Everything else faded, and it was only Ollie and me. Even in our drunken, spontaneous moment with the others only feet away, Ollie made me feel like we were the only two people in the universe. He grabbed the back of my head, pressing our lips fiercely together to suffocate his moans, and my fingers held on to his hair tightly. “Mia, I’m—
I nodded before his mouth crashed to mine again. His entire body flexed as he pinned me against him, holding our kiss until the holy feeling passed.
Knowing I was the one to bring him pleasure—to cause his breathing to shudder and his body to tense before melting into a perfect bliss—gave me every reason to adore him that much more. He dropped his head into my shoulder as I ran my fingers through his hair.
This beautiful creature loved me, and I would never understand it.
After a few adjustments, he pulled me over his chest and stroked my hair as we calmed our breathing. “Ollie?” I whispered.
“Yeah?” he asked with his fingers in my hair.
“How many people have you loved before me?”
He grinned. “None.”
“How many have you slept with before me without a condom?”
“None.”
I lifted my head off his chest. “Why?”
“I had my fair share, Mia. But I knew as soon as I saw you, I was looking at the one. A condom means a casual fuck to me, and you are anything but. I believe in what we have, and as long as you were on birth control, I wanted to give myself to you completely. No barriers, no fucking condom, just me. Something I’d never given any woman before you. There never will be anyone else, I’m certain of it …” He ran his thumb down my bottom lip before resting his fingers under my chin, “I love you, Mia. I never told anyone that, ever. You have my entire heart, and you have the power to rip it out of my chest and obliterate it completely, but I have belief you won’t.”
It was a far better explanation than I could have asked for. Ollie had given me more than just himself. He’d lain it all on the line—his love, his feelings, his body—following a belief we were meant to be together. It was a beautiful thing, becoming entirely vulnerable to another human being who could potentially destroy you. But no doubts ever came from him. No hesitations. No questions.
“What are you two doing over there?” Isaac asked, and I’d forgotten we weren’t the only two people in the room as Ollie’s nose brushed mine.
“Mind your own, mate,” Ollie called out.
“Why are you glowing over there, Ollie?” Alicia teased. “You sure seem to be in a better mood all of a sudden.”
Ollie let out a raspy yet nervous chuckle as he grabbed the closest pillow and chucked it behind me at them. “Shut up, would ya?” he said and leaned back against the wall, his cheeks flushed.
“Mia, why don’t you come over here and take care of me next,” Isaac suggested and followed with a laugh, but the mood shifted entirely.
Ollie gripped my waist and pulled me to the side before springing to his feet. Before I knew what was happening, Ollie had hoisted Isaac off the floor and pushed him against the wall at his chest. “You don’t talk to her like that. Do you understand what I’m saying to you?” Isaac’s face turned crimson and nodded against the wall before Ollie took a step back. “It’s time for everyone to go.”
Everyone was too startled to speak another word as they all helped each other up through the vent. Ollie took a seat at the edge of the mattress with his head in the palms of his hand. His knee bounced uncontrollably, and I crawled over and sat beside him.
After everyone left, I placed my hand over his back to calm him.
“I’m sorry, Mia. I didn’t mean to, but I can’t control myself. You’re not a fucking knickknack. No one should ever objectify you. You deserve better …” he explained as he ran his hands through his hair.
“It’s okay. I’m stronger than you think. I could care less about what those people think or say about me. Hell, I’ve done enough to myself to deserve it.”
He cocked his head to face me. “No, don’t do that …”
“Do what?”
“Don’t justify other people’s actions or comments because of your past. I don’t care what you did. No one deserves to be treated that way. He needs to start respecting the girls here, especially you.”
Climbing off the mattress, I got to my feet and stood before him. “Well, now we’re in quite a pickle.”
Ollie lifted his eyes to mine. “Why’s that?”
“My exit plan just left.”
Chapter Nineteen
