**Edited by Adelina Clonts aka Seawriter**
“The Rented Husband”
2011 © All Rights Reserved
Chapter 7
Brody couldn’t help but notice Olivia’s peculiar expression when she hung up the phone.Her eyes fearfully squinted together and her small mouth curved into a frown as she stared down at the receiver like she was trying to figure out some sort of puzzle.
“Is there something wrong?” he finally asked after several seconds had passed, seeing she wasn't very forthcoming.
She glanced up and shook her head back and forth giving off a nervous chuckle.“No, it’s just some stupid kids making prank calls again," she told him distantly, but disturbingly added, "It’s the second one that I have had today and I was just wondering how in the world they could have gotten my number."
Brody chewed on that bit of information for a moment before speaking again.“So....you said... you received two calls today?” Brody questioned her, only wanting to confirm he heard her correctly.He didn’t like the implications of two prank calls in one day; especially, with the type of work they were involved in.
Olivia nodded and then shrugged her shoulders.“It’s summer, the kids are out of school and you know kids, Brody,they get bored and they do stupid stuff.Heck, even I did it when I was younger with my sisters just to see how many people we could get riled up.It was a game, I admit a stupid one,now that I am on the receiving end of the calls,but it's a game nonetheless.”
Sighing loudly, Olivia sat back down at her desk and mumbled, “I just wish they would lose my number and bug the hell out of someone else though.”
Brody still wasn’t comfortable with just putting it off on some kids that were bored.Stepping up to her desk, he bent over it and rested his palms on the edge of the cherry wood.He needed to be close to her so that he could try and get across to her how serious this could be if not checked out.“Liv, why don’t you have someone in security trace the calls?In our line of work you can never be too careful,” he said insistently.“God knows that we deal with an awful lot of crazies.”
Leaning back in her chair Olivia crossed her hands over her chest and stared back at Brody.Fifteen minutes.He had only been in there for fifteen minutes and he was already starting to get under her skin.How the heck was she going to deal being around him practically twenty four seven for an entire week in Hawaii?“I told you that it was just some kids, Brody; nothing more.Drop it, okay?” she said to him, sounding both tired and exasperated at the same time.
“One call is all it would take, Liv, to clear this up,” he firmly replied, sounding more serious than she had ever seen him outside of the court room.Reaching down he picked up her desk phone and held it out to her, “Go on and just to be on the safe side, make the damn call.It will only take a minute of your precious time.”
Brody's face was tight as he continued to stare at Olivia, willing her to take the phone from him.She could easily read the determination on his face.He was not going to let this matter go until she made the call to security and had them trace the calls.
“This is ridiculous,” she muttered, snatching the phone roughly out of his hand.“This is nothing but a waste of their time as well as mine,” she seethed while punching the numbers in for the security desk and periodically, she would glance up only to glare hard back at Brody while she relayed the information about the call.
This was partly the reason that Olivia had never had any use for a husband before.At times, men could be too overbearing and at other times,they were just plain out incorrigible.Regardless, men were something Olivia could definitely live without.She enjoyed her independence and had no intentions whatsoever of giving it up.
After the call was made and security had promised that they would get right on it and get back to her in the morning, Olivia hung up the phone and blew out a deep breath."Satisfied?" she quipped in a snarky tone.
Brody's widening grin was as charming as all get out.With his devilishly handsome looks coupled with that come hither grin, it was easy to see why he always got the women.The man was damn near close to being irresistible, at least until he spoke.“See, that wasn’t so bad, now was it?”
"You’re impossible," Olivia breathed out and abruptly stood up from her chair.Walking around her desk she headed for the window to peer outside.From her ninth floor office window she had a good view of the downtown area and sometimes she liked to stare out the window when she needed to clear her head, like right about now with Brody crowding in her personal space.
Traffic was picking up as the five o'clock hour approached and people were leaving their jobs to go home.Today had been one heck of a day all the way around and Olivia was really looking forward to going home.She had already made plans that started with running herself a relaxing bubble bath and maybe even opening up the vintage Bordeaux wine that Sam, her sister's husband, had brought her back by France last year.
Brody watched Olivia as she stood up and went over to the window.He could easily tell just by the way she walked so stiffly and standing so rigid as a tree stump,that she was filled with all kinds of tension.He wouldn't even have minded going up to her and massaging some of those tight little knots out for her but had a pretty good inclination that she would not be very appreciative of him touching her right now, especially after that steamy kiss they had shared earlier.
So instead of touching sweet Olivia he did what he did best; he baited her."But you do think I'm hot," he replied teasingly.Olivia threw him a look over her shoulder that would have warned any normal minded person to keep their mouth shut, but he wasn't anyone else - he was Brody O'Connor.
