Chapter 46

Michelle Bradley was wearing a cheap bathrobe and sitting on top of an ugly yellow, orange and brown bedspread – a throwback from the seventies – that covered the lumpy mattress. She had woken up an hour ago in order to make a phone call and immediately fell back to sleep next to an incredibly handsome man. In all truth, she knew that Mateo's physique wasn't the only reason that she was in that bed. There was another. And although she was often passed over as being completely naive, Michelle had long since suspected Mateo's reasons for wanting to be lying next to her.

Late last night – or early morning to be exact – after the two had spent the last remaining energy they had left and collapsed on the bed in the daze of post-sex bliss, Mateo casually asked her to do him a 'favor'. Michelle knew that he truly believed that she wouldn't over-think the issue, but in fact, it revealed an insight into his motives for being in this dive of a motel. Nevertheless, she did as she was asked the moment she woke up that morning without second guessing it; an action she applauded herself for later, when she saw what was lying on that ugly bedspread.

Michelle sat there, speechless. In front of her was an extraordinarily exquisite diamond bracelet that she knew – without a doubt – must have cost more than a few months worth of her wages at the hospital. And as naive as she was thought to be, she knew the bracelet must have accompanied them on their 'date' last night. Whether she was being bought, or rewarded, it didn't really matter to her. She was going to keep her mouth shut and enjoy a moment that she had previously only ever dreamed of having.

Mateo placed the diamonds around the stunned nurse's wrist and carefully fastened the clasp. "I hope you like it," he said in a smooth voice. "The first of many beautiful things for such a beautiful woman."

"I... It's..." Michelle stuttered. "I don't even know how to..."

"No need, your expression says it all."

"I've never owned anything so... so..."

"That's a shame, really." Mateo slid next to her on the bed and pulled her down with him, holding her close. "Expensive jewelry suits you rather well."

The young blonde could only blush in response.

"So..." Mateo continued as he brushed long, golden strands of hair over Michelle's shoulder. "You were able to make that phone call, yes?"

The woman rolled towards him. "Yeah, I did it while you were still sleeping."

Mateo tried not to sound too pleased with having everything fall into place in his mischievous plan. "And how did it go?" he asked.

"Um... I guess it went well. I mean, I said everything you told me to say."

"Excellent." Mateo leaned closer and showed his appreciation in small kisses along her sensitive neck.

"But... " she hesitated. "No matter who I pretended to be, it won't be very long until they realize that what I said it isn't true."

"Well, we don't actually know for certain that it isn't true. I just want to make sure that the coroner rules out any other causes of death. My father was a very wealthy man, Michelle. That means he could have been a target for foul-play. If you were me, wouldn't you want to know exactly what happened?"

"I guess," Michelle answered. "But just so that you know, the toxicology screening won't be a priority on the list for an older man who has died of an apparent natural cause. Even if I just ordered one, it won't be done right away... not without police involvement."

"Then perhaps the police should get involved."

"How are you going to manage that?"

Mateo brushed light fingertips down her bare arm, from her shoulder to her bejeweled wrist. "I supposed I would need help with that."

Michelle suddenly pushed back slightly. "Look, using the Chief of Staff's name and ordering an unnecessary tox screen is one thing, but –"

"You wouldn't be doing anything wrong," the scheming man interrupted. "You'd only be speeding up the process. If there is a chance that my father's death wasn't due to natural causes, we'd be doing the police a favor by finding that out sooner, am I right?"

Michelle didn't look convinced. "So you really believe that someone murdered your father?"

Not at all, but all I need is a suspicion of guilt... the media will do the rest, he thought to himself.

"My father was about to make a decision about a major business deal... one that had the potential to make some people very wealthy, and other'... well... not as wealthy as they would like. He died right before announcing that decision."

"So... all of this is just to see if anyone did anything to stop a decision from being made..." Michelle calculated.

"Exactly. And an anonymous tip to the police regarding information into the death of Antonio Rivera... well, that would get the ball rolling with the blood tests, wouldn't it?"

Michelle nodded.

"You'll help me out, then?"

She paused briefly but ended up nodding her consent. Mateo wrapped her in his arms. She wrapped hers around his neck, and focused her gaze on the wrist that was behind his left shoulder.

The moment the sunlight shone through one of the diamonds, she made the made the choice to let the bright light blind her better judgment.

