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Olivia
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I wake up to the smell of coffee and bacon. Hmm...bacon, it is my birthday. Rourke rarely has bacon. Sliding out of bed, I follow my nose to find Rourke in the kitchen with an apron on and boxer briefs. He sees me and smiles. Best birthday present ever. I slide my arm around his middle. “Thank you, it smells yummy.”
“Let’s see how you feel when you taste it. I got the low-sodium kind. It’s in the oven, timer says six minutes, you have time for a quick shower.”
With a peck on his cheek I go to take a very quick shower, careful to keep my hair dry. Then I go back into the kitchen wearing my robe, leaving it open. I love the way Rourke’s eyes run over me in satisfaction.
While he pulls the bacon out he goes to the refrigerator and takes out a carton of eggs. I make myself a cup of coffee and watch him work. It’s something I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of, watching Rourke period but especially watching him cook for me, the way he thoroughly enjoys taking care of me. I loathe even thinking of Connor, as there is no real comparison, but Connor always wanted me to do everything for him, he couldn’t make his own sandwich. Not Rourke, he is constantly in motion to make my life easier, better.
Which reminds me. “Thank you for putting all the clothes I bought yesterday away. I appreciate it. By the time I was able to escape Jacqueline I was running late. I’m also sorry, but she says she’s going to bill you for helping me shop yesterday.”
He shrugs. “I’m happy to pay her since I loved what you bought, especially all the lovely lingerie I can’t wait to see you in. You better make sure to pack all of it to spend the next week or so at my place.”
“Yes, sir.” A whole week at Rourke’s...I can’t wait.
Setting down a plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon, he kisses my cheek. “Happy birthday, sweetheart. So what do you want to do for your birthday?”
I really can’t think of anything. “I can’t think of a better way to spend it than with you in bed all day.”
Shaking his head, he kisses me. God, I love his kisses...every time I could get lost in them. “I’ll come up with something. Until then, why don’t you open this?”
He takes out a little box from the pocket of the apron. My heart stops as I slowly open the box. I swallow: earrings, stunning, sparkly diamond earrings, each one a karat. “Oh, they are stunning.” I’m shaking my head. I can’t take these. His eyes warn me, dare me to refuse them. I sigh as I nod. “Thank you, I love them.”
“Put them on, sweetheart.”
Forcing a smile, I take out my inexpensive little gold ball earrings, then put on the diamond ones. “You’re spoiling me.”
“Only if you didn’t appreciate them would I be spoiling you. Eat up. I want to get you back to my place and completely naked again.”
With that as an incentive I eat quickly, then pack. Rourke keeps adding to my suitcase, then grabs the bag with the two dresses. “Maybe we’ll go out for dinner, we don’t want to have to come back here.”
I shrug. Whatever he wants. I am surprised though when instead of the Veyron there’s a Town Car outside. When he explains about the room needed for the suitcase it makes sense. Only as he drives, we aren’t going toward his place. I’m quiet until we head out to toward the airport.
His eyes are on me. He smiles down on me. “I got a little surprise for you.”
“Sneaky.” I’m excited. I love surprises, and Rourke taking time for a vacation is better than diamonds any day. Then Rourke pulls up to a jet. Wow, it’s big. I follow, stunned as he helps me up the stairs. There’s seating for about ten people, a smiling female flight attendant and female captain and male copilot who all introduce themselves, but I’m still too shocked to take it all in.
Shortly after takeoff once the seatbelt light goes off, Rourke draws me out of my seat to the back where there is a queen bed and a small bathroom. Holy crap. “Where are we going?”
“I thought we’d start in London for five days, then three days checking out the Tours property. How does that sound?”
“It sounds amazing, thank you, thank you.” I’m kissing him all over his beautiful face.
He laughs. “You’re welcome. We have nine hours in the air until we get to London. Now get down on your knees and show me how grateful you are.”
I’m wet at the order as I go down on my knees. My hands go to his pants to free him. Nine hours in bed with the man I love, who is taking me to the city I’ve longed to see for years. Best. Birthday. Ever.
