Sunlight kissed Olivia's skin and tangled in her hair, turning the blonde strands a shimmering gold. Warm air filtered through the open window, caressing her bare shoulders as the car cruised along the highway.
Olivia closed her eyes and sighed. The hard rock music blaring from the speakers competed with the persistent throbbing inside her head. She leaned her elbow on the door and massaged her temple.
She and Dean had just attended a pool side barbecue in the sun-drenched backyard of his boss's house - his flirtatious female boss. He'd worked at the company for twelve months now. Olivia was introduced to his colleagues for the first time today. It should have been an enjoyable gathering, relaxing over a cocktail or two. She'd only managed to make it through the afternoon by gritting her teeth and wishing away the hours.
Her eyes drifted open. She stared at the line of eucalyptus trees scattered along the roadside as words of suspicion crawled up her throat. Olivia forced them back, knowing they served no other purpose than stirring up trouble she didn't want or need. She smoothed her hands over her white skirt, trying to ignore the twisting in her stomach. She studied the pink polish coating her fingernails and focused her thoughts on dinner instead.
Dean planned to take her out tonight to their favourite restaurant. Just the two of them, a candle lit table, good food and a glass or two of wine. It was a custom he'd begun on their first anniversary together. They'd kept it going four years now. Olivia glanced at the bare fingers of her left hand - still no ring, but that was okay. She'd never been too caught up on the idea of marriage anyway. A smile flickered across her lips. Well, so she kept telling herself.
Her gaze shifted to Dean. His elbow rested on the door. One hand wrapped around the steering wheel while the other tapped a silent beat against his jeans-clad thigh. He wore a short-sleeved shirt the colour of charcoal and the breeze coming through the crack of open window ruffled his dark hair.
Olivia's eyes narrowed. The relaxed air about him, the complete lack of awareness, brought back in a rush the annoyance she'd been attempting to quash. He hadn't noticed her discomfort at the barbecue. It seemed, even now, after a half hour of silence, it still hadn't registered.
He glanced across at her as if feeling the weight of her stare on him. "What's wrong?"
Olivia exhaled slowly. The words began tumbling out of her mouth before she could stop them. "Why did you let her keep throwing herself at you?"
Dean reached out to turn down the music. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"That doesn't surprise me." She ordered herself to stay calm.
He dropped his hand on the knee revealed by her skirt, squeezing her sun-warmed flesh a little. "Why don't you enlighten me, then?"
"It's not funny, Dean." She pushed his hand away, ignoring the amusement in his deep voice.
"I'm not laughing, Olivia." He raised an eyebrow and returned his attention to the road. "I can't help if you don't tell me what's wrong."
"It's the barbecue. Helen kept putting her arms around you like you were a possession of hers. How many times did she need to whisper in your ear? It was embarrassing." Olivia mentally chided herself for her pettiness. She hated the whining tone in her voice.
"The party was loud." He threw her a look of patience that further put her on edge. "I couldn't hear what she was saying."
"She didn't have to press her entire body against yours, or look over to make sure I noticed. She kept touching you and laughing at every thing you said. You're not that fucking funny, Dean." Olivia flinched inwardly. So much for remaining calm.
He shot her a heated look. "Are you jealous, Liv?" His silver eyes were sharp in their appraisal. "Of her?"
"No." She tugged at the neckline of her pink singlet and shifted in her seat. "I don't know. You just looked like you loved the attention. It made me wonder what's going on between you two."
"It made you--" Dean let out a harsh laugh and shook his head. He stared at the road and drummed his fingertips against the steering wheel. "I thought you were more secure than that."
"I am." Olivia cursed the surge of heat that flooded her cheeks. "I always have been, but this is different. You both looked too intimate." She gazed out the side window and chewed on her lower lip. "I hate feeling this way. I hate that I can't stop."
Silence descended. The seconds ticked by, dragging into uncomfortable minutes. Olivia could barely stand it. Her shoulders stiffened. Her eyes would have welled with tears if she'd allowed herself to let go. She clamped her lips together to avoid speaking again. With the mood she was in now, it would only worsen the situation.
Why couldn't she have just kept her mouth shut in the first place? She stared down at her hands, her vision blurring as her fingers twisted in her lap. With his quick smiles and easy laughter, Dean got plenty of attention from other women. He always had. It had never occurred to Olivia to be bothered by it in the past. She wished she could just push it from her mind now.
