first gl
ance the girl was kind of mousy looking but she had proved many times over that
she had what it took to make it in the legal profession. On more than one occasi
on, she found valuable information for cases that even he himself had not been a
ble to retrieve. The girl was just that good.
Mr. O Connor? Leslie called out with her high pitched voice ringing through the spea
ker phone. Brody pushed himself away from the door and walked towards his desk.
Yes, Leslie? Thankfully, he was feeling more comfortable now that he was back in t
he sanctum of his own office.
You have a visitor out here in the lobby, she told him and something in her waveri
ng tone warned him that she was leery of this particular visitor.

This is unusual, he thought to himself. He had planned on spending the afternoon

cleaning up some of his old files and even doing a little research on the Marin
o case that was coming up at the end of the month because he thought his afterno
on was completely free. Brody looked down at his desk and double checked his cal
endar. Yep, he was right, there was nothing booked for today, so who on earth co
uld be calling on him?
Confused and now suspicious himself he asked, Who is it Leslie?
At first there was no answer. A short silence that seemed to put Brody more on e
dge than he already was after his brief encounter just minutes earlier with Oliv
ia.
Leslie, I asked who the visitor is,
It s your mother, sir.

he repeated rather impatiently.

Brody stilled and then audibly gulped.

Did you just say my mother? he said, his voice coming out with a squeak at the end
.
It had been two years since he last saw his mother. She was caught up in country
club appearances and overly concerned with social status acceptance. Although,
there were a few phone calls over the past two years, communication was distant
and lacking. Why would my mother come here? he mused. Clarice O Connor was not one
to trivial herself with the so-called entrappings of middle class living, which
only brings him back to his original question; why in the hell was she here?
Sir, Leslie said interrupting his thoughts,
ad out of his reverie.
Um, yes, Leslie, send her in please,

Should I send her in?

Brody shook his he

he replied.

Brody settles himself in his chair and locked his hands together forming a steep
le shape pressed against his lips. This was turning out to be one heck of a day.
First, Olivia and her left wing proposition and now, his mother of all people s
howing up unannounced. This just keeps getting better and better, he sneered.
Clarice waltzed into Brody s office as if she was floating atop of cloud nine. She
smiled down at her son with a chivalrous motherly grin and approached the corne
r of his desk. Brody stood up, embraced her with constrained tenacity, and place
d a chaste kiss on her cheek.
Mother, this is quite a surprise, he said after releasing her, waving to the empty
seat in front of his desk. Why don t you have a seat and tell me what pleasure I o
we for this visit?" Brody made sure to keep a bright smile pasted on his face th
e entire time, while Clarice situated herself purposefully.
Does there have to be a reason? Can a mother not drop by to see her son? I mean,
it has been sometime since we have last seen each other and you always seem to b
e too busy to come and visit with me, so I thought I would take matters into my
own hands, Clarice answered his question all in one breath. Here I am.

Brody raised a brow. His mother was the one frequently vacationing in exotic isl
ands and fleeing to other countries. He never could pin her down and had long si
nce stopped trying. He was an only child and she knew how to reach him if she ne
eded him.
If that is the case then it is nice to see you, mother. Hovering over his desk he
sincerely asked, So, how have you been lately? He sort of felt like a fish swimmin
g in dangerous waters when it came to talking with his mother; Clarice never did
anything without reason. Casual small talk would be safe enough for the moment.
He was positive that her unexpected visit had an underlying purpose and Brody w
as already more than suspicious as to what it might be.
Clarice O'Connor folded her hands in her lap primly and straightened her posture
. She looked every bit the regal woman that Brody remembered from his childhood.
She breathed out slowly and started in on, To tell you the truth son, I am a lit
tle worried.
At this point Brody started to worry himself. Any time his mother started with
tell you the truth he knew there was going to be a problem.

to

The simple fact is that I am not getting any younger and neither are you son. You
need to get on the ball boy and get your act together. It just has been far too
long. She told him sternly.
Brody drew up his brows in confusion. He was a successful attorney. He could mor
e than easily provide for himself. He felt like he was all in all pretty well pu
t together, so what was the problem? What are you talking about Mom? he asked, per
plexed by the direction the conversation had turned.
Clarice rolled her eyes in disdain. Grandchildren, Brody, she told him sounding ex
asperated. I want grandchildren before I am too old to do anything with them. It s
about time you returned to Connecticut and married a proper woman of status so I
can have some grandchildren. One boy, one girl will do nicely.
Brody was beside himself. She did not just say what he thought she said, no frea
king way. Stupefied by her request, he unbelieving looked up at his mother and n
early yelled, What?!
Marriage and kids, Brody; the whole shebang. Were you even listening to a word th
at I just said? Clarice asked, sounding plain annoyed now. She could have sworn t
hat she stated everything and didn t know how to make herself any clearer than she
already had.
Brody turned around and walked over to the window and made a sound somewhere bet
ween a choked chuckle and a strangled laugh. You re joking, right? I mean you didn t
come all the way here, to my office, only to tell me that you want grand-kids.
Clarice looked at her son dumbly like he had just grown an extra head. No, I m not
joking, she told him seriously. Here, she added and reached into her briefcase pull
ing out a manila folder. Brody turned just in time to see her plunk it down on h

is desk. Clarice pointed at it and stated, In here I have managed to put all of t
he eligible women that would be worthy of the O Connor name. I have attached their
pictures as well as some other random facts about their lives, what they like a
nd what not. All you have to do is choose, marry and impregnate one of them. It s
that simple!
No, it s not as simple as that, Brody thought to himself. The girls from back home
were snooty, high maintenance and pretentious. There was no way in hell that he
would tie himself down to one of those gold digging heifers. Mom, put the folder
away. I m not marrying someone back home, he replied dryly and walked back towards
his desk.
Clarice stood embittered and placed her hands on her hips. The cool composure th
at she was typically known for was started to slip away. And may I ask why not?
e demanded raising her voice.

sh

Brody thrusted his hands up in the air in sheer agitation. Because I m already marr
ied!
Clarice s eyes enlarged at the startling revelation,

You re what?

Brody wanted to smack himself. Why did he just say that? There was no way he cou
ld take it back now, not after he blurted it out to his mother of all people. Sh
e looked at him with an admiring twinkle in her eye. "Who, Brody? Who is the lad
y that you're married to?"
Brody averted his gaze to all of his law books that lined his walls.
Feeling sheepish he muttered under his breath, "Olivia. Olivia Murray."
"Olivia Murray?" Clarice repeated the name seemingly deep in thought. She brough
t her head up and looked her son in the eye and asked, "Do I know her family? Ar
e they the famous Murray's that discovered the gold out west? If so, you did wel
l son and I can't wait to meet her."
Brody wanted to scream. Of course that would be all that she would be concerned
with; not who Olivia was as a person, but where she sat on the social hierarchy.
Biting his tongue and clenching his back teeth he ground out, "No Mom, Olivia i
s here and she is an attorney like me."
"Oh," she said with her lip slightly down frowning. After another minute of sile
nce she asked, "Well, since I didn't get an invitation to the wedding do I even
get to meet my new daughter in law? I mean, I would like to see her and make sur
e my grandchildren are not going to have any oddities. I want them to be healthy
if they are going to carry on the O'Connor name and all."
Brody had enough. He was going to strangle his mother if she continued to talk.
"Sure," he bit out. "How about tomorrow night, dinner at Jacques?"

Clarice stood up with a smile that lit up brighter than the Northern Star. "That
sounds wonderful son. Say seven o'clock?"
"Yes, that will work," Brody replied already heading towards the door. He held i
t open and glanced back at his mother. "Now I hate to be rude mother but I do ha
ve quite a bit of work to finish before the afternoon is done."
"Of course, now don't work too late. You need to be home with that new wife of y
ours and work on making me some grand-babies. Remember, one boy and one girl," s
he told him tossing her bag on her shoulder. While passing by Brody she pecked h
im on the cheek and squeezed his shoulder. "Oh, I am so excited to hear this. I
can't wait to meet her tomorrow. You two have a good night," she added and Brody
could only smile.
She capered out of his office and he couldn't wait to close the door behind her.
What in the devil s name have I gotten myself into? Brody thought to himself worr
iedly. He vigorously ran his fingers thorough his hair in agitation. Well, there
is only one thing that I can do, he muttered under his breath.
Opening the door, he stuck his head out in the hall and checked to make sure tha
t his mother was in fact gone. Confident that she had left the building, Brody s
curried down the hallway as fast as he could andstopped at the door that he had
just left not even an half an hour earlier. Lifting his hand he started to knock
when the door suddenly swung open revealing a teary eyed Olivia.

For a moment his heart skipped a beat knowing that he was the reason for her tea
rs.
"What do you want?" she snapped, all of her earlier friendly co-worker pretenses
now gone. She looked like she was about ready to slam the door closed in his fa
ce when Brody stepped forward and placed his hand on the door. Brody lifted the
corner of his lips in to what he hoped came across as an honest smile and said,
"Counselor, I have a proposition for you?"
Chapter 6
You have got to be kidding me,
red looking Brody.

Olivia stated flatly as she stared back at a fluste

Less than an hour ago he couldn t get out of her office fast enough and now he was
back, standing in her doorway larger than life and has the nerve to ask her of
all people for a proposition of his own. Who the hell does this guy think he is?
He made her look like an utter fool for crying out as she practically begged hi
m to put on being a husband; her husband. She even offered him money for Pete s sa
ke, like he was a slab of fresh meat that could be bought and used.
Man, Olivia mused, I might as well purchase my own ticket for the crazy train an
d ride it with the rest of my family for actually considering renting a husband
in the form of Brody O' Conner just to get them off my case.

Taking a step back, Olivia narrowed her eyes on the dark haired handsome man sta
nding before her.
No Thank you, she told him in a very calm and collected voice. It was a much differe
nt sounding voice than the desperate pleading tone she had used with him earlier
. Not wanting to deal with him any longer than absolutely necessary, Olivia past
ed a fake smile on her face. Nice talking to you, she stated and promptly went to
shut the door in his face, but Brody was quick on the draw and stuck his monster
size foot in the way to block it.
She lifted her eyes to Brody and arched a brow. Do you mind? she asked, pointing a
t his foot which so obviously remained in her way.
Brody smirked. She was most certainly riled up something fierce and for some odd
reason he found her to be rather adorable in this state with her face set just
so. It was the wrinkled forehead and the slightly curved mouth pouting into an a
lmost perfectly shaped O , neither of which went unnoticed by him. He could almost
see himself kissing her succulent lips.
That would have to wait until later though, he told himself. Right now he needed
a wife and fast, preferably, Ms. Olivia Murray.
Crossing his hands over his chest, Brody stepped forward pushing his larger than
life body into her office. As a matter of fact, I do mind, he said challengingly.
Olivia hesitated and took a few steps back. Well...l, she stuttered and then stumb
led awkwardly on the edge of the expensive Persian rug she had purchased a few m
onths back on one of her splurging whims.
Damn it! she cursed and looked up at Brody with fire in her eyes. If looks could k
ill, Brody was sure that he would be dead right about now.
Well, get over it, she snapped. I have things to do and people to see, she added as
she tried to shoulder past him. None of which involve you .
Brody stuck his hands out and grasped her shoulders pulling her to a halt. Not so
fast, Missy, I patiently listened to your proposition. I think you should at le
ast give me the same courtesy.
Olivia lifted her head, cheeks flushed and nostrils flaring out wide. She looked
like a baby wildcat ready to scratch his eyes out right about now. Excuse me, Co
unselor; I don t have to do a damn th--,
Brody wanted to grin but thought better of it considering the situation. Instead
, he held his hands up, palms facing out in a surrender-like gesture cutting her
off mid-sentence. Will you please just shut up, Liv, and hear me out for a minut
e?

Olivia gasped. She was beside herself. This man was a fool if he thought for one
second that she would stand here idly while he told her to shut up. Not even he
r parents or her brother had ever dared to tell her to shut up and she was not a
bout to let one, two-bit play boy start doing it now.
You, mister, she jolted forward aggressively, while jabbing her pointer finger int
o his chest, Are out of line! You need to leave now before I call security and ha
ve you escorted out of my office.
This time it was Brody who arched his brow. Liv, Liv, Liv. he repeated her name se
veral times while shaking his head. Why would you want to go and do something lik
e that to your future husband? It wouldn t look good to the family you know.
Olivia wasn t half listening to a word that Brody was saying. She continued to sho
ve at his rock hard chest in an effort to make him leave her office. Wasn t it eno
ugh that she had to suffer the humiliation of crying in front of him earlier? Co
uldn t he just leave her well enough alone and let bygones be bygones?

But no, Mr. Brody O Conner just had to come back to her office of all places and r
ub her face in her own shame, didn t he; because that s what guys like him do. That
was the exact reason she didn t want to get married. Men were imbeciles that only
looked out for their number one; themselves. Well, Olivia was looking out for he
r nown umber one; herself.
Two words seemed to break through her fury at once. Future husband? Olivia stopp
ed her incessant shoving and stared up into the piercing, sapphire like eyes of
Brody O Connor. She was panting heavily from the exertion and could only imagine h
ow awful she must look right about now with her normally swept up hair do now st
raying wildly around her face.
What did you just say?
This time Brody let the grin spread wide on his face. I said your future husband,
he clarified slower for her this time in a deep-toned voice.
Olivia froze; she must be dreaming. She shook her head in an effort to clear it
and then stared back up at him. You want to run that bit by me again?
Brody tossed his head back and laughed at her dumb struck expression. One minute
she was a feisty little hell cat and the next she was as meek as a kitten.
Listen, I will do this Hawaii thing for you and you won t have to pay me a dime. In
stead, I need you to do me a favor.
Olivia s mind started to whirl about a hundred miles a minute. He did say that he
wanted a favor in return. She could only imagine what type of favor a man like t

he cunning and resourceful Brody O Connor would want from a conservative woman lik
e herself.
What exactly is this favor? she asked cautiously. Her mouth twitched a little at t
he corner bringing Brody s attention to how plump and tempting those pink lips of
hers could really be.
Clearing his throat, Brody straightened himself and stared her in the eyes.
d you to be my wife.

I nee

Okay, she said slowly. There has to be more to it than that. Obviously, she would
be his wife, all in pretend of course.
Brody cleared his throat again and this time looked a little more uncomfortable.
I mean, I need you to be my wife in front of my mother.
Olivia sat down in the chair that was just behind her. This was good. This was r
eal good, she mused sarcastically. Your mother, huh? she asked chuckling to hersel
f.
Brody averted his gaze. This part of the conversation was the part that made him
a little more compromising. Rubbing his palms on the side of his legs, in an ef
fort to dry them, he tried to smile.
Yeah, she has it in her head now that she suddenly wants grand-babies, one boy an
d one girl to be exact. He snorted at the memory of her stating that little fact
back in his office. She had all but demanded that I should marry one of those stu
ck up debutantes back at home and there is no way in Hades that I can do that. N
o freaking way. So he reverted his mien and glanced up at Olivia with her immobili
zed gaze, I sort of already told her that I was married and now now I need a wife.
Olivia wanted to laugh at the sudden irony of the situation.
You,

she said pointing at him,

Need a wife?

Brody nodded eagerly, thankful that she seemed to understand the situation.
Olivia sat in the chair for a moment drumming her fingers on the arm rest and th
ought about it. This could be the perfect answer to both of their problems; they
would ultimately kill two birds with one stone. One fake marriage equals two ha
ppy families. What could possibly go wrong?
Brody
about
g her
they
ly go

was sweating it out as he stood in front of Olivia. What could be so hard

making this decision? She wanted a pretend husband and here he was offerin
one on a silver platter. They both could play the happy married couple and
both win by getting overzealous parents off their backs. What could possib
wrong?

Standing up Olivia held out her hand to Brody. Alright, proposition accepted, she
said, smiling sweetly.
Brody smiled back in return feeling like a lead weight had been lifted off his s
houlders. Alright, he agreed taking her smaller hand in his much larger one. Being
this close to Olivia he couldn t help but to notice the bright shimmer of her lip
gloss coating those tempting lips that had been taunting him all afternoon. How
about we seal the deal with a kiss?
Before Olivia could protest a demanding mouth came crashing down on hers. At fir
st she was taken by surprise at his boldness but quickly succumbed to the tender
ness as he coaxed her into sweet oblivion.
If felt so right even though Olivia knew in the back of her head it was so wrong
. She knew that she should stop Brody from devouring her so wholly, but for the
life of her she couldn t find it in her to pull away. It was just too good.
Am I interrupting something?
Both Brody and Olivia jumped apart and stared at the door where Marcy was frowni
ng at the pair.
Brody was grinning away looking very much like a sly Cheshire cat and stated bol
dly, Yes.
At the same time, Olivia looked like a petulant child being caught red handed wi
th her hand in the cookie jar squealing, No!
Marcey lifted a questioning brow and then shook her head in disbelief. I warned y
ou girlfriend, you re on your own now, she spoke directly to Olivia and then shuffl
ed back out of the office closing the door behind her.
Olivia watched her friend leave and for a second wondered if she was making a te
rrible mistake. Lifting her fingers she touched her swollen lips that still ting
led from his kiss. Nah, she told herself. She had this situation completely unde
r control. It wouldn t be a problem at all, none, whatsoever. Olivia had handled c
riminals of the worse kind on more than one occasion so she should have no issue
s handling Brody O Conner.
The sound of her office phone ringing pulled Olivia's attention back to reality.
She was startled at the sound and turned to Brody who was staring at her intentl
y. Blushing brighter than a ripened tomato she quickly turned away and went to h
er desk. Lifting the phone from the receiver she brought it to her ear and answe
red, "Olivia Murray."
At first she heard nothing. Only silence.

More than a little irritated she repeated her name a little louder this time. "O
livia Murray."
This time she did hear something. It was a cold voice that chilled her to the bo
ne. "The clock's ticking down, Olivia, your times running out. Are you ready to
meet your maker?"
Chapter 7

Brody couldn t help but notice Olivia s peculiar expression when she hung up the pho
ne.Her eyes fearfully squinted together and her small mouth curved into a frown
as she stared down at the receiver like she was trying to figure out some sort o
f puzzle.
Is there something wrong? he finally asked after several seconds had passed, seein
g she wasn't very forthcoming.
She glanced up and shook her head back and forth giving off a nervous chuckle. No,
it s just some stupid kids making prank calls again," she told him distantly, but
disturbingly added, "It s the second one that I have had today and I was just won
dering how in the world they could have gotten my number."
Brody chewed on that bit of information for a moment before speaking again. So....
you said... you received two calls today? Brody questioned her, only wanting to c
onfirm he heard her correctly.He didn t like the implications of two prank calls i
n one day; especially, with the type of work they were involved in.
Olivia nodded and then shrugged her shoulders. It s summer, the kids are out of scho
ol and you know kids, Brody,they get bored and they do stupid stuff.Heck, even I
did it when I was younger with my sisters just to see how many people we could
get riled up.It was a game, I admit a stupid one,now that I am on the receiving
end of the calls,but it's a game nonetheless.
Sighing loudly, Olivia sat back down at her desk and mumbled, I just wish they wo
uld lose my number and bug the hell out of someone else though.
Brody still wasn t comfortable with just putting it off on some kids that were bor
ed.Stepping up to her desk, he bent over it and rested his palms on the edge of
the cherry wood.He needed to be close to her so that he could try and get across
to her how serious this could be if not checked out. Liv, why don t you have someon
e in security trace the calls?In our line of work you can never be too careful, h
e said insistently. God knows that we deal with an awful lot of crazies.
Leaning back in her chair Olivia crossed her hands over her chest and stared bac
k at Brody.Fifteen minutes.He had only been in there for fifteen minutes and he
was already starting to get under her skin.How the heck was she going to deal be
ing around him practically twenty four seven for an entire week in Hawaii? I told
you that it was just some kids, Brody; nothing more.Drop it, okay? she said to hi
m, sounding both tired and exasperated at the same time.
One call is all it would take, Liv, to clear this up, he firmly replied, sounding
more serious than she had ever seen him outside of the court room.Reaching down
he picked up her desk phone and held it out to her, Go on and just to be on the s
afe side, make the damn call.It will only take a minute of your precious time.
Brody's face was tight as he continued to stare at Olivia, willing her to take t

he phone from him.She could easily read the determination on his face.He was not
going to let this matter go until she made the call to security and had them tr
ace the calls.
This is ridiculous, she muttered, snatching the phone roughly out of his hand. This
is nothing but a waste of their time as well as mine, she seethed while punching
the numbers in for the security desk and periodically, she would glance up only
to glare hard back at Brody while she relayed the information about the call.
This was partly the reason that Olivia had never had any use for a husband befor
e.At times, men could be too overbearing and at other times,they were just plain
out incorrigible.Regardless, men were something Olivia could definitely live wi
thout.She enjoyed her independence and had no intentions whatsoever of giving it
up.
After the call was made and security had promised that they would get right on i
t and get back to her in the morning, Olivia hung up the phone and blew out a de
ep breath."Satisfied?" she quipped in a snarky tone.
Brody's widening grin was as charming as all get out.With his devilishly handsom
e looks coupled with that come hither grin, it was easy to see why he always got
the women.The man was damn near close to being irresistible, at least until he
spoke. See, that wasn t so bad, now was it?
"You re impossible," Olivia breathed out and abruptly stood up from her chair.Walk
ing around her desk she headed for the window to peer outside.From her ninth flo
or office window she had a good view of the downtown area and sometimes she like
d to stare out the window when she needed to clear her head, like right about no
w with Brody crowding in her personal space.
Traffic was picking up as the five o'clock hour approached and people were leavi
ng their jobs to go home.Today had been one heck of a day all the way around and
Olivia was really looking forward to going home.She had already made plans that
started with running herself a relaxing bubble bath and maybe even opening up t
he vintage Bordeaux wine that Sam, her sister's husband, had brought her back by
France last year.
Brody watched Olivia as she stood up and went over to the window.He could easily
tell just by the way she walked so stiffly and standing so rigid as a tree stum
p,that she was filled with all kinds of tension.He wouldn't even have minded goi
ng up to her and massaging some of those tight little knots out for her but had
a pretty good inclination that she would not be very appreciative of him touchin
g her right now, especially after that steamy kiss they had shared earlier.
So instead of touching sweet Olivia he did what he did best; he baited her."But
you do think I'm hot," he replied teasingly.Olivia threw him a look over her sho
ulder that would have warned any normal minded person to keep their mouth shut,
but he wasn't anyone else - he was Brody O'Connor.
"I bet you think I'm sexy too," he added moving closer to her now.This time Oliv
ia completely ignored him all together and if he had any sense at all he would h
ave stopped himself right there.But again, this was Brody and he had long lost a
ny of his sensibilities when it came to the Dragon Lady standing before him.
Now, he was standing right behind her, so close that he caught the powdery scent
of her deodorant when he leaned down to her ear and whispered huskily, "And jud
ging the way that you responded to my kiss a few minutes ago,I would bet my life
Counselor, that you want me too."

Olivia gasped in shock, not even believing that he went there.Not thinking, only
reacting, Olivia reared back her elbow and jammed it forcefully it into his sto
mach.How dare he say that?
Brody grabbed his stomach and tried his damnedest not to double over.For such a
small thing, she sure had some kick to her punch.Sucking in a breath, he blew it
back out through his teeth before straightening himself back up to his full hei
ght.
"So," he drawled out slowly, still rubbing out the soreness in his gut, "I would
take that as an affirmative?"It was more of a statement than a question and the
playful twinkle he held in his eyes set Olivia off again.
This time Olivia pasted on a sickly sweet smile."You know Counselor, maybe you re
right.Maybe I do want you," she stated and closed the little distance that was b
etween them.
Brody's eyes widened in surprise.This,he was not expecting."Really," he replied
jovially.

The two of them were now standing in front of each other, face to face when Oliv
ia suddenly lifted her high heeled foot and brought it down with a vengeance on
Brody's toes."I want you about as much as I would want a case of the freaking he
rpes."
Brody immediately hopped back and cursed."Damn it woman, you need some serious a
nger management courses!"Making his way back to one of the chairs that was in fr
ont of her desk, he sat down and pulled off his shoe."That hurt," he grumbled li
ke a little child and then sent her a cursory glance before returning his attent
ion back to his throbbing toes.
"Good," she snapped."It was meant to hurt."Olivia then stepped away from the win
dow and went back to her desk collapsing rather unladylike in her chair.There we
re several other things that needed her attention before she left for the day,bu
t at this point,she was more inclined to leave them for tomorrow and go on home
so that she could slip into that bubble bath she was thinking about a few minute
s earlier.
Looking up she met the piercing eyes of Brody and for an instant it was as if ev
erything around them stood still, time had frozen and they were the last two peo
ple on earth.Feeling a little more than unnerved at the situation she cleared he
r throat to gain some countenance.It was definitely time for Brody to go.
"Um, you plan on leaving anytime soon?"
A slow grin spread on his face, she was just too irresistible."Honey, are you al
ready trying to get rid of me so soon?We haven't even got to the good stuff yet.
"
Olivia fisted her hands in her lap and grounded her back teeth together.Can't he
just get a clue?"Do you ever shut up?"
"Now, now," he said wagging his index finger at her."Is that any way for a wife
to talk to her husband?"At the mention of the word wife, Olivia's eyes narrowed
into little slits.He was having way too much fun with this now."One would think
that a husband and wife should know a few things about each other before they we
re introduced to the other's family."
Olivia let out a dramatic huff."We have a week to iron out the details, Counselo

r.Right now, I just want to go home, if you don't mind."

Brody slipped his shoe back on.His toe was still a little sore but he would live
.Standing up he bent over her desk once again."Alright, whose home are we going
to wifey, yours or mine?"
She was already shaking her head back and forth, "Oh, no, no, no you don't!I'm g
oing to my home and you can go to yours, Mr. O'Connor.I have had quite enough of
you today, thank you very much."And that was the understatement of the year!
"No can do, Liv.See, we have a dinner date with my mom tomorrow evening and if e
ither of us is going to pull off this shenanigan of ours, we both need a crash c
ourse on each other.Tonight is all we have,so what do you say my sweet ball and
chain, I bring the beer, you order the pizza?"
Brody's amusement was written all over his face, whereas Olivia felt like the pr
overbial bomb had just been dropped on her.This entire marriage charade had seem
ed perfect before in her mind s eye, but now, now that they would have their first
performance tomorrow night?It wasn't looking like such a great idea after all.
Tomorrow?" she croaked out, hoping - praying - that she had misheard him.
"Tomorrow," he repeated not missing a beat.
Olivia covered her face with her hands.This was it; she had to either jump in he
ad first and swim for her life or just sink to the bottom all together.What woul
d it be?Sink or swim, she silently considered the options.
Olivia had never been a quitter in the past and she wasn't about to start being
one now.Both Brody and she were reasonably smart adults.They could pull this off
with a little effort and everyone would be happy in the end,his mom and her fam
ily too.It ll work, she told herself determinedly.It has to work.
"Alright," Olivia spoke up and leaned over her desk so that the two of them were
nose to nose."How about I bring the beer and you order the pizza," she replied
gaining back some of her famed confidence.
Brody laughed out loud."You have yourself a deal Counselor," he answered and wen
t to straighten himself up.He had to put some space between them because he want
ed to kiss her again but he wouldn't, not now anyways.There was always later tho
ugh. Later would come soon enough.
Chapter 8

Brody walked into his apartment and lightly tossed his keys on the bar.Walking t
owards the refrigerator, he jerked it open and after a moment of taking inventor
y he reached for the milk.Popping off the lid and lifting the whole gallon up to
his mouth, he took several large gulps before re-capping it and placing it back
into the refrigerator, then closing the door.
Going through his mail, his thoughts flitted back to the highly amusing encounte
r he had with Olivia earlier this afternoon back in her office.A slow grin sprea
d on his face as he recalled the memory.There was just something about that woma
n that made him want to tease her.He liked seeing her when she was all hot and b
othered and was actually looking forward to their little meeting later tonight.I
t was sure to be an experience of sorts.
Ms. Olivia Murray was a feisty little thing which was partly why she was such a

damn good attorney and he could only imagine how that fiery temper of hers would
transfer into the bedroom.He bet she was one of those that liked to take contro
l there too and he was more than willing to hand the reins over to her and let h
er lead them to oblivion.
Whoa, what am I thinking? Brody suddenly asked himself knowing that he needed to
quickly derail this line of thinking.Tossing his mail back on the counter,he fr
owned at where his thoughts seemed to be so determined to take him.He most defin
itely did not want to be going down that road, especially with Olivia Murray.She
was his co-worker and when all was said and done he would have to face her day
after day.Even more importantly, sexual tension would not suit well for professi
onalism between the two of them.
They had made a deal.A deal that they both would surely benefit from if all went
according to plan.It was a good deal and all he had to do was play a part.Once
it was finished, then they would go back to just being plain old co-workers once
again.They had to maintain a civility between them and that was it, nothing mor
e.
Feeling a little better about the situation, Brody started to strip off his clot
hing as he headed off to take a shower.They would put on their little show and t
hat would be it.Liv would finally get her family off of her back and his mom wou
ld get the asinine notion of him marrying some high maintenance debutante out of
her mind too.Simple, right?
*************************
Olivia walked into her condo with a six pack of Coor s light tucked under one arm
and her brief case in the other.She must have lost her damn mind for agreeing to
meet with the notorious Brody O Connor tonight, she mused, in her apartment no le
ss.
Shaking her head she awkwardly fumbled with the lights, flipping them all on as
she headed for the kitchen.Dropping the beer on the table and then laying the br
ief case beside it, she blew out a tired breath that ruffled the bangs on her fo
rehead.
How can one man have the capacity to irritate her so easily on every level that
he always seems to do?Well that s an easy answer, she surmised.It s because that one
man happens to be Brody O Connor, playboy extraordinaire!
You think I'm sexy, you think I'm hot, you enjoyed my kiss, he says,-- I don t thi
nk so.The man was delusional, that s what he was.
He also had an ego,the size of the Titanic and Olivia had just the thing to sink
that ship before it ever even began to sail.She felt pretty good about the few
pot shots she had gotten off him earlier today.His toes were still probably feel
ing the wrath of her high heels.
Looking down she lazily kicked off those same high heels and started to make her
way towards the bathroom for a shower.
She wasn t going to make this easy for the man.She may have proposed the original
idea of their impromptu marriage, but he rejected her first.It was only after hi
s own issues seemed to pop up that he did a complete three-sixty and now,all gung
ho for her proposal, with an addedproposal of his own, of course.
If he thought for one moment she was going to make this easy for him,then he was
sorely mistaken.She would use him for what she needed and even play her part wh
en it came to his mother, but beyond that all bets were off.Every player need to

be in his place right?Olivia felt like maybe she was the one up to the task,whe
n it came to a certain hot headed Counselor.If she could knock just one of the m
any egotistical men that seemed to prowl the earth down a notch, then maybe putt
ing up with Brody would almost be worth it.Almost.
**************************
Brody stood in front of Olivia's door and hesitated for a minute before he final
ly rung the doorbell.He was holding two piping hot pizzas in his hands and had r
esigned himself to make this meeting as business-like as possible.
This was an informative meeting so that when they had dinner with his mother tom
orrow night, they would truly seem like the perfectly married couple, odd couple
that is.
Olivia opened the door and there stood Brody in a nicely fitted pair of denim bl
ue jeans and a baby blue polo shirt.With his dark hair still slightly damp from
his shower framing his face, he looked breathtakingly gorgeous.Olivia sucked on
her bottom lip and then quickly turned away from him when she realized that she
was not only staring but thoroughly ogling the poor man.
More irritated with herself than anything else,Olivia spoke to him in a short to
ne."Come on, let's hurry up and get this over with."
Brody smirked but wisely kept his mouth shut and followed her in.Her condo was n
ice; everything was neatly placed and tidy, very unlike his own place.He followe
d her into the kitchen where he spotted the beer on the table and sat the pizza
down beside it.
Turning around he faced Liv and leaning against the counter studied her for a mo
ment.She had changed as well into a pair of simple jeans and a light pink pullov
er.Her feet were bare and Brody couldn't help but notice the hot pink color of h
er toenails.He would have thought she would have gone with a more conservative c
olor but the pink actually worked pretty well for her.
"So," Olivia started bringing his attention back to her."Where do you want to st
art?"
Brody blinked looking a little confused."Start?" he asked.
Rolling her eyes, she added, "Yeah, start.You know family history, how we actual
ly got hitched in the first place, and our story.What are we going to tell every
one?"
He then realized what she meant and walked over to the table, taking a seat.He g
lanced up at Olivia and indicated the empty seat in front of him."Join me?"
Olivia looked a little wary but sighed and walked over to the table.She opened t
he lid of the pizza box and almost melted when she saw that is was her favorite
- Hawaiian pizza."How did you know?" she glanced up and looked over at Brody.
Brody pulled out two beers and handed her one with a genuine smile on his face."
Let's just say a little birdie told me."
She took the beer at sat it in front of her.Diving into the box, she pulled out
a slice of pizza and looked at it appreciatively."Marcey?" she asked and then lo
oked back up at Brody whilesimultaneously taking a bite out of the pizza; lettin
g the cheese stretch between her mouth and the pizza that she still held in her
hand.
Brody stilled with the beer poised at his mouth as he watched Olivia bite into t

he pizza.The way that the cheese stretched and hung off of her lips was mesmeriz
ing.It was the most seductive sight he had ever experienced and that innocent si
ght made him want her all the more.
Throwing his head back, he closed his eyes tightly to try and rid himself of the
heated image and guzzled the beer.No!he told himself.Get your mind out of the g
utter and focus on the plan.Plan. That was what they were there for."Yeah, Marce
y told me," he finally answered her.
Plopping his now empty can on the table with a thud, Olivia quit chewing her piz
za and lifted a questioning brow in his direction."Thirsty?" she asked curiously
.
Brody reached over and grabbed another beer, pulling back the tab and opening it
up.Yeah, he was thirsty alright but not in the way she was thinking and he wasn
't about to tell her that either."A little," he said smiling tightly and then re
ached over the box reaching for a slice of pizza.
Determined to get through this in a professional manner, Brody started, "Okay, s
iblings - how many and what are their names?Parents names too."
Olivia sat what was left of her pizza on the paper plate in front of her.Very ne
atly, she picked up a napkin and wiped her mouth, removing the little bit of sau
ce that Brody had spotted in the corner of her mouth.
"Let's see...." she started."I have one older brother, and two sisters.One young
er than me - her wedding is the one that we are going to and one older.They re all
married which is why my family is so dead set on saddling me up with a husband.
Lord knows that I love them to death but sometimes, they can be a bit too much t
o take in at once.Which," she said and then turned her million watt smile in his
direction, "You'll get to see up close and personal come next week."
Brody nodded at all of this, soaking up all of the information.Big family, he th
ought to himself.That explains the over-protectiveness and their willingness to
want to make sure that she was first and foremost, happy, even if their idea of
happiness was not the same as Olivia's.He understood that but he had to agree wi
th Olivia on this one.Sometimes, family just needed to learn to butt the hell ou
t.
"Oh, and their names are Cane Murray, Ashley Wells, she's married to a guy named
Seth, he's a former seal too and then the baby is Caley Murray.Mom is Erica Mur
ray and dad is Ted Murray.Anything else?"
"Hmm..." Brody thought to himself as he chewed the last bit of his pizza."What a
bout how we met, how we suddenly got hitched?"
Olivia looked in the other direction and for a moment thought about what would b
e truly believable, not that anything really would be.It was going to take a lot
of convincing to pull this one off, especially with her navy seal father.Earlie
r, she envisioned they could cop up a story about one of those quickie Vegas Wed
dings but the when and the how of it was the hard part.
"Well, we could just say we got married in Vegas over the weekend..." she starte
d and then scratched at her temple leaving the rest of the statement open.
"Alright, Brody agreed."Now the question that they are all going to be asking; wh
y?"
Olivia shrugged her slim shoulders and looked directly into his eyes.For a momen

t Brody felt like he was a deer caught in headlights, he couldn't look away; he
didn't even want to look away.
Finally, Olivia broke the connection and glanced down at the table."That..." she
said, 'Is where I don't have the faintest idea."
Brody mulled it over for a minute while taking another swig of his beer.Then it
hit him.He placed the now empty can on the table and smiled back at Olivia."I go
t it," he told her.
Olivia's head snapped up."You do?" she asked, trying to mask her excitement.
"Yep," he said cheerfully."Pregnant."
Olivia's mouth dropped."What?"
Brody laughed out loud."You re pregnant.Why else would two serious career minded p
eople such as ourselves rush out and do a quickie wedding?It's believable, even
for a guy like me."
Olivia was already shaking her head back and forth."I can't lie about something
like that."
Brody gave her a droll look."But yet, you have no qualms about faking a marriage
?" Olivia didn't say anything; she wouldn't even look in his eyes.Brody let out
a sigh."Look, if you want to back out of this Liv, now is the time.I just can't
think of any other believable excuse.Can you?"
Brody was being serious now and that caught Olivia off guard.Deep down, she knew
that what he suggested was about the only plausible explanation but could she d
o it?Could she lie to her family like that?An image of Greg and then all of the
other men's faces that they had habitually set her up with started to run throug
h her head.Hell yeah, she could do this.She had to, for her own sake of sanity i
f for nothing else.
"Fine," Olivia stated with supreme confidence.
Brody narrowed his eyes on Olivia."Fine....what?"
Standing up, Olivia starting to clean up the trash around the table."Fine, I'm p
regnant."She said again and started to bustle around the kitchen, doing anything
to keep herself busy so she didn't have to look Brody in the face.She was afrai
d that if she did, she would crack and that was unacceptable.
Standing over the sink, Olivia stared out the window and didn't realize that Bro
dy had come up behind her until he gripped her shoulders and turned her around s
o that she was facing him.Out of pure principal, she still refused to look up at
him.
"We have it then, we got married last weekend because you re pregnant.That's our s
tory?"His deep voice was smooth and thick as warmed honey and that set off a rea
ction deep in Olivia's belly that she wasn't ready for.Not ready at all.
"Yes," she replied meekly, still keeping her gaze down and wrapping her hands ar
ound her stomach in an effort to stave off the building heat.
"Are you sure?" he asked her and this time he tucked his finger under her chin,
pulling her face up so that she was forced to look up at him.Olivia held her bre
ath and after a long minute she said, "Yes, I'm sure."
Brody searched her face, looking for the truth in her eyes.Seconds ticked by as

he stared deep into her eyes and before he knew what he was doing, Brody started
to lean in towards her face.
Olivia saw it coming before it ever happened.As Brody leaned in closer, closer a
nd closer Olivia caught herself and said, "Don't you dare kiss me Brody O'Connor
."
Brody stopped; just a breath of space existed between them and chuckled.Moving o
ver her mouth but never quite touching it he went to her ear and blew out a warm
breath of air that caressed over her sensitive spot before whispering, "Darling
, I wouldn't kiss you because then you would enjoy it way too much."Lifting his
head and taking a step back, he crossed his hands over his chest and grinned."An
d we can't have that now,can we?"
Olivia wanted to smack him and even flexed her hand to do that just when Brody t
urned to leave.
"See you tomorrow, dear.Sleep tight; don't let the bed bugs bite."
Brody walked out of the house as fast as he could because he was going to kiss h
er and she would have most definitely responded.If he had allowed himself then t
hey would have more than likely done a lot more than kissing and when one thing
leads to another-nope, stop.Not going there, Brody told himself.Closing the door
firmly behind him, Brody stepped out of the condo and welcomed the cool night a
ir against his skin.He was going home to take a shower, a nice long- icy, cold s
hower and tomorrow would be a brand new day.
Chapter 9

"Good Morning Ms. Murray," Grey Black, one of the firm s notable security guards s
poke as she entered the building.He was a middle aged man with a head full of sa
lt and pepper colored hair and he forever seemed to wear a brilliant smile on hi
s face.He was always in that same exact spot every day and had greeted her in th
e same manner morning after morning since her first day on the job.No matter how
bad or tired she felt, his smile never failed to warm her.
She offered him a weak smile of her own in return before replying, Good morning G
rey.How are the kids?
Grey beamed at the mention of his kids.His wife lost her battle with breast canc
er just a little over a year ago and he has been raising their seven year old tw
in daughters as a widower ever since. There doing fine, Ms. Murray.Lisa just won t
he third grade spelling bee at her school and Leary sang like a beautiful song b
ird in Church last Sunday.
That s wonderful.Those two girls truly are special, she told him genuinely and heard
Grey let out a soft sigh of sadness.She could see the toll of his wife s death wr
itten all over his face and wished that she could do something to magically make
those worry lines disappear.But short of giving him his wife back there wasn t mu
ch she,or anyone else for that matter,could do.
Grey read the sympathy in Olivia s eyes. Ms. Murray, don t you go worrying about me.Me
and the kids are doing just fine.It s hard sometimes but we meander through.You-,
he told her and pointed at her chest, need to worry about yourself.You don t look l
ike you slept a wink last night.
Olivia quickly averted her eyes.If someone like Grey Black could pick on her lac

k of sleep then surely Brody O Connor would too.Her stomach took a funny dip at th
e thought of him just knowing that she had trouble sleeping last night.That litt
le fact would probably go to his head and swell up that already over sized ego t
hat he was currently sporting.
Never mind the fact that it was the cold hard truth.She tossed and turned, threw
the covers off of her and then jerked them back on, all because of him.....But
it would be a cold day in hell before she would let Brody know that.
"You need to bring the girls by the office sometime for me to see them again," O
livia said softly when she turned back to Grey.This time she gave him a sincere
smile and was thankful for the change of subject.She was determined to think of
anything today other than the precocious Brody O'Connor.
"I will Ms. Murray.In a week they will be on break and I'll bring them by to see
you."Olivia switched her brief case from one hand to the other, already feeling
the beginnings of a migraine as she thought ahead to the day s events; lunch with
her sister Ashley, dinner with Brody's mother and then the inevitable interacti
on with Brody himself.All she had to do was survive the day, she reminded hersel
f and tonight she would sleep, come hell or high water, mindless of one certain
dark haired player.
"Good," Grey said, bringing Olivia's full attention back to him."Oh, and by the
way,Ms. Murray, they tried to trace that call for you yesterday but came up empt
y.It came from a disposable phone so there was no way to identify the caller."
Olivia simply shrugged her shoulders."That's what I figured.More than likely it
was a bunch of kids getting their kicks by making prank calls.My number just so
happened to be the lucky one that they dialed."
Grey furrowed his brows and looked at Olivia with nothing but fatherly concern."
Maybe, maybe not,Ms. Murray.You just be careful ma'am.There are too many weirdos
out there in today's world and that's just a damn shame, but it's the truth."
Olivia placed her hand on Grey's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze of reassu
rance."Always, Grey," and with that being said she dropped her hand to her side
and lifted the corners of her lips into a confident smile.She hooked her thumb o
ver her shoulder and added, "I should probably be getting on to work now.If one
of the senior partners catches me slacking off,then I'll never make partner here
."
"You go on now, Ms. Murray," Grey told her reasonably."I'll see ya around.Just m
ake sure that you watch your back, okay?"
"Will do Grey.You just remember to bring those beautiful girls by my office," sh
e said as she turned and headed for the elevator.
"Will do, Ms. Murray," Grey answered and as she walked away,she heard Grey turni
ng around to greet the next person that had walked in.Olivia pressed the up butt
on and tapped her foot as she waited impatiently for the elevator to open.The di
ng came and she slid into the elevator trying to force herself to think about th
e day ahead.She knew she had a two o'clock appointment but other than that her d
ay was clear.Maybe, she thought, this would be a good day to work on the Phillip
s case.She had been putting it off for days because of the technicalities that m
arred the defense and if she threw herself into it head first,then she would not
have time to think about another certain person that she refused to name.
The elevator opened to her hall and she stepped out already feeling better about
the day because she had a plan.As she got closer to her office, Olivia was gree

ted by her friend and assistant, Marcey, who was holding up a cappuccino for her
as she passed by her desk.Olivia reached for it and said "Thank you," while gla
ncing down the hall.
Marcey rolled her eyes."He's not in yet," she told her.
"Who?" Olivia asked feigning innocence.
"Like you don't know," Marcey replied sarcastically.
Olivia set her mouth in a grim line and huffed."I don't have the slightest idea
of who you re talking about."
Marcey eyed Olivia and didn't miss the dark circles that rimmed her eyes.She kne
w that Olivia was getting in over her head when she decided to involve Brody in
her little scheme against her family and even tried to warn her about him but di
d she listen?No.Olivia had always been one to walk her own path and did as she p
leased.This time was no different."Go preach it to someone else girlfriend becau
se those lines that you re selling, I ain't buying."
Olivia shook her head and decided that little remark didn't even deserve a respo
nse.Turning her heels, she headed for her office, stopping before she opened the
door."Hey, I'll be messing with the Phillips case for a while and I don't want
to be disturbed.Hold all my calls until after lunch."
Marcey glanced over her shoulder and flashed a sugary sweet smile."Sure thing, b
oss lady."
Olivia just stared back at her friend for a long minute before letting out a bre
ath that ruffled her bangs.She loved her friend to death and she was a damn good
assistant but sometimes she knew exactly what buttons to push in order to piss
her off.Instead of saying anything, Olivia jostled her brief case and coffee to
one hand so that she could open her door.Once she was in the sanctum of her offi
ce, she slammed the door closed behind her.
Walking over to
laid her cup of
shy chair, only
rowing stronger

her desk, Olivia ceremoniously dumped her brief case on top and
coffee beside it before making her way around the desk to her cu
to collapse in it and cover her face.That migraine of hers was g
by the minute with no immediate relief in sight.

