Kitabı oku: «Bad Boys Do»

Praise for novels from USA TODAY bestselling author

VICTORIA

DAHL

‘A hot and funny story about a woman many of us can relate to’

—Salon.com on Crazy for Love

‘[A] hands-down winner, a sensual story filled with memorable characters’

—Booklist on Start Me Up

‘Dahl has spun a scorching tale about what can happen in the blink of an eye and what we can do to change our lives.’

—RT Book Reviews, 4 stars, on Start Me Up

‘Lead Me On will have you begging for a re-read even as the story ends.’ —Romance Junkies

‘Dahl smartly wraps up a winning tale full of endearing oddballs, light mystery and plenty of innuendo and passion.’

—Publishers Weekly on Talk Me Down

‘Sassy and smokingly sexy, Talk Me Down is one delicious joyride of a book.’ —New York Times bestselling author Connie Brockway

‘Sparkling, special and oh so sexy—Victoria Dahl is a special treat!’

—New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips on Talk Me Down

Also available from

Victoria Dahl

GOOD GIRLS DON’T

CRAZY FOR LOVE

LEAD ME ON

START ME UP

TALK ME DOWN

And watch for

REAL MEN WILL

coming soon!

Bad Boys Do
Victoria Dahl

www.mirabooks.co.uk

This story is for my wonderful agent, Amy.

Thank you for always being there.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you to Jennifer Echols for her insight into the world of universities and grad students. Having only been an undergraduate, I needed the peek behind the curtain! Thanks to Amy for trying her best to keep me sane this time around. I’m sorry the duty fell to you this year. And huge thanks to Tara for her amazing support.

As usual, Twitter folk, you are the best virtual water cooler a girl could ask for. You did a great job of distracting me from stress, not to mention work. But for once you actually helped me concentrate, so a big shout-out to all my #1k1hr writing friends! Also, thanks to Jared for starting the kilt talk.

My husband truly helped me get through to the end of this story, and I couldn’t have done it without him. And boys, I promise a great vacation to make up for all the days I spent locked in my bedroom with coffee and a laptop.

Last but definitely not least, a thank you to my readers. Without you, I would not write.

You make all my books possible.

CHAPTER ONE

THIS WASN’T A BOOK CLUB; it was a manhunt.

Olivia couldn’t believe she’d fallen for it. Actually … she couldn’t believe she’d thrown herself headfirst into it. She’d read the assigned book. Twice. She’d downloaded important discussion points. Made detailed notes. Marked up the pages. And finally, before walking into the brewery, she’d sat in her car for ten minutes, pumping herself up for this first foray into a girls-only gathering.

They’re just women like me, she’d assured herself. No need to be intimidated. You’ll fit right in because you’ll all have the book in common.

Now here she was, sitting in the barroom of Donovan Brothers Brewery, listening to seven women discuss their current dating lives and sexual adventures. And Olivia, having no dating life or adventurous sex to contribute, sat there like a bump on a log, the book club selection clutched tight in her tense fingers.

It wasn’t that she’d never had girlfriends. She’d had a best friend in high school. And one in college. And then … then she’d had her husband. Her ex was as close as she’d gotten to a best friend in the past ten years, and he’d failed pretty spectacularly at that.

She needed girlfriends, and she needed them fast. When Gwen Abbey had invited her to join her book club, Olivia had felt honored and relieved.

She should’ve known better. Gwen wasn’t exactly the type to opine about literature. Oh, she was smart enough, but her attention flitted about like a hummingbird after a shot of espresso. She might read a book, but Olivia couldn’t imagine her spending two hours talking about it afterward.

“I’m so glad you came!” Gwen whispered, putting an arm around Olivia’s shoulders for a quick squeeze. “Isn’t this fun?”

“Yes!” Olivia answered, feeling her fingers go numb against the slick cover of the book. She really, really wished she hadn’t posted so many sticky notes in the pages. They fluttered like tiny blue banners under the breeze of the ceiling fan.

“Can you even believe how adorable he is?”

Olivia glanced automatically toward the bar, where a very young, very handsome man filled glasses at the tap. He was Jamie Donovan, she’d been informed, and his welcoming wave had set the whole table tittering a few moments ago. The tittering had been followed by promises—or threats—of what the women would do if they got Jamie Donovan alone for an hour. “Find out exactly what’s under that kilt,” had been a common refrain.

“So,” Olivia ventured, leaning closer to Gwen, “is he the reason you guys meet at this place?”

“Heck, yeah. No reason not to have a nice view while we hang out. Plus, Marie, Alyx and Carrie are all married, so this is a nice safe way for them to get a little flirtation in. They get to drool over Jamie, fantasize a little, and then their husbands benefit when they get home. Everyone is happy!”

