by Aurora Rey
Joss watched Olivia leave, then got back to work. Despite the heat in their kiss, and the unspoken promise of more, there was something about the whole thing that felt oddly homey, domestic even. Joss was a little alarmed by how easy it felt. It must be the way they were sharing space. Having never dated a client before, of course she wouldn’t know what that felt like.
The hours passed quickly. After finishing the first coat of joint compound, Joss took a break for lunch. By the time she was done, the area where she started was dry and she began applying the second coat. She was washing her tools when she heard Olivia’s car in the driveway. Joss dried her hands just in time to open the door for Olivia, who breezed in with a couple of canvas grocery bags.
“Why, thank you.”
“Of course. Is there more?”
“No, I’ve got it all. Thanks.” Olivia set down the bags. “Can I see what you’ve done?”
Joss smiled and gestured to the finished wall. “It looks messy, but it’s perfectly smooth and ready for paint.”
“I love it and I can’t wait to get color on it.” After getting encouragement from Joss, she’d picked out a shade of red from the American Heritage collection. It reminded her of antique flags, and she was excited to see how it looked in the room.
“It’ll be good to go tomorrow. Even though you’ll have some touch-ups, I’d suggest doing it before we hang the cabinets. It will make for a lot less edging.”
“Any plan that cuts down on edging is the plan for me.”
“Can I give you a hand with dinner?”
“There’s not much to do, but sure. Why don’t you finish whatever you were doing and meet me outside?”
“You got it.” Joss cleaned up and then headed to the backyard.
Olivia was standing at the grill, putting what looked to be three or four dozen littlenecks on the grates. Once they were all on, she shut the lid and looked at her watch. She looked at Joss and smiled. “Good day?”
“It was a good day. We’re moving right along. You?”
“Good. I feel like I’m getting into the groove of the semester, getting to know the students.”
“Is it hard, having a new batch of students every few months?”
“It takes a little while to learn their personalities, what interests them, whether or not they’re motivated. Probably not unlike getting to know new clients with every project.”
“That’s an interesting way of thinking about it.” Joss wouldn’t have said her work and Olivia’s had anything in common. Olivia was right, though, they were both in the business of people.
“Only I have the luxury of the customer not always being right.” Olivia winked at her.
After about five minutes, Olivia opened the grill. She set the bread she’d sliced onto the upper rack and deftly started moving the clams that had opened onto a platter. She closed it again for another minute and repeated the process. Joss was surprised by how comfortable she was wielding kitchen utensils. She should probably know by now that her assumptions about Olivia were useless.
When all the clams were off, Olivia poured the contents of a small pot over the top. “These are good to go.”
Joss took the platter and carried it over to the table, setting it next to the bowl of salad. Olivia followed with a plate of bread. She poured them each a glass of Sauvignon blanc and pulled out her chair. “Bon appétit.”
Joss put some salad and a few clams on her plate. She freed one from its shell and sampled it. “This is really good. What is it?”
“Butter, garlic, lemon juice, white wine, and hot sauce.”
Joss nodded slowly. “Hot sauce. Genius.”
Olivia shrugged. “I have a few tricks up my sleeve.”
Joss chuckled. That was one way of putting it. When they were done eating, Joss helped Olivia carry the dishes inside. They washed up, then put them back in the plastic bin Olivia was using in lieu of kitchen cabinets. Olivia snapped the lid on to keep dust away and draped the dish towel over the top. Joss found the tidiness of it amusing, especially given the disarray around them.
“Since it’s still light out, would you come outside with me for a minute?” Joss asked.
“Sure.”
They walked out the side door and around to the front of the house. The porch, along with its roof and Olivia’s errant piece of shag carpet, had been pulled down the week before. A couple of Joss’s crew had a few days between big jobs and Joss thought she might have them start working on the new one while they were free.
“What am I looking at?” Olivia asked.
“I wanted you out here so you could more easily visualize the options for your porch.”
Olivia turned to her and smiled. “You had me at porch.”
“I know it was going to be one of the last projects, but I’ve got some wiggle room in the schedule and I could have a couple of guys over this week to start the framing.”
“Really? That would make me so happy. Does that mean I might get to enjoy it for a little while before the weather turns?”
Joss thought about her first impressions of the house, and of Olivia. Sometimes, being proven wrong was the best possible thing. “If you don’t mind shuffling one or two inside projects by a day or two, definitely.”
“Yes, please. Pretty please.”
“So, what I need you to do is decide how you want it to look.”
Olivia’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Okay. What are my options?”
“The first would be to span just the front of the house. You’d have plenty of room for a sitting area and it would cost about a third less than the other option.”
Olivia scowled. “What’s my other option?”
“Rebuild it exactly as it was. Span the front and wrap around the side. It’ll cost more, obviously, and I’m not sure you’d really use the added space.”
“But?”
Joss couldn’t help but smile. How did Olivia know there was a but? “But rebuilding it fully will look amazing and maintain one of the distinctive characteristics of the house.”
“Well, then I think you have your answer.”
Did she? Joss hoped Olivia would go for the full rebuild, but thought she might prefer to spend the money elsewhere. “Full porch?”