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Olivia was throwing clothing and souvenirs into the suitcases on her bed – creating quite a large mountain of disarray – when she heard insistent knocking at the door. Instinctively knowing who would be on the other side, she opened it and confirmed her assumption with a deep sigh.

"Wow. So bad news travels even faster than good, I see," she said as she turned on her heels without welcoming the man in from the hallway.

Andrew had rushed to Olivia's suite the moment Greg informed him of her rash decision. As her financial adviser, Andrew had some urgent business advice to give. As a long-time friend, however, Andrew had a few choice words for Olivia; words which not too many employees could get away with saying and still manage to see another workday.

He said nothing as he entered the hotel room and closed the door, nor as he followed the blonde to her bedroom, where he witnessed a chaotic cat-fight with a carry-on.

Olivia pulled on the uncooperative zipper of the smaller bag until she heard one of its teeth snap off, thus ending the battle. She threw the case on the bed, turned to face Andrew, and took a deep breath; willing herself to calm down slightly.

"I'm not crazy," she said as evenly as possible.

"A professional second opinion may be required," Andrew answered.

"I know what I'm doing. I have everything under control."

"Throwing away the opportunity for a multi-million dollar merger with one of the world's leading luxury hotel brands? Yes, a completely sane entrepreneurial tactic if I ever saw one."

Olivia shrugged off the sarcasm and moved to the closet once again. "See... the keyword there was 'opportunity'. There isn't such a thing with this deal, so it doesn't matter anymore, does it?"

"What are you talking about?"

The defeated woman leaned her forehead against the closet doorframe. "What was I even thinking, Andrew? What is the Beacon compared to the Empire?" She slid the closet door closed and moved over to the vanity table. With one pass she swept most of her makeup into a cosmetics bag. "Why would the Empire need us?" she asked quietly as she paused to look in the mirror for a moment. "It doesn't," Olivia said with helplessness in her voice. She finished at the vanity and walked past Andrew. "She doesn't need me!"

The tall man hesitated as he tried to take in what Olivia had just said, then followed her to the bathroom. He leaned against the doorframe and folded his arms. "Okay... How, exactly, do you propose we break the news to the shareholders that you're trashing this mega deal because the new owner of the Empire doesn't want to be your girlfriend?"

Olivia slammed a cabinet door and spun around to face him. "This has nothing to do with that!" She tried her best to sound indignant, though she knew there was some truth behind the accusation.

"You've been able to seduce many into helping advance your various schemes and dreams. You tried your luck with a girl this time and failed. So now you're quitting?"

The comment caused an instant rush of heat to the angry woman's cheeks. Olivia walked towards Andrew and stopped within inches from him.

"I'm going to pretend that you didn't just call me a whore," she said slowly; her gaze burned into his.

"Your bedroom eyes didn't get you very far... big deal... come up with a more feasible game plan!"

"You're an asshole!"

"Whatever happened with Natalia, it is over. And now you're gonna sulk like a broken-hearted teenager?"

"Get out of my way!"

"You're taking your company down with you." Andrew knew he was being harsh but he needed Olivia to admit the truth behind her actions – for her sake more than his own.

Olivia pushed her way out of the bathroom. "She doesn't need this, Andrew!" she said bitterly as she headed for the living-room. Again, Andrew pursued her.

"And what is 'this', exactly?" he asked.

Olivia flopped down on the couch. "The merger... the Beacon... everything! She's just lost her father. This is all too much for her right now."

"That sounds like an excellent reason to postpone a business deal, NOT pull it away completely."

"I've made my decision."

"Because of a girl!" Andrew said, exasperatedly. "God, Olivia, I've done some stupid things for women, but this trumps ALL of them."

"It just isn't going to happen." Olivia slouched back into the couch.

"What are we talking about now? The merger of the hotels? Or sex with Natalia?"

Olivia glared at her friend. "Fuck you!"

"If I'm still your type, sure... why not?"

Olivia pinched the bridge of her nose. "You can let yourself out. I'm finished discussing this." She folded her arms and stared at the coffee-table in front of her.

Andrew could see that he wouldn't be able to talk any sense into her.

"Letting go of the merger so that Natalia has less to worry about right now... that's a twistedly valiant – though incredibly stupid – thing to do."

"Thanks... I think."

"Leaving LA so that she can forget about what's happening between the two of you, however... not as fool-proof an idea as you may think."

Olivia didn't respond.

