Now it was Olivia’s turn to fight back tears. They were both prepared to give each other so much. It staggered her how quickly they’d got to this point, but it had been building for months. Maybe they were right for each other. The thought sent a thrill coursing through her body. “Are you sure?”
“One hundred percent.” Jenny’s smile was beautiful.
Exhaling loudly, Olivia nodded. “Well, all right then.”
Jenny gripped her arm, just above her wrist, and squeezed. “Good.”
With her legs a little unsteady, Olivia turned back to her desk. “I guess my morning now has a different flavor.” She opened her laptop and navigated to the company’s recruitment web page.
Okay, here we go.
Jenny couldn’t stop staring at Olivia. Her girlfriend—the word still sounded a little strange when applied to Olivia—was totally focused on her screen. She bit at her bottom lip again, which made Jenny chuckle. Yeah, Olivia was in the zone.
I still can’t believe she would have done that for me.
It had shaken Jenny to her core. She’d faced the biggest rejection of her life when her parents kicked her out of their home, unable to see that this one thing about her—that she liked women—didn’t change who she was. They didn’t believe in her as a person enough to see past it and that hurt the most. That to them, she merely fulfilled a role in their story and wasn’t her own person with her own feelings and life to live.
To have someone believe in her that much, believe in what she could offer them just as she was, that they’d be willing to walk away from a great career opportunity? That blew her mind. The fact it was Olivia blew her mind even more. The woman she’d once called icy had turned out to be this incredibly warm, thoughtful, caring person who Jenny loved—
Whoa.
Loved?
Jenny slumped back in her chair. Holy crap, I think I do. She hadn’t been in love for a long time, and only once before. Did it feel like this? She shook her head. No, not like this at all. This was a whole lot better. More satisfying. More connected. More…everything.
“Are you okay?” A small frown marred Olivia’s features.
“Yeah, yeah. All good.” I can’t tell her yet. Can I?
Olivia tilted her head, stared at Jenny for a few moments, then looked back to her screen. “I’m nearly done. Would you read through it before I click send?”
“Sure.” Working hard to calm her body, which flushed hot and cold and pounded all over with the rhythm of her heart, Jenny wheeled her chair around her desk, behind Maxwell’s, and slid into place alongside Olivia.
Olivia grinned. “You love doing that, don’t you?”
Jenny opened her arms wide. “Why walk when you don’t have to?”
Shaking her head—but laughing—Olivia swiveled her screen around for Jenny to see.
She leaned in and read. She found only two sentences that didn’t quite make sense and worked with Olivia to make them read easier. It felt good to help her with the application. Sure, she was a little nervous about what it might mean for them, but she’d had no hesitation in pushing Olivia to apply. It was absolutely the right moment and the right step for her girlfriend to take, and what kind of girlfriend would she be if she didn’t support her?
“Thanks, that’s… Thank you.” Olivia’s eyes were wet again, and Jenny had to sit on her hands to prevent herself from wiping away those tears. “Okay. One last chance to tell me no.” Olivia’s finger hovered over the enter key. One press of that and her application would be in.
Jenny placed her fingertip on top of Olivia’s and pressed down.
Olivia’s tiny gasp sent a shiver of, well, Jenny had no idea what it was, but it did amazing things as it shimmied its way down her body. “Do you have plans tonight?” she asked, keeping her voice low.
Olivia’s gaze locked on Jenny’s, her eyes smoldering. “No, I don’t.”
“Can I come over?”
Chapter 34
Olivia came home in a rush, breathless and tingling with anticipation. She knew what Jenny’s question had meant. She’d seen it written loud and clear in those incredible gray eyes. That look said, “No more waiting.”
And Olivia had absolutely no problem with that.
She showered, shaved, and slipped into some comfy jeans she knew very well made her ass and legs look amazing. On top, she added a loose-fit T-shirt that had a habit of falling off her shoulders. She’d noted on more than one occasion Jenny checking out her collarbone, so she’d be a stupid woman if she didn’t play that advantage to the maximum.
Then she whizzed around her rooms tidying and primping. Clutter was cleared, and candles were lit. Cushions were plumped, and the bed was made up with fresh linens. She found a great bottle of red wine in the wine refrigerator and opened it to breathe. Lastly, she cued up some smooth jazz on her iPod and switched off all the lights except the two lamps in the bedroom and a tall lamp in the living room.
Broderick was out to dinner with some friends; even if he came back while she and Jenny were…busy, he wouldn’t come to her side of the apartment, so she knew their privacy was assured.
When the doorbell rang, she chuckled at the excited leap her heart took. Calm down. Yes, it’s Jenny. Yes, it’s the woman you’ve been falling for and craving for months now. But calm down. Tonight is just the start. There is no need to rush anything. With those words repeating in her mind, she walked with more grace than she would have anticipated out to the hallway. “Hi,” she said when she opened the door.
“Hey.” Jenny gave her a smile she felt everywhere.
“Come on in.” She motioned to the coat hooks. “Would you like to hang your jacket up?”
“Yes, please.” Jenny shrugged out of the thick, woolen coat, undraped the bright-red scarf from around her