"I bet you think I'm sexy too," he added moving closer to her now.This time Olivia completely ignored him all together and if he had any sense at all he would have stopped himself right there.But again, this was Brody and he had long lost any of his sensibilities when it came to the Dragon Lady standing before him.
Now, he was standing right behind her, so close that he caught the powdery scent of her deodorant when he leaned down to her ear and whispered huskily, "And judging the way that you responded to my kiss a few minutes ago,I would bet my life Counselor, that you want me too."
Olivia gasped in shock, not even believing that he went there.Not thinking, only reacting, Olivia reared back her elbow and jammed it forcefully it into his stomach.How dare he say that?
Brody grabbed his stomach and tried his damnedest not to double over.For such a small thing, she sure had some kick to her punch.Sucking in a breath, he blew it back out through his teeth before straightening himself back up to his full height.
"So," he drawled out slowly, still rubbing out the soreness in his gut, "I would take that as an affirmative?"It was more of a statement than a question and the playful twinkle he held in his eyes set Olivia off again.
This time Olivia pasted on a sickly sweet smile."You know Counselor, maybe you’re right.Maybe I do want you," she stated and closed the little distance that was between them.
Brody's eyes widened in surprise.This,he was not expecting."Really," he replied jovially.
The two of them were now standing in front of each other, face to face when Olivia suddenly lifted her high heeled foot and brought it down with a vengeance on Brody's toes."I want you about as much as I would want a case of the freaking herpes."
Brody immediately hopped back and cursed."Damn it woman, you need some serious anger management courses!"Making his way back to one of the chairs that was in front of her desk, he sat down and pulled off his shoe."That hurt," he grumbled like a little child and then sent her a cursory glance before returning his attention back to his throbbing toes.
"Good," she snapped."It was meant to hurt."Olivia then stepped away from the window and went back to her desk collapsing rather unladylike in her chair.There were several other things that needed her attention before she left for the day,but at this point,she was more inclined to leave them for tomorrow and go on home so that she could slip into that bubble bath she was thinking about a few minutes earlier.
Looking up she met the piercing eyes of Brody and for an instant it was as if everything around them stood still, time had frozen and they were the last two people on earth.Feeling a little more than unnerved at the situation she cleared her throat to gain some countenance.It was definitely time for Brody to go.
"Um, you plan on leaving anytime soon?"
A slow grin spread on his face, she was just too irresistible."Honey, are you already trying to get rid of me so soon?We haven't even got to the good stuff yet."
Olivia fisted her hands in her lap and grounded her back teeth together.Can't he just get a clue?"Do you ever shut up?"
"Now, now," he said wagging his index finger at her."Is that any way for a wife to talk to her husband?"At the mention of the word wife, Olivia's eyes narrowed into little slits.He was having way too much fun with this now."One would think that a husband and wife should know a few things about each other before they were introduced to the other's family."
Olivia let out a dramatic huff."We have a week to iron out the details, Counselor.Right now, I just want to go home, if you don't mind."
Brody slipped his shoe back on.His toe was still a little sore but he would live.Standing up he bent over her desk once again."Alright, whose home are we going to wifey, yours or mine?"
She was already shaking her head back and forth, "Oh, no, no, no you don't!I'm going to my home and you can go to yours, Mr. O'Connor.I have had quite enough of you today, thank you very much."And that was the understatement of the year!
"No can do, Liv.See, we have a dinner date with my mom tomorrow evening and if either of us is going to pull off this shenanigan of ours, we both need a crash course on each other.Tonight is all we have,so what do you say my sweet ball and chain, I bring the beer, you order the pizza?"
Brody's amusement was written all over his face, whereas Olivia felt like the proverbial bomb had just been dropped on her.This entire marriage charade had seemed perfect before in her mind’s eye, but now, now that they would have their first performance tomorrow night?It wasn't looking like such a great idea after all.
Tomorrow?" she croaked out, hoping - praying - that she had misheard him.
"Tomorrow," he repeated not missing a beat.
Olivia covered her face with her hands.This was it; she had to either jump in head first and swim for her life or just sink to the bottom all together.What would it be?Sink or swim, she silently considered the options.
Olivia had never been a quitter in the past and she wasn't about to start being one now.Both Brody and she were reasonably smart adults.They could pull this off with a little effort and everyone would be happy in the end,his mom and her family too.It’ll work, she told herself determinedly.It has to work.
"Alright," Olivia spoke up and leaned over her desk so that the two of them were nose to nose."How about I bring the beer and you order the pizza," she replied gaining back some of her famed confidence.
Brody laughed out loud."You have yourself a deal Counselor," he answered and went to straighten himself up.He had to put some space between them because he wanted to kiss her again but he wouldn't, not now anyways.There was always later though. Later would come soon enough.