"It takes a lot more than just distance to get over Olivia Spencer." He made his way to the door. "Trust me... I would know."

When Andrew had left, Olivia slumped forward and rubbed her temples, trying to block out what he had said.

You just have to get through the funeral, and say goodbye. It will all be over soon.

Chapter 45

Chapter Rating: G

The morning sun had found its way through the small gap in Natalia's bedroom drapes and slowly skimmed along the silk sheets, illuminating the sleeping beauty's visage. She blinked against the bright light as she was roused from her sedative-induced slumber. When her eyes finally opened, Natalia rolled away from the obtrusion. There were a few glorious seconds in which her heartache did not exist; the brief oblivion of the shift between undisturbed unconsciousness and enlivened lucidity, where the pain of yesterday hadn't made its way back to her. It lasted as long as the sigh she exhaled and then reality bodychecked her yet again. If she hadn't been lying down she may have fallen under the oppressive burden of it all. As she did her best to fight back tears and looked around the room, she immediately noticed her clothing, which had been neatly folded and placed on her dresser. The brunette took another deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Spencer," she muttered as she exhaled, her brows furrowing as the memories of Olivia's visit came back to her. Her regret and anguish for not being there for her father when he needed her the most was monumental. Natalia had already decided to be angry at herself for her actions. And though she knew that Olivia's innocence was obvious, she also wanted to be angry at the other hotelier – the very woman who was quite possibly her only source of comfort at the moment.

She threw the covers off and tried to ignore the pounding in her head as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Grabbing a robe from the back of the bedroom door, she made her way to the kitchen. She had expected to see the sticky mess of spilled juice and broken glass on the floor. Instead, it was spotless. The corners of her mouth shifted upwards imperceptibly.

After preparing the coffee-maker for its first of several pots this day, Natalia sauntered into the living room, stopping in her tracks the moment she noticed a pair of feet hanging over the armrest of the twin sofa. Instinctively knowing to whom they belonged, Natalia quietly tip-toed to a chair and sat down. She debated whether or not to wake the sleeping hotelier, and several moments were spent taking in the beauty of the other woman's face before Natalia noticed that Olivia wasn't covered with a blanket, nor did she have a pillow. Natalia guessed that, in all likelihood, this meant that Olivia hadn't planned to stay overnight, but instead had fallen asleep while waiting to make sure that there was no longer any need of her assistance.

Natalia had always considered herself to be a very independent, strong-willed woman, who could take care of herself no matter what came her way. Last night she was confident that she would have been fine without the other woman's help. She was still touched, however, by Olivia's perseverance. No matter how badly she had been treated, or how harsh were the words that had been spoken, Olivia had been there for her – not once, but twice – when she needed someone the most. In light of her acts of kindness, Natalia didn't want to mistreat Olivia, but she was sure that her future decisions – regarding not only the company but also the off-beat relationship between them – were going to upset Olivia greatly.

It saddened the younger woman as she sat there, trying to take in the few remaining moments of calm and silence that this daunting day would offer. She knew the day would be a hectic one – filled with many phone calls, meetings with shareholders, and countless emails of condolences to acknowledge. All of the responsibility had been passed down to her and she knew that she had to get herself moving. Things needed to be taken care of right away.

Olivia began to stir before Natalia had a chance to wake her. The older woman shifted on the couch and stretched out before opening her eyes. She was caught off guard when she saw Natalia sitting across from her and immediately sat up – trying to make herself look more presentable than she presumed she was.

"Morning... You will excuse me if I forego the 'Good' part of that greeting today."

Olivia nodded with a look of sympathy. "How are you feeling this morning?"

Natalia sank backwards in the chair. "Um, sort of like... orphaned."

Olivia didn't quite know what to say to that.

"I'm sorry," Natalia waved a dismissive hand in the air. "I don't mean to make you uncomfortable, honestly."

Olivia shook her head and grinned. "Oh, Natalia, you've been making me feel uncomfortable since the very first day we met." She winked.

Natalia smiled, but at the same time looked at Olivia with a contemplative stare. "And yet, here you are."

"Here I am."

"Waking up on my couch."

"Well, I don't recall hearing an offer to bunk with you in your bed, so..."

"I guess I'm just not like all the other women you drug." Natalia gave her a fake look of annoyance.

"Hey, it was for your own good, Rivera." Olivia contested.