“Full porch.”
“Excellent. We’ll make it happen.”
“Excellent. While we’re out here, would you mind coming around back? I have an idea for a longer-term project and I’d love to hear your thoughts.”
“Happily.”
Olivia took Joss’s hand and led her toward the backyard. They stopped and stood in the shade of one of the huge maple trees. “You mentioned a few days ago that you know about gardening.”
“My mom is the expert, but I know some. Are you thinking of putting one in?”
“I am. I feel like the summer is when I have the most free time, so it would be conducive to having a small vegetable patch.”
Joss wouldn’t have thought Olivia to be the type to want to grow her own food. Then again, Olivia hadn’t turned out to be at all what Joss assumed when they first met. “I think it’s a great idea. What’s your question?”
“I’m not sure about size or the best location.”
“I think your best bet is to start small. It’s better to add on a little each year than get in over your head and wind up overrun with weeds and discouraged.”
“And do I seem like the kind of woman who bites off more than she can chew?”
It wasn’t a suggestive question, but it stirred Joss’s insides nonetheless. “You seem to handle things just fine.”
“That’s quite a compliment from you.”
Joss shrugged. Had she really come across as such a curmudgeon? “From what I’ve observed, it’s true.”
Olivia smiled. “I’ll be very responsible then and start small. Does it matter where I put it?”
Joss surveyed the yard. Olivia’s property abutted corn fields on two sides and woods on the other. A few trees were scatter
ed around. “You want something that’s relatively flat and will get sun most, if not all, of the day. You’re going to have to put up a fence no matter what if you don’t want the deer and groundhogs to raid it.”
Olivia rolled her eyes. “Deer and groundhogs. Right. This city mouse still has a lot to learn.”
“I’m happy to help if you want. And if you want to turn the dirt over once this season to make it easier in the spring, I’ll bring over my rototiller.”
“You have a rototiller?”
“I got a good deal on a used one. I’m a bit of a sucker for tools.”
“I love that. And I would love to borrow it. Thank you.” Olivia leaned in and gave Joss a kiss on the cheek.
The gesture was affectionate, almost platonic. Still, it made Joss realize just how badly she wanted to kiss Olivia in an entirely different way. How much thoughts of kissing Olivia in all sorts of ways had occupied her mind almost constantly. So Joss leaned forward and kissed her again. Softly at first, then she took Olivia’s face in her hands and indulged the desire that had been building in her all day.
Olivia’s arms wound around Joss’s neck and she leaned in, pressing her body against Joss. Joss moved her hands from Olivia’s face, down her arms, and then up her sides. Olivia made a purring sound, sending Joss into overdrive, then slid her hands down Joss’s body and under her shirt. The feel of Olivia’s cool fingers against her skin made Joss ache.
They were standing very close to the tree. Olivia angled herself so that her back pressed against it. Joss freed one hand to brace herself against the wide trunk. Olivia still wore her work clothes—an almost prim skirt and silk blouse. Joss popped open the top two buttons to reveal a pale pink bra. Olivia’s chest heaved, inviting Joss’s touch. Joss slid her hand inside, feeling the heat and weight of Olivia’s breast in her palm.
Olivia’s hands had made their way under the hem of Joss’s shirt. She traced her fingernails up Joss’s spine, working her T-shirt over her head in the process. Olivia discarded it, then returned to the gentle scratching that made Joss’s skin tingle.
A stiff breeze on her bare skin jerked Joss back to reality. She took a step back, realizing Olivia was nearly topless and that she’d stripped down to a sports bra. And they were standing in the middle of Olivia’s yard, in full view of the road. What the hell had come over her?
“You didn’t have to stop.” Olivia looked disheveled and shell-shocked.
Joss thought about how consumed she’d been by the moment, how close she’d come to taking Olivia against a tree. It appalled her. “We’re outside, half-naked, in broad daylight. Anyone driving down the road could see us.”
Olivia laughed, making her feel better, even if only a little. “It’s okay. No one drives down this road.”
“Still. I didn’t mean for that to happen. I’m so sorry.”
Olivia watched Joss yank her shirt back on and fought off a wave of disappointment. Maybe Joss had put the brakes on because they were on the verge of getting it on in the middle of the yard. Olivia wasn’t opposed to that, but she could understand Joss’s hesitation. But what if Joss had done it because she didn’t want to get it on in the first place?
“It’s really okay.”
They walked back toward the side of the house. Joss wouldn’t make eye contact. “I should go.”
Olivia didn’t put herself out there very often, but still. She was unused to the sting of rejection. And this felt a whole lot like rejection. She couldn’t decide whether or not to confront Joss about it.
“Do you need anything from inside the house?” Could she say something more useless?
Joss’s reply was stilted. “Just my keys. I’ll grab them.”
“Okay.” Olivia stayed outside, feeling unsettled and still a little aroused.
Joss walked into the kitchen and emerged a few seconds later. She looked at Olivia, her eyes full of concern. “I really am sorry. Are you okay?”
Olivia straightened her shoulders, tossed her hair, and smiled. Better to make light than turn it into a scene. She refused to be caught wallowing. “Of course. I’m sorry I pounced on you like that.”
