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  Joss shook her head. “It sounds like a lot of pressure.”

  Olivia shrugged. “I sort of thrived on doing things my way. It kept things interesting.”

  The gray clouds had been gathering, but Olivia was resolutely ignoring them. She didn’t want her time with Joss to end. And while it seemed like Joss was far from making a move, it felt like things between them had definitely shifted in the right direction.

  When a rumble of thunder sounded in the distance, Joss glanced at the sky. “It looks like maybe we should—”

  She didn’t get to finish her sentence. The sky opened up and the rain started to fall in buckets. Fat, heavy drops pelted the table, the dishes, and the top of Olivia’s head. She realized that Joss was grabbing things from the table. She followed suit and they both booked it back into the house.

  Although they couldn’t have been in the rain for more than a couple of minutes, they were both soaked. Olivia looked Joss up and down, appreciating the way her wet shirt clung to her shoulders and breasts. It took all of Olivia’s restraint not to kiss her, to peel away the fabric and taste her. She swallowed hard and then forced a casual smile. “You were saying?”

  Joss laughed. “Clearly, I was about two minutes too late.”

  “It’s my fault. I knew it was coming.”

  “No worries. And dinner was delicious.”

  “Thanks. Can I offer you a dry shirt? I’m sure the last thing you want to do is drive home all wet and clammy.”

  Joss looked at Olivia, whose thin T-shirt was plastered to her skin, accentuating her breasts and revealing erect nipples. At that point, the last thing she wanted to do was go home at all. She tried to rein in the lust that had quickly taken over her body. “Yeah, that would be great.”

  “Okay. I’ll be right back.”

  Olivia disappeared into her bedroom. Joss swigged what was left of her beer and tried not to think about Olivia pulling off her wet clothes. She imagined Olivia’s skin, damp and smelling faintly of honeysuckle, and her breasts, soft and full in her hands. When Olivia returned in a loose-fitting black tee, Joss had a moment of being genuinely surprised.

  “It might be a little snug, but it’s not too girly.” She handed Joss a navy Atlanta Braves shirt.

  “Thanks.” Joss went to the guest bathroom and changed. With the mirror gone, she had no way of knowing if the shirt looked okay. It fit well enough, though, and smelled like Olivia. She emerged from the bathroom and found Olivia in the kitchen putting away the leftover food.

  Olivia looked up and smiled. “I must say, that looks way cuter on you than it does on me.”

  “You’re just saying that.”

  “I’m not, I swear. You should keep it.”

  “I couldn’t.”

  “Of course you could. Trust me, I have no attachment—either to the shirt or the Braves.”

  Joss frowned. “Not into baseball?”

  “Actually, I prefer the Cubs.” Joss raised a brow and Olivia shrugged playfully. “I have a soft spot for underdogs.”

  “You’re full of surprises today, you know that?”

  Olivia grinned. “I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

  “It was meant as such.”

  “Well then, thank you.”

  The dry clothes had done little to abate the desire Joss was feeling to kiss Olivia. “I, uh, should probably go.”

  Olivia crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m sorry if I kept you.”

  Joss shook her head vigorously. “Not at all. Thank you so much for dinner.”

  Olivia tilted her head to one side. “Thanks for staying. It was nice to talk to you about something other than my house.”

  She was right. It had been nice. More than nice. “So, I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Olivia flashed a smile. “I’ll be here.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Joss dreamed of Olivia. When she woke up at six, her sheets were tangled and she was covered in sweat. The cold shower she took cooled her skin, but did little to ease the insistent pulsing between her thighs.

  On the drive to Olivia’s house, she weighed her options. On one hand, she didn’t date clients. She’d always thought of it as part of her professional code. Of course, she’d never been tempted before. Tempted was an insufficient word to describe what Olivia did to her. Trying to ignore whatever was between them seemed like a losing battle.