Natalia sighed. "Yes, I know," the younger woman agreed. "I would like to thank you, actually, for getting me into bed last night."

Olivia smirked, "If I had a nickel..."

Natalia rolled her eyes.

"Seriously though, no need to thank me," the blonde continued. "You'd have done the same for me, I'm sure."

Natalia gave her a disbelieving glance. "Are you absolutely certain about that?"

Olivia furrowed her brows for a moment before sighing deeply. "Okay no, not really, but it was a nice thought." She started to rub a kink in the side of her neck that had been acquired by the awkward sleeping position on the sofa.

Natalia watched as the older woman attempted – in vain – to relieve the soreness before getting up off of her chair and moving around behind the sofa. She gently moved Olivia's hand away and replaced it with both of her own. She began to knead at the tense muscles with her thumbs.

With each passing second Olivia felt more at ease and let herself relax against the couch cushion, her eyes fluttering closed as the pain in her neck began to be methodically massaged away.

"Do you remember the day we met...?"

"Ah yes, seems like an eternity ago, no?"

"You mentioned something about how you really weren't 'so bad' if I would just get to know you?"

Olivia nodded slowly. "I do recall shamelessly pleading for your acceptance even then, yes."

Natalia cocked her head to one side. "I've been wanting to say that the same goes for me."

Olivia leaned her head back and tilted her chin towards the ceiling to be able to see the upside down hotelier. "I already know that, Natalia. I believe I've made a few attempts at finding that out, haven't I?"

"Mmhm." Natalia looked forward again and continued kneading Olivia's neck and shoulders. "I think..." she stopped in contemplation. "I think I just wish that you had met me at a different time."

Olivia closed her eyes once again. "Well, that's a bit of a step up from wishing I'd never met you at all."

"I don't wish that," the brunette interjected quickly. "Well, most of the time I don't. But, things have just changed in a drastic way for me... for this company."

Olivia sensed she knew what Natalia was about to say, but let her proceed.

"I just can't spend a lot of time worrying about how you are feeling in all of this." Natalia unconsciously stopped massaging the other woman. "What I want, or think I might want with you, has to take a backseat now."

Olivia didn't even miss a beat. "Whoa... did you just say that you want to take me in the backseat? Because if that's the case, I suggest we take the limo… more leg room than your tiny car," she smirked.

Natalia sighed deeply and dropped her hands from the blonde's shoulders. She walked around the sofa to stand in front of Olivia; the expression on her face showed that she was completely serious.

"I'm sorry, I use humor to mask nervousness," Olivia sheepishly confessed.

Natalia sat back onto the coffee-table behind her and reached for the soft hands that were folded in Olivia's lap. She chewed her lips and stared at their joined hands for long seconds before speaking.

"I'm grateful for all the efforts you've made, and the concern you've shown for me. But I am currently feeling unbelievably angry at myself for spending such a lovely time with you and Emma while my father lay dying only a few floors above us." The younger woman's eyes began to mist but she held herself together. "I have that on me now. I'm wearing that guilt like an anchor."

Olivia nodded her understanding but kept quiet, hoping that Natalia would continue pouring out her feelings.

"All of the conflicting emotions aside, I still need to work out what I'm going to be doing about this merger that my father never got around to formally accepting."

"Natalia," Olivia finally interrupted, "I told you that we don't need to discuss that right now."

The younger woman let go of the hands in hers. "Are you not at all curious as to what I'm considering? My decision will either drastically improve – or seriously stifle – your company's future growth!"

Olivia shook her head in exasperation. "Of course I'm curious, Natalia, but I can look past it when need be. And for God's sake, the day after your father's death seems as appropriate a 'need be' scenario as any!"

"I can't look past it!"

"Get some X-ray goggles... look through it instead. They sell those at the gift shop, don't they?"

Natalia stared blankly at the bewildering blonde.  "You've gone from 'joking', to just plain idiotic." She waited for Olivia's rebuttal but the other woman could only huff in response. "I have a million decisions to make, and the pressure to maintain order is presently a very high priority. I can't even see past the next hour, so I certainly can't be worrying about what is going on between us."

"I haven't asked you to!" There was a higher pitch to Olivia's voice now. "I came over to give my condolences. I offered you a Xanax, and I accidentally fell asleep on your couch. That doesn't mean I'm about to ask you to make this a priority," she waved her hand in between them for emphasis.

