16 Galloping Horse

Ding!

The elevator doors opened and Maxen hovered his hand at the small of Olivia's back. Their bodies were inches away from each other yet both of them could feel the prickling force of attraction from their proximity.

"After you," Maxen said in a suave voice; deep and smooth. However, he was trying so hard to keep his cool and Olivia could hear the subtle tremble in his voice too, so she gave him a sweet smile before stepping inside.

The beeping from Olivia's keycard made Maxen shift his sight to the camera on the top corner which had a blinking green light. On cue, the light stopped from blinking, a signal that the camera was turned off.

Inside the security office, Jack wiped the beading sweat on his forehead when he saw Maxen glare at the camera. He received explicit instructions earlier to turn the elevator cameras off yet Jack could not do so, afraid for his boss's security. What if it was not a refined lady but an assassin in disguise? How could he dare break royal safety protocols now? If the head Butler would get a whiff of what he just did, his career would be over. Over. Jack shook his head as he rubbed the creases on his forehead away. He felt like he aged a couple of years in just a night all because of a strange lady.

Back in the elevator, Maxen nodded his head when he saw the floor number flash in the digital board on top of the elevator doors. Fifty-Sixth Floor. Just a floor below the penthouse. Great. They could use the fire exit to come and go in between their apartments in the future. Maxen's visual mapping of the future was cut short when he heard Olivia's voice. He didn't realize he was grinning like a fool for a few seconds now.

"Is there something funny on my face?"

"No… Nothing. You're perfect." His words earned him a blush from Olivia which made Maxen's confidence skyrocket. He was trying to shake off his insecurity all night because for some reason he could not explain, he really wanted to impress her. He knew that neither his looks, his money nor his title would be enough to impress Olivia. He knew he needed to bring something more to the table and that's what he's dying to find out.

"Aren't you scared that I might be an assassin?" Olivia asked, her eyes locked on Maxen, hypnotizing him to come closer but he didn't. He fought hard against his aching need, afraid he'd lose something greater in the process.

"I don't think you are…" Maxen said as he folded his arms in front of his chest, his legs crossed as he lazily leaned against the cold metal walls then continued, "If I will make a wild guess... you're a lady who loves cats and portraits." His statement earned him a suppressed smile from Olivia who bowed her head to hide her blushing cheeks and wide smile.

Maxen dipped his head so he could get a good look of Olivia only to meet her eyes as she straightened her back. The hairs on Olivia's nape rose as their gazes locked. She quickly looked away, berating herself in her thoughts for digging another hole only for herself to fall into again.

"Don't be fooled by that handsome face and crystal blue eyes, Olivia. Remember, you have a mission to accomplish," Olivia's brain said.

"Hey, brain! Let me take charge tonight, okay? Our baby girl need some R&R: Royal Highness and Rendezvous," Olivia's heart retorted.

"Tsk tsk tsk. There you go again, heart. Getting ruled by your emotions. Olivia, listen to me. Eyes on the prize. Do you understand?"

Olivia nodded.

'Eyes on the prize', Olivia chanted in her brain. Unknowingly, her heart chanted the same.

"So what brought you here, Olivia?"

Olivia's internal struggle came to a halt.

"Family."

Her soft and short reply made Maxen think for a second on what he should ask next. He wanted to ask which family she was from but held back when he saw sadness flashed in her hazel brown eyes that quickly disappeared when she batted her eyelids.

Less talk, less mistakes, he reminded himself before shifting his gaze to the moving digital upward arrow as the elevator ascended to their stop. The awkward silence made Maxen take a deep breath, only to get his nose tickled with notes of rose and jasmine; Olivia's perfume.

Damn it!

Of all the girls he encountered around the globe, none of them exude the same compelling attractiveness as Olivia did. His interest grew exponentially the longer they spent time together and they were just in a freaking elevator.

Ding!

Maxen breathed a sigh of relief. He let Olivia exit first, trailing behind her as she walked towards her apartment door.

"Make yourself at home," Olivia said as she opened the door, throwing her keycard inside a crystal bowl glass sitting atop a white console table. Upon entering, Maxen was puzzled as he observed the interior design of the place. It felt like he had stepped inside his own lair with all the masculine tones decorating the place.

"I know a good interior designer," he offered to which Olivia replied with a stifled laugh.

"This was left by the old owner. I don't want to spend money on renovation because they all looked brand-new to me. Beer? Wine?" Olivia offered as she made her way to the fridge.

"I can handle beer," Maxen's voice trailed off. After hearing Olivia's accent earlier, he made a rough guess that she grew up somewhere in England, therefore, beer would be the best choice to get extra points.

"Are you sure you wanted to drink beer? Ok, beer it is. A can won't hurt anyway," Olivia replied, plucking out two red cans out of her fridge before asking another question, "I never tried this. Is this good?"

POP!

The sound of the beer can pop open gave Maxen a headache. "Are you sure you want to drink this brand? Ahhhhh…" The rush of alcohol down his throat stopped him from speaking more. His eyes squinted and his face contorted with the bitter assault of malt that lingered in his mouth as he watched the galloping horse on the red can mock him to no end.

They made their way to the grand living room that had a floor to ceiling window with a breathtaking bird's-eye view of the metro. They sat on a gray mid-century modern style sectional sofa where Olivia sat comfortably, her tired lithe legs propped on the chaise side and Maxen on the far end, his arms propped on the sofa's arm.

"Ito ang tama. What does that mean?" Olivia asked as she examined the beer can in her hand after downing the beer like a pro.

"That translates to… 'this is the kick.' You'll feel it after a can. Don't worry," Maxen nervously laughed. He knew how lethal this beer was especially to those who haven't tasted it yet. That galloping horse logo was a warning in disguise.

"I'll stick to a can then. But this tastes good," Olivia said before drinking the last drop of beer in her can. She placed the can on the floor and removed the ankle-strap on her pointed toe pumps, rolling her ankles to relieve it from all the strain it had to endure.

Olivia and Maxen sat in comfortable silence, taking in the lights of the metro. A few minutes later, however, when she stood up, she felt her knees wobble that she almost planted her face on the floor. Maxen was so surprised by what happened that he sprang out of the sofa only to chuckle when Olivia threw her head back and started laughing maniacally as she sat on the floor.

"Ito ang tama," she said in her slurry English accent. They share another laugh before Olivia broke it with a question, "Are you ready to see her?"

Maxen replied with a small smile because he could not say what he really wanted to say. The way Olivia's eyes sparkled made the words stuck in his throat. He offered his hand yet Olivia stood up after raising a brow at him, making him shake his head when a realization came to mind: Olivia didn't like getting help.

He watched as Olivia walked towards a corner wall where a portrait was covered with a white cloth. He listened to her footfalls that increase in tempo as she got nearer the portrait. He followed her trail and was frozen in time when she faced him -- her face flushed red from the alcohol, and her smile, simple and honest.

"Ophelia was her name," Olivia said as she traced a finger on the renaissance portrait of a cat, a tear escaping the corner of her eye when she started to get emotional all of a sudden.

"Don't drink that beer again," Maxen warned. He should have stopped her from drinking that poison but it's too late now. Suddenly, a lightbulb flashed in his head: maybe he should ban the product entirely after it made Olivia cry.