While Olivia kept her eyes closed and massaged her temples, she heard the unmist
akable creak of her door opening.Thinking that it was only Marcey she didn't bot
her to open her eyes and grumbled, "Marcey, I said no interruptions."
Brody smirked to himself.Olivia had her head down and was rubbing at her temples
.He quietly closed the door behind him and stepped up to her desk with his hands
stuffed in his pockets.When she made no moves to say anything else Brody finall
y spoke loudly, "Honey- I'm home!"
Olivia's head snapped up and she narrowed those angry eyes on him.Oh yeah, this
is the Olivia that he liked; the feisty one that kept him on his toes.He rolled
the small box that he had in his pocket around in his hand and couldn't wait to
see her face when he showed it to her.He was sure that she would probably balk a
t it but if they really wanted to pull off this ruse of theirs it was a mere tec
hnicality.
"What are you doing in here?" Olivia breathed out, irritation dripping out from
every syllable.
Brody only shot her a facetious grin."Now honey cakes, what is the family going

to think when they hear you talk to me like that?" he tsked her with a cluck of
his tongue and pulled his hands out of his pockets, leaving the little box nestl
ed in there for the time being.He too noticed that Olivia looked overly tired an
d that gave him a little sense of self satisfaction.It was good to know that she
had slept probably about as much as he had the night before which was nada with
his raging hard on and no relief in sight.
Not wanting to go there again, Brody turned the direction of those thoughts and
held out his hands to her. "Come on now, where's the love, baby?"
Olivia was going to hit him.She was going to smack his face and wipe that smug g
rin clear off it. Tightening her grip on the arm rests of her chair she spoke in
a low threatening tone, "You, Mr. O'Connor, can leave.I don't have to deal with
you until this evening and not a minute earlier."
Brody stayed in his place and stared back at Olivia.He knew that he was making h
er uncomfortable but damnit; she had been making him uncomfortable ever since sh
e approached him with this proposal in the first place, especially below the bel
t.
Quirking up the corner of his lips, Brody took a seat in front of her desk, lean
ing over so that he was close enough to her that he could pick up the summery sc
ent of flowers from either her lotion or shampoo.It was refreshing and actually
kind of nice he thought and would have strained to lean in further if Olivia had
n't suddenly jumped up out of her chair.
Standing over him now, she looked like an angry kitten ready to claw his eyes ou
t and he would have found it rather adorable looking if she hadn't of just kicke
d him in the shins.
"Ow, damnit," he swore."Now what did you go and do that for?"
Olivia took a step back and threw her hands up in the air."Why do you have to be
so dang insistent?If you would have just let me alone then I wouldn't have kick
ed you and if you don't leave by the time I get to three then I will kick you ag
ain."
Brody snorted and looked up at her."Temper, temper.Now honeydew, all of this can
't be good for the baby can it?" he asked with a hint of laughter dancing in his
eyes.
"Oh, you-" Olivia snapped and with as much strength as she could muster she kick
ed out at his other shin too."There is no baby for real you egghead!" she told h
im and reared back to kick him again when Brody reached up and snatched her to h
is lap, confining her arms with his arms and wrapping his legs around hers so th
at she couldn't kick him again."Now baby doll, that just wasn't very nice."
Olivia seethed.She took back her statement about hitting the man.She was going t
o out right kill him and then bury him out back of her condo so that the neighbo
rs dog could relieve himself on his resting place."I don't like nice," she bit ou
t between her tightly clenched teeth, and will you quit with all of the pet names
?It's driving me crazy."
"Crazy huh?I like crazy,"Brody drawled and continued to hold her in place."Now i
f I let you go,do you promise to play nice?"
Olivia dramatically blew out a deep breath of air for the second time today.Afte
r a long minute of silent debating she conceded, "Fine."

"Fine, what?" Brody asked, not quite ready to let her go.He was actually enjoyin
g the feel of a soft woman settled in his lap, even if she was mad as a wet horn
et.
"Really,Brody?Are you going there?" Olivia asked incredulously.His chuckle answe
red her question and with a third release of a deep breath she added, "Fine, I p
romise to be nice, now get your grimy paws off of me."
Brody instantly released her hands and feet.Olivia jumped up so fast you would h
ave thought her butt was on fire.She whirled around on him even faster and point
ed her finger in his face."If you ever pull something like that again then I wil
l kick you where the sun don't shine, understand?"
Brody stood and towered over her and in a much more composed tone and said, "If
you ever kick me again - period, then I will turn you over my knee and spank tha
t pretty little butt of yours until it turns cherry red, understood?"
Olivia's eyes widened at his threat and for a second Brody could have sworn that
he saw something else in her eyes, passion maybe, but it was gone just as fast
as it came.Brody's cocky smile only grew.
Unable to maintain eye contact with him, she looked away and muttered under her
breath, "You are incorrigible."
"No, I'm honest," he replied.
Shaking her head she looked back up at him and asked, "What are you doing here a
nyway?You have your own work to do I'm sure and dinner isn't until tonight."
Brody reached his hand in his pocket and pulled out the small velvet box.Without
saying a word he handed it to her.
"What is this?" she asked tentatively taking the box from his hand.She opened it
and her mouth flew open.She snapped the box closed and pushed it back to his ch
est."Oh, no buckaroo, I am not wearing that.No way, Jose."
Brody cocked his head to the side and started, "Okay,Ms. No Way, Jose, how do yo
u plan to explain the lack of engagement ring and wedding bands to the family wh
en we are telling them about our secret nuptials? He pulled the ring out of the bo
x and held it up in the air."I already had this," he said and took a step closer
to her so that they were now standing toe to toe."On the way to meet mom,we can
stop by Wal-Mart and pick up a cheap set of wedding bands but either way,we hav
e to have some kind of proof for our families to buy this plan of ours.There is
no marriage license so this is the next best thing."
Olivia closed her mouth.She wanted to protest, God knew she wanted to protest bu
t he was right.This was easy proof but she just couldn't bring herself to put th
e vicious thing on her finger."I...I-" she started but nothing else had a chance
to come out of her mouth because Brody closed the distance between them and cra
shed his lips to hers.
At first she resisted his attentions but all too soon she gave in.His mouth was
so soft but commanding and dominating at the same time.She let him lead on gradu
ally, only so happy to following.He gently glided his tongue along her bottom li
p and she opened freely, allowing him full access to slowly plunder her mouth.Wh
ile their tongues mated in a ritual as old as mother earth herself, Brody took h
er ring finger in his hand and slipped the ring on it with ease.For a few second
s longer, he lingered with the kiss before regrettably pulling back and watching
on as Olivia came out of her lust filled haze.
"You," she said and took a step away from him, "You- you did it again."

Brody nodded."And I'll probably do it again and again Mrs. O'Connor.Get used to
it."Accomplishing what he had originally gone in there to do Brody turned and he
aded for the door."Darling," he said opening the door and glancing back over his
shoulders, "I'll pick you up at six.I don't tolerate lateness very well, so be
ready."
Olivia was left utterly speechless as she watched Brody walk out the door and cl
ose it behind him.She felt the heavy weight on her finger and looked down, reali
zing for the first time what he had done.He had slipped on that stupid ring.She
observed it for a moment and had to admit to herself that it was a beautiful dia
mond but it was that man that drove her to the brink of insanity.
She went back to her chair and sat, looking out at nothing in particular.With th
is ring on her finger, it made everything seem more real to her now.The plan tha
t the two of them had created to get both of their overbearing families off of t
heir backs was officially in effect.Still staring off into space, she touched he
r kiss swollen lips and had to wonder if she was doing the right thing.
Yes, she told herself.She was doing the only thing that she could do in order to
save face against her family.If she didn't do something they would have her sad
dled up with the next Joe Blow that they could convince to commit to her and Oli
via knew there was no way in hell that she could handle another one of them.
Sighing, she dropped her hands to her lap and reflected on the steamy kiss that
Brody had given her.She didn't want to admit it but there was no way that she co
uld deny it either.Damn, that man really knows how to lay one on a woman and mak
e her senseless.
Chapter 10

Olivia's phone buzzed and without taking her eyes off of the file that she was c
urrently reading she picked it up. "Olivia Murray speaking."

"Hey, Liv, Ashley's here for your lunch date," Marcey told her. Olivia glanced a
t the time and couldn't believe that it was already twelve. Time just flies by w
hen you're having fun she thought sarcastically to herself. She took her glasses
off and laid them on her desk and rubbed the bridge of her nose where they had
been resting.

"Alright," Liv told her. "Send her in. I'm just going to close up this file."

"Will do," she replied in a clipped tone and hung up the phone. Olivia pulled th
e phone from her ear and frowned at the receiver. Marcey really was taking all o
f this stuff with Brody far too personally. It's not like they were going to go
and elope for real or anything like that. They were just both doing each other a
favor, that's it. Nothing special.

Ashley came prancing into her office with a huge smile on her face. Olivia hung

up the phone and stood up, stretching her arms over her head. "Someone looks to
be in a good mood today," Olivia remarked. It was hard to miss the how brightly
her sister was glowing. "Is there something special going on? Something that I m
ight need to know about?"

Ashley closed the door behind her and went to take a seat in one of the chairs s
ettled in front of her desk. "As a matter of fact there is but I want to save my
news for lunch. How much longer before your ready to go," she asked staring at
all of the mountains of paperwork scattered all over her desk.

Liv closed the file and slid it to the side. Bending over, she pulled her pocket
book out of her desk drawer and walked around the front of her desk. "Are you r
eady to go now?" Liv questioned.

Ashley stood. "I was born ready, girl friend," she laughed and reached for her o
wn purse, swinging it over her shoulder. "Let's go."

The ride to the restaurant was nice. The sisters just talked about general stuff
, catching up kind of stuff. The subject of Olivia's dating life or lack thereof
had been thankfully been left alone for the moment. She knew that it was only a
brief reprieve and dreaded the moment that it did come up. They walked in to Ru
th's Chris and the savory smell of steak assailed Olivia all at once, causing he
r stomach to protest the fact that she had denied herself breakfast this morning
.

"Are you hungry?" Ashley asked with a hint of amusement on her face.

Olivia chuckled, "Evidently, and you know how I am when it comes to steak."

"Yeah, believe me I know. I still wear the scar from when we were kids and Cane
dared me to steal your steak right off of your plate. You then stabbed me with t
hat damn fork." Olivia laughed at the memory,while Ashley rubbed absent mindedly
at the hand that bore the scar. "It's not funny, that crap hurt," she pouted, o
nly fueling Olivia's laughter.

"Well, you shouldn't have tried to steal my steak," she retorted, wiping the moi
sture from her eyes. Ashley had her cracking up so badly that she had tears form
ing in the corners of her eyes.

"And you should learn to share more; I'm your sister for goodness sakes."

"Some things in life just aren't meant to be shared," Olivia said ruefully. Then
leveling her stare on her sister she added, "Certain things like namely, my ste
ak for instance."

Ashley rolled her eyes, "Believe me, I know that now. I learned my lesson very w
ell."

The waitress stopped by their table and offered them waters while taking their o
rders. Olivia ordered herself the medium rare steak that she coveted and Ashley
ordered herself a grilled chicken salad. The waitress offered them both a genuin
e smile and told them she would be back shortly.

Olivia took a sip of her water and looked over her glass at her sister. "Okay, s
o what's the big news that has you glowing like a million watt light bulb?"

Ashley froze. She was staring hard at Olivia, holding her glass in mid air, not
believing what she was looking at. No way, she told herself. No freaking way.

"Um, you may want to close your mouth sis, a fly might find its way in there," O
livia told her sister humorously. She laid her glass on the table and glanced ar
ound the half full restaurant.

"What in the hell is that?" Ashley almost screamed the question when she finally
found her words.

Olivia snapped her head around, confused. "What is what?"

"That-" she said and grabbed her sister's hand to admire the enormous rock beaut
ifying her finger. "What is this?" she repeated, pointing at it.

"Oh, that," Olivia stated dumbly and tried unsuccessfully to pull her hand away
from Ashley.

Ashley snapped her head up. "Yeah, this." Her tone was accusing as she pinned Ol
ivia with her stare. "Is there something that you want to share with me?"

Ashley did release Olivia's hand this time and she wasted no time in hiding her
hand in her lap. Now was the perfect chance for her to spring the news on a fami
ly member but she was as nervous as all get out. She knew that she just needed t
o say it, otherwise she had no doubts that Ashley would have her hooked up on an
other one of her infamous blind dates.

Watching her sister carefully, she took a deep breath and just laid it all out t
here. "Brody and I got married," she told her blatantly.

Ashley's eyes went wide before she choked on the water she was sipping and spit
it all over the table. Then, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she exc
laimed, "You did what?"

Olivia gave her sister a sheepish look that proclaimed nothing but innocence and
repeated what she had just said. "We got married."

"I don't believe this," she said looking away from her sister and shaking her he
ad. "When?"

"About a week ago. We did a small ceremony because neither of us wanted to have
anything big and then there was Caley's wedding coming up. I didn't want to do a
nything to mess it up either, take away from her glory." The waitress chose that
time to return with their food and both sisters just stared at each other over
the table. Ashley was not believing what she had just learned and when the waitr
ess finally left she pounced on her sister again with more questions.

"Who is this Brody?" she asked, looking slightly hurt that she was just finding
out about this. "And how long have you even known the guy?"

These were the types of questions that Olivia was actually prepared for. She pic
ked up her fork and knife and slowly started to cut into her steak. "Brody is a
guy that I work with. He is an attorney with the firm and I have known him as lo
ng as I have worked at Smith, Long, and Fields."

Ashley had yet to even pick up her fork, still stunned by this revelation. "How
long have you guys even been dating?" She was so taken aback that she was feelin
g sort of like she was looking at her sister for the first time.

"Quite a while," she answered her easily and stuffed a bite of steak into her mo
uth. She wanted to moan at the savory taste as it melted on her taste buds. "Thi
s is really good," she added and looked up at her sister.

Olivia then realized that Ashley had not yet touched her food. Frowning, she poi
nted with her fork at the plate. "Are you going to eat that?"

Ashley closed her eyes and brought her hands to her temples mumbling, "I can't b
elieve this." Olivia continued to watch her sister. She opened her eyes and shoo
k her head again. "You do realize that Mom is going to have a conniption over th
is don't you?"

Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "I kind of figured," she told her and willed her
sister to see her position. "But this is what I wanted. I didn't want everyone m
aking a big fuss over me. I enjoyed a small ceremony and we're both happy and I
hope that's enough to satisfy everyone."

Ashley sat there for a minute and oddly enough she understood. Olivia had never
been one for indulging herself or being over-the-top and if Mom had her way then
everything would have definitely been over-the-top.

"Alright," she conceded, picking up her fork up for the first time and pointing
it back at her. "But it's all on you to tell Mom and Dad and I would suggest tha
t you do it before we all get to Hawaii."

Olivia nodded and breathed out a sigh of relief; first test passed. "I will," sh
e told her. "I planned to bring him to Hawaii and actually meet the family for t
he first time."

Ashley took a bite of her salad and then added, "I want to meet this guy today.
You said that you work with him right?"

"Yeah, I do," she replied, "But he might be in court or something when we get ba
ck. I can't guarantee that he will actually be in the office. But enough of me,
what's your news?"

Ashley laughed. "I thought my news was big, but yours just blew mine out of the
water. The little fact that Seth and I are going to adopt a four year old is not
hing compared to you finally landing a husband."

"Adopt?" Olivia replied. "Really?"

"Yeah, it's something that we've always wanted to do. Between Seth and I, we hav
e so much love to share and there are so many parentless kids. And for once, I h
ave an opportunity to make a difference. Now, I have that chance."

"Wow, I had no idea that you were even considering something like this."

"Yeah, we've been talking about it for quite a while," Ashley said happily. "Thi
s morning we finally got the word that we were approved. The little man is from
Indonesia and after the Hawaii trip, we can go and pick him up."

"Congratulations," Olivia offered and now understood the motherly glow that was
beaming so brightly from her sister when she first walked into her office earlie
r. The two sisters continued their small talk and chattered amongst themselves a
s they finished their lunch.

They were both back in the car, on the way back to Olivia's office when Ashley f
ound herself in deep thought. She was still stunned that someone had actually co
nvinced her sister to commit. More than anything she wanted to meet this guy who
roped her sister because he must have something really special going on in orde
r to capture Olivia's attention - something really special, indeed. She was stil
l in that deep thought when Olivia parked and turned off the car.

"What are you thinking about over there?" she asked curiously.

Ashley turned to her sister. "This new husband of yours. He must be something el
se in order for you to agree to marry him. I just wonder what he's like."

Olivia moved to get out of the car and Ashley followed. The two girls who were b
oth of similar height , walked side-by-side back to Olivia's office. Without loo
king at her sister she professed dryly, "Something else is just one word that yo
u might use to describe him."

They continued on up the elevator and as soon as they stepped out onto her floor
, there stood Mr. Wonderful himself, smiling like the devil that Olivia knew he
could be.

"Ladies," he spoke and went straight to Olivia's side placing his arm over her s
houlder. He offered Ashley a charming smile and held out his hand. "My name is B
rody O'Connor; may I assume that you are Olivia's beautiful younger sister?"

Ashley blushed and glanced back and forth between both Olivia and Brody. "I'm As
hley," she confirmed, "The older one though, and may I assume that you are my si
ster's new husband?"

Brody leaned in and kissed Olivia's temple. "That I am," he answered proudly. As
hley waggled her eyebrows at her sister, only causing Olivia to roll her eyes. B
rody was laying it on thick and her sister was lapping it up like a greedy kitte
n.

"Oh yeah, honey cakes. I almost forgot," he said and released Olivia so that he
could pull out yet another black box from his pocket. Upon seeing the black box,
Olivia groaned internally.

"I stopped by the jewelers today and they had these ready." Brody opened the box
and revealed two beautiful white gold wedding bands. He took the smaller one ou
t and handed the box to Ashley. "Would you mind holding this for a minute?" he a
sked her.

Ashley took the box without hesitation and said, "Sure." She watched on as Brady
took Olivia's hand and brought it to his mouth. He placed the gentlest of kisse
s on her ring finger where the diamond ring that she admired earlier was. He rem
oved that ring and slid on the wedding band before replacing the diamond engagem
ent ring.
This time he leaned in and kissed Olivia full on the mouth before she had a chan
ce to protest. The kiss was brief and sweet but still enough to make Olivia's to
es curl..She was left speechless as she stared up at her supposed husband.How do
es he always do that? She wondered silently.

Brody stepped back and glanced at both rings again. "Now everyone will know that
you are officially mine," he stated with a wicked grin meant just for Olivia. H
e knew that look on her face and was highly pleased that he could rouse that kin
d of reaction from her. More and more he was looking forward to this week long t
rip in Hawaii. It was beginning to look very promising.

Turning around he grabbed the other ring and slid it on his own finger. Lifting
his hand, he wiggled it and then showed it off to Ashley. "What do you think?" h
e asked her.

Ashley had tears in her eyes. "It's perfect," she stated and shamelessly threw h
er arms around him. "You're perfect, everything is just so perfect," she blubber
ed on his shoulder.

Brody looked over her head at Olivia looking for some type of assistance. Crying

women were one thing that he did not handle very well.

Olivia sensed his discomfort and smiled sweetly at him. She was enjoying this as
she watched him awkwardly pat her back. "It's okay," he told Ashley for lack of
anything else to say. He then narrowed his eyes on Olivia and shot her a look t
hat promised some sort of promised retribution later.

After a minute of soaking in the news,Ashley released her brother in law. "No, n
o... Everything is perfect." She wiped at her eyes and stepped back. "I tend to
get sappy when it comes to things like this.When I'm happy, I cry and right now
I'm just so happy that my baby sister has finally found herself a good man; henc
e the tears."

Brody nodded his head and stuffed his hands in his pockets. About that time Lesl
ie came around the corner. "Mr. O'Connor,there you are," she rushed out. "Mr. Li
bbins is on the phone about the Stanley case and he says that it's real importan
t. He demanded that I come find you and drag you back to the phone if I had to.
You know how persistent he can be."

Brody sighed and shot the sisters both an apologetic look. "Work calls," he repl
ied and without thinking he swept down and brushed a quick kiss over Olivia's li
ps. "I'll see you later tonight," he told her. Olivia nodded and then watched th
e cool and confident Mr. Brody O'Connor leave. She didn't realize that she was s
till staring until Ashley grabbed her shoulder and shook her.

"Wow," she said. "He is golden, Liv. You struck the jackpot when you landed that
fish!"

Olivia turned and continued to watch Brody's retreating back until he was comple
tely out of sight. "I caught something alright," she admitted. "But nothing abou
t Mr. Fantabulous is gold. Fools gold, maybe, but not gold by any standards."
Chapter 11

Will you stop that incessant fidgeting?

Brody complained.

He glanced over at Olivia out of the corner of his eyes and had
to work at hiding his smile. He arrived at her condo at 5:00 on the dot to pick
her up for the dinner with his mother and low and behold, she was ready to go,
outfitted in an impeccable black cocktail dress that had him momentarily clamori
ng for words.
He was also thrown for an additional loop because based on his o
wn past experiences, women were never ready when he told them to be ready, which
was precisely why he had told her six, even though the dinner reservation wasn t

until seven. That gave them thirty minutes leeway to get to the restaurant on t
ime.
So he was pleasantly surprised to find her standing at the door,
purse in hand and ready to hit the road. This was like a whole new version of
Olivia Murray that he had never seen before and he found that he rather liked th
is Olivia a lot.
Now that they were in the car and on their way, he had begun to
notice small details; details such as the little fact that Olivia couldn t seem to
keep still to save her life.
She started by nervously tugging at the hem of her dress, then s
he pulled out this little scrap of metal that he assumed was some sort of a mirr
or from her purse, first checking her make up, then her hair and now she was wri
nging her hands in her lap like a overwrought school girl getting ready to go ou
t on her first date.
Olivia, realizing what she was doing, suddenly snapped her head
in his direction. I can t help it, she hissed. You may be used to this kind of stuf
f but I on the other hand, am most certainly not.
All afternoon Olivia had been able to do nothing but stress the
entire time about tonight s dinner with his mother. Brody had played his part so
beautifully in front of her sister earlier in the day that now she was fretting
over the fact that she would be the one to end up screwing up this whole charad
e of theirs with his mother before it ever really had a chance to get started.
Brody pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and found a
spot near the front. His smile turned into a frown as he started to process her
words. Turning off the ignition, he turned to Olivia who was now gazing outsid
e the front windshield and chewing on her bottom lip.
What exactly do you mean b
y I may be used to this kind of stuff?
She let out an exaggerated sigh.
This stuff, she repeated and flu
ng her hands up in the air in frustration when he narrowed his gaze on her. The
lying to our parents, pretending to be married and pretending like we are going
to have a baby for God sakes. That kind of stuff, she ranted and then let out a
dramatic huff to make her point.
Brody sat there and just watched Olivia for a minute. He couldn t
help but notice the strawberry flush that had worked its way into her cheeks, g
iving her face color and sort of a hint of unbound sexiness that was naturally p
art of her appeal. Her hair was done up in an elegant French twist revealing h
er slender neck and for the first time he took in her transformation from the us
ual professional to evening decadence and found himself completely transfixed by
the change.
After several long minutes, he finally found his voice again. Reaching out,
he covered her hands that she was still wringing in her lap with his own and sq
ueezed them to still the motion.
Olivia, look at me, he told her softly, the deep timbre of his voi
ce both smooth and commanding at the same time, making it hard to refuse his req
uest.
Olivia continued to keep her focus on the front windshield of
e car. She felt his hands on hers and had frozen when he first touched her.
s hands were warm and comforting; all together unsettling and she had no idea
at to think of that. The one thing that she was sure of was that she was not

th
Hi
wh
re

ady to come face to face with Brody O Connor.

This time Brody sighed.
Olivia, he started and releasing one of h
is hands, he reached up and gently cupped her cheek, guiding her face so that sh
e was forced to look up at him. Once he had her full attention he asked her, Oli
via, answer me this one question. Do you want to call this off?
Olivia closed her eyes and wished that this one man didn't have
the effect on her that he was so obviously having. She was supposed to be in co
ntrol of her emotions. That was precisely why she had chosen Brody for this job
, so emotions wouldn't be a problem and if she had anything to do with it; they
would not be a problem. She would regain her control.
I can do this, she told herself silently with steely determinati
on.
No, she finally breathed out after several long minutes of awkward
silence. Cautiously she opened up her eyes to meet the most tantalizing set of
orbs that she had ever laid her eyes on staring back at her. "Damn, those devi
l eyes of his," she cursed under her breath so that he couldn't hear her.
Taking in a deep breath she spoke louder and told him, I can do t
his, and offered up a pinch of a smile.
It s just been a long day and my sister rat
tled my cage a bit, then seeing you so perfect with her, well that had me a bit f
lustered. What-, She had to pause for a second, unable to hold up under his car
eful scrutiny any longer, she adverted her gaze back out to the front to the win
dshield before continuing.
What if I mess this all up?
Ahh, he said, now understanding. Ms. Murray was first and foremos
t a perfectionist. He knew that from her work alone and now she doubted herself
. A few stray hairs that had somehow slipped from her elegant hairdo caught his
attention and without thinking he found himself reaching up and pushing them ba
ck behind her ear.
You ll do just fine, he told her.
Mom may come off a little over
bearing at first but she really is easy to please. Give her that award winning
smile of yours and she will be putty in your hands, he assured her.
Olivia had to laugh at that.
ound to face him.

Putty, huh?

she said turning back ar

Brody was caught off guard once again by the sweetness of her ex
pression when their eyes met. Electricity crackled in the air between them, tak
ing him by total surprise. Gulping, he simply answered her, Yeah.
The nerves that had been knotted so tightly in Olivia s belly seemed to be l
oosening. There was something about Brody, when he was near, that calmed her.
Maybe it was his confidence or maybe it was his arrogance, either way it soothed
her like nothing before ever had. That much, on this night at least, she was t
hankful for.
Then, for the first time tonight she looked at him, really looke
d at him. She studied his strong jaw line and the high cheek bones that were a
trait of his Native American ancestry, took in the dark lashes that framed his e
yes and the cleanly shaven face that was remarkably more handsome that she had e
ver considered before. She had always thought he was cute but in more of a play
-boyish way rather than the maturity that she was seemingly viewing for the firs
t time now. He was down right sexy and as quickly as that thought entered her m
ind, she pushed it back out.
This was supposed to be all a ruse, a role to play. Brody surel
y thought no more of it than that. It was plain to see that he liked his women
of variety and she had to remember that.

But if that was the case then why was he staring back at me like
that?
Brody, Olivia started, determined to put this all back into proper
perspective and was instantly silenced when his lips brushed hers, not once but
twice.
It was a sweet kiss, nothing urgent, demanding or hungry; just a
gentleness that stunned Olivia speechless.
Brody slowly pulled back and this time he didn t try to hide the s
mile begging to be set free. He grinned and it stretched from ear to ear, Come o
n Wifey, he told her teasingly with a slight twitch of his lips. Let s go meet mom.
It had been one hell of a struggle to fight back the urge to dee
pen the kiss with Olivia. He knew that if he didn t get out of the tight confines
of the car that they were in then there would be no hopes of preventing him fro
m ravaging that alluring mouth of hers so he quickly turned away from the tempta
tion sitting just inches from him and stepped out of the car.
to
med
ody
the

The cool night breeze splashing his face was already helping him
clear his mind as well as cool other body parts that had all of a sudden see
strained against the zipper of his pants. Taking in a large gulp of air, Br
adjusted his tie, walked around to the passenger side of his car and opened
door for her.

He held out his hand and Olivia took it with ease, allowing him
to help her out of the car and then closing the door behind her. He placed his
hand at the small of her back and guided her towards the front of the restaurant
, continuing to take deep breaths of the medicinal night air in order to calm hi
s raging libido.
Olivia felt his hand on her back and that one touch was like a b
rand, a white hot brand that she could feel all the way to her bones. She let h
im lead the way and when he held the door for her, she stopped offered him a smi
le. She was more determined now than ever to make this dinner go off without a
hitch, come hell or high water. This would be there second run though and just
a taste of what it would be like in Hawaii. She had to somehow make it work.
spinner.gif
How may I help you?
n they approached the front desk.

the tall man posing as host asked the pair whe

We have a reservation for three, Brody spoke up, his hand resting
easily on Olivia s hip. For the O Connors, he added.
The host looked down at his list and then back up at the couple,
smiling. Yes, yes
he said excitedly.
The other member of your party has already a
rrived and has been seated. Follow me, please.
Olivia and Brody followed the host to a small candle lit table n
estled in a quiet corner at the back of the restaurant. Olivia noticed right of
f the regal woman whom stood up to greet them and smiled warmly back at her. Sh
e was tall, with a short but sassy hairdo and a clear olive coloring. Her statu
re told you right off the bat everything that you needed to know about Ms. Clari
ce O'Connor. She was a no nonsense woman who lavished social status.

"Here we are," the host indicated with a nod of his head. He st

ood to the side and let the couple pass, his smile never wavering once.
For the first time since they stepped out of the car, Brody let
his hand drop from Olivia's back and went to his mother, kissing her on the chee
k. "Good evening mother," he said and pulled her chair out for her, allowing he
r to sit down. Brody then maneuvered his way back over to Olivia and pulled out
her chair as well, playing the perfect gentleman.
Olivia took the seat that Brody offered and glanced up at Ms. O'
Connor nervously.
"Mom, this is Olivia...Olivia O'Connor," Brody replied, taking O
livia's hand in his own.
Clarice held out her hand to Olivia. "This is such exciting new
s," she proclaimed. "I can't believe that my only son took it upon himself to g
o and get himself married without saying a word to me. But my oh my, I can't say
that I blame him though for wanting to keep you all to himself. What a pretty
little thing you are dear."
Olivia felt the small reassuring squeeze of her hand that Brody
had given her and beamed back at Ms. O'Connor. "It's really nice to finally mee
t you too Ms. O'Connor. Brody has told me many good things about you."
Clarice waved her hand frivolously in the air. "Please, you don
't have to flatter me so. I know my son and I am sure that other than mentionin
g my name, he hasn't said too much about me, but please dear, call me Clarice.
Ms. O'Connor sounds much too stuffy coming from any daughter in law of mine."
Brody flashed his usual charismatic smile and brought Olivia's h
and up to his lips, pressing an innocent kiss to her dainty fingers. "Guilty as
charged," he murmured, grinning like a delinquent at his mother. "We have had
too many other things that I have been interested in when we had alone time rath
er than talk about you, Mother. I figured that you would come up in all due tim
e of course."
Brody felt the stiff end of one high heeled shoe come down on hi
s toe and winced. Through the stinging pain, he maintained his smile and squeeze
d his little hellcat's hand a little tighter in retaliation.
He had hoped to loosen Olivia up by using a little sexual insinu
ation on his part and it worked; she wasn't the least bit nervous anymore but no
w his damn toe was sure throbbing.
"Of course," Clarice agreed watching the pair with approval. Sh
e didn't miss the little eye contact that passed between the two and it was more
than obvious to her that the chemistry between her son and his new wife was off
the charts.
"Excuse me, may I take your drink orders," a plump little waiter
with a balding head that seemed to appear out of nowhere interrupted.
Clarice was the first to speak. "Yes, I would like to have your
best Pinot Noir and a glass of ice water, please." Folding her hands on the ta
ble, she then glanced in Olivia's direction and asked, "What about you dear?"
Olivia let out a deep breath that she hadn't realized she had be
en holding, glanced down at the menu and then closed it shut. "I think I'll hav

e the same as you Clarice."

"No you won't, cupcake," Brody spoke up from beside of her. He
was still holding on to her hand and giving her a mischievous look.
Olivia turned to him and frowned. "Why not?"
"Not in your condition babe. Sorry," he told her shaking his he
ad. "No alcohol for you sweetie."
It took a minute for what he was saying to register with Olivia
and just a second more for Clarice to catch on to the underlying meaning.
"Seriously?" Clarice squealed, loud enough to bring the attentio
n of the entire restaurant on their table. "You re...you re going to have a baby...
. I'm going to be a grandma?"
Olivia whipped her head from Brody to Clarice and all she could
seem to manage was a curt nod with her lips stretched into a tight smile. She k
new this was the plan all along but when he said the words, spilled the beans or
whatever, it knocked her to the wayside.
Clarice stood and rounded the table, pulling up Olivia to stand
in front of her. She glanced at her belly and then back up at her face right be
fore wrapping her in a bear hug, almost choking the very air out of her lungs.
"Thank you," she whispered at her ear and it
t Olivia for the first time, the ramifications of what would
e found out their ploy. The fact that there was no baby, no
s poor woman would be devastated and then what about her own
they feel when they learned of the deception?

was then that it hi

happen when everyon
real marriage. Thi
family? How would

Clarice released her and Olivia sat back down, left alone to wal
low in her own guilt. Brody reached for her hand again and the dinner progresse
d and once again, she gave him a weak smile that lacked any real serious effort.
Brody and his mother continued to chat idly while Olivia just pu
shed the food around on her plate. Suddenly she wasn't hungry anymore and she co
uldn't stop herself from thinking about everything that they had already put int
o motion.
She knew that it was too late now to stop that train now though.
Ashley knew and now his mother knew. They were moving full steam ahead, the n
ext stop, paradise hotel or heart break, depending on which way one would look a
t it.
"Is something wrong?" Brody leaned in and asked Olivia, sounding
more concerned than anything. He saw her mostly full plate and had notice her
lack of talking throughout dinner.
"No, I'm fine," she replied too quickly and after seeing his fro
wn, she turned around to face him and added, "Well, maybe a little tired is all.
It's been a long day."
"Of course you re tired dear. That is natural when you re in the de
licate condition that you are in. And look at me; here I am keeping you out all
hours of the night, exhausting both you and my grandchild. Brody, take her hom
e and get her tucked into bed. We will have plenty of more time to get to know
each other in the months to come."

Olivia blanched at the inference made to "her condition."

"Yes, you will mother," he stated, already standing up. He star
ted to pull out his wallet and his mother waved him off. "I've got this covered
, she told him insistently. "Just take that pretty little wife of yours home to
get some rest."
His shoulders fell but he knew his mother too well. She wouldn'
t take no for an answer so he went over and gave her a hug. "Thanks."
Clarice patted his back and answered, "Thank you son. Thank you
for finally giving me the one thing that I have been waiting on for a while now
. Go on now, get her home."
"The pleasure was all mine," Clarice said and then all but start
ed to physically push them towards the door, "Now go on you two; I will take car
e of the bill and I'll call you later, just get her home so that she can rest pr
operly."
Brody laughed and led Olivia to the car. The ride home was sole
mn. He tried to talk to her a few times but she really did seem tired so he gav
e up his efforts and just enjoyed the calm of the night surrounding them.
Twenty minutes later, they pulled up in front of her Condo
rody parked the car. Olivia sat there for a moment, seemingly lost in her
hts. He muffled a cough to get her attention and then said, "You did good
ht Olivia. I mean, you really pulled it off. This trip should be a piece
ke."

and B
thoug
tonig
of ca

"Really? You think it will be that easy?" Olivia remarked, soun

ding a little sarcastic.
He wasn't sure what caused the change in her mood tonight and it
unnerved him a little. Reaching out, he placed his hand on her thigh, only wan
ting to assure her when he looked up at the front door and stilled.
"Liv?"
She was still mulling over his mother's reaction to the news of
a grandchild when he called out to her. She turned to him and was confused by t
he question in his voice and noticed that he was staring at her front door.
"What is it?" she asked and followed his gaze, gasping at what s
he saw.
"You did close and lock the door when we left, right?"
"Yes!" she answered him and started to get out of the car. Brod
y grabbed her wrist and pulled her down, "Keep your butt right here and call the
police." Not giving her a chance to respond, he slipped out of the car and hea
ded towards the front porch.
Olivia glowered but grudgingly pulled her phone out of her purse
and called the 911. She waited all of five minutes after she hung up the phone
and Brody had disappeared completely from her sight before muttering. "Oh hell
no, I ain't just going to sit here like some helpless floozie while he plays ro
bo cop."
Opening the door, she slipped out into the cover of night and he
aded up to her own doorstep, male arrogance be damned.

Chapter 12
Brody carefully pushed the door open with his foot and stood roo
ted in place while he strained to hear if there was any indication that an intru
der was still in the house.
He remembered specifically looking in the rear view mirror once
they were in the car and backing out of the driveway and seeing the front door c
losed. It had also been daylight out when they first left for the restaurant an
d there was no reason for any of the lights to be on.
Right now, as bright as the place was lit up, you could land an
airplane anywhere within a mile radius of the condo. He had little doubt that s
omeone had been in Olivia s home while they were gone and with that thought cold c
hills erupted all along his arms.
Brody slipped inside the open door quietly and on full scale ale
rt. It didn't escape his attention that all was eerily quiet throughout the con
do with the exception of the low hum of the central air system blowing in the ba
ckground.
He stopped in the entry way for a moment and let his eyes roam,
taking a cursory glance of the place to see if anything looked out of sorts.
At first glance, everything seemed perfectly fine - neat and tid
y, the same way that the beautiful Ms. Olivia Murray presented herself.
Stealthily, he moved towards the kitchen all the while keeping h
is eyes moving in every direction, taking in every nuance and cataloguing even t
he smallest of things all along the way.
Stepping into the kitchen, he observed that nothing in there see
med to be out of place either. He spotted the wooden knife block sitting on the
counter and considered that it might be smart to have something just in case he
ran into the perp. After all, it was he that ran into the condo, all gung ho w
ith nothing more than his bare hands to defend himself. Reaching for the larges
t of the knives he gripped it in his hand, weighed it for familiarity and then c
ontinued on to the next room.
Again, all the lamps and overhead lights were on in the den but
not a sign of anything out of place. This was really strange he mused, glancing
down at the most current issue of Lawyers Weekly sitting on the end table. A sm
all smile tugged at his lips because it was him that graced the cover this week
due to his big win in the Demascus case last month.
Shaking his head, he turned away and continued his search. They
were several thoughts that he just couldn't seem to shake though.
Why would someone break into Olivia's house and just cut all of
the lights on, not take anything and not hang around until she returned? Someth
ing just wasn't adding up.
Then his mind flashed back to the phone calls that Olivia had me
ntioned. The "prank calls" as she referred to them. She wanted to blow them of
f and blame it all on the kids. Brody wasn't too sure about that. He checked
with security this morning and had learned that the caller used a disposable pho
ne and there was no way to track it.

Could she have a stalker? He shuddered at the thought but it wa

s a very real probability.
spinner.gif
He continued to creep down the back hall and was headed for the
stairs when he heard a thump. Then a scraping sound like someone was walking acr
oss the hardwood floor in the dining room. He listened carefully and decided th
at it was coming from the front of the stairs.
Brody flattened himself against the wall, moved in that directio
n of the sounds and waited. He hoped to hell that this was the perpetrator. Ol
ivia was a co-worker and a friend; he didn't like the fact that she was being ha
rassed at all. It didn't sit well and if he could end it now, the better he wou
ld feel.
He could hear the sounds of the sirens closing in somewhere off
in the distance and knew that help was on the way, all he had to do was subdue t
he creep until they got there.
Holding his breath, he waited, listening to the footsteps as the
y got closer and closer. He could see the shadow of the guy as he approached t
he corner of the stairwell.
Raising his hand, he was poised to lunge when the stranger come
around the corner and screamed a high pitched wail.
He saw the bat coming at him but it was too fast for him to reac
t. He felt a sharp stinging pain radiate on the top of his head and then everyt
hing suddenly went black.
"Ah crap, Brody. You weren't supposed to be playing ninja in my
home," Olivia muttered. She dropped the bat to her side and fell to her knees,
hovering over him. He was out stone cold and she could already see the huge kn
ot forming on top of his head.
Lightly rubbing her fingers over the bump, she frowned. "You re
going to have one hell of a headache when you wake up." She sat back on her leg
s and sighed. "Serves you right though, running off like that, leaving me in th
e car like some helpless vixen."
"Ma'am?"
Olivia jumped up at
stared back at two uniformed police
over at the humongous knife laying
t still in her hands before finally

the sound of an unfamiliar male's voice and

officers. Simultaneously, they both glanced
in the floor by Brody's side, then to the ba
resting on the unconscious Brody.

The taller cop with brilliant blue eyes kicked the knife out of
reach first and then gently took the bat out of Olivia's hands. Handing the bat
off to his partner, he hooked his thumbs on his belt loop and pinned her with h
is stare.
"Would you like to tell us what is going on here?" he asked with
a serious expression on his face.
Olivia licked her dry lips, glanced back down at Brody before lo
oking back up at Mr. Policeman. "You see," she started, "We came home and the d
oor was standing open," Olivia stopped all of a sudden when the paramedics came

in and instantly went to work on Brody.

One of them had a pen light and was inspecting the knot that had
doubled in size in the last five minutes. "How long has he been out?" he asked
turning to Olivia.
"Five minutes, maybe?" She said, cracking her knuckles nervously
.
"Hmm," he replied and grabbed and ice pack out of his bag, break
ing it apart to enact the coldness. He spotted the bat in the officer's hand an
d inclined his head towards it. "I'm just taking a wild guess that the bat was
the weapon of interest."
"Seems so," the officer replied curtly and turned back to Olivia
, shooting her an accusing glare. "We're still waiting to get the story, ma'am.
"
Brody groaned from his position in the floor and tried to sit up
. Olivia tried to hunch down and check on him when the officer grabbed her by t
he arm and pulled her back up. "Ma'am, let the paramedics take care of him. We
need to get the facts."
She stood and took one last fleeting glance at Brody before blow
ing out a ragged breath, nodding and then letting the officer pull her into the
kitchen.
It took her a whole hour and five separate times to repeat the e
xact same story of how they came home to the door standing wide open and all the
lights in the house on, Brody taking off and her following, then the whole mist
aken incident of her thinking that Brody was the one who broke into the house he
nce the knot on his head before they were finally satisfied. They walked with h
er through the house to make sure nothing had been disturbed or taken, took a fe
w finger prints at the door and that was it. There wasn't much more that they c
ould do unless the fingerprints gave them a lead.
Even then, since nothing was taken all they could do was charge
the person with breaking and entering. That was a child's play charge these day
s.
She closed the door behind the police officers and was relieved
when they were finally gone. She dropped her head to the door and closed her ey
es for a moment. A killer headache was already pounding in her temples from the
stress of earlier today and the night was not yet over. Brody was still here.
"Are you okay?"
Speaking of the devil himself, Olivia half smiled and lifted her
head from the door, turned around and was slightly taken aback by the concern i
n his eyes. She was the one that had knocked him out and yet here he was worrie
d about her.
"I'm fine." Closing the distance between them she lifted her ha
nd to his head and inspected the bulging knot. "What about you?" she asked when
he winced from her touch.
"I'll live," he mumbled and grabbed her hand in his.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke, neither of them moved.

Their hands intertwined and they both just stood there in the entry way lookin
g into each other eyes. She was lost in the calm of the oceanic blue of his orb
s and Brody was spell bound by the coffee brown tint that reflected back at him.
The clock struck midnight and twelve dongs started to sound, bre
aking the moment and bringing Olivia back to reality. She stepped back and clea
red her throat, "Um, do you want me to drive you home?"
Brody shook his head and declared, "I'm not going anywhere, Liv,
not after what happened here tonight."
Quickly snapping her head up, Olivia gasped. "You can't stay he
re," she proclaimed. He had to be out of his mind if he thought that he was goi
ng to spend the night at her house. What would the neighbors think?
Brody smirked, "I can," he said and took a step forward, "And I
will."
Olivia held both of her hands up, palms facing out and took a sh
aky step backwards. "No you're not. I want you to go home Brody."
He took another step forward placing his hands on her hips, spla
ying his fingers outwards and pulled her flush up against him. He could feel h
er heart beating wildly being this close to her. He could smell her enticing sc
ent and wanted nothing more than to mold his lips to hers.
Her breath hitched from the sudden intimacy and instinctively he
r hands flew up to his chest in a last ditch effort to erect a wall between them
. "Brody," she breathed out, looking at her hands, "Please, don't do this right
now."
Releasing one of his hands, Brody lifted it to her head and slow
ly began to pull the pins out of her hair. "You're my wife," he said simply, fo
cusing on his task at hand.
She clenched her back teeth. "Not for real Brody, only in front
of family."
"We have an image to keep up," he insisted, pulling out the fina
l pin in her hair and threading his fingers through the thick mane of brownish b
lond locks. She tried to push back from him but he held strong. "Don't worry c
upcake, I'll sleep on the couch," he whispered, leaning over so that he could be
tter inhale the flowery scent wafting up from her hair.
"You can go home," Olivia retorted grumpily.
"Not happening, sweetness." He curled a ringlet around his fing
er and was fascinated by the way the highlights shimmered against the lamp light
in the room.
"Brody...," she pleaded, feeling her resistance starting to slow
ly break down. "It's time to go home."
Brody clucked his tongue. "You see babe, the way that I see it,
someone broke into your house tonight and I feel that as your honorary hubby it
is my duty to protect you and I can't do that if I'm not here."
"I don't need your protection," she snapped back.

