Olive Branch

Working for Vesper was pretty easy, though she seemed to have hardly any customers making Oliver curious how she managed to stay in business. By the time Friday night rolled around, the two boys had also completed most of their indoctrination and orientation sessions.

With no traffic in the candle store that night, Vesper said he could go if he wanted, so he did, returning to the campus, finding Cam pacing back and forth, eager to return to the Omega Pi house but struggling to conceive of a feasible excuse to justify yet another trip without tipping his hand to his devious plot.

“Why not simply text your sister and invite her out for supper? Tell me and you were going to grab a bite and figured it might be nice if she tagged along,” Oliver suggested, walking over to his flop and plopping down.

Cam frowned, “That sounds more like your plan to ogle my sister,” he stated flatly. “By the way you smell like Summer Rain, or Passion Peach,” he quipped wrinkling his nose.

Sitting up, Oliver sniffed himself and shook his head and grinned, “Autumn Breeze,” he said, recognizing the distinct scent Vesper used to make candles earlier in the day. “As for inviting your sister out, of course I have a vested interest, dude your sister is a dream, but this is a two birds, one stone kind of move. Think about it, the more you get on her good side, the more likely she is going to be receptive to you and maybe even begin inviting you over there and you won’t have to contrive reasons,” he explained.

“You are like some kind of mad genius, mad I say!” Cam said, laughing maniacally, making Oliver grin.

“Not just another pretty face,” Oliver countered, framing his face with his hands.

“Like an onion, layers of complexity. Just an FYI though, because I like you, Sersei is more nightmare than dream you poor deluded soul and now she’s truly does have you molded around her little finger,” Cam stated, pulling out his phone.

“You asking her?” Oliver inquired.

“Yep,” Cam answered, thumbs dancing across the touch screen before he hit send. “It’s Friday and I don’t know what’s she up to, probably smothering kittens or something, but we’ll see. I suggested that fancy steakhouse,” he added, putting the phone down beside him.

“Getting to know you through the week, I thought you might possibly offer her some chicken strips at the Den,” Oliver teased.

“Ha ha, you’re funny,” Cam replied using a mocking tone.

“Funny how? Like a clown, like I amuse you?” Oliver countered.

Cam’s phone light up. Snatching it up, he examined the reply, “Hmm,” he said casually, face devoid of expression.

“What did she say?”

“She says sure she’ll go out for dinner, but just with me, not you, she says because you kind of weird her out,” Cam replied, shrugging and making a face.

“Really?” Oliver queried, crestfallen.

“Nah, just fucking with you. She says she would love to have dinner with us,” Cam explained.

“I have to get ready,” blurted Oliver, jumping up off the bed.

“OMG dude you are such a chick,” Cam said, shaking his head and watching his usually more reserved roommate scramble to prepare.

The restaurant was a fairly classy affair, Cam and Oliver arriving early, getting a table and checking out the menu while noshing on complimentary bread as they waited for Sersei.

When she arrived, she had her hair up, wearing a form fitting knee length black dress, matching heels and purse.

“Holy crap, she looks good,” Oliver mumbled, setting his glass of water back down.

“Remember, it’s all just a trick of the mind, but she does look good,” he grudgingly conceded, willing to admit she did look very nice as she approached the table.

Oliver started to rise first, hastily followed by Cam.

She smiled, “Good pick, the food here is very good,” she said, sliding into the chair to Cam’s right and directly opposite Oliver, flashing him a gorgeous smile.

Bringing his right arm up, Cam reached casually for his half full glass of water, showing off the pair of wristbands he now sported.

“Is that another one? Look at you go,” Sersei said, chuckling and setting her small purse at the edge of the table. “First Brooklynn, now, who gave you the other one?” she inquired, taking his arm and looking at the name on the band. “Kandace? Where did you, wait,” she paused, pursing her mouth. “Did you go to the strip club?” she asked, eyes narrowing.

Unable to restrain himself, Cam grinned, the cat that got the canary, “Yes we did and while the old me would have said it was entirely Oliver’s idea, it was mine, we just wanted to see is all,” he confessed.

Chuckling softly, she shook her head, “At least that’s something,” she acknowledged.

“I’m turning over a new leaf,” Cam boasted, puffing up his chest.

Reaching across the table, Sersei patted the back of Oliver’s hand, “Good job, exotic dancers aside,” she said, smiling, the contact sending little tingles up his arm.

Saying nothing, Oliver grinned, crimson staining his cheeks in the dim light of the restaurant

The evening was pleasant, the food as Sersei had said was very good and reasonably priced. Oliver got the distinct impression that despite Cam’s protestations and assertions to the contrary, he and his sister seemed to be getting along marvelously. Cam graciously picked up the check and the trio stopped just outside the main doors.

Turning to Oliver, she reached over his shoulder and pulled him into a hug, pressing herself firmly into him, her breasts crushed against his chest, giving him a whiff of the subtle essence of her perfume.

His body began to involuntarily respond. Quickly disengaging, he nodded and smiled, hoping to god she didn’t notice.

Chuckling softly, she favored him with a sly look from under long lashes before turning to Cam. “Little brother,” she said, giving him a platonic embrace, “thank you, I had a good time tonight.”

Cam grinned and nodded, “It seems so different now than when we were kids,” he offered.

Stepping back, she tapped him on the chest, “Don’t think for a minute I’m fooled by your grown up act. I know there is still an evil little boy in there somewhere,” she said, grinning playfully and looking at Oliver, “you too,” she added.

“Guilty as charged, but I am making a genuine effort to rehabilitate my wayward ways,” Cam assured.

“We’ll see,” she said speculatively before she departed, sashaying away.