Olivia Sparks

Maxen unbuttoned his suit jacket and slid inside the car, banging the door just to make sure his message was sent across to Olivia. To say that he was flabbergasted was an understatement. 

He closed his eyes when the car started to traverse to their destination, the Lin Ancestral House, which was an hour drive away from Rockaway Tower. 

It was high noon when the convoy emerged from the bas.e.m.e.nt parking and the sun shone brightly. After a while, he opened his eyes when he felt the sun's glare c.a.r.e.s.s his side profile that was propped on his fist on the window console. 

"I'm sorry if I didn't ask you before making a decision," Maxen trailed off, rubbing the skin on top of his eyebrow. "But don't you think it's unfair to take back your words just because you were upset at me?"

He glanced at Olivia's way. She was still looking far out the window, refusing to meet his gaze so he pinched her chin and tilted it towards him but she still held her ground by closing her eyes.

"Baby, look at me," he cooed, to which Olivia replied with a "Nope. Not happening." She peeled his hand from her chin before pulling out her phone from her bag to check her emails.

Maxen's lips twitched at her defiance but he finally let the matter go. He realized that there's no use in forcing his way on her as she would just fight back every step of the way. 

His mind was aimlessly going in circles, thinking of ways to figure her out. He could score a ten on a lot of things except on Olivia. She's a different kind of species to him, one that would puzzle him to no end. 

Being with her felt like walking in a forest full of landmines; you'll never know when one would blow up to your face.

It didn't take long for the envoy to leave behind the bustling metro traffic and its skyscr.a.p.ers. Slowly, the metro's skyline was replaced by lush greenscapes on the outskirts of the country's capital. 

Lines of trees and scattered houses either on the plane or up on the mountain ridges could be seen on the left while crashing waves could be seen and heard on the right. And if one would roll down the window, you could almost taste the sea when the fresh sea salt air would blast one's face.

They were only halfway through their journey, and Olivia was fast asleep, still tired from last night's bedroom activities. However, the lack of shade from the towering buildings blinded Olivia in her seat that she started to wiggle. 

Seeing her squint, Maxen, who was still upset at her for taking back her word, covered her eyes with his big palm as she opened her eyes. She deliberately ignored him and scrambled in her bag for her sunglasses.

"Thanks," she curtly said, not sparing him a glance and before she could put on her sunglasses, she peeked at him and saw his brooding face but instead of getting affected, she teased him more. 

Facing him, Olivia played with Maxen's tie and loosened it up for him.

"What's wrong, baby?" she purred as she swept her hand on his t.h.i.g.h. She also batted her eyelashes for maximum flirting effect.

In an instant, Maxen's foul mood flowed from cold to warm with her cajoling. He scoffed at Olivia before closing his eyes while shaking his head. 

He knew what she's trying to do and he should be annoyed at her but there he was, enjoying the ruffle of her fingers on the fabric of his tie that played music to his ears. He was also basking in the warmth of her other hand that swept his t.h.i.g.h, enough to thaw the frost in his blue eyes. 

Olivia continued to pick on Maxen and whispered in his ear, "Why are you upset, baby? I thought you wanted to come with me this afternoon? You were even generous to gift Finn Flame's baby."

Maxen held her hand on his t.h.i.g.h hostage, gently squeezing it when she reminded him of what he had to give up just so he could have access at the Lin's ancestral home. "You don't have to take it out on me when all I ever wanted was to be there for you, beside you, even in the most simple thing as a doctor's appointment."

"You could have asked me first. Big or small decisions, you should at all times ask me first. You even went as far as gifting Flame's baby to Finn. Who's Flame anyway? Is she your horse? Tiger? Some exotic animal?"

"She's my black beauty." Maxen ruefully smiled. "And it took us years to find the perfect match for her. So laugh at me all you want for gifting a three year old a million dollar horse so I could stay beside you and keep you company." 

He pinched her cute nose just because he could not keep his hands off her which Olivia swatted, crinkling her nose after. 

"I'm not sure if Finn will like a pony though. Maybe Ava would, but Finn? He's more into small cuddly animals. I brought him once to a petting zoo and he ran as fast as he could from the stables." She beamed at the memory of Finn running amok in the zoo. 

Unbeknownst to her, while she was speaking, Maxen tucked the center console between them, removing the hindrance that kept him from coming closer to her. He pulled and lifted her legs over his l.a.p so she could stretch it to relieve her knees from the long journey.

"I think he would learn to love it as he grows older." Maxen's voice crooned her. It was full of hope and positivity that a vision of them, playing with a bigger horse and an older version of Finn flashed in her mind too.

"That will take years before it happens… or not." She scoffed at him but a small smile escaped her lips that the frown on her face was replaced by it.

After what felt like forever since their petty argument, Maxen loosened up too after seeing her smile albeit short and fleeting. It boosted his confidence and he was partly relieved that at least they were back in their comfortable element, talking and not arguing. 

Out of nowhere, Olivia felt his hand crept up on her back, pulling her closer and pinning her to Maxen's body.

Totally caught off guard, Olivia grabbed Maxen's tie as he dipped his head and robbed a kiss on her lips. 

Soft. Warm. Brief. 

Too brief that he left her wanting for more when he pulled back.

How could she be that weak? It was just a kiss. It should not crack down her defenses but it did because she ached for more. 

So she did. 

Hard. Overpowering. 

She bit his lips too before opening her mouth to grant him access to it.

Carried away, Maxen whisked her off her seat and straddled her on his l.a.p, cinching her waist with his tight grip as he swept his tongue inside her in circles, playing swords with her tongue, tasting all her glorious sweetness.