After a blissful week away, Ethan and Olivia finally returned from their honeymoon, the warmth of the beach resort still lingering in their minds. The car ride to the office was filled with casual chatter and stolen glances, as both of them found it hard to part from the world they'd built during the trip.
The moment they entered the office, they were greeted by the familiar faces of Emma and Alex, both of whom sported wide grins that spoke volumes.
"Welcome back, Mr. and Mrs. Pierce," Alex said, giving a playful salute, clearly trying to mask his amusement.
Emma, on the other hand, was less restrained, and the moment she saw Olivia, she rushed over, pulling her into a tight hug. "Oh my God, Liv! Finally back to reality, huh? And you, Ethan—," she paused, casting a mischievous glance his way, "—you couldn't have kept her away any longer, huh?"
Ethan smirked, his hand finding Olivia's as he responded smoothly, "Well, I'm a man of my word. Liv said a week, and here we are."
Olivia rolled her eyes at Ethan's cocky response but smiled all the same. As soon as Emma had her moment, she grabbed Olivia by the wrist and dragged her away from Ethan toward her desk.
"Emma, what are you—" Olivia began, but Emma was already in full swing.
"So... spill," Emma demanded, leaning in close, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "I heard about the incident at the resort. Are you okay? How are you really doing?"
Olivia stiffened slightly, remembering the terrifying ordeal. But then she sighed, relaxing in the comfort of Emma's concerned gaze. "I'm okay now, Emma. Honestly, it was scary, but Ethan was there, and... well, you know how he is."
Emma nodded sympathetically. "Yeah, I can imagine. He probably went all *superhero mode* on them, huh?"
Olivia smiled, the memories of Ethan's fierce protection flooding her mind. "Something like that," she said softly, appreciating how lucky she was to have him by her side.
But before Olivia could fully collect her thoughts, Emma's expression changed from concern to something much more mischievous. "Okay, enough about the scary stuff. Now tell me about the honeymoon! I bet it was all candlelight dinners, long walks on the beach, and, of course, *cheese overload* with Ethan."
Olivia felt her cheeks warm as she shook her head, laughing. "Emma, it wasn't all that. We relaxed, spent time together... but, yes, there were some cheesy moments."
Emma wasn't letting her off the hook that easily. "Some cheesy moments? Liv, come on, you two are *the* cheesy couple. I mean, after all, didn't he whisk you away on a surprise honeymoon without even telling you? That's the kind of stuff straight out of a romance novel."
Olivia couldn't help but laugh, Emma's teasing a welcome distraction from the more serious thoughts that had been lingering in her mind. "Okay, fine, yes, there were definitely some... romantic gestures. He planned everything perfectly, of course. But I didn't know Ethan could be so—"
"Cheesy?" Emma interrupted with a grin. "I knew it! Mr. Stone-cold Businessman Pierce is secretly the world's biggest softie."
Olivia smiled, thinking of all the moments Ethan had gone out of his way to make her feel loved. "He's... perfect, Emma. I don't know how else to describe it. He took care of everything, even when I freaked out. And he still makes me feel like the most important person in the world, no matter what."
Emma sighed dramatically, clutching her chest. "Ugh, stop. You're making it impossible for me to get any work done today with all this swooning." She gave Olivia a playful nudge. "Seriously though, I'm so happy for you guys. You deserve all the happiness in the world."
"Thanks, Emma," Olivia said, her voice filled with warmth.
"But don't think I'm done teasing you!" Emma continued, clearly enjoying herself. "So, how was it when you got back? Was Ethan being his usual protective self? Or did he finally let you out of his sight for more than five minutes?"
Olivia laughed. "Oh, you know Ethan. He didn't even let me out of his sight on the drive back. He kept checking if I was okay, kept his hand on mine the entire time."
Emma chuckled. "Of course, he did. That man is head over heels, Liv. You've got him wrapped around your finger."
Olivia smiled again, feeling a wave of warmth and affection wash over her as she thought about Ethan. "It's mutual, Emma. I don't know what I'd do without him."
Emma raised an eyebrow. "Well, let's hope you don't have to find out anytime soon. Now, enough about Ethan for now. Let's get to work before Alex or Ethan come over here and see we've done nothing but gossip."
As Olivia and Emma shared another laugh, across the office, Ethan was standing with Alex, but his eyes never strayed far from Olivia. Even as he spoke with Alex about business matters, his focus was always on her, making sure she was okay, knowing that after everything they'd been through, being apart even for a moment was harder than he expected.
The honeymoon might have been over, but their love was still very much in full bloom, and neither of them planned on letting go of that anytime soon.