Olivia Read Online Free PDF

here
after class on Thursdays.”
    “ I never have enough time with
you,” he admits.
    “ I know.”
    “ And I’ll probably have homework to
do...”
    “ I know,” I repeat.
    “ I was just looking forward to
doing this with you. We’ve been planning this class all
summer.”
    “ I know ,
Jon, but I just can’t. We knew this might be a problem.”
    “ I wish you’d try. Oh,” he says,
leaning over and grabbing something out of his messenger bag.
“Here.”
    It’s a card with my name on it. Intricate swirls and
birds drawn in fine-point black pen surround it. “Jordan made this,
huh?” I’d know his style anywhere.
    “ He’s got a bit of a crush,” Jon
says.
    “ I hope you put him in his
place.”
    “ I’m not the heartbreaker, Olivia.
I’ll leave that to you.”
    “ Hey!” I argue playfully. He
tickles my sides, making me squeal loudly.
    “ Shhh...” he cautions me, watching
the wall for a shadow of one or both of my parents. None appears. I
move one of my legs over his and settle back on his knees. His
hands slide tentatively up my outer thighs. We stare at one another
for a few seconds before my lips find his again. “Are your parents
still going out of town?” he asks softly.
    “ Yes.”
    “ Let me help you on Saturday
morning,” he pleads.
    “ No, I can do it myself,” I tell
him.
    “ Are you sure?” he asks.
    “ Of course.” I massage his scalp as
his thumbs knead deeply into my legs. I watch the muscles in his
forearms flex and release with his motions.
    “ No,” he says, lifting his right
hand and putting his finger under my chin to angle my face to his,
“are you sure you want to do this ?”
    I swallow before answering. “Of course I am, Jon. I
love you.”
    “ We don’t have to. There are no
strings attached here, baby.”
    “ Sure there are,” I tease him,
wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling myself into him. “I
couldn’t get away from you if I tried.” I kiss the stubble on his
chin before moving my tongue to the hollow beneath his
ear.
    “ You know what I mean,” he says,
his voice strained. He has to push me back before he can continue,
unable to focus on speech when I’m kissing him like that. He’d made
that clear many times over the summer. “I love you, too, but I can
wait.”
    “ I don’t want to wait anymore,” I
tell him, all joking gone from my face. “I want you.”
    He grins–clearly liking my admission–then pulls me
back into him, turning his head to the side so I can continue what
I’d started while he watches for anyone coming down the stairs.

CHAPTER 4
     
    The guest room door across the apartment on 5th
Avenue stays closed. Every Saturday, I spend minutes–if not
hours–staring at it, knowing I can’t cross its threshold. Behind
that door is the painting I started. I remember the portrait of
Nate, and the empty space on the wall next to it. Would James even still want this painting that Granna asked
for? It doesn’t matter. She asked for it, and I want to
finish it for her–for principle, if nothing else. Just because she’s gone–
    “ I’m going for a walk, Mom.” I make
sure not to look directly at her, hiding my watery eyes from her.
I’m so tired of her asking about my feelings. If I’d wanted to
discuss them with her, I would have done it long ago.
    “ Want company?” she asks, setting
her laptop aside tentatively.
    “ I’d rather be alone.”
    “ Okay, sweetie. I’ll be here.” She
settles her computer back in her lap and continues her
illustration. “Be careful.”
    “’ Kay.” I pull on my jacket,
anticipating the cool fall air that’s set over Manhattan earlier
than normal.
    In the lobby, I nod to the doorman, Francisco,
before pulling out my cell phone.
    “ Fail.” I
only need to type that one word for Jon to know what’s going on. My
boyfriend is the only person who knows about the painting I’d
started with Granna. He took her picture for it.
    “ It’s
okay,” his text back reads. I