4.
Oliver
was a man of his word. five minutes at Verdant to wipe out his mask
and change clothes, and he was back in the car with Nola.
« Where
do you want to eat ? »
« I’m
thinking either high-end five stars where I can eat lobster and
soufflé or local diner with burger and fries and no hassle. »
« Whatever
you want. »
Nola
thought about it for a second.
« I
think I'm too tired to appreciate lobster and soufflé tonight. I
just want to sit down and not move another muscle. »
« Then
I have the perfect dinner for you. Take-out at your place ? »
« Sounds
amazing ! »
Nola
laid back on the headrest and closed her eyes. Oliver figured out she
was asleep when she didn’t stir as he stopped to pick up the food
he’d ordered at Big Belly’s. He drove back to her place and she
opened her eyes as he was parking the car.
« Smells
amazing ! »
« Taste
is not bad either. Voted best burger in town ! »
« Give
me five minutes and I can tell you what's in the special sauce. »
« I
don't think I want to know... »
Like
every day since she had left the hospital, Nola was happy her condo
had an elevator. Thirty-two steps from the front door to her own
door. They sat in the dining area, a bar with high chairs between the
kitchen and the living room. As advertised, the burgers were amazing
and the conversation easy.
An
hour later, they settled on the couch with ice-cream.
« You
really can tell all that just from scents ? »
« Yes.
And more. In high school, I knew who was dating who, who was into
drugs. The second floor janitor closet reeked ! »
Oliver
had a knowing smile.
« I
remember that closet. »
« No
kidding ! I could tell when you had your first time with Katie
Johnson. »
« Katie... »
« You
dated for about a month, and then you cheated on her with Rebecca
Wallace. »
He
smiled sheepishly.
« Not
my finest moment. »
« And
then you cheated on Rebecca with Stephanie Sandham. »
« I
wasn't the most reliable boyfriend. »
« And
still girls waited in line to get in your arms... »
« You
included ? »
« I
watched from afar. I didn't want a boyfriend who smelled of another
girl. »
« Can't
blame you for that. Can I ask you what Laurel smells like ? »
« You
were always sweet on Laurel... She smells of roses. But her base note
has changed. Back then, it was more greenhouse rose. Perfect, prissy,
and fragile. Now... it's more like a wild rose. Less perfect, but
stronger. »
« Still
prissy ? »
« Roses
are always a bit prissy. »
They
exchanged a laugh.
« I
wonder what Tommy smells like ? »
« The
sea. Always changing, so many shades of blue. »
« What
do you mean ? »
« Most
of the time he was like a lagoon, turquoise and crystal clear. But
sometimes, he became dark and dangerous, like where the light never
shines. That's when he was about to do something stupid. »
Nola’s
expression showed worry.
« When
I saw him at the party, he smelled like a storm. Grey and wild. I
don't know what is happening in his life, but he's not okay. »
Oliver
straightened up and put his almost empty carton of ice cream on the
table.
« He
knows. About... and he can't accept what I've become. »
« I'm
sorry. Like a storm, he needs to calm down. He'll be okay in a little
while. »
« I
hope so. »
He
sighed and smiled again at Nola.
« When
did you notice you were... different ? »
« When
I was a kid. About eight or nine. A friend of mine was having her
birthday and she received a kit to make your own perfume. It's for
kids, so there's about a dozen different scents, but they explain how
to mix them to get something more complex. The girls started playing
with it and I just kept thinking they were doing it wrong. And they
wouldn't listen to me. But I kept thinking about this kit, and when I
turned ten, I asked for it for my birthday. I tried all the
combinations, making sure to write everything in a notebook so I
wouldn't forget. For our graduation party, I sold custom made scents
and that was a hit. Every girl wanted theirs. Even some boys asked me
in secret to whip up something. I made a small fortune. Bought
another kit, etc. »
« Why
don't you have your own company ? »
« If
I had, I would be stuck in an office all day, talk finances, sells,
productivity. And I wouldn't do the only thing I like, which is smell
nice things. »
« Do
you wear perfume ? »
« Never
when I'm working, usually when I get out. I have my very own unique
perfume. »
« Wildflowers
? »
« More
sophisticated, like an English garden. There's roses, freesias and
lilac, a hint of vanilla and a base of leather. »
They
looked at each other and Nola smelled the spice of Oliver’s desire.
« I
can't remember you with a guy. Not even for Prom. »
« I
didn't like the scent of any of the three guys who asked me out for
Prom. »
« Who
were they ? »
« The
first was Jason Bellamy. »
« Big
nerd with big glasses ? »
« Yep.
