Chapter 29

Chapter Rating: PG


Tomorrow had become today.

The day that held an unknown outcome that would change either the direction that her family's company was headed in or the road that her heart was traveling down. Perhaps both.

Probably both, Natalia thought, emerging naked from a cloud of steam as she exited her en-suite bathroom. She wrapped a towel around her still-dripping body, grabbed a bottle of lotion from her dresser and sat down on the edge of her bed. Placing the lotion on the floor by her feet, she tucked her hands underneath her thighs and leaned forward slightly as she shifted her attention between the two outfits that were hanging on to the back of her door.

One was a long, gray pencil skirt with a plain white cotton, bishop sleeve blouse. The other was a soft-black Cavalli tuxedo-inspired, slimming pant suit, with shimmering Crepe-de-Chine accents, and a vibrant purple silk dress shirt that would be left unbuttoned a little further down than usual. She carefully weighed the options.

The first outfit would be uncomfortable – boring. She would pin her hair up and probably not wear any jewelry. This was her normal style for important business meetings. The second ensemble would give her a lot more freedom and was, of course, much flashier. She would keep her hair down and put on a pair of small diamond earrings and a low hanging pendant necklace to match.

She took her right hand from underneath her thigh and brought it up to her mouth to chew on her pinky fingernail as she looked at the gray skirt set.

Good Afternoon, she mock conversed in her head, I am every stodgy spinster that ever taught you in boarding school. I blend in with the boardroom walls and refuse to be recognized as a woman; I downplay it so that you will take me seriously as an equal business partner. Work Work Work, that is all I'm about.

She huffed aloud at her thoughts, and returned her focus back to the second selection.

Why, hello there, even the voice in her head took on a sexy tone. You're trying to talk statistic and marketing analysis, but you seem to keep losing your place quite a bit. You can't help but try and secretly will me into undoing another button. I am all woman and I know exactly how to use what I've got... 'Why sure, I would love to have a drink with you after the meeting, give you a chance to ogle me some more.'
 
Natalia sighed deeply. Shameful. She undid the towel and dried off the beads of water that were still sliding off of her cooling skin. She picked up the lotion and began rubbing small amounts over her arms and legs as she continued the process of elimination as far as her morning attire was concerned.

She usually tried to dress demurely when doing business. She did want to be taken seriously as a businesswoman and though, nowadays, she trusted her merits to bring her the appropriate respect she deserved on that front, she still had to deal with the sexist opinions and comments from the men around her. It was usually safer not to bring attention to her beauty.

The second outfit – and she was at least being truthful when she admitted this to herself – would not be worn in an attempt to make a statement about equality in the workplace. Neither would it be worn to attract the lustful eyes of the men in the room.

No, this outfit would be for Olivia.

She wanted Olivia's eyes to be on her, causing her to stumble over her words and lose her place when presenting. If this was going to be the last time the two women would be seeing each other, she wanted to at least look her best. Give a nice visual for Olivia to remember her by.

Natalia berated herself for her thought process. All of the probably life-changing things that are going to happen today, and you're worried about how best to mock Olivia with your body. Nice, Rivera!

Something huge was about to happen with the company that she had worked so hard to protect for so many years. If she trusted what Olivia had said about her return to the Empire not being about taking the hotel away from her, than she should be somewhat relieved. But she wasn't. In the forefront of her mind was the instinctive feeling that she was going to hate whatever plan Olivia was about to propose. Otherwise, Olivia would have told her about it by now.

If it were something I would be pleased about she would just bounce up to me like an excited puppy and say 'What do ya think about this? Now we can both be happy... Let's have sex!'

"Dammit! One tracked mind much?!" She threw herself backwards on the bed, stretched out and closed her eyes.

No. She knows that I am going to be royally pissed off. That's why she won't tell me. She laid her hands flat over her taut stomach as she was beginning to feel the effects of her nervousness. That's also why she warned me to prepare myself.

She thought about what Olivia had said about the two possible pathways that their individual futures would take after this next presentation. She understood fully what had been meant by either path being difficult for them both to live with. The one path – the one that would connect them together in business and have them dealing with each other regularly – frightened Natalia. In what capacity would she be forced to deal with Olivia?

Will I have to relinquish my position in the company and hand it over to her? Give her the control?

Natalia began to get angry at just the thought. 

It will never happen. I will never allow her to be over me. I will never work beneath her. 

Forbidden images flooded her mind then. Olivia moving over top of her as naked as she was right now. Touching her. Stroking her. Wanting to possess everything. Taking her. Her hand shot up to her eyes as she tried to erase the visual of watching Olivia grin evilly down at her as she claimed victory. She raised herself up to a sitting position again and grabbed the towel that had fallen to the floor. She began drying her hair, forcing herself to focus.

The other pathway – the one that she knew would be best for both women to take – would see Olivia lose the battle and leave forever. That was a tricky one now that both women knew of each other’s attraction toward each other and had admitted to themselves of their own powerful desires. Natalia herself knew the very moment when she let go of her denial. That moment came when she allowed herself to be drawn towards Olivia's bedroom. When she had tasted Olivia's kiss, her skin. Felt the heat where Olivia's lips and fingertips ran over her, setting her on fire. She was unable to deny, even out loud to Olivia, that she had chosen her above all of the men who had been clamoring for her affections in all the many months that had passed. Allowed Olivia to know that she didn't want those men; that she wanted her.

