Someone To Watch Over Me
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Oliver didn’t know what to expect when Chloe awoke. Sometime during the night, as he dozed next to her, he was suddenly startled upon hearing her gasp for breath. They both sat up in bed at the same time and Oliver observed, as Chloe looked around anxiously, taking in her surroundings, seeming disoriented, not even realizing Oliver was next to her. She jumped at the touch of his hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to gaze at him wide-eyed, as though seeing him for the first time, and not understanding why he was there. “It’s okay, Chloe. You’re home,” he soothed. “Come here.”
Chloe blinked, nodding almost imperceptibly, and then allowed him to take her into his arms. Oliver reclined with her pulling her down with him. Gathering her into his arms, he held her snuggly, rubbing her back and shoulders soothingly.
Chloe pressed her cheek against the warmth of his bare chest. Her breathing slowed to normal as she felt the pieces of herself come back together again in his arms. She felt his lips against her forehead, placing soft kisses at random intervals.
Finally, she spoke. “Oliver?”
“Yes?”
“Kevlar.”
“I promise, angel.”
“Good.”
Her stomach then growled loudly. “I guess you’ve worked up an appetite saving my ass,” he quipped.
Chloe rose up on her elbow looking down at him in the dimness. “I’m usually hungry when I come back,” she seemed to wave it off, having something more important to say, her eyes growing serious. “I want you to know, that I’m never going to forget the image, and what it felt like to see you brutally shot up like that, and I never want to have to see that again. I’m serious, Ollie. I know you can’t promise that you’ll never be hurt, and I know soon, whenever this thing with Garrett this is over…. you’ll be off somewhere else, but…” Chloe couldn’t finish, lowering her eyes.
Oliver lifted his hand, cupping her cheek and threading his fingers into the softness of her hair. He tipped her chin up, searching her eyes. “I know,” he whispered. “Just as I’ll never forget what it looks or feels like to see you covered in my blood, dead. I swear it hurt me more to see you that way than anything I can remember. And I don’t want to have to see that again.”
She gazed warmly at him then, relieved, sparing him a small smile. “We agree on something. Wonders never cease.” Her smile then turned playful as she moved over him, straddling him. “So, screw Batman. Who cares what he says? Wear the Kevlar. At least it’s some form of protection, and you’ll still look good.”
“Did you just say I looked good in my green leather?”
“I said no such thing.”
“You think I look good in it. Admit it. And no screwing of Batman allowed, Watchtower. The Green Arrow wants you all to himself.” He murmured, his eyes darkening with desire, stroking the soft skin of her thighs on either side of him. He grasped her shoulders, pulling her down, his lips touching hers like a whisper, then gently covering her mouth. The kiss deepened, becoming more heated and Oliver flexed his hips, pushing up against her, causing her breath to catch at the sensation of his growing erection pressed between her legs.
“All to himself? Well, if the Green Arrow wants me, he’ll have to take me,” she whispered against his lips, meeting his kisses again and again, grinding herself down on him, rubbing herself against him in exactly the right spot. “Mmmmmm…,” she moaned into his mouth.
“Wants you more than anything,” he breathed, reaching for the hem of the over-sized t-shirt, lifting it and peeling it away from her body to cast it onto the floor. Eager hands rose up to explore the soft curves of her back, her waist, her hips, tracing a sensuous path to her breasts. His touch sent tendrils of pleasure radiating throughout her entire body. Oliver grasped her hips, lifting her long enough to undo the ties of his sweats one handed, pushing them down to free himself. Chloe shifted, until the tip of his manhood brushed deliciously close to the place he longed to be.
She was driving him insane. His tormented groan was a heady invitation, but Chloe was of no mind to hurry just yet, and she continued to torture him, breathing a path of kisses against his throat, down to his collarbone, across his chest. Her lips and tongue moved lower still, over his hard stomach. He knew where she was headed, and he loved when she used her luscious mouth on him the way she did nights ago, licking him, suckling him, but he wanted to be inside her desperately. Now. He wanted nothing else.
It was more than just physical. After all that had happened, how she was willing to exchange herself for him, how he’d nearly died, how she took on his pain, making it her own, how she brought him back, all of it. He wanted nothing more than to feel alive with her, connected to her in the only way he could at this moment. He needed to be inside her, to feel close to her, to be a part of her.
Suddenly his hard body was atop hers, and he was kissing her and touching her everywhere until she was breathless. Chloe was barely aware of how he’d flipped her, as she lay dazed, panting. “I want you too, Archer.” She writhed beneath him, gripping her thighs around him, reaching up for him to pull him down, eager to feel his skin against hers, eager to have him inside her. “Now, Ollie.”
