Chào các bạn! Vì nhiều lý do từ nay Truyen2U chính thức đổi tên là Truyen247.Pro. Mong các bạn tiếp tục ủng hộ truy cập tên miền mới này nhé! Mãi yêu... ♥

Chapter 21

 **Edited by krisgree***

“The Rented Husband”

2011 © All Rights Reserved

 Chapter 21

                After the elevator door closed, Olivia stared dumbly at the numeric buttons and said a few choice words to herself when it suddenly dawned on her that she had no idea which floor her sisters were on. 

                Fully agitated, she massaged her temples with both hands and wished that for just once, something in her life could be simple.  Everything nowadays 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 confident gait and a sexy as sin swagger.  One who also had the ability to charm the skin 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.  Possibly 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 played shuffleboard as if they didn't have a care in the world, Olivia had an epiphany of sorts.  One that revealed certain things that she was by far not ready for - 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 fought independence.  Gaining that had been challenge enough but a challenge that she 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 think straight. 

                She refused to need anyone; especially not a man and most especially not Brody O’Conner.  That realm was a definite no-go gray area that she had no 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 had no idea where she was going now that all of these thoughts were running rampant in her head other than the fact it had to be as far away from Brody O'Connor as 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 fine," 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 like Seth.  He was breathtakingly handsome, adorably sweet and everything that a woman 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 of her belonged to her sister.  As much as she would have loved to have had a Seth for herself, she was even more glad that her sister had this one in particular.

                Olivia recalcitrantly shrugged her shoulders and stubbornly averted her gaze.  "Where's your wife?" she retorted.

                He frowned at her.  "You shouldn't be alone," he gently chastised 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...space."

                Seth lifted his perfect dark brows and hid a grin, "Space?" he asked 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 whatever 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 your 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 argue 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 fail so you're going to have to speak up."  His eyes twinkled with mirth and Olivia 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 straightened up to his full height and clasped his hand behind his back.  "Now, weren't you looking for my wife?"

                "Yes," she agreed with a light chuckle, "I wanted to have some girl 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 lead her back down towards the elevator.  "It just so happens that she is with Caley down at the lounge, sipping margaritas and probably feeling pretty darn good right 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 head since he first heard about her impromptu marriage was weighing heavily on his 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 without 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 - get together."

                "Get together?  As in married?"

                Seth nodded.  "Yeah, that.  You have always been so adamant in the past when the topic of you and marriage was spoken in the same sentence.  Then 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 truth but Seth was definitely not the person that she needed to spill her inner most 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 married."

                Liar.

                Swallowing, she turned to the door when it made the soft ding, signaling 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 talking about this for a while and then when we found out about the…" she stopped and 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 ushered out of the elevator.  As soon as they stepped into the lobby, she spotted Brody at the hotel desk and drew back a step.  She was still not ready to face the man.

                "What is it?" Seth bent down and whispered when he noticed Olivia's withdrawal.

                "He's there," she pointed out.

                "And let me guess, you don't want to see him," he stated, clearly 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 with my sisters.  I need to spend some time with them," she reiterated plaintively.

                Seth glanced back over his shoulder.  Brody was still talking animatedly to the employee at the desk.  "Fine," he bit out.  "I'll get you in there with them, but after that you are on your own.  If he finds you then that's between the two of you."

                She smiled up at him and clapped her hands excitedly.  "Thank you."

                He held up his hand to stop her. "But," he added, "You have to promise me that you will not leave the lounge alone.  When y’all are done, have Ashley call me and I'll escort you to your room.  Deal?"

                That sounded fair enough to her.  She would get the time that she needed away from the man that had surrepetiously turned.  Seth glanced back one more time in Brody's direction and pulled Olivia close to his side.  He quickly 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 nights 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 kiss 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 stood there until he saw her sit down beside his wife.  Confident that they were settled 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 be a good time to call his friend back at base.  Surely he should have the reports 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 greeted, knowing good and well what was coming up next. "What can I do for you?"

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

           

Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: Truyen247.Pro