Chapter 3: Fight or Flight

"You never answered my question," he said, pushing off the building wall and stepping closer to her.

"I think you know why I'm here," she said, trying to calm her beating heart.

"Humor me," he said with a wry smirk as he hovered at the edge of her personal space.

"You're in danger, as usual, and you don't even realize it." She said, trying to sound like she didn't care.

"And you care why?" He asked, not even fazed by what she said.

Olivia's tense shoulders dropped and she sighed. "You used to be my best friend and partner. I owe it to him that you stay alive just a little bit longer."

His gaze flickered from her left eye to the right as if searching for the lie she wasn't telling. "You knew and you didn't say anything. How is that an act of a best friend or partner?"

Olivia knew this had been coming and she stole herself for his wrath. "I was selfish. I…" she paused and took a deep breath. "I thought you might run and then I'd lose you. A theory that proved rather accurate, but I don't blame you Peter. I should've told you, but…" she trailed off, lost for words.

"But what?" He asked, stepping closer so that only inches of air separated them.

She looked up into his eyes and searched them for any route of escape. "Don't make me say it Peter, it won't change anything. You're still going to run and I might never see you again." She watched his eyes momentarily dilate and then return to normal and he inched closer so she could feel the heat radiating off his body and the familiar smell of wood, mint, and whiskey roll off him.

"But what, 'Livia?" He repeated huskily.

Olivia's knees almost buckled under his heated gaze and she trembled like a rabbit caught in a trap. God how she had missed that nickname that only he used. All she needed now was to hear that other nickname and then she would tell him anything he wanted to know – do anything he wanted.

"Sweetheart, please…" he gently nudged her chin up to look into her deep green eyes. Pain caused her face to screw up and she caved.

"Because I love you, damnit," she gasped quietly, as if the words had left her involuntarily. "And now you're just going to run and my heart will shatter into a million pieces yet again-"

His lips on hers interrupted her tirade and it took a moment for her to realize what exactly was happening before her lips responded to his and she forgot for the time being that she was going to lose him again and that for now he was hers. She fisted her hands into the black curls and pulled him closer so that her body was flush with his and his hands gripped her hips and he circled his thumbs on the front of her hip bones. She whimpered when his kisses trailed down the side of her neck where he twirled his tongue around her jumping pulse. She must've been the world's biggest masochist because she didn't care if she never loved again and her heart broke permanently if she could just have him now. Pulling back she stared him in the eyes, showing her heart and soul to the only man she really trusted with her mind, body, heart, and soul to.

"Just tonight, Peter, please. I know you'll run again, but for tonight can we just pretend that you won't?" She pleaded.

Peter's breath caught in his throat and he nodded slowly. She took his hand and laced his fingers with hers and led him out into the street and then back to her hotel. The second the bedroom door was shut they stared at each other and neither knew what to say to break the spell of silence that seemed to have consumed them. They stared at each other, both daring the other silently to make the first move before they both closed the distance together and their lips sought the other's out in frantic passion that had been forbidden to them since they'd met.

Tracing his thumbs down her sides he fisted her top when he got the hem and tugged up, breaking their kiss for only a moment before her shirt was off and they're lips were locked together again. Olivia traced her tongue over his bottom lip and gently nibbled and Peter's response was immediate as his lips parted and his tongue came out to meet hers. She groaned into his mouth at the rush of heat his kiss was causing to flow through her body. Never before had a kiss drove her to such a state of arousal and need and of course the man to cause it would have to be him; the one who would never stick around.

Flitting her fingers under the hem of his shirt, Olivia traced her fingers up the hard planes of his stomach and sighed into his mouth when she felt the muscles contract and heat under her exploring touch. She edged his shirt up his body until they broke their kiss so that his shirt could go up and over his head to join her shirt on the floor. They pressed their newly bare torsos together and Olivia dragged her nails down his back with just enough pressure that it was pleasurable and not painful. His head tipped back and his hips jerked forward so that his arousal pressed into her lower stomach and he groaned her name, sending shivers of pleasure down her spine.

Bringing his head back so he could stare at her, his blue-green eyes clouded over with so much lust he was surprised he hadn't ended their show prematurely. Winding his hands around to her back he undid the clasp of her bra and brushed the straps off her shoulders so that it fell to the floor between them and revealed her ivory globes to his hungry gaze. Not wanting to waste any time he leaned down and captured a rosy nipple with lips and gently nibbled and licked until her breathing became ragged. He placed gentle kisses across her chest to her other nipple to give it the same devoted attention he gave its double. Olivia's head fell back and she moaned her pleasure to the room and she laced her fingers into his unruly hair and held him close. While he played his mouth over her hardened nipple, Peter worked with the button and zipper of her jeans until he could tug them down. He broke contact with her breasts and she brought her lips crashing into his while she shimmied her pants down and began working with the belt and fastenings on his pants. Together they stripped him of the offending jeans and they brought their bodies together and savored the skin contact; his heated and hers cool but warming. Olivia traced her hands down his front and just when she got to the hem of his boxers she rerouted her hands around his hips and to his backside where she slipped her hands under the fabric and squeezed him in a massaging manner, bringing his hips grinding into her lower stomach and low growl to escape his lips.

Her eyes caught his and before she could process the silent message he was sending her he hoisted her up over his shoulder in a fireman's carry, leaving her helpless in his grasp and too scared to move for fear he'd drop her. He walked her across the room and she distracted herself by watching his backside in awe until he tossed her and landed with a squeal of panic on the bed, bouncing up for a second and then back down with her arms and legs sprawled out to catch herself. He was on her before she could process their new location; his lips crashing down on hers but then he moved down to her neck and then down the center of her chest, pausing to massage her breasts and tease her nipples to a standing ovation. He continued south on her body until he was kissing the waist line of her black panties.

