“Jack is my brother-in-law. He asked me to join him because my sister Emily, hiswife, is pregnant, ready to pop and the last thing on her to-do list is attending tonight’s shindig.”
Jaime exhaled in a rush. “He’s not—”
“No. And for the record, I’m a lesbian.”
Jaime could only nod. Her mind shouted at her to wish Olivia a good night and escape, yet her feet appeared to be made of lead, as she couldn’t seem to move.
“I was watching you all night,” Olivia whispered.
Jaime hated the shudder running through her at the tone, even more so the memories flooding her mind, and sheloathedthe yearning to lose herself in Olivia again. “I never said I noticed you,” she pressed out.How pathetic.
Olivia chuckled. “Right, because you didn’t just spend most of this conversation complaining about mydatewith Jack.”
As it seemed to be the case too often, Jaime had no reply for Olivia.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about your dress.” Olivia bit her lower lip.
Jaime’s gaze roamed Olivia’s figure, and when their gazes met, Jaime idly wondered if her eyes looked as feverish as Olivia’s, if her cheeks were as flushed.
“Mostly, I’ve been picturing how it would look on my bedroom floor.”
God, no.Jaime felt her resolve slipping, the line between propriety and desire blurring with each moment Olivia stood so close. Her gaze dropped to Olivia’s lips, and for a moment, she warred with herself.
This was reckless, dangerous—but it was Olivia. And that was all the reason her body needed to betray her.
A small gasp fled her lips, and it might have been louder or more drawn out, had Jaime not pushed herself forward and claimed Olivia’s lips in a hard, fervent kiss. For a fleeting moment, nothing else existed.
But as Olivia’s hands gripped her waist, pulling her closer, a whisper of doubt broke through the haze of desire. Jaime knew she should stop—before the fallout consumed them both—but Olivia’s kiss drowned out reason, leaving only the unbearable ache of wanting more.
with one spoon of sugar
Oliviahadn’tevenwantedto attend the gala, cursing Jack under her breath the entire drive there. But now, as the headlights of Jaime’s navy-blue hybrid sedan trailed her all the way home, she couldn’t deny the elation simmering beneath her skin.
She didn’t let herself revel in it—she knew better. There was no future with Jaime. Something that usually brought her peace made her knuckles pale on the steering wheel, her hands clammy as uncertainty gnawed at her.
Olivia preferred getting involved with strangers, people with whom she had no ties, no connection, where a reunion was ruled out from the start.
Jaime Lachlan didn’t fit into this category, and without their chance encounter at the bar, away from home with all its obligations and responsibilities, she’d likely never have acted on her fascination for the aloof, controlled woman who always seemed to be a step ahead of everyone.
Now she was on her way to repeat her first folly. Yet how could she resist? At least they’d had enough sense to break apart in the bathroom before someone else had entered.
They arrived at her bungalow too quickly. After turning off the engine, Olivia curled her hands into fists, counting to ten beforestepping out of the car, determined to project the confidence she wished she felt.
Jaime parked next to her and strode over, locking her car with a swift motion. She glanced from Olivia to the house. “I can’t say I’m surprised you live here. A historic bungalow—let me guess, you’ve updated the insides, nothing too sleek or modern, more homey and comfortable?”
Olivia nodded, her mind racing.
“Isn’t it a bit of a drive from work?”
“No. I like driving. And… I’m close to Freedom Park. I run there every Sunday morning.” Was this all a snap judgment, or had Jaime contemplated her living situation before?
“So?” Jaime prompted, her gaze still wandering over the house.
“Oh, yes, let’s go inside.” Olivia took the lead, rolling her eyes at her own awkwardness. She wasn’t in the habit of bringing women home, which might account for her nerves firing like a faulty socket.
She placed her purse on the entrance table and strode toward the kitchen—she needed something to steady her nerves. “Do you want a drink? I have several dry red wines, or liquor, if you’re in the mood for something stronger.”
Jaime tilted her head, her smile sharp. “I thought you were more interested in seeing how my dress looks on your bedroom floor?”
