Page 52 of Rivals Next Door

After Olivia and I parted to get cleaned up after our hot little session, I ran into her in the hallway in front of her bedroom. We had the most awkward conversation about not using protection. She said it was okay because she was on the pill.

Idiot that I was, I allowed my jealous beast to speak and blurted, “The pill? Who the hell else are you fucking? I thought you were single.”

Olivia had scoffed and said, “Careful, Alex. You sound jealous.”

My derisive snort had been so full of bullshit it wasn’t funny. Yeah, I was kinda jealous and that irked me to the core. What was wrong with me? We proceeded to bicker like the enemies we now were, which led to that pesky sexual tension (that refused to stay away) rising to epic proportions. Her bed was right there in our sights and we just… went for it.

So, there I was, the morning after, lying in Olivia’s bed and staring at the ceiling after logical-Alex made his way back to town.

Olivia was still fast asleep. She was curled up beside me with her face buried in my neck and an arm and a foot thrown over me. This was exactly how she used to sleep beside me—on me, really. It was like we were still…

No. Absolutely not!

Something like panic clawed at my chest. I wasn’t even one to panic. I had to get out of here. I gingerly edged away from Olivia, trying to untangle myself from her. My plan was to make my escape before she woke up to nix the awkwardness I knew was in store.

I was almost home free. I sat up and my feet touched the rug beside her bed when…

“Alex?” Her voice was husky with sleep.

My entire body tensed. Damn. I admit, I didn’t want to face the things I still felt for her because I was disappointed in myself for still feeling them.

“Sorry to wake you. Go back to sleep. I’ll show myself out.”

Her silence made me chance a look at her over my shoulder.

Olivia sat with the sheet clutched to her chest. She stared at me with knowing eyes. “Were you going to sneak out?”

“I was just going to leave… no sneaking.”

Her lashes lowered to conceal her eyes. “Right. Thanks for the company, I guess,” she said.

There was a note of hurt in her voice, but I ignored it and got up without a word. I thought she’d let me leave without the uneasy back and forth, but as I found the rest of my clothes in the living room and quickly dressed, she appeared. I avoided looking at her because my emotions were too muddled and there was too much going on in my head.

When I took a step toward the foyer, she said, “I can’t believe you’re really leaving as if?—”

“As if what, Olivia?” I spun around to hit her with a scowl.

Pink infused her cheeks, but she kept her shoulders squared. “As if we didn’t prove that there’s still something between us.”

I laughed, but it was void of humor. “So you want me to get over the fact that we had a nasty breakup where you said things I don’t think I can forgive you for just because we fucked a couple of times?”

The color that had filled her cheeks seeped away, leaving her pale. Of course, I instantly felt bad about my harsh words, but it was the truth. She knew that, which was why I suspected she didn’t argue.

“Look, Olivia, don’t get any ideas about us, okay? Last night was a moment of weakness… a mistake. I wasn’t thinking clearly.” I really wasn’t because I’d been too hopped up on being her hero again, and remembering what we used to share got my mind all messed up. “What happened doesn’t mean BioTech won’t be mine soon.”

A mixture of disbelief and hurt quickly passed across her features before settling into a look of hardened resolve. “If you’re so hellbent on destroying me, why help me with Liam’s situation?”

“Well, I actually like him, Olivia. I can separate my Brentwoods. Besides, I enjoy getting criminals off the streets.”

She snorted and spat, “You didn’t fuck me like you don’t like me.”

I glowered at her. She had me there… Obviously, I didn’t really hate her as I’d convinced myself over the years. Still, I refused to let on to the fact, and I wasn’t about to give her the satisfaction of having the last word. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. That’s how I fuck every woman.”

Her jaw tightened and her eyes narrowed. “Asshole.”

“I’ve been called worse.” With a cool smile, I said, “Later, Liv.”

As soon as the elevator doors closed, I blew out a long breath and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Alex, you idiot.”

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