Peter watched her face as he slipped his fingers under the waist band and slid them slowly down her hips. A lust and yearning he'd never seen before played across her face and he had to work hard not to just let his body take over and enter her now. He wanted her to never forget tonight. So, when her panties had been tossed to the wayside, Peter placed gentle kisses around her hips and thighs, teasing her with a lick and nibble in strategic places that had her trembling and panting. When she looked down at him with eyes lost to lust, he heard the silent plea and he parted her with his tongue.

"Peter!" She cried out and her back bowed with pleasure.

Her taste was like a drug and now that he had sampled her he was a goner. His tongue worked to taste all of her as he alternated with kisses. She fisted her hands into the sheets of the bed as all control of her body was forfeited over to the man who had stolen her heart. Her mouth moved of its own accord and confessions of every kind spilled from her lips but she never heard them, just the steady roar of a tidal wave beginning to consume her whole. A strangled cry escaped her lips at the last and she called out his name, unashamed at how loud she was when she came hard and the tidal wave won. She struggled for air after a second as she realized she had forgotten to breath and she felt Peter playing gentle kisses up her body until he'd captured her lips.

"God, Peter," she panted between kisses. "That was" kiss, "amazing" kiss. Her hands drifted down his body, massaging and teasing on their path south until gently grazed the front of his hips and felt the erection fighting to be free. She slipped the last remaining article of clothing between them down his hips and he kicked them off at the end.

Olivia grasped the length of him and slid her hand down, then up; loving every one of the noises that escaped his mouth.

"I'm not sure how much longer I can wait, sweetheart," Peter whispered huskily.

Taking his advice she positioned him at her opening and the other hand tangled in his hair to bring his face down to hers so that they could kiss as he entered her. He took her in one shallow thrust that sent her over the edge without any prompting and she convulsed around him, whimpering into their passionate kiss.

"Mmmm, 'Livia…" he groaned, waiting for her orgasm to ebb so he would last longer than five seconds. After a few seconds he started an easy pace, meant for exploration and memorizing. He watched the emotions play across her face as he placed kisses across her cheeks and always came back to her lips to swallow her moans of pleasure.

When he felt Olivia's orgasm building he increased his speed and he watched as her eyes rolled back into her head and she whimpered.

"Please Peter, faster," she begged and he complied quickly.

Her third orgasm tore through her like none before it and Olivia had to bite back her vocal approval as he continued at his pace. Seconds later he joined her in the throws of passion with one final thrust.

"Livia!" He groaned as his body spent itself inside of her. A minute passed and Peter collapsed beside her and pulled her close, unwilling to be apart from her for even a second. She settled her head in the hollow of his chest and shoulder and curled her arm around him.

Peter felt himself grow drowsy but he needed her to understand before it was too late and their moment was over.

"Livia-"

"Shhhh…" She placed a finger over his lips. "I just want this moment together before its gone forever."

"I love you," he said in a whispered rush, needing her to hear it before she shushed him again.

Her head shot up and she stared down at him. "That's not funny Peter, take it back!"

"What?" Peter sputtered, propping his torso up on his elbows so he could be closer to her.

"I meant it when I said it, and you can't ruin that with your lie. If you care at all you won't give me false hope," she said softly, her voice growing tight with emotion.

"No, 'Livia. I love you and the only place I'm going is back to is home with you to Boston," he said sternly, needing her to know he wasn't lying.

She searched his face and eyes for any hint of a lie and she let out a shuddering breath when she realized he wasn't lying at all. He sat up and gently took her chin in his hand and brought her lips to his in a tender kiss filled with promises of a long future together.

"I love you, Olivia." He murmured against her lips.

"I love you too," she whispered back and they kissed again as if sealing their fates together.

They laid back down and curled up together so that their legs twined together and each had hands on the other.

"So what are the odds you'll wear that black leather costume later on when I can actually do something about it?" Peter asked with a low chuckle.

"You saw that?" Olivia asked, cringing.

"How could I not see that?" Peter said, smiling brightly at the memory.

"When did you know it was me?" She asked.

"Deep down, probably from the moment you stepped out onto that stage, but I don't think the rest of me was willing to hope it was you until you did that sexy crawl toward our table." Peter said, tracing his fingers up and down her bare arm. "God, I thought I was done for when you did that – and that lap dance?"

Olivia chuckled and nuzzled his chest.

"I'm not sure I want to know where you learned that, but you're more than welcome to do that again whenever you want," Peter sighed wistfully, as if already picturing the act many times in the future.

"And what do I get?" Olivia asked, biting her lower lip to think. "I'm thinking maybe you owe me a strip tease since you've seen me do quite a few now."

"Dancing is probably the last thing you want to see me do…" Peter smiled, so happy to be here with her again. He was where he belonged again. Olivia chuckled lightly and curled closer to him, feeling sleepier by the moment.

"You're really going to stop running?" Olivia mumbled through her sleep addled brain.

"No more running," he agreed sleepily, meaning it with every fiber in his being. "You're my home now." And the couple drifted off to sleep.

A/N: I'm still squee-ing over all the wonderful reviews from last chapter! I had no idea so many people were reading. So thanks! Much! And I wish for all of you to have Peter clones of your very own :D Once again thanks to the amazing Americanchick for loaning me her brain to review all this before it was posted and of course to the wonderful wjobsessed who encouraged and inspired me to write this. You're both darlings and awesome people!