Chapter Five

I woke up and realized we were at a house. It had a cozy, cottage feel to it. It was painted white with dark blue shutters. There is a nice landscaped walkway and a few small bushes, and flowers in front of it. A wooden fence lined the front yard and appeared to go out back.

My door opened, and I realized that his door closing is what woke me. I looked at him and he was holding his hand out for me to grab. I took it and he helped me to my feet. I grabbed his arm to steady myself as a wave of dizziness overwhelmed me. Nausea creeped back into my stomach, but passed as I regained my balance. I felt his hand cover mine, as I pressed my hand into his arm. He gently smiled and waited patiently for me to be ready to move. At my nod, he led toward the door.

He pulled his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door, and turned the alarm off as we stepped inside. He smiled and led past the entry and stairs into an open layout with vaulted ceilings. He seated me on his leather couch, and reclined the portion I was on.

"Are you hungry or thirsty? Keeping something in the stomach is good for helping keep nausea at bay." He said gently as grabbed a blanket from a blanket ladder.

His house was beautiful and had a homey touch only a woman could bring to it. A pang of jealousy ran through my stomach and pained my heart. I shook my head, still clouded with sleep. My pain was at a tolerable level, and I honestly just wanted to sleep. I curled deeper into the couch and blanket and closed my eyes.

I woke to quiet tapping coming beside me. Oliver was typing on his computer. When he saw me looking at him he smiled and closed it.

"Hungry?" he asked as he stood. A quick glance out the window told me it was past dinner time.

"How long did I sleep?" I asked, stretching, but grimacing when my sore body rebelled at it.

"About 6 hours. But between being with a child and the pain meds, it wasn't a surprise. Your body has been through a lot and needs rest to heal. If you are hungry I can throw some chicken I put in a marinade on the grill. I made a salad and was going to bake some potatoes if that sounds good." he said as he headed to the kitchen.

I moved the blanket off my lap, and put the recliner down. His head popped around the corner at the sound.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, coming back to the living room.

"I was going to help." I said, meeting his heated glare.

"No. I've got this, rest." He said turning away.

"I'm fine, Oliver. I've been in worse condition and still did my duties around the house." I said to his back as I stood up.

His body froze. I saw his head drop, and if he was anything like the Oliver I once loved he would be chewing on his lip as he regained his composure.

"Don't tell me that, little one." He said turning back around. "I want to hear your whole story, but not today. Not when I'm still so angry this is how we are meeting again. Not when you are carrying the child of the man who didn't love you enough to keep you safe. Not when I'm still processing what you told me this morning about not sending the messages. I don't think I can control myself enough to stay composed." he said as he slowly walked toward me.

I dropped my gaze. Of course he wasn't happy to see me. He thought for so many years I broke his heart, while I was wounded from him breaking mine. I realized at the moment, as a sharp pain went through me that I had hoped that we could go back to normal. That we could rekindle what we had. He doesn't want me, a shell of someone I used to be. A battered woman carrying her abuser's baby. A baby I could never abort or leave, but a constant reminder to him of what had happened while he was gone.

I turned and walked to the window. I couldn't think right now. I was so overwhelmed, hurt and scared. I had no place to go. I watched him step closer in the reflection of the window. I met my own eyes and decided then I would stay until I was better and leave. I wasn't going to rely on a man ever again.

"Ok, give me a few days to get a little stronger and you won't have to worry about me." I said, keeping my gaze on my green eyes.

"What? How did you come to the conclusion I wanted you to leave? Josie, little one, that's not what I meant." He said placing a gentle hand on my arm.

"How could you not have meant it? We've changed so much since highschool. We've both probably seen things neither one of us should have. I don't imagine having your ex-girlfriend living with you while she grows another man's child in her is what you expected to be happening when you found out I was coming. You weren't planning on me staying long term anyway. So we will just stay with the plan." I said drawing myself up to my full height and meeting his eyes.

"No, it wasn't what I had imagined. But it doesn't matter. I was stupid enough to let you go once, I don't want to do it again. We have some stuff to talk about and have to relearn each other. Little one, I want to see where this goes. If there's still the flame we once had burning between us. I know you've felt the tension, we've always been drawn to each other." He said pulling me toward his body, careful and gentle around my bruises, until I was flush against him.

"How can you want that?" I asked, staring at his chest.

"Little one, I never stopped loving you. I couldn't make myself no matter how hurt I was." He said resting his forehead to mine.

"But, I'm pregnant. I can't abort this child, I can't lose another." I whispered as I dropped my forehead to his chest in time to feel his body stiffen.

"Another?"

"I was pregnant once before. I lost the baby at 15 weeks, I don't really want to talk about it." I said, feeling my eyes burning.

"We won't, not today. Come sit at the table, while I grill. And for the record, I don't care whose baby you're carrying right now. I'll love it because I love you." He said as led me to the table.

He had the grill going, and brought the food out. He smiled and we made small talk as he cooked. I was starting to feel more and more comfortable around him, like it had back in highschool. He brought me a glass of lemon water and a pitcher with more as he set the table. We ate in comfortable silence and after he cleared the table he brought a blanket and lit a fire in the pit by the grill. After he sat he grabbed my legs and set them on his lap. His fingers began an expert massage on my feet.

I dropped my head to the back of my chair and moaned silently. His fingers stilled, and his face shot to mine. He licked his lips, and opened and closed his mouth. He let out a big sigh, and I heard him growl, "Fuck it". The next thing I knew his warm lips were pressed to mine, and before I could act surprised my brain decided to meet him halfway. I moaned and he pulled me closer to the edge of the chair. I felt his hand go to my hair, and he deepened the kiss.

I pulled away, breathing heavily. He leaned his forehead against my own, also breathing hard.

"I'm sorry, I lost control. I shouldn't have..." I cut him off with another gentle kiss.

"We have a lot to discuss, but I think I want this. I think I want to see what happens." I whispered against his lips.

His response was to deepen the kiss. He kept one hand in my hair while the other moved down my back to hip, leaving a warm trail as it went. He pulled away again, this time sitting back on his heels.

"I think we should take it slow. Your body needs time to heal, and we need to learn who we've grown to be in the last ten years." he said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "It's late, let's get you to bed and we can talk more tomorrow. Sean wants to have you sit down and meet the team and explain what's been happening. I thought we would talk today about it before you told everyone, but I don't think I can handle listening to you tell it twice, so I'll wait. But we'll get a good night's sleep and we'll head to the office after breakfast."

He stood and held out his hand and we made our way to the house. He walked me to the spare room next to his, and opened the door. I saw my bags already sitting on the chest at the foot of the bed. He showed me how to use the shower, and placed a few towels and a washcloth on the counter. He grabbed a bag and tape from under the sink. "For your arm." He helped me wrap it and tape and left scissors on the counter to take it off when I got out. He paused, and then leaned in to give me a quick kiss.

"Good night, little one, let me know if you need anything. I'm a light sleeper, and don't worry if you have to wake me." he said with a grin and he left me by myself with my thoughts to shower and go to sleep.