"I disagree," he mumbled, pressing his nose into her hair. "You
have two choices Liv, we can stay at my house or yours, which will it be?"
She seethed. She jerked back and this time was able to put a li
ttle breathing room between them but his one hand was still latched to her hip n
ot quite fully letting her go. "I choose neither."
Brody chuckled. "That wasn't an option dear. My house or yours
," he repeated, watching her every move very carefully.
Olivia adverted her gaze and refused to look up at him. "You ca
n be such an ass," she grumbled just loud enough for him to hear. "Fine," she c
onceded irritably. "You take the couch, I'm going to bed and if you come anywhe
re near my room, consider that knot on your head just a taste of what I'm going
to do to you."
Brody grinned that famous grin of his. Looking every bit like t
he playboy she knew he was.
"I consider myself fairly warned, slugger," he stated and bowed
his head in a gentlemanly gesture.
She groaned and he took a step back, releasing her in the proces
s. She stumbled but quickly steadied herself.
Brody looked her over from head to toe in a blatant scrutiny bef
ore intentionally turning his back on her. He started to head off towards the l
iving room before pausing and calling back to her, "Good night sweet cheeks. Sl
eep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite."
Her mouth dropped in exasperation but she didn't bother to respo
nd. She turned on her heels and proceeded to stomp up the stairs towards her ro
om, hearing Brody's laughter ringing in her ears. "Stupid men and their egos,"
she mumbled walking into her room, slamming the door firmly closed behind her.
Chapter 13
Olivia came awake with a start when the incessant beeping of her
alarm clock interrupted her incredibly amazing dream of a bare chested Matthew
McConaughey hand feeding her chocolate covered strawberries.
Not bothering to lift her head, she reached over and smacked the
snooze button, cursing the dang blamed thing. "I hate mornings," she grumbled
her face still buried in the pillow.
For several long minutes she just laid there, with her eyes clos
ed as the events of the night before started to come back to her. Disgruntled,
she flopped over on her back and stared up at the ceiling. "I am such an idiot.
"
She thought about dinner with Brody s mom which went surprisingly
well, then coming back to her condo and the fiasco that followed. She couldn't
believe that she knocked him out with a bat.
Only me, she groaned. This type of crap would only happen to me
.
Then the brute had wormed his way into spending the night. In h
er house. On her couch. She sat up and stared at the door, knowing that he was
out there and probably going through her things. That would be just like him,

nosey little beaver.

Standing up, she pushed her arms above her head and stretched.
It was then that she realized Mother Nature s calling. She moved to the door, unl
ocked it and stuck her head out. She looked both ways, making sure that Brody wa
s no where in sight before streaking down the hall to the bathroom.
While attending to
ufferable man that knew how to get
would be on a plane, posing as man
ay anything to her mother about it

business, she thought some more about the ins

on her ever-loving nerves. In two days they
and wife, headed to Hawaii. She had yet to s
and could only imagine her daddy's reaction.

On the bright side, she wouldn't have to look forward to any mor
e of those God awful blind dates. Maybe, just maybe, she might be able to enjoy
her baby sister's wedding. With Brody in tow, that was a very big maybe.
Washing her hands in the sink, she looked up at her reflection i
n the mirror. Her hair was in complete disarray. Her mascara was running, givi
ng her the full raccoon effect and the gown she had on was an old flannel one th
at made her look anything but appealing.
Studying her image, an idea came to mind. If Brody saw what she
truly looked like first thing in the morning then he wouldn't continue to mispl
ace his mouth on hers. A grin tugged at her lips. Seeing her like this, surely
he would want to stay away from her as much as possible. It seemed like the pe
rfect solution to her paltry problem.
She tangled her hands in her hair, mussing it up even further an
d stepped out of the bathroom. Her sullen mood was now much brighter since she
had a plan. It was high time to turn the tables on Mr. Brody O'Conner.
Olivia stopped at the top of the stairs, the smell of bacon and
coffee hitting her nose. Her stomach growled in response. She wasn't typically
a breakfast person but the enticing scent was quickly causing her to change her
tune.
spinner.gif
She jogged down the steps and made her way to the kitchen, skidd
ing to a halt when she saw him. He stood at the stove, with a spatula in one ha
nd, wearing nothing but Spongebob boxers.
Momentarily stunned, she found herself transfixed on the defined
muscles of his back and knowing good and well that she should turn her head, bu
t she couldn't. Her eyes were glued to his magnificent body.
ully
fter
that
her

Brody heard her as soon as she entered

decided to cook breakfast in his boxers hoping to
the hell he went through the night before, unable
she was just feet away, probably sleeping in some
to suffer.

the kitchen. He purposef

get a rise out of her. A
to sleep because he knew
sheer lingerie, he wanted

He flipped the bacon in the pan and then turned around to face h
er. At first glance, he was taken aback by her appearance. She looked like one
of the extras from Michael Jackson's Thriller video.
Then he noticed the way that she was staring back at him and cou
ldn t help but grin.

"Good morning," he said easily, dropping his hands to his side,

giving her an up close and personal view of the goods.
Olivia gulped. Those abs. They were perfection. Oh yeah, she
could see herself doing a load of laundry on them suckers, possibly even two. F
rom head to toe, this man was gorgeous. She could just imagine herself licking.
...
She stopped herself right there. She did not need those types o
f images swimming though her head. Bristling, she turned away from him and stro
lled over to the refrigerator. With jerky movements, she grabbed the milk and w
ent over to the counter to get a glass.
"So, I take it that you're not a morning person," Brody remarked
. He was following her every move, unable to tear his gaze away from her shapel
y legs. He had an inkling that she had purposefully come down here looking her
worst just to get under his skin and oddly enough, he thought that was adorable
that she would go through that much trouble for him.
Olivia poured her glass of milk and grunted. She refused to loo
k in his direction; that body of his was just too damn tempting.
"I take that as an affirmative," he answered himself chuckling.
"You are a strange woman, Olivia Murray. Very strange. But you want to know so
mething? I find strange highly attractive, especially on you."
Olivia whipped her head around. She knew that he was baiting he
r and as soon as her eyes landed on that delectable body of his a shot of desire
ran through her system, which just pissed her off even more.
Slamming her glass of milk on the counter, the white liquid slos
hing and spilling on her hand, she yelled, "For crying out loud, will you go and
put some clothes on!"
Brody took his time, taking the bacon out of the pan and laying
it out on a paper towel for the grease to drain. He glanced over at Olivia. "W
hat, do you have a problem with my body? Can you not handle a little male flesh
this early in the morning?"
Her lip twitched as she tried to think of something to say. She
wanted to slap him silly for making her feel like this. It was absolutely crim
inal for a guy to flaunt assets like that. Dropping her head back, she looked u
p at the ceiling and let out a ragged breath. "Just do it Brody, please..... fo
r decency's sake."
He was loving this. He loved seeing her off her game and fluste
red by none other than himself. Ignoring her request, he turned to her, giving
her another perfect view and pointed at the refrigerator. "Why not make yoursel
f useful and hand me a few eggs from out of there?"
Olivia cocked her head to the side. "Come again."
"Eggs, you know those little white things, they usually come by
the dozen Four should be good," he told her before turning back around to the sto
ve and checking his toast.
If he wants eggs, then he'll get his damn eggs.

Without saying a word, Olivia turned and reached in the refriger

ator, pulling out the carton of eggs. She opened them and smirked. "Brody," sh
e said, taking an egg out of the carton.
He turned around, "Yesssss.."
Smack. Egg ran down his face. "You did not just do that," he q
uipped, wiping the remnants of the yellow yolk off of his forehead.
"Oh, I believe I just did and guess what?" she said, trying to c
ontrol her laughter, "Here's another one for ya."
And with perfect aim, Brody was hit again. He shook his head an
d laughed. "You are so going to pay for that."
Olivia started to back up. "I don't think so."
Brody stalked forward. "Well think again muffin cakes," and in
two long strides he closed the distance between them. Before she had a chance t
o react, he took the carton out of her hands and dumped it on her head.
"It looks like you have a little egg on your face sweet cheeks,"
he teased.
Olivia swiped her eyes and glared back at him. "You think this
is funny don't you?"
Brody, unable to hold it in, busted out laughing. "Yeah, actual
ly I do".
Olivia looked over at the counter and spotted her glass of milk.
She darted past him, grabbed it and tossed it in his face. She froze in place
when his abrupt laughter stopped, the glass still in her hand and after a long
moment of silence she started laughing. "Now that is what I call funny."
He just stood there, milk running down his chest, egg caked in h
is hair and watched Olivia. She really did look a hot mess with egg shells tang
led up in her rat s nest. "You do huh?"
She nodded her head, working to stifle her giggles.
Brody lunged for the open refrigerator and grabbed the first thi
ng that he could get his hands on. Looking at the tub of butter in his hands, h
e shrugged his shoulders. "Works for me."
Olivia saw the intent before he reached her. She tried to back
away but he caught her. She squealed when the tub of cold butter was dumped on
her head. She kicked out, but Brody, learning his lesson the hard way, had jump
ed back far enough that he was out of her kicking range. His shins remembered a
ll too well the punch that those small feet could pack.
"I can not believe that you did that!"
Brody started laughing again. "Yellow looks good on you."
"Aggggghhhh," she screamed. "You...you...stupid, egotistical, s
elf absorbent, poor excuse of a man!" Her eyes burning with fury, Olivia glance
d around the kitchen and spotted the fruit bowl sitting on her table. Grabbing
the first thing that she could get her hands on, she held it up at the ready.
"What are you going to do with that?" Brody asked, holding his s

tomach from laughing so much.

Olivia looked at the banana in her hand and scowled. "What do y
ou think I'm going to do? I'm going to beat you with it."
Brody lowered his lashes. "Baby, I have something else a whole
lot better that you can beat than that banana in your hand."
She gasped. "You perv!" she yelled, hurtling the banana in his
direction.
He ducked and it splattered against her wall, leaving a nice yel
low mushy stain behind.
Snarling, Olivia stalked towards him and shoved her finger in hi
s chest. "You need to get out," she told him. "I'm going to take a shower and
when I come back down, I will expect you to be gone. You hear me?"
Brody couldn't stop grinning. "You look so cute when you re pisse
d."
She rubbed her hands over her face. "You re un-freaking-believabl
e."
"I'll take that as a compliment coming from you."
Olivia shot him a droll look. "Gone before I get back," she rem
inded him. Not wanting to give him any more extra time to come up with one of h
is witty comebacks, she brushed by him and stomped out of the kitchen.
Brody watched her leave and when she was out of his sight, he
stened to her stomp up the stairs. He would be gone by the time that she got
t of the shower but he would most definitely get in the last word. "Oh sugar
um," he called out and waited until he heard her stop clamoring up the stairs
fore continuing. "I'll be home by six and I expect dinner to be ready and on
e table."

li
ou
pl
be
th

He was answered with more foot steps and a loud slamming of the
bathroom door.
His smile widened. That's my girl.

Chapter 14
I cannot believe that you didn t tell them,
Olivia as she bustled through the airport.

Brody growled, trailing

I ll tell them once we land, she assured him as if it was no big dea
l. Frankly, it was none of his business when she told her parents about their n
ewly formed relationship - at least that was the way that she saw it. This was
her idea to begin with and she would spread the news when she was good and dang
ready.
Olivia came to an abrupt stop with Brody almost bumping into her
when they reached the long line at the first security check point. She stood t
here, still as a statute refusing to acknowledge him.
Brody blew out a loud, frustrated breath and Olivia could have s

worn that it sounded like he stomped his foot.

This is payback isn t it?
. Payback because I made you watch the World Series all week."

he accused

Olivia made a gargled laughing sound. "As if." She turned arou
nd and pinned him with her angry eyes and poked him hard in the chest. "You re da
mn right it's payback Brody O'Conner, but not over a few measly baseball games.
It's payback for you moving in on my life, taking over my personal space," she
told him circling her hands around herself, "and eating all of my food. My food
Brody, not yours."
Brody's lips curved into a mocking smile. He lifted his hand an
d touched her cheek, finding amusement in the way that she recoiled from his tou
ch. "Now sweet pea, what kind of husband would I be if I didn't live with my wi
fe, hmm?"
She scowled at him. "You re impossible," she snapped and quickly
turned around, giving him a front row seat to her back.
She had truly met her limit with him. All week long he has succ
essfully found ways to nettle Olivia and handily dance the jive on her last nerv
e to the point that she was about ready to pull out her hair.
Standing in line she continued to stew over the different incide
nts of the past week and decided right then and there that she would probably ha
ve more satisfaction out of pulling out his hair instead. Nice and slow, she pi
ctured it, strand by individual strand until he was bald as a newborn babe s butt.
It all started with the break in escapade after the dinner with
his mother. Brody haughtily decided that he would suddenly embrace his role as
her all encumbering husband and ran with it like an Olympic finalist going for t
he gold.
He had done everything from leaving the toilet seat up so that w
hen she woke up in the middle of the night, her backside conveniently fell in th
e chilly water to finding his dirty boxers discarded in the middle of her bathro
om floor. And let's not forget the God awful pet names he insisted on using, no
t only at home but at work as well. Now, everyone in the office had it in their
uptight big heads that they were married and the sly remarks that she was recei
ving were just about as bad as Brody himself.
Did she hold off on telling her Navy Seal dad about their nuptia
ls on purpose?
Hell yeah, she thought to herself. Payback can be a real bitch.
Standing there in line she continued to silently seethe. Olivia fold
ed her arms over her chest and kept her attention facing forwards, determined to
ignore the overbearing presence standing behind her.
Brody smiled. He was getting a kick out of this. All week she
tried to stay calm and collected both at the office and at her condo. Olivia wa
s valiantly playing her part as if she was cool as a cucumber but he could see t
hat it was starting to wear her down which is exactly what he wanted.
He preferred the fiery temper of Olivia Murray compared to the s
omber one that she was trying like crazy to maintain.
Placing his hands on her shoulders, he squeezed her tight muscle
s and felt her body stiffen. Bending down so that his mouth was close to her ear

he whispered in husky tones. "If I remember correctly I did offer for you to mo
ve into my house, and then we would have eaten my food baby cakes." Before she
could respond he nipped at her ear, following the little love bite up with a swi
pe of his tongue to ease the sting.
Olivia gasped and then jerked away, rounding on him so fast that
Brody had no way to protect himself. The little she-devil kicked her foot out
with force and connected perfectly with his knee.
"Damn it woman!" He swore while at the same time he hopped aro
und on one foot, holding on to his throbbing knee. He couldn't help but to smil
e about the fact that his little hell cat was back. She was no longer the meek
woman that she had tried to be all week. Instead, her claws were out and she wa
s all fiery passion. Hawaii was suddenly looking up.
"Next."
Olivia heard the security guard and once again turned away from
Brody. She stomped forward, dropped her carry-on bag on the conveyor belt and t
ook off her watch and high heeled shoes. She walked through the metal detector
with out any problems, grabbed her bag and kept on trucking, not once looking ba
ck.
Brody has his own ticket, he could find his own way, she silentl
y mused. She didn't have to play the part in the airport because there was no o
ne around to see. When they land, that was going to be a whole different story.
Then it would be show time and she would have to put on the performance of her
life.
"You could have waited for me," Brody griped, slumping down in h
is seat beside Olivia. He pulled out his favorite blue pillow from his carry on
and slipped it behind his head, situating himself comfortably in the seat for t
he long ride ahead.
Olivia spared him a side glance and lifted a brow when she notic
ed the familiar pillow. It was the same one that she had spotted on her couch a
ll week long. Some kids have there blankies or their binkies and evidently the
all so studly Mr. O'Connor had his favorite Carolina blue pillow.
Snorting at the absurdity of it all, she turned away from him an
d pulled out her laptop. The trip would be a long one and she had enough sparri
ng with Brody for the day. This was the perfect opportunity for her to work on
her upcoming case. Powering up, she delved right on in.
spinner.gif
"Hey......time to wake up Mrs. O'Conner," Brody sang sweetly.
"Huh?" Olivia blinked her eyes, trying to figure out where she
was.
"Honey," Brody said and flashed a cheeky grin. "We're here."
Olivia straightened up and looked around, realizing there were o
n a plane. Hawaii. "We're in Hawaii?" she asked, still trying to brush off the
last remnants of sleep.
"That we are doll face. Home of natural beauty in its most elem
ental form."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Save it Shakespeare."

Brody chuckled. "My, you re cranky when you wake up."
She grunted in response. She closed her laptop and stood, stret
ching her arms. She waited for Brody to pack up his pillow and made a mental no
te of it for later use. He stepped out in the aisle and waved her in front of h
im. She went ahead and followed the other passengers to the exit. It was quite
a scene as they both struggled through the airport and collected their luggage.
45 minutes later, they hailed a cab and headed for the hotel. O
livia's nerves were spread thin and once again she found herself second guessing
this absurd plan that they had concocted. Then she thought back to the last bl
ind date that her dear brother had set her up with and shook off any last minute
insecurities. This was going to work - it had to work or else she was going to
lose her mind.
They arrived at the hotel and Brody paid the cabby. He carried
in the luggage, leaving only the roll-a-bout for Olivia to manage. As soon as t
hey entered the lobby, Olivia paused and grabbed his wrist, holding it in a deat
h grip.
Looking up he instantly understood what she was looking at.
"Mama....Daddy," she choked out. The older couple strode forwar
d, looking back and forth between Brody and her.
"Livy," Ted said as he approached his daughter. "How are you?"
He leaned in and gave her an awkward hug considering that she had yet to free h
er strangling grip on Brody's wrist. He stepped back and inclined his head in B
rody's direction. "Who s your friend?"
Olivia opened her mouth but no sound came out of it. She stood
there in front of her parents, gaping like a goldfish.
Brody sensed her hesitation and set one of the suitcases on the
floor, freeing up his hand. He held it out to the older Mr. Murray and flashed
a brilliant smile. "Mr. Murray," he started, "I'm Brody O'Connor. I'm Olivia's
husband."
For a long minute no one moved, no one said a word. It was as i
f the world had suddenly stopped spinning on its axis.
The next minute all hell broke loose.
A thousand different scenarios ran through Ted Murray's head, al
l of them leading to one thing. The scoundrel in front of him had taken advanta
ge of his innocent little girl. Not thinking, he sucked in a breath, reared his
fisted hand back and then let it fly forward with the tenacity of cannon, the b
ull s-eye being Brody's nose.
Brody stumbled backwards, bringing his hand up to cover his now
bloodied nose.
Cursing a blue streak at his luck, he glanced over at his suppos
ed wife. "Damnation," he told her. "Now, I know where you get that prickly tem
per of yours from."
Chapter 15

Seth stepped off the elevator, looking for some place to maybe g
et a drink and relax a little since his wife and kids were napping and paused wh
en he spotted his in-laws, facing each other off. In the six years that he had
known his wife, he had never seen the two of them glower at each other like that
.
He stood there for a long minute and silently debated on what he
should do.
If he was smart, he would just quietly walk away but then he wou
ld have no idea why the two were looking at each other like that. If he was itc
hing for trouble then he would approach them and take it from there.
The problem was that now his curiosity was peaked and as a creat
ure of habit he was finding it hard to ignore that nagging curiosity.
Ah hell, he muttered, already knowing what his decision would be.
I must be a glutton for punishment, he thought to himself, approaching his wife s
parents.
He put on his biggest smile. Ted .Erica, fancy running into you tw
o down here. I thought you would have been at the pool by now.
Ted Murray glanced over at Seth and shoved his hands in his pock
ets. "Have you heard the latest news? he all but growled out.
Now, Ted- it s not all that bad, his wife rebuffed him.
You re just ma
d because she didn t consult with you first.
She straightened her spine and with o
ne look the older woman dared her husband to argue with her. She was at least t
wo heads smaller than her husband but she wasn t scared of him in the least.
She s our daughter, he argued.
She should have told us about somethi
ng as big as that. Not drop it like a bomb at Caley s wedding.
Erica smacked her lips.
Did you see the two of them Ted? Did yo
u see the sparks igniting off them? They are perfect for each other and you re ju
st mad because you didn t have a hand in picking out who her husband was going to
be.
Seth was slowly starting to put the pieces together as he watche
d the two converse, his head going back and forth between them like a ball durin
g a tennis match. He concluded that this had to do with Olivia considering she
was the only unmarried daughter and evidently she had gone off and gotten hersel
f hitched without telling her parents about it first.
That would most definitely be a recipe for disaster. He knew ho
w protective Ted was over his children, especially his daughters. He even remem
bered the arduous interrogations he went through while courting Ashley.
Ted turned to Seth once again.

What do you think?

His eyes widened.

Um, he started, his gaze flitting between the t
wo knowing all too well that this was the part where he usually stuck his foot i
n his mouth. Hoping to divert the attention back off of him, he turned the ques
tion back on them.
Think about what exactly?
Ted blew out a heavy breath.

Olivia getting married to that gigo

lo,

he said, as if Seth should have already known that.

He is not a gigolo Ted, he is an attorney that works with her, his

wife pointed out.
Then he s a pansy ass.
Erica rolled her eyes. Forty two years she has shared with this
man and she had never wanted to ring his neck as much as she did right now. Ol
ivia was happy, why couldn t he see that and just be happy for her?
You shouldn t talk about your son-in-law like that, she chided. Seth
, you re a bright guy, talk some sense into the ornery man. I m going to enjoy the
sun alone.
With that being said, Erica Murray whirled around and stalked of
f just as pretty as she pleased. Ted could only stand there, rooted to the floo
r and scowl some more.
It isn t right, he said aloud, watching his wife disappear t
hrough the lobby doors. A daughter should have included her parents in on someth
ing like that. There has to be a reason that she just up and did something like
this Seth. If he didn t get her drunk and drag her to the altar, then he did som
ething and I want to know what that something is.
Ted shifted and stared back at Seth, a calculating hint of a smi
le curling up at the corners of his lips.
I want you to dig up everything that y
ou can on the bastard. I want to know everything about him; every single skelet
on that you can pull out of his closet. I want it all. Can you do that for me?
Seth didn t dare tell his father in law no. He was a persistent m
an if nothing else. If Seth refused then Mr. Murray would find someone else to
get him the information that he wanted. After all, they were both Seals and fin
ding someone with that kind of capability wasn t exactly that hard to do.
Besides, he was curious himself as to why Ashley s baby sister sud
denly did something so impulsive. The Olivia that he knew was always predictabl
e and did nothing without analyzing all the angles. He too, felt like there was
something not quite right about this but he would hold his judgment until he di
d the research and met the man himself. Yeah, he agreed.
I can do that.
Satisfied with his answer, Ted slapped his son-in-law on the sho
ulder. We Seals have to look out for our own, son. I will not have some slacker
moving in on my daughter and taking advantage of her.
Seth nodded.

I understand sir. I ll get what you need and get bac

k to you.
I bet you will, Ted grinned.
I bet you will.
He had every confiden
ce in his abilities, especially coming from the Seal background. He had no doub
t that if that tally whacker had any dirt on him, Seth would find it. And when
he did, Ted would bury him with it.
********************************************************
I m sorry, Olivia said for the umpteenth time since they had walked
into the room. She really didn t expect her father to act like that. She thought
maybe he would yell, make a few snide remarks but she never imagined him punchi
ng Brody in the face.
She stood outside of the bathroom door and frowned when he ignor

ed her yet again.

Will you please say something?

Olivia leaned her forehead against the door. She didn t particula
rly care for Brody but they were stuck here for a week together, for better or w
orse, and she really didn t want to spend it fighting the whole time.
Look, I know I should have told my parents beforehand. That was
a selfish move on my part but you have to admit, you had been begging for it all
week with the way that you treated me.
The door swung open wide and Brody appeared in front of her.
You r
e damn right you should have said something to your parents. He swept past her a
nd went to the bed where his suitcase lay open. He rifled through it, looking f
or a clean shirt. If you were my daughter and some chump just announced that he
had married you, I probably would have done the same thing.
Olivia blinked, trying to decide if she was either crazy or if t
hat punch her dad delivered to Brody knocked a few screws loose.
What do you hav
e in your nose? she asked.
Brody turned to her and peeled off his bloody shirt, throwing in
the floor.
Olivia s gaze instantly drifted down to the bare skin and her brea
th hitched at the sight of his well defined solar plexus.
What, this?

Brody replied pointing to the string hanging out of hi

s nose.
She shook her head, trying to dispel the image of his impeccable
pecks that was probably now forever burned in her memory.
Yeah, she swallowed an
d lifted her gaze back to his face. What is that?
He shrugged his shoulders and started to pull on the clean shirt
that he had just dug out of his suitcase.
A tampon.
A what?
A tam-pon, he said again, this time much more slowly for her benef
it.
Olivia stared straight ahead and then threw her head back, dying
with laughter. You--, she said pointing at him, You have a--a tampon in your .. your
nose. Her laughter was so rambunctious that she was literally doubled over in co
mplete hysterics.
Brody did the last button on his shirt and glared at Olivia.
I d
on t see what could possibly be so funny. Our coach back in high school used to u
se these all the time when one of us busted our nose. They work to plug your ho
le that time of the month, why can t they work to plug mine?
Olivia stopped laughing and glanced up at Brody, her vision swim
You re serious aren t you? she asked, struggling to maintain her com

ming with tears.

posure.

Yes, he said coolly.

It works.

Olivia couldn t hold it in any longer. She fell to the floor and
rolled on her back, delirious with giddiness. She tried to stop but every time
that she looked up and saw that string hanging out of his nose, she couldn t help

it. The giggles started all over again.

Brody grunted and headed back for the bathroom. "To each his ow
n," he muttered.
*********************************************************
An hour later, the tampon long gone, Brody and Olivia headed dow
n to the lounge for a drink. They had a show to put on and they couldn t very wel
l do it stuck up in the room.
As soon as they turned the corner, Brody audibly groaned. Stand
ing at the bar was her father, Ted Murray, and he did not look happy to see them
at all.
Come on, Olivia urged.
Daddy was shocked at first but now he's don
e gone and got it all out of his system. All he ll do is just question you to dea
th and you ll charm him with that charismatic personality of yours, then it ll be ov
er.
Brody grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to him.
I highly do
ubt that it s going to be as easy as you make it out to be, he told her as they app
roached her father.
Yes it will, just watch, she whispered out of the corner of her li
ps.
Brody flashed a bright smile.
Mr. Murray, he said and held out hi
s hand. He would take Olivia s word for it and try to soothe this over the best h
e could. That was the plan, right?
Ted stared at his outstretched hand and then looked to his daugh
ter, completely ignoring it. Seeing her, his face softened.
What are you doing
with this klutz? he asked sincerely. He couldn't believe it and he didn't unders
tand it.
Why him?
Daddy, she drawled.

Be nice, please - for me.

Brody tensed at the way that Mr. Murray blatantly cut him out of
the conversation. He let the punch slide because he could understand the shock
, but enough was enough. He could even understand some animosity in the man but
this? This was totally uncalled for.
No, you listen to me Olivia Murray. We raised you better than th
at. You should have come to us before you ran off and tied yourself to a gigolo
like that.
Okay, that did it, something in Brody snapped. He stepped forwa
rd, lifting up his chin.
Now hold on just a damn minute. You don t even know me.
Ted snorted, stepping up to him so that the two men were now che
st to chest.
I know you well enough. I know that you took advantage of my daugh
ter and she s just too smitten to see the real you.
That s rich.

Brody snapped.

You really don t have a clue, do you?

Well, why don t you enlighten me?

Ted snarled.

A slow smile spread across his face. Olivia was going to be pis
sed at him later but right now, he didn t rightly care. He wanted nothing more th
an to put this man in his place.
She s carrying my baby, he said with something that sounded like pri
de.
Olivia gasped. Ted took a step back and glanced at his daughter
in disbelief. For a half of a second everything in the room seemed so surreal.
Then it happened again.
For an old man, Mr. Murray could move like lightening. His fist
ed hand drew back and came flying forward, pummeling Brody s eye. He stumbled bac
kwards holding his head, feeling like a wrecking ball had just smacked him in hi
s face.
He ll just question you, just watch; you told me, he mimicked and st
ared in Olivia s direction. Damn, you guys are two peas in a pod. I m outta here Oli
via. I m done.
Brody then turned on his heel and as calmly as he could possibly
be, he exited the room. Nothing was worth this kind of abuse, not even the bea
utiful Olivia Murray.
Chapter 16
Olivia glared at her father. Narrowing her eyes on the man that
had raised her from birth, she threw her hands on her hips and blurted, What did
you do that for?
Ted rubbed the hand that he had just used to punch the vagrant w
hile staring back at his baby girl.
Because, he retorted petulantly. The numb nu
t took advantage of my baby girl. He not only married her without my permission
but he impregnated her and now well now I m stuck with him and there s nothing that
I can do about it.
Keeping his thoughts to himself, Ted looked elsewhere.
ed it, he said flatly.

He deserv

She had to work hard to reign in her anger. If the aging man in
front of her had not been her father she would have knocked him one herself. Th
at s not a reason Daddy.
It is, he insisted, turning back to his daughter. His eyes dropp
ed to her abdomen as the words that the gigolo said reverberated in his mind. Sh
e s having my baby.
His baby was having a baby.
Dad,

Olivia alleged,

You re being unreasonable.

He started shaking his head, ready to argue with her and Olivia
held up her hand to stop him.
No Daddy, you listen to me. You, Mama, and everyo
ne else in this family has tried to set me up with every Joe Blow that they thou
ght was supposed to be the right one for me.
She crooked her fingers as an added
annotation when she mentioned the right one .
Obviously, none of them was the right one. Brody, well, she shrug
ged and smiled as she remembered how silly he looked in his sponge bob boxers wh
ile standing in her kitchen cooking her breakfast a week ago. I like him.
You like him,

Ted dragged out the phrase that seemed to stick in his

throat.
Yes, she confirmed.

I really like him.

Ted frowned, once again staring at his daughter s stomach.

our mama and I raised you better than that.
What?

Girl, y

she asked, confused.

He sighed.
You don t marry a guy because you like him or, he stoppe
d, his frown deepening, waving his hand at her belly. Or just because you re having
his baby. You marry a man for love Livy. For better or worse.
Dad, I do love him, she said, not believing how easy the lie rolle
d off of her tongue. She read the suspicion all over her father s face and persis
ted, I doooo.
Uh huh. Livy, two people don t just fall in love - not the kind o
f love that I m talking about. The two of you may lust for each other and you may
think its love, but it s not. I mean, look at Ashley and Seth; their love is str
ong and true. It can weather the storms that come with marriage. Now look at y
ou and .and him, he settled on saying, not verbalizing aloud what he really wanted to
call him. Prick. You saw for yourself, the first sign of discord and he said he
was done. Is that love to you?
Olivia was having a hell of a time holding onto her temper, a te
mper that rivaled her father s. He had some gall to sit here and lecture her on l
ove and compare her relationship, albeit a fake one to her sisters.
You punched him Daddy, she fiercely whispered.
Not once, but twice
. You punched my husband twice. What do you expect him to do - kiss your ass?
Yes.
No, he brooded and breathed out heavily.
Can t you see Livy? He s not
good enough for you. Look, just let him go, divorce him and we ll figure out the
rest in due time, he said, looking pointedly at her stomach.
Olivia s eyes widened to the size of two extra large pizzas.
You h
ave got to be kidding me, she started, shaking her head slowly back and forth.
Yo
u did not just say what I think you said Daddy.
What? Divorce him? Yup, I sure did and I ll say it again. You re
too good for him baby, and as your father I feel that I should tell you the trut
h.
Olivia rubbed at her now throbbing temples. What she had planne
d to be an easy going vacation was quickly turning out to be a National Lampoon s
re-run. Do me a favor Daddy, she told him with her eyes closed.
Keep your opinion
s to yourself.
Turning, she dropped her head and walked away from her father.
She had heard enough.
Olivia, don t you dare walk away from me, he called out to her retr
eating back. To his utter disbelief, she kept walking.
Olivia, he called again,
We aren t done with this discussion young lady. You wait til I tell your Mama.
Oli
via turned the corner and was gone.

He swiveled around at the bar and brought his fist down on the c
ounter.
Damn it, he swore. It s not supposed to be like this, not with Olivia, not
with his baby girl.
The bar tender placed a glass of golden liquid in front of him.
Female problems? he asked congenially.
Ted snorted and picked up the glass, tossing it back and drainin
g it in one deft swallow. Looking back at the bartender, he thumped the now emp
ty glass back on the bar. That s an understatement.
******************************************
*************
She knew he was a hard ass, sometimes a pain in the ass but she
never pegged her father as a jackass until today. Today, he made a fool of hims
elf and for the first time in her life she was embarrassed to call him her fathe
r.
Stepping off of the elevator, she strode down the hall towards t
he room that she and Brody shared. True, this was all just a big ruse but it wa
s the presumptuous and overbearing attitude that her father had that really set
her mood afire.
spinner.gif
Pulling the key card from her back pocket, she swiped it in the
slot and pushed open the door. Walking in the room, she saw Brody roughly tossi
ng his belongings back into the suitcase that he had just unpacked no more than
an hour earlier.
Hearing the door open, Brody didn t even stop to see who it was; h
e knew just like he always knew when she entered a room. It was Olivia. She ca
rried an aura about her that was so powerful, even he couldn t resist it.
I m sorry, Olivia breathed out. She leaned her shoulder up against
the doorway and stared at his back.
Brody stopped packing at the sound of her voice. An apology fro
m her was the last thing that he was expecting. Straightening up, he dropped th
e shirt that he held in his hand on top of the rest of the heap in his suit case
and sighed. You don t have anything to be sorry for Liv. This wasn t your fault,
told her, not daring to turn around and look at her.
Yes, it was, she said calmly.
It was my idea to bring you out her
e and my father that punched you. It s my fault and I m sorry.
This time Brody turned and met Olivia s gaze. He was taken aback
by how striking she looked in her breezy sundress and minimal make up. She wore
her hear down so that the soft tendrils curled up at the nape of her neck and t
he way that she stood in the door way, she looked like an angel, an ethereal ang
el sent down from heaven.
Brody crossed the room and set his hands on her shoulders.
Liv,
I agreed to this plan and if I remember correctly, I was the one that came up wi
th the brilliant idea of telling everyone you were prego. It s partially my fault
. But your father, he said curling up his nose, Is a piece of work. I was willin
g to overlook that first punch but that second one, well, that was the last stra
w.

he

Olivia looked down at her feet. His eye was already swelling an
d turning a brightly purplish grey color and she couldn t blame him for backing ou
t of their deal now. So, I guess you re leaving, she said demurely.
Brody glanced back at his suitcase then turned back to Olivia.
was thinking about it.

She gulped and nodded.

Alright, let me grab my Blackberry and I ll
find you a flight back home. I ll take care of everything and....and I m sorry to
have taken up your time. She kept her gaze adverted, not wanting him to see her
true feelings. She didn't want him to go but she couldn't blame him for wanting
to leave either.
Brody cocked his head to the side and just watched Olivia. She
was a puzzle to him. One minute she was fiery hot, the next she was as cold as
ice and extremely intelligent; almost too intelligent for her own good. Noticin
g how she was trying to inconspicuously avoid him he said, Liv, I told you there
is nothing to be sorry about so quit apologizing.
She just held up her right hand while she thumbed intently throu
gh her Blackberry.
The next flight leaves at six tonight. You ll have a layover i
n LA for an hour but you should be back home in Raleigh by morning.
She kept her head down while she continued to tap out a few more
things on the phone.
That s the best I can get.
Liv,

Brody called out.

Wait, here s another one.

Liv, Brody interrupted her again.
Her head still down, she was so engrossed in her task that she d
idn t hear him talking to her.
This one leaves at four but that only gives us a li
ttle less than an hour to get you to the airport. It would be tight, but I thin
k we can make it."
Olivia O Connor,

Brody snapped.

Look at me.

She jerked her head up and blinked; once, twice.

Did you say som

ething?
He was enthralled. Those deep lashes fluttering like a butterfl
y, portraying an innocence that only Olivia could pull off. Her lips slightly p
arted, begging to be kissed.
Yeah, he said gruffly and crossed the room, pulling
her into his arms.
Mrs. O Connor,

he said, his eyes boring into hers,

Shut up.

Before she could protest, he leaned in and smashed his lips to h

ers. She gasped at the sudden intrusion and he pressed his advantage, thrusting
his tongue into her mouth. She drove him crazy, she drove him wild and for once
, he wanted her as off balance as he was when she was any where near.
She didn't back down. Surprising him, she wrapped her arms arou
nd his neck and gave back the best she had. All the built up tension from the p
ast week had led to this. This one hot, passionate kiss and she couldn't get en
ough of it. One of his hands caressed her back while the other threaded in her
hair. Their mouths worked against each other, sharing breath and tasting pleasu
re. She was lost to everything but the man that held her in his arms.

Brody was the one to regrettably pull back. Lifting his head, h
e looked down at Olivia who was just standing there, dazed and breathless. He r
an his thumb lightly over her kissed, swollen lips and grinned. "I'm in Hawaii,
cupcake, with a beautiful lady and for one week I get to pretend that she is my
wife; I ain't going anywhere."

Chapter 17
Olivia pulled herself back, out of Brody s arms and struggled to r
egain her composure. Her breaths were uneven and she had to fist her hands to s
till the trembling.
What
she stopped and squeezed her eyes closed tight, taking a calmi
ng breath. Starting again, she opened up her eyes and stared back at Brody.
Wha
t do you think you re doing?
Brody stepped back with that damnable grin of his and gave Olivi
a a thorough once over. I believe I just kissed you, he told her in response.
She rolled her eyes in a move that was mean to show her sarcasm.
Thank you Captain Obvious, I figured out that much. My question is why?
Brody lifted his shoulders in an easygoing manner that she was s
tarting to become accustomed to. Standing there, by the bed, with his darkening
eye and his impish smile she couldn t decide if she wanted to grab his collar and
pull her to him while continuing to ravage his mouth as she had just moments ea
rlier or if she wanted to grab him by the neck and throttle his cocky ass.
Because I wanted to, he finally answered her after what seemed to
be a farmer s minute.
Because you wanted to, she repeated with equal amounts of frustrat
ion and anger seeping in her tone.
Brody turned and went back to his suitcase, lifting out his lapt
op. Yup. He headed over to the small desk that was nestled in the corner of the r
oom. Laying the laptop down on the desk, he flipped it open and started it up.
Olivia stood there dumbstruck. One minute he s ranting, the next
he s kissing the daylights out of her and now, well .now he s just sitting there as if
nothing had happened.
Shoving her hand irritably in her hair, tangling it with her fin
gers she let out an exaggerated sigh. What are you doing now? she asked.
Brody pulled out a pair of glasses from his shirt pocket and sta
rted tapping at the keys. Work, he stated plainly.
I needed to check on a few thi
ngs, he told her, not bothering to stop what he was currently doing.
You know, it
might be a good idea for you to check in with Marcey too.
You might want to check on Marcey too, she mimicked him, lowering
her voice a decibel or two. She hated the fact that he had a point and she didn t
think of it first. She still has that huge case coming up and didn t want anythi
ng to slip by her just because she was here in Hawaii.
He heard her mocking him and stifled his own chuckle. Olivia wa

s a complicated piece of work all right. She could be as sweet as the honeysuck
les that used to grow out back of his mother s home in the springtime when he was
a kid one minute, and she could be as ornery as a wet hornet the next. He heard
her stomping over to where she left her suitcase by the closet door, and some o
ther exaggerated noise as she pulled out her laptop and settled over on the bed.
She huffed and puffed, and he wondered if her wires were as cros
sed as his right now. Hell, forget crossed - he was finding more and more that
whenever he was near the notorious Olivia Murray his wires tended to flat out sh
ort circuit and he wasn t at all sure how he felt about it.
He felt confused but yet he felt intrigued. She lit a fire unde
r his butt and kept him on his toes. Most women that he had dallied with in the
past just fell at his feet and did his bidding but not Olivia.
She challenged him.
She made life exciting.
And she drove him bat crazy. All good things, he thought to him
self.
His computer dinged at him, letting him know that he had an emai
l. He shook his head slightly to get his mind off of the little spitfire sittin
g across the room. He had some work that needed to get done; playtime would jus
t have to wait a little bit longer.
**********************************************************
Olivia closed her computer. She had been sitting there for a li
ttle more than an hour now, answering emails and proofing a brief that Marcey ha
d sent to her for review. She stood up, stretched her arms, rolling her neck ar
ound in a circular motion and yawning in the process.
Glancing over her shoulder she noticed that Brody was still hard
at work, tapping at the keys.
I need to get out of here, she thought to herself. The long pla
ne ride, the parental confrontation and then that cursed kiss had her nerves on
edge. She wanted to get out and see some of the island and she also needed to c
all her baby sister, let her know that she was here.
Chewing on her lip, she silently debated on what to do. She gla
nced at her phone and then back to Brody; back to the phone and then to Brody on
ce again.
Phone call, she decided.
Clearing her throat, she reached for her phone and stared at his
back.
Brody turned and their eyes instantly met. A sizzling arc of en
ergy seemed to jut between the two of them, seemingly bringing the room to life
around them.
Staving off the urge to stand and pull the delectable Olivia Mur
ray in his arms, he pulled his glasses off of his face and looked up at her expe
ctantly.
You need something? he asked, his voice a little gruff.

She rolled the cell phone in her hands.

Um, yeah
she started, stam
mering over her words.
I m just going to, she hooked her thumb over her shoulder to
wards the door, Um, go call my sister.
He cut her that knowing grin again. The same one that told her
he knew exactly what type of effect he was having on her and that little telltal
e fact burned her up something fierce.
Okay, he replied simply.
Do you want me to
hold your hand or something?
Now his grin turned into a full blown smile, one of those smiles
that lifted from ear to ear.
apped.

She scowled.
No, smart ass . I don t need you to hold my hand,
I just thought you might want to know.

she sn

Duly noted, he inclined his head. He could see the color in her c
heeks rise to a bright pink that was surprisingly adorable on her. Needing to f
ocus on finishing his work, he turned back to his laptop and continued the email
that he had been composing for his assistant, Leslie, to send out to one of his
clients.
Men are so stupid, she muttered under her breath as she stared at
his broad back. She was tempted to walk up to him and knock him one, but consid
ering the damage that her father had caused, she thought better of it. Instead,
she whirled around and headed for the door, jerking it open and then slamming i
t closed behind her.
Standing out in the hall, she blew out a loud breath. Sometimes
that man just made her want to pull out her hair, she mused. Determined to der
ail her thoughts, she flipped open her phone and dialed her baby sister s number.
Bringing the phone up to her ear, she settled up against the wall and listened
to the familiar ringing.
Hello?
Caley, she spoke animatedly,
Olivia heard her sigh.

How are you?

I m fine,

she stated stiffly.

She waited a second for her younger sister to continue. When it

was obvious that she wasn t going to say anything, Olivia continued. We re here .in H
awaii I mean. She kept her voice as bright as she could make it, not wanting to
bring her sister down with any of her own screwed up problems. This was her wed
ding after all.
I know,

she said curtly.

Olivia picked up on the snap in her tone and frowned.

Are you ok

ay Caley?
She chortled.

Yeah, I m just a fucking ray of sunshine.

Olivia sat up straighter.

her full attention.

What s wrong? she asked Caley, now having

What s wrong? You re really asking me what s wrong, she stated incredul
ously.
I just

I ll tell you what s wrong Olivia, she interrupted, seemingly on a rol

l now.
You. It s always you. You just couldn t let me have the attention for once
could you? You couldn t stand to sit back while everyone cooed over me for once.
Olivia shook her head.
ou talking about?

No,

she jumped in.

What in the world are y

You know damn well what I m talking about. Getting married and get
ting pregnant, announcing it at my wedding. I knew you were self absorbed but I
had never pinned you for callous. You just proved me wrong.
She didn t know what to say. Is that really how everyone was look
ing at her and Brody? This charade was partly for her sister in the first place
. She wanted this week to be special for her and if she had not brought Brody,
everyone would have been dead set on hitching her to the first available chump.
She only thought that by bringing someone with her, she would avoid the mayhem
and Caley would have her special day.
You don t understand,

Olivia protested.

Oh I understand all right. I understand perfectly. I understand

that you re an attention whore and I would really appreciate it if you just staye
d away from me.
Olivia could feel the back of her eyes burning.
t, she said weakly.

