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“Then why do your eyes sparkle so bright when you look at me?”

“Don’t push your luck, Ms. Bianchi.”

Oh, but Olivia so wanted to! It was such a long time since she had felt this kind of thrill of possibility. Also, Grace may say she wasn’t interested and that she had to leave, but she still had not made it to the door.

“Your type don’t eat food?” Olivia pushed a little, playfully.

“My type eats steak and fish,” Grace declared. “As do I. And we enjoy it.”

A keen activist who did not mince her words on the subject of non-existent animal rights, Olivia still instinctively refrained from launching into her usual informational speech. She chose to keep it more personal and on target.

“I happen to be a great cook.”

“How lovely for you.”

“Come for dinner. Let me convince you.”

“No need, I believe you totally.”

Though this was said with a bit of a condescending smirk, Grace remained standing in the middle of the kitchen, watching her with sparkling eyes, indeed. As if daring her to keep trying. Was that Olivia’s imagination?Is she toying with me?Well, duh… But why was she having such a great time?

“Your loss,” she said with a light shrug and a smile of her own. She noticed Grace’s eyes follow her movements when she cocked a hip and hooked her thumbs into the belt loops of her jeans. “Most people think that vegans survive on nuts and lettuce, but it’s not the case. Plant-based food is incredibly varied and flavorsome if you know what you’re doing in the kitchen.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“At least tell me what your type is?”

Grace did not miss a beat. “Not baby butch dykes like you.”

The bold characterization left Olivia momentarily stunned and definitely at a loss for a good retort. Hearing these words on Grace Michaels’ immaculate lips also made her feel instantly hot. Meanwhile, Grace brushed against her side on her way out of the kitchen. Intentionally too close? Olivia was fairly sure thiswas deliberate taunting. Pretty exquisite, too... As was the way that Grace briefly cupped her cheek as she went past as if to take any potential sting out of her words. The gesture could be felt as a little patronizing, which, knowing her, must be no mistake. But it was also thrilling and over too soon. Olivia supposed this saved her from embarrassing herself with a spontaneous response. Like leaning into the surprisingly warm touch and closing her eyes to savor it. She swallowed a little too hard and knew that Grace had noticed. She struggled for an appropriate response.‘I’m not a baby’was the first thing that popped into her head, but it would make her sound like a human version of her puppy. Denying the other two adjectives would be lying.

“How old are you?” she challenged instead. “Can’t be much older than me, huh?”

“I’m old enough to know better.”

“All I did was offer to cook you a vegan meal.”

Grace’s indulgent look let her know she did not believe this for a second. It occurred to Olivia that she was correct. Fired up by the exchange and the woman who so effortlessly controlled the shots, she flashed a knowing grin of her own.

“At least for our first date, just dinner.”

“What a vivid imagination you have.”

“I’m creative in lots of ways. You’d like it.”

“Of course.” Irony dripped off her tongue with every word of fake agreement. “No doubt you’d rock my world.”

Grace slipped on a long leather coat that made her look like an attractive modern-day gunslinger. The knowledge that it was real leather made Olivia want to scream… But she could not deny that the supple style of the jacket, at least, looked amazing on Grace. The woman was half a head taller than her own 5 ft. 5. Limber. Ruthlessly dismissive in a way Olivia was surprised to find so addictive.

“One drink, then,” she proposed as Grace reached the front door.

“One thing I must say is you are persistent.”

“Thank you.”

“And also dangerously close to begging.”

“Would you like it if I did?”