No Reservations, page 10
“Have you taught before?” Ford entered the room, wiping his eyes a little.
“Sure. A few dozen over the years.” Lexa chuckled. “I can have you wrapped around a pole in no time.”
Olivia smiled. “That sounds interesting.”
Ford chuckled. “If you want to try, there is a club under renovations that I have just gotten permission to practice on Monday and Tuesday, and film Wednesday and Thursday. Are you free, Lexa?”
“I am reasonably priced. What am I doing?”
“Teaching Olivia some moves on the first few days then doing some b-roll and background dancing for the video. We are still working on casting for your song, so we can do that on Friday.”
“Wow. Normal business hours. Hailey is going to be excited.” Lexa laughed. “Her homework is at the right level for me to help her figure it out.”
Ford chuckled. “She is going to be delighted to have you in the evenings.”
“Is Ambrose still drawing with her?”
Ford grinned. “Yeah, I just checked on her. She’s designing her ideal play structure, complete with official tolerances and up to code.”
Lexa laughed. “I would not have thought that Ambrose would be good with her, but she has a direct mind, and so does he.”
Olivia nodded. “Right.” She thought about it. “I am going to see what they designed.”
She left them discussing wardrobe, and she headed to the kitchen, where she heard the girlish voice of Hailey as she seriously explained the importance of the slide’s proximity to the ladder. Ambrose was looking at her with a new appreciation. “So, because it is your favourite thing, you want to keep it accessible.”
“Yup.”
Ambrose drew to his client’s specifications, and Olivia grinned at the little girl’s serious frown, so like Lexa’s.
“So, how is it going over here?” Olivia asked.
Hailey looked up and smiled. “Mr. Ambrose is helping me design a play structure in case I ever get a backyard.”
Ambrose frowned seriously. “This is going to need one large backyard to pass zoning.”
“Mom can manage it. She says one day we will have a yard like the one my grandma and grandpa used to have, with a big swing set and a slide. With this design, she will have something to aim for and know how big a yard to get.” Hailey smiled. “Mom always says to make a goal and then work toward it.”
“That is a good plan.” Ambrose smiled at her.
Hailey came over and pulled Olivia around and showed her all the features of the structure, including the wood and rope bridge and the features that would grow as she did. Olivia tried to imagine her daughter staring at the plans with a serious expression, and the image slipped through her mind.
Hailey asked, “Are you going to have kids?”
Ambrose snorted softly and let Olivia answer. “Um, maybe. Not right away.”
“When you do, can I play with them?” Hailey looked up at her with huge blue eyes.
“Sure. When I have kids, you can come to play with them if you live close enough.” Olivia grinned.
“Good. I like babies. They are all small and squishy, and they can do anything when they grow up.”
Olivia nodded and stroked Hailey’s hair. “Yeah. They have endless possibilities.”
Hailey smiled. “I am gonna be an omega just like you and my mom and my first mom.”
Ambrose’s head turned. “Both your moms were omegas?”
“That is what Mom-two-point-oh says. She says my birth mom was the best sister ever, and she would have been the best mom ever, but there was an accident, and I lost her and my grandma and grandpa, so Auntie Lexa became my mom, and now, I am her baby girl.”
Hailey pointed. “The swings had to be high enough so Mom and I could swing holding hands.”
“I wish all of my clients knew exactly what they wanted.” Ambrose chuckled. “You were very easy to work with, Hailey. Thank you.”
The little girl beamed. “I want to take this to my mom.”
Ambrose smiled. “Why don’t you leave it with me for a few days while I make it all official and get a list of supplies and equipment needed for it? I can give it to you for your birthday, all rolled up with a bow.”
Hailey smiled. “Thank you.”
She walked up to him and extended her little hand. He gripped it in a handshake. “It was nice working with you, Mr. Ambrose.”
Ambrose laughed, and he inclined his head. “It was nice working with you, Miss Hailey.”
The little girl scrambled out to go in search of her mom.
Olivia looked at the plans. “Wow, Ambrose. This is incredible.”
He cocked his head. “She was delightfully specific. So, when you have kids, you will let her come and play?”
She blushed at the slip. “Of course. If I have friends, then I could have a babysitter for my heat.”
“Or we could just hire a nanny. Most prides do.” He took her hand and pulled her into his lap.
“You were really good with her.”
“It is easy to be good with Hailey. She’s a fun little imp. If she says she’s going to grow up into an omega, I don’t doubt that she is.”
She looked at him. “Does your family have a lot of kids?”
“Not a lot of kids yet, no. My mother is an omega. I have three uncles and a father. Four brothers. Two are alphas, and two are betas. And one sister who is a beta. None of them have children yet.”
“Oh. What about Argus’s family?”
“No kids there either. I am the eldest in my family, by the way.” He chuckled. “Did you have fun with Dexter’s parents?”
She shrugged. “We are taking steps toward an agreement to be wary of each other.”
He nuzzled her neck. “I am glad that Mira didn’t tear out your eyes. They are pretty eyes.”