You don t mean tha

Bye Olivia.
The line disconnected, leaving a temperas buzzing sound ringing
in her ear.
What is happening to me? she wordlessly asked herself. In less
than twelve hours she managed to piss off her dad, alienate her sister and make
a fool of herself in front of Brody by reacting shamelessly to his deadly kisses
.
She dropped her phone in her lap and repeatedly banged her head
up against the wall. If the earth could swallow her whole and make her disappea
r, then now would be the ideal time for it to happen.
She was at an utter loss of what to do now.
Standing up, she rubbed at her temples. A familiar pounding in
her head was beginning to take precedence over everything else. She was getting
ready to walk back into the room when her phone vibrated, signaling a text. Th
inking that maybe it was Caley again, she quickly flipped open the phone and hit
the message button.
It took a few seconds for the picture to download and when it di
d a hoarse cry strangled in her throat. She dropped the phone and felt the worl
d spinning dizzily around her. She would have fallen to the ground herself if i
t had not been for Brody opening the door at that very minute and catching her j
ust in time.
Olivia?
on, What s wrong?

he asked worriedly after seeing her ghostly white complexi

She couldn t speak. All she could do was point at the phone lying

sideways on the floor. He picked her up in a bridal carry and bent down to pic
k up the phone. With her in his arms, he turned it around so that he could see
what had her so peaked.
Seeing the gravestone with her name carved in it and the dates J
anuary 12, 1983 to December 8, 2011, rattled him in such a way that he had never
been rattled before. He had to work to keep his hands steady as he carried Oli
via back into the room, closing the door behind him. He strode over to the bed
and gently lay her down and pulled the cover up to her chin.
Standing by the bed, he opened up the phone again and re-read th
e message that was attached to the photo; The final countdown has begun - are you
ready?
"Jesus," he muttered to himself and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. "What t
he hell is going on here?"
Chapter 18
What the hell is going on in here?! Ted demanded, storming into th
e small hotel room where Olivia sat on the edge of the bed. Brody stood beside
her, talking to a hoard of cops that had taken over her room.
Olivia s head snapped up at the sound of her father s voice. She sh
ould have expected him; she just didn t think it would be so soon.
Sighing, she rubbed at her tired eyes.
It s nothing Daddy, she insi
sted. Dealing with Brody s Alpha Male attitude was enough; she really didn t want t
o add in her father s as well. One was about she could handle today.
The hell it isn t Liv, Brody spoke up from beside of her, outraged a
t how much insignificance she was giving the situation.
The guy sent you a pictu
re of your own gravestone outlining your date of death and you really think that
it s nothing?!
His cheeks reddened with anger and his eyes darkened to a cobalt
blue that loomed like an impending storm. And it wasn t just because Liv was tak
ing all of this so lightly; he was pissed because they didn t know what they were
looking for, who this bastard was and why he had such a hard-on for Olivia.
It was the not knowing that chafed his balls more than anything.
Ted stopped dead in his tracks. Gravestone, he repeated, his eyes
narrowing in on his daughter. When Seth first told him about cops being sent t
o his daughter s room, he had thought that maybe she come to her senses and was ki
cking the loser that she supposedly married to the curb. He thought that maybe
the punk had refused to leave and Olivia had to have him forcibly removed. He h
ad actually visualized delivering another face-smashing punch to him. That he c
ould have dealt with. That was normal, but this . How was he supposed to react to
this?
What is he talking about Olivia?
othing.
s.

Daddy, I said that it s nothing, she reiterated, And I meant it was n

She shot Brody a fiery glare which he just snorted at and rolled his eye

It s probably the same stupid kids that somehow managed to get my n

umber before we left North Carolina. I received some prank calls earlier in the

week and Brody had security at the firm check it but they couldn t trace it. It s
just some kids who find it amusing to scare women like me; nothing more, nothing
less.
She turned away from Brody and met her father s steely gaze. It ll pass.
That s a load of bullshit, Brody interrupted, And you know it Olivia.
He pointed to the phone sitting on the table, waiting to be taken in for eviden
ce. See for yourself, Mr. Murray. You look at that message and tell me that it ll
pass as your daughter so eloquently put it.
Turning back to Olivia, he put his hand on his hip.
This isn t som
e stupid kid prank Liv. This is serious stuff and it s time you paid some attenti
on to it instead of blaming some kids. Someone is stalking you and we need to f
ind out why.
Brody was exasperated. One minute he wanted to kiss the woman a
nd wrap her up in cotton batting, keeping her safe from all the dangers of the w
orld. The next minute, he wanted to strangle her for her lack of ability to see
the matter for what it was. She was delusional to think anything less.
spinner.gif
Ted walked over to the table and spoke with the police officer w
ho was taking notes on a pad.
Can I see that?
Ted held out his hand expectantly.
The young cop stared at his outstretched hand and frowned.
I don t
think I can let you do that sir. It s considered evidence now and needs to be ta
ken in.
Ted took a step forward, towering over the young cop. He gave o
ff an intimidating aura that he had learned how to hone back in his days as a se
al.
I think you misheard me young man, so I m going to repeat myself just this onc
e, especially for you.
He flashed him a smile that showed all teeth and thrusted
out his open palm once again.
Hand me the phone.
The cop shrunk back and wisely stepped away from Ted Murray.
Sir
, he started, a faint hesitancy heard in his tone.
I m I m going to have to ask you to
step away from the table.
No, Ted said coolly.
Not until I see the message that was sent to
my daughter. He went to grab for the phone and the young cop placed a hand on hi
s gun, ready to pull it out if needed.
Young man, Ted warned, I will break your hand and have you disarmed
before you get that thing completely out of the holster.
The cop s hand froze on the gun. His gaze flitted between Mr. Mur
ray and the phone, unsure of what to do.
He has clearance, Seth announced, walking into the room. He pulle
d out his wallet and flashed his ID to the young cop. Let him see the phone, he t
old the cop.
The cop surveyed Seth s ID and then took his hand off his gun. He
glanced up at Mr. Murray and inclined his head in the direction of the phone.
H
urry up, we re just about done here and we need to take it in with us," he instruc
ted.
That s what I thought, Ted grumbled under his breath, picking up the
phone and inspecting it. Sam covered his mouth in order to hide his chuckle.

He was impressed that the cop had denied him anything; Ted usually had a way of
getting what he wanted, except when it came to his second daughter, Olivia Murra
y.
Ted rolled the phone several times in his hand, unable to figure
out how it opened.
What type of phone is this anyway? He asked, not sparing a gl
ance in Olivia s direction.
It s a Blackberry Daddy.
She watched him fiddle with the phone for
several long minutes and was slightly amused that this man who had taken on some
extremely delicate missions that required intelligence of the highest order cou
ld not figure out how to open a simple device like a cell phone.
Blackberry, smazzberry - it s a tool of idiocy if you ask me.
nded the phone to Seth. See if you can open the damn thing.

He ha

spinner.gif
Hand it here, Brody exclaimed, walking towards the two. Ted gave
him one look, a look that had him holding up his hands in surrender.
Fine," he q
uipped, "Try and figure it out yourselves for all I care. My concern here is Ol
ivia. I just thought that with you guys background that you might be able to get
an edge on what s really going on here.
That s exactly what I plan on doing and I don t need your help to do
it, Ted told Brody.
You ve caused enough upheaval in my family already.
Daddy, Olivia warned.

I m not going to listen to you two fight all w

eek.
We ll then you shouldn t have brought him.
Daddy, she repeated.

He s my husband.

Ted looked Brody over and drew up his nose.

a pansy ass to me.

He still looks like

Daddy!
I ll show you a pansy ass, Brody muttered and went to take a step i
n Mr. Murray s direction when Olivia grabbed his hand.
look.

Not now,

He glanced over his shoulder at her and she gave him a pleading
she whispered.
Please.

He hated being the bigger man and yet here he was doing it again
. Slowly exhaling, he dropped his shoulders.
You better be glad I like you, he t
old Olivia before sitting down beside her on the bed.
ening her eyes.

She smiled at him. You like me? she asked teasingly, slightly wid
And here I thought you just wanted to get into my pants.

Relaxing, he smirked.
That too, but your dad s here and I don t thin
k that me going down on you would win me any brownie points.
She smacked at his arm.

You you

she shook her head.

I can t believe yo

u said that.
I did, he told her,

And there is a lot more that I want to say to y

ou to when the time is right.

e, he added.

His gaze drifted back to her father.

When we re alon

Olivia shivered, not sure she could trust anything that Brody wa
s saying. He was a player and had shown her that on many occasions. He was a t
alented kisser and relentless when he stroked her fires but he hadn t once ever se
riously talked about going any farther than the kisses.
Could she handle it, she asked herself, if she through caution t
o the wind and said to hell with it? It had been a long time since she had been
touched by a man that way. With all of the stress of the texts and her father,
she could use a tension reliever.
Could she trust Brody to give her a little pleasure? Hell, they
were playing roles of man and wife, why not reap the benefits? Lord knows, the
tension between the two of them was thicker that the humidity on a southern Aug
ust afternoon.
She looked at Brody who was watching her father and Seth examine
the phone.
If she had any guts, she would take him up on his offer. If she
had any guts, she wouldn t be in the predicament in the first place. She would h
ave stopped being the good girl and set her family straight a long time ago. Sh
e would have told them to butt out of her life and let her live it the way that
she wanted to.
Damn, she cursed softy, earning herself a questioning look from Br
ody that she blithely waved off.
If her life wasn t screwed up then she wouldn t know what to do she
thought to herself.
I don t want her to leave this room, Ted stated authoritatively. Ol
ivia broke out of her train of thought and stared at her father.
You re kidding right?
No, he said firmly, handing the phone back to the cop.
This is fo
r your own good. You re to stay in this room at all times until this bastard is c
aught.
Daddy, she said carefully,
tell me what to do.
I think we
that had been speaking with
d at his other officers and
f we find out anything, he

I m not twelve years old anymore. You can t

have all the information that we need for now, the cop
Olivia said. Feeling the mounting tension, he looke
inclined his head to the door. We ll give you a call i
told Brody as he passed him.

All of the cops filed out of the room leaving only Brody, Olivia
, Seth and Ted and an air of tension so thick that It weighed heavily on all of
there shoulders.
Ted cocked his head to the side and stared hard at his daughter.
I know you re not twelve Olivia but I am your father and you re still not leaving t
his room. He purposefully widened his stance and crossed his arms over his chest
, strategically placing himself in front of the door.
Seth and I are going to ca
ll in some help on this but I m not taking any chances with you. You will stay in

this room and that s final.

Olivia jumped off the bed, Brody right behind her.
I m not staying
caged up in this room like I m the criminal. This is supposed to be my vacation
too you know. Her heart was pounding wildly at the mere thought of being forced
by some unknown threat to be confined in this hotel room. She was in Hawaii for
crying out loud.
You will or I ll chain you to the bed myself,

her father told her de

terminedly.
Brody had heard enough. He stepped up in front of Olivia.
Sir,
I have to agree with my wife. She is my responsibility now and I can watch over
her when we are out.
Ted snarled up his nose again at Brody.
I wouldn t trust you to pr
otect a flea on my dog s back. She s my daughter and what I say goes.
Sir, Brody started stiffly.
I have let you get in two crap shots o
n me and took them in stride because as Olivia s father, you have my respect. But
, he said and pointed at the door, Olivia and I are going to walk out of this room
and if you make one move to stop us, I will put you on your back old man.
spinner.gif
The look that Brody gave Ted told him that he meant every word t
hat he said. It was at that moment that this man Olivia had chosen won Ted s resp
ect. But pigs would fly before he ever let him know that.
Scowling, he grudgingly stepped aside and let the two pass.
If something happens to my daughter O Connor, I want you to know th
at I m holding you personally responsible, he warned and then added, You re going to w
ish that you were in hell with gasoline drawers on by the time I get through wit
h you.
Brody stopped at the door and without turning he guffawed.
Your
warning has been duly noted sir. With that being said, he held tight to Olivia s h
and and let her out of the room.
Chapter 19
Olivia peered over at Brody whose attention seemed to be solely
focused on the changing numbers above the door as the elevator made its descent.
She wasn't sure what to think about him. He could be as stubborn as a mule so
metimes, with his autocratic chin and alpha male attitude. But then there were
those times that he would do something out of character and blow her mind.
The way that he stood up to her father back in the room put him
in a whole new perspective in Olivia's eyes. He championed for her and that, we
ll that just surprised the hell out of her. He was proving to be a man with man
y facets and to a certain degree; that intrigued her.
After several long minutes of long suffering silence, she couldn
't take it anymore and finally asked the unspoken question that niggled at the b
ack of her mind. "Why?"
Brody craned his neck in her direction and a slow grin spread ac
ross his face. "Why what?" he shot back at her, laughter twinkling like shining

stars in his eyes.

Olivia crossed her hands over her chest and stuck her obstinate
nose up in the air. "Why did you do that?" she asked him again, her tone showin
g more persistence. She didn't know why she had to know this but the notion was
buzzing around in her head like an annoying gnat that she just couldn't shake.
She needed to know why.
The elevator door dinged and opened up on the lobby level, inter
rupting them. Brody waved his hand to the door and gestured for her to lead the
way. Once she passed by him, he followed her out of the elevator and placed hi
s hand at the small of her back. He easily maneuvered her towards the exit. Pa
ssing by the hotel staff at the front counter, he flashed a bright smile and pol
itely waved. Once they stepped out into the bright Hawaiian sunshine he respond
ed to her earlier question. "Why did I do what?"
These were the times that she wanted to strangle Brody. Why cou
ldn't he just give her a straight answer? Why did he have to be so impossible t
o deal with? She stopped in the middle of the parking lot and rounded on him.
"You know good and damn well what Brody O'Conner."
Again, he graced her with that million watt smile of his and at
that moment she was willing to bet her life savings that particular smile would
be a hell of a tool if used as a weapon to solve world peace.
Knowing exactly what type of effect that he was having on her an
d loving every minute of it Brody lazily drawled, "Just because." He took an ea
sy stance in front of her, bracing his feet shoulder width apart and relaxing hi
s hands by his sides and patiently waited for her snippy retort.
"Because," she mocked him and rolled her eyes. "It just figures
you would say something like that." She cocked her hands up on her trim, shape
ly hips and color suddenly flushed her cheeks, washing away all visible signs of
just how bad the text that had shaken her up earlier today.
That was exactly what Brody hoped to do and was mighty pleased w
ith the results.
She was putting her game face on, Brody noticed and couldn't hel
p but to grin. That game face of hers would have fooled anyone else, but not him
. He was beginning to notice quite a few things when it came to this particular
fiery southern bell. Little things like certain bodily gestures and what mood
they stood for.
Like right now, she was chewing on her bottom lip and that he kn
ew was a telltale sign that she was getting irritated with him.
And what made it so bad- he liked it. He liked the lively spark
of irritation flaring up in Olivia. It was much more preferable to the swoonin
g and gauntness look that was etched in her face back in the room just moments e
arlier. That Olivia and that look; together they scared the crap out of him.
But this Olivia - the one standing in front of him - was the one
that constantly kept him on edge. The one that made him feel alive. The one t
hat brought all kinds of body parts to life with just a miniscule look or a sing
le word. That was the one that made his blood run hot.
Restraining herself, Olivia let out a slow breath. With the way
her day had gone thus far she was about a hair's breadth from losing it complet

ely. All she wanted was the answer to a simple question. One question, that's
all and she was going to get her answer if she had to beat it out of him. "Why
did you stick up for me in front of my father?"
For a long minute, Brody could do nothing but stare back at her.
Her eyes slightly darkened as she looked up at him expectantly. Unable to ho
ld back any longer, Brody snaked his arm out and pulled Olivia up against his ch
est.
She gasped and in the next breath she narrowed her eyes on him.
"Brody - don't you dare do it," she warned.
He chuckled, his breath tickling her cheek. "Do what?" he tease
d, leaning in ever so closely.
Olivia struggled to hold on to her senses. "You know what," she
retorted and hated the way that the words came out so breathlessly.
Brody nuzzled her cheek, letting his lips lightly feather across
her jaw line. "I do?" he asked with all the innocence of virgin maiden.
"You most certainly do," she quipped; a little bit of bite leaki
ng into her statement.
"I forget." And with those words he brushed his lips across her
s, so softly, teasing her in a way that drove her insane.
Determined to hold on to her last vestiges of control she tried
to pull away from him. Her efforts however were half hearted and Brody easily h
eld her to him. "I don't think so," he whispered.
This time he brought his mouth over hers and tangled his hand in
her hair, holding her just the way that he wanted her so that he could devour h
er in the sweetest of kisses. And it was most definitely sweet. The second tha
t his tongue traced her bottom lip, she opened up to him; welcoming his invasion
. She brought her hands around his neck and for those few minutes they both for
got everything around them except for each other and this one particular heated
kiss.
"Well I declare, Murphy. Isn't that just the sweetest thing you
ever saw?"
"Newlyweds Lara; gotta be."
Feeling eyes on them, Brody regrettably pulled away from the kis
s. He lifted his head but didn't let go of her sides. Olivia blinked several t
imes and looked up at him dazed and confused. Realizing what happened; her face
pinched into a scowl. "You did it again," she accused.
He licked his lips. "I did," he said and clutched her nose, "An
d you liked it."
"I-" she started to argue when she heard someone abruptly clear
their throat. In unison both she and Brody turned to see an elderly couple, in
their sixties maybe, watching them.
"Excuse me," the lady said and held her hand up to her chest. "
Are you two newlyweds?" she asked unabashedly.

Brody said, "Yes," while at the same time Olivia said, "No."
The elderly man tilted his head to the side and flattened his li
ps. "Now which is it - are you or aren't you? Surely you have to be one or the
other."
Olivia had the good sense to look chagrined. "We are," she quic
kly corrected herself.
The elderly woman smiled. "Aww, young love is so precious," sh
e remarked. "I can still remember the day that Murphy and I got married. The f
ollowing weeks we were rascals I tell ya. We couldn't get enough of each other
and I bet it's no different with you two, the both of you being such a good look
ing couple and all."
This time it was Brody that blushed. It was one thing for him t
o nettle Olivia but this? This was foreign ground for him. "Yes ma'am," he rep
lied shyly.
"Hey," Murphy broke in. "Would you two like to join our senior
group for a little shuffleboard down the beach?"
Olivia looked up at Brody, unsure of how to answer them. It rea
lly wasn't a bad idea, she thought to herself. It would take them away from her
overbearing family and if the rest of them were as lively as these two, they mi
ght just have a little fun.
Brody shrugged. "What do you think Liv?"
She smiled back at the elderly couple. "Why not?"
"Wonderful," the older woman clapped her hands together excitedl
y. "The gang is going to absolutely love you two. You re both just so dang adora
ble."
"Well come on then," the older man gestured. "Times a-ticking,"
he said and then laughed lightly to himself. "To some of us, that's not a good
thing."
"Oh Murphy, hush your mouth," his wife swatted at him.
Brody found the older couple hilarious. This was just what the
doctor ordered. "Okay Murph," he replied remembering the man s name from when his
wife had addressed him. "You lead, we'll follow."
The elder couple set off across the parking lot towards the beac
h. Olivia and Brody followed in behind them. Brody kept his arm draped over he
r shoulder as they walked along the beach, taking careful note of their surround
ings. He couldn't let himself forget that someone had threatened Olivia and mad
e sure to keep his eyes open on everything and everyone around them.
They walked for a good ten minutes before stopping at a tall pri
vacy fence. "Here we are," Lara announced. She opened up the gate and inclined
her head, gesturing for Olivia and Brody to go on through.
Olivia smiled as she passed the older woman and after taking abo
ut five steps through the gate she came to a grounding halt. "Oh my God," she whisp
ered, clearly not believing what she was seeing.
Brody was looking down and ran straight into the back of Olivia.
"Dang woman, a little warning would have been nice," he snapped. He held on t

o her shoulders to steady the both of them and then looked up for the first time
; his eyes going wide and his jaw dropping to the floor at the sight before him.
"You have got to be kidding me."
Chapter 20
Olivia closed her eyes and covered them with her hand for good m
easure. If she hadn t seen it for herself; she would have never believed it. Plea
se tell me that I m hallucinating, she mumbled lowly.
Brody chuckled humorously, his body quaking with laughter.
think so babe. I believe this may be the real deal.

I don t

She carefully opened her fingers and bravely peeked through them
at the group of elderly people whom were playing shuffle board just across the
way; confirming that she was in fact not hallucinating.
Oh dear God, she whispered, swiftly turning around and burying her
face into Brody s chest. Where in the bejesus are their clothes?
Brody didn't really have an answer for that one. He wrapped an
arm around Olivia and took a sweeping glance at the group standing in front of t
hem thinking about what a fine mess they got themselves into this time.
Nudists. He scratched at his head with his free hand and paste
d a stiff smile on his face. "Well Liv," he said, then stated the obvious; "I s
uppose that they re wearing their birthday suits."
He felt her head lift up under his chin and glanced down at her.
Her eyes told him that she was not finding his attempt at humor funny at this
very moment but hell, he didn't know what else to do. Twelve elderly people wer
e scattered around playing shuffle board in the buff and they were doing it as i
f it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Look at that; isn't that just the sweetest thing," Lara said; w
alking up behind them. "You two are just so adorable." Lara turned to the grou
p. "Mable, Edith," she called. "We found ourselves some newlyweds."
One of the women who was rather tall with a touch graying hair m
ixed in with her darker locks and an unusually long nose turned to Olivia and Br
ody and placed her hand on hip. "Now Lara Ann, what in the world have you done
gone and done?" She was already walking in their direction before Lara had a ch
ance to say a word.
"I imagine that two love birds like this would much rather be in
a more private setting enjoying the wonderlands of each other than here with a
bunch of washed up busy bodies like us."
Brody felt Liv's hand tighten against his shirt and struggled to
reign in his laughter. This was getting to be a little too much for even him.
He glanced over at the taller lady that had joined them, not sure if this was E
dith or Mable. But he made damn sure that his eyes stayed on that beak of hers.
"Miss-" he started.
"Nope," she cut in smartly. "I ain't no Miss," she informed him
. "Edith, just call me Edith."
"Okay," Brody drawled and dug deep to put on his good old southe
rn gentlemanly charm. With one arm still fastened around Olivia, he held out hi
s free hand to the lady. "Edith," he smiled and she took his hand. Brody lifte

d it to his mouth and true to his heritage he brought her hand to his mouth and
laid a gentlemanly kiss on it.
"Oh," she gasped and quickly pulled her hand away, giggling like
a forlorn school girl. Satisfied with the reaction, he felt a little more conf
ident about the situation. Well, as confident as he could be surround by a bunc
h of naked old people.
Clearing his throat he brought Edith's attention back to him. "
My wife and I are enjoying each other very much thank you," he told her and inst
antly noticed the way that Olivia stiffened in his arms. "But even I need a bre
ak to recuperate."
Brody felt a slap on his back and heard gruff male laughter. He
turned to see a very nude and surprisingly very well endowed Murphy standing be
side him. "I try to tell these women that all the time but do they listen? Noo
oo," he drawled out and Brody could see that he was staring at his wife, Lara.
"They think we're like that pink bunny or something. You know the one that you
see on that TV all the time, beating that toy drum of his. They think we can ke
ep going and going and going and going..."
This time it was Olivia who turned her head away from Brody's ch
est and looked over at Murphy. Being human, she looked him over and instantly r
egretted it. Her eyes widened at his size and she gulped, snapping her head up
to meet his knowing gaze. "Excuse me?" she said, appalled by her own lack of go
od sense and even more disturbed that they were even having this discussion in t
he first place.
"Your beau there may be a stallion in the bedroom little lady bu
t we're no spring chickens, you know. A man needs a break every once in a while
if you expect us to keep you satisfied."
Olivia's mouth formed a perfectly shaped "O". What was she supp
osed to say to that? Any other time, she would have no problems coming up with
a single retort. In the court room, with Brody, with her family - she would hav
e found something snippy to say in a heartbeat but right now, in front of all of
these people twice her senior; she was utterly speechless. "Um...."
Brody sensed her discomfort and although he was enjoying it, sta
nding next to Murphy, he was a little bit uncomfortable himself. "Why don't we
start that game that you told us about," he interjected. "My wife and I have a
dinner reservation later and I would hate for us to be late for it - it's one of
them fancy things that came with the honeymoon package."
"Oh yes," Lara piped up, "And I bet you would like some alone ti
me with the Missus too before hand. It's always good to work up an appetite bef
ore dinner," she said with a not so casual wink. Turning she waved her hand and
indicated for them to follow her towards the rest of the group.
Brody laid his hand over Liv's shoulder and felt a pinch in his
side. He looked down at her and she was staring straight ahead with that damnab
le Ice Queen look plastered on her face. It was then that he decided he was goi
ng to figure out a way to melt that ice. He had already had a taste of the fire
that burned within her and it was hotter than the devil's kitchen. He wanted m
ore or that fire; a hell of a lot more.
"You're up," she told him; shoving a stick in his hand. Brody s
nickered and shook his head. Damn, he thought to himself. He knew that he was
asking for trouble when it came to this particular spitfire but hell if he could

do anything about it now. Nope, not a dang thing but go with it and see where
fate would take them. Resigned to his fate he took the stick from Olivia and gr
inned. "Watch and learn."
spinner.gif
Olivia harrumphed. Watch and learn, he says. She was going to
teach him a thing or two before this week was out. Watch and learn, indeed. B
rody would learn real quick that Olivia Murray wasn't one to be messed with.
As they played for the next hour, the fact that everyone around
her was nude almost escaped Olivia - Almost. There was that one time that she t
urned and Murphy was standing by a table and her eyes, on their own accord, drif
ted down. When they came back up to Murphy's weathered face he was smiling at h
er and she quickly turned back to the game and to Brody, her face redder than a
fire engine.
As everyone laughed and carried on around her, she found herself
getting lost in her own thoughts. There was just something about Brody O'Conno
r that constantly seemed to throw her off kilter and for the life of her she cou
ldn't figure out what that something was.
She had always prided herself with being the calm and collected
one but whenever she was within ten feet of the man that cool demeanor that she
was so proud of went flying out the window and she was left as jittery as a new
foal learning how to stand on its legs for the first time.
The man exuded confidence and he was arrogant to boot. Those tr
aits drove her crazy but it was when she was in his arms that she really seemed
to lose her mind. When his lips were pressed against hers and his tongue workin
g to skillfully seduce her; it was like she no longer had a working brain at all
. The only thing that mattered was what he was doing to her and that, that was
what made Brody so dangerous.
Very, very dangerous.
A hand waved in her face and she blinked her eyes several times.
Brody stood in front of her, smiling knowingly as if he knew exactly what she
had been thinking about. "You ready to head back?" he asked softly.
She gave a curt nod of the head. Going back was probably the be
st thing she could do right now. She wanted to see her sisters and put some muc
h needed distance between herself and Brody and any other guy for that matter.
That included her overbearing father.
There was a chorus of good byes and Lara made them promise to co
me back by before they left the island. Olivia was sort of wistful when they st
rode through the gate and headed back up the beach but she didn't dare say a wor
d to Brody. One could only hope to be as lively as that group was if she was lu
cky enough to live that long. She would keep her clothes on of course, but the
happiness that was so clearly displayed and the love, especially between Lara an
d Murphy, was one of a kind.
Brody grabbed Olivia's hand in his. At first she tried to pull
it back from him but he held on to it tight. "Appearances," he reminded her.
"Yeah," she grudgingly agreed as they came up on the parking lot
to their hotel and repeated his word, "Appearances." For some reason that stru
ck a sour note in her chest. Hearing his blithe way of referring to their relat

ionship shook her in a way that it really shouldn't have. This was all a show.
A show to keep her family off of her back and a show to keep his mother out of
his business. It was an arrangement of sorts that was meant to benefit the both
of them and nothing more.
She scowled to herself for even bothering to read anymore into t
heir relationship than what it was supposed to be. Brody was a player and that
was why she chose him for this job in the first place. As soon as they went bac
k to North Carolina they would slowly retreat back into their own lives. They w
ould make up a story about the baby and play off a quiet divorce. Everything wo
uld go back to normal and hopefully her family would have learned their lesson a
nd leave her alone so that she could live out her own life in her own way.
They walked across the parking lot and stopped for a passing bus
. "I want to spend some time with my sisters," Olivia said, thinking about the
distance that she wanted to put in between them.
Brody rubbed at his chin. "I'm not so sure that's such a good i
dea." He didn't like the idea of her being off without him until they had more
of a lead on who was threatening her and why. Besides that, he wanted to work o
n melting some of that frozen ice that she had built up like a fortress.
True to Murray fashion she rolled her eyes. "Come on Brody. I'
m just talking about an evening in the hotel bar with my two sisters. My dad, y
ou and every other cop will be around us. It's not like someone will be able to
get to me."
The bus passed by and Brody shuffled her towards the door. "I d
on't know," he said again, keeping his gaze straight forward.
Olivia pulled him to a stop just outside of the hotel doors. "Y
ou don't know," she mocked. This time Brody did turn and look back at her. "Le
t's get one thing straight Bucko; you are not my real husband and you are not my
father. I am an adult and I'll do anything I damn well please. I don't need y
our permission and furthermore I don't need you."
Brody was stunned into silence. Olivia whipped her head around;
her blond hair swooshing in a mad frenzy over her shoulders. She stomped away
from him and as Brody watched her leave all he could focus on was the hypnotic s
way of that delectable little tuche going from side to side.
With an angry finger she repeatedly pressed the "up" button to t
he elevator bringing Brody back to his senses. Her back was ramrod straight as
she patiently waited for the doors to open.
He stalked forward; intent on telling her exactly what she was g
oing to do when the elevator door opened and Olivia regally stepped inside. She
turned around and faced him, giving him a small two finger wave. The doors sta
rted to close and he made a mad dash to reach them but was two seconds too late.
As they closed and she disappeared from view he heard Olivia's l
ast word ringing clearly in his ears, "Suc-ker."
Damn... damn..... double damn, he cursed himself and with his ow
n angry finger he repeatedly punched at the elevator button all the while watchi
ng the lighted numbers above the door as she went up.
Chapter 21
After the elevator door closed, Olivia stared dumbly at the nume

ric buttons and said a few choice words to herself when it suddenly dawned on he
r that she had no idea which floor her sisters were on.
Fully agitated, she massaged her temples with both hands and wis
hed that for just once, something in her life could be simple. Everything nowad
ays was always complicated and she was getting sick and tired of complications.
They were becoming a real pain in her hiney end.
Especially one particular complication that walked with a confid
ent gait and a sexy as sin swagger. One who also had the ability to charm the s
kin off of a snake.
More specifically, a complication named Brody O Conner.
And by no means was she ready to deal with him right now. Possi
bly not ever. He was like one of those taboo subjects that you just didn't want
to touch with a ten foot pole.
It all started back at the beach. While everyone laughed and pl
ayed shuffleboard as if they didn't have a care in the world, Olivia had an epip
hany of sorts. One that revealed certain things that she was by far not ready f
or - things that made her feel damn near uncomfortable.
Things such as tenderness, affection and yearning.
And then there was the big one need.
Need
It was the incessant need that really rattled her cage. She had
never needed anyone or anything before in her life other than her own hard foug
ht independence. Gaining that had been challenge enough but a challenge that sh
e eventually overcame.
But this need that she was feeling right now was different. It
was the basic need of a woman wanting for a man and that scared the crap out of
her. It was unacceptable on so many different levels that she could hardly thin
k straight.
She refused to need anyone; especially not a man and most especi
ally not Brody O Conner. That realm was a definite no-go gray area that she had n
o intention of broaching.
The elevator came to an abrupt stop on the twenty fourth floor.
The doors opened and Olivia stepped out into an empty hall. She looked to the
left and then glanced to her right before letting her feet lead the way. She ha
d no idea where she was going now that all of these thoughts were running rampan
t in her head other than the fact it had to be as far away from Brody O'Connor a
s possible.
"Olivia?"
She stopped and turned around towards the sound of the familiar
voice. Instantly, she gifted her brother-in-law with a genuine smile. "Seth,"
she replied sweetly while loosely placing her hands on her hips. "How are you?"
Seth locked up his room and went to catch up with her. "I'm fin
e," he responded in kind, "But where is that hubby of yours?" he asked, watching
her with those damnable knowing green eyes of his.

There were days that Olivia wished she could have found a man li
ke Seth. He was breathtakingly handsome, adorably sweet and everything that a w
oman could ask for all balled up into one perfect little package. Men like Seth
Wells were hard to come by theses days and the one that was standing in front o
f her belonged to her sister. As much as she would have loved to have had a Set
h for herself, she was even more glad that her sister had this one in particular
.
Olivia recalcitrantly shrugged her shoulders and stubbornly aver
ted her gaze. "Where's your wife?" she retorted.
He frowned at her. "You shouldn't be alone," he gently chastise
d her. "At least until we get a handle on what's happening with the phone calls
and texts that you have been receiving."
"I'm fine," she assured him, lifting her stubborn chin into the
air. "I wasn't planning on leaving the hotel or anything; I just needed some...s
pace."
Seth lifted his perfect dark brows and hid a grin, "Space?" he a
sked imperviously, "Aren't you two newlyweds?"
This time it was Olivia's turn to sigh. "Yes," she said tiredly
, "But I'm used to being on my own. I'm used to going where I want and doing wh
atever tickles my fancy anytime that I please." Her shoulders visibly dropped.
"I just need my space," she added as more of an afterthought.
"Hmm," he replied thoughtfully. "I can see your need for space
Olivia, but the fact of the matter is that there is someone out there who has yo
ur number and until we find out who it is and why they chose you, you need to be
careful and by careful I mean that you should never be alone."
He was using that no-nonsense tone of his that she had heard him
use on his kids and as much as it chafed her, Olivia didn't have it in her to a
rgue the point with him. In hindsight, he was right, even if she wasn't willing
to admit it to herself. "Fine," she conceded
"Fine what?"
Olivia shook her head and folded her thin arms across her chest.
"I won't go anywhere alone," she muttered so low that he could barely hear her
.
Seth cupped his ear and turned to the side. "What was that?" he
teased. "I didn't hear you. I think with age that my hearing is starting to f
ail so you're going to have to speak up." His eyes twinkled with mirth and Oliv
ia was grateful for his light tone.
She playfully slapped at his arm. "You know good and damn well
that you heard me Seth Wells. I said," she laughed, raising her voice about ten
decibels higher, "That I won't go anywhere alone."
"Good," he told her with a satisfied nod. Turning, he straighte
ned up to his full height and clasped his hand behind his back. "Now, weren't y
ou looking for my wife?"
"Yes," she agreed with a light chuckle, "I wanted to have some g
irl time. Do you know where she is per chance?"

He nodded once again. "Yup, I sure do," he replied and held out
his arm for her to take. Olivia didn't hesitated and took it, letting Seth lea
d her back down towards the elevator. "It just so happens that she is with Cale
y down at the lounge, sipping margaritas and probably feeling pretty darn good r
ight about now."
They both stepped onto the elevator and Seth pressed the button
that would take them back down to the first floor. With a quiet groan, the door
closed and soft music played idly in the background. Seth stood on one side of
the elevator while Olivia stayed on the other side.
About half way down the question that had been stuck in Seth's h
ead since he first heard about her impromptu marriage was weighing heavily on hi
s mind. "Olivia," he stopped and nervously cleared his throat.
She turned and stared up at him expectantly with curious eyes.
"Mmm."
"How...how did you and Brody, you know," he stumbled and slowly
worked to let out a deep breath, unsure of how exactly to frame the question wit
hout her getting upset. He bobbled his head back and forth for a minute before
suddenly splaying his hands out wide in front of him and blurting, "You know - g
et together."
"Get together? As in married?"
Seth nodded. "Yeah, that. You have always been so adamant in t
he past when the topic of you and marriage was spoken in the same sentence. The
n you show up here, with a hubby in tow. It really doesn't make a whole lot of
sense." He didn't mean to pry but he had been thinking about it and the more he
thought about it; the more it didn't add up.
Could Brody be pushing her into something that she didn't want?
Could he be the reason behind these threatening phone calls? Seth really didn'
t get that type of vibe from the man but at this point, everyone was a suspect.
Olivia debated on what to say. She longed to tell someone the t
ruth but Seth was definitely not the person that she needed to spill her inner m
ost secrets to. "There is a lot that you don't know about me Seth. I've known
Brody for a while so it's not like we woke up one morning and decided to get mar
ried."
Liar.
Swallowing, she turned to the door when it made the soft ding, s
ignaling that they had stopped on their floor. She had already told a string of
lies; why not add on a few more? she thought wryly to herself. "We had been ta
lking about this for a while and then when we found out about the " she stopped an
d reluctantly touched her hand to her belly, "Baby, we just decided to go ahead
and do it. Now here we are as man and wife."
Seth didn't look as though he quite bought it but thankfully he
didn't push for anymore information either. He gently took her elbow and ushere
d out of the elevator. As soon as they stepped into the lobby, she spotted Brod
y at the hotel desk and drew back a step. She was still not ready to face the m
an.
"What is it?" Seth bent down and whispered when he noticed Olivi
a's withdrawal.

"He's there," she pointed out.

"And let me guess, you don't want to see him," he stated, clearl
y amused by the situation.
"Right," she agreed affably. "At least not yet. She took another
step backwards, placing her body in the shadow of a large plant by the elevator
. "You can't let him see me Seth," she pleaded. "I want to spend some time wit
h my sisters. I need to spend some time with them," she reiterated plaintively.
Seth glanced back over his shoulder. Brody was still talking an
imatedly to the employee at the desk. "Fine," he bit out. "I'll get you in the
re with them, but after that you are on your own. If he finds you then that's b
etween the two of you."
She smiled up at him and clapped her hands excitedly. "Thank yo
u."
He held up his hand to stop her. "But," he added, "You have to p
romise me that you will not leave the lounge alone. When y all are done, have Ash
ley call me and I'll escort you to your room. Deal?"
That sounded fair enough to her. She would get the time that sh
e needed away from the man that had surrepetiously turned. Seth glanced back on
e more time in Brody's direction and pulled Olivia close to his side. He quickl
y skedaddled past the front desk and headed straight for the lounge, Brody never
once turning around.
Once they walked into the smoky lounge, Ashley's singsong laugh
reached her ears. This sort of brought back the good old days; the Friday night
s that she and her sisters had always spent together at the club. Years passed
and eventually those Friday nights became nothing but a distant memory.
Remembering that Seth was standing beside her; she turned to him
. "Thanks," she told him again and stood up on her toes to place a sisterly kis
s on his cheek. "You're the best brother in law in the whole world."
Seth chuckled. "You know it.," he said, flushed. "Just be sure
that you remember that at Christmas."
"Oh, I will," she promised him, already walking away. Seth stoo
d there until he saw her sit down beside his wife. Confident that they were set
tled in for a female night of only God knows what, he strolled out of the lounge
. He glanced down at his watch and seeing the time he thought that this would b
e a good time to call his friend back at base. Surely he should have the report
s on the illustrious Mr. Brody O'Conner by now.
He stopped in front of the elevator and just as he got ready to
press the button to head back upstairs someone tapped on his shoulder. Turning
around, he wasn't surprised to see Brody standing there. "Mr. O'Conner," he gre
eted, knowing good and well what was coming up next. "What can I do for you?"

Chapter 22
How do you do it?
Brody stared up at Seth with pleading eyes. He was at a comple
te loss. The little hellion that brought him in the first place was literally d
riving him out his mind.

Do what exactly?

Seth asked cautiously.

Deal with them. The Murray women I mean. There has to be some trick of the trad
e that I m missing or something. It's like we re from two entirely different planet
s.
For the last half hour Brody had run himself ragged looking for Olivia all over
the hotel. He was at his wit s end and to make matters worse he wasn t all too sure
what he had done wrong in the first place.
They had been fine, she seemed happy enough and then the next thing he knew, Oli
via hopped on an elevator, ceremoniously called him a sucker and closed him out,
leaving him there to gape at the closed door.
The Murray women? Seth asked, highly amused by the initial question.
You want me, h
e said pointing to himself, to tell you how to deal with the Murray women.
Yeah. That s exactly what I want you to do. You married one of them, how do you s
urvive? Brody loosely placed his hands on his hips before adding, Because for the
life of me, I can t figure out what in the hell that I m doing wrong.
Seth dropped his head, his shoulders shaking with the laughter that he was tryin
g to stifle.
Are you laughing at me? Brody was beyond exasperation at this point and he didn t th
ink that any of this was in the least bit funny.
Seth lifted his head.

Did you seriously ask me how to handle a Murray woman?

Frustrated, Brody ran a hand over his face.

Look, just forget that I asked you a
nything. I ll figure out something on my own.
Already turning, he started for the
door. He hadn t thought to check out by the pool - maybe his missing better half
decided to hide out there.
Olivia was most certainly proving to be a handful and a half; but as long as the
y were here in Hawaii, she was his handful to handle. Hell, he was a smart and
a well-educated man, graduating third in his class from Wake Forrest Law School.
He should be able to deal with his pretend wife for one week.
Should being the operative word in that sentence. The problem with Olivia howev
er was that nothing was ever as it should be.
Seth watched Brody as he started to walk away and groaned. Dealing
with Murray women wasn t easy but it wasn t rocket science either.
Brody, he called,
ait a minute.
Brody stopped in his tracks. He hesitated for a minute before turni
ng around.
Look, if you only want to laugh at me some more then no thanks, I hav
e better things to do like finding out where Olivia has taken off to before she
gets herself into any more trouble.
No, I m not going to laugh at you but I suppose we can take a walk and
talk about the Murray women as you so eloquently put it.
He chuckled, picturing
his own wife. They are, you might say, a breed of their own.
Brody thought about that and slowly nodded his head.
, you have my undivided attention.
he girls.

Alright Maestro

Seth caught up with Brody and led him in the opposite direction of t
First off, he started, The one thing to always remember is that no matte

r what, she is always right.

xclaimed.

He pulled himself up to a stop and glanced over at Seth.

Always right? Seriously?

No way,

he e

Seth chuckled at his remark.

Seriously, he confirmed.
Even if she is
wrong, never say it aloud. Let her come to the realization by herself and your
marriage will be all the better for it.
Okay, Brody said thoughtfully, tucking that bit of information away for
later use. She s always right - got that. Now, what else do I need to know?
You might want to get a pen and paper and write some of this down, Set
h said pointedly. This may take a while; the list is both very detailed and very
long.
********************************************************************************
*************************
Olivia took her time approaching her two sisters, recalling the last
angry conversation that she had with Caley. It didn t go so well and she did not
want a repeat of that particular episode.
Ashley spotted Olivia coming in their direction and held up her marg
Pull up a seat and grab a glass, we re just getting started.

arita glass.

Olivia did just that, all the while keeping an eye on her younger si
ster who had her head bowed. Once she was seated, a young waiter with dashing b
rown eyes appeared in front of her.
May I get you anything to drink miss?
ters

She offered the young man a gentle smile. Gesturing towards her sis
glasses, she told him, I ll have what they are having please.

The waiter returned her smile, exhibiting a perfect set of glossy wh

ite teeth that stuck out against his coppery skin.
Yes ma am, he replied.
I ll be rig
ht back, he added and agilely turned towards the bar.
Now that, Ashley remarked, Has got to be the most squeezable set of che
eks that I have ever set my eyes on. Charmin has nothing on that ass.
Olivia and Caley both swiveled their heads and stared dumbly at thei
r sister.
What did you just say? Olivia finally asked after she was over the init
ial shock of her older and married sister ogling another man s behind.
Ashley giggled. What?
She pointed in the direction that the waiter h
ad traipsed off to. You can t deny it can you? I mean look, it s as plain as day.
Caley leaned in to her sister, But you re married, she whispered low, af
raid that they may get caught doing something that they shouldn t be doing.
Ashley nodded and picked up her glass, bringing it up to her lips.
She knocked it back, draining the last of the liquid. Yeah, and your point is?
Olivia interrupted, The point is that you have a husband Ash. A very
handsome husband, mind you, that just so happens to worship the ground that you
walk on. You should not be noticing, much less commenting on some stranger s rea
r end.
Ashley set the glass down on the table with a thump.
Girls please.
I m married, not dead. I love my husband and I would never do anything to hurt hi
m. Haven t you ever heard of the saying that a person can look at the menu as lon

g as they eat at home?

Olivia cocked her head to the side.
that way, it doesn t seem to be so bad.
See? Ashley commented.

Well,

she drawled,

When you put it

I look, I just don t touch.

The waiter returned with her drink and carefully set it down in fron
t of her. He flashed her that heart stopping grin of his and placed a small squ
are napkin down in front of her.
Will that be all ma am?
Ashley, already tipsy leaned over on her sister s shoulder.

What s your

name?
Mario, the waiter replied amicably.
Mario, she repeated his name deliberately, testing the way that it sou
nded rolling off her tongue.
odded.

With that same grin that probably earned him a hoard of girls, he n
Mario.

Okay Marioooo, she drawled out cynically. Reaching for her empty gla
ss, she held it up. Can you fill er up please?
He took the glass from and slightly bowed his head.
Olivia sipped at her drink.
Caley.

As you wish.

You, my dear sister, are wasted.

Ashley let out a silly giggle.

Me? Nooooo, she said and turned to
What do you think baby sis? Am I wasted?

Caley lifted her hand, bring her thumb and forefinger together, le
aving just a little space between them.
Maybe . Just a little.
Ha! Olivia, recoiled.
If she s just a little then I m Angelina Jolie, whi
ch, she said, holding up one hand and draining the rest of her first drink with t
he other, As you can see, I am not.
No, you re not, Caley observed, staring down at her glass.
Look Liv,
started and then stopped when the water reappeared with Ashley s drink. The trio
grew somber as he set the glass down in front of her and picked up Olivia s empty
one. Would you like another, miss?
Yes,

she said simply, adding

Please,

she

as an afterthought.

Once again he was off and before Caley could say anything, Olivia
spoke up first this time. Caley, I m sorry, she blurted.
I mean if I had known that
everyone was going to act the way they did with Brody then I wouldn t have brough
t him. I honestly thought that by eloping with him that it would stay on the do
wn low and wouldn t take away from your special day.
She was on the verge of tears but she didn t want her sister mad at
her for any reason. Besides, what she had said was true. She did it for the s
ake of her sister. The waiter came back and silently laid the glass on the tabl
e in front of Olivia, offering her a quick smile before hastily making an exit.
She picked up the glass, taking a large swallow.
s to be perfect for you Caley, that s all I was thinking about.