He hovered over her closely, his mouth swooping down to recapture hers, his kiss demanding and hungry. Oliver slid his hands under her, grasping her bottom, pulling her hips up toward him as he tilted his own hips forward, pushing, sinking himself completely inside her slick warmth in one fluid motion. A soft cry escaped her.
“God, Chloe…” he crooned in her ear, his breath shuddering as he felt her heat surround him tightly. He didn’t wait. He moved within her, plunging again and again until they were both mindless. Until she called for him, reached for him, came for him. And when his own release flooded through him, he stilled himself as much as he could, wanting to fill her up deeply, to come deep inside her.
They lay together for long moments wrapped in pleasant exhaustion, completion, and sweet lethargy. It was all he’d wanted and more.
Chloe’s stomach was the first to speak, causing him to chuckle. “Come on,” he urged, getting up from the bed, grasping her hands and pulling her up with him. “I’ll bet you didn’t know that I make a killer omelet.”
“He cooks too? Oh my.” She teased.
He tossed her the oversized t-shirt she had been wearing. “What? I’m a man of many talents,” he defended, his smile wide as he tied up the drawstring to his sweat pants. He then grasped her hand, pulling her against him. “You know it’s true.”
She stepped up on tiptoe placing a kiss to the irresistible dimple in his chin. “I’ll reserve my judgment until after I’ve eaten.”
He pulled her into the kitchen. “Come, Ms. Sullivan. Allow me to prove my culinary skills.”
Chloe was starving. In truth she’d have eaten just about anything, but Oliver proved to be an expert omelet maker, and wouldn’t allow her to help, having her sit on the stool at the counter while she watched him cut up vegetables, whisk eggs, and then expertly flip the whole delicious concoction, and slip it onto her plate in perfect form when it was done. He watched her take the first bite.
“Well?”
She smiled. “Heavenly.”
He raised a brow, offering her that swoon-worthy grin. “Told you.”
When they had finished eating, Oliver cleared their plates, and Chloe helped him clean up. “What happened to Garrett?” she asked, as she handed him a cup to put away.
“Pulled a disappearing act once Clark and Bart showed up.”
“So that means he’s still out there somewhere, looking for one or both of us.”
“He thinks you’re dead.”
“But he knows who you are now.” Chloe leaned back against the counter.
“Which means he won’t have to look far. How hard is it to find Oliver Queen?” He shrugged, flipping the dishtowel onto his shoulder, taking up a position next to her, leaning as well.
“What should we do?”
“Not much we can do. He’s unpredictable. Wait and see what happens, I suppose.”
“Where are the guys?” she asked as though she’d just realized they were alone.
Oliver chuckled, turning to stand in front of her. “Uh.. I think they were afraid you’d be angry with them.”
He rubbed her arms gently as she spoke. “Well, I am. A little. They should have gotten my message a minute after I’d arrived at the Ridge Facility. Would have saved us a lot of trouble had they been there.”
“True. They should have listened, but ultimately you and I are both alive, none of our team was hurt, and that’s what’s important.” Oliver pulled her closer, and Chloe wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her cheek on his chest.
The phone rang.
“That might be one of them now.”
Chloe released him, and Oliver went to the phone.
“Hello?”
“Hello Mr. Queen.”
“Garrett?” He glanced at Chloe watching the color drain from her cheeks, her eyes wide.
“I’m glad you remember. The question is, how much is your Green Arrow identity worth to you? A million? Ten million?”
“What do you want?”
“I want ten million dollars to keep your secret. Pay me, and no one will ever know that the Green Arrow and Oliver Queen are one and the same.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, I’m very serious. And I know a very interested party who very much wants to know the true identity of the Green Arrow. I’ll be in touch.”
Oliver hung up the phone.
“What is it?” Chloe asked, panicked.
Oliver shook his head in disbelief, almost laughing at the absurdity. “He’s trying to blackmail me.”
* * * * *
After Graham Garrett hung up his phone, he dialed another number, waiting.
“Mr. Luthor? Yes, I’m working on making the arrangement now. He’ll meet me, I’m sure. Then you can see for yourself the man behind the Green Arrow costume.” He paused. “That’s right. Ten million for the reveal of his identity, you and your men can remain in hiding to witness it.… why Mr. Luthor, that’s a mere pittance to you. Yes, I’ll be in touch.”
Twenty million. That’s what Garrett hoped to walk away with. It was dangerous to play both sides, but Garrett didn’t mind playing.
End Chapter 11
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