“Yeah, laugh if you like. It was really tense for a while.” She paused, “So, you aren’t local?”
“No, I just stayed here after school and started in an architectural firm, working my way through the ranks until I was able to set out on my own. Then I started to win design awards. I have my own office and some other architects who work for me.”
“But, you work from home.”
“Only since you are here, precious. I like to be close in case you need something.” He sighed. “But I suppose I haven’t been properly communicating that. It is one thing to plan for omega and another to actually have one that suits your beast show up.”
“Wait, your beast has its own thoughts?”
“Yeah. Well, you will learn eventually. I won’t explain it today.”
“Oh. Okay.” She leaned against him and enjoyed the cuddle. She leaned up and kissed him. “I have to get back to Lexa and Hailey.”
He squeezed her hip. “I am glad to see you developing an interest in the outside world, even if Lexa and her daughter are the conduits.”
Olivia smiled. “I like them. There is something so calm about Lexa, and there is so much energy in Hailey. They are personalities I haven’t run into before. I guess Ford is the closest thing to Lexa, but the comparison is not exact.”
Ambrose smiled. “Another kiss, and off you go.”
She held his head and kissed him deeply, her tongue sliding along his, swirling in his mouth and taking the taste of him back to her. Cinnamon buns and vanilla were a nice calorie-free way to spend a few minutes.
She got up, and Ambrose’s expression had gotten intent, but she eased away from him and walked back to where Ford and Lexa were going over things. She paused when she entered the room and saw some of the outfits that Yemeen had brought in his hands.
Lexa explained which ones would suit which portion of the video based on the moves that they wanted Olivia to execute. She smiled. “Olivia. Come here. I want to show them something.”
Olivia walked forward and smiled. “What is it?”
“Hold this.”
She handed Olivia a dress covered in glass beads and glittered like time had frozen in the rain. The different sizes of the beads made for a very organic look.
“Right, so you have this dress with a wonderful swing, but for the portion, you have allocated it for, you need to show more movement.”
Yemeen cocked his head. “What would you suggest?”
She pressed her hand to the middle of the dress and against Olivia. “Cut this out and have the waistband at the top of the hips. Her ass is full enough that it won’t be in danger of falling off.”
“So, you want to chop a designer gown in half?” Ford was appalled.
Yemeen grinned. “No, she wants me to do it.”
Lexa smiled innocently at Olivia, “Only if you don’t want her to look like glittery laundry. A few of those moves would rack this dress up under her armpits.”
Olivia smiled. “I can show them.”
Yemeen nodded. “Please.”
She took the dress to the bathroom and slid out of the dress she had worn to lunch. The heavy dress slithered and then dropped into place. She walked out in the dress, and Yemeen’s eyes lit up as she returned to them.
Lexa took her by the hand and then showed her a move with a low swing of her hips. “Can you do that?”
Olivia tried it, and the fabric got tight around her ribs and thighs as she stepped out and rocked her hips. “Not the same way you did.”
“How about this?” Lexa put both hands on one thigh, and she twisted to look over her shoulder.
“Nope. I can’t step out.”
Yemeen smiled. “I get it. You need to be able to swivel like a fashion doll.”
Olivia nodded. “Apparently.”
“Leg slits, split the clothing into skirts and tops, with as much gauzy floaty stuff as possible. The couple’s dance outfit should be mid to upper thigh.” She smiled.
Hailey tugged on Lexa’s shirt, and Lexa bent over. She listened and then nodded. “Right. We have to get going. Someone is about to get hangry.”
Olivia reached for her. “We can order something.”
Lexa looked at her and took her by the hand. “Come with me, Olivia.”
They walked into a quiet room, and Lexa smiled. “I am going to see you nearly every day this week. We are also spending Saturday together. I am not disappearing from your life; I am just taking my daughter home to feed her and get her ready for school tomorrow.”
Olivia frowned. “I like having you close.”
Lexa hugged her. “I know, sweetie. I can tell. I like you, too.”
They stood together, and peaches and roses thickened the air. When they parted, Olivia felt more stable than she had been in a long time. She also felt determined. She was going to finish her book and then look for publication.
A few minutes later, she was waving at them, and Ford asked what they should get in for dinner. She gave him a perturbed look and got her laptop. She sat in a quiet corner and got to work on her manuscript. She finished updating her experiences to date and smiled as she finished the book. She hugged her laptop and looked up to see that her guys were in the room with her. “It’s done. It’s finished. Now, I have to find a publisher.”
Ford looked up from his tablet with a smile. “Don’t worry, honey. We can find you, someone.”
Dexter cleared his throat. “Elaine can take a look.”
Ford nodded. “She is welcome to put in a bid, but this is for Olivia. She deserves the best treatment that her work can get. She isn’t going to just offer it to family; it is going to get the works. How did you end it?”
She shrugged. “I brought it up to date with a view to the future.”
The guys smiled.
“Good because your teenage years broke my heart.” Argus looked at her with a soft smile.
“Oh, you read it?”
“I did.”
Dexter nodded.