I just wanted thi

When Olivia turned to Caley, she was shocked to see that her eyes were watery to
o. Caley brought her hand to her mouth.
I m sorry too, she blubbered.
I was such a
bitch and I shouldn t have been but with all of the stress of the wedding and Dad
dy acting like a fool, I just lost it and you just so happened to call at the wr
ong time. She reached out and covered Olivia s hand.
Can you please forgive me?
A small smile tugged at her lips.
Caley, there was never anything f
or me to forgive. You re my sister and I love you. In the end, that s all that mat
ters.
Ashley rolled her eyes.
Yeah, yeah. I love you both too. Now, can
we get back to checking out the menu?
Caley and Olivia shared a conspiratory look before falling into a fit
of giggles. Ashley soon joined them.
Ain t we something else, Olivia said.
All th
ree of us have decidedly handsome men at our disposal and here we are, sitting i
n a lounge, getting smashed while checking out young blood.
Well, Caley interceded,
an; the good, the bad and the ugly.

I want to know what it s like. Being married I me

Ashley hiccupped and sat back in her chair.

I m sure you can guess the
good.
Her glazed eyes twinkled.
All the mind numbing sex you can handle, whenev
er and wherever you want.
But you have kids, Oliva put in. She finished her second drink and held
up the empty glass to the waiter. He acknowledged her and she sat it back on t
he table, looking over at her sister.
How can you do it whenever and wherever yo
u want with kids around?
Yeah, that s a really good question. I d like to know the answer to that o
ne myself. Caley added. She picked up her drink and daintily sipped at it.
Ashley leaned forward. We have to get creative, sometimes it s a challe
nge but that makes it all that much hotter, she grinned.
Olivia slapped her hands over her ears.
too much TMI.

TMI, she stated laughing.

Alright, sex is the good. What about the bad?

t now piqued.

Way

Caley asked, her interes

The bad, Olivia slurred, setting her chin in her hand. It has to be the
bathroom. The boxers lying in the floor, the toilet seat being left up, or the
towel that you laid out mysteriously disappearing.
I second that one, Ashley noted.
Then there s the television remote. They have this
idea in their tiny little head that they are King of the castle and hence they
should be the holder of the remote control.
Oh God yes, Olivia stated.
If I have to watch another baseball game, I
think I ll kill myself, she groaned.
That has to be the most boring game in history
. They hit a ball and they run. Half the time they miss or get out. I think I
would rather watch Grandma Cora clean her dentures than be forced to endure ano
ther baseball game.
Caley had a look of horror on her face as her two sisters went on t
o explain the bad and the ugly points of marriage.
I am beginning to re-think th

is whole marriage thing, she muttered to herself.

d be better off signing up for a bowling league.

To hear you two tell it, I woul

Having entirely too much alcohol in their systems, Ashley and Olivia
busted out laughing. Caley could only grin and then joined them in the combine
d hysterics. The three girls were starting to cause quite a stir in the small m
otel lounge with their boisterous laughter.
Is that who I think it is? Brody stopped and listened as they neared th
e lounge. He could hear the rambunctious laughter and one of the laughs sounded
suspiciously familiar.
Seth figured that the girls had plenty of alone time by now. He had
inconspicuously turned Brody so that they passed by the lounge. After talking w
ith him; he was finding that he actually liked the man and he got the feeling th
at Brody was probably going to be good for Olivia, which was another plus in his
opinion. I think so, he said and waved towards the lounge.
Let s take a look, shal
l we?
The two men made their way into the lounge. As soon as they walked
in, Brody zeroed in and locked onto Liv. It was obvious that she had way too m
uch to drink but there was something else about her that he was drawn to. Somet
hing in the way that she held herself.
She looked free, not like the stiff lawyer that he was used to. Her
head was tossed back and she held her hand in a strangely seductive pose at her
throat.
Hey, Seth nudged him in the side.
re you going to go and get your woman?

Are you just going to stand there or a

Brody hadn t even realized that he had stopped in the center of the flo
or, staring stupidly at Olivia. She enthralled him like no woman ever had. She
knocked him off balance and the more that he was around her, the more he wanted
her with a driving passion.
Regaining his composure, he cut a glance in Seth s direction.
get my woman, he proclaimed and headed towards her with purpose.

I m going to

Chapter 23
Good evening ladies.
Olivia stiffened at the sound of the charmingly familiar voi
ce. She shot a quick glance over at Ashley then looked to her youngest sister C
aley, begging for assistance.
Ashley looked away from her sister and peered up at Brody with a wicked grin.
llo there stranger. Where have you been hiding all my life?

He

He let out a lusty chuckle that affected Olivia in the most adverse manner. The
sound seeped deep into her senses, covering her like a blanket. He was standin
g behind her but she could feel him everywhere; in her skin, in her blood, even
in her bones.
The disconcerting feeling was too much for her to bear. Lifting her cup to her
mouth, she drained it dry and sat it back on the table with thump.
Whew, she fann
ed herself, looking everywhere but at the man that has seemed to turn her world
completely upside down. Is it hot in here or what? she exclaimed.
Seth appeared on the other side of the table. It s just you Liv, he answered her qu
estion. Placing his arms on his wife s shoulders, he gave them a gentle squeeze.
And Mrs. Wells, what do you mean by asking Brody here and I quote, Where have you

been hiding all my life ?

Ashley s grin widened as she relaxed underneath his hands.
Just being friendly to
my handsome new brother in law, she replied, her words taking on a slight slurry
quality.
Someone in this family has to be nice to him after the way Daddy treate
d him.
Seth leaned down so that his warm breath blew across her cheek.
Now I have heard
of being nice Ash, and I ve heard of flirting. You my dear wife, are flirting.
She let out a bubbly laugh that sang to the heavens.

Why Seth, are you jealous ?

He snorted a manly grunt; his golden eyes, peering up in Brody s direction. Me jea
lous of him? Not likely. And you my dear, he said, firmly placing a wet kiss on
her cheek, Are well and drunk.
She giggled,
Upsy daisy.
ng position.

Yeah, I am, aren t I?

Seth placed his hands under her arms and pulled her up into a standi
Are you going to be able to walk to the room?

Another girlish giggle escaped her lips.

round me, I ll get there just fine.

As long as you have your guns wrapped a

Seth shook his head.

Boy, you re going to be feeling this one in the morning and y
ou know that the first rehearsal is scheduled for eleven, right?
Ashley twirled her finger listlessly in the air.
lled over to the side.

Eleven? Rehearsal?

Her head lo

Yup, you are definitely going to feel this one baby.

In one smooth move, Seth lif
ted her off her feet and into his arms. Let s get some coffee in you to try and so
ber you up a bit. She only giggled in response.
He turned to Caley.
the way.

Why don t you come with us and I ll drop you off at your room on

Caley looked as if she was about half asleep. She had her head in her hands, pr
opped up on the table.
Okaaay, she drawled.
He glanced up at Brody. I assume you can take care of that one,
ointedly down at Olivia who was staring at her empty glass.

he said looking p

Yeah, I ll take care of her, Brody assured him.

Come on muffin cakes; let s get you up
stairs and into bed.
Taking her by the elbow, he lifted her up and seeing that s
he was unbalanced, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, tucking her into his s
ide.
Seth stood there for a moment waiting for Caley to stand. When it was apparent
that she wasn t moving, he nudged her with his elbow, Come on Caley, before you fal
l asleep at the table.
The youngest of the sisters stared up at him with a blank expression.

Huh?

Seth dropped his head again.

It s time to go Caley. I m sure that Devin is still up
and waiting for you to return.
Oh, she said, her mouth forming a perfectly shaped O in the process. She lazily gla
nced around her to see that all the seats had been vacated and sluggishly stood
up. Whoa, the room is spinning like crazy, she exclaimed, placing a hand to each

of her temples.
No, Seth told her, shifting Ashley in his arms so that he could hold on to Caley.
You just drank too much. Way too much.
She smiled up at him.
Maybe just a little, she told him, making an effort to show
him by holding up her thumb and her forefinger, bringing them close together.
J
ust a little, she repeated.
Just a little my ass, he commented under his breath, earning a hefty laugh from Br
ody. Come on louse, time to take you to Devin and let him take care of you. I h
ave my own wife to attend to.
With a nod to Brody, Seth took hold of Caley s arm and gently led her out of the l
ounge. Brody stood there in his place and watched the trio leave, smothering hi
s own laughter when Caley attempted to sit down at the door.
When they were good and gone, he turned Olivia around to face him and suddenly g
ot serious. The whole time that they had been apart, he had been going mad with
worry. Concerned by what set her off in the first place, worry that the stalke
r might get to her and then topping it off by not knowing what in the hell to do
about it. He would have gone into a full scale panic attack if it hadn t been fo
r him running into Seth. Exactly how much did you guys drink? he finally asked.
Olivia stared hard at his chest, taking notice of the marbleized buttons that he
ld his blue and white striped shirt together, not daring to meet his eyes.
I don t
know, she shrugged her shoulders. I quit counting at five.
Geez, Liv, he tossed his hand up in the air and groaned. All of that pent up worr
y coming to the forefront.
What in the hell were ya ll thinking? No, he slapped hi
s hand at his side. That s the thing - none of you were thinking. You know that t
here is someone after you and yet you let your guard down like this? All three
of you were stone drunk, sitting in here like ducks in water. What if the creep
y guy decided to make a move then? Huh?
He grabbed her by the shoulders and sho
ok her, wanting to do nothing more than shake some common sense into her. What w
ould have happened then? Answer me Liv, what would you have done?
Olivia said nothing. Through her drunken haze,
as so right; she hadn t been thinking, at least
in her own disturbing feelings for him that she
eping her face down, she continued to refuse to

she felt the guilt rising. He w

about that. She was so caught up
could think of nothing else. Ke
meet his penetrating gaze.

When you ran off from me, that was all I could think about. What if he got to yo
u before I did? What would I do if I came up and I was a second too late? How
do you think that made me feel Liv? Really. How do you think I felt when I cou
ldn t find you anywhere?
I m sorry,

she mumbled, unable to say anything else.

You bet your ass that

s hands and framed her
her jewel like eyes.
e helped if the madman

you re sorry, but sometimes sorry

face, lifting it so that he could
Sorry wouldn t have helped if you
got his hands on you. Sorry just

isn t good enough. He took hi

see into the depths of
got hurt. Sorry wouldn t hav
doesn t cut it Liv.

Tears started to streak down her face. They were slow in coming but they were t
here, one watery droplet after another, making Brody feel like a complete jackas
s. She sobbed a bit, making a gurgling sound and then gave a very un-ladylike s
niff.

Sighing, Brody released her face and brought her head against his chest.
Shh, Li
v. I didn t mean to upset you. I just wanted you to know how scared I was.
Anoth
er rather loud sob broke from her chest. Shh, he said again, rubbing his hand in
circles along her back. Please stop crying cheesecake. I can t take it. You re bre
aking my heart.
Through the tears, she half chuckled.
Is that the beginnings of a laugh that I hear?
teased.
She smothered her face back into his chest.

he eased back to see her face and

No, it wasn t.

Brody looked down at the top of her head and breathed out a sigh of relief. At
least she was safe and that was what mattered the most. Her safety. He had fin
ally admitted to himself that he had fallen for this blond haired, witty woman a
nd he didn t know how he would react if something indeed had happened to her. He
squeezed his arms a little tighter around her slender body, inhaling her flowery
scent that he had learned to identify as unique to Olivia alone. Just promise m
e that you ll be more careful from now on, he whispered above her head.
For my own
sanity at least.
This time she leaned her head back and looked up at him. Her eyes feeling swol
len and her nose all stuffy. The moment that their eyes met, she felt a shift i
n her equilibrium. Something had changed. Something between the two of them ha
d changed and for the first time, she wasn t all that scared by it.
She actually welcomed it. His eyes darkened as they zeroed in on her lips. It
was then that she knew that their relationship; the same one that was originally
meant as a show, had become so much more. She cared for this man so much more
than just a co-worker. Was it love? She wasn t positive that she d call it that ye
t but it was most definitely something more than just friendship and something t
hat she desperately wanted to explore.
Lifting her hand, she cradled his cheek. Making a split second decision, she de
cided to use some of the liquid courage that she had ingested and take this a st
ep further. One of them had to make the move or they would always be plagued wi
th the what if s and what could have s . What s happening between us Brody?
Brody felt consumed. As he stared down at her, all he could think about was how
much he wanted this woman - this one particular woman that had the means to des
troy him in one fell swoop. Lifting his hand and taking a hold of her neck, he
whispered, I don t know Liv, but I m damn sure tired of fighting it.
Unable to hold back any longer, he moved in, covering her mouth with his own. H
e refused to fight it any longer. One way or the other, he was going to prove t
o Olivia that they belonged together. Come hell or high water, he was going to
find a way to win her heart.
*********************************************************
Seth stepped off of the elevator with both women in tow. Ashley was pretty much
asleep in his arms and Caley was well on her way. He was basically dragging he
r behind him.
Reaching her room, he propped her up against the wall and knocked on the door.
In seconds, it was opened and in front of him stood a youthful looking Devin, he
r soon to be husband.

Drop off,

he said, waving in Caley s direction.

Devin stepped out of the room to see his heavily inebriated fianc.
ck happened to her? he asked, despite the obvious.

What in the he

Seth let out a knowing laugh.

Girls night out, he simply said. Devin looked back
at him, his brows knitted up in confusion. The older brother in law only shook
his head. She s all yours man, see you at the rehearsal tomorrow.
With his good deeds done for the day, he turned and headed for his own room. He
had his own wife to put to bed. He wasn t kidding when he had mentioned that the
y would pay for the night of alcoholic foreplay come morning. Lucky for him, he
come prepared; he brought the whole bottle of ibuprofen as well as the box of G
oody Powders. He was set.
Slipping into his room, he used his foot to close the door behind him. Ashley s s
oft snores were already reaching his ears. She was down for the count and probab
ly wouldn t budge again until the sun rose. He laid her in the bed and started to
carefully strip off her shoes, following with her pants and shirt when a though
t suddenly hit him.
Olivia was supposed to be pregnant. If she was indeed pregnant, then why was sh
e getting herself smashed?
Seth pulled the covers up over his wife and pressed a kiss to her cheek, scrunch
ing up his nose at the smell of her alcohol laden breath that almost made him si
ck to his stomach. Saying to himself yes, she is going to be feeling this in th
e morning.
Something just wasn t right about the whole situation. He wasn t sure exactly what
it was, but he was almost positive that for whatever reason, she was faking a pr
egnancy. The Olivia that he knew would never be that careless and drink herself
silly if she had, in fact, been with child. The Olivia Murray that he knew now
as Olivia O Connor wasn t that type of person.
So if she wasn t really pregnant, then why would she feel compelled to tell the fa
mily that she was? Was she lying to cover something for herself or was she lyin
g to cover up something for that new husband of hers?
He didn t have a clue as to which it could possibly be, but by God he was going to
find out. If it was the last thing he did. He loved that young lady like a si
ster and if she needed help, then he would be there to help her, every step of t
he way, no questions asked.

Chapter 24
Olivia pulled back from Brody and peered up at him under a veil of dark lashes.
You want to go upstairs? she asked, her tone both breathy and filled with unspoke
n meaning.
He used the tip of his finger to trace her lips; rosy red lips that were now plu
mp from his kisses. He knew what his own body was screaming for but unfortunate
ly he had chosen this time to actually listen to his good conscious for once in
his life. I m not so sure that s a good idea with you being intoxicated and all that
, he told her regrettably.
How about we get some coffee instead?

Her lips down turned into a frown.

I don t want coffee, she stated petulantly and w
hile leaning into him more, purposefully pressing her breasts against his rock h
ard chest, she huskily whispered, I want you, you big dummy.
Dropping his head back, he stared up at the ceiling and let out a pitiful groan.
My God woman, do you have any inkling of what you are doing to me right now?
Seeing his barriers begin to break down; Olivia proceeded to press her advantage
. Meeting his gaze, she began to systematically un-button his shirt without any
resistance on his part.
With his shirt now open, she took her pointer finger and started at his cheek.
Setting her own pace, she started to move tortuously slow and began to trace the
hard outline of his chin.
I, she started, leaning up on her toes, pressing a soft kiss against his jaw.
Hav
e, she continued with her dainty finger exploration, dragging said finger down hi
s breast bone and across his chest, stopping at his nipple only to lightly rub o
ver it.
A, she added, smiling when she felt the little nub harden underneath he
r seductive touch. She then risked going further with her finger, stopping at t
he top of the hair line just above his jeans.
Good, she mumbled, her eyes dilati
ng with an intense hunger and locked onto his as she dared to go even further do
wn, gently cupping his manhood and smiling knowingly up at him. "Idea," was th
e last word she said while waiting on a response from him that would hopefully s
atisfy her carnal desires.
He let out a cave-man style grunt at her ballsy touch. He was already half-hard
before she started playing with him, the little temptress that she was. He was
always seemed to be like that around her in the first place and couldn t help it.
But as she continued to touch him, whispering in those sexy hushed tones, he w
ent from half-mast to full sail in no time.
Taking in a slow calming breath, Brody wrapped his hand around Olivia s wrist and
squeezed to stop her. Muffin, I really don t think you want to go there tonight, I
believe that the alcohol is doing all the talking. He gave her a tight smile, h
oping that he could break through her inebriation.
Now, that being said, if you
do not stop this little show that you re putting on, I cannot promise you that I w
ill remain the proper gentleman that I was raised to be.
Her grin widened and the little she-devil had the gall to innocently bat her eye
lashes up at him. Pressing even closer into him, she tightened her hand around
his straining manhood.
What if I don t want a gentleman tonight Brody, what if I w
ant a wild passionate lover? Can you be that type of lover for me Brody? Can you
be wild and untamed?
Every word that she breathed turned him on even more. He was burning up like a
red hot inferno, floating on a precipitous with very little control. He was tr
ying so hard to fight it, knowing that if he gave in to her that when she woke u
p in the morning, she would regret every second of it and then probably hate him
for letting it happen in the first place.
When he didn t immediately answer her, Olivia continued to egg him on. She was ho
t, she was ready and was having a hard time understanding what the problem was h
ere.
What s the matter Brody, don t you want me?
Want you?
His brow crinkled as he repeated her question. That was an understat
ement of the year if he had ever heard one. He wanted her more than anything el
se in this world and if he had his way, he would have her - eventually. But not
now; not like this.

Sobering up somewhat and feeling a little more than rejected because he wouldn t a
nswer her, wouldn t succumb to her advances or even look at her for that matter, O
livia jerked away from him. She was mortified at her own behavior. She basica
lly threw herself at him, offered him her body and he really didn t want any part
of it.
I m sorry, she rushed out, covering her face with her hands. Dread consumed her as
the implications of what had happened started to settle in. After a long minute
, she dropped her hand from her face and saw how taught his face was. That only
further proved how much of a fool she had been to even think that he might remo
tely want someone like her. She wasn't specially extravagant or model type mater
ial like so many of the others that he had gone out with in the past. She was j
ust a plain Jane in comparison.
Oh Brody, she whispered, I am so, so sorry.
Unable to bear his scrutiny any longer, she turned away from him and made a beeline for the exit. She had to get out of there, away from him right then before
she said or did something else that she would regret even more.
Brody stood there, trying to process all that had just happened. One minute she
was rubbing against him like a sex crazed kitten and the next, she ran from him
- again. He was baffled to say the least. What exactly was it about him that
always made her run for the hills? Was it something he said? Something he did
or maybe something that he didn't do? He was trying to be the good guy here, an
d yet she left him, again.
He snorted in disbelief, feeling an eerie sense of dj vu. Snapping himself back t
o reality, Brody stared at the exit that she had just disappeared through.
Oh no
you don t, he muttered to himself.
Not this time anyway.
Knowing what had to be do
ne, he left the lounge, taking the same path that she had just moments earlier t
aken.
She felt a wave of dizziness threatening to overtake her and had to stop outside
the lounge, bracing her hand against the wall to steady her self. How could sh
e have been so stupid, so amoral, so slut-like?
It had to be the alcohol. It was always the alcohol because on any other given
day she would not have offered up herself to him so freely and not to mention on
a silver platter. That was not the type of thing that Olivia Murray did. Inst
ead, she would have remembered that this was all a job to him, a job that benefi
ted their mutual interests. That was it; nothing more.
Olivia?
Reacting purely on bodily instinct, she stood up and whirled around just a littl
e too fast for her current state of drunkenness. The moment that she did, she p
ressed her fingers to her temples, feeling the room wildly spin around her.
Olivia? Brody said again, this time walking up to her and bodily laying his hands
on her shoulders. Feeling the heat from his touch sear her through the blouse
that she was wearing clear to her skin, she dropped her hands to her side and du
mbly stared up at him.
When he was sure that he held her gaze, he blurted out, Woman, I want you like I ve
never wanted anything in my life, but I didn't want it to be like this," he sho
ok her slightly and repeated hoarsely, "Not like this, with you under the influe
nce and all."
She continued to stare up at him; unsure what to make of his statement. It was
all of the words that she wanted to hear five minutes ago but now; she felt tha

t maybe he was just saying it to make her not feel so bad. Frowning, she sighed
.
Look, I get it. Your off the hook, alright. Let s just go upstairs and try to
get some sleep before this rehearsal thing tomorrow and besides, you still have
to meet my brother.
Brody narrowed his eyes on her. This wasn t the same sex kitten that was just paw
ing all over him minutes earlier. Something was still wrong. Liv, did you hear
a word that I just said?
She pulled away from him and started for the elevator, assuming that he would ju
st follow her. At least she hoped he did, because she didn t think to grab her ke
y when they left the room earlier.
Yes, she said stiffly, I heard and it s okay, I u
nderstand. You don t have to worry about making me feel better. I m still drunk, y
ou re tired and I think we can both agree that today has been one helluva day. Th
e consolation is that we only have four more days to keep up this charade so if
you don t mind, please- be quiet. I can t handle your pity right now with everythin
g else that is going on.
The elevator door opened and Olivia walked in. Turning around, she stared back
at Brody expectantly. When he made no move to get on the elevator with her, she
held up her hand.
Are you coming or not?
He didn t say a word. He was done with words. This woman has been driving him cr
azy from day one and he was tired of trying to do the right thing. All he knew
was that they were right together.
I m coming alright,
pushed her up against
g that he had in him.
ed her and now, he was
d the button for their
e it to their room.

he stated plainly, stalking forward with definite purpose. He

the wall of the elevator and took her lips with everythin
In that single kiss he let her know just how much he want
going to have her. Reaching behind him; he blindly pushe
floor and hoped that he could hold off long enough to mak

She responded like a wild cat. She gave as good as she got and when his tongue
swept into the recesses of her mouth; all of her earlier thoughts were a distant
memory.
Brody left her mouth, only to trail a line of butterfly kisses down the length o
f her jaw and continued on to the soft skin at her neck. His hands had made the
ir way underneath her blouse to caress the bare skin of her back.
She dropped her head down, offering him better access, an appreciative moan slip
ping from her lips.
Brody,

she panted.

Mmm.
We re here,

she pointed at the open elevator door.

He glanced over his shoulder and saw that she was right. They were only a few f
eet from the room; surely he could make it that far. He swept her up in his arm
s, hearing her gasp of surprise and smiling down at her.
Are you sure about this
? he asked her once more before they stepped off the elevator. He didn t want her
regretting anything, come tomorrow.
Very sure,

she confided and grabbed his head, bringing his lips back down to hers.

He carried her off the elevator and down the hall, teasing her with his mouth al

ong the way. Stopping in front of the door, he set her down on her feet and she
wrapped herself around his body, nipping at his five o clock shadow. He dug in h
is pocket looking for the key, only to come up empty handed. Cursing himself, h
e then remembered that he stupidly left his key by his laptop earlier this after
noon.
Baby, he started and grabbed her chin, forcing Olivia to look up at him, Please tel
l me you have your key.
Her eyes went wide and he had his answer.

You don t have yours?

Huffing out a frustrated breath, he shook his head.

No, I left it in the room-

Hey, Olivia called out, interrupting him. He turned to see who she was talking t
o and there was a maid standing at the end of the hall. The maid looked up at t
hem and warmly smiled.
Yes?
Brody wrapped his arm around Olivia s shoulders as she explained their embarrassin
g dilemma. Luckily, the maid understood and was nice enough to unlock the door
for them. By her reactions, he got the feeling that this wasn t all that unusual
of a thing for her.
Once the door was opened, they both thanked the maid as she went back to doing w
hat ever she was doing before. Brody turned his attention back to Olivia and li
fted her up in his arms. She squealed with delight and instantly wrapped her le
gs around his waist as their mouths searched out each other.
Walking in to the room, he kicked the door closed behind them and all that he co
uld think about was getting her to the bed and getting her naked. Everything el
se could wait. Neither bothered with the lights as they stumbled awkwardly thro
ugh the room, eventually making it to their intended destination.
His hands slightly shaking with anticipation, Brody carefully sat Olivia down on
the edge of the bed and slowly guided her down as he started to follow over her
, his mouth tightly fused to hers.
Just as he grabbed the hem of her shirt and moved to lift it over her head, a li
ght flipped on in the room, illuminating the small space around them. The both
of them snapped their heads up at the same time and jumped at the sound of a hig
h pitched, blood curdling scream.
Chapter 25
Olivia froze at the sound of the woman s scream. She was positive
ly shell shocked. Poised on the edge of the bed with her shirt perched just abo
ve her perky breast with nipples standing at full attention from Brody s touch, sh
e couldn t make her body move for anything. She could only stare blank faced into
the strange woman s frightened face while awkwardly trying to cover her nakedness
.
And it couldn t be just any woman, no, that would be too easy. He
r brief glance over at the night table beside the bed revealed the lady s Holy Bib
le and the chair beside it held her neatly folded habit. She was a nun.
Brody jumped up, pulling a dumbfounded Olivia up with him.
I m so,
so sorry ma am. Really sorry, he told her backing up. He put on his brilliant sm
ile and steadily started to take steps backwards pulling Olivia with him.
We tho
ught this was our room. He stumbled, caught himself and continued, not daring to
take his eyes of the woman who had finally stopped shrieking. She was now mumb
ling some incoherent words as she crossed herself with her hands.
You see, we bo
th left our keys in the room and we had a maid and- .

Oomph!
Brody keeled over from the shoe that the scared woman had thrown
and hit him square in the stomach with. She was not taking to his story all to
o kindly. She evidently wanted them out of her room and she wanted them out now
.
Ma am, please, Olivia tried again and ducked when the telephone boo
k came flying her direction. Okay, she said, holding up her hands, We can take a h
int.
Feeling completely sobered up now, she grabbed Brody by the arm
and started to pull him along.
Come on, this woman isn t up for any explanations.
Be a man and suck it up so we can get out of here.
As he tried to straighten up he shot her a cold glance that told
her he didn t think too much of her statement. I m doing the best that I can.
Well, then you need to do better,
I ll show you better,

she told him tersely.

he angrily whispered,

As soon as I get you bac

k in our room.
Ha! She scoffed and grabbed his arm, pulling him back down to the
floor when the alarm clock came flying in their direction.
Shut up and move you
r ass, we can talk later.
So speaks the woman who was standing topless in front of a nun,

e gibed.
Why you sorry son of a- Olivia started and bent down, grabbing th
e first thing that she could get her hands on. Armed with the alarm clock, she
started repeatedly smacking him upside the head while calling him every name tha
t came to mind. Stupid, lazy, miserable, sorry excuse of a man.
She stopped to gather her breath and he lowered his arm from his
head where he had raised it to protect himself from her blows. He glared at he
r.
Are you done yet?
Her mouth twitched just a little on the left side. She looked a
t the alarm clock in her hand and then back up at Brody.
No! she snapped, As a mat
ter of fact I m not.
Once again, she lifted her arm to rail on him some more and h
e snatched the clock from her hands.
That s enough young lady.
I don t think so, she countered, abruptly standing up. She wasted
no time in smacking him relentlessly with the palm of her hands. She was embarr
assed, angry and hurt and it was his entire fault.
Excuse me,

a new voice entered the room.

Brody saw the security officer and tried to smile at him all the
while trying to restrain Olivia s hands. Sir, he bit out between gritted teeth.
The security officer walked further into the room, but was smart
enough to keep his distance from the wild looking Olivia.
Um, he said, and scrat
ched at the back of his neck, Is there a problem in here?

Brody rolled his eyes.

a hand came flying across his face.

Nothing I can t handle,

Ooh, that one s gonna leave a mark,

er.

he told him just as

the security officer grimaced.

Brody growled in frustration, staring back at the security offic

Do you mind?

He simply shrugged his shoulders. The nun, now fully dressed in

her habit appeared, and regally stalked over to the security officer, launching
into her complaints, pointing fingers in their direction.
Thankfully, Olivia was beginning to wear down and dropped her ha
nds to her side. She had no voice left and looked like she had just run a marat
hon. While the security guard talked with the nun, Brody asked her again, Are yo
u done now?
Yes,

she mumbled, not offering him anything else.

Slowly, he released her, one hand at a time and started to step

back from her. He kept his hands ready just in case she started again and only
marginally relaxed when she turned away from him.
The security officer came over to where they stood. This lady sa
ys that you both broke into her room and was going to have um, intimate relation
s on her bed.
Brody let out an exasperated sigh.
I can explain, he told him.
thought it was our room and we both left our keys in our room earlier in the da
y. The maid was at the end of the hall, we told her our story and she let us in
.
Did you think to look at the room number?

We

the security officer qu

estioned.
Brody thought back, No, I was to busy with something or rather s
omeone else to worry about a room number. Flattening his mouth into a grim line
he answered, No, no, I didn t. I was ..pre-occupied.
at Brody.

The security officer looked over at Olivia before glancing back

May I ask how the two of you know each other?
Brody rubbed his fingers at his temple.

She s my wife,

he mumbled.

The security officer nodded and then mischievously grinned.

he drawled out, I think I m starting to get the big picture now.

Ah,

Brody stared hard back at him. The little security officer was
really starting to get on his nerves. And what picture would that be?
.

He put his hands on his hips and widened that knowing gin of his
You re newlyweds, right?
Brody glanced over at Olivia.

Yeah.

The security officer clapped his hands together.

ins it then.

Well that expla

He shook his head,

Explains what? What the hell are you talking

about?
The nun s head popped back up in Brody s direction. She gave him a
disapproving glare and crossed herself again.
Jesus, he murmured, covering his face with his hands. He didn t re
alize his mistake until he heard the nun start to rattle off some low words and
crossed herself two more times for good measure.
The security officer covered his mouth in order to stifle his ow
n laughter. Look, he said, his attention directed at Brody. He did the best he c
ould to draw a serious face.
Just apologize to the nice lady and we ll all call it
a night, okay?
That s what I tried to do in the beginning but she attacked me, he
said and then looked over at Olivia who was strangely being standoffish.
And the
n, he started and snorted in remembrance, Well, you know the rest.
le of his.

That I do, he agreed, still standing there with that damnable smi
Just apologize and be done with it.
Brody turned to the nun.

I m sorry, he told, sincerely meaning it.

The nun lifted her chin and then nodded, effectively dismissing
them.
Are we free to go?

Brody asked the security officer.

Yeah, he said.
Just check to make sure you have the right room ne
xt time, and since I am here are you sure you want me to leave you alone with th
at wildcat of a woman over there?" Brody, turning to look in Olivia's direction
, turned back to the officer and said,
Yeah, I can handle the wildcat."
Brody grabbed Olivia by the arm.
Don t worry, we most definitely w
ill. They both prattled in between the nun and the security officer and walked o
ut the door. When they stepped out into the hall, Brody took a minute to see wh
at room they had actually walked in to.
Room 607.
He shook his head; their room
was 807, two floors up.
He walked over to the elevator, still holding onto Olivia s hand a
nd pressed the up button. While they waited, he glanced down at her and frowned
at her somber disposition. Liv?
She refused to look at him, even refused to speak to him. She w
as mortified beyond belief. What if her family got wind of this? That lady was
a nun of all things and then he wanted to be a jerk about the whole thing.
The elevator opened and she walked on in front of him. Turning
around, she pressed the button for the eighth floor. Brody walked on behind her
and waited for the door to close.
Olivia? He tried again.
She kept her stony face, facing forward. She watched as the but
ton to the seventh floor lit up, and then the button for the eighth floor light
up right behind it. The bell dinged and the door opened. She walked out of the
elevator and strode to towards the door to their room.
Brody huffed out a breath. So, he said following in behind her, Is
this how it s going to be? Are you seriously going to give me the silent treatme

nt after you beat the crap out of me?

She stopped in front of the door, still refusing to acknowledge
him. Brody stood stiffly behind her. It suddenly dawned on him that neither of
them had a key to the room, so they were still locked out.
The elevator bell dinged again, the sound echoing in the stillne
ss of the hallway. Brody turned towards the sound and the same security officer
stepped off of the elevator, still grinning like it was nobody s business and hol
ding up a master key card.
Didn t you mention that you both locked your keys in
the room?
Brody nodded.

Yeah, we did.

He stepped up in front of them and right before he swiped his ca

rd he ask them, "Are you sure you have the right room this time?" Looking at th
e officer Brody replied, "Yes, I am certain this time."
"Well in that case, I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay.
m.

Will do,

Brody gave him a tight smile after Olivia walked in ahead of the
he offered curtly.

The security officer turned and left, his grin never once leavin
g his face. Brody walked into the room and closed the door. He heard Olivia me
ssing around near the closet so he decided to go to the bathroom and brush his t
eeth.
He was at a loss for words with this woman. So much he wanted t
o say to her but she drove him to the brinks of insanity. And what s more, that w
as part of her attraction. Wiping his mouth, he glanced up at himself in the mi
rror. He had always seemed to have a way with the ladies. He was cool, he was
calm and confident but when it came to the little southern spit fire out in the
room, all of that was forgotten. He was more like the bumbling village idiot.
He didn t know what to do and it was too late tonight to try and f
igure anything out. He had already made up his mind to let Olivia have the bed,
he would sleep on the couch and maybe tomorrow they could try this all over aga
in. Sort of like a new start.
Walking out of the bathroom, he made his way towards the bed to
grab a pillow and stopped dead in his tracks. She was curled up on her side and
with the innocent position that she was laying in, a pang struck him in the che
st. He wished that he could lie beside of her and just hold her in his arms. H
e could imagine the feel of her soft body pressed up against his, very much like
it was before they realized they had walked in the wrong room.
Everything in him tightened at the memory. His groin suddenly f
elt heavy and he bit back a curse. It really was for the best that everything h
appened the way it did. Surely, she would have hated him come morning if they h
ad gone though with it. It just wasn t time yet, or maybe it was, just not the wa
y it would have happened.
Tip toeing to the bed, he reached over her and carefully grabbed
the empty pillow. He stared at her sleeping form for a moment and before he co
uld stop himself, he bent down, pressed a soft kiss to her cheek and whispered a
t her ear, I m sorry Liv. I.... I.... Oh hell, what am I thinking?"
Standing back up, he closed his eyes and forced himself to walk
away from her and to the small couch on the other side of the room. Tomorrow wo
uld be a new day and with her older brother coming in and the wedding rehearsal

on top of that; there was no telling what he was in store for. The only thing h
e was certain of was that it would definitely be short of ..... interesting.
Chapter 26
No!... We can t do that Just deal with it Leslie; I don t have the time
Marcey to help you out. I ll be back at the end of the week.
Olivia did not want to open her eyes. Her head felt like a jack
hammer was pounding right down the center of it and Brody's loud mouth wasn't he
lping any.
Dammit! Isn t that what I hired you for? he barked even louder, so
loud that she startled in the bed.
That time, Olivia did pop her eyes open - barely. The glare fro
m the sun was beaming on her face, doubling the pain in her head. Through her s
quinted eyes she could see Brody furiously pacing back and forth with his phone
clenched tightly in his hand and wondered what in the hell that phone call was
all about.
Leslie, just do it and call me back this afternoon with the resu
lts. Brody pulled the phone away from his ear and snapped it closed. All he ask
ed was that she gather the documents and schedule the witness interviews for the
Rolo s case next week. It shouldn t have been that difficult yet she was acting li
ke he asked her to figure out the answer to some complicated rocket scientist ca
lculus problem.
Sighing, he tossed the phone on the table as it landed with a de
afening thud. He only half slept last night on that small couch, and what littl
e sleep he did get was filled with dreams of her and how soft her lips were agai
nst his lips, the firmness of her breast pressed against him, the smell of her p
erfume while he held her in his arms and then to top it off, they had this rehea
rsal thing today with her family, including daddy dearest with the killer right
hook and a brother he had never met. His life was just getting better by the se
cond - not.
Will you please try to keep it down? said Olivia, her voice still
sleep filled and weak sounding. She had her hands covering her eyes and to be h
onest, she looked like death warmed over. He had no doubt in his mind that she
was feeling the after effects of her irresponsible inebriation from last night.
That was just too bad. He was feeling his own after effects fro
m being worked over by a shoe to the gut from a nun, an alarm clock to the head,
a pimp slap to the face, an arrogant security officer and then to be shot down
colder than a well digger s butt. Revenge was going to be plentiful and it was ti
me to have a little fun.
Good morning, sleeping beauty, he remarked extra cheerfully. I se
e that you have given up on the silent treatment you insisted on imposing on me
last night. Turning around, he made his way towards the blinds and lifted them t
o the top of the window, allowing an abundant amount of sunshine to rain in the
window, spot lighting her bed and hitting her square in her hung over face.
Jesus, she muttered under her breath, jerking the covers up over
her head. Will you please put those damn things back down and stop acting so sel
f righteous? I get it; I may have had a little too much to drink last night.
Br
ody, while laughing hysterically said, "You may have had a little too much to dr
ink last night? Well that would be the understatement of the year."

He spoke again, controlling his laughter.

But honey dew, he drawl
ed out sweetly, We re in Hawaii and it s supposed to be sunny. It s time to rise and s
hine, don't ya think?
spinner.gif
I ll show you rise and shine when I stick my foot up your ass.
He chuckled.

Aww . So grumpy. Is my cheese cake not a morning per

son?
Olivia took in a long, slow breath and pressed her palms against
her temples, willing the pounding pain that was assaulting her head to somewhat
subside so she could think straight.
Please - shut the H E double hockey sticks
up.
She felt the bed dip beside her and her stomach rolled.
Muffin c
heeks, he called out and ripped the blanket from her hands, blinding her with the
sunlight again.
Now is that any way to talk to your husband?
She rolled over away from him.

Don't you mean soon to be dead hu

sband?
It took everything that Brody had in him to stifle his laughter.
It amazed him how just a few minutes of teasing this woman could suddenly lift
his spirits.
Cherry pie, he nudged her back, It s time for breakfast. If we hurry
up, we ll get a good seat.
No,

she said simply, her face buried deep in the pillow.

No what?

he asked.

No getting up or no breakfast?

Yes.
He shook his head and bent down so that he was at her ear.
Butte
r cup, come on now. I m in the mood for some pig fat bacon, fried eggs where the
yellow is all runny in the center, some buttery grits What about you?
Oh God, she mumbled and jumped up from the bed as if her butt had
been lit on fire. She covered her mouth and ran for the bathroom, slamming the
door behind her.
Brody smiled. He heard the sounds of her retching and for the b
riefest of seconds, he felt bad and actually considered going in there to help h
er out. Then he thought better of it. She would be more likely punch him in th
e stomach or kick him in the groin than accept any sort of help from him.
Walking over to the bathroom door he knocked and asked, "Muffin
cakes, are you alright in there?" She gagged again, the noise a little more dis
gusting. She felt so miserable that she swore this had to be what being so clos
e to death felt like. Damn, she was going to kill those sisters of hers for let
ting her drink that much. "Guess not," he replied.
Sitting on the floor, her head hanging over the toilet, she trie
d to recall the events from last night but the last thing she could remember was
Brody and Seth coming into the lounge. She couldn t even remember how she got ba
ck up to the room, how she got into her nightgown or how she even ended up in th
e bed.

Ugh,

she moaned into the bowl as another wave of nausea rolled ov

er her.
After a good ten minutes of sitting there with her cheek pressed
against the cool ceramic seat of the toilet, she made herself stand. She could
n t stay in the bathroom all day.
Walking out of the bathroom, looking down, massaging her temple
with her right hand she walked right smack into Brody.
Ow, she whined, holding he
r head again with both hands. Will this incessant banging ever stop?
r.

She felt a steady grip grab her shoulders. Whoa there,

Are you alright?
His voice was sounding suspiciously sincere.

he told he

When she was sure that the room had stopped spinning, she pulled
away from him and dropped her hands to her sides.
I m fine, she bit out and winced
at the pain that echoed throughout her head.
He frowned at her and took her hand in his.
was stopped when he laid two Advil in her palms.

What?

she started and

Take this, he ordered her with a gentle gruffness and then handed
her a glass of water to gulp them down.
Then go take a shower; you smell like a
one woman brewery and I refuse to be seen in public with you looking like hell
has frozen over.
She stared back at him and would have scowled if even the slight
est movements in her face didn t hurt so much.
She popped both pills into her mouth at the same time, keeping h
er eyes on him and swallowing half of the glass of water. When she was done, sh
e handed him back the glass half full of water and forced some semblance of a fa
ke smile. Happy? she asked.
He returned her smile with a casual smirk.
Oh yes, most definite
ly. He crossed his hands over his chest and just continued to stand there, stari
ng back at her with laughter gleaming in his eyes.
Starting to feel uncomfortable under his close scrutiny, she fin
ally snapped, What?! Another pain shot through her skull and she immediately regr
etted her un-restrained outburst.
Shower, was all he said and pointed to the bathroom with that dam
nable cocky smile of his. If she wasn t feeling so bad she would have been more t
han happy to smack it off of his face.
And? she countered, tapping her foot impatiently. She may smell
like a brewery but she wasn t going to take a shower until she was good and dang w
ell ready.
Brody s smile went from a smirk now to a full blown satisfying gri
n. He made a show of looking at his watch.
What time did you say that we were s
upposed to be at your sister s rehearsal?
She lifted that pointy chin of hers in the air.

Eleven, why?

Brody waited a minute to add to the dramatic effect.

r, he finally told her, We re late.

It s ten afte

Her eyes grew to the size of extra large pizzas.

Oh shit, she cri
ed and with a new fire lit under that perky derriere of hers, she took off like
a woman possessed.
Brody, not being able to control his laughter, busted out laughi
ng as he heard the shower running. Still laughing he asked, "Olivia honey, wher
e are your clothes?" Running out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around he
r never glancing in his direction, she shot towards her suitcase.
She grabbed her clothes from the suitcase, giving him the stink
eye the entire time. She took the fastest shower that he had ever seen a female
take in his life, donned herself with light make up and in just twenty minutes,
she looked like a woman re-born. She was remarkably beautiful.
Ready?

Brody asked, standing by the door with his key card in ha

nd.
This time, she let the scowl on her face show and all but growle
d at him. Holding herself in a haughty posture, she stomped towards the door an
d passed by him without even dignifying him with an answer.
Brody couldn t resist. When she walked by him with her nose held
up high in the air, dressed in those tight fitting blue jeans, frothy white blou
se and black stilettos, he reached out and pinched her delectable rear end.
She jumped a foot high and squealed. Turning her furious eyes o
n him, she pointed her finger in his chest and said, You are so going to pay for
that Mr. O Conner. So going to pay, she repeated and once again, stomped towards t
he elevator with him trailing behind her.
With a cheesy grin that was plastered all over his face it only
infuriated her even more. Inclining his head towards the open elevator door, he
asked, Shall we?
They both stepped on to the elevator, with the door closing behi
nd them. He reached over her shoulder and pressed the L button for the lobby. Le
aning back, he stopped just mere inches from her face and seductively whispered,
I ll be looking forward to it Mrs. O Conner. I mean that pay back that you mentione
d earlier." He pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. "I fully expect it to be sou
l cleansing, he added and then took a step back from her and laughed at his own j
oke, this time not bothering to hide the amused sound.
Her pissed off level would have registered about a ten on a scal
e of one to ten right about now. She was getting really sick and tired of his s
choolboy antics. Keeping her eyes on the numbered lights as they descended, she
watched each one light up while the elevator slowly made its way down to the lo
bby area. When floor 6 lit up, Brody let out another booming laugh. "What is s
o funny now?" she demanded.
Composing himself, Brody folded his hands behind his back and bi
t his tongue. He couldn't help but noticing how hot she was when her temper sho
wed in her cheeks. "Nothing...not a thing at all," he replied easily enough, st
aring down at her.
Finally the 'L' lit up above the door and the elevator dinged, l
etting them know that they reached the lobby. She stood there coolly and watche
d the elevator door open. She stuck that formidable chin of hers back in the ai
r and politely informed him, "Payback is going to be such a bitch and not a very
soul cleansing one as you so eloquently put it, Mr. O'Conner." Without another
word she strutted her way out of the elevator and into the lobby.

Chapter 27
Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in.
Cane Murray turned around and shot his brother-in-law a shit-eat
ing grin.
Hello yourself, he smirked. Turning, he whispered some words to his wi
fe and she playfully smacked him in the back of the head before leaving him for
the other women.
Oh, now I see,

Seth noted humorously, Who really wears the pants i

n your family.
Cane glanced over his shoulder at the gorgeous woman that he had
shared his bed with for the last ten years. She held his heart and he wasn t the
least bit worried about who knew that either. Damn straight, he agreed.
I know w
ho the boss is.
Seth grinned and slapped Cane on the shoulder, Yup, I do too and
she reminds me of that fact daily.
The two men laughed out loud together, earnin
g them a few curious stares from the women before quieting down.
Cane cleared his throat and composed himself. So,
more serious, Who is this yahoo that I hear married my sister?

he said turning

Well, Seth said, looking a mite more uncomfortable,

to figure that one out.

