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"That was the least I could do, after the way I've mistreated you."
"Let's not dwell on the past anymore. I forgive you, and I want us to move forward and start fresh. That's what I've been doing."
"I'd like that. Thank you, Mara." She took my face in her hands and kissed my forehead. "I love you. All I want is for you to be happy."
Tears pricked at my eyes, but I blinked them away. "I love you too, Mom."
She blew her nose, rolled her shoulders back, and said, "You love Ollie too."
"Yeah, I do." An image of Ollie flared in my mind, and my chest ached. "But I don't know if we belong together. We're so different."
"I don't think you're as different as you believe. Besides, your father and I aren't the same, but it works for us. Our differences balance out and complement each other."
"Ollie lives in Oregon. At a nudist resort." I sank back against the sofa. "I want to be with him, and I've kind of been planning for that, but sometimes I think he'll be better off if I let him go. What if my new outlook on life doesn't last? I might slip back into Neurotic Mara mode."
"You have never been neurotic. I force-fed you my fears, and I regret it more than you'll ever know." She slipped an arm around my shoulders. "Don't let my mistakes taint your future. You know what you want, so go and get it." She gave me a quick, firm squeeze. "Go and gethim."
"I can't fly to Oregon right now. I'm in the middle of re-branding my business."
She patted my arm. "Oh, you won't need to go as far as you think."
"What are you talking about?"
The doorbell rang.
My mother stood. "Get up, Mara. You have a visitor."
"I've had enough visitors tonight. It's probably Nico again."
She shook her head. "No, dear, it's not. I guarantee that."
"Ugh, Mom."
"Get up." She grabbed my hands and pulled. "He's waiting."
He? That single word made my pulse speed up and my skin tingle. It couldn't be.
I jumped up and ran for the door, flinging it open.
Ollie smiled, holding out a bouquet of daisies. "These are for you, Mar---"
He didn't get to finish saying my name. I threw myself at him, latching my arms around his neck and kissing him.
"I'll leave you two alone," Mom said.
The clacking of her heels told me she was walking away, but I didn't pay attention to anything else. Ollie was kissing me back with a hunger I'd never experienced before, and I responded with the same passion. God, he tasted so damn good. He felt so damn good too. With my body crushed to his, I relished the sensation of all his muscles flexing against me, and when he lashed his arms around me, I loved the way his biceps flexed and his hands splayed over my back.
He scuffled into the apartment with me clinging to him, my feet dangling above the floor. We didn't separate our mouths until he backed me into the sofa and I tumbled onto it.
We were both naked inside of one minute.
And he was inside me seconds later.
"Oliver," I whispered into his ear while he made love me to tenderly, taking his time, letting us both revel in the bliss of being together again.
After we both came, and we lay there with Ollie on top of me, I realized the curtains were still open.
Ollie followed my gaze to the windows. "Well, I guess any snoopy neighbors who have telescopes got a good show tonight."
