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“I was. But I’m sick of this.” He gestured at the space between them.
Her heart sank. Why had it taken her so long to have her epiphany? Now she’d ruined her chances with him. “You’re sick of me?”
“No.” He raked his hand through his hair. “Of you avoiding me. Acting like I don’t exist. If you don’t want to get involved, that’s fine. And if I came on too strong before, I’m sorry. But I’d like to be friends. It killed me that you weren’t with me when we found that Neolithic site.”
An ache built up inside of her, knowing he’d felt the same way she had. “I would have given anything to be there. Impressive find, by the way.”
“Thanks.” He sipped his drink. “So, can we try being friends again?”
His smile was so endearing it broke down the last of her defenses. Taking another swig of her cocktail, she looked him in the eye. “What if I want to be more than friends?”
He let out a long breath. “Don’t mess with me. I already like you more than I should.”
“Even after all this?”
“I can’t stop thinking about you.” He groaned. “You’re a huge pain in the ass, you know?”
A silly grin broke across her face. “But you like me anyway?”
“Of course. Because I’m a complete idiot. Even if you cut me off for seven years, I’m still not over you.”
She flinched. “Sorry. In my defense…” Shit. She didn’t have one. She pivoted and flashed him a flirty smile. “If it helps, I feel the same way. Not that you’re a pain in the ass. But I think about you constantly. I want what we had at Clear Lake, but more. A lot more.” She held his gaze, hoping to convey the longing she felt.
He brushed his hand across her cheek. “I do, too, but I don’t want you to hate me again if things go sideways.”
His touch sent butterflies spiraling through her. “This time, we won’t be breaking the law. Like you said, we’re two consenting adults. As long as we do our jobs during the day, our late-night activities shouldn’t matter.”
“What about Grant? Even if we’re discreet, he’ll figure it out.”
The young server popped over to their table to check on them, but Olivia waved him away with a brief smile before turning her attention back to Rick. “Forget about Grant. Dr. Roth is the one who matters. Right now, he thinks you’re a superstar. Not only did you save my life, but you also found a Stone Age site. You’re kicking ass.”
“Thanks, but that’s not the issue.” A furrow cropped up between Rick’s brows. “What if he’s not okay with us together? You’ve got a lot riding on his approval.”
“About that…?” She cleared her throat, uneasy at the thought of spreading gossip. “He has a reputation for fooling around in the field. He can’t punish us for doing the same thing.”
“I’d heard as much, but I’m never sure how much stock to put in rumors.”
Her heart went out to him, knowing he was thinking about Palaikastro and the way his reputation had suffered, all because of the lies spread by his former employer.
“Stuart told me, and he’s been working with him for years,” she said. “So, Dr. Roth’s not in a position to judge us, and even if Grant doesn’t approve, he doesn’t have the power to do anything about it.” A wave of regret washed over her. “I’m sorry I let him get to me.”
“Don’t be. I understand. He can be extremely intimidating.”
She twisted her hands together. “Are you up for it? I don’t want to put you at risk, so I’ll understand if you say no.” Her heart beat in a jagged rhythm as she waited for his verdict.
A tender smile played on his lips. “You think I can resist you? Not a chance. But I have to be honest. I can’t promise you anything—not when my future’s so uncertain.”
She reached across the table and placed her hand over his. “Let’s not worry about the future. For the next three weeks, let’s just indulge our steamiest fantasies.”
In an instant, all traces of uncertainty vanished from Rick’s face. He leaned in closer, pinning her with a wolfish smile. “What kind of fantasies?”
She looked down at her drink. “You know…”
“Look at me,” he growled. “I asked you what you fantasized about.”
She clenched her thighs as a surge of desire raced through her. “Us…together…and um…”
“And what? Are we naked? Am I touching you? Kissing you? Tasting you until you beg for more?”