***
Olivia
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As the days fly too fast in London, my thoughts of this being the best birthday ever grow. Rourke does all the touristy stuff with a smile on his face, never complaining or groaning even once. We see the Tower of London, the National Gallery, the British Museum, wander through Camden Market, ride the Eye, twice, have lunch in St. James Park then dinner on a private boat on the Thames, where I try quail eggs and deem them yummy. Every night I fall asleep clinging to Rourke, finding it hard to believe it isn’t a dream.
When the time comes to leave I’m sad yet hopeful we’ll be back together in the future, that there will be a Rourke and me in the future. Landing at the tiny airport in Tours, a car is waiting for us. The drive to the property is longer than I thought, almost a half hour out of town. As we turn down the long drive I see why: the drive itself is almost a mile long. Wow, I get why Cheryl called it a castle. It has small turrets, so in my mind it’s a castle.
While Rourke walks me through it, the idea of a castle does slowly fade. It’s huge, yet intimate, even the fifteen-foot ceilings with rough timber across them. The floors are all intricately crafted; I can’t believe it dates back to the fifteenth century. There are nine bedrooms the reason it took so long to update was because of the addition of a bathroom to each bedroom while maintaining the feel took careful planning. I’m relieved there are no slick surfaces, shiny chrome, or bright lights anywhere. I am in awe of how large the kitchen and the working fireplaces in the home are. It slips out: the word, “Home.” The word stops Rourke.
“That’s it, isn’t it? It feels like a home, not a hotel.” His eyes are roaming over the huge expanse of land as we walk out of the doors from the kitchen to the back.
I nod. “Crazy, right? Nine bedrooms doesn’t scream family home, only it feels like home and I would hate the idea of people roaming around in it, using it without loving it.”
The original three days become five as Rourke checks in with Cheryl to find she hasn’t left San Antonio yet and he shrugs, saying he’s in no rush. He has to work for a few hours of the day out of the library. While he does I walk the property and swim in the huge indoor pool or read in the library while he works. As the days pass, it grows to feel more and more like home each day.
Until our peace is broken by a phone call in the middle of the night. It’s a nurse calling me to let me know my sister is in the hospital and her husband is in jail for beating her. I’m in shock; thank god as usual, Rourke takes over. Within an hour we are packed up and in the air. He calls Gabe to pick up the kids and take them back to Cheryl’s house. Then he calls Cheryl to let her know about the kids being there until we get things sorted out. Cheryl is adamant she’s on her way home to help even as Rourke tries to get her to stay where she is.
Rourke makes a call to get the whole story on what happened. Apparently it’s not the first time Larry has beat my sister; however, it’s the first time a blow to her head broke skin, and the blood freaked them both out and she called 911. She has a broken rib, but they aren’t sure if it’s a fresh break or old one because Stella admitted she thinks it happened a few weeks ago. I’m so upset I’m shaking.
Stella told the cops it started when she voiced wanting to leave him three months ago. He threatened her and the girls with his gun. With the threats and the beating they can charge him with a few things, but his mother is already there asking how much it will cost to bail him out.
Rourke talks with the prosecutor on the case to at least see if Larry can be held overnight until we get home. It won’t be a problem. He also thinks he can see bail set high, as this isn’t the first time Larry has beat a woman and threatened further violence, then made good on it.
This feels like a nightmare, and any moment I’ll wake up safe and warm in Rourke’s arms. Only it’s not, I know it’s not. A violent shiver overtakes me as I remember the late-night phone call so many months ago when Stella talked about leaving. She was asking for my help then, except I got to helpful, then too excited scaring her away from me, right back to Larry. Acid eats away at the back of my throat as I fight not to vomit at the fear this was all my fault.
Maybe if I had let her take the lead, not jumped like I always do trying to fix things, this wouldn’t have happened. As I sob for my sister and nieces and how stupid I’ve been Rourke holds me close, promising to take care of all of us, that everything is going to be all right, he’ll make sure of it. I cling to him, crying harder as I wonder how anything could be all right ever again when I failed my sister so badly?