“Great!” Olivia responded with fake enthusiasm.

But even she was tired of fake enthusiasm. Why couldn’t she just be enthusiastic? Granted, it wasn’t what she’d expected, and Olivia liked to know what she was getting into. She made plans. And lists. She believed that in life, you measured twice and cut once. But all the measuring in the world hadn’t managed to make a good marriage. She needed to loosen up.

And in all honesty, she felt better knowing that some of the women were married. If it was just about having fun and not about picking up a man, she could get into it. Or she could try.

“Here he comes,” Gwen whispered. “And it looks like we’re in luck….”

“Jamie!” one of the women called. “You wore the kilt for us!”

The cute bartender with the messy dark gold hair winked at them. At all of them. “First Wednesday of the month. You ladies didn’t think I’d forget book club, did you?”

If giggles could be raucous, these certainly were. As subtly as she could, Olivia tipped her head to the side to see past the other women. She finally caught a glimpse of the infamous kilt, and she couldn’t deny that it looked good on him. Between the bottom edge of the dark kilt and the top of his work boots, a lovely expanse of tanned leg was revealed, dusted with the faint glint of golden hair. The kilt wasn’t plaid. It looked like it was made from black canvas. His wide chest was covered by a faded brown T-shirt with a faintly visible Donovan Brothers logo stretched across it.

The man was gorgeous. Olivia couldn’t deny that.

He continued past their large table to deliver beer to a group farther on. There was no hooting from that side of the room. The men there were focused on the baseball game on the wide-screen TV. They didn’t even glance at Jamie Donovan’s bare legs. The women of the book club table, on the other hand, craned their necks shamelessly. Olivia sank down a little in her chair.

“How long have you been meeting here?” she asked Gwen.

“About a year. Before that we used to meet at Starbucks. Frankly, the club was about to die. Nobody had the free time to read and then get together for meetings. But now we have one hundred percent attendance.”

“And the reading?” Olivia pressed. But she didn’t get an answer to that, because Jamie Donovan had reappeared, a wide smile already in place. His hair looked darker now, but the lights of the ceiling fan behind him limned it with gold.

“Happy Wednesday, ladies.”

Gwen grinned. “Don’t you mean happy hump day?”

“Aw, come on, Gwen. I’m a nice boy. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

“I’d like to be. Wanna help?”

For a split second, Olivia thought Gwen had gone too far. She’d offended this man. He was just doing his job. Olivia touched Gwen’s arm, trying to prompt her to apologize, but suddenly his face cracked and he burst into loud laughter.

“Good one,” he chuckled. “You been saving that up for me?”

“Maybe,” Gwen said.

“I’m honored. So do you want the usual? A pitcher of India Pale and a pitcher of amber?”

Everybody agreed, but as he started to turn away, Olivia cleared her throat. “Pardon me. Could I get a water?”

“Absolutely,” he said, swinging back around. When his eyes lighted on her, he stood straighter. “Oh, hello. A new member of the club?”

Now that the smile was directed at her, Olivia found herself mute. Her lips parted. Nothing came out.

“This is Olivia,” Gwen volunteered.

“Hello, Olivia.”

Good Lord. How did he make the few syllables of her name sound like a kiss? A deep, slow kiss. Olivia actually shivered.

Jamie Donovan’s eyes drifted down. His eyebrows rose. “Well, look at that.”

Outrage rushed through her at his words. Where did he get off looking at her breasts like—

He gestured. “You actually know something about how a book club is supposed to work. The rest of you should take note. Or notes.”

Heat flashed over her face as she looked down to her marked-up copy of The Last of the Mohicans. The other women booed and tossed crumpled napkins at Jamie, and Olivia was thankful for the distraction. Of course he hadn’t been checking out her body. He didn’t even look at her again before heading back to the bar. Olivia leaned over and slipped the book into her purse.

“I watched the movie,” the woman next to her said. “It was amazing. A really great story.”

“It was. I’m honestly glad I read it. Even if we’re not going to discuss it tonight.” She slid her eyes to Gwen. “So why did you tell me we were reading The Last of the Mohicans?”

Gwen shrugged. “Because you wouldn’t have come if I’d told you we were just going to drink and hang out. Right?”

She wanted to be outraged that she’d been lied to, but Gwen was right. She wouldn’t have come if it hadn’t been a book club. The point of a book club was that it gave Olivia something to talk about. It helped smooth over those awkward conversations she usually had with other women. But now she was here, and this was exactly what she’d been trying to work up to.

“You’re right,” she said. “So thank you.”

The discussion of The Last of the Mohicans led to talk of movies with hot men in them, and even Olivia could contribute to that. She’d been married, but she hadn’t been blind. And when Jamie returned to the table with their beer, she wasn’t blind then, either. His forearms alone were enough to draw her attention. They were strong and tan and undeniably male. She was still staring at his arms when a glass of water appeared in front of her.