  Joss wondered if she should give into it. Maybe that would help her get it out of her system. It wasn’t like she’d professed to Olivia that she didn’t date clients, or academics for that matter. Really, once they’d moved past the initial friction between them, things had become quite friendly. Between the flirty banter and all the arm touching, Joss was pretty sure Olivia would say yes. And just because she wasn’t really into hookups, going on a date didn’t mean they were going to get married.

  It was settled. Joss felt relieved. She liked having a game plan. Even if Olivia turned her down, there would no longer be this big unknown hanging between them and Joss could put her attention solely onto her work. And if Olivia said yes, well, she’d figure that out, too.

  Joss made a detour to stop at Gimme!, ordering two large lattes and a couple of croissants. When she turned into Olivia’s driveway, she found Olivia kneeling in one of the overgrown flower beds, pulling weeds. She must have seen or heard Joss’s truck because she stood up, brushing dirt from her knees.

  Joss offered her a smile. “Good morning.”

  “Good—oh my God, is that Gimme! coffee? Is one of them for me?”

  Joss congratulated herself for thinking of it. She handed Olivia one of the white paper cups. “I have pastry, too.”

  “I cannot tell you how happy that makes me. Wait. Are you buttering me up? Is there bad news?”

  “No bad news. I promise.”

  Olivia narrowed her eyes. “So you’re just being nice?”

  “I am nice. Do you want one of these croissants now?”

  “Yes, but I need to wash my hands.” Olivia headed toward the side door.

  Joss followed her into the house. “Chocolate or almond?”

  “Ooh. Almond, as long as you don’t have a preference.”

  Joss opened the bag and took out one of the pastries. She wrapped it in a napkin and handed it over. “It’s all yours.”

  Olivia took a bite and let out a small moan. “You seriously just made my morning.”

  “Good, because I am trying to butter you up a little.”

  “I knew it. What is it and how much is it going to cost me?”

  Joss chuckled. “It’s not going to cost you anything. I was hoping maybe you’d have dinner with me tonight?”

  “Dinner?”

  “Yes, dinner. Like we had last night. Only at a restaurant. And dry.”

  “Joss Bauer, are you asking me out on a date?”

  Joss looked at Olivia, thinking back to the first time she’d seen her, standing in the kitchen alone, swaying to nonexistent music. The attraction had been immediate. And although it had been tempered by their early interactions—and if she were being honest, her own prejudices—it had never gone away. Having dinner with her the night before, getting caught in the rain, had only intensified the feeling. As much as she’d wanted to, it was something Joss could no longer ignore. “Please don’t make me regret this before we even go.”

  Olivia’s eyes, which were dancing with amusement, softened. “I’m sorry. It’s rude to tease you when you’re being so nice.”

  “So is that a yes?”

  “Oh, my answer is definitely yes. I was merely trying to understand your motivation and put the invitation in the right context.”

  It would be so easy to backpedal. She could say she was trying to be friendly, to bury the hatchet of snarkiness that had defined her approach to dealing with Olivia. It would be the cowardly thing to do, however, and dishonest. “I’m asking you to dinner because you made me dinner.” After a pause, she added, “And because I would like to get to know
you beyond working on the house.”

  If Olivia had a witty reply on the tip of her tongue, she swallowed it. “That would be lovely. Thank you.”

  “I should say, however, that I have a general rule against getting involved with clients.”

  Olivia’s eyes twinkled and she laughed. “Well, it’s a good thing it’s just dinner, then.”

  *

  Although Olivia offered to meet her at the restaurant, Joss insisted on picking her up. If she was going to take Olivia on a date, she was damn well going to do it right. Even though she’d been hesitant to use that word, it was a date. And in Joss’s world, dates came with rules.

  She pulled into Olivia’s driveway just as the sun was setting. In the two hours since she’d left, she’d gone home, showered, and changed. She’d normally have picked up flowers, but that seemed a little clichéd for a woman like Olivia. She also didn’t want to send the impression that she was in full-on courting mode.