I m still trying

Cane narrowed his stone grey eyes on his brother-in-law. Just y

esterday he received an earful from his father about this O Connor guy and knowing
Seth since his own college days, he would have thought that he would already kn
ow everything about the guy right down to the fact of whether or not he wore box
ers or briefs. Seth was just that good so his statement didn't make any sense.
What do you mean you re still trying to figure it out? Is somethin
g wrong?
Seth pursed his lips.
Not necessarily with him. His background
has come back squeaky clean. He was somewhat of a ladies man in the past but oth
er than that . he seems genuine enough.
So , Cane urged, What s the problem and don t lie to me, I can see that
something is bothering you - it s written all over your face.
Seth let out a frustrated breath. After putting two and two tog
ether the night before, he had not been able to stop thinking about it. He didn t
say anything to Ashley and was damn sure not going to say anything to Ted yet at least until he knew for sure what was going on himself. But Cane was easy-g
oing and for a while there, he was the only one in the family that Olivia would
confide in. If anyone could understand her motives, it would be him. It s more yo
ur sister than him I think.
Cane stared back at him with shocked eyes.
hell is that supposed to mean?

You think? What the

It's hard to explain and I don't think that this is the time or
place for it.
Alright, he drawled out carefully while taking in the friends and
family members scattered around the room. Seeing that most everyone was occupi

ed doing one thing or the other, he angled his head towards the door.
e need to talk.

Come on, w

Seth nodded in agreement. He glanced over at his wife who was t

alking animatedly with her sister and Cane s wife.
Let s go.
Stopping just outside of the ballroom doors where the rehearsal
was to take place and away from prying ears, Cane gave his brother-in-law his de
voted attention. With a deceptively easy demeanor he leaned his back up agains
t the wall and folded his arms over his chest.
Alright, lay it out for me brothe
r; what the hell is going on?
****************************************************
That bitch! she cursed under her breath. Feeling her anger mount
, she crumpled up a worn picture in her fist. She wanted to kill her more than
ever now. Before, she only wanted to scare her off, take that haughty attitude
of hers down a level or two. She got on her nerves the way that she continually
walked around like she was the best thing to walk the earth since the invention
of sliced bread.
But then, she had to push it. She just had to go and do the unt
hinkable. The whore dug her claws into her man and stole him right out from und
er her. She was the one that was going to marry Brody, not that blond headed sl
ut. He was supposed to be hers, damnit!
Sitting on the plane, she was careful to keep her gaze out the w
indow. She tended to wear her emotions on her face and she didn t want anyone to
see the rage that she was trying so hard to hide.
Originally, she had planned to wait until they got back from the
ir trip to deal with her but the voices in her head wouldn t shut up. They only g
ot louder and louder, demanding that she take care of her problem right now. So
here she was, on the plane, heading for Hawaii to deal with her once and for al
l.
She focused on her breaths; keeping them short and controlled.
She reminded herself how crucial it was that she keep her maddening anger under
control. She had to if she was going to pull this off and take the prize in the
end.
She couldn t afford to make any mistakes right now. Closing her e
yes, she tried to think about how soft Brody s lips would feel on hers once she go
t rid of that gold digging whore. She couldn t help the smile that came to her li
ps. Would they be soft? Would they be firm? Was he a dominant kisser or more
of a sweet kisser? She bet he would be controlling; he was the type of guy that
knew what he wanted and would do whatever he could to take what it was that he
wanted.
Opening her eyes, she forced out those thoughts. She needed to
focus on her plan, not Brody's kisses. There would be plenty of time to enjoy t
hem later, after she killed the bitch that dared to try and sink her paws into h
er man.
He would likely be a little upset at first because of Olivia s unt
imely demise, but she would be the one there to comfort him and when he cried on
her shoulder, he would then realize just how perfect they would be together.

It was fate; the two of them belonged together. Not him and tha
t stuck up, trampy, slutty, smutty ass whore. It was always supposed to be him
and her and it would be soon enough, she vowed to herself, just as soon as she e
liminated the last obstacle first.
Olivia Murray was as good as dead.
*********************************************************
Brody trailed in to the ballroom behind Olivia. The moment they
both stepped in, the whole room that was buzzing with chatter moments before we
nt eerily silent.
He didn t miss the way that Olivia's blithe frame stiffened at the
quick change in the room. Not even thinking about it, he stepped up to her sid
e and placed his arm over her shoulder.
Smile, he whispered out of the corner of
his mouth.
Smile, was he crazy? She shook her head, already knowing the an
swer to that question. If you looked up the word crazy in the dictionary, you w
ould probably see a picture of Brody O Connor and his name written out beside it.
Unable to say anything, she did just that; she smiled so big, her cheeks hurt.
You re late!
The smile she garnered faltered at the sound of her accusing fat
her s voice. She turned to see him standing by her mother, glaring at Brody.
Sorr
y, she supplied.
I overslept.
Ted grunted and turned away from them after giving Brody one of
his infamous looks meant to intimidate more than anything. Olivia let out a rel
ieved breath when the eyes were off of her.
Are you okay?
Brody squeezed her shoulder and bent down so that
his mouth was at her ear. His warm minty breath heated her cheeks, tilting the
ground under her feet just a bit. What was it about this man that made her feel
so unbalanced? One minute she wanted to hate him with everything that she had
in her and the next, especially when he turned on that damnable charm of his, sh
e wanted to tear his clothes off and ravage him.
I m fine, she said tensely, hating the fact that she couldn t get a g
rip on herself. She was a grown woman for crying out loud.
Are you sure? he asked again, his hand sliding from her shoulder,
down her arm and settling it on her waist, leaving a trail of sweet fire in it s
path before grabbing her hand and intertwining their fingers.
She froze at the myriad of sensations attacking her senses. It
took her a minute to compose herself. Yes, she snapped sharply, staring back at h
im with fury burning in her eyes. It was so much easier to be mad at the man th
an to accept the other feelings he so easily incited in her. When they were at
each other s throats, she didn t feel quite so adversely effected by him. I told you
that I was fine and I meant it," she said, slowly pulling her hand away from hi
s so as to not let anyone see.
He held up his hands in surrender and took a step back, Alright, h
e gave her his acquiescence.
No need to get your panties in a wad or anything.
I was only checking.

You don t have to check, she bit out, still feeling the remnants of
her headache in the back of her skull. I m perfectly fine, she lied.
What s up little sister?
spinner.gif
Olivia turned around to see her older brother standing in front
of her. He was the spitting image of her father when he was younger, a mix of r
ogue and handsome with his too long hair and goatee on his chin. But the smile
on his face was a welcoming distraction.
Cane, she called out and leaned in to gi
ve him a healthy hug. When did you get in?
Cane hugged his baby sister and then set her back from him. His
appraising gaze flitted between the tall man standing beside his sister and the
n back to her.
Around five this morning.
She beamed. She loved her brother more than anything, even thou
gh he knew exactly what buttons to push to get on her nerves. In that sense he
was more like Brody. Ugh, she mentally groaned. Isn't it fitting that the one
man who had managed to shake her up was so much like her brother? Needing to pu
sh that thought out of her mind, she smiled and quickly asked, Is Lisa here? refer
ring to his exotically beautiful wife.
Yeah, he gestured pointing to the corner where the group of women
had gathered to gossip.
Seth walked over and joined them. The confidence in his gait wa
s almost overwhelming, Olivia noticed.
Good morning Olivia. How s that head of yo
urs doing this fine day?
It s okay, she told him, lowering her eyes in embarrassment. She s
till wasn t too sure what happened last night but one of her last memories was of
him walking in the lounge with Brody at his side.
She cocked her thumb over her shoulder.
to her and the other ladies.

I am going to go say hi

Cane nodded and smiled.

You go ahead and do that; I wouldn t mind
getting to know this husband of yours that you failed to tell me about.
Flushing, she realized that she hadn t even introduced them.
e this is Brody O Connor and Brody, this is my brother, Cane Cane Murray.

Oh Can

Cane held out his hand, It s a pleasure to meet the man that has fi
nally succeeding in roping my hellion of a sister.
Brody cautiously took his hand and shook it. He glanced over at
Olivia who was chewing on her bottom lip again, telling him that she was nervou
s. Something inside his chest just seemed to melt at the site of that little ac
tion.
I would say that it was more like she roped me in, hog tied me and capture
d my heart all at the same time.
Good answer.

Cane glanced at his sister.

I think I m going to like

this one.
She gave him an apprehensive laugh and started to slowly back aw
ay from the guys. The testosterone level surrounding her seemed to go up severa

l degrees and she was beginning to feel out numbered.

You guys have your male bo
nding time, I m going over there, she pointed to the ladies.
You do that, Cane said easily enough.
She stopped and looked back and forth between her brother, Seth
and then finally landing her eyes on Brody. You ll be okay?
It was more of a quest
ion than a statement.
I ll be fine, he assured her.
Just come find me before the rehearsa
l starts. She watched him a moment, then nodded and left, leaving him standing t
here with her brother and brother-in-law. He decided last night that he liked t
he brother-in-law and his straight up ways the jury was still out on her brother.
So,

Cane drawled, bringing his attention back to him.

You re my sis

ter s husband.
Brody inclined his head, Yes Yes I am.
Cane studied the man for a long minute, thinking about all that
Seth had told him. The impulsiveness of the marriage, the supposed pregnancy, t
he drunken night. He was right, nothing here was adding up. He knew his sister
well and was certain that she wouldn t do anything without having some kind of re
ason behind it.
He met Brody's gaze, eye to eye, man to man.
me that we have ourselves a little talk, don't you?

I think it s about ti

Chapter 28
Alright, Brody said cautiously, Exactly what are you wanting to talk about?
settled his shoulder up against the wall and stared back at Olivia s brother. The
two siblings looked similar but they had there differences as well. They both
shared the same golden shade of blond hair but Cane was a good six inches taller
than Olivia and where as Olivia had that coffee brown eye color; her brother s wa
s of a deep rich brown; almost black in color.

He

So you and my sister are married? Cane plainly stated to which Brody just simp
ly nodded. He paused then continued with an intrusive gaze that made Brody feel
slightly uncomfortable. When?
Three weeks ago, Brody recited.
We went down town, filed for the marriage cert
ificate and then went over to the magistrate's office to finish the job. Liv di
dn t want to make a big deal about it because of Caley s upcoming wedding so we kept
it all on the down low. He shrugged his shoulders, saying his piece just the wa
y they had rehearsed it before getting on the flight to come over here.
Cane still wasn t buying it. Not taking his eyes off of Brody, he cocked his
head to the side and simply asked, Why?
Why?

Brody repeated his question, not sure what he meant or was looking for.

Cane nodded. "Yeah, I would really like to know why."

Well,

he started and looked down to where his fingers were blindly fidgeting w

ith a string that hung off the bottom of his tee shirt.
Because I love her and s
he loves me." He took a deep breath and then continued. "I asked her to marry m
e and she said yes. Isn t that a good enough reason?
Cane stayed silent as he studied Brody trying to decipher his response. Aft
er a long minute of insufferable silence he finally spoke.
Under normal circumst
ances I would say yeah, that would be plenty for me but we both know this isn t no
rmal circumstances now, is it Brody?
He snapped his head back up.
What do you mean by normal circumstances?
As so
on as the question was out of his mouth, he realized what he had left out and ha
d to think quick to recover. I take it you mean the pregnancy?
A smile kicked up at the corners of Cane s lips.
Now you see, that s the funny t
hing. I had a nice little talk with Seth this morning before the two of you arr
ived and I have reason to believe that you are both lying about Olivia s condition
, so to speak. Cane held up his hands as he added finger quotes when he referred
to her condition .
Brody glanced away unable to meet his all too watchful gaze.
we do something like that?

Now, why would

That s what I want to know, Cane replied. Why would either of you do something l
ike that? I know my little sister. And there are certain things that I happen t
o know she would never do, this being one of them."
Knowing that he needed to get her brother off his back, he turned to him and
schooled his face into an emotionless mask.
Because we...., he stopped when he r
ealized that he had snapped a little too loudly and they had started to draw an
audience. Re-focusing on Cane, he lowered his voice and added, We didn t plan for
it to happen, but I m not going to say I m sorry that it did happen.
Cane stared at the man who was obviously hiding something and he wanted now,
more than ever to fetter out what that something was.
Brody, look at me, he orde
red.
Brody obediently lifted his head.
He pinned him with his gaze.
Just because my eyes are brown, doesn t mean I m fu
ll of shit. Seth told me that Olivia was blitzed last night and the one thing t
hat I know about my baby sister is that if she had any inkling that she might be
pregnant, she wouldn t drink anything stronger than orange juice. So, he said, pu
shing himself off of the wall, closing some of the distance between Brody and hi
m, Do you want to try that answer again.

Brody growled low in his throat and Cane struggled to hold back his laugh.
He was actually starting to like this guy but he wanted to know the truth too, h
e had to know the truth because it involved one of his sisters.

There is no baby, Brody conceded. We used that as an excuse for a quickie marr
iage, figured that would be the easiest and most plausible explanation.
I see, Cane nodded and
to do when it came out that
mom who I m sure has already
that other crazy stuff women

leaned back against the wall again.

What were you going
there was no baby? What were you going to tell my
started to plan the Christening, baby shower and all
do?

Brody sighed. We wouldn t have let it go that far. After every one returned ho
me, and things got back to normal we would have told the truth. Liv didn t want a
nything to ruin or place a damper on Caley s wedding so we have tried to keep this
as hushed up as possible.
Cane tapped his chin.
I see, he noted and narrowed his eyes, But do you reall
y care for Livy, I mean do you really love her? He asked him, getting right down
to the heart of the matter.
Yes, Brody agreed.
I care for her very much. and yes I love her.
And that was
definitely a true statement that he had been fighting over himself. In the time
that he had spent with Olivia he had begun to realize how much he did care and
love this woman. It was more than he wanted to admit and way too much for him t
o deny.
Cane pushed himself off the wall again and stepped up to Brody, slapping him
on the shoulder. Well, that s good enough for me.
He held his hand out to him and
Brody tentatively took it. All I can say is welcome to the family man, he smiled
a devilish grin.
Shaking his hand in return, Brody reciprocated the smile. Thanks, I think. he
muttered. Cane tossed his head back and laughed one of those big guffaw laughs
. See, I knew the moment that I met you, that I would like you.
Brody couldn t help but laugh with him. He sort of liked him too, not as much
as he liked his sister, but that was just a matter of simple biology. Olivia h
ad things that Brody was much more interested in and Cane could in no way, shape
or form provide a one of them.
Hey, Seth stuck his head out in the hall. Both guys turned in his direction a
nd he motioned back towards the reception hall.
They re ready to start.
We re coming, Cane said, glancing once more back at Brody. Seth disappeared bac
k into the reception area and the guys started to walk. Just as they reached th
e door, Cane stopped and faced Brody once more. This is you re only warning you hur
t my sister, you break her heart or even make her cry, I will break every one of
the two hundred and six bones that are in your body, one at a time. You feelin
g me?
Brody cringed at the mental imagery and by the look on his face, he could se
e that Cane was dead serious.
Yeah, I m feeling you, he answered.

Cane brushed a small dust bunny off of Brody s shirt. Good, he said looking at
his shirt and then craning his neck so that he could see his face.
That s real goo
d. Now come on, we have a rehearsal to attend.
With a tight smile, Brody didn t say a word. He just followed Cane into the r
oom, looking for the one woman that had somehow managed to work her way under hi
s skin.
Dad, Cane stopped and Brody, not looking where he was going, ran right smack i
nto his back.
Ted laughed, not bothering to hide his amusement.
t free loader.

Brody whipped his head up,

I see you ve met our residen

Excuse me?

Ted lifted up his chin, You heard me boy, I didn t stu...stu....stutter.

Cane stepped in between them, placing a hand on Brody s chest.
Brody, why don t
you go over there and see your wife. Dad can be a little anal at times.
Anal, Brody snorted, More like down right brutal. Who in the hell do you think
gave me this, he said, pointing at his blackened eye.
Dad? Cane covered his mouth in disbelief. He glanced behind him and stared at
his father, humor twinkling in his eyes.
You punched Olivia s husband?
Twice, Ted confirmed, folding his hands over his chest.
it again if he gives me due cause.

And I m not above doing

I didn t give you due cause the first time, Brody argued. You blew up and then y
ou hit me. Now I understand where Olivia got her out of control temper from; th
at would be you!
Like father, like daughter, Ted taunted, And I can guarantee there will be more
where that came from. Olivia packs quite a punch too, doesn t she?
Cane stepped up again, really struggling to hold in his laughter and pushed
Brody towards the group of ladies.
Go get your wife, he told him.
That s the only o
ne you need to worry about pleasing.
Brody looked down at him and flitted one more glance at the cocky looking Te
d standing behind him. He grunted, You re right, she is the only one that matters.
He cracked his neck to the side and smirked at her father. She seemed pretty pl

eased with me last night.

Ted s face contorted into an angry looking scowl and a fresh red color rose in
his cheeks. Seeing that he achieved the effect that he wanted, Brody inclined
his head to Cane and strode off towards Olivia thinking that Cane had a damn goo
d point there. Olivia was the only one he needed to worry about making happy.
Her father could go eat crow for all he cared as long as she was happy, that was
all that mattered to him.
Will everyone take there places please.
An older gentleman, presumably the Pr
iest stood at the front of the room and clapped his hands.
Brody stopped behind Olivia and laid a hand on her shoulder.
Hey, he bent dow
n and whispered in her ear. She gave him a questioning look and twisted to see
her brother who was smiling and giving her a thumbs up.
Hey, she replied as she turned around, grabbing Brody s hand.
So, I take it all
went well with Cane?
The nervousness that she had about her brothers reaction sh
owed in her eyes, Brody noticed and he found that rather endearing.
Yeah, it s all good. I had to tell him a little of the truth but other than th
at, he gave us his blessing.
The smile quickly fell off her face. The truth? My god Brody,
do you mean a little of the truth; what did you have to tell him?

she sagged,

What

He squeezed her hand reassuringly. It s no biggie Liv. You re perceptive brothe

r-in-law had already figured it out. You got drunk off your ass last night
She no
dded, knowing this much but not quite making the connection. If you were pregnan
t, would you have done that?
Damn!
ul eyes.

She lowly whispered dropping her head, while trying to avoid Brody s watchf
I'm sorry Brody, I screwed up. I wasn't thinking.

He chuckled, grabbing her chin and lifting her head so that he could see tho
se beautiful dark eyes of hers. He loved her eyes. He could get so lost in the
m and didn't care if he couldn't ever find his way out, he thought to himself.
Hearing the music start, he shook off his thoughts, leaned in and brushed a soft
kiss against her lips.
Yeah babe, you did but it s alright. Our secret is safe f
or now.

She furrowed her brows, not quite sure she believed him. It all just seemed
to simple to be true.
Are you sure? She asked again.
Yeah, he said tugging at her hand, noticing everyone was already in their assi
gned places.
Just trust me this once, okay?

It took her a minute, but she finally assented with a sincere smile of her o
wn. The honesty in that single smile sent a lightening bolt of desire straight
to his lower man parts.
Good, he said curtly, just because he was too strained to
say much more. He started to pull her along to their places when they were sud
denly railroaded by a smaller figure cloaked in black.
The other figure toppled backwards and both Olivia and Brody would have fall
en if he had not been able to grab the column that was beside them, effectively
holding them up.
Are are you okay? Olivia stuttered, stepping out of Brody's arms and immediately
bending down to help the other person up. She held out her hands to her as the
woman fixed her veil and her wimple. Brody bent down and picked up the bible t
hat she had dropped during the collision, preparing to hand it back to her.
When the Nun stood up and recognized who was helping her, she gasped and sma
cked Olivia s hands away from her. Her face went stern as she crossed herself wit
h her hand. Brody held out her bible to her, trying to discern his own personal
amusement of the situation. She hastily grabbed the Holy Book from him and hug
ged it to her chest. She looked back and forth between the couple and hissed, Fo
rnicators! before turning haughtily on her heels and walking away from them.
Olivia scratched her head, watching the Nun make her speedy retreat. She ha
d no idea what that wall all about. That was weird, she commented, watching the N
un disappear from the room.
Oh sweet cheeks, if only you knew,
o the rehearsal, If only you knew.

Brody said bemused as he steered her back t

What? She started to stop as he used his hands at the small of her back, nudgi
ng her forward to keep her moving.
Later, Muffin, he said chuckling, It s a tale tha
t you are going to want to be sitting down for, that much I can promise you.
Chapter 29
Brody couldn t take his eyes off of her. She stood in between her sisters and
in his eyes, she shown like a beacon, a bright light that lit up his day. Ther
e was just something about her that he was inexplicably drawn to, something that
he couldn t explain but something he couldn t or wouldn't deny either.
Ironic, isn t it?
Brody turned his head to the side. Seth was there, hands in his pockets, hi
s gaze focused on the set of sisters.
What do you mean? He asked impassively.
Women marriage, the whole shebang. Isn t it funny how sometimes they can get on
your nerves so bad that you want to just strangle the life out of them but then
you realize how much you need them in your life. How alive they make you feel

and without them, you would be nothing.

ed himself.

Brody caught Seth s sideways grin and smil

Yeah, I suppose you re right, he agreed. There were times that Olivia made him
so mad that he could spit nails. But it was also those times when that fiery sp
ark illuminated her eyes and she appealed to him the most. And that same spark
that ignited her brazen temper; was the same one that tended to set his own syst
em a blaze.
Seth turned to look at Brody and inclined his head towards Olivia.
eal lucky with that one, you know.

You got r

Brody glancing back over to where she was standing and at the same time she
laughed out loud at something that one of her sisters had said. Her cheeks flus
hed a pretty pink, making, in his eyes, her the most beautiful girl in the room.
Yeah, he said distractedly.
Standing there, in that ball room, he started to think about what it would r
eally be like to be married to Olivia Murray for real. Not like this show that
they were putting on for their parents, but to have her truly as Mrs. Brody O"Co
nner. .
To wake up to her every morning and lay down with her by his side every nig
ht. With their combatant personalities, he could just imagine the fights they
would have, and yeah, he was sure there would be a lot of them. But that fighti
ng would lead to some explosive, bed shaking make up sex.
I know that look, Seth commented seeing Brody's lust filled face as he chuckle
d. I still look at my Ashley like that sometimes.
What look?

Brody asked innocently.

That one right there, he pointed at his face. The one that says that you can t
hink of a lot better things that you would like to be doing right now with your
wife..
Brody shrugged. Hell, he couldn t deny it. He would love nothing more than t
o get Olivia alone, strip her naked and take his time exploring every arc and ev
ery curve of that delectable little body of hers.
Unfortunately, with the attitude and the cold shoulder he received this morn
ing, the odds of that happening was pretty much zero. About the only thing he w
ould be exploring was the sharp end of her tongue.
He felt himself harden painfully at the mere thought of getting Olivia alon
e and naked. Ughh, he groaned aloud. Now he was hard as a brick and there was no
where to go and not a damn thing he could do about it either. He was stuck for
a lack of better words.

Seth chuckled at his side.

Man, he patted him on the back having no misconcep
tions about what Brody was going through right now. He d been there himself many
of times, heck he was close to being there now but was enjoying Brody s discomfort
way too much.
I feel your pain.
I m sure you do, he replied dryly. Breathing out of his nose, he made a conscio
us effort to will his body to calm down, and no matter how hard he tried the low
er half was seeming to have a mind of it's own..

Frustrated with himself and his untimely urges, he decided a different tacti
c- changing in subject.
Hey Seth?
Yes Brody?

he replied not taking his eyes off of Ashley.

Did you ever find out anything on that text Olivia received? Any clues as to
where it may have come from?
Seth frowned and shook his head.
No, not yet. It was the same as the other
phone calls she received, traced back to a disposable phone, giving us a dead en
d.
Damn," he muttered the curse.
I have a few other avenues that I m still working, so hopefully we ll get lucky b
ut I have to tell you, it doesn t look too promising. Unless her stalker makes an
other move.
Brody rubbed his hand over his face.

Let s pray that he doesn t.

That s what I m hoping too but I don t know. I didn t like the message in that last
text and I don t think she should be alone until we have a better handle on this.
She won t be,
ywhere near her.

Brody vowed.

I won t let that bastard have the opportunity to get an

That s what I wanted to hear. Looks like the party is coming to an end..
Seth
started to walk off, after taking a few steps stopping and looking back at Brod
y. Lifting up a questioning brow, he asked him. You coming?

At that same moment, Brody s eyes locked with Olivia s. Her expression was blan
k so he had no idea what was going on in that pretty little head of hers but he
was more than eager to find out. Yeah, I m coming, he told him.
It s time for me to c
ollect my wife.

Walking on, Seth grinned and shook his head.

Dam Newlyweds, Get a room, he la
ughingly chucked, remembering when Ashley and he were first married. He kept he
r locked up in the bedroom for a week, and after that, he still had a hard time
keeping his hands off of her. Hell for that matter, he still has that same prob
lem today, it s just now, he is a little more inconspicuous about it.
Seth, there you are.
Ashley spotting her husband and immediately making her w
ay to his side. Wrapped her arms around his waist,
Where have you been?
Talking with Brody,

he said, rubbing his hands up and down her back.

And may I ask exactly what were you two doing?

If I told you that I would have to kill you,

he smirkingly replied.

She looked up at him with a frown indented on her brow.

He laughed.

Huh?

Just talking sweetie, that s all. Can we leave now?

To answer his question, the small man who had been handing out directions al
l morning, stood up on the podium and clapped his hands.
Alright guys, now that
everyone knows their places, we should be set. Go out, have a little fun and we l
l see everyone at the dinner this evening.
I guess that answers your question,

Ashley whispered.

It sure does, he said, lifting his wife off of her feet. Glancing behind him
he spoke to no one in particular then stated, If the beds ah squeeking, don't co
me ah peeking.
Ashley gasped and punched him in the shoulder.
school girlishly argued.

You did not just say that, she

Okay, he waggled his eye brows. Let me re-phrase that, if you see the Do not di
sturb sign on our door, then assume we re otherwise pre-occupied and if you know wh
at s good for you, don t disturb.
Seth-," she chastised.
What? Did you want me to lie to them?

He asked.

Ashley opened her mouth to say something else and he brought his lips to her
s, kissing her into submission. After a long minute of kissing, he lifted his h
ead and looked down at her, You were saying?

Um .um, she stumbled, her eyes locked onto her husbands, See you guys tonight,
finally managed. Seth grunted his approval and without saying another word, he
walked out of the ballroom with a lustful Ashley in his arms.

she

Brody not missing a chance to get back at Seth. "Dam Newlyweds, get a room."
he replied
Brody stood by Olivia and watched the whole scene play out. He was amused a
nd intrigued at the same time. Six months ago he would have laughed at seeing s
omething like that. He would have thought the man was a fool for wrapping himse
lf so tightly around a woman s finger. But now, he found himself yearning for tha
t type of companionship. And it wasn t with just anybody, he wanted it to be the
spitfire standing beside of him. He wanted to pick her up, kiss her into oblivi
on and carry her off into parts unknown, sharing with her the pleasures that he
so badly longed for.
Now that is what I call a real man, Ted spoke up as he waltzed up to stand on
the other side of Olivia. You on the other hand, he stated, staring in Brody s dir
ection, You are nothing but a pansy. A wall flower.
Brody fisted his hands by his sides. He was trying really hard to be the ni
ce guy here but Mr. Murray was making it damn near impossible. His only saving
grace was Olivia grabbing his hand, prying his fingers open and interlacing them
with hers.
Dad
she warned with one of her cool looks that Brody was more than happy to see
used on someone else other than him.
Give it a break, please.
Ted scoffed, Why Livy? Can t you see him for the wimp that he is? I punched h
im in the face and he didn t even try to punch me back. You deserve better than t
hat.
Dad,

she warned again,

I said that s enough.

Look, he waved in Brody s direction, He just stands there like a lump on a log wh
ile you fight his battles for him. Why don t you give him some of your concealer
to cover up that shiner of his Livy and maybe a dress and heels too so you can b
oth match.
Ted Murray, that s quite enough lip from you, Erica broke in. You keeping talkin
g like that and I ll make sure that you have a shiner to match his, heck I might e
ven dress you up in one of my dresses so you can match Livy.
ButNo buts ! Say another word and you ll regret it darling.
She stepped closer to T
ed, so close that their toes were touching. Do you want to try me?

Ted stiffened at his wife s threat and took a step back, shaking his head bac
k and forth he answered.
No ma am.
Brody couldn t help but to smirk. That's what I thought, Erica replied. Turnin
g around, she nodded to Olivia and then smiled at Brody. We ll see you two at dinn
er.
Yes mother, Olivia responded, admiring how quickly she took her father to task
. It never ceased to amaze her how much respect she commanded for such a slight
of a woman. She never questioned it either and could only hope that when she w
as as old as her mother, she would be half the woman she was now.
Erica left and Ted followed dutifully behind her. As he passed by, Brody no
t missing a chance couldn t help himself and whispered,
I guess we see who picked
out the pants you're wearing Mr. Murray.
That little remark earned him a fierce scowl from the older Mr. Murray. Bro
dy howled in laughter. Olivia gave him a questioning look and he shook his head
.
Are you ready to go? He asked her.
Yeah, let s get out of here, she told him, still feeling the slight effects from
the hangover.
I could use some fresh air.

Brody held out his hand and without question, she took it.

Where to my lady?

She smiled up at him at the endearment and wished that he could always be th
is nice. But she could wish in one hand and take a crap in the other, knowing w
hich hand would fill up first. Taking it for what it was, she told him, Surprise
me.
******************************************
Stepping off of the air plane, she looked up at the noon day sun and smiled.
She was here, in Hawaii. So close to getting what she wanted, she could virtu
ally taste it.
One of the flight attendants placed a lei around her neck. She lifted the st
ring of flowers to her nose, took an appreciative sniff and slowly made her way
down the steps.
Life was good, or at least it would be when she took care of her little blon
d haired problem.
Fortunately, she knew exactly where to go. It wasn t easy dragging out the na
me of the hotel from that incompetent secretary of his but with the right words,
she finally got it.

Soon, she promised herself. Soon, Olivia Murray would be extinguished for g
ood and Brody would be hers for the taking.
Her lips curled up at the thought. Just a little longer and he would finall
y be hers.
Chapter 30

The air was warm and balmy feeling when they walked out of the hotel. Brod
y holding onto Olivia s hand, reveling in the softness of her skin as he led her t
hrough the parking lot and down to the path that would lead them to the beach.
Walking in companionable silence, side by side Brody couldn t help but to think ab
out how right all of this felt; her hand in his, walking together. It just seem
ed like it was meant to be. .

As they strolled along, he peeked over at her out of the corner of his eye
and smiled. Her head was tilted upwards, towards the sky. The sea breeze had h
er blond tendrils dancing around her face. There was almost a fairy like qualit
y about her. It made her seem softer, sweeter. This was a side of her that he
didn t get to see very often and even though he didn't he found that he liked itliked it a lot.

Olivia, feeling his gaze on her, knew he was watching her and the woman in
her took pride in that fact. She was no longer able to deny the incredible attr
action she had for this man. He was everything a woman could want in a man. Sma
rt, handsome, funny and when he kissed her it lite a passion in here like no one
ever had done before. The problem she had was that when he wasn t kissing the br
eath out of her, her thoughts centered on how badly she wanted to strangle him.

They both knew there was an underlying meaning to this conversation. That
indisputable attraction between them was crackling in the air, sparking arc afte
r arc of electricity. She turned back to the ocean again, looking pensive. Bro
dy watched as every inhale she took made her breast move up and every exhale mad
e them lower. Lifting his eyes from her breast he watched her tiny pink tongue
as it slid out of her mouth and ran across her bottom lip, making his manly man
parts rise and salute the occasion.

Just when he thought he could take no more, she swung her head around, thos
e deep brown eyes locking with his own. "Yes," she bobbed her head once, "I do.
" Her statement full of superior feminine confidence.

His lips were slow to curl. "Alright," he lazily drawled. He brought his
leg up, took off one shoe just as she did, then the other. With that done, he s
tarted to roll up the bottom of his pants so that they would stay dry from the t

umbling surf. What he was trying to do was keep his mind focused on the tasks t
hat he was executing instead of the exotically enticing woman sitting next to hi
m.

When he was done, he blew out a heavy breath and held out his hand. "Ready
?"

She glanced at his hand then took it, curling her fingers around his. "Rea
dy," she confirmed.

He stood up, pulling her up with him. Being this close to her, he could sm
ell the scent of violets swirling around her. Her hand was warm in his and as t
hey started towards the beckoning sea, all he could thing about was how she woul
d taste. Would she taste like strawberries and mangoes from the juice that was
served at the rehearsal? Or would she taste more earthly, more sensual?

"Brody, can I ask you a question?"

Sea foam was rolling over his toes, tickling his already heightened senses.
She squeezed his hand a little. "Sure," he replied and made an attempt to cle
ar his throat when the sound came out hoarse. "Shoot."

This time is was Olivia that pulled them to a stop. The back drop seemed p
erfect. They had the beach to themselves as far as they could see, the sun was
high in the sky, the smell of tropical flowers and sea salt laced the air. "Wh
y did you stay?" She asked as she stared down at their joined hands. "I mean a
fter dad punched you- you could have left, but yet, you stayed?"

Brody grinned, raising his hand to scratch his head. That was the last ques
tion that he expected from her. "Mmm," he murmured almost to himself, how could
he answer that? "Several reasons," he said, bringing his attention back to her
.

"Several?" She repeated curiously.

"Yeah, several," he said moving in closer to her, wrapping his arms around
her waist. "First off a deal is a deal and I never back out."

"But getting hit-"

He placed his finger to her lips. "Let me finish," he broke in. She sucke
d her lips into her mouth and his eyes went straight to the action. Unable to s
top himself, he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on those pink pouty lips. "Sec
ondly," he continued, lifting his head away from temptation, "After seeing how b
ad your family really was, I couldn't have in good conscious, left you alone wit
h them."

Olivia gasped. "They aren't that bad," she weakly protested. He stared bac
k at her without saying a word.. "Okay," she held up her hands in surrender, "E
ven with all of the hell that they put me through; I know they only do it becau
se they love me."
He laughed lightly. "Yes, they do. That much I can see. Now that father
of yours though- he seriously needs some anger management classes."

Olivia didn't respond to that. Instead, she rested her head against his ch
est, listening to the systematic beating of his heart. "Is that all?"

He eased his chin on the top of her head, tightening his hold on her. "No,
" he said quietly. He waited a moment, almost second guessing what he was about
to say.

"What?"

He sighed before he spoke. "I wasn't ready to leave you." Once again she
was left speechless, unable to form a word. Several seconds, maybe even minutes
passed by before he said anything else. Going out on a limb, he figured it was
now or never. "Olivia," he swallowed, 'I...I want you."

He felt her muscles tense underneath his hold and silently cursed himself i
n three different languages. She wasn't ready, he spoke to soon. "Brody," she
started and he could hear the hesitancy in her voice. "Never mind, forget that
I said anything," he scowled. He wasn't upset with her reaction, he was more ir
ritated with himself because he seemed to lose all his senses when she was aroun
d and that was not like him.

With her small, slender hand, she reached up and touched his cheek. "Brody
." she said again, this time a hint of amusement was there. He shook his head b
ack and forth, still mad with himself over his abrupt declaration. "Brody!" She
called out again, much more forcefully this time.

He stopped moving his head and peered down at her, questions in his eyes.
When she was certain that she had his full attention, she spoke slowly and with

precision. "I want you too."

His tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. He blinked his eyes, not a
t all sure if he heard her correctly. "Brody," she stroked the cheek that she w
as holding, "Did you hear me?"

Oh yeah, he heard her alright, it was the believing what he heard that he w
as still trying to decipher. Then she said it again, "I want you more then you
could imagine." She batted her lashes giving her a sinfully sexy look. Choking
on his words, he proceeded to do what any hot blooded man would do. He lifted
her to him and slanted his mouth over her lips. This time It wasn't like the so
ft easy kisses they shared only moments earlier. This time it was hot, demandin
g, an intent to claim. Their lips moved together in a dance as old as time itse
lf.

"Room", Olivia, breathed between hot, wet kisses. "We need ...to... to ....
get to the room."

A guttural sound spilled from his lips. "Room," he grunted, sounding all c
ave man, "Right." Without breaking the kiss, he picked her up, bridal style. S
lowly and awkwardly, they moved back up the beach, towards the hotel. Olivia's
was on fire, her body begging for his touch. Brody wasn't sure they would even
make it back to the room but he was giving it one helluva go. He didn't want th
eir first time to be on a public beach where voyeur eyes could see.

Stumbling up the steps, Brody ripped his mouth from hers, sucking in deep g
ulps of air. "Almost there," he panted between ragged breaths.

She pressed her face into his chest, not wanting anyone to see her swollen
lips and flushed face. She had never been so turned on in her life and prayed t
hat she could last until they got back to the room.

She knew they were back in the hotel when she heard the sound of the automa
tic doors opening and felt the cool air from the air-conditioner graze her legs.
They stopped again and she assumed they were back at the elevator. She was j
ostled a bit while Brody moved to push the button. She could feel him practical
ly bouncing with impatience and smiled into his shirt when she heard him mutter,
"Come on, come on."
The door opened and she felt the sway of their bodies as he moved inside S
he knew exactly what he was doing when he went to push the button to close the e
levator and his body pitched forward.

"Hold the door please!" Brody made a low sound of frustration as she looke
d up. His face was drawn tight as he forced a smile and held the door. A secu
rity guard stepped on the elevator and he seemed to look vaguely familiar to Oli
via but she couldn't quite place where she had seen him before. "Thank you sir
," he grinned at Brody, then smiled down at her.

She felt the high color in her cheeks and turned to bury her head back in
Brody's chest. The security guard chuckled, "Can you press floor three please."

Brody snorted. "Sure," and kept his eyes on the lights as they tortuously
moved up ever so slowly. Elevator music played lightly in the background while
the security guard whistled along with the tune. The box they were in dipped, c
oming to a stop on floor three. The doors opened and she turned her head to wat
ch him leave.

"You two have a good afternoon," he said exiting the elevator. Just as he
stepped off, he grabbed the door and turned around, merriment highlighting his e
yes. "And by all that is holy, can you make sure you have the right floor and ro
om this time?" The security guard said as he walked away laughing.

Olivia tried to sit up straighter in Brody's arms. "What do you mean right
floor and room?" Her forehead creased into a perplexed frown.

"We will," Brody cut in and repeatedly smashed the button with more force t
han necessary as he tried to make the elevator door close.

"What is he talking about?" She asked Brody when the doors shut again. Br
ody did his best to avoid the question and shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't g
ot a clue."

She narrowed her eyes on him. "Yes you do, now tell me," she demanded.

Brody stared down at her face, thinking to himself that this has to be the
longest elevator ride in the history of man kind. His eyes touched her lips and
the temptation was just too strong. Lowering his head, he whispered, "It doesn
't matter." A second later, he effectively quieted her protests by capturing he
r lips in a slow seductive kiss filled with sweet promises of all the things to
come.

***************************************************************

She stood there at her window, seething. Binoculars in hand, she watc
hed as they took a romantic walk along the beach, her temper slowly starting to
get the best of her. It wasn't until they started to kiss that she finally lost
it.

She narrowed her eyes as she continued to watch the two make out on the bea
ch. When he lifted her into his arms, a move so intimate, she screamed at the t
op of her lungs. "That's supposed to be me dammit!" Tears rolled down her face
as she watched them retreat. Rage and fury burning inside of her, deadly close
to boiling over. She banged her fist angrily against the window, rattling the h
ard panes. "That's supposed to be me, dammit to hell, I am going to kill you....
..........YOU BITCH!"

The way that he held her so close to his body, pushed her over the edge, se
aling Olivia Murray's death sentence. She didn't care who her father was, who h
er brother's were or even who that nosey brother-in-law of hers was. She'd kill
all of them if she had to. Brody belonged to her, only her and she wasn't abou
t to let anyone or anything get in her way. Not now, not ever. The bitch's clo
ck was ticking down and her time had officially run out.
Chapter 31
Seth stared at the lap top, hardly believing what he was reading. They fina
lly caught a break. It wasn t much but it was a start. His buddy back in New Yor
k was able to track the portable phone to the place of purchase. It was a small
store, The Cracking Box located on the bottom floor of the court house where Oliv
ia worked.
Now, all he had to do was pull the right strings, find out the time of purch
ase and get his hands on a copy of the security video, Bam! They would have the
perp. He sat there smiling at himself, finally a break.
What are you smiling at?
He looked up from his lap top and froze. He eyes widened as he took a minut
e to fully appreciate his beautiful wife. Standing there with her hair wrapped
in a towel and another one wrapped around her body, he was more than enjoying th
e view. Even after all these years of being with her; she still had this amazing
ability to steal his breath away.
Swallowing, he had to remind himself that they were on to something. Shakin
g his head to clear his lusty thoughts he pointed at the lap top. I think we may
finally have a lead on Olivia s stalker, he told her.
She rounded the table and came to stand beside him, peering over his shoulde
r at the open e-mail. She stayed as silent while she read.

I don t get it, she huffed when she was finished. Seth eyes were stuck on the w
ay that her chest heaved with the small movement. Olivia is such a sweet person,
why would anyone want to harm her?
Looking up, away from her chest, Seth wrapped his arms around his wife and p
ulled her down into his lap.
That s a good question sweet heart.
He dropped his ch
in on her shoulder and stared back at the dim lit screen. A really good question
.
She covered his hands with her own.
If it s someone at the court house, could
it possibly be someone that she has prosecuted in the past?
Could be, he said, It could also be someone she works with; someone that works
at the court house or just some crazed stalker that has his eyes set on your sis
ter.
Feeling his wife shiver, he squeezed his arms just a little tighter around h
er.
Don t worry, we re going to nail the bastard baby. Nothing is going to happen t
o Olivia. As God as my witness, I won t allow it.
She turned so that she was straddling his lap and could see his face.
I know
you won t, she whispered softly, resting her head on his shoulder.
I trust you.
He sighed into her hair. She trusted him. Hearing those three words should
have made him feel exuberant. Instead, he felt down right weary. He just hope
d that her trust wasn t misplaced. No matter what happens, he would have to make
good on his promise because if something did happen to Olivia, he didn t know if
she would be able to live with him or if he would even be able to live with hims
elf.
***********************************************
Hold on a minute, Brody breathed, balancing Olivia with one arm and using the
other to reach in his back pocket for the room key. She had her arms wrapped ar
ound his neck and her wicked little mouth was teasing the hell out of him.
You taste so good,

she murmured against his skin.

He stilled when she used her teeth to graze the sensitive space behind his e
ar. His muscles bunched and coiled tighter than a rattle snake waiting to strik
e it s prey.
You re killing me babe, he wheezed, gripping his hand tighter around the
key card that he was holding.
He felt her deep chuckle all the way in his gut. The sound spilled from her
lips and melted into his senses. He didn t think he had ever been more aroused
than he was at that single moment and that wasn t necessarily a good thing.
Liv,
drawled out, dropping his head back while she dealt him such sweet torture wit
h her lips, Please- let me open the door.

he

She answered him with a sharp nip at his neck and he hissed out a gasp in re
sponse.
Liv, he warned, if she continued to push him at this pace, they may never
make it into the room. He was awfully close as it was to just pulling her jean
s down and taking her right here, right now, up against the hotel door.

ng.

She sensed his desperation and pulled away from the crook of his neck giggli
You are way to easy, she told him, fiddling with the top button of his shirt.

Cool air hit the wet skin that Olivia had just suckled and thankfully he was
able to gain some semblance of his control back. He didn t dare look at her, not
until they got in the room. Taking the key, he quickly swiped it in the door a
nd pushed it open.
He didn t hesitate. He walked in the room and used the heel of his foot to cl
ose it behind him. As soon as the door shut, his mouth fused to hers. It was a
drugging kiss that left her reeling sideways and panting for more, much . much mo
re.
His lips left hers, only to burn a trail of fire down her chin and to the sm
ooth arc of her neck. A needy moan spilled from her lips when his hands started
to mold and form to her breasts.
You like that, he stated, already knowing the answer. His mouth slowly inched
it s way back up towards hers.
You like it when I touch you like this?
Yesss,
He
in the
now.
d find

she hummed, short of breath.

Very much.

heard the weakness in her voice and smiled. She may have teased him out
hall but it was his turn now. He was the one that was doing the teasing
Off, he tugged at her shirt, keeping his mouth on her, anywhere that he coul
bare skin.

She lifted her arms, more than happy to oblige. Her eyes half lidded as she
stared up at him, lost in a moment of frenzied passion.
He unbuttoned her shirt, pushing it off of her shoulders. When it was gone,
he paused to stare at her, dropping the shirt he still held in his hands to the
floor. Leaning in he pressed a line of soft, wet kisses along her neck and bet
ween her breast until he reached the top of her jeans.
Once there, he used his deft fingers to unbuckle the belt that surrounded he
r waist and pulled at the snap of her jeans. He was eager to reveal the secret
s that were so lavishly hidden from him. He pulled her pants to the floor, only
stopping to blow warm, heated breaths over her burning pit of femininity that w
as still covered by the silky white lacy panties she was wearing.

