Olivia

    55 vouchers

    We sat infortable silence for a moment, the only sound the gentlepping of water against the pool’s edge. The moonlight cast a silvery glow across Alexander’s damp hair, and his skin almost glowed in the dim lighting. I pulled my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them.

    “So,” I ventured, “about these mysterious weekend ns you mentioned…”

    Alexander’s lips curved into a smile. “Curious, are we?”

    “Can you me me? You drop hints about ‘something special‘ and expect me not to ask questions?”

    “I’ve rented a ce in Malibu for the weekend. Private beach ess, chef on call, the works.”

    My eyebrows shot up. “Malibu? That sounds amazing.”

    “I figured we could both use a break from the city. You’ve been working non–stop on the Thompson ount, and I’ve been dealing with board meetings all week. Sometimes you need to disconnect to recharge.”

    “That’s… surprisingly thoughtful.”

    Alexander feigned offense. “I’m capable of thoughtfulness, you know. It’s not all corporate takeovers and ruthless business tactics.”

    Iughed. “Could’ve fooled me. The way Michelle talks about board meetings with think you eat junior executives for breakfast.”

    you,

    I’d

    “Only on Tuesdays,” he replied with a straight face.

    We shared a smile, and I found myself actually looking forward to the weekend getaway. The Thompson project had been consuming all my mental energy, and the idea of escaping to a beach house sounded perfect.

    “So this Malibu house,” I started, “any chance it has a hot tub?”

    Alexander pushed himself to his feet in one fluid motion, extending his hand to help me up. “Hot tub, infinity pool, private beach ess, and a view that makes you forget Los Angeles exists.”

    “You had me at hot tub,” I admitted, letting him pull me to my feet.

    8:24 Wed, Sep 17

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    Our fingers remained intertwined as we walked back toward the house, the night air cool against my skin. The estate’s grounds were beautiful at night, with subtlendscape lighting. illuminating the path and casting soft shadows across the manicuredwn.

    “Should I pack anything special?” I asked as we entered through the back doors.

    “Just the basics. And maybe that ck bikini you wore on the ind.”

    “Of course you’d remember that one,” Iughed, nudging him with my shoulder.

    “I have an excellent memory for important details,” he replied, his voice dropping lower as he pulled me closer.

    His lips found mine in a kiss that started gentle but quickly intensified. His hands slid from my waist to my back, pressing me against him until I could feel every hard ne of his body. I sighed into his mouth, my own hands finding their way to his shoulders.

    “Shower?” he murmured against my lips.

    “Mmm,” I nodded, not trusting myself to form actual words.

    Alexander took my hand and led me upstairs to our bedroom suite.

    In the bathroom, Alexander turned on the rainfall shower, steam quickly filling the ss enclosure. He turned to me, his eyes dark with desire, and slowly began unbuttoning my blouse. I shivered as his fingers brushed against my skin, leaving trails of heat in their wake.

    “Cold?” he asked, a knowing smile ying on his lips.

    “Not exactly,” I admitted.

    Once my blouse was open, Alexander pushed it off my shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. His eyes dropped to my breasts, barely contained in acy ck bra.

    “I like this,” he said, tracing the edge of the fabric with his finger.

    “I know you do,” I replied, reaching for the buttons of his shirt. “It’s why I wore it.”

    His eyebrows rose. “nning ahead, Mrs. Carter?”

    “Always,” I grinned, pushing his shirt off to reveal his muscled chest and abs.

    We finished undressing each other, our movements bing more urgent with each discarded piece of clothing. When we were both naked, Alexander pulled me against him, capturing my mouth in a hungry kiss. His hands roamed my body, cupping my breasts and squeezing gently, making me gasp.

    8:24 Wed, Sep 17

    “Shower’s getting cold,” I whispered against his lips.

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    “Can’t have that,” he murmured, walking me backward toward the steaming enclosure.

    The hot water cascaded over us as we stepped inside, stering my hair to my scalp and running in rivulets down our bodies. Alexander pressed me against the cool tile wall, his mouth hot on my neck as his hands explored every inch of me.

    “Turn around,” hemanded softly.

    Iplied, facing the wall as his body pressed against my back. He gathered my wet hair, moving it aside to expose my neck. His lips traced a path from my shoulder to my ear while his hands slid around to cup my breasts.

    “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.

    I pushed back against him, feeling his hard length press against my ass. His hands tightened on my hips, holding me still.

    “Easy,” he warned, voice husky. “We have all weekend.”

    His hands reached for the shampoo, working it into ather before massaging it into my hair. His strong fingers worked magic on my scalp, making me practically purr with pleasure.

    “That feels amazing,” I sighed, leaning into his touch.

    “Just wait untilter,” he promised, guiding me under the water to rinse.

    We finished our shower quickly after that, the promise of ter” hanging between us. Alexander wrapped me in a fluffy towel, taking a moment to dry my hair with surprising gentleness before seeing to himself.

    Dinner was served in the formal dining room, a spread that would have impressed even the pickiest food critic. The chef had outdone himself, as usual, with perfectly cooked steaks, roasted vegetables, and a bottle of red wine.

    “To the uing weekend,” Alexander said, raising his ss.

    “To forgetting about work for forty–eight hours,” I added, clinking my ss against his.

    “Is that even possible for you?” he teased,

    I took a sip of wine before answering. “I’m going to try very hard. No emails, no calls, no strategizing.”

    “I’ll believe that when I see it,” Alexanderughed. “You’re as bad as I am.”

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    “I am not!” I protested, but my smile gave me away. “Okay, maybe I’ve been a little obsessed.”

    “A little?” Alexander raised an eyebrow. “You fell asleep mumbling about ‘brand positioning‘st night.”

    I felt my cheeks warm. “I did not.”

    “You absolutely did,” he insisted, cutting into his steak. “It was adorable.”

    We finished dinner discussing lighter topics: a new restaurant Alexander wanted to try, a movie I’d been wanting to see, and ns for the uing holiday season that seemed to be approaching far too quickly.

    After dinner, Alexander retreated to his home office, exining he needed to finish reviewing some documents. I changed intofortable loungewear and curled up on the couch in our bedroom with a novel I’d been neglecting for weeks.

    The peace was lovely, just the soft turning of pages and distant sounds of Alexander working in his office. I sank deeper into the cushions, realizing how much I needed this quiet moment.

    C

    bΙΔΑΙ /b

    8:24 Wed, Sep

    Olivia