  Joss grabbed the Lowe’s bag and climbed out of her truck. She resisted the urge to check her hair or tug at her shirt. She walked over to the side door and saw Olivia standing in the kitchen in almost the exact spot she’d been when Joss came to the house the first time. She was looking at the spot where there’d been a wall just a few days prior.

  When she knocked, Olivia turned. A slow smile spread across her face, as though she’d just solved a puzzle that had been nagging at her. She was wearing another vintage-looking dress, this time black with a band of red around the bottom, and a pair of red high heels that made Joss’s mouth water.

  “Long time, no see,” Olivia said when she opened the door.

  “You’ve cleaned up very nicely.” Joss hoped she sounded playful and not like she was trying to offer a backhanded compliment.

  “Likewise.” Olivia winked, helping Joss to relax.

  She held up the bag she’d brought with her. “Normally I’d bring flowers, but that seemed silly given the state of your house right now.”

  Olivia peeked inside, her smile becoming a look of confusion. “Thank you, but what are they?”

  “They’re knee pads.”

  Olivia pulled the pair of chunky black things from the bag. “Knee pads?”

  Joss regretted the choice. She should have known that a woman like Olivia wouldn’t be impressed with such a practical, and completely ugly, gift. “They’re for when you’re working on your hands and knees. Given how adamant you were about finishing the staple removal upstairs, I thought they might come in handy.”

  “Oh.”

  “They’re random, I know. You don’t have to pretend to like them.” She thought it would be a whimsical gift. Clever, even. What a fool she was. This whole thing was a terrible idea. How long until Olivia saw it, too?

  “They aren’t random. They’re super practical and kind of funny, too.” Olivia put her hand on Joss’s arm, forcing her to make eye contact. “I love them. Thank you.”

  Joss resisted the urge to look at her feet. She was pretty sure she was blushing. Everything about Olivia ripped her so far out of her comfort zone. Just being around her felt like riding a roller coaster. “You’re welcome.”

  “I’m having a really hard time not making a joke about being on my knees.”

  If Joss wasn’t blushing before, she definitely was now.

  “Uh…”

  Olivia smiled at her. “Relax, I’m resisting, if only just barely.”

  Joss swallowed. “Okay. I hope I didn’t give the impression…”

  Olivia laughed now, a rich and sexy laugh that turned Joss on in spite of herself. “I’m kidding, I promise. If anything, I’m regretting that I didn’t have them sooner. The floors are killing me.”

  Joss took a breath. “Yeah, I’m sorry I didn’t think of that.”

  Olivia waved a hand. “They’re perfect. And since I probably shouldn’t put them in water, shall we go?”

  Joss relaxed enough to laugh. As much as Olivia’s wittiness irritated her at first, the reality was that she was funny, and had a knack for putting people at ease. That it was genuine—and not just a means of showing off—made it a far more appealing quality. “We shall.”

  Joss didn’t know if Olivia expected to have car doors opened for her, but she did it anyway. If there was any chance of this working, she would have to be herself and let the cards fall where they may.

  “So, where are you taking me?”

  “I made a reservation at Coltivare.”

  “The new place? I’m pretty sure they don’t take reservations.”

  “They do if you went to high school with the guy who’s managing it and you helped finish the punch list so they could open on time.”

  Olivia laughed. “Nice. Who knew you were so well connected?”

  “I don’t do many commercial spaces, so don’t get your hopes up.”

  “Given that most of my connections to local restaurants are students who I hope liked my class enough not to spit in my salad, I’ll take it.”

  “When you put it that way.”

  It only took about twenty minutes to drive from her house to the heart of downtown. They found parking on the street adjacent to the restaurant. When they got inside, it wasn’t packed, but there were groups waiting in the wide hallway by the hostess stand, couples standing in the bar—all clearly waiting for tables.

  She watched Joss smile at the hostess, say something quietly. The hostess looked down, nodded, returned the smile. They were seated at a table near a window in under five minutes. “I’m very impressed.”

  Joss shrugged. “Thank you, but I somehow get the feeling you’re far more accustomed to deferential treatment than you’re letting on.”

