Page 33 of In Full Bloom

“Max is here,” I say.

“I know. I told her he wouldn’t be.” Her eyes are wide and glassy in the coloured bar lights.

“It’s okay, she’s okay,” I say to reassure Olivia, but mostly it’s for myself.

“Where’s Flynn? We need to find him before we go.”

“I haven’t seen him for a while. But you stay, have some fun, Olivia. I told Katie I’ll get her things and meet her outside. We’ll see you back at her place later.”

Olivia starts to protest, but I shake my head, trying tofigure out how to tell her I need to be alone with Katie without telling her that.

Olivia studies my face, then she closes her mouth, releasing the jacket when I reach for it.

“Just … look after her, okay?” she says, eyes boring into mine.

It feels more significant than five simple words. It feels more significant than just tonight.

“I will.”

It’s like déjà vu.

Katie is waiting for me in the exact same spot as the last time we left this bar.

She’s leaning against the brick wall in a spill of light, one foot propped against the wall. She doesn’t turn her head as I approach, just keeps staring up at the stars.

It’s a perfect spring night with clear skies and that fresh chill in the air that makes everything feel clean and new. Katie is entirely underdressed for the temperature, but it doesn’t seem to bother her.

“Seriously?” I say, leaning against the wall beside her. “Here?”

She laughs and I feel the sound in my soul. “We could recreate that night. The offer’s still on the table.” She’s looking at me now, up through her lashes, a coy smile curving her lips.

I groan and tip my head back until it’s pressing into the brick. “Katie … we can’t.”

“We actually can. You just won’t.” She shrugs. “I thought we both had a good time, but if it wasn’t for you … I’ll get over it. My ego might take a hit for a while though.”

I push off the wall and spin to face her. My palm finds the wall to brace myself, to hold me back from stepping into her and sweeping her up into my arms, or worse, pressing her back into this wall with my body.

“Your ego,” I say, my voice coming out low and rough, “hasnothingto worry about.”

She blinks up at me, eyes wide as though I’ve startled her with my sudden movement. She licks her bottom lip and I trace the entire movement with my gaze.

“That night … fuck, princess. That was one of the best nights of my entire life.”

“So, why don’t you want to go again?” Her voice is barely a whisper, more like a breath. It’s full of uncertainty and I wonder if it’s her ego she’s really worried about. I don’t dare to hope and smother the little spark of it I feel.

“Because, it’s already hard enough working with you every day and not think about that nightconstantly. I’m trying really, really hard not to be the gross pervy guy at work.”

She giggles. Her head is resting back against the wall and she’s staring up at me. “You’re not pervy at work. But you could be tonight. You even got rid of our friends for a while.”

“That,” I say, raising a finger to emphasis my point, “was not so we could do that.” Putting my hand anywhere near her was a terrible, terrible mistake. My fingers burn with the need to touch her.

She takes hold of my wrist and places my palm flat againsther waist. My fingers curl around the curve of her without my conscious thought, fingertips brushing the exposed skin on her back.

We’re so close. I can feel her chest moving as she breathes. Short, rapid breaths. My fingers trace patterns across her bare skin and she shivers.

“You’re cold,” I say.

“I’m fine. Tell me why.” Her voice is soft, and she lifts her hand to trail her fingers lightly down the side of my face.

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