"Spencer, please..." Natalia abruptly stood and walked over to one of the windows. "I'm going to very busy for a while. No decisions will be made about the merger for quite some time."

"You're about to tell me to go back to Illinois," Olivia said flatly.

"I need to be able to focus."

Olivia did not argue. In fact, she wasn't even considering arguing at this point. She could see that Natalia was clearly telling her that she couldn't handle being around her. Whether that was to do with the grief over how her father had passed or the legitimate concern about being distracted during a stressful transition in her life, it didn't really matter. There was something different about this last effort to push her away; Olivia sensed it and accepted it.

"Okay then," was all the older woman could say as she slipped her shoes on and stood to make her way to the door. "I will leave directly after the um... the funeral... If there is any business you wish to discuss after that, I will give you my assistant's card. You can schedule a phone conference when the time comes." She plastered a friendly – though very fake – smile on her face and turned to walk away.

Natalia was stunned at the level of compliance she was witnessing. She managed to move after the woman and held the door open for her.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later," Olivia said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Yeah, um... I don't really know what to say now," Natalia responded.

"That's okay. Co-operative Olivia Spencer usually has that affect on people. Enjoy it! It's a rare appearance... happens less often than a Leap Year," she smiled.

"Spencer... I just..."

"No, it's fine, Rivera," Olivia lied. "Right place, wrong time."

Natalia looked down at the ground.

"Hey, you take care of yourself," Olivia offered kindly. "You're a strong woman... you can get through this."

Natalia didn't look up. "Thank you."

Olivia nodded. "I'll see you later," she said and quickly turned to open her own door.

Natalia watched the woman disappear into her suite.

For the very first time, Olivia Spencer was going to do exactly what she had been asked and leave the hotel. It was also, coincidentally, the very first time Natalia realized that was not at all what she really wanted.

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Olivia sat on her bed; the quiet stillness in the room seemed to be such a contrast to the loud flurry of thoughts going on inside her head. She wanted be stay resigned to the fact that leaving LA was for the best. She thought she could remind herself that Natalia was feeling overwhelmed – understandably – and that she needed space. Her ability to be rational, though, was slipping away with each breath. She flipped open her cell phone and dialed her assistant. As she waited for him to pick up, she stalked out into the suite and over to the large wardrobe that housed her suitcases.

"Come on, come onnnnn," she hissed at the dial tone, began dragging a case down the hallway towards the bedroom. "Greg! How lovely of you to make yourself available," she said with stinging sarcasm. "I need you to gather the team together for an inter-web meeting this evening... No, I'm afraid there's no need for anyone to come back to LA."

Olivia sat back down on the bed and rubbed her forehead.

"I'm pulling the merger off the table."

Chapter 44

Chapter Rating: PG-13

Natalia shuffled down the hallway and through her bedroom door. Her head was spinning and reality seemed to be shifting yet again. She was stuck in so many different memories of the past; remembering moments of both happiness and heart-wrenching pain. She didn't quite know how she'd gotten to her bed, but a soft, warm hand covering her own brought her back into the present where she found both herself and the other hotelier sitting at the end of her bed. A dim light from a small lamp on her dresser illuminated the room. Olivia gave her hand a gentle squeeze and then released it in order to offer her a glass of water, and a small pill – which Natalia presumed to be Xanax. She took the pill and, without question, popped it into her mouth and took a sip of the water. When she handed the glass back to Olivia, she watched as Olivia walked over to the dresser to set it down and began opening drawers. Natalia assumed she was looking for some sort of evening attire for her to change into. Having anyone — let alone Olivia Spencer - touching her things would normally have made her cringe. Somewhere in the back of her mind she noted this and watched with a calm detachment as Olivia opened her drawer and pulled out a long nightshirt.

"What do I do now?" Natalia asked, her voice conveying her fear and heartache.

Olivia closed the drawer and walked back to the bed and sat down. She knew how overwhelmed Natalia was feeling at that moment; how vulnerable she was. From the same place that Olivia had been surprised to discover actually existed in her upon the birth of her only daughter, a surge of complete compassion flooded her soul. Natalia was not a rival, nor a potential business partner. She was not a woman who continually stood in the way of her company's imminent expansion and, thus, her success. And, even though her grief had in no way over-shadowed her exquisite beauty, Natalia wasn't even the object of Olivia's desire. For Olivia, in that moment, Natalia was a fragile spirit in need of comfort. Olivia yearned to support her, in whatever way she could. No strings attached. No ultimatums and bargaining, ulterior motives or desires for anything in return.