He stood up to his full height and took a small step back; enjoying the view
that he had revealed. Brody was at a complete loss for words.
He had dreamt and fantasized about this moment for what seemed like forever
and while he imagined it so clearly in his head; his imagination failed in compa
rison as to the reality of what was standing right in front of him.
The knot in his throat tripled in size. She stood before him, clad only in
her white lacy bra and panties and he would be damned if it didn t seem to make hi
m get even harder. All of his blood pooled to one central place of his body jus
t below the belt and his own breathing began to accelerate. You are absolutely b
eautiful, he rasped.
Olivia started to walk backwards, crooking her finger at him. Her eyes were
that of a seductive temptress, beckoning her prey.
Shower with me?
Brody continued to stand there as he watched her back up. He willed his fee
t to move, but they were stuck to ground. She disappeared into the bathroom and
a minute later, he heard the shower running.

Are you coming? She called out. On the tail end of her words, the scrap of ma
terial that she wore as panties came flying out the door, landing in a heap on t
he floor.
He shook his head, staring at the material. I m coming alright, he thought to
himself, I just hope it won t happen pre-maturely. Ugh, yeah, he stumbled over his
words, jerking his own shirt over his head. Quickening his movements, he hapha
zardly tossed it behind him, not caring where it landed.
Bare chested, he started for the bathroom, trying to undo his pants at the s
ame time. The task was not as easy as it seemed because somewhere between pushi
ng them down, stepping out of them and trying to take hasty steps, he faltered,
falling flat on his face.
Olivia stood in the shower, enjoying the steam as it billowed around her. S
he had just tilted her head back, absorbing the feel of the water as it flowed o
ver her already feverish skin when she heard a rather loud crash in the other ro
om, snapping her head back up to attention.
Brody?
Through the sounds of the rushing water, she heard his muttered curses and g
rinned; she could only imagine what had just happened.
I m coming, he all but growl
ed.
She heard his encroaching footsteps when he entered the bathroom. Even thou
gh she knew that he was there, she still startled when he wrenched the shower cu
rtain aside, fully exposing her to his unyielding gaze.
Are you sure that your ready for this?

He asked her, stepping into the already

crowded shower with her.

Yes.
He turned her around so that her back was facing him and brought her against
his chest. His hands moved down her arms as he started to memorized every line
and curve of her body. Her head fell back against his shoulders as his hands c
overed her in the most intimate of places.
Liv, my dear sweet Olivia, he purred a
t his ears. The things that you do to me.
Her breaths turned in to short pants as he worked his magic with his hands.
She wasn t a complete innocent but she had now where near the experience of Brody
so she was content to let him lead the way. As he touched her, kissed her and
played her like a harp; the pleasures mounting in her body began to sky rocket i
nto outter space. She was there, yet she wasn t. She was at his mercy and all sh
e could do was feel, feel every single defense that she had built up against him
crumble to the ground.
Let go,

he encouraged, taking her lips in a lascivious kiss.

And she did. She let go and something in her blew wide open. She screamed
his name as her world fell apart in a blinding rainbow of neon bright colors. H
er body thrummed with such intense pleasure that she sagged against him.
Brody let out a satisfied chuckle while he held her in his arms. She was li
ke a sated kitten, pawing at his chest. It was at that moment that he realized,
he needed her like he needed air to breathe. There was no going back, he wante
d her and he was determined to have her, no matter what it took.
Liv, he nudged her head, noticing the water starting to run cold,
to the bed.
Yeah,

she agreed, regaining her equilibrium.

Let s take this

Let s.

Brody stepped out of the shower first, grabbing a towell and passing it to O
livia. She smiled at him, and wrapped it around her. He grabbed the other towe
l, and jumped when a thundering knock pelted the door.
Brody?! Olivia?! I know that your both in there.
Seth announced irritably.
I need you to open the door now, we have something on the stalker that I think y
ou need to see.
Chapter 32

Brody closed his eyes as he listened to the sound of Seth s voice echoing thr

ough the door.

Damn. Damn. Double damn.
He was getting ready to get screwed and he hadn t even made it to the bedroom
yet. Standing there, in all his naked glory, all he could do was toss his hand
s up in the air, stare up at the ceiling and simply ask himself, Why me? Why now
?
Brody looked over at Olivia and he could see the smirk on her face beginnin
g to form on her lips because of the awkward predicament he was now in. He was o
bviously hard and painfully aroused. And to make it worse, she was making no se
cret that she was really enjoying the agonizingly sweet torture he was in.
This would only happen to him. It was just his luck that when he finally,
finally got the one woman whom he longed to be with since they landed in Hawaii
naked, ready and willing; her brother in law would come banging on the door, re
fusing to be ignored.
Standing there with only a towel wrapped around her, Olivia finally let a l
ittle smile form on her face. This was not happening, she told herself, it coul
dn t be, especially after what had just happened in the shower. He had lit a fire
deep within her that even she couldn't deny. She was primed and ready to go and
the fool was looking at that door like he might answer it.
Dammit you two, open this door!

Seth bellowed again.

Brody looked down at his feet and chuckled to himself. Yup, there were no
doubts about it now, he was definitely getting ready to get royally screwed over
and he would bet on his mama s treasured Elvis Presley collection that this time,
vaseline wasn t going to be used.
Lifting his head, he turned to look back in Olivia s direction. Her gaze met
his and a flash of heat ignited between them, fanning the fires that Brody had
already started in the shower just minutes before. Her cheeks were still flushe
d from his special attentions and by the sly expression on her face, he could se
e that she was cooking something up in that sharp, calculated mind of hers.
What? He fiercely whispered,
urs, Olivia?

What is going on in that pretty little head of yo

Her face grew serious as she pointed at the door. You need to get rid of him
and I don t care how you do it, she said, dropping the towel that she had wrapped
around her to the floor, openly exposing herself to him once again. Just do it no
w!
Brody groaned. Having her standing in front of him in nothing but what the
good Lord blessed her with was not helping his situation at all. Quite frankly
, he was ready to say the hell with Seth; if he was so determined to stand at th

e door banging on it while screaming their names then he could listen to their s
hared cries of passion for all he cared.
She could sense his resolve weakening; and with a little more incentive, sh
e would have him.

Slowly, Olivia stepped out of the towel that she had dropped on the floor.
She did a slinky little pirouette while adding a little extra shaking in her bo
oty to sweeten the offer she was giving him.
He licked at his suddenly paper dry lips, feeling as if his body was a ragi
ng inferno. All the times that he had imagined her, just like this, failed mis
erably in comparison to what he was seeing now. She was literally throwing hers
elf at him and offering her and everything she had to him on a silver platter.
How in the hell was he supposed to ignore that?
She brought her hands to her lips, keeping her eyes locked with his and sed
uctively sucked on the tip of her finger before placing the most sensual of kiss
es on her palm. If that wasn t enough to add to his misery, she lowered her hand
and blew that same sensual kiss in Brody s direction as an open invitation to him
which only fueled the fire burning in his groin.
"He is you damn brother-in-law, Brody whispered, So why don t you get rid of hi
m." He was so sexually frustrated; he was having a heck of a time riding herd o
n his own temper.

Olivia enjoyed the teasing she was putting him through and softly chuckled,
"If you want a piece of this, you will tell him." Enticing him further, she us
ed her hands to trace her hour glass figure, starting just below her shoulders,
traveling along the sides of her breast and all the way down until she had reach
ed her hips. "So, what's it going to be Mr. O Connor?"
Oh yeah, Olivia liked this. She felt a new kind of power as she mercilessl
y teased Brody; a raw feminine power that drew his eyes to her and only her. Sh
e could see the indecision warring in his eyes as he glanced back at the door.
But when he turned back to her, the hunger for her was written all over that han
dsome face of his, not to mention certain other parts. She had him, and they bot
h knew it.
Brody s let his eyes roam from the top of her blond head all the way down to
her hooker red painted toe nails. Seeing her like this, in this moment made a c
ertain part of his male anatomy jump underneath the towel he had wrapped around
him. He was standing at full attention like a soldier saluting a flag. Gah, she
was killing him.
Gnashing his teeth together, he gestured towards the door. How in the hell
do you expect me to get rid of him? He took a deep breath because the longer that
he stood there, staring at Liv s nude body, the more he struggling to find his vo
ice.
He knows that we re in here and from the way he is beating on that door, he i
sn t going away until one of us shows our face.

Brody?! ......... Olivia?! I know that the two of you are in there and I m not
leaving until one of you opens this damn door. Now, Olivia understood what her
sister meant by his demanding demeanor; he really was the impatient type.
Fine! Brody snapped.
nd I ll get rid of him, buto owe me big time.

You take that sexy little butt of yours to the bedroom a

he said, pinning her with his steely gaze, You re going t

She smiled a victorious grin and turned her back to him.

You know where to
come to collect you prize big boy.
As she sashayed off to the bed he rolled his
eyes and shook his head. Yup, it s official, she was going to kill him.

Seth used his fist to bang on the door.

Come on! Open up! What about impor
tant did you two not understand? He finally managed to get a visual of the perp
from the security tape at the store and he needed them to see it so that they c
ould ID her.
I m giving you guys to the count of three, Seth warned.
If you don t ope
n the door, them I m busting it down. He sucked in a breath.
One Two ..;

What?!
Brody wrenched opening the door with much more force than necessary a
nd glowered at Seth. He didn t have a shirt on, his hair was rumpled and his jean
s were left unbuttoned.

It didn t take a
had been doing and if
race to feel sheepish
e didn t give a rat s
lifetime to have all

genius to figure out what his sister-in-law and her husband

it had been any other time, Seth would have had the good g
about barging in on them. But, under the circumstances, h
ass about what they were doing. They were newlyweds and had a
the crazy monkey sex they wanted.

Right now, he had a job to do and that was protecting Olivia.

I need you to
come up to my room and take a look at something, Seth told him gravely.

Now?.....Right Now?" Brody challenged, not believing what he was hearing. T

he man standing in front of him was not only insistent, but he was also delusion
al if he thought he was leaving this room when he had a ready, willing and naked
Olivia waiting for him in the bedroom.
Yes, now! He shot back.
I told you this was important. I have the video from
the store on my lap top of Olivia s stalker and I need you two to ID her so we ca
n move forward and take out charges.

Brody stiffened and knitted his brows together and shockingly replied.
Her?
" Not believing what he had just heard he repeated to Seth. "Did you say her?

Yes, that s what I said wasn t it? Seth snapped impatiently. It s most definitely a
she and I have a feeling that when you see her, you ll know her. From the securi
ty footage I ve already seen, I think she may work at the courthouse.

Jesus.
Brody said as he ran his fingers through his mussed up hair and looke
d away from Seth. A female. It was a female that was after Olivia. He would ha
ve never, in his life, figured that it would have been a woman.

Are you coming or what?

Seth insisted

Yeah, he answered taking a step back in the room, letting the information tha
t Seth just shared with him sink in.
Um, yeah. Give me a minute to grab my shoe
s and a shirt and I ll be right there.

*********************************
**********

Hello there handsome. She seductively smiled at the security guard. It was a
bout time that he walked in here, she thought to herself. She had to sit alone
for over an hour, nursing a rum and coke while he took his precious time, making
his rounds. If it hadn t been for the stun gun she spotted on his hip, she would
be sorely tempted to take him out just because of all the waiting he made her d
o.

Are you talking to me?

The Security guard said surprised that such a hot lit
tle number would even bother wasting her breath to talk to him. He was all too
aware of his orange colored hair, his rash of freckles and the extra weight arou
nd his midsection. His own wife made it her life s mission to point out his flaws
on a daily basis.

Of course you, she said while batting her eyelashes. With practiced ease, sh
e slid off the bar stool, taking care that her skirt rode up her thigh just enou
gh to give him a view he wouldn't soon forget. She held out her hands in front
of her, Do you see anyone else around here that is as sexy as you?

The security guard let out a strangled laugh.

Ma am, I believe you re confused.
Sexy is the last word that I would use to describe myself.

She sidled up against him, caressing his cheek.

No sir, I m not the least bit
confused at all. She stood on her toes and nipped at his ear, smiling when he j
erked.
I ve always been a sucker for a man in uniform and baby, your uniform is ma
king me hot.

He almost choked on his words.

Is this this a joke or something?
It had to b
e some kind of joke or he was dreaming because there is no way that this woman w
ith legs that went a mile high would be coming on to him. No way in hell.

She let her hand slide down his chest and boldly groped his groin. I promis
e you, she smiled, This is no joke. I do not joke around when it comes to a man i
n uniform. Will you walk me back to my room?"

He felt a cold sweat break out on his brow. He was a married man with four
kids. It would be sinful to follow this woman to her room. But when he looked
down at her and she flicked out that pink tongue of hers, licking along his jaw
line. Aww hell, he mumbled. There was only so much any red blooded man could ta
ke. Because he was suddenly burning up, he undid the top button to his starched
uniformed shirt and swallowed. Lead the way.
She kept her head up and made sure that her hips were moving from side to s
ide while she sashayed towards the elevator. Just a few more minutes, she told
herself, thinking about how disgusting the Security Guard tasted, let alone smel
led. All she had to do was get him on the elevator and she would have what she
wanted. They waited at the elevator door as she gripped her brick laden purse t
ightly with both hands, any minute now and she would be done with this awful sm
elling beast of a man.

The door opened and he gestured for her to go ahead of him. He followed he
r into the elevator and turned to the control board.
Okay, he said excitedly, as
the doors started to close. Which floor?

Swinging her purse around as hard as she could she flung it towards him hit
ting him square in the side of the head. "Your going to hell you sick little bas
tard," she sneered as he slumped unconsciously to the floor.
You re going straigh
t to hell.

Reaching down, she grabbed the stun gun from his pants. She took the brick
out of her purse and threw it at him.
People like you make me sick, she said kic
king his leg. Reaching over him, she pressed the floor where her destiny waited
. It was time to go get her man.

************************************
*********

Brody? Olivia called out sitting up on the

he got nothing, not even a whisper of a movement.
little louder this time. She had been sitting here
ing on him. Surely, he was able to get rid of Seth

bed listening for a response. S

Brody? She called out again, a
for a good ten minutes, wait
by now.

Brody O Conner, where are you?

A knock at the door startled her. She scratched her head, confused and the
n it came to her. Brody must have locked himself outside when he was telling Se
th to get lost.

Coming, she called back, getting off the bed and pulling the sheet around her
. Since he made her wait so long, maybe she would just tell him to forget it, s
he had changed her mind. Who am I kidding, she chuckled to herself, I probably
want it more than he does. He d be lucky to make it through the door before I sta
rt stripping him myself.

She reached the door and grabbed the handle, pulling it open.
I hope you ha
ve great stamina- She stopped mid-sentence, surprised by who was standing there.
Patton? Patton Woodock? What are you doing here?

Patton smiled and pulled the stun gun from behind her back.
hat is mine, she said as she aimed and pressed the button.

I m taking back w

Chapter 33
Are you positive that it s a girl,
vator.

Brody asked again, following Seth off the ele

Seth stopped mid-stride and turned around, shooting him a droll look.
I beli
eve that I can tell the difference in the anatomy between a male and a femaleand that was most definitely a female.
Brody flattened out his lips.

Who in the hell could it be then?

Well, if you d quit flapping that jaw of yours and come on, we just might get t
he answer to that question.
Seth shook his head. He felt like he was talking to
a recalcitrant child. He gestured down the hall, Are you coming or not?
Yeah, I m coming, he snapped irritably. Even though it wasn t the way he had plan
ned on. He had envisioned a nice set of legs entangled with his, a set of firm b
reast pressing softly against his chest while he lightly nibbled on warm salty s
kin. He closed his eyes, forcing the image out of his head. He should of known
better. That would have just been to good to be true.
Forging on, he continued to follow Seth silently down the hall until they s

topped in front of a door. He waited silently behind him, his impatience growin
g by the second. Several minutes later, still standing in the hall, his frustra
tions hit a breaking point. He needed to know who the person was and he needed
to know now.
Imperviously, he slapped his hands against his legs, the sound reverberating
off the walls.
Can t you move any faster than that?
Seth slowly glanced back at him over his shoulders and glared, not even havi
ng to say a single word. The icy look that he shot Brody, said everything that
needed to be said. Back off!
Brody folded his arms over his chest and let out an indignant huff. Satisfi
ed that he got his message across, Seth turned back around and swiped the key ca
rd, opening the door.
After you, he told Brody, waving him inside the room.
Brody marched past him, his chest puffed out. His shirt was only half-butto
ned and shoes left untied. Alright, he said, stopping half way in the room.
Where
is it?
It s over here, Seth murmured, walking past him and over to the desk set up in t
he corner of the room. Brody made his way over to the impressive set up and whi
stled. This is some pretty high tech stuff you have here.
Military perk s, he said, running his fingers over the keyboard. Brody watched
intently as several screens flashed in front of him.
Here, Seth pointed, bringing
up a frozen image. He tapped a few more times and the video started.
Do you kn
ow her?
He bent down low over Seth s shoulder to get a better look. He watched the sl
ender brunette with her back turned to the camera.
I m not sureWait a minute, Seth interrupted,
he said, the female turned around.
Nah,

She s getting ready to turn around.

he said getting closer to the screen,

Who is she?

It can t be her.

Seth impatiently pushed.

It s impossible,

he whispered to himself.

Brody, who?!
I don t even know why she would hold a grudge against Olivia.
Dammit,

Seth said grabbing Brody s arm,

Who the hell is she?!

And just as

Brody stood up, shock reflected in his eyes.

That s Patton- Patton Woodock. S
he s Judge Woodock s daughter. She has been interning down at the courthouse for th
e last year under several of the DA s. As a favor to Judge Woodock, I took her fo
r two weeks and let me tell you, he started to back away and walked over to the w
indow, peering out over the beach. The last thing that girl want s, is to be is an
Attorney. If it wasn t for her dad, she wouldn t be interning anywhere. She has th
e smarts of a watermelon and the body of Victoria Secret Model.

Seth leaned back in his chair, chewing on that bit of information.

it on her? Go out or anything like that?
Brody whipped his head around and venomously shook it.
kid.
Seth stood up, watching Brody thoughtfully.

Did you h

Hell no! She s just a

Did she ever make a pass at you?

He shrugged his shoulders, Not that I noticed. She was more of a nuisance th
an anything. She couldn t file, refused to answer telephones, didn t have a clue of
what to do when I sent her over to the law library to do some research. She wa
s useless and to be frank, I was glad to get rid of her.
This just doesn t add up,

Seth said.

Why would she want to hurt Liv?

Turning back to the window, Brody let out a heavy breath and watched as a so
litary seagull swooped down over the sea, before flying high again.
I don t know S
eth, I really don t. But I ll tell you one thing- I intend to find out.
**************************************************
God, you are as gullible as you look, Patton complained, stuffing the stun gun
back into her purse. She glanced both ways down the hall before turning back t
o Olivia whom lay on the floor, her body twitching every few minutes.
I guess that s a good thing for me, it ll make what we have to do a whole lot eas
ier. But don t you worry, she said patting her cheek, It will over be over very, ve
ry soon.
Olivia couldn t move. She had no motor control whatsoever. She couldn t even s
peak She met Patton s gaze when she patted her cheek and fear coiled in her gut.
Something wasn t right, none of this made sense. What was Patton doing here? Sh
e desperately tried to make her arms work or legs move, but nothing happened. S
he was paralyzed.
You ready Olivia Murray?
Patton said standing above her, watching her like a
lion would watch it s prey. It was more than just a little un-nerving and she bli
thely wondered where in the hell Brody had went to where he hadn't returned.

Even if your not, too bad Mrs. lady-who-thinks-she's-God's-gift-to-man, I am.

She stated bending down and lifting Olivia up from under her arms. It s time to g
et you out of the picture honey so Brody and I can get married and live out our
happily ever after.
What? This chick had to be out of her ever-loving mind. Brody might be a p
lay boy, but he was a smart play boy. This girl is what seventeen, maybe eighte
en. He wouldn t touch a youngun.
Olivia felt her body being dragged down the hall way and thoughts began to r
un rampant through her head. The phone calls she received, the haunting text.
Was Patton behind all of it? Was she her stalker? She had to be.
Damn girl, what have you been eating.
she insulted. After struggling to drag
her onto the elevator, she unceremoniously dropped her to the floor. Patton wi
ped her hands on her pants and turned around to close the elevator, talking to h
erself as if her stunning someone and then kidnapping them was an everyday norma
l occurrence. You know, she spoke again when the elevator started to move up.
I w
ould have thought that someone as old as you would be more conscientious of what
they ate- you know . Your dilapidating figure and all that. I hear after thirty
, everything below the chin, droops like j-ello.
Olivia was confused. Sweat trickled down the center of her back but she sti
ll couldn t move. The elevator bell dinged and she looked up to see that they wer
e getting off on the nineteenth floor. There were so many questions she wanted
to ask, but her mouth did work.

Alright-y then, almost there, Patton stated, peeking out of the elevator to ma
ke sure the coast was clear. Seeing no one around, she bent down and grabbed Ol
ivia up under the shoulders again, hefting her up with a grunt. You really shoul
d have signed up for some zumba classes or something girl. I don t know what Brod
y was thinking when he decided to take an oinker for a wife. You must have some
serious skills in the bedroom, because your looks, Patton stopping at a door and
unceremoniously dropping Olivia back to the ground, laughed to herself, Well let s
face it honey, they ain t hitting on much of nothing.
She pulled out a card key and in one deft movement, she swiped it and unlock
ed the door. Reaching down, she grabbed Olivia by the legs this time and procee
ded to drag her into the room, kicking the door closed behind her.
She pulled her all the way over to the bed and several curses and grunts lat
er, she managed to lift her up on to it.
You know, if I had known it was going t
o be this much work, I would have probably just brought a knife and slit your wr
ist. But then, she continued to speak while digging through a bag at the end of
the bed, After watching all those CSI s shows, I thought better of it. After all,
I m not about to let myself get caught.
Olivia was starting to feel a tingling in her finger tips but she still coul

dn t make her limbs move. She felt her heart beating frantically in her chest as
she watched Patton out of the corner of her eyes.
At the same time, Patton turned back to Olivia.
Now, I have the perfect plan
. Little Miss Perfect is going to have a break down. She couldn t handle being m
arried to Brody and all the stress of work anymore so she turned to drugs.
Patto
n held up a bag of white powder and a syringe. It was such a sad story, she frown
ed and then shrugged, Some people just can t handle the pressure.
Patton laid the syringe and powder down on the table. She went back to her
bag and brought out a spoon, a lighter and half a sheet of paper. This, she said,
Holding up the paper, Is your apology letter.
She laid it beside her on the bed a
nd started to smile.
Olivia s sick fear that had started in her stomach had grown into full blown p
anic now. Patton wasn t just crazy, she was insane and she planned to kill her.
She tried to move her hands again and felt tears prick behind her lids when she
got nothing. Everything was clear now. Patton was going to pump her full of he
roine and she was going to overdose, die, and there wasn t a damn thing she could
do to stop it.
Aww, Olivia, you look upset.
Patton tied a rubber tube around her bicep and l
et if go with a pop.
Don t take this personal honey. You just happened to pick th
e wrong guy, that s all- you picked my guy and I can t let that happen, she ended on
a growl.
Turning her attention away from her, Patton picked up the spoon and started
to measure out the white powder. Holding it up to eye level, she lit the lighte
r underneath it and watched the orange flickers while they heated the spoon, liq
uefying the powder. After several long minutes, she dropped the lighter back to
the table and grabbed the empty syringe.
Very carefully, she balanced the spoon with one hand and filled the syringe
with the other. That done, she held up the syringe in the air and squirted out
all of the air bubbles, just like she saw them do on you tube and turned back to
face Olivia. That should do it, she smiled a strangely cheery smile.
Are you ready to meet your maker Olivia?
**********************************************
Dad, I m telling you, you need to lighten up. This Brody guy is a good guy.

Ted stared down at his oldest son and harrumphed.

even hit me back.

He s a pansy ass. He wouldn t

Cane ran his hand over his face. His dad had to be the most hard headed man
that he had ever met on this side of the Mason Dixon line. All he wanted to do
was lighten the tension between his dad and his baby sister s new husband; so far

- it wasn't going exactly as he had planned.

Where were you coming from anyway, Ted asked his son while they waited for the
elevator. Cane looked back to the desk.
I was ordering some extra towels for o
ur room, as if it was any of your business.
You re my son, you are always my business, Ted snorted.
I am your grown son,
So I ve heard,

Cane pointed out,

Ted grumbled.

And I have a life of my own now.

You never come home anymore.

Here we go again, Cain thought to himself. For all the gruff on the exterio
r, his dad was nothing really but a big ole teddy bear; especially when it came
to his kids.
Dad, he started and the elevator opened.
I do come he said and then st
opped as he stared down at the unconscious security guard, lying in the corner o
f the elevator, with blood seeping from the back of his head. What the hell?
Move out of the way boy,
Look,

Ted barged in.

Cane said, pointing at the guard.

What are you complaining about now?

See for yourself.

Ted took one look at the security guard and felt all the blood drain from hi
s face.
On no, he breathed out, taking a step back off of the elevator and clutch
ing at his chest. Cold fear skittered over the top of his skin and he had a dre
adful gut feeling that something bad was getting ready to happen. Something rea
lly bad and for once, he didn t know if he would be able to protect his own.
What dad? What s wrong? Cane grabbed a hold of his dad s arm and shook him. He d
idn t know what was wrong, but it had to be something bad. He had never seen his
father go this pale, so fast before.
Olivia. Ted struggled to swallow past the tennis ball sized lump that seemed t
o be lodged in his throat.
We have to get to Olivia.
Chapter 34
Brody started for the door. It had just occurred to him that he didn t even t
ell Olivia that he was leaving. She had been naked, willing and all to ready fo
r him when Seth had so rudely interrupted them. He shook his head at his plight
, she was going to be so pissed with him.
Hey,

Seth called out, seeing him head for the door.

Where are you going?

He stopped, his hand poised to grip the handle and glanced back over his sh
oulder.
I need to get back to Liv," he told him. "I m not comfortable leaving her

alone and I want to make some phone calls back home.

Seth watched him thoughtfully.
Do me a favor and hold off on your calls, esp
ecially if they have anything to do with the Judges daughter.
Brody s brow puckered and he turned all the way around, putting his hands on h
is hips. And may I ask why? Because that was exactly what he planned on doing. It
was hard to think that someone like Patton Woodock could pose any real threat t
o Olivia but still, he didn t want to take any chances. He planned to call Lieute
nant Dean down at the Raleigh police station and have her brought in for first d
egree threatening. He wanted to make sure that Olivia was safe now, rather than
sorry later.
Because, Seth said in his usual no duh tone.
I plan to contact my people and hav
e her taken in and if you go off, questioning only God knows who, it may slip ou
t that we re on to her. We can t afford for that to happen. She could get away bef
ore we ever even have a chance to get her and I don t want to take any chances.
The sooner this is ended- the better off we ll all be.
It was hard for Brody to argue with a point like that. He did feel better k
nowing who was behind the mysterious phone calls and texts but he dreaded tellin
g Olivia. When she found out who it was, she was going to flip. She loved that
old Judge like a second father. To learn that it was his daughter making all t
hese threats was going to be quite a blow for her.
Alright, Brody agreed.
I won t c
all anyone but I want you to promise me that you ll get this taken care of.
Seth stood up from the desk and strode over to the miniature refrigerator in
the corner, pulling it open and grabbing a canned coke. He held another one up
to Brody, offering it to him and he shook his head. Brody was more anxious to
get back to Olivia. Seth shrugged in indifference and popped the can open, toss
ing it back and taking several large gulps before focusing back on Brody again. Y
ou don t have to worry about that, he told him with all due sincerity. Olivia s fami
ly and we take care of our own. I ll make it my personal prerogative to make sure
that her threat is taken care of.
Brody had no doubts that Seth meant every word he said. If he had learned a
nything about this family, including that quack father of hers, it was they woul
d do anything for each other. Olivia may hate their intrusive involvement but a
t least they loved her and that was something that he couldn t find fault with.
You ll call me with any news?
it out as more of a statement.

Brody asked, framing it like a question but making

Yeah, Seth nodded, If I hear anything, I ll let you know. In the mean time, I ve g
ot some work to do before the wedding tomorrow. I ve got this, you go take care o
f your wife.
Brody grinned. Oh yeah, he was going to take care of her alright. After se
eing the way that she reacted to his touch in the shower, he planned to make sur
e that she was good and well taken care of before the family dinner this evening
. He wanted her and he wanted her for so much more than just this week. He wan

ted her for a lifetime and if his words couldn t convince her, then maybe his lovi
ng would. Swiveling around, he gripped the door handle and opened it wide, Don t w
orry, I m already on it.

I just bet you are, Seth said, chuckling as he watched Brody leave. Sighing,
he found himself wishing his own wife was here but she had gone on a shopping tr
ip with Caley and her mother. It would be several more hours before she returne
d and until then, he would be alone.
Turning around, he went back to the desk and stared
the screen. We got you now, he muttered to himself.
phone. Using his thumb to flip it open, he was poised
is contact in the southern region, when it unexpectedly

at the video footage on

Leaning over, he grabbed his
to dial the number for h
rang.

****************************************
**************
What do you mean we have to get to Olivia? Cane asked, eyeing his dad speculat
ively. His face had gone pale as a ghost and the fear that shone so vividly in
his eyes was enough to suck the breath right out of him.
Ted was already out of the elevator, hollering at the front desk.
Help! We
need some help over here. Somehow this was all connected to Olivia s stalker, he j
ust knew it. He didn't know how to explain how he knew, he just did. He was ce
rtain that his baby girl was in danger.
Dad!
hinking?

Cane bellowed, grabbing a hold of his arm.

What s going on? What are you t

Ted stopped for a minute and looked down at his son.

You have to trust me, he
pleaded with his eyes. Maybe in was his natural ingrained instincts that warne
d him, maybe it was just father s intuition. Whatever it was, he wasn t about to ig
nore it. We need to get to Olivia.
Cane watched his father for a moment. He trusted him like he trusted no oth
er. If his father had cause to worry, then there was a problem.
Okay, he quietly
agreed. Let me call Seth and we ll all go up to her room and check on her. Do yo
u know which one it is?
Ted thought back to that last time he was in her room. The time that she go
t that awful text.
Yeah, he said gravely, I do. Get Seth on the phone and let s go.
************************************
***********
Aww, don t look so sad, Patton said.
f this would have been necessary.

If you had just left him alone, then none o

Olivia wanted to yell. She wanted to holler and she wanted to knock some se

nse into Patton. The girl was clearly psycho. She had done flew the coop, hit e
very branch on the way down and landed on her head if she thought that Brody bel
onged to her. The tips of her fingers were tingling but she still couldn t move t
hem. Her legs felt like dead weight and she felt helpless.
Patton grabbed her arm and pulled it straight, turning it so that her palm w
as face up. Think of it this way, she said, tapping her arm in search for a vein,
At least you ll die with a smile on your face."
No! She screamed in her mind, watching the syringe come closer and closer to h
er arm. She fought like a wildcat to make her body move but it was useless. Sh
e couldn t make anything work.
She gasped when she felt the sting of the needle pierce her skin. Her heart
beat a tattoo in her chest as she felt the heat of the heroine being pushed int
o her system. She watched Patton who was so focused on her task and felt someth
ing inside herself break. She was going to die. She was going to die alone and
there was nothing that she could do about it.
Patton pulled the syringe from her arm and sat it on the table by the bed.
She turned to Olivia and smiled down at her.
Now, now, she soothed and patted her
pale cheeks. Fat tears were rolling down her face in thin trails. No need to c
ry about it. You ll be feeling really good in just a minute and all your problems
will be just a memory. Then, in about ten minutes, I ll give you another hit and
it ll all be over soon after that- very, very soon. And if your worried about Br
ody, don t. I promise you, she leaned in towards Olivia s face, and tilted her head
to the side, I ll take good care of him.

**********************************************
****
Seth glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was Cane. Lifting it to his e
ar, his mouth twitched with a grin.
What s up baby brother?
I think we have a problem,

Cane said, getting straight to the point.

Problem? What kind of problem?

n his seat. Something wasn t right.

Seth had a foreboding feeling and went rigid i

We ve got a security guard down here in the elevator that s been knocked out and
dad seems to think Olivia could be in trouble.
Shit! Seth exclaimed, falling back in his chair, running his hand over his fac
e. Was it to much to ask for life to be simple for once?
You can say that again, Cane let out a strained chuckle.
At least Brody is wit
h her now and from what little that I ve met of the guy, he can handle his own.

Seth went still. His mind already working two steps ahead of him. That sam
e intuition that sparked Ted s worry, was now hitting him square in the back of th
e head.
Seth?

Cane called out when Seth didn't speak. Is something wrong?

Turning around, Seth stared at the image on the PC. When he brought Brody u
p here to show him the footage, Olivia had been left alone. Could they have mad
e a mistake? If the surgeons knot in his stomach was any indication, then yeah,
that made a big one and now Olivia could be in big trouble.
I gotta go. Seth jum
ped up out of his seat, already looking for his gun. I ll meet up with you at Oliv
ia s room.
Before Cane could respond, Seth had already hung up on him. Holding the pho
ne out in front of him, he sighed, and snapped it closed.
Hearing a pain filled groan, he looked down and saw that the security guard
whom had been knocked unconscious was starting to stir. His dad was talking to
another guard, using his hands animatedly and getting more and more flustered by
the second. He thought about his sister and the threats she had been receiving
. Nothing was adding up. What the hell is going on?
What happened?

The security guard asked, holding his head.

Cane knelt beside him, Whoa there, you've had a pretty big blow to the head.
You were knocked unconscious. Take it easy until the medics get here and can c
heck you out.
The security guard ignored Cane and pushed past the pain, forcing himself to
a sitting position. He squinted his eyes, and tried to remember what happened.
There was a lady, he said, pressing his hands against his temple. She came on to
me and and, he struggled to gather his thoughts.
And what?

Cane pried gently.

The security guard looked around the room, heard the sirens from the approac
hing ambulance and tried to make himself focus. She invited me to her room., he s
aid distantly. I remember getting on the elevator and then she hit me. Yeah, th
e bitch hit me and pain exploded in my head.
And you said it was a woman?
se out of all of this.

Cane asked again, trying to make some sort of sen

Yes, she was young and hot as hell. I should have known better,
he said agai
n, pressing his hand tenderly against the huge knot on his head.
Someone like th
at; wanting me, he laughed, disgusted with himself more than anything.
I should ve
known better.

********************************************
****
Seth was just stepping off of the elevator when Brody came flying down the h
all. He saw the tension in his face and knew right then, something was wrong.
What?
is it?

He asked, grabbing him by the collar when he tried to run past him.

What

Brody blinked, his mind was in turmoil. He hadn t even seen Seth standing the
re. She s gone, he swallowed. I came back and the door was standing open. I walked
into the room and she wasn t there.
Damn!

Seth swore, letting Brody go.

What are we going to do? Brody asked, his voice tingeing on the edge of panic.
He could barely think straight knowing that Liv could very well be in trouble
. He had to find her but he didn t have the first clue as to where to start.
Let s go, Seth said darkly, his seal training kicking in. We need to talk to the
security guard downstairs. Seth had already turned on his heel and was heading
back for the elevator. Based on past experience, time was of the essence. In
cases like this, it was their biggest enemy and he didn t want to waste one second
of it.
What security guard?
e elevator.

Brody ran to catch up with him and followed him on to th

Seth pressed the button that would take them to the lobby, keeping his eyes
focused on the door closing in front of them.
The one that was knocked unconscio
us probably minutes before I came and got you to look at the security footage.
Jesus, Brody swayed a little and leaned up against the back of the elevator.
This was all a bit much even for him. The mere thought of Olivia being hurt dro
ve him to the brink of insanity.
The elevator came to stop and the doors slowly opened.
I think this time, Set
h noted wryly, stepping off of the elevator and turning to pin Brody with his st
are, We re going to need a helluva lot more than Jesus.

Being
ue Brody's
That was
nor, we re

the perceptive man that he was, Seth instantly noticed the greenish h
face had turned and could easily see that he was losing it, and fast.
something that he couldn t allow to happen.
Pull yourself together O Con
going to need you if we have a prayer in finding your wife.

Brody swallowed, knowing good and damn well that he was right. He had to pu

ll himself together, Olivia s life depended on it. Fortifying himself, he pushed

away from the elevator wall and with a purposeful stride, he walked out, passing
Seth with only one thing on his mind. Olivia. And once this was over with, he
knew what he was going to do. He was going to propose to her for real. He wan
ted her for a true wife, he wanted her to have his children.
He loved her and
he was ready to shout if from the mountaintops, letting everyone in the world k
now it.
But first things first.

Let s get this bitch.

Chapter 35
As soon as Brody stepped off of the elevator, he spotted Cane and headed str
aight for him. The man that he met earlier that morning was bent down, talking
with a security guard. The guard seemed to be dazed and confused while holding a
n ice pack against the back of his head. Approaching the two of them, he noticed
that it just so happened to be the same security guard, the one that Olivia and
him had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting in the not so happy nun's room.
Have you heard from Olivia?
tion in his voice. .

he hastily interrupted, trying to hide the despera

Cane and the security both looked up at him..

You again, the security guard
belowed, his mouth thinning I should ve known that you and that wife off yours wou
ld somehow have something to do with this.
Body chose to ignore him and focused on Cane.
his time not bothering to mask his concern.
No, Cane said cautiously,
s with you."

Well have you? he asked again, t

Why would I?" He asked cautiously. "I thought she wa

Damn!
Brody cursed, hearing the very words that he didn't want to hear. Turn
ing around, he ran his hand through his hair releasing a disgruntled moan. Star
ing out the front doors of the lobby,he silentedly prayed that the feeling in hi
s gut was wrong. Feeling his shoulders slump, he turned to face Seth and droppe
d his hand to his side. I bet you anything that she is here.
Who s here? Cane questioned while glancing back and forth between Brody and Seth
. Something was going on. The picture that was being painted before him wasn t l
ooking very pretty and he had this unsettling feeling that something was seriou
sly wrong.
Patton, Brody gritted through his teeth, still stunned that she was the one.
eth just secured some video footage from back home. Patton bought the disposable
phone at a small store in the courthouse that Olivia and I work at. She used t
hat same phone to send the threatening text to her and we both agree that she is
probably Olivia s stalker.

Who is Olivia s stalker? Ted questioned, catching the tail end of the conversati
on. He eyed everyone before settling his gaze on Seth. He was getting more anx
ious by the second and needed to see his daughter.
Patton Woodock! She is Judge Woodock s daughter, Brody pointed out, frustrated t
hat all they were doing was standing around talking. She was an intern down at
the office briefly and we believe that she may be the one stalking Olivia." Pau
sing for a breath, he met Ted's steely gaze. "Can we stop with the questions n
ow and actually do something? His impatience was beginning to get the best of hi
m. He had to find Olivia and standing around in the lobby like a knot on a log
wasn t going to get it done.
Where s Olivia at anyway?
be seen.

Ted asked, finally realizing that she wasn t anywhere to

Brody growled in frustration, throwing his hands up in the air.

keep trying to tell everyone. She's missing.

That s what I

Ted stepped up to Brody, so close that when he spoke, his hot breath lashed
across his nose.
What in the hell do you mean she's missing? She s your wife and y
our supposed to be watching out for her. Ted all but yelled as he pushed his musc
led body into Brody s chest, knocking him off balance.
Where in the hell is my dau
ghter you nim-wit?"
Guys, Seth interceded, stepping between them while using his hands to separate
them, This is getting us nowhere. We have to think about this logically. if we r
e going to find her.. He turned to Ted and gestured towards the security guard.
First off, what happened to him?
Ted let out an exasperated sigh.
What the hell does it matter? My daughter
is missing, there is a crazy stalker on the loose and,
he stopped pointing at th
e security guard, You're worried about him?
The look on his face clearly showing
how dubious he felt about that.

Seth was the epitome of cool, calm and collective. His training and instinc
ts were kicked into high gear. It could mean everything Ted, now tell me," he im
plored, "What happened?
After listening to everyone bicker, Cane stepped up to the fray. He was sta
rting to see what Seth was getting at.
He said that some pretty little petite bl
ond haired woman came onto him. Once she got him on the elevator she cold-clocke
d him, knocking him unconscious."
Seth pushed his way through everyone and knelt by the security guard. This w
oman, he said, pulling out his phone, could you identify her if I showed you a pi
cture?

Hell yeah, he replied.

She was the type of woman that sticks with a man. I ll n
ever forget it, he winced, knowing just how true that statement was. Feeling the
large knot on the back of his head wasn't letting him forget either.
Seth opened his phone and scrolled through his videos, pulling up the one th
at he had transferred from his laptop. Turning the phone around, he prayed that
this was his lucky day. Showing it to the security guard, he asked him hoarsel
y, Is this her?
Pointing at the image it only took him a split second to respond.
ight. No mistaking it, that is the vixen that knocked me out.

That s her alr

Seth turned around, his eyes meeting Brody s. Their look confirming what they
were both afraid of. She was here and had probably already taken Olivia.
Son of a bitch! Brody cursed, turning and slowly walking away. How could this
have happened? He was only gone maybe ten minutes. Covering his face with his
hands, he tried to force himself to think. He had to find her, but the million
dollar question was how?
Hold on a minute.
Seth stood, an idea already forming in his head. He jogged
over to the information desk and whipped out his phone, showing the man behind
the counter the image.
Brody continued to watched him with bated breath. He could see their mouths
moving quickly but couldn t hear a word that either of them was saying. The empl
oyee started to vigorously shake his head back and forth and Seth, in a burst of
fury, reached over the counter, grabbed him by the collar and angrily whispered
something at his ear.
The employee held his hands up in surrender. Seth released him dropping him
back to the ground He pointed at the computer and the guy started to tap away.
Fifteen seconds later, he looked back up to Seth and said something. Brody st
ill could not hear them and wondered what in the heck was going on?
Seth pivoted away from the desk and made his way back to where they where al
l anxiously waiting. Seth didn t bother to stop, he simply said room 912 while ma
king a bee line for the elevator with Brody following close behind.
****************************
******************
Olivia was floating. She felt as light as a feather. So free . so happy, she
didn t have a care in the world.
See, Patton said, standing over her, I told you that you d be smiling.
She picked
up the spoon and measured out another dose of the white powder. Going through
the same motions, she flicked the lighter and held it under the spoon, letting i

t do it s magic.
You ought to be thanking me for this, she chattered.
At least this
way, you can have an open casket funeral. Death won't do a thing to harm that
pretty face of yours.
Something niggled at the back of Olivia s mind. It was a warning of sorts tha
t tried to break through her happy haze but she couldn t quite make any sense out
it. She felt boneless and blissfully pleasant. She couldn t remember the last ti
me that she felt so care-free. Everybody should have an opportunity to feel thi
s good, she thought to herself.
Here we go.
Struggling, Olivia flopped her head to the side and stared up at
Patton. She couldn t quite remember who she was or why she was even here.
He... hel-lo, Olivia managed to stutter out the words and immediately erupted
into a fit of giggles at the way her voice sounded to her own ears. She had nev
er felt like this and for the briefest of seconds, she thought that was such a s
hame. Everything seemed so simple when she felt like this. So easy, so free. T
he world could have exploded around her and with the way she was feeling, she kn
ew that she would be okay, right where she was. She was in heaven.
Patton shook her head. She rather liked the bitch when she was like this, t
oo bad that she had to cross the line though and steal her man. Now, she had to
pay the price, with her life. Lifting the syringe, she filled it with the seco
nd dose of heroine and held it up in the air, giving it a push to remove the air
bubbles.
Turning back to the woman stretched out on the bed, she grabbed her arm with
her free hand and poised the needle to enter her vein. Alright Olivia, time to
say nighty-night.
She had just barely pricked Olivia s skin, when the hotel door opened with a b
ang, causing Patton to jump and drop the syringe on the floor. She snapped her
head up just in time to see four men barreling at her. None of the other faces
mattered to her, all she saw was Brody's.
You came, she whispered, a dream like smile tugging at her lips. Her knight in
shining armor has finally come to take her away to live happily ever after.
Brody didn t hear her, all he saw was Olivia lying on the bed and Patton with
a needle at her arm.
No! he bellowed, charging after her. He took her down to th
e floor as hard as a linebacker would take out a quarterback. He didn't give a
damn if he hurt her, he just wanted her away from his Olivia.

Lying on top of her, he pinned her to the ground. He had never wanted to h
it a woman so much in his life as he wanted to at that very moment. He glanced
down at Patton, and all she did was smile back up at him like a love-struck pupp
y. You came, she murmured again, this time so that he could hear her. She didn t b
other to fight him, instead she tried to wrap her arms around his neck. You came
for me.
No,

he bitterly denied, pushing away from her as he stood. "Stay away from me

!," he warned. He left her lying on the floor and slowly started to back away.
I came for my wife.
Patton s whimsical face dropped and contorted into one of pure fury. Her eyes
flitted from the man of her dreams to the whore lying in the bed.
No! She scream
ed, pushing herself up. You came for me, she claimed as she slapped her hand hard
against her chest. You re mine Brody, you belong with me!!
Brody shook his head and turned his back on her. The chick was certifiable.
His main concern now was Olivia, and nothing else mattered.
Seth stepped in with two police officers, both of whom approached Patton. W
hen she saw the cuffs and realized what was happening, she went into a fit of un
controlled rage. She screamed at the top of her lungs, yelling threat after thr
eat. By the time they pulled her out of the room, her threats had turned into w
reathing sobs and no one paid her a bit of attention.
It was over and the silence that landed on Brody was heavy. He wanted nothi
ng more than to pull Olivia into his arms and hold on to her for all he was wort
h. He was left holding her hand though, while the paramedics went to work on he
r. She looked so listless and pale. He was scared and for the first time in hi
s life, he didn t have a clue as to how to make her better.