“Your water, Miss Olivia,” he said, addressing her as if she were a teacher. Which she was. Just a coincidence, or did the scent of dry-erase marker cling to her? “And a pint glass, too, I presume?” He slid an empty glass to sit next to the water.

She didn’t like beer, but now she was fully invested. “Absolutely,” she answered, and his green eyes twinkled. God, could he just do that on demand? What a terrible and deadly skill. She averted her gaze in self-defense and kept her eyes down until he was gone. The man was constructed of nothing but charm and beauty. Indiscriminate charm. Fun to enjoy for a girls’ night out, but definitely not something to feel flattered by. She knew that from painful experience.

But Olivia was flattered that Gwen had gone to the trouble of tricking her into this. That alone made her smile as she sipped at the lightest of the two beers. But the lightness belied its bitter taste, and she had to hide a grimace. Maybe she could talk the group into going out for martinis one time. But as the evening wore on, she felt the easiness of the brewery. This wasn’t like a bar, where men swarmed like scavengers. Instead, it was safe and homey, and Olivia found herself loving it. She even managed to make it through half a glass of that awful beer, and by the time she excused herself to use the bathroom, her head buzzed pleasantly.

This was going to be part of her new life. A book club with no books. Women who wanted her company. And gorgeous men to wait on them hand and foot. Or one gorgeous man, at least.

Standing before the mirror, Olivia dabbed gloss on her lips, blinked several times to remoisten her contacts, and smoothed down her sleek new bob. She’d been tempted to try a new color, but she was glad she hadn’t now. Because tonight she looked like herself, only better. Older, wiser and more self-assured. Slightly more self-assured. But not quite so confident that she didn’t startle like a scared rabbit when she stepped out of the bathroom and straight into the path of Jamie Donovan.

“Oh, sorry!” She reached out a hand as if to help steady the keg balanced on his shoulder, but Jamie stepped smoothly around her and set the keg gently onto the floor behind the bar.

“Need a refill?” he asked.

“No!” she said too emphatically. His eyebrows rose. “I mean … I’m fine. Thanks.”

“You don’t like beer, do you?”

Olivia cringed. “No. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to denigrate your life’s work or anything….”

“Oh, I think my self-worth will survive.” This time his smile was a little more natural, though no less dazzling.

“It’s just too bitter for me. I’ve never liked it. No matter how light I try to go …”

His eyes slid to the book club table. “Which one did you try?”

“The pale one?”

“India Pale Ale. There’s your mistake. Light isn’t always mild. India Pale Ale is notoriously hoppy. Extra hops were added to preserve it during shipment to India, hence the name.”

“Oh, sure,” she said, nodding as if she understood. But the truth was that she’d tried plenty of beer in her life and she hadn’t liked any of it.

“Try the amber,” he suggested.

“Okay.” She started to turn away, but he raised a finger to stop her.

“Here.” He filled a slim glass that appeared to be an overgrown cousin of a shot glass. She eyed the dark gold liquid with trepidation. She’d had no intention of trying the amber ale, but maybe he’d realized it. “Go ahead. I promise it’s milder than the pale ale.”

With a shrug of resignation, Olivia took the glass from him and tried a sip. She was already grimacing when she realized it wasn’t so bad. “Oh.”

“See? Told you.” His eyes crinkled with pleasure, and Olivia told herself that the warmth pooling inside her was the beer. “Even our porter is pretty mild, though you’re going to want to steer clear of the Blackjack Stout.”

“Oh, no,” she protested when she saw him drawing a glass of chocolate-brown beer. “No way.”

“Don’t you trust me?”

That couldn’t be a serious question. Who the hell would trust this man and his sparkling green eyes? In fact, it was a little insulting that he’d flirt with her as if he meant it. Like she’d buy that this boy would be attracted to a thirty-five-year-old woman like her. Did he think she was so desperate she’d believe it?

Olivia raised her chin and took the glass from his hand, ignoring the slide of his skin over hers. “I wouldn’t trust you in a million years,” she answered, but she took a generous sip of the beer anyway, amazed that it didn’t make her eyes water. It was actually kind of … smooth. “All right. Not bad.”

“Have I ever lied to you?”

She couldn’t help but laugh at that as she took her two tiny glasses and walked away. Every look from this guy was a lie, but they were pleasant lies, at least. Still, she knew better than to enjoy them too much. She’d fallen for that before. It was probably the only thing that Jamie Donovan had in common with Olivia’s ex-husband, Victor. Charm.

So it was easy for her to walk back to the table and rejoin the women. Gwen, however, didn’t make it easy for Olivia.

