I rolled my lips in to keep from laughing at her dramatics. “The squirrel doesn’t have rabies, Princess. He was just hungry.”
Livi shuddered. “Maybe he was planning to take a bite of me.”
I rubbed her back to comfort her, feeling conflicted about how protective I felt.
“He was not going to bite you. Jeez, don’t you have squirrels at that fancy mansion of yours?”
“Sure, but they stay in the trees where they belong.”
When Livi didn’t say anything else I added, “Don’t worry, you’re safe now.”
I lowered my head, subtly taking a whiff of her hair like some sort of weirdo. I was dying to know what that floral scent was.
“Did you just sniff my hair?” she asked, her face still pressed against my shoulder.
I stiffened. “Um. No.”
“You smell good too,” she reassured me.
“That’s the adrenaline from the squirrel encounter talking,” I said jokingly.
I pulled back but she only let me move a few inches, her hands sliding down to my waist to stop my movement. I mean, I could have pulled away, I just… didn’t. Instead I looked down into those blue eyes, watching her watch me, and when Livi licked her lips, I couldn’t help the groan that escaped my mouth. We shifted infinitesimally closer.
Then I heard a noise, the creak of the house maybe, and I came to my senses.
“We should get out of here,” I said, my voice rough.
A brief flash of disappointment crossed her face. “Okay.”
She took a step back, her hands falling back to her sides, and I immediately missed the warmth of her body.
“Hey, you’ve done a really good job this week. I’m impressed with how hard you’re working.”
Her face broke out with a big smile. “It’s been fun.”
At my skeptical look, she explained, “You know I work for my family company right?”
I nodded.
“Because of my last name, everyone assumes I got the job due to nepotism. They think I’m just some vapid heiress who doesn’t understand the business.”
“Do you?” I asked curiously. “Understand the business?”
“I’ve got a master’s in business administration from Stanford. I’ve worked every single job in the company, starting when I was a pre-teen. I’ve lived and breathed the company my entire life and sure, I got the opportunity because of who I am, but I kept the job because I proved myself,” she said vehemently. “My dad doesn’t tolerate anyone not pulling their weight, and he’s been clear with me my entire life that my role in the company was not guaranteed, that it had to be earned. But here, people judge me by my work, not by my name. And I kind of love that.”
She was sincere, I realized.
“Well, we’ve been grateful for your help,” I said. “You’ve helped us get back on schedule. Now let’s hit the road. I have a big night ahead of me.”
Olivia
“Abig night? You have a date?” I felt a stab of jealousy hit me right in the gut.
Sam laughed.
“Yeah, I’m going to hang out with my cat Leo, order a pizza, and watch the baseball game.”
“That does sound fun,” I teased.