Ambrose nodded.
Ford nodded.
“Oh.” She looked down. “How is the writing?”
Ford smiled. “It is really good.”
She exhaled in relief. Ford read a lot, so if he liked it, it had to have some redeeming value.
Ford smiled. “Send me the file? I will put things in motion.”
Ambrose nodded. “You will send it to Beresford?”
“He’s on my list.”
She sent the file on to Ford and bit her lip. He was in the book, and she wondered what he would think about it. Yemeen was as well, and she had better accept him soon, or she would make a liar out of herself. She had ended the book referring to him as her fourth pride mate. She wondered where he wanted to set his mark?
Chapter Ten
The week was wild, and having Lexa as a dance instructor was gruelling. She didn’t pull her punches. She knew what Olivia’s body could do, and she demanded it.
Olivia groaned at the break and took the water Lexa handed her. “How long do you do that when you are performing?”
“Fifteen minutes to an hour, depending on the time of day and how many clients there are in the club. Doing lap dances takes up the rest of your time. Then you go home with tips.”
“Do you get a regular cheque?”
Lexa stretched. “Yes, I made sure that the clubs I auditioned at had a base pay rate. Knowing what my minimum income was for any given week was important, so I knew how much extra I had to make as a courier.”
“How do you manage childcare?”
“I have some friends from work that have retired, and I mean actual retirement. Mrs. Kilist was a wardrobe specialist for the theatre who semi-retired making stripper outfits and considers Hailey to be a non-blood granddaughter. Hailey helps her garden, and Mrs. Kilist helps her do her homework. I try not to pick her up later than seven, but having her down the street makes for an easy pick up for me.”
“That’s good.”
“I think so, but Mrs. Kilist’s daughter is trying to get her to move into a care home. I need to come up with an alternative fast.” She smiled. “Working directly with Ford might speed up my plans.”
Olivia looked over to where Ford was talking with the cameraman, who was getting reference shots as they practiced. Since Olivia and Lexa were wearing exercise clothing, it wasn’t exactly spank-bank material.
Olivia smiled.
“So, you love Argus, you love Ford, you love Dexter, and you are starting to love Ambrose.” Lexa grinned.
“Seeing him with Hailey was kind of a turning point.”
“Well, she will convert the staunchest asshole. It’s her superpower.” Lexa sipped at her water.
Olivia smiled. “So, were you a natural mom?”
“Oh, god no. I was a mess. I could barely keep her fed, and she and I would often fall asleep covered in Cheerios. We got better together, and we were both grieving for the first year. The second we got better, and by the third, we were a solid team.” Lexa shrugged. “It isn’t easy. It takes time. You have to change, they have to change, and if you have a goal, you meet in the middle.”
Olivia hugged Lexa as she now tended to do when a swell of emotion hit. Lexa took it and patted her sweaty head. “Can you show me that upside-down thing on the pole again?”
Lexa snorted. Her roses were coming out as she had been having fun showing Olivia the ropes of gaining body confidence while dancing. “It isn’t something you are going to be asked to do, Olivia.”
“No, but you look so cool when you are doing it.”
She laughed. “Fine. One more before practice is done. Are you going to that fashion show with Yemeen on Thursday afternoon?”
“Yeah. Ford is pissed. It is wrecking his shooting schedule.”
“Well, you can get wardrobe and makeup to get you ready, so you can work right up until the last minute, Olly.”
Olivia beamed. “That’s a point. You are going to be there both days?”
“Yup. And at your place Friday to interview vocalists with Ford for that other song.”
“Ohh. That song. That is a great song.”
“It is a horrible song, but it needed to come out. I have a few others in mind, which include fairy tale themes. Not based on the guys... precisely.” She smiled. “Just about the dynamic between alphas and omegas.”
“What is the theme?”
“Kings and queens and power balance.”
“Cool. I can hardly wait to hear it.”
Lexa chuckled. “Me, too. Right now, it is just a thread of words in my head.”
“I finished my book.” Olivia hugged her again. It just felt so right to be in contact with her. If she could remember what her mother’s hugs felt like, she imagined it would have been like this.
“Congratulations!”
“Yeah. We are going to have the bidding at Ford’s place on Friday night. Did you want to come over with Hailey?”
Lexa stroked her cheek. “I think that the topic up for discussion might be a little adult for Hailey. She is already knowledgeable enough about a wide range of topics that frighten me. She’s asking me why I don’t go into heat. A lot.”
“What? Why don’t you?”
Lexa grimaced. “I started on restrictors five years ago. I am Hailey’s mom first. I don’t have time or the inclination to lock into a room with strange guys who want to fuck me for a few days.”
Olivia blinked. “Oh. So, they offer you the restrictors?”
“Not after the first three years. After that, I had to pay, and each cycle is more expensive. They are trying to force me into a pack situation.” She chuckled. “Black market restrictors aren’t nearly as effective. But they are cheaper.”
“Black market?”
She shrugged. “You do what you have to do. I have to keep myself able to be a good mom for Hailey, so no heats for me.”
