Page 39 of She's a Big Deal

“Yes. Totally.”

“Only because of that?”

Gosh…Olivia could never pretend, not even for fun.

“No, Grace,” she murmured. “I wanted to kiss you. Teasing only gave me an excuse.”

They may as well have been dancing on the moon or in the middle of space at this point, for all that Olivia was aware of the rest of the room and the people in it. She was only focused on the woman who held her, the light in her eyes, and the sudden, more intimate turn of the conversation. Such a rush, all of it! She did recall her friend’s words of advice and warning about not going too deep. Well.Too late for that…Dare she tell Grace she’d been thinking of little else but kissing her since their first encounter at Charlie’s house? As Olivia held her gaze and hesitated briefly, her feelings must have been all too obvious. Dana was always telling her that she was like an open book. Grace reacted before she could say anything else. Olivia noticed a telling shift in her expression. The instant tightening of her pupils, a flash of regret and surprising sadness across her eyes.Oh, no…

“Grace, I—”

But the music stopped, the dance was over, and her partner released her. The gesture was as abrupt and significant as the close, warm, and natural embrace.

“Beautiful!” Charlie appeared out of nowhere to pull them both into a hug. “Oli, I didn’t know you were such a talented dancer! You two looked great out there.”

“Oh, I’m not really a—”

“Very fluid,” Grace countered as if annoyed that she might try to deny it. “Catching the right moves instinctively. Talented, yes.”

As Olivia stared, a little surprised at her intensity, she couldfeel Charlie looking from her to Grace and back again with undisguised curiosity.

“Darling,” she prompted, “have you told Olivia about your upcoming trip to Ottawa?”

“No.” Grace was frowning, discontent pouring out of her in waves.

Obviously used to this sort of thing, Charlie just went on blissfully. “I’m sure she would love it. Grace, I think the two of you shouldgo together.”

chapter 14

It was typical of her aunt to jump in like that. Grace reflected on the unusual evening and awkward invitation on her flight back to Miami. She was due to return to Red Falls the next weekend to see to a few things: accompany Charlie to a medical check-up, speak to her sister about the deal, hunt down a reluctant Reece for a serious one-to-one, and fulfill a professional engagement. This latter, she was looking forward to. Janis Cassidy was a new architect on the scene who blended art, unconventional designs, and cutting-edge technology. Her latest creation, a mansion on the outskirts of Ottawa, was currently set up as an exhibition, and she had invited Grace for a private viewing. Spending time in Red Falls was a perfect opportunity for this since she could drive there and back in a day. Grace had planned to travel to Canada on her own. She still did, even after seeing Olivia’s face light up like a Christmas tree at the mention of Cassidy. Back in her office, in her usual environment, Grace found it hard to concentrate. Flashes of velvety dark eyes and sensual lips kept coming back into her mind. Even with fifteen hundred miles in between them, the intriguing Olivia Bianchi would not leave her alone. Grace had stopped thinking of her as just‘Charlie’s young friend’by now.The dog-sitter. Olivia was tough and cute at thesame time. Fourteen years younger but mature and strong in spirit. Grace only had to think of her subtle brush of the hand when Jeremy had been barking at her. Olivia had stood her ground next to her. Quietly, respectfully, but no less firmly. She was also extremely beautiful when she chose to let it shine. On impulse, Grace brought up her website for another look at her creations.Hmm. Yes…The pieces were exquisite. Though, once again, she shook her head at the clumsy set-up.

“Libby,” she called over the intercom. “Send Joel into my office, please.”

“Sure thing, Ms. Michaels.”

As she waited for her web designer, Grace stood up to pace aggressively in front of her wall of windows.I shouldn’t be doing this.Getting involved was a bad idea. Certainly, she’d made no promises…

“Just kissed her as if I was running out of air.”

She grumbled in irritation. This had been another sparkling loss of control, for sure. At least she had managed to decline Charlie’s unhelpful and, frankly, naive invitation on her behalf. And left Olivia with a clear understanding that nothing else could or would happen between them. One kiss, a dance… Too much already. So now, end of story. With a fresh wave of temper, she stabbed the intercom button again.

“Libby.”

“Yes, Ms. Michaels?”

“Tell Joel not to—” About to cancel her previous request, Grace found herself hesitating. And when did that ever happen?Losing my stupid mind…At a loss, she still decided to stay with it. “Never mind. Send him in as soon as he gets here. And tell him to hurry up, for God’s sake! Haven’t got all day.”

“On it, Ms. Michaels!”

???

“I’m just confused,” Olivia admitted to Dana. “Really, it’s clear as mud. The connection between us was out of this world, you know?”

“So you keep saying,” her friend sighed. “And I get it, Oli. You kissed, and then she rocked your world on the dance floor. But what part of ‘Let’s leave it there’ is unclear, exactly?”

“Hmm. I don’t think she meant it.”

“Olivia. Come on now.”

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