“Jesus.” Olivia’s stomach roiled with anger and sympathy. “How do you get over something like that?”
Jenny shrugged, but Olivia could tell she wasn’t as unaffected as she made out to be. “It is what it is.” She sat up straighter. “I survived because I lucked out with my friends, Tamara and Roz, then a little later, Carl.”
“The three people in that photo on your desk?”
“Very good. Another ten points.” Jenny smiled. “Yeah, they were college acquaintances I knew through an LGBTQ group. They rescued me, literally, and gave me a roof over my head. When we all graduated, Tamara was the only one with a real job lined up, here in New York. So the rest of us decided we’d come here too and see what we could achieve. After doing some waitressing for a few months, I eventually took some extra media classes at NYU. About three months in, I attended a lecture given by a visiting speaker, a woman named Adrienne Wyatt.”
Olivia’s brain connected the dots. “Your manager at TC Productions. She gave you a job.”
“Yeah, but only after I stalked her to a coffee shop and chewed her ear off about how good I’d be as her assistant.” Jenny laughed.
Olivia had no trouble imagining Jenny doing that, and she smiled broadly at the image.
They ordered from the extensive menu, then talked more through waiting for the food and eating it.
Jenny’s humor delighted Olivia, while her gray eyes continued to reduce Olivia to a stammering mess whenever they locked onto hers. She couldn’t get over how balanced Jenny seemed to be, given what her parents had done to her, and she commented as such as she wiped up the last of her masala butter paneer.
“I know, right? You’d think I’d be a basket case. But that’s where Tamara and the others come in. Without them, I would be seriously screwed up, I’m sure.” Jenny pushed her empty plate away and stretched.
Olivia tried hard not to ogle the thin strip of pale abdomen revealed by Jenny’s motion.
“I’d like you to meet them.” Jenny’s teeth worried at her bottom lip.
Olivia’s heart skipped a beat. She knew from everything Jenny had said that this was the equivalent of meeting the family. These people mattered to Jenny, and their approval meant everything. “I’d love to meet them. In fact, I’d be honored.”
Jenny chuckled. “Don’t tell them that, it’ll go to their heads.” Then her expression turned serious. “Look, I haven’t told them your real story, okay? I think that’s up to you. But if it is okay to share with them, that would be cool, because I’m usually not happy about keeping things from them.” She held up her hands. “But only when it’s okay with you. Honest.”
Olivia’s heart warmed at the care Jenny was prepared to take over her situation. “I appreciate that, you not telling them. And I know I’ve put you in an awkward position. But for now, yes, if we can keep it just between us two, that would be better. I’m hoping we can stop all the lying soon.”
“Okay.”
They split the check and strolled back toward the subway. It was icy cold, the sidewalks a mess of half-melted snow and frozen patches. They walked side by side, not quite touching, and that exquisite tension between them sizzled even more.
“Do you want to come back to mine? Maybe have some coffee or a glass of wine?” Olivia asked as they reached the subway entrance. She absolutely did not want the evening to end. Of course, in the privacy of her home, they could kiss, and touch, and… She swayed at the surge of heat and desire that flooded through her.
Jenny hesitated, then exhaled a long sigh. “A big part of me would love to.” She leaned in closer to Olivia and lowered her voice. “But I have a feeling if we did that, we wouldn’t stop at kissing this time.”
“Maybe not.” Olivia’s entire body throbbed at the thought.
Jenny’s chuckle was throaty, and more wonderful sensations cascaded down Olivia’s body. “You see, I was thinking that was a bad thing.”
Olivia took a half-step back. “Huh?” What was Jenny trying to say? Did she not want her?
“Not in general!” Jenny held up her hands. “Please, don’t get the wrong idea. I definitely, definitely want to get to that point sometime. Just…not so soon. I’m a little old-fashioned like that but also—”
“You need to be sure of me before we take that step,” Olivia finished, all of it making sense. She let no judgment seep into her tone, no disappointment. She’d said ever since the weekend they would take this at Jenny’s pace; she wanted Jenny to believe in her—in them—completely. Even if taking it slower meant her body would have no relief from everything Jenny’s mere presence did to her.
“Exactly. I know that must sound like I’m still thinking badly of you, but that’s not it. I’m—”
“Hey, it’s okay.” Olivia slipped her arms around Jenny and gave her a quick hug. It was the type of hug friends would give each other, nothing more. Then she stepped back again. “I absolutely, totally understand. I’m not upset by it.”
“Promise?”
Jenny looked so worried, Olivia gave her another hug, trying not to linger too long in the wonderful feeling of Jenny’s arms around her once more.
“Scout’s honor.” Olivia released Jenny and threw up a three-finger salute.
“Don’t do that, you’ll have me picturing you in a cute little uniform.”
Olivia waggled her eyebrows. “Oh yes?”
Jenny snorted, gave Olivia a gentle push on the arm, then increased the distance between them. “Come on, I’m supposed to be thinking about white bears or something so I don’t let my mind go to the sexy place.”
“The sexy place. That sounds rather nice.” Olivia gave her a sultry smile.
Jenny leaned in
