Page 66 of The Biker's Virgin
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN – OLIVIA
“Hi,” Olivia managed to gasp.
“Hi,” Blaine replied. He stood still.
Olivia looked him up and down and noticed the backstage pass slung around his muscular neck. He seemed nervous. “You were amazing out there,” he whispered.
“Thanks,” Olivia said. Over Blaine’s shoulder, she saw her dad and Maddie turn the corner down the stadium hallway. When Maddie saw Blaine, she grabbed her dad’s hand and pulled him back around the corner.
“I was so wrong.” Blaine leaned his arm on the doorway and hung his head. “So wrong.”
“Which asshole act are you referencing?”
“Trying to control you. I should’ve trusted that you were making the best decision for you. I just didn’t want to see you waste your life making decisions that revolved around me.”
Olivia didn’t know what to say. She had been furious with Blaine when he told her that she couldn’t go on the road with Cull the Unfaithful.
“You were wrong. I wasn’t making the decision based on you. Or even me. I was making it based on us,” Olivia said stoically.
“I should’ve seen that Olivia. I want to apologize to you in person for being such an asshole. You’re a strong woman and I’ve never met anyone like you before. And, um. I guess that’s all.” He started to back away.
“And you’re leaving?” Olivia asked, exasperated.
“You’re on top of the world Olivia. What would you want with me?”
Olivia felt a little bit of her anger start to melt away. Blaine had allowed himself to be vulnerable in front of her, something that she knew went against every fibre of his being. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized how tough it must have been for him to admit that he was wrong, but instead of leaping into his arms, she took a deep breath and steeled her eyes on him.
“I loved you,” she said, maintaining her composure.
“I love you Liv. I loved you back in the cabin and I love you now,” he said. I fell in love with you the first time I saw you play. “I want to be there for you, to protect you, to be your everything.”
“Why now?” She crossed her arms in front of her as the rush of hurt washed over her as she remembered the unanswered calls, the ignored text messages, the pity in the box office attendant’s eyes when they handed the unclaimed pass back to her.
“What can I do to prove to you how serious I am?” He reached out to grasp her hand. Olivia felt the electricity that passed between their fingertips and let her hand linger in his before snatching it back and placing it on her hip.
“Nothing,” Olivia said, fighting with her tears. She didn’t need Blaine, and she couldn’t go through the ache of being heartbroken again.
She took a deep breath, and when she looked up at Blaine she saw his eyes brimming with tears. It was too much, and it cracked her façade, she allowed a single tear to fall down her cheek.
Blaine brushed his tears away and stared at the ceiling as he took a deep breath.
“I’m a fucking asshole Olivia. It’s the way I grew up. It’s who I am, it’s who I was - until the day that I met you. You made me want to be a better person. You made me realize that there are people in this world who are good, people who will give dirt bags like me a chance. But, it’s hard to let go of what you know. It took losing you to realize that I want something different for my life.”
“That’s all very poetic, Blaine. But it’s been months and I haven’t heard from you.”
“Olivia. I’m a man and we’re stupid. Remember that. I thought that I could forget about you. But your face was the first thing I saw when I woke up, and the last thing I saw before I fell asleep. I tried to forget about you. I really did, but there was something in me that couldn’t let you go.”
Olivia knew that Blaine was telling the truth, she could feel it. She wanted to reach out to him, to pull him in close, kiss his neck and feel his hands around her waist, but instead of taking a step toward him, she took a step back.
“I’m not one of your club girls. I’m not going to fall at your feet and thank my lucky stars that YOU’VE decided that you’re ready to be with me,” her voice quivered as she yelled at him. She pushed at his chest, catching him off guard. He took two steps back and Olivia slammed the door in his face.