Feeling tears start to form in his eyes he did the only thing he could, he c
losed his eyes and prayed.
How s she doing? Ted asked. Brody didn t turn to speak t
o Ted. He had sensed him a moment earlier when he first walked up behind him bu
t couldn t bear to pull his eyes away from the small woman lying on the bed.
I m not sure, he admitted sadly, fighting his own fears. She had gone still the
last few minutes and the paramedics were working as fast as they could to get
her on the gurney. They are going to take her to the hospital and see how much w
as pumped into her.
Ted placed his hand on Brody s shoulder and squeezed. She s a fighter son, he tol
d him. She may have married an O Conner, but she has Murray blood running in her v
eins. She ll make it, mark my words, our Olivia will survive.
Brody couldn t speak. He absorbed the older man s words and hoped like hell tha
t he was right because now that she has successfully stolen his heart, he didn t k
now if he could survive without her.
Chapter 36
Brody found himself sitting in what had to be the hardest chair this side
of the western hemisphere. The lights were dim, leaving the room in a darkened
state. He was alone, watching as Olivia slept off the dose of heroine that Patto
n had managed to inject into her. Over three hours had passed since they left t
he hotel by ambulance, and she was still out. Brody had questioned the doctors
several times, each and every time they informed him that she would be fine once
the drug had time to run it's course. They had given her something to deter the

drug and all he could do was wait it out. He was impatient and the waiting was
starting to really get to him.

Well, he thought crossly, leaning forward resting his elbows on his knees,
he was tired of waiting. He wanted her to open them big beautiful eyes that he
had become all to familiar with and see him, look at him so that he could in fac
t see for himself that she was in fact going to be fine.

During the last twelve hours, he had been on a wild roller coaster ride of
emotions. He had been forced up a torturous climb, twisted down in a wicked spi
ral, flipped over in several death defying flips and only now, did he have time
to think and catch his breath. .

Everything he had been forced to go through because of the lie. Not only th
e lie but also with Olivia, her family and Patton- it had become crystal clear t
o him. He wanted her. He wanted her with such a furious passion that he had lo
ng since stopped trying to deny it. He not only wanted her, he needed her. He
wanted to talk with her, to spar with her, to kiss her and more then anything el
se he wanted to finally get the chance to make love to her. Hell, he even wante
d to have kids with her. He had never thought about kids in the past but with L
iv, the idea held major appeal. He wanted half a dozen rug rats, running around
, under foot. But most importantly, he wanted the opportunity to grow old with
her.

Now that he has admitted all this to himself, he needed her to wake up so t
hat he could tell her that she was stuck with him. For better or for worse, whe
n they left this island, they would take real vows, for all intents and purposes
, they would really become man and wife. And if she wanted to argue with him ov
er it, so be it. He he would just have to kiss her senseless until she relented
. In fact, he hoped that she would argue with him so he could do just that.

Olivia Murray, also known as the dragon lady, had somehow managed to do the
one thing that no other woman on this planet had ever been able to do. She foun
d a way to worm her way into his heart. And not only that, she firmly lodged he
rself there- permanently.

They belonged together. He felt that single, solitary truth deep down in t
he root of his chest. There was no way that she was getting rid of him now, not
today, not tomorrow, not ever.

She felt loopy, hazy and more than a little disconnected. She was in a str
ange place, that much she could tell by the offensive scents alone. The smell o
f alcohol or disinfectant, tickled her nose, leaving her a little nauseous.

Lying there, it was a major struggle for her to open her eyes and once she
finally got her lids to open it was even more of a struggle to focus them. Blin
king several times, she looking above her and saw nothing but bright white. Whe
re am I? Why am I here? What happened to me?

She logged in the sound of something beeping, a monitor maybe. She recogniz
ed the sound of air being pushed through a vent somewhere near by. Other than t
hat, it was eerily quiet. She sat there for several long minutes, struggling to
push past this thick haze her head was swimming in when she heard him call her
name.

Liv?
Brody called out her name the minute that he noticed she had opened her
eyes. He remained quiet, letting her gain her bearings but he could only hold
his tongue for so long. He needed to see her, hear her voice.
Liv, baby. Standin
g up from that cursed chair, he made his way to the side of the bed and knelt do
wn beside her. Her confused eyes turned in his direction and he could see the m
illions of questions passing through them.
Swallowing, he lifted his hand and lifted a curl of hair that lay haphazard
ly across her forehead and pushed it back off of her brow.
How do you feel?

Her pink tongue, slipped through her lips, coating her bottom lip. Noticin
g the dryness of her lips, he grabbed the glass of water sitting on the tray bes
ide her bed. She took and sip and swallowed finally able to speak. Her brow knit
ted as she looked up at him.
I m not to sure, she said slowly, desperately trying t
o put pieces together. Where...where am I?

Brody sighed. The vision of her lying in that motel bed, with Patton stand
ing above her and that damned needle in her hand burned brightly in his mind. D
ropping his hand back to his side, he searched her face for any signs of recogni
tion.
You don t remember, do you? He asked her.

She shook her head and squinted her eyes.

Brody, Brody O Connor, is that you?

Brody went to grab her hand and she pulled it back, holding it close to her
chest.
What are you doing here?
She asked, her tone more accusing than question
ing. Why am I here? Where am I?

She tried to sit up, needing to put distance between herself and this guy.
She worked with Brody O Connor but other than that, she didn t have a clue as to wh
y he would be here, with her.

Olivia, he pleaded, placing his hands on her upper arms,

in Hawaii. Do you remember your sisters wedding?

Calm down. We re still

She smacked out at his hands.

Don t touch me, she squealed, not liking how fam
iliar and how comforting that simple touch was. No one touched her like that.
A
nd of course I remember Caley s wedding, she s my sister but my question to you is w
hy in the hell are you here? She started to shake her head, needing to stand up,
needing to get away from him.

No, he told her firmly but gently, reaching out for her hand this time.
You n
eed to lye down Liv. You ve been through quiet an ordeal and getting upset isn t go
ing to help anything. Rest a minute and try to remember what happened. Think b
aby.

Quit calling me that Mr. O Connor. You don t know me from Adam and I would appr
eciate it if you would leave me alone.
She didn t need to think about anything, sh
e knew exactly who Brody O Connor was. He was Raleigh s own playboy extraordinaire
and the last person that she wanted to see right now.

He reached for her hand again, needing her to understand, wanting her to re
member. Liv, please. Your a smart woman, sit down and think a minute. It shoul
d all come back to you.

She jerked her hand away from his, his touch was just
her. He lunged for her again and she jumped off the bed,
reach. Her head spun, but she held on to the side of the
ke him leave.
I don t know why you re here Mr. O Connor,

too disconcerting for

staggering out of his
bed, determined to ma
but I want you to leave- NOW.

She pointed at the door, and Brody felt everything slipping through his han
ds.
Cupcake, you don t mean that. Listen, he implored, coming around to the other
side of the bed and placing his arms on her shoulders so she couldn t continue to
avoid him. She turned her face away from him, not wanting to see that look of d
esperateness in his eyes. Look at me Liv, he insisted.
There was something in the tone of his voice that she couldn t refuse. She c
ouldn t explain it, wasn t even sure if she wanted to explain it. Nothing was makin
g any sense to her. Slowly, she turned her head and met his intense gaze.

Think baby, he said squeezing her shoulders, willing her to see.

Remember our
deal, our plan. He almost laughed at himself at how ridiculous this all sounded
in hindsight. You offered to pay me ten thousand dollars to pretend to be your h
usband on this trip so that your family would stay off your back. You told me t
hat you were tired of them setting you up with every Tom, Dick and Harry that th
ey could rustle up. I refused at first but then countered your offer when my ow
n mother started in on me about marriage and grand kids.
He paused to catch a br
eath. Together we agreed that we would play like we re married to fend off both of
our families. Then there was the stalker, and Patton kidnapping you, the fight
, the heroine... but none of that matters now. What matters is that your safe.

She didn t know what to say to him, while it all sounded eerily familiar it
also sounded ridiculously absurd to her. Her head was throbbing, her stomach was
threatening to spill it s contents, and she just couldn t think straight.

He smiled down at her, In theory, it all sounded like the perfect plan but o
ver time, something else happened Olivia. He bent down and pressed his forehead
against hers, needing her to understand him.
I can t say when it happened Olivia o
r exactly how, but it did and now I can t fight it anymore. I fell in love, I fel
l in love with you.

Her breath hitched. She didn t even know

that preceded him. He was a damn good lawyer,
l the ladies which is precisely why she always
She didn t know his angle or why he was here
s that she wanted him gone.

this guy other than the reputation

and he was a player. He loved al
maintained her distance from him.
in the first place, all she knew wa

Mr. O Connor, She started, ripping herself from his grip. Her heart was going
about a thousand miles a minute and her fingers shook uncontrollably.
I don t know
what you think you re trying to prove by being here or what you want from me. Wh
at I do know is that I don t want you near me.
He was way to male and way to dange
rous in her opinion. If we made some kind of deal then when I return back to the
states I ll be more than happy to write your ten thousand dollar check. If I mad
e this deal, it s over- we re done. You re free to leave.

Damn it! He cursed, wanting to reach out to her but holding back because he w
as all to aware that she would push him away. He fisted his hand into a tight b
all by his side.
I don t want your damn money Olivia. Hell, I m a lawyer too, I hav
e my own, can t you see that?

She took another step back, her mind splitting apart. He was getting to he
r and she didn t understand why. She felt so out of control and that was not like
her at all. She didn t like it, not one bit. Taking a breath, trying to reign i
n what control she did have, she put the question to him. If you aren t here for th
e money Mr. O Connor, then what is that you want? You name it and it s yours, as lo
ng as you just leave me alone.

Brody couldn t
on himself for what
face in his hands.
ant you. Slanting
he had in him. He
her to remember.

take it anymore. Why couldn t she remember? He could kill Patt

she has done. He closed the distance between them, took her
I want you dammit, he cursed, and then hoarsely whispered, I w
his lips, he captured hers and kissed her with everything that
needed her to feel what he felt, see what he saw. He wanted

His lips touched her and fire ran hot in her veins.
nothing more than this kiss to last forever. His tongue
her mouth and she gasped, granting him the entrance that
e was falling, falling hard and that was what she didn t

She jumped and wanted

slid along the seam of
he was begging for. Sh
want to happen.

No!
Ripping her mouth from his. She stepped back from him, feeling completel
y off-kilter, holding her hand to her chest. She couldn t let this happen, not wi
th this man. Leave, please, she begged him, working to catch her breath. She tur
ned away, unable to face him. She didn t know what happened before, she couldn t re
member but after that one kiss, that one soul wrenching kiss, she knew that he w
as far too dangerous to her. This one man could so easily break her and she cou
ldn t let that happen.

Olivia, you don t mean that, Brody whispered from behind her. He started to go
to her, wanting to make her face the truth when another voice interrupted them.

Brody, I think you should do as my daughter asked.

Ted said stepping further
into the room, ready to do what ever he had to do calm Olivia down. He had bee
n standing at the door for the last five minutes and caught most of the conversa
tion and was at a lack of words himself over all that he heard. The fact that s
he would have gone through all of this trouble, faking a marriage, even a pregna
ncy, just to get him off of her back made him feel more than a little guilty.

Then there was Brody. He hated the guy the moment that he met him. Knew h
e wasn t good enough for his daughter but the man proved his worth. The way that
he took that woman down when they found her, convinced him. He loved her, and r
ight now, he wore that fact like a badge on his chest.

I m not leaving, Brody insisted stubbornly, glancing over at Ted.

ght here and not even you old man, can make me leave.

I m staying ri

Ted looked at his daughter, whose back was to him and then back to Brody wh
o was eyeing him.
Can we talk a minute, he gestured towards the hall, Alone.

Brody turned to Olivia and ran his hand through his hair. He didn t want to
talk to Ted, he wanted to convince his daughter that he loved her and make her s
ee that she loved him too. He knew that she did, he felt it in her kiss, she ju
st needed help to remember it. Ted s stance brokered no arguments. He wouldn t leav
e until he appeased him.
Fine, he snapped, glancing back at Olivia one more time
and walking around the side of the bed. You ve got five minutes old man, he said pu
shing past him, Five minutes.

Ted shook his head, five minutes was all that he needed. Pivoting around,
he followed him out the door, closing it quietly behind him.
You aren t really mar

ried, are you?

Brody stared at the other end of the hall with his hands in his pockets, un
able to face him.
No.

She s not pregnant, is she?

No.

He asked softly, needing him to admit the truth.

Brody said again, still refusing to meet his gaze.

And you love her, don t you?

This time Brody did look up and was surprised by what he saw. Ted wasn t ac
cusing him of anything, he didn t look mad, he was just stating an observation.

Yes sir," he breathed out, "I do love her very much and I want her to be my
wife, my real wife with a real marriage.

Alright, Ted said carefully, If you truly love her, if you truly want her hand
in marriage then, he stopped and glanced back at the closed door, knowing how st
ubborn his little Livy could be and sighed. You need to leave her.
What?! Brody snapped his head up and shouted in protest, No!
He vehemently sho
ok his head, leaving her was the last thing that he was going to do now.

Ted held his hand up to the man, feeling for him but trying to do what he t
hought was best for his daughter. Hear me out first.

Brody wanted to argue but kept his mouth closed and glared instead. His b
ody remained rigid where he stood.

Ted nodded in satisfaction.

She needs some time. She doesn t remember the la
st few days and she needs to figure this out for herself. The more you push her
, the more she is going to push back. Believe me, he chuckled, She is more like m
e than any of my other children. I can see it in her eyes, she loves you too bu
t she has to realize that for herself. Until then, you need to give her some sp
ace.

But.. Brody started, and then stopped. What Ted said made perfect sense but
it was the last thing he wanted to do. He didn t want to wait, he wanted her to s

ee it now, realize how good they would be together.

Ted laid a strong hand on his shoulder.

Go home Brody. Give her some time,
she ll come around. She's as stubborn and bull-headed as they come but she has a
big heart and when she loves, she loves with all of it. That kind of love only
comes along once in a life time.

He glanced back at the closed door, his heart torn in two. He didn t want to
leave but deep down, he knew that Ted was right. Without saying a word, he slo
wly started to back away, forcing his feet to move. Eventually, he made himself
turn around and picked up his pace, putting one foot in front of the other. He
heard the door open and close behind him, he knew that Ted had gone back in the
room and then he was running.

Despite everything he was feeling, he was running away. He would go home a

nd he would wait- he would wait and he would hope with all his might that Ted wa
s right because a life without the illustrious Olivia Murray was a life not wort
h living at all.
Chapter 37
You re are going to make a beautiful bride tomorrow. Olivia told her sister whi
le sitting on the edge of the bed, watching her try on her wedding dress. Chewi
ng on her lip, she aid for the umpteenth time, "Caley, I'm sorry for ruining yo
ur special day." She had been feeling a little more than guilty about the delay
and the whole incident with Patton. Most of the family had to go back to the st
ates and was unable to take an additional week off of work to stay for the weddi
ng. The once glamorous affair had been trimmed down to just a handful of friends
and the immediate family.

Caley looked at her sister and gave her a genuine smile, "It's okay, as long
as I have my family here with me, and Devin says 'I do', then it will still be
the best day of my life." Olivia eyes smarted and she fought to hold back the te
ars, hoping that her sister really meant that. She really did want this to be th
e best day of Caley's life. Tilting her head to the side, she lifted the full
skirt of the dress and twirled around.
Do you really think so, I mean, that I'll
be the most beautiful bride?
Standing up, Olivia went to her baby sister and placed her hands on her shou
lders,
I know so," she told her.
You are going to have Devin drooling all over h
imself before you ever get to the end of the aisle.
Caley covered her sisters hand with her own and watched her through the mirro
r. She worried for her. The deep sadness that filled her eyes was more potent
than ever, and no matter how much she tried to hide it, her true feelings were e
tched in the lines of her face.

After she was released from the hospital, she kept herself holed up in her r
oom for three days straight. During that time, she sat around, feeling sorry for
herself. It took the collective efforts of their mother, Ashley and herself to
pull her out of that room. Since then, Olivia has shown up to all of the pre-w
edding day events in body, but it didn t take a genius to see that her mind was el
sewhere. It was easy enough to notice because the doctors had been careful to m
ention that the family should keep a close eye on her. Having been injected with
that strong of a drug she could possibly suffer some withdrawals. What about you
Liv, She whispered, How are you holding up?
Olivia s lips curled up at the corners, it was more of a forced movement of th
e muscles than the real thing.
I m fine, she said, trying to assure her sister, whe
n in reality she was feeling anything but fine.
The painful truth hit her just several hours after she told Brody to leave h
er room. All the memories came flooding back with such a heart shattering inten
sity that her whole body ached from the sting of it. She remembered the deal th
at she proposed, the same one that he had first blown off. Then the next day, h
e came waltzing into her office with a deal of his own. She remembered the dinn
er with his mother, although it was more than a bit awkward, it had been nice, e
ven if everything about it had been a lie. Then there was the week they shared
together at her place, the food fight, the ball games, the bickering, the laughs
and she would never forget the infamous Sponge Bob boxers. But there was also h
is kisses, and wow, that man sure knew how to lay it on a woman. He even put up
with her father. Any normal guy would have run for the hills after the first p
unch, but not Brody O Connor. And through it all, he stuck by her, even after the
second punch. They shared so many memories in such a short amount of time that
Olivia didn't know how she would ever get over losing him; especially since he
was never hers to lose to begin with.
The sole reason that she chose Brody was because she had counted on the fact
that there would be no chances of falling for him. She knew who and what he wa
s up front so there was no expectations. Brody was a ladies man, a genuine play
boy that truly enjoyed the single life. It should ve all been easy, right? A lit
tle bit of fun, a beautiful vacation, fool the parents and when it was all said
and done, they would walk away, using their own separate paths.

If it was all so easy, then why did she feel like this? Why did she feel li
ke her heart had been ripped out of her chest? Because I messed up. Like a foo
l, I let myself fall for him and now, in the end, I fell in love with a man that
could never love me back. I was so stupid.
Caley turned around and took her sisters hands in hers. You re lying to yourse
lf if you believe that Olivia. I can see it in your eyes, I can read it in you
mannerisms. You're in love with him, and if you say you aren't, you're fooling
yourself."
Olivia turned away. No, she said curtly, not wanting to admit the truth. She
was having a hard enough time coming to grips with the reality of it all hersel
f. Besides, she had pushed him away. She told him to leave at the hospital and
he didn't even try to talk her into letting him stay for the wedding. Instead,
he caught the first flight he could out of Hawaii, never turning back. She was
pretty sure that she had lost him forever. It was probably best for the both o

f them, now if she could just convince herself to accept it and move on, she wou
ld be in business.
Brody had his pride, he had his ego and not only had she wounded it, she had
crushed it . He wasn't the type to wait around. He was a mover and a shaker,
probably already shaking it with some other slender blond with sultry eyes or a
leggy brunette with pouty lips. Nothing like the type of woman that she was.
Caley let out a loud sigh.
You re still lying to yourself. You love that man
and even a blind man can see that." Not only could she see that she loved him,
she also saw that Brody, in fact loved her too. "Call him, she urged her sister.
Call him and tell him how you feel.
Olivia gawked and spun away from her sister.
everything that I said to him.

I will not call him, not after

Liv, be reasonable. If you don't do something, you're going to lose him for g
ood.
No Caley, I am being reasonable. Please, can we just drop it?
Olivia pressed
her hands to her eyes. She didn t want to think about this anymore, much less ta
lk about it. Dropping her hands to her side, she glanced over her shoulder at h
er sister. Caley was frowning at her.
Hey, she said, crossing over to her.
I m fin
e, I promise. Olivia said wrapping her up in a sisterly hug.
Don t worry about me.
Tomorrow is your big day and I can t wait for Devin to see you in this dress.

Caley watched her sister for a moment, noticing the stubborn set in her chin
. There was no persuading her when she was like this, she had way too much of t
heir father in her. Alright, she finally conceded, knowing that was the best she c
ould do for now. She just hoped that her head-strong sister would come to her s
enses before it was too late.

****************************************
**************
Are you sure that this is going to work?
e on Brody s breast pocket and grinned.

Cane finished pinning the boutonnier

Oh yeah, this is defiantly going to work."

How do you know? Brody asked nervously. It was the damndest feeling because B
rody O Connor had never been the nervous type. Not in law school, not in the cour
t room, not with the ladies, not ever. But now- today, the day that he planned
to lay it all on the line and propose to a woman who only a week ago told him to
get lost, he was a nervous Nellie.
Cane grinned, stepping back to admire his work. Because I know my sister and
, he dipped his head, I ve seen the mood she s been in all week. She ll accept, mark my
words.

Brody slowly exhaled. After that last argument with Olivia, he left the hos
pital, took a taxi back to the hotel and packed his bags. He had every intentio
n of getting on a plane and flying back to the states that very afternoon, but w
hen the time came to go, he couldn t make himself leave. He had never given up bef
ore and he wasn't quite ready to give up on her or them yet.

Sometime later, he found himself at Seth s hotel door, throwing himself at his
mercy. He needed help and at this point and he would take whatever he could fr
om whoever he could get it from. Seth called Cane and they came up with this cra
zy plan. He wasn't sure it would work but he had to try, it was all he had left.
In the beginning, after hearing the plan he was all gung-ho about it, but no
w, he was beginning to feel the knots twist in his stomach, leading to those dre
aded second thoughts. Olivia was not a woman that took kindly to surprises and
if she rejected him a second time, he didn t know what he would do.
I hope your right, he said, trying hard to keep his tone light. He would cons
ider himself lucky if she didn t kick the crap out of his shin or throw that deadl
y right hook of hers at his face. The black eye that her father had given him w
as just now starting to go away.
Of course I am,

Cane replied confidently.

Did you ever doubt me?

Brody lifted his brows.

You do realize who we are talking about, right?" Bro
dy continued, "We are talking about your sister, Olivia Murray?"
He laughed. Yeah, I know exactly who we re talking about.
Cane slapped Brody o
n the back in a brotherly token of affection. She s a tough chick, but trust me on
this one. You re doing the right thing.
Brody eyed him closely, then nodded.
ause I love her and she loves me.

You re right, I m doing the right thing bec

Damn straight. Now, come on, it s show time.

Brody closed his eyes and took another breath. It was show time alright and
in just a few minutes, he would be exposing himself to all of his vulnerabiliti
es. He just hoped that in the end, it all paid off.
I m right behind you.
****************************************
*******************

Ashley squeezed both Olivia and Caley s hand. They stood just outside of the
reception room with Cane s wife, Lisa, waiting for the music to start. All three
of them were trussed up in these awful baby blue taffeta dresses, resembling som

ething more like parakeets then bridesmaids. None of that mattered though becaus
e this was Caley's day and she looked absolutely gorgeous.
Ashley smiled. Today, her baby sister was getting married and she hoped tha
t Devin and Caley would have a marriage filled with as much love as she had foun
d with Seth. That type of love comes by only once in a lifetime, and when you f
ind it, you had better hold on to it with all that you have because something th
at special and that unique, usually doesn't come around a second time.
She felt that Brody and Olivia had discovered that same kind of love too. S
he noticed it the first time that she saw Brody look at Olivia. It was the litt
le extra sparkle in his eyes that gave it away. And she had no doubts that the
feeling was mutual. Olivia had that same sparkle when she looked back at him to
o. Her sister was just being to bull-headed to admit it. She wished that she
would open her eyes and see what was in front of her face because once you let t
hat type of once-in-a-life-time-love slip through your fingertips- it s gone forev
er.

The piano started and Ashley took her place in the front. Stay behind me and
follow my cue, she whispered to Olivia. Her sister only nodded in return.
Ashley started the slow procession, walking down the aisle, keeping her head
held high with a big smile on her face. The melody continued to play as Olivia
followed in behind her and Lisa bringing up the rear. Once they reached their
predetermined spots the music stopped and the wedding march began to play. The t
hree of them turned, facing the area they had just come from as they waited on C
aley to come through the doors.

The doors opened and what seem like forever was finally here. The three of t
hem watched as Caley appeared and began her walk to the front of the aisle. She
was larger than life as she walked hand in hand with her father down the aisle.
Reaching the minister, everyone watched as Ted gave Caley a light kiss on the
cheek, and ceremonially handed her over to the man that would soon be her husban
d.
Olivia's gaze followed her father as he made his way back to his seat where
her mother was seated, handkerchief already in hand. It was when she started to
turn back around, that her heart stopped in her chest. Every muscle in her bod
y tensed when her eyes landed on, none other than, Brody. Their gazes locked a
nd at that specific moment, it seemed like all time had stopped. The music was
still playing but she didn t hear a single note of it. She felt a light tug on he
r arm, Ashley pulling her back into her place, but her eyes and her attention re
mained focused on Brody.
What is he doing here? Wasn't he supposed to leave? Several emotions began t
o assault her all at once, leaving her short of breath: shock, surprise, anger,
fear, happiness and most importantly, love. The truth of the matter was, she lo
ved this man. She loved him whole heartedly and it hurt her to know that he cou
ld never love her the same.

Marcey had warned her. She should have listened and now she was going to hav
e to suffer. The minister spoke, the ceremony went on, but Olivia never heard t
he words. She was still stuck on Brody. She told him to leave and she had assu
med he had. She hadn't seen him all week and now he's here. But why?
I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride."
Hearing those final words, Olivia blinked and turned just in time to see Dev
in lift her sister s veil and kiss her soundly. The room cheered as they were tur
ned around and were presented for the first time as husband and wife. Olivia fe
lt dumb-struck as she watched her sister and her new husband walk back down the
aisle. She wasn t sure what to do, should she stand there or should she move?
By the time that she decided to follow in behind the pair, she was stopped a
t the front of the room. The very place that her sister and Devin had stood, re
citing their vows. Brody grabbed her hand and turned her to face him, Olivia?
She looked up at him, not sure what to say. Her mind was full of so many qu
estions but she just didn t know where to start.
Olivia, he started again, taking a deep breath. His dark eyes burned into her
s and she gulped. Over the last few weeks, I ve learned a few things. I ve learned t
hat I like it when your feisty, I love to hear the sound of your laugh, I get f
ascinated when I watch you work, and I love it when you try to tell me what I m go
ing to do.
He smiled at her then and continued, I love it when you cook.
She cou
ldn t help but to smile then, remembering their infamous breakfast fight.
I love i
t when you try to not act irritated when I'm watching my baseball.
She snorted a
t that one. I love the way that your nose scrunches up when you sleep and Olivia
Murray, he said, squeezing her hand before going down on bended knee. Most of al
l, I ve learned that I can t live without you. I love you Liv, will you marry me?
h
e asked opening up the little black box housing the engagement ring. The one tha
t Cane and Seth had assured him she would love.
Olivia stared at him, wondering if this was some kind of joke. The room was
so quiet that all she could hear was the patter of her heart as it beat in her
chest. Everyone was watching her, waiting for a response. She glanced back to w
here her family was standing and then back down to him. Are you are you serious?
he finally whispered.
Brody held his smile. Cheesecake, I m as serious as a heart attack. What do yo
u say, will you be my wife, for real this time? Olivia looked back up and scoured
the crowd of friends and family until she found her dad. She caught his gaze an
d the smile on his face told her that he accepted this, he accepted Brody. Only
then, did she realize that her family had been in on this and each and everyone
one, were giving them their blessings.

Olivia snapped her head back down to where Brody was kneeling. She felt th
e wetness slide down her cheek and realized that she was crying. But this time,
it wasn't sadness that brought tears to her face, it was the overwhelming sense
of happiness.

She fell to her knees in front of Brody and framed his face with her hands.
For the longest minute she continued to stare at him, the word sitting on the
tip of her tongue. She wanted to say yes, God she wanted to say yes, but couldn t
force the word to come out of her mouth.
Liv, baby- you re scaring me,
or a no?

Brody tried to laugh.

Is that supposed to be a yes

She leaned into him, bringing her mouth just a mere quarter of an inch from
Yes, Brody, she whispered against his lips.
Yes, I will marry you!

his,

Thank God, Brody said, feeling all the earlier tension suddenly drain from his
body. Olivia pressed her lips to his and kissed him in earnest. The large cro
wd that had been so quiet before while awaiting her answer, cheered again. Bro
dy stood and lifted Olivia in his arms, never leaving her sweet lips, both obliv
ious to the excitement around them. They were completely lost in the passion of
each other s mouth, thinking only of each other and proving that true love can ha
ppen when you least suspect it.
Chapter 38

"So," Brody started, twirling Olivia around on the make-shift dance floor,
"You want to make a break for it?" The wedding ceremony was long over, dinner h
ad been served, toasts had been made and the bride and groom had just exited the
building for a honey moon of their own. Lazy music was still playing in the ba
ck ground and the crowd had been cut in half. The feel of a soft, warm woman in
his arms was doing quite a number on him.

She smiled into his shirt, her head pressed up against his chest. "A break
you say, what kind of break did you have in mind Mr. O'Connor?"

"Mmm," he murmured low in her ear, nipping at the small lobe and then licki
ng over the little love bite to soothe the sting. "A break," he breathed, tigh
tening his hold on her. As their bodies moved in time with the music, he let hi
s hands slide down to the curves just below her hips. "Ever since you agreed to
be my wife, I've thought about nothing other than getting you alone and finishi
ng what we started before we were so rudely interrupted."

"Hmm," she concurred, remembering all to well how good he made her feel und
er the spray of the warm water of the shower. "I think I would like to make a b
reak for it, especially if it means that I get to spend time alone with my new f
iance."

Brody lifted his head and searched the room. Those that were left all seem
ed to be absolved in their own little worlds. Sneaking out of the reception sho

uldn't be all that big of a deal. "Come on," he said, releasing her hips and gr
abbing her hand. She giggled as he pulled her to the back of the room and stalk
ed towards the door way.

Half way there, he stopped and glanced back over his shoulder, shooting her
one on his brilliant smiles. What? He mouthed, when she smiled back at him.
Olivia shook her head. "Nothing, just move your feet and go."

"Okay." He chuckled, holding up his hands in surrender. "I'm going," he a

dded and started to move again. He was going to get her alone this time and not
hing short of a bomb exploding would stop him. He had been waiting and anticipat
ing entirely too long to see what she would feel like underneath him, how she wo
uld look when she peaked. He gritted his teeth, feeling himself grow hard at th
e mere thought of finally being able to make slow, sweet, passionate love to her
.

They slid through the door, hand in hand and was about to round the corner
when a familiar face stepped in front of him. "Brody," Ted said holding his han
d out in front of him in greeting.

Brody glanced at the hand he held out and took it with his free hand. "Sir
," he nodded, and waited to see what the old man had to say. If the expression o
n his face said anything, he most definitely had something on his mind.

Ted glanced over at Olivia, the only daughter of his who had yet to marry.
There were times that he wondered if she would ever marry. Unfortunately, she
was so much like him it was scary and that meant she was as stubborn as the stoc
k that she came from. When he first met Brody, he thought he was nothing more t
hat one of those upper class yahoos that cared more about their looks than they
did about a woman's feelings. Now though, he knew differently. Brody was a man
that had earned his worth. He was good for his baby girl. He would take care
of her and keep her out of trouble. He smiled at that particular thought, most
of the time anyway.

"I just wanted to say congratulations," Ted said, looking at Brody then tur
ning to his daughter. "And," he let out a small sigh, "Thank you."

Brody slighted and cocked his head to the side. "Thank you," he whispered
, curious as to what he was actually thanking him for. Was the man goading him
or was he being genuine? When Ted's lips curled up into some semblance of a smi
le and he stepped forward, engulfing him in a manly hug, he had his answer.
Too stunned to speak, he awkwardly patted the mans back and waited for him
to release him. When the hug was over, Ted never met his eyes, instead, he turn
ed to Olivia, hugged her as well and kissed her on the cheek. Without speaking,
he walked between them and disappeared into the reception room that they just l
eft.

"What was that?" Brody asked, his brows wrinkling up to form a perfect frow
n. He had turned his head, staring at the empty doorway and scratched at his he
ad.

Olivia laughed out loud and reached for his hand, giving him a tug forward.
She was more interested in getting up to the room. "I think that means he jus
t accepted you."

Brody was more than willing to let himself be led, especially when it was h
is beautiful fiance taking him in hand. "Me?" He said, not bothering to hide hi
s surprise.

"Yes, you," she agreed, stopping at the elevator and pressing the button th
at would take them up. She turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck.
That's supposed to be a good thing."

"If you say so," he said, staring down into her dark eyes, eyes that watche
d and tempted him, eyes that drove him wild. Leaning in, he lightly brushed his
lips against hers just because at this point, he couldn't not kiss her. He nee
ded her like he had never needed any other.

The elevator bell dinged, and the door slowly

e elevator, pulling Olivia with him. Leaning over
at would take them up to their floor. As the door
at her and let out a slow breath, "Do you have the
me Liv?"

opened. Brody backed into th

her, he pressed the button th
closed, he glanced back down
faintest idea what you do to

Her slow and sexy grin coupled with the way that her fingers played with th
e hair at the nape of his neck sent all kinds of interesting feelings through hi
s blood stream and to his head. "Ohhh," she drawled out, " I think I have a pre
tty good idea."

"You do, huh?"

"Actually, yeah." She continued to twiddle her fingers at the back of his n
eck, taking satisfaction in the way that his pupils darkened a shade and then di
lated. "Probably the same exact things that you do to me."

"Really?" He tilted his head back some to see her better, "And what would s

ome of those things be?"

The elevator door opened again and Olivia pulled out of his arms. She grab
bed him by the hand and pulled him into the hallway. "I have a better idea, why
don't I just show you instead."

"I'm down with that," he remarked, stopping in front of their hotel room do
or. He grabbed the key out of his back pocket and double checked the room numbe
r to make sure they had the right room. Satisfied, he quickly swiped the key an
d pushed open the door, waving Olivia in. "Ladies first."

She smiled again and lowered her lashes, as she sashayed past him. She mad
e sure to add a little hip action in her walk, hoping to tempt him. If the grow
l sound that he made low in his throat was anything to go by, her mission was su
ccessfully accomplished.

Brody gulped when she entered the room. Finally, he thought to himself. A
fter all this time, he was going to make her his. When she began to strut, her
hips moving teasingly from side to side, his control finally snapped. All after
noon, he reigned it in, held on to it with all that he had. Now, it was long go
ne.

He followed her into the room, kicking the door closed with the heel of his
boot. In three quick strides he was on her. Turning her around, he let go of
all pretenses and covered her mouth with his. Tasting, sipping and reveling in
the heat that she so openly offered to him. She was sweet, so damn sweet that h
e could stand there and kiss her all night if she allowed him. Just as long as
she was here, with him.

When Brody's lips touched her mouth, she was gone. The fire that had been
so carefully banked within her flared to life. She felt the effects of his kiss
all the way down to her toes. Unwilling to wait, she started to tug at the but
tons of his shirt. It took her all of ten seconds to say the hell with it and j
erk the shirt open, letting the buttons fly across the room.

He chuckled against her mouth but let her pull the shirt off of him, all th
e while letting his lips travel along the length of her jaw. Her small fingers
splayed against his chest and his breath hitched as the sensation rolled through
him. Feeling more out of control than ever, he forced himself to take a step b
ack and turned her around. He struggled to temper out his breathing, needing he
r naked, wanting to feel her skin to skin.

She started to protest his distance when suddenly, with practiced hands, he

pulled down the zipper to her dress and removed it all in one felt swoop. "Ssh
," he hoarsely whispered, pulling her back to his chest. Dropping his head, he
laid a kiss on her bare shoulder. "Slowly," he said, kissing along the side of
her neck. "I want to do this very slow."

Reaching behind her, she leaned into him and wrapped her hands around his n
eck. "Okay," she agreed and felt the heat of his hands as he traced along the s
ides of her body. "You are so beautiful," he muttered, finding the sweet spot u
p under her ear. "So incredibly beautiful."

Olivia was lost. He pretty much had her at hello, it just took her some ti
me to realize it. Soon enough, she would be married to this man but right now,
she was going to make love to him. "Brody," she sighed, turning around in his
arms, "Don't make me wait, please."

He took her face in his hands, dropped a sweet kiss on her forehead and the
n gently lifted her into his arms. "Love me," he told her, revealing all of his
vulnerability through those two words, "Just love me."

"Always," she replied

er knees to watch him. She
than her lacy white bra and
s and her garter and it was

sitting on the edge of the bed. She crawled up on h

looked like an angel, sitting there in nothing more
matching slip of panties. She still had on her heel
like his ultimate fantasy come to life.

He worked fast to rid himself of the rest of his clothing. First he kicked
off his boots, then he pushed off his pants. Last but not least, he all but to
ssed his socks to the side. He hadn't bothered with boxers today, thank God, so
baring himself to her was a quick and easy process. Standing there in front of
her, naked as the day he was born, he had never been so aroused in his life.

Olivia beckoned him to her with two fingers, the sight making his arousal a
lmost painful in it's intensity. He crossed the room and captured her mouth, ea
sily laying her back on the bed. He came over her and proceeded to kiss every i
nch of visible skin, starting with the top of her head, working his way down to
her chest where he skillfully removed her bra, revealing to him unbidden treasur
es. Her breathy moans urged him on as his mouth continued to travel down the l
ength of her abdomen, stopping just above the intricate lace of her panties.

He tucked his trembling fingers into the waist line and slowly drew her pan
ties down her silky thighs and over the crest of her feet. Now, he grinned, sit
ting up enough so that he could get a good look at her. "Perfection," he breath
ed out, letting his fingers slowly dance back up her legs. "Absolute perfection
."
Her hands wrapped around the center of his back. "This," she said, getting

her feel of his taught muscles, "Is perfection."

He hovered over her now, his mouth only scant inches from hers. "I beg to
disagree Counselor."

She smiled back at him, that confident smile that she used to sway many jur
ies back home. "You do, do you?" She quipped and then licked along his bottom l
ip. "This is one argument that I can guarantee you won't win Counselor."

He grunted, and let it go for now. He had more important things that he wa
nted to do with her mouth than to listen to her argue with him. Pressing his li
ps to hers, they started out slow. Hands moving and touching each other. Disco
vering each other and bringing each other insurmountable pleasures. There bodie
s began to move and writhe together in a mating dance as old as time. When she w
as good and ready, Brody united them together in one long, deep thrust.

She gasped at the sudden invasion and before she could think, he started to
move. It was a beautiful tango that went back and forth, driving the two of th
em towards a crescendo like no other. Up and up they went, sweat drenched bodie
s gliding together until that one pivotal moment- that single moment where every
thing in Olivia broke apart and her muscles contracted, sending Brody into a sta
te of unimaginable oblivion. On a muted growl, he called out her name as his wh
ole body stiffened and seconds later, he collapsed on top of her, struggling to
hold off the majority of his weight.

For several long minutes, neither of them spoke. They laid there in each o
thers arms, the only sounds in the room was the sound of their hard pants as the
y both worked to calm down. "That was...... that was......," Olivia started and
then stopped at a total loss of words. Instead of speaking, she kissed his bar
e chest.

"Yeah," Brody agreed, moving to the side of her. He pulled her along side
of him so that she was tucked into his side and pressed a sweet kiss on the back
of her neck. "That was simply amazing." He kissed her shoulder this time and
rested his head against the pillow. "And to think, this is only the beginning L
iv," he smiled into her hair, "The beginning of a life time."
Epilogue

They were coming to the end of what could only be described as a perfect da
y in Brody's book. News arrived right before they boarded the plane, that Patto
n had been sentenced. She had been found guilty for attempted murder. She plea
ded insanity, just like they knew she would and was now fated to spend the next
few years in a nice, comfy room of her own, decorated with white padded walls an

d big metal bars on the windows. Now she could finally get the help she so desp
erately needed. They couldn't have expected better results.

With the past behind them, Brody insisted on carrying Olivia, bridal style, a
ll the way to the their room, only stopping in front of the door. So Mrs. O Conner,
" he said, looking down at her gorgeous face. "One year later, it seems as thou
gh we have come full circle. Here we are," he grinned, "Back at the very place
where it all started. What do you think about that?
It had only been twenty four hours since they finally said their vows, offic
ially making them husband and wife in every sense of the word. Thanks to a surp
rising wedding present from the ambiguous Ted Murray, they were back in Hawaii a
nd getting ready to enter the exact same hotel room that they shared during Cale
y s wedding.
With her arms wrapped around his neck, she lifted her head and kissed his st
ubbled chin.
I think that you need to hurry up and get us in our room Mr. O'Conn
or.
He snorted, I can t argue with that. Maintaining his hold on her with one arm,
he shifted his body around and pulled the key card out of his back pocket. In f
ive more minutes, they would be in the room and he planned to start this honey m
oon off the right way, with lots and lots of fireworks. His hand outstretched,
he was two seconds away from swiping the key card when a clipped voice called ou
t to them.
You!
Both, Brody and Olivia snapped their heads to the side to see a Nun standing
three rooms down. She narrowed her eyes on them and crossed herself with her h
and, mumbling some words that they couldn t quite make out. It wasn t just any Nun
either, it was the Nun. The same one that accused them of being fornicators a y
ear ago.
Oh boy, Brody groaned, dropping his head on Liv s shoulders. It would be just th
eir luck to run into her now, on this night of all nights.
What? Olivia asked, clearly confused. She didn t understand the strange animosi
ty that was coming from the sister. Her face seemed vaguely familiar to her tho
ugh, like maybe she had seen her before but she couldn t place her. Why is she look
ing at us like that?
Brody let out a slow breath and turned to the Nun. He held up their joined
hands and proudly showed off their wedding bands.
We re married now, he pointed out
to her, hoping that she would finally get off the fornicator bit.
The sister glared at them for a moment and then with a haughty lift of her
chin, she pivoted away from them, shaking her head. She pulled out her key and
with a few jerky movements, she unlocked her door and disappeared in a swish of

black robes.
Olivia looked up at him and furrowed her brow. What was that all about? She as
ked again, thinking that it was the oddest experience that she ever witnessed.
She thought all Nuns were sweet and gentle people. This one definitely had a ma
jor chip on her shoulder and she wondered why.
Brody never did tell her the story
, only to be properly chastised by the
r now. Maybe someday, it would be one
he Thanksgiving table, but not when he
mating his marriage.

about how they ended up in the wrong room

Nun and he didn t really plan on telling he
of those funny stories that you tell at t
was only moments away from finally consum

It s nothing, he insisted, flashing her a smile that in the not so distant past
had stolen hundreds of hearts. Now, the only heart he wanted to steal was his s
tubborn wife s. She opened her mouth to protest and Brody quickly covered it with
his own, effectively shutting her up. For several long minutes, he kissed her
deeply in the hall, enjoying the sweet taste that he had come to know as his wif
e. When the chains of passion began to tighten around him, he lifted his head a
nd was satisfied seeing her half lidded eyes staring back up at him.
Room, he mur
mured and she nodded in agreement.
Swiping the card, he pushed open the door and carried his bride over the thr
esh hold. She giggled and held on to his neck as his lips continued to play hav
oc against her skin.
Walking over to the bed, Brody lightly tossed her on the down blanket and st
ood over her. You know, he said, working the buttons on his shirt, I have waited s
o long for this moment.

s.

She sat up and watched him, grinning while she worked the zipper on her dres
And why is that Mr. O Conner?

Pulling the shirt down his arms, he tossed it to the floor and started on hi
s belt.
Because, you re officially mine, he told her, And now that you are mine, I w
ant to make slow, sweet love to you, all night . long.
She chuckled, pushing the sun dress down the length of her body.
ting a while for something too, she commented.

I ve been wai

Really, he lowered his voice while taking off his slacks, one leg at a time an
d keeping his gaze firmly locked with hers. His arousal was already straining a
nd he couldn t wait to get her in the bed and underneath him. She looked so beaut
iful sitting there, in nothing but her lacy lingerie. Why is that? He finally ask
ed, sensing that she was waiting for him to say something more.
Olivia stood up and walked over to Brody, taking his large hand in hers.
Bec
ause I wanted to tell you about this, she said, placing his palm against her flat
belly. How do you feel about being a daddy Counselor?
Brody stilled, his eyes flitting from her face, back down to her belly.

You

mean.. a baby?
He bent down and in silent wonder, palmed her stomach with both h
ands. A real live baby is in there? Our baby?
Yes, she told him, trying to hide her smile. She had been a little unsure of w
hat his reaction would be when she told him the news. She hoped he would be hap
py, but she wasn't sure. They had talked about having kids but nothing had yet
been decided. After being two weeks late though, she broke down and bought one
of those home pregnancy test, and a big pink plus sign winked at her.
It's our b
aby.
Brody kissed her belly, and stood up, cradling her face with his hands.
Oliv
ia O'Conner, he whispered hoarsely, I say that you just made me the happiest man o
n earth.
He brushed a kiss against her lips.
I love you," he stated," staring de
ep into her chocolate eyes. "I love you now, I'll love you for always and I ll lov
e you forever.
Olivia felt the familiar sting of tears fill her eyes and her throat thicken
ed. When she first pitched her idea to Brody about renting him out for a husban
d, she never imagined what all she d gain in the end. A new husband that loved he
r as much as she loved him and now a baby to share their love with. I love you t
oo Brody O Conner, for now, she said and kissed his cheek.
For always, she whispered
this time, kissing the other cheek.
And forever, she finished, sealing her solem
n vow with a single kiss to his lips.
THE END