And he smelled like he hadn't showered for a month. I just couldn't
bear the thought of feet and sweat for a whole evening. »
Nola
shuddered at the memory.
« Who
next ? »
« Derek
Price. He thought he could try his luck with me that night, since he
had struck out with Megan and Stephanie. But his scent was so strong
I figured out what his intentions were. »
« Strike
two. And the third ? »
« The
third... was actually Tommy. »
« He
asked you out for Prom ? »
« Yeah.
But he smelled like Charybdis. »
« The
whirlpool from the Odyssey ? »
« Oh
yeah. So dark, and up to no good. He tried to deny it, but he had
something set up for me that would have been a complete
humiliation. »
« If
I had known I would have told him to drop it. I have to tell you, we
were all a bit scared of you. You knew things... Nobody could keep a
secret around you. You don't imagine the power you could've had. »
« Oh,
I knew. I chose not to use that power, because I wasn't interested in
power. I just wanted to be left alone. »
There
was a moment of silence. Nola was finishing her own ice cream and she
smiled at the sight of Oliver's gaze on her. She licked her spoon
while looking at him, as a way of flirting. He grabbed her carton and
spoon and took her lips. She sighed and let the green surround her.
*****
His
mouth was firm and tasted of desire. He touched her face and she put
her hand on his back.
When
Nola was a teenager, she had dreamed of him, of his golden scent. But
her fantasies couldn't compare to an actual kiss.
Oliver
couldn't believe it. Nola had been little more than a blip on his
radar in high-school. But on that day at the beach, she had awoken
something in him. He had seen the fire he was now tasting on her
lips.
And
then it wasn't just kissing anymore. He was devouring her. Nola felt
like she was in the heart of the jungle. She was so hot, surrounded
by the heavy scents of rainforest and lust. She recognized her own
musky scent in the mix, and it only added to her excitement.
Oliver
couldn't help touching her. She wasn't pliant between his arms, but
strong and lively. He put his hand under her skirt, feeling the skin
of her thigh and she moaned softly. He moved his head back a little,
looking at her, and they were both out of breath.
« Want
your bed to smell like rainforest ? »
She
smiled widely.
« I
want my body to smell like rainforest. »
With
a smile, he took a hold of her and sat her on his lap.
« Your
foot okay ? »
« I
don't even remember I have a foot. »
She
put her palms on his cheeks and her mouth on his. They started
undressing each other in feverish moves, discarding the unnecessary
garments. When he was down to his trousers and she was only wearing
her panties, he carried her to her bedroom and laid her down on the
bed. In one swift move, he was naked and so was she.
Carefully,
he sprawled on top of her. She locked her arms and legs around him,
rubbing her center against his with a sob. He wanted so much not to
hurt her, but she was all around him. He lifted her arms above her
head and roamed around her body with his lips and tongue. Every time
he touched her, her breath hitched, every time he kissed her, she
sighed. Her breasts were small and firm and he teased her nipple with
his teeth, delighted at her moans of pleasure. When he kissed her
belly, she shuddered.
Nola
was burning from inside. Oliver was a thoughtful lover, exploring her
body like it was the only thing he had to do in a million years. He
was kissing her everywhere, turning her in a quivering mass, making
her feel cherished. When she felt his teeth scrape her breast, she
became frantic. She wanted him inside her, now. But he trailed
further down and put his mouth on her sex. She grabbed Oliver’s
hair and felt herself come with a cry.
She
tasted like fire. Light and heat. And wildflowers too. Oliver felt
Nola erupt under his lips and smiled in pure male satisfaction. Her
fingers went limp and she just rested bonelessly trying to catch her
breath. He trailed back to her neck, savoring the taste of her. He
positioned himself above her, so he could look in her eyes.
When
she saw Oliver’s smile, Nola knew this orgasm was just the first
and the next would be shattering. They kissed, and she tasted herself
on his lips. He pushed lightly into her and she wrapped her good leg
around his thigh. They looked at each other. He slipped a hand under
the small of her back and entered all the way. She cried softly as
she enfolded him. He began to move, slowly at first, giving her time
to adjust, then faster, and harder. She closed her eyes as she began
to come again. He put his head in her neck and bit the soft skin.
Nola
felt herself explode in a million particles as she peaked. The colors
she saw under her closed eyelids made the scents disappear, or more
intense, she didn’t know anymore. Oliver moved inside her a few
more times and groaned when his own orgasm ripped through him.
They
rolled on the side, still in each other’s arms and kissed tenderly.
They fell asleep without moving.
*****
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