Joss shook her head. “You don’t need to be sorry.”
“I promise I won’t tear at you like a sex-crazed teenager again.”
Joss came up to her and stood very close. “I kind of liked the sex-crazed part.”
“You don’t have to say that.”
“Olivia, I didn’t stop because I don’t want to have sex with you. I stopped because, when I do, I want to do it right.”
“Oh.”
“Call me old-fashioned, but that includes privacy and a nice bed and the luxury of all the time in the world.”
Olivia swallowed. So it was just about being in the yard. “I see. When you put it that way, I have to agree.”
“So, I’ll see you in the morning. We can take it from there?”
Joss did want her. The twinge of disappointment became a pang of desire. Desire blended with anticipation. That she could handle. “That sounds good to me.”
“Thank you for dinner.”
“Of course.”
Joss scratched her temple. “Thanks for the other…the…you know.”
Seeing Joss scramble for words made Olivia feel infinitely better. The woman really was old-fashioned. “The feeling is entirely mutual.”
Joss nodded, then got into her truck without kissing Olivia again. Olivia watched her drive away and found herself wondering why they didn’t just go into the house tonight. Perhaps the mood had been ruined. She told herself not to overthink it. She had other things to worry about. Like putting the finishing touches on her reverse seduction.
Chapter Fourteen
Joss’s stomach was full of nerves when she arrived at Olivia’s the next morning. She wasn’t sure if it was the fact that they’d almost slept together or the fact that they hadn’t. She’d never come so close to such reckless abandon. It had been both exhilarating and unsettling. She’d spent much of the night tossing and turning and replaying it in her mind.
Olivia was already preparing to leave for class, which proved to be both a relief and a disappointment. She greeted Joss with a kiss and smile, making it clear she wasn’t going to bring up what had happened. Joss wasn’t sure what to make of it, except that Olivia seemed set on leaving Joss in charge.
Olivia asked, “Will you be here when I get home?”
Relief replaced nerves. “I think that could be arranged.”
“Will you let me make you dinner again?”
“How about I grab takeout?” After the mess she made of things the day before, Joss wasn’t about to make Olivia cook for her a second night in a row.
Olivia smiled. “I’ll get the takeout. Any requests?”
“I like pretty much everything. Pizza to subs to Thai.”
“Excellent. I’ll see you later then.”
“I’ll be here.”
Olivia gathered her things and headed to campus. Joss’s words played in her mind. When I do, I want to do it right. Would that be tonight? The anticipation of what the evening might hold made the day drag. Only a handful of students came to her office hours. She chatted them up probably more than they wanted. It was good to get to know them better, even if part of her motivation was killing time.
After her late afternoon class, she called in an order of pad Thai and panang gai, along with some spring rolls and satay. By the time she pulled into the driveway, Olivia was more aroused than hungry. She felt a little bit nervous, too, which was strange. Maybe it had something to do with all the buildup.
Joss stood in the kitchen, drying her hands. Olivia took a deep breath and swallowed, trying to calm her skittering pulse. When she opened the door, Joss turned and smiled. “Hi.”
Olivia stepped into the kitchen and set down the bag of food. “Hi, yourself.”
“What did you get?”
“Thai.”
“Yum.”
“Yeah.” Seeing Joss further r
educed her desire for food.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I guess I’m not all that hungry now.”
“No?”
“Well, not that kind of hungry.”
“I see.” Joss closed the distance between them. She leaned in and kissed Olivia in a way that made her knees weak.
When Joss eased away, Olivia opened her eyes and searched Joss’s. “I don’t want to presume anything, but I also don’t want you to have any doubts as to what I want.”
Joss nodded. “I appreciate that. Just so we’re one hundred percent clear, what is it you want?”
“You.”
Joss took Olivia’s hand and pulled her slowly to the temporary bedroom.
Once there, Olivia slipped her arms around Joss’s waist. “I’ve wanted you. I’ve wanted you since the day we met.”
Joss smiled. “Even when I was a jerk?”
Olivia nodded. “Even then.”
“I wanted you, too, the moment I laid eyes on you.”
Olivia leaned in and kissed her. “I’m so glad we got that sorted out.”
“Me, too.” Joss trailed a line of kisses down her neck and across her collarbone.
Olivia tilted her head to one side, reveling in the softness of each touch. One of Joss’s hands slid up her back to the zipper of her dress. Joss eased the zipper down, sliding a hand inside. The roughness of Joss’s fingers on her skin sent shivers all the way to her toes. Olivia moaned, unable to contain herself.
Joss eased the dress from her shoulders; it fell to the floor around her feet. She pulled Olivia with her, slowly making her way toward the bed. Olivia slid her hands between them, working at the buttons of Joss’s shirt.
“One second,” Olivia said, easing herself away. She darted around the room to light the candles she’d bought and set out, just in case.
Joss raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, did you just pause me for mood lighting?”
Olivia slipped back in front of her and slid the shirt from her shoulders. “Flattering light discourages self-consciousness.”
Joss laughed. “I have a hard time imagining you as self-conscious.”
“Compliments, compliments. I’d think you were trying to get me into bed.”