"Natalia, I'd like to help you with your shoes... if that's okay?" she asked softly as she studied the younger woman's face. Waiting patiently until Natalia weakly nodded her consent, Olivia slid from the bed and knelt down in front of the dazed brunette. Cradling a lower calf in her hand, she brought Natalia's foot up to rest in her lap and began to made gentle work of the thin straps around her ankle that held the shoe in place.

Natalia stared blankly at the process – not fully alert, but not so far removed as to completely fail to notice the care and concern that Olivia was displaying within that act of kindness. When the other shoe came off, she followed Olivia's movements as she placed the shoes at the corner of the bed.

"Now," Olivia said as she began to subconsciously rub nervous hands slowly up and down her own thighs. "Ummm... do you want to just sleep in your clothes, or would you... do you..." she stuttered. She had wanted to say something a little less perverted than "Shall we strip you naked now?"

Natalia hesitated but then shook her head.

"Okay, I'll just, uh..." Olivia made a turning motion with her hands. "And I'll wait while you..." Another gesture was made at Natalia and the night-shirt. The seated woman did not respond but just blinked a few times. "Okay, I'm just going to... yeah." Olivia took a deep breath and let it out as she turned around and walked forwards a few feet. She folded her arms and stood facing the doorway for several moments, rocking on her heels as she listened for a sign of movement behind her. She heard nothing.

"How's it going, Chief?" Olivia said over her shoulder. When no answer came, she slowly turned around to find Natalia sitting there, holding the nightshirt and staring at the floor. A quick look of pity flashed across the blonde's face as she took another deep breath. She walked over to the stunned woman. Ohhhh boy, she thought to herself. She pressed her lips tightly together and then cleared her throat. "Okay... Arms up."

Natalia stalled for a few seconds before she did as she was told and lifted her arms.

Olivia bent down to grab the hem of her shirt and pulled it over Natalia's head. She folded the garment neatly and placed it on the dresser.

"Did you live with your father?" Natalia inquired; her voice was quiet and her gaze was becoming slightly unfocused — presumably due to both emotional exhaustion and the mild sedative she had been given. The taller woman tried handing her the night-shirt, but Natalia grunted and waved it away.

"No, I didn't. I never met my father," Olivia answered, careful not to let the question lead her consciousness into its own set of unwanted memories. She stayed in the present and refocused on what they were trying to accomplish. "Can you get your pants undone for us?"

Natalia nodded and began an attempt to undo the button of the designer jeans she was still wearing from the day's earlier shopping adventure. "So when your mother died... you felt like... like this?"

The blonde thought carefully about what to say next. "I can't say that I know exactly how you are feeling right now, Natalia. But I remember that when my mother passed away, I felt a strange kind of fear. And I felt..." Olivia paused.

"Alone?" Natalia interjected.

"Yes," Olivia answered. "Yes, I felt lost and alone."

Natalia looked deep into Olivia's eyes. "I feel the 'alone' thing," she whispered.

Olivia placed a hand over the ones that were fumbling with the button. "I know," she said empathetically. They stayed there for several moments, joined by the familiar sting of loss. Olivia was the one to bring them back to the task at hand. She stood and looked down at the drowsy brunette who still hadn't managed to undo her jeans. "Lie back, I'll get this."

As Natalia slowly sank back into the mattress, Olivia undid the buttons and pulled on the zipper. "This isn't exactly how I imagined getting into your pants for the first time, Rivera," she joked as she made a motion indicating she needed Natalia to raise her hips.

The comment had won Olivia a brief smile – one that both women were grateful for. Natalia lifted her hips slightly to allow Olivia to tug the jeans off. "Well, I was actually going to say that I really admire your resolve, Spencer," she quipped.

"Don't admire it." Olivia pulled the jeans off and folded them before placing them with Natalia's shirt. "If you were just grieving, then you would be fair game. You are now, however, both grieving and soon to be sedated."

"Ah... Stricken with scruples. Must be rough for you, hmm?" The drugged beauty chuckled and then yawned.

Olivia did her best to avoid any long glances at the half-naked hotelier. "Oh, get over yourself, Rivera!" she smirked. "Can you stand or do you want to crawl up to your pillows?"

