Once Upon a Dare (Risky Business)(46)

Olivia blushed, reminding him how uncomfortable she was being in the spotlight, despite all her efforts to shine.

“Who’d have thought an Apple Butter Princess had it in her?” Cole teased, hoping to lighten the mood. He knew she regretted telling him about her pageant days, but he had to give her a hard time about it every now and then. It was all in good fun. God knew he’d never have the courage to do something like that himself. Strutting around on stage for the sole purpose of being judged? Thanks, but no thanks. As far as he was concerned, that took guts. Still, if she ever found out about the hellacious garage band he started in high school, he’d never live it down.

“That’s Apple Blossom Princess,” she corrected him indignantly. The effect was ruined when she rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue in a playful, un-Olivia-like gesture. “And don’t you forget it!”

Before he could stop it, a deep belly laugh burst from him and soon she was laughing along with him, tears streaming down her face. Clearly they’d been working too hard and needed a good laugh. And yet, it felt so right. Just the two of them having fun, sharing a silly joke.

“I never should have told you about my pageant days,” she declared, clutching her sides as her laughter faded.

He wiggled his eyebrows. “Maybe if you’re nice, someday I’ll share the horrors of my own teenage days.”

“I’m pretty sure I can guess what you were up to at the age of sixteen, and I’m not sure my innocent Apple Blossom ears can handle the sordid details,” she retorted with a smirk, snapping her laptop shut and tucking it in her bag.

Cole’s chest tightened. He was really going to miss working so closely with Olivia. They’d see each other every day, but it wouldn’t be the same. There was an unspoken sense of finality in the air tonight, and he was surprised to discover that he didn’t like it one bit.

She pushed her chair away from the desk and rose to leave. He grabbed her arm. Electricity flowed through him as their eyes met, the earlier levity forgotten. “Hey,” he started, then hesitated. What was he trying to tell her?

Olivia turned her blue eyes on him, looking puzzled. She chewed on her bottom lip. “Yes?” she asked. It sounded like her voice trembled a bit, but Cole wasn’t sure. Maybe he was just hearing what he wanted to hear.

“I just wanted to apologize. I was a dick to you at the beginning and it wasn’t justified. I didn’t realize when I started at PBA that I was taking something away from you.” He paused. “You’re really good at your job, Olivia. And we make a good team.”

“We do.” She nodded, shifting her weight and fidgeting with a stray lock of honey-blond hair that had fallen loose from her bun. “Look, I owe you an apology, too. I was so angry when Jonathan brought in an outsider to do what I’d thought was my job that I lashed out at you before I even gave you a chance.” She paused and shifted her weight again. “Anyway, I didn’t get it then, but I understand why Jonathan brought you on. And I’m sorry we got off to such a rocky start.”

“Olivia Masterson, are you saying we might be…friends?” Cole hung on that last word as he smiled at her.

Olivia flushed as her gaze settled on his and he realized just how vulnerable she really was, both physically and emotionally. This was the real Olivia. The one she kept hidden from the world. His heart hammered in his chest, both excited and unnerved to hear her answer.

A shaky grin spread slowly across her face. “Friends,” she said at last.

He couldn’t resist. He brought his hand to her face and rubbed his thumb across her bottom lip, smudging her lipstick. He had her in his sights and there was no escaping this time. “Friends with benefits?”

She stroked his cheek with her fingertips, sending a heat wave through his body. She leaned in closer to him, so close he could smell the summery scent of her perfume. “Don’t push your luck,” she murmured, her warm breath caressing his skin.

He pulled her close, sweeping his arms along her back, the fire in his belly spreading as his fingers explored her body. “Never.”

He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her fiercely, trying to drown out the nagging little voice at the back of his head.

You’ve got to be crazy. This isn’t going to work.

He kissed her harder.

…

Three weeks to the day after receiving the assignment, Olivia kicked off the Vixen pitch, speaking directly to Natalia Rodriguez, the president of Vixen Enterprises. Natalia was a formidable woman who surrounded herself with other strong women. Knowing that, Cole had suggested Olivia make the presentation. They would take every subconscious edge they could get and he would step in only if needed.

It was difficult for him to sit back and watch. He was a hands-on kind of guy and liked controlling his own fate, but he also trusted Olivia. She knew what she was doing. He watched with pride as she made the biggest pitch of her life.

Olivia was a force unto herself. Ditching the glasses and letting her hair down, she’d finally embraced the feminine part of herself that she’d worked so damn hard to bury. She exuded confidence, making her even more dynamic than usual. He realized he felt fortunate he’d found her in that bar, lucky to share even a tiny corner of her life. Olivia was right: they were a good team. They worked damn well together, in bed and at work, and it looked like just maybe they might be able keep a good thing going. There were still so many things he didn’t know, so much more to Olivia than the frigid Ice Queen who was all work and no play. Underneath that tough, businesslike exterior she hid a gentle, well-intentioned heart. That was part of what made her who she was.