“Yeah, okay. If you’re sure?”
With the flick of his wrist, he gives a little shooing motion. Well, the best shooing motion he can give while carrying Mazie. “Yes. Now, go!”
Olly starts to gather his things, and I slowly approach the little nugget.Veryslowly.
“Jasper, she’s not going to attack you.”
I eye her cautiously. “That has yet to be determined.”
She looks cute and innocent in her own baby way. “I’ve heard they projectile vomit. Which is very poltergeist-y, if you ask me.”
“It’s not like her head spins around, for fuck’s sake.”
I poke a baby fat roll, and she giggles.
“Jasper, stop poking the baby,” Olly says, making his way to the front door and sliding into his shoes.
So I poke her again, which earns me another giggle. I narrow my eyes. “We have unfinished business, me and you.” I give her the two-fingered ‘I’m watching you’ eye salute, so she knows I’m serious. I’m leery of this one. She could have ulterior motives.
Olly jingles his keys, signaling that he’s ready to go.
The drive starts with an awkward silence. Which, I guess, is my fault. Yes, I know I kissed Olly. Fuck, did I ever kiss Olly. And it felt good, like, I need it to happen again… and again.
I’ve always thought Olly was hot. The more time we spend together, the more I find myself wondering what he would feel like beneath or aboveme. Does he like to take control? Is he trimmed and soft? Or confident and gritty?
I look over at him, seeing if I can peer into his soul and get a lay of the land, but it’s no use. That man is on lockdown every time I try.
I can never get a good read on him, making me want to pick him apart with a tiny microscope to see what makes him tick even more.
“Do you have a list of everything you need?”
“Yep, I printed it out last night before I left The Diner and I threw the wagon in the back so it would be easier to haul things.”
Of course, Olly is always prepared. He probably has lists upon list of just… lists.
“So, a night with a baby… How did that go for you?”
“Honestly, I’m tired. I must have gotten up every twenty minutes to check on her. Who knew a sleeping baby could be so nerve-wracking?”
I take a hard look at Olly and see the dark circles under his eyes. Helookstired.
The thing about Olly is he takes on everything with no questions asked.
Maybe that’s why I’m so obsessed with him.
For someone who likes their life neat and orderly, but is willing to take in a baby until a suitable home becomes available, that’s an incredible sacrifice. Olly will always step outside his comfort zone when it comes to helping others. He’s selfless.
Growing up, I was not around a lot of selfless people. No, they were allselfish. I was never physically abused, but mentally… Yes, I can see that now. I was never good enough for the few homes I was placed in. Some were looking for child prodigies, some just a paycheck.
Now, when I see someone who’s the exact opposite of the things ingrained in my brain, it makes me want to figure out why and how.
What—orwho—happened in Olly’s life that taught him to care and put others’ needs before his own?
And why do I have this underlying pull toward him?
The Farmers Market is already busy when we pull up, which begs the question. “Who the fuck is up this early in the morning?”
Olly laughs. “Everyone, Jasper. Everyone.”
