Page 7 of Finding Cory

Bryce and Rosie mercifully started talking, filling in the silence, and Olivia was content to just listen to their chatter. She glanced up at Cory through her lashes and found him pushing his food around his plate as well. He seemed to sense her eyes on him and looked up at her.

Their gazes caught and held.

She half expected him to make a quip or some sarcastic remark, but he just stared back at her, holding the fork still in his hand. For an endless moment they stared at each other, oblivious to the chatter and noise around them.

This is a terrible idea, Olivia thought.I have to work with him.

Cory smiled, the expression almost shy.

Oh, fuck it. Terrible idea or not, I'm not going to live like a nun for the next twelve months.

She smiled back.

Shortly afterwards, Rosie said apologetically that she had work to do, and Bryce left to take a new-divers class in one of the resort pools. They headed off leaving Olivia and Cory still staring at each other over the remains of their lunch.

"Do you have somewhere you need to be?" Olivia asked finally.

"Not until four thirty. Um. Luke actually asked me if I'd show you around a bit, but... if you'd rather someone else, I'm sure I can rustle someone up."

Time to make the call, Olivia.

"I wouldn't rather anyone else."

Cory's smile was slow and sure, warming through her. "Good," he said softly. "That's good. C'mon, then."

He offered a hand as she stood. Olivia debated taking it and decided she'd given the resort staff enough gossip for her first day. Besides, if she stepped a little closer, she could thread her hand through his arm instead and rest it on the pleasing bulge of his biceps. She got a few interested looks as she made her way out of the dining room on Cory's arm.

A row of golf buggies was parked behind the resort. Cory handed her into the passenger seat of one before going around to the driver's side.

"Please tell me that you don't drive like Rosie," Olivia thought to say suddenly, grabbing the dash as Cory started the engine.

He burst out laughing. "I promise I don't drive like Rosie. She's a maniac. Never has passed her driver's test; she can't drive anywhere except here or on Hamilton, with the golf buggies... and she's banned from driving one here too."

"That's a relief." Olivia took her hands off the dash before saying tentatively, "I've never learned to drive. It wasn't really necessary living in New York. The subway goes everywhere. Maybe you could teach me?"

"Sure," he said cheerfully, "want to start now?"

She laughed. "No, let me figure out my way around from the passenger seat first. I don't think I can concentrate on trying to drive while gaping like the tourist I am."

"Gotcha. Well, if you're the tourist, let me play tour guide." Cory slowed the golf cart as the path they were on intersected with another; he looked left and right before turning left. "First thing to note for when you do start driving: all our paths here are two-way and we drive on thelefthere in Oz."

"Noted," she agreed. "What's that?" She pointed off to the left at a small white building standing alone on a small rise.

"One of the wedding chapels. We have three, and an average of just under two weddings a day here. We have facilities for a lot more, and that's part of what Luke wants you to push in the marketing, I know... that this is one of the best wedding destinations in Australia."

"I can see why," Olivia agreed as Cory pulled the buggy off the path into a small parking area near the chapel. They got out and walked up to the small building. On closer inspection, she could see it was open on three sides, facing out over a small palm-fringed cove. The white sand and blue water were a stunning backdrop.

"Wow," she breathed, taking in the surroundings. "Just wow."

"Yeah." Cory placed his hands on the low railing at the side of the chapel, looking out over the water. "I see this view every day and I never get tired of it."

"I can imagine." Leaning into the railing as she stood beside him, Olivia gazed out at the ocean in wonder, taking in the colors in the water as the depth changed. "I've never seen anything like it. So many colors!"

"Beautiful," Cory agreed, but he was looking down at her now, not out at the water. Lifting one hand from the railing, he gently brushed a strand of curly, brown hair back behind her ear. "I was knocked sideways when I saw you walking down the dock today, Olivia," he said quietly, "and I feel like maybe you feel the same way, a bit."

She turned big dark brown eyes up to his but said nothing. He plowed on stubbornly. "Physical attraction is one thing, and I could put it to one side easily enough, but... everything about you has hit me for six. The way you dived back in to find your passport; the way you put me in my place for laughing at you. This might be crazy because we have to work together, but I'm seriously attracted to you. And I'd like to make that clear now, before we even get started. I don't want there to be any misunderstandings. If you're not interested, or if you want me to keep my distance because we're work colleagues, I can respect that, but I need you to set a boundary here. Because I don't want there to beanyboundaries. I feel like you've been giving me some signals, but I need to make sure I'm not misinterpreting you."

He was being incredibly honest and direct, laying his soul bare to her with the heartfelt words. Olivia took a deep breath. "I think I might feel the same way. Except... what does 'hit for six' mean?"

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