  “What would give you that impression? You understand that college professors are a dime a dozen in this town, right?”

  “I suppose you have a point.”

  At Joss’s suggestion, they ordered a Finger Lakes Riesling with a fig and prosciutto flatbread to share. “The roast chicken is deceptively simple, but out of this world. I’ve also tried the pork loin.”

  “Did they pay you in food?”

  “No, but I happened to be here on the day the waitstaff was being trained, and it included samples.”

  “Good timing.”

  Joss nodded. Although she’d only tried a bite of each dish, she was pretty sure she’d eaten the equivalent of three meals. “It was definitely a treat.”

  Olivia went with the pork and Joss ordered cannelloni. And while the food was outstanding, it paled in comparison to the conversation. Olivia was warm and funny. Her interests ranged from sports and old movies to farm animals and gardening. She was down-to-earth and really enthusiastic about getting her hands dirty—the opposite of what Joss assumed when they first met.

  “Have you ever had a garden before?”

  Olivia sighed. “I’ve never even had a yard before.”

  Joss found that hard to believe. “Seriously?”

  “My parents weren’t big on yard work. We always lived in town houses, where the landscaping was painstakingly perfect and always done by someone else.”

  Joss shook her head. “I don’t think I could ever live in a city.”

  “Now that I’ve lived here for a couple of years, I can’t imagine ever moving back.”

  “Well, I’m not an expert by any means, but my mom is an amazing gardener and she’s taught me a lot. I’d be happy to lend you a hand come spring if you’d like.” It was only after she said it that Joss realized she was suggesting they spend time together more than six months in the future.

  Whether Olivia picked up on that or simply liked the idea, Joss didn’t know. But she smiled and put her hand over Joss’s. “I am definitely going to take you up on that.”

  By the time they ordered a crème brûlée to share, Joss couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed a date more. On the drive back to Olivia’s house, she realized she didn’t want it to end. It was a pleasant surprise, if a little unsettling.

  “Woul
d you like to come in for a drink?”

  Joss hesitated for a moment, wanting to say yes, but not wanting to give the wrong impression. “Sure.”

  Olivia poured them each a glass of wine and they sat on the futon that was serving as her couch while the house was under construction. They talked a little bit about gardening. Olivia, who didn’t know the difference between annuals and perennials, seemed to soak up everything Joss said like a sponge. It was endearing and Joss made a mental promise to reach out to her in the spring no matter what happened between them.

  When their glasses were empty, Joss took a deep breath. “I should probably go.”

  “Does that mean you’ve decided against getting involved with the likes of me?” Olivia smiled, but there was disappointment in her eyes.

  “No, it means I’m…I guess I’m just a little old-fashioned sometimes.”

  “Oh. I see.”

  Joss wasn’t sure she did see. “I mean, not wait until I’m married old-fashioned, just do not stay over on the first date old-fashioned.”

  Olivia stood. “Does that mean I should wait for you to ask me on a second date?”

  Joss couldn’t tell if Olivia was being serious or teasing her. “What if I said you wouldn’t have to wait very long?”

  “I would say I’ll start looking forward to it now.”

  “Well, then it’s settled.”

  They walked to the back door. “I’ll see you in the morning, then.”

  “That you will.”

  “I can’t wait to try my knee pads.”

  Joss shook her head. “You don’t have to say that.”

  Olivia put a hand on Joss’s shoulder. “I mean it. They’re a sweet gift, personal. My knees are already appreciative.”

  Her words were sincere, but there was a gleam in Olivia’s eye that made Joss’s insides clench. She was intensely aware of Olivia’s hand. The touch, while casual, carried a near-electric charge. She could just make out a hint of Olivia’s perfume. “You’re welcome.”

  Olivia opened the door. A breeze had picked up and the air was cool. Joss paused, feeling even more than her usual level of caution. Something told her that getting involved with Olivia would be unlike any dating experience she’d ever had. Maybe that was okay.