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When Evelyn didn’t finish, Dr. Wong raised an eyebrow before looking Evelyn in the eyes. “I need you focused, Evelyn,” she said. “You are my top researcher, and I can’t have you slipping now.”

Appreciating Dr. Wong’s words, but feeling the weight of the pressure they carried, Evelyn swallowed. “I understand,” she said with a nod.

Studying her for a beat longer, Dr. Wong finally smiled a little. “Good,” she said. “Then I’ll expect those initial notes by five.” With that, she turned on her heel and strode out of the office, leaving Evelyn deflating in her chair. She let out a breath, rubbing her temples.Distracted?she wondered.Who me? But is that really such a bad thing?Her phone buzzed on her desk, and she glanced at the screen, her heart doing a little flip when she saw Jo’s name. A text message appeared.

“Hope your day isn’t too boring.” Jo’s message said. “I’m currently covered in grease and thinking about how much better my Monday would be if you were here distracting me.”

Warmth spreading through her chest, Evelyn bit her lip as she decided how to respond. Finally, she started to type. “I’d say I’m being very productive, but that would be a lie.” She hesitated for a breath and then typed more. “All I can think about is how I should have let you keep kissing me in the car.” She hit send before she could second-guess herself, her pulse hammering as she watched three little dots showing Jo was replying appear almost immediately.

“Oh, sweetheart,” Jo wrote back. “You can’t say things like that while I’m at work.”

Evelyn smiled, feeling a thrill at Jo’s reaction. “And why not?” she wrote.

“Because now all I can think about is kissing you again. And again. And again.” Evelyn pressed a hand to her chest, her entire body tingling. Before she could reply, another message came through from Jo. “When can I see you again?” Evelyn’s heart stuttered. She glanced at the pile of work in front of her, at the notes she had to finish, at the responsibilities that had always come first.

Then she looked at her phone, biting her lip for a second before typing. “Come over to my place for dinner on Thursday?” She hit send, then immediately panicked.Oh God. What if she says no?she worried.What if she thinks it’s too soon? Or worse, what if I burn everything?

The three dots appeared again, and Evelyn held her breath. “You’re cooking for me?” Jo’s message asked.

Her hands suddenly shaking, Evelyn swallowed hard but forced herself to keep things light. “That’s the plan.”

“Now I’m even more intrigued,” Jo sent. “What’s on the menu?”

Staring at her phone, Evelyn had no idea. She hadn’t thought that far ahead. “That’s a surprise.”

Jo’s response was almost immediate. “I like surprises,” she wrote. “It’s a date.”

Swinging her leg over her motorcycle, Jo pulled off her helmet as she parked outside the small, upscale wine shop on Hawthorne. The early evening air was cool as Jo walked across the parking lot, feeling unexpectedly nervous. Something that was ridiculous, because she had been on countless dates. She had charmed her way through dozens of dinners, late-night drinks, and heated kisses. But tonight was different.Tonight, Evelyn invited me, she thought.To her place. To cook for me. It made her stomach do an unfamiliar flip.

Shoving her helmet under her arm, she stepped inside the wine shop, the bell above the door chiming softly. The place smelled like oak and spice, and the shelves were lined with bottles she didn’t even pretend to understand. Wandering toward the reds, her eyes skimmed over the labels, and her confidence faltered.Should I go with something safe?shewondered.A Pinot Noir? Or something bolder, like a Shiraz?Jo sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.

“Need some help?” a woman asked. The voice was smooth, flirtatious, and when Jo turned, she was met with a strikingly beautiful stranger. Tall, with dark eyes and full lips, the woman smiled at her. Jo’s usual instincts kicked in automatically. The kind that told her when someone was interested, when they were waiting for her to take the lead and start the familiar dance. Yet, for the first time in a long time, maybe ever, she felt nothing. Not even a flicker.

“Uh, yeah,” Jo said, shaking off her surprise at her own lack of physical response. “I can’t make up my mind.”

The woman’s smile widened. “Well, that depends on what you’re looking for.” She stepped closer, her fingers trailing lightly over the bottles. “Special occasion?”

Jo hesitated.Is it?she wondered.Or am I reading too much into this?She swallowed. “Yeah,” she admitted. “Something like that.”

Humming, the woman was clearly intrigued. “Hot date?” she asked, and Jo couldn’t help but grin.

“Something like that,” she repeated.

Tilting her head, the woman studied her. “You strike me as someone who goes for bold flavors.” She pulled a bottle from the shelf, stepping even closer to hand it to Jo. “This one’s rich, deep, a little smoky…” Her fingers touched Jo’s hand as she passed the bottle over, lingering a second too long. Jo paused. Normally, she’d be all over this. A beautiful woman, leaning in close, flirting without hesitation… that was her scene. But instead, all she could think about was Evelyn. About how much she wanted to see her face when she opened the door tonight. About how she wanted to watch Evelyn cook. About how she wanted to kiss her again, slowly and deeply this time, without hesitation.

Jo cleared her throat, stepping back slightly. “Sounds perfect,” she said, forcing a polite smile. “Thanks.”

The woman arched an eyebrow, clearly picking up on the shift in energy. “Lucky date,” she mused, but there was no real disappointment in her tone.

Chuckling, Jo shook her head. “Naw,” she said as she made her way toward the register. “I think I’m the lucky one.”

Evelyn took one last look around her apartment, resisting the urge to go check her appearance in the mirror one more time. In a loose flowing maroon skirt and a sleeveless white blouse, Evelyn felt confident that she looked attractive. In fact, everything was set. The table was neatly arranged, and the smell of garlic and herbs filled the air. She spent the last hour meticulously preparing dinner, double-checking recipes, and trying not to overthink every detail. All of that flew out the window the moment she heard the knock at the door. Her pulse jumped.It’s just Jo, she thought.I can handle this.

After taking a steadying breath, she pulled open the door and immediately forgot how to breathe. Jo stood there, leaning casually against the doorframe, one hand holding a bottle of wine. She had changed out of her usual work clothes, trading grease-stained jeans for dark denim that hugged her hips in a way that should be illegal. A fitted black button-down stretched across her broad shoulders, the sleeves rolled up enough to reveal the strong forearms that had definitely been the subject of Evelyn’s daydreams. And then there was the way she looked at her.

Jo’s lips curled into a slow, knowing smile, her eyes sweeping over Evelyn’s figure with blatant appreciation. “Damn,” she murmured, her voice dropping into that husky register that sent a shiver down Evelyn’s spine. “You look really good.”

Evelyn swallowed hard, heat creeping up her neck. “You clean up nice yourself,” she managed to say.