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I’m more nervous than ever when I ring Nora’s doorbell. It’s not something either one of us would explicitly say out loud, but we both know why she invited me to her house. More kissing, and whatever else follows.

Nora opens the door dressed in jeans and a tank top that makes her shoulders look extra alluring.

I can tell she’s on edge as well so I occupy myself briefly with greeting her dogs, so they—and I—can calm down a bit. When she ushers me in, my gaze lingers on the staircase to the second floor, and I can’t help but wonder if I’ll be shown around the upstairs of Nora’s gorgeous house tonight.

“How did it go this afternoon?” I follow her to the jaw-dropping patio. Tonight, though, I only have eyes for Nora.

She rubs her palms on her jeans. “Better. I mean for Stella. That nap did her the world of good. She’s lobbying to have a daily lunch-time nap instated on set.”

“Excellent idea. And you?” We haven’t even kissed hello yet, but I don’t reach for her. It’s important to let her come to me.

“It was all right. I did a good enough job. For myself, I mean.”

Because I know Nora better now, I know what she means.

“Are you hungry? There’s food if you want some,” she asks.

“Have you eaten at all today?” Lunch, unlike our lips, remained untouched.

“I had something when I got home earlier, but yeah.” She makes a funny noise, like a failed giggle. “Fuck, Mimi. I’m so nervous. Can we just talk for a bit, please? Maybe have a glass of wine?”

“Of course.” I walk over to her. “It’s okay. There’s no pressure to do anything. You know that, right?”

Nora nods. “I’ll get you some water. Please, make yourself at home.”

“Thanks.” I watch as two dogs follow her into the house. One of them, the cocker spaniel whose name escapes me, stays with me. I release some of my own tension by scratching him behind the ears. He looks up at me with begging eyes. “What do you want from me?” I ask. “What can I get you? If it’s more hugs, you’ve got it.”

“Rogue likes you.” Nora’s back already. “Which is rare, because he’s a lot like me. He doesn’t like a lot of people. Unlike these two attention whores.” She puts the drinks on the table and pets her other two dogs.

The dogs settle and we lean back in our chairs, beverages in hand.

“I feel like…” Nora folds one legs over the other. She’s not wearing any shoes and even her feet look perfect, her toenails painted a deep red. “Maybe I owe you an explanation after what I said last time.”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me.”

“No. I do. Because I sat here, in this very chair, and told you I wasn’t interested in anything romantic, after which I proceeded to kiss you.” She grins at me. “Even felt you up a little.”

“That’s the part I’ve decided to focus on.”

“That’s a good part to focus on.” She stretches out her leg and touches her toe against my foot. “I can’t,” she says on a sigh, “promise you any fairy tales. My track record in relationships is bad to non-existent and I don’t see how that could magically change just because years have gone by.”

“No promises are needed, Nora. All you have to do, if you want to, is give it a try.”

“The thing is, with you, I really want to try. So very badly. But I’m so scared I’m going to fuck it all up.” She holds her thumb and index finger a fraction apart. “This is how much faith I have in myself when it comes to this.”

“Try not to think about the future or what could go wrong. Just focus on what you want right now. On today. On tonight.”

“I can’t get you out of my head.” She says it as though she caught some nasty virus instead of, perhaps, a little crush on me.

“You don’t have to.”

“Also, when we first met, you said you’d never ask someone who works for you on a date. And I know we agreed that I don’t really work for you directly, but still.”

“I still stand by that, but that rule doesn’t apply to you, Nora. It’s a power balance thing and a control thing and you are not in a position where you can’t say no to me out of fear for your job. In fact, you’re the one with all the power in this particular equation.”

“Really? I hold all the power?” The glimpses of playfulness that break through her facade are delightful. I wish she’d feel comfortable enough to always be like that—to just be herself.