Page 98 of Fielder's Choice

I chuckle. “Yeah, Liv. I can’t listen to you fuck yourself with the toy I bought you without jacking myself off. It was too fucking hot.”

“You really like listening to me, don’t you?”

“More than you know,” I admit, completely unashamed. “But did I go too far tonight?”

“No, you’re okay,” she reassures me. “I kind of liked that. I’m not ready toactuallydo any of that, but it was kind of fun to imagine.”

“Imagine all you want then, Olive,” I smile. “But if you ever feel like I’m going too far, just let me know. You’re the one in control of all of this, even if I’m the one telling you what to do.”

“Thank you, Lane,” she says sweetly. “You’re really incredible.”

“Not as incredible as you.”

And what happened tonight? That was also incredible.

Olive isn’t ready to have sex, but she’sfantasizingabout having sex. Withme.

I’ve already been falling for her; I know that. But I also know how much trust she’ll need to have in someone to even consider taking that step.

And Olive trusts me.

She trusts me to not hurt her. To protect her heart and take care of it.

If she doesn’t realize it yet, I hope I can show her that I’ll take care of it as long as she’ll let me.

Because she already has mine.

thirty-five

Lane

Olive

Is it weird if I say I want to come over and dance with Sage?

Lane

Ballerina, come spend as much time with my daughter as you want

You know we love having you around

Olive

I come for Sage

But you’re not too bad

Lane

You’ve got jokes, I see

Olive

I told you you’d have to keep up with me, old man

Lane

You won’t be calling me old later tonight…

---