“Are you packed, Jake?”
“Yep, I’m all set. We can hit the road once you’re done eating.”
“Jake, can I get you any more bacon?” Anna was oblivious to the bomb she’d dropped on the kitchen table.
“Oh no, Anna, I’m stuffed. Like Olivia said, we won’t even have to stop for lunch.” He sat back on his chair and patted his very flat, very firm stomach. Olivia’s mouth watered remembering the abs underneath that shirt. She scarfed down the rest of her breakfast, and chugged her coffee.
She hugged each member of her family goodbye, her brother glaring at Jake while they shook hands. At least he didn’t spill the beans.
Once they were in the SUV and on the road, Jake slipped her hand into his. “So… about that thing your mom mentioned. You don’t bring your boyfriends home to meet them?”
Groaning, she leaned her head back against the seat. “I’d have to have a relationship for that to happen. And I haven’t seen anyone seriously since college.”
He squeezed her hand. “I know the feeling.” She looked over at him; he was watching the road. But she could tell there was more to that story from the set of his jaw and the faraway look in his eyes, as if he was remembering some other time. She squeezed back, and saw him shake his head, coming back to the present.
“Now that the reunion’s over, are you interested in dating me? For real?”
“Well …” Olivia tapped her chin as if in thought, just to drive him crazy. “I guess.”
“You guess, huh?” He was smirking, as if he’d caught on to her joke.
“I mean, the sex was good.”
“Good? Princess, that sex wasincredible.”
“Okay, it was fuckingamazing. And you don’t have to convinceme. You followed me to at a con just to talk to me. So yes, I’m interested in dating you.”
“I just have one request.” His face sobered.
“What’s that?”
“Can we keep this under wraps at work?”
What? But theymetat work! “I thought you said you weren’t ashamed of me!” Olivia tensed, her skin bristling with anger. Hadn’t he been chasing her practically non-stop since the picnic? The last time someone wanted to keep their relationship a secret, he hadn’t been single at all. Shame flared again as she remembered how she’d been tricked and used by her chemistry lab partner.
“I’m not, not at all. It’s just—well, one of the anchors was fired for sexual harassment recently and I don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea. I don’t want anyone to think I’m being unprofessional.” He brought the back of her hand to his lips and pressed a quick kiss there. “It wouldn’t be forever. And honestly, we don’t see each other at work, so it shouldn’t be an issue.”
The heat in her skin died down as she considered the logic behind his request. It wouldn’t look good for her either, if someone thought she was sleeping with the talent to try and get ahead. That wasn’t how it worked, but it could look that way to other people. And with Ron retiring, she desperately wanted to keep her reputation squeaky clean. Sheneededthat promotion.
Olivia also reminded herself that Jake was actually interested in her. He wasn’t anything like Chad.
“That makes total sense, Jake. O-okay.”
Maybe if she told herself that often enough, it would be.It won’t be forever…
