Chapter 4

• Olivia smiled as she laid her phone down on the edge of the tub. He wasn’t replying, and she figured he must have started his game, which led her to wonder at the game that she had just started. It felt good to do something a little crazy, and Olivia would consider this absurd. She did not know who she was talking to and wasn’t sure she wanted to know. She enjoyed the mystery. It was freeing almost; Olivia didn’t have to pretend to be something she’s not. She could just be herself. Not having to worry about her image or what she said because he didn’t know who she was, anyway.
• Later, as Olivia was climbing into bed to binge some Netflix before bed, her phone vibrated and she grabbed it, smiling when she saw the number. The guy was back. Olivia bit her lip, opened the message, and giggled.
• I got my ass handed to me thanks to those legs of yours. Never lost so bad in my life.
• Sure, sure, blame the legs, mister.
• Seriously, I couldn’t concentrate, sweetpea.
• How could a pair of legs break your concentration, sir?
• There was no reply for a while and Olivia was about to put the phone down when she saw the chat bubbles. She let out an awed breath at his reply.
• When all you can think about is those legs wrapped around you, you can’t concentrate on any game…
• “Oh my god,” Olivia gasped, a flutter of sexy excitement going through her stomach.
• Well, I couldn’t concentrate at work all day because I kept thinking about your v lines… so I think we’re even.
• What about them?
• Women like those…
• Oh yeah?
• Are you telling me, with a body like that, that no girl has ever told you how sexy those are? Or that she wanted to run her tongue along them?
• Well….fuck….
• Olivia really had no idea what she was doing and why she was being so bold, but damn, it felt good to just not give a shit. It was Saturday, and Olivia had spent the day trying to dodge her mother’s calls because apparently, she didn’t believe in people having a day off, so now she just wanted to forget and have a little fun.
• I got to ask...you’re not married, are you?
• The question made her laugh.
• No, I promise I’m not. Are you?
• Free as a bird. I don’t suppose you want to tell me who you are?
• I kind of like the mystery. It feels easier…
• Ok, I guess…
• Well, I mean, if you want to keep talking, that is.
• Olivia quickly continued, suddenly feeling skeptical.
• Hopefully, you don’t think I’m nuts.
• Nothing wrong with nuts…
• Olivia laughed at that and fluffed her pillow as she curled up, forgetting about Netflix all together.
• I’ll just put you in my phone as ‘Legs’.
• Wow, what an honor…
• It is an honor. I don’t have many contacts in my phone, and none that I don’t actually know.
• You don’t have a lot of friends?
• Yes, and no.
• Olivia waited before questioning him on that interesting response.
• Well, then I’ll put you in my phone as ‘Abs’.
• Well, aren’t we original… haha!
• Olivia laughed and made the contact. It felt strange and exciting all at the same time, and she wondered what would come of this. Maybe at some point, she would know who he is, but this worked for now. Like a friend without the pressure of any kind.
• Legs: You still playing pool?
• Abs: Nope. Lost my pride and called it a night.
• Legs: Sorry LOL!
• Abs: I don’t think you are…
• Legs: Well, now I get to talk to you, so maybe I’m not.
• Abs: So, Legs, tell me about yourself…
• Olivia chewed on her lip as she read the message. What could she say without giving away who she was? If she mentioned her friends, or what people knew about her, or that she worked at the newspaper, then he could surely figure it out...so really, keeping it very personal was probably the only way to keep her identity hidden.
• Legs: I’m kind of a loner. I like to stay home and read a good book or watch a good movie. I work too hard and when I’m not working; I like my downtime. I’m not really up for parties and things like that.
• Abs: Don’t have many friends?
• Legs: Not many, but they are good friends. How about you? Tell me about yourself. Tell me something nobody else knows.
• Abs: Ahh… going for the secrets. Haha.
• Legs: Just a little one… pretty please…
• Abs: All right, I love to read as well….and I write…
• Olivia furrowed her brow as she read the text. Why would something like that be a secret?
• Legs: Why is that a secret?
• Abs: Well….if you knew who I was or saw the crowd I hang with, you probably wouldn’t picture me as the intellectual type.
• Legs: Hmm….
• Abs: That’s all you get?
• Legs: I have a question…
• Abs: Uh oh… should I be worried? LOL.
• Legs: I guess that depends on your response. The first time you texted me by mistake, you assumed I was the person who wrote the poem that you got tattooed. May I ask who it was who wrote the poem that was important enough to make you ink it on yourself?
• Abs: My sister. She wrote it when she was thirteen and I always thought it was wonderful. I told her I would tattoo it on myself one day and she never believed me.
• He had a little sister, and tattooed her poem on his body...could this man be any more adorable?
• Legs: That’s really sweet. Did she like it?
• Abs: Yeah, she cried. Haha.
• Legs: Awww, that’s sweet. You’re very sweet.
• Abs: Shhhhh, that’s a secret too!
• Olivia smiled and wondered how many people actually kept secrets that showed their true self from the people around them. Probably most she figured.
• Abs: Hey, it was nice chatting, but I have to go.
• Legs: Ok, have a good evening!
• * * *
• Olivia put the phone away and curled up under the covers. She didn’t really know why talking to this stranger was so intriguing. Olivia realized the crappiness of the day had completely vanished because of him. She got the hint that he was a bit of a badass from all the blurry bits of tattoos that she could see in his photo, but also got the feeling that there was more to him than what he projected. Like her, he was someone who hid things about himself from the world and the people around him.
• It made Olivia feel special, being one of the assumed few who knew he loved to read and write. She wondered what other secrets she would unveil as she fell asleep thinking about her mystery man.