Natalia wanted Olivia.

But the question remained whether or not she wanted Olivia more than she didn't want to lose the control of her family's company. What could be worth giving up her whole life's work for? Who would she be willing to give that to? 

One woman? One fling?... An itch? 

Natalia loathed herself for thinking about Olivia that way, but she had to be honest. She had no idea why she was so drawn to Olivia, and she wondered where it could go, really. Two women who hated being outdone by each other, never seeing eye to eye. Having to consistently try and outlast the other to remain dominant. How could that possibly work? Two alpha females battling constantly in order to force the other to submit: it would be chaos.

She arose from the bed and padded over to the two outfits; choosing one and throwing it on the bed, she proceeded to get dressed.

It was an ardent attraction that would burn like wildfire. Consuming everything around it for a very short time and, then, blowing out as quickly as it had started just as soon as the novelty had worn off. As soon as they had taken everything they could from one another. Used each other up. That was all that it could be, Natalia lectured herself. 

The second pathway is for the best. She knew it. And also knew she had no control over getting them on that path. She felt helpless.

When she was dressed, she went over to the full length mirror behind her door. She flattened the material with her hands and made tiny adjustments here and there. And when she was as completely satisfied with her appearance – as much as her selected outfit would allow – she took a few deep breaths, collected everything she needed, and headed out the door.

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Olivia was prepared. She was positively charged. She knew that she had done all the planning and prep work that needed to be done to pull everything off without a hitch. All she needed to do was let her team present, make the closing arguments, and let fate take its course. For Olivia the two pathways were viewed in a very different way. The one path would see her expanding her own company by leaps and bounds, while having to deal with Natalia on a weekly, quite possibly daily basis. Not exactly a 'win-win' when she factored in how tumultuous their short acquaintance had already been. She knew she couldn't deal with the constant 'Hot n' Cold' vibes she received from the other woman and also knew that that was all she was ever going to get from Natalia.

I will just have to put up with her. End of story.

She called down to one of her associates and made sure they were on their way to the boardroom early to set up the slides for the presentation. She then headed out the door. As soon as she made her way into the hall, she saw Natalia entering the elevator. The younger woman turned around and they made eye contact.

"You're not going to hold it are you?" Olivia called down the corridor.

Natalia smirked. "One good reason, Ms. Spencer."

Olivia rolled her eyes and began to walk casually down the hallway. The doors of the elevator started to close, and Natalia just stood there.

"Asshole." Olivia muttered.

Natalia caught the door at the very last second and pried it open. Olivia smiled slightly though she immediately tried to hide it.

When she got to the doors, she entered the elevator and stood directly beside Natalia to her right, in front of the number pad. She didn't make a move to press the number 2, for the mezzanine level. The doors closed and the car remained where it was.

"Do you mind?" Natalia motioned to the numbers with her head.

"You sure you want to go down just yet?" Olivia looked over at Natalia and smiled an innocent smile.

"Don't want to cuddle or anything first? I mean this is kinda our 'spot' now." She chuckled at the look of annoyance that was shot her way, and expelled an exaggerated sigh. "All the memories..." she said whimsically.

"Press the button, Spencer." Natalia's voice was firm.

"So demanding." Olivia leered and turned to face Natalia, backing up until she was leaning back against the side wall of the elevator car. "You know this may just be the last opportunity you and I have..." She was completely joking, just wanting to get a rise out of Natalia one last time. But she was shocked when Natalia turned to her and stepped forward one step. Olivia's smirk faded quickly.

"Were you serious about not stealing the hotel from me?" Natalia asked in a soft voice.

Olivia swallowed at the look in Natalia's eyes. "Yes." She managed to get the reply out without squeaking. Her eyes quickly, but noticeably, dropped to the outfit Natalia was wearing. She lingered a little too long on the enticing view that the opened buttons of the purple silk shirt were offering.

A corner of Natalia mouth drew upward as she saw she had made a wise choice. She stepped even closer to the older hotelier. "And you are certain that my father is going to accept whatever proposal you are about to offer him?" she asked, moving closer again until their bodies were almost touching.
Olivia's heart was racing now. She had definitely not planned on this happening, of all things. Getting kicked in the chins or told to 'fuck-off', sure, but not this. "Yes, I am certain he will," she answered, trying to sound confident as she dropped her gaze to Natalia's lips.

Natalia shifted her purse from her left hand into the right hand that was carrying a couple of files. She brought her free hand up and cupped the side of Olivia's face as the older woman simply stood still, watching and waiting. Natalia threaded the same hand through the hair at the back of Olivia's neck and pressed herself fully into the gorgeous body in front of her, causing Olivia to gasp at the contact. She drew Olivia's head down slightly and to the side and placed her lips next to her ear and said, "Well then, I guess I'll have plenty more opportunities to turn down your lousy advances."

She backed away slowly from the stunned woman, smiling, and pressed 2. She turned back around to face forward, a serious but satisfied expression returning to her face.

It took Olivia a moment to process the fact that she had just been played. And played well. Part of her wanted to strangle Natalia, while the other wanted to congratulate her on her performance. They traveled most of the way down in silence until Olivia finally collected herself enough to speak.

"Pft... Lousy?" She said disbelievingly. "Really?"

Natalia giggled and shook her head. "For my sake, I hope you're wrong by the way. I'm far too good a person to be placed in hell."

Olivia grinned. "We shall see." The doors opened and the two walked out and towards their fates.