"I'm fine t' stand," Natalia answered with a slight slur.

"Mmhm? Alright. Up we get." The taller woman took both of Natalia's hands and pulled her slowly up from the bed. Natalia was weak and Olivia was forced to wrap an arm around her waist as the drowsy woman swayed back and forth. The two women held on to each other for a few long seconds.

"Shall we dance?" Olivia smiled and then tried to move them around the side of the bed.

Natalia, tugged back. "Don't move," she said. "Just stay still for a minute, please."

"Okay, sure." Olivia did as she was asked and kept her arm around Natalia, allowing the petite woman to lean on her for support. They stayed like this – close and quiet – for another minute, just being in each other's space.

"When are you going to leave?"

Olivia was surprised at the question. "Um, whenever you fall asleep?"

"That's not what I mean."

The older woman was confused. "Well, I'm going to need to get back to Springfield and get some things done at the Beacon, but I can always hop a plane, do that, come right back. I haven't really made any plans yet. Is that what you...?"

Natalia was watching Olivia's lips move as she spoke, and did her best to listen intently. She knew Olivia wasn't aware of the specific answer she had wanted to hear to the question she was actually asking. She smiled and nodded her head. "Okay, well..." She sighed. "I think maybe you should get me into bed now." 

Olivia threw her head back and let out an over-exaggerated sigh of relief. "Yesss. Finally!" she laughed.

The smaller woman rolled her eyes and allowed herself to be shuffled around to the side of the large, king-sized bed. She crawled unto the bed and flopped down into the plush pillows. "Where'd ya put lil Emma?" she said, almost drunkenly.

Olivia pulled the bed-sheets up to cover Natalia. "I 'put' her into the capable hands of her babysitter a while ago. They went off to the pool, much to Emmabug's delight."

"Will you apologize to her for me?"

The blonde sat down on the side of the bed. "I had a talk with her, and she understands — as much as a little girl can. Oh... she told me to give you this..." Olivia bent down and placed a soft kiss on Natalia's cheek.

Natalia smiled, "Whadda sweet lil girl"; her words were slurred now.

Olivia cupped her cheek and stroked it lightly with her thumb. "Sleep now, Natalia," she whispered, and when she saw the other woman close her eyes, she reached over and turned off the bedside lamp.

A part of Olivia was so thankful to be able to get Natalia somewhat settled and safely to sleep. Another part of her realized that her efforts tonight may either go unnoticed – or even unappreciated – by a more defensive and sober Natalia, come the morning.

Once again, however, knew she was ready to take on another day, no matter what tomorrow might bring.

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Not long after arriving back at the hotel, Mateo Rivera had made a few phone calls. One call was to an obstinate head nurse who – in Mateo's opinion – took her job far too seriously and kept repeating the phrase "I'm sorry sir, I can't just give out our staff's contact information. I can leave a message for Miss Bradley, if you'd like." Mateo snidely thanked the woman on the other end of the phone for "being absolutely no help, whatsoever" but did leave his name and cell phone information, citing a need to speak with the nurse about picking up his deceased father's belongings.

Within three hours he had received a callback from a naive nurse named Michelle Bradley, arranged to meet to meet Miss Bradley at a nearby nightclub, and had spent a surprisingly short amount of time using 'girlie' cocktails and a charming voice to convince the young woman into going to a nearby motel with him.

This particular playmate had put up very little resistance, though he'd never had too much difficulty beguiling a woman into his arms whenever he felt like it. The offer of money, fame and endless hours of sexual bliss, and she was his.

If Mateo had asked the woman – who was currently straddling him on a cheap motel mattress – to walk into a bank with a blow-dryer and demand the teller for money, she would do it. He was sure of this. By now, there wasn't anything she wouldn't do for him. It was his stunningly handsome good looks, his soothing, seductive mannerisms, and his charming, dimpled smile. And if any of these inherent gifts had failed to woo the woman into his cunning plan, there was always the strategically placed pressure of his hand that had roamed it's way up a black mini-skirt, and the light stroking of fingertips against lace panties. That usually did the trick.

And now, as Mateo watched the enraptured woman rise and fall above him, he praised himself for the clever way in which he was about to take down his arch-rival. He was quite pleased with himself as he quickly flipped the nurse over onto her back, momentarily stared down at her panting form, and then smirked.

Tonight, this chick. Tomorrow... the world!