“Soooo,” she drawled as soon as Olivia sat down. “You were awfully cozy with Jamie over there.”

“I was not. He just gave me a new beer to try, that’s all.”

Gwen tapped one of the glasses. “Two new beers.”

“Yes, two beers. Does that mean something? Is there a secret Donovan Brewery beer code, like the Victorian language of flowers?”

Gwen collapsed onto the table, laughing so hard she snorted.

“I hope you didn’t drive.”

“Nah, I only live four blocks away.”

“I can drive you home,” Olivia offered. She’d always liked Gwen, but they hadn’t really started talking until news of Olivia’s divorce had gone public. Over the past year, they’d gone out to lunch half a dozen times, and Gwen had confessed that it hadn’t always been easy for her to make female friends, either. A wave of one hand down her body had said it all. Gwen was a natural blonde with long legs and playmate-style assets. She was not the kind of friend that women brought home to meet the husband. But Olivia didn’t have a husband anymore. And she’d rather go to lunch with Gwen than think about dating again.

Gwen finally sat up, wiping tears from her eyes. “You should totally hit that,” she said, pointing toward the bar.

“Yeah, right. I’m sure I’m exactly his type.”

“I think his ‘type’ is female, and you’ve got that covered. He’d be a really nice dip back into the old sexing pool.”

“I thought it was the dating pool.”

Gwen shook her head. “It’s a new world out there, Olivia.”

“Oh, I know about the new world, and I am not interested in being a cougar, thank you very much.”

“You’ve already been a trophy wife. Why don’t you try the other side of the coin?”

Olivia finished off one of the sample glasses. “I was not a trophy wife. I didn’t have the necessary qualifications.” She eyed Gwen’s chest with an obvious quirk of her brow.

“Yeah, but Victor was twelve years older than you, right? So go younger this time.”

Even as she shook her head, she spared a glance for Jamie. “How old is he, anyway?”

“I’m not sure. Twenty-five? Twenty-six? He’s in his damn prime.”

“My God, he’s just a baby.”

But apparently Olivia was the only one who felt that way. Amidst a lot of smothered laughter, one of the women approached the pool table and made a big show of putting the quarters in for a game. Olivia looked on, confused by the merriment, until the woman—was it Marie?—stood up and aimed an exaggerated frown at the table. “Jamie?” she called. “The pool table’s jammed!”

Jamie came around the bar, wiping his hands on a towel.

“It took my money, but it didn’t give me any balls,” she pouted.

“Well, I’d better take a look.” He slung the towel over his shoulder and crouched down, and Olivia finally understood what was going on. His kilt hitched up, revealing a few inches of strong thigh, and even though Olivia thought this was a childish prank, she stared right along with everyone else. She wondered what those thighs felt like. Hard, she thought. Thick with muscle. Strong. They looked like they’d taste damn good, too.

He slammed a fist into the coin mechanism, then pulled several times. Ropes of muscle flexed and relaxed.

Good Lord.

“Ah, here’s the problem,” Jamie said. “You put a nickel in.”

“Oh, silly me!”

He handed the coin over and started to get up, but his eyes swept the room and caught on Olivia. His brows rose at the same time his gaze fell to his bare knees.

“Busted,” Gwen whispered, as they both whipped around to face the table.

“She shouldn’t have done that,” Olivia whispered back. “And we shouldn’t have looked.”

Gwen pressed her lips tight together to stifle her laughter.

“I’m serious!” Olivia insisted, but Jamie’s voice from just behind her chair cut her off.

“Really, ladies? You’re getting lazy. You pulled that trick four months ago. How about a little originality next time?”

“Aw, Jamie!” half the table cried in disappointment.

“And try not to break my pool table.”

He really was adorable. Like a puppy. But Olivia kept her eyes on the table. “Are you ready, Gwen?”

“To leave? It’s only eight.”

Eight? Those two hours had flown by. She’d actually had fun. But she still had to go to the grocery store, do laundry and get to bed by ten-thirty. She got up every morning at six to run, no exceptions. “I know I’m pitiful, but I’ve got to get going. Are you sure you don’t want a ride? I don’t like the idea of you walking.”

“I’ll catch a ride with someone. Don’t worry. I’ll see you in the office tomorrow, all right?”

Olivia grabbed her purse and stood before she could get pulled back into the conversation. And for once, there was actually a possibility that she could be pulled back in. These women were all friendly and relaxed and funny. No one had brought up her divorce with a pointed look. No one had snidely asked where she was living now. They actually seemed to like her.

In fact, they all expressed disappointment that she was leaving. Several stood to hug her as she edged toward the door. “So what’s next month’s book?” Olivia asked, prompting the women into laughter.

“The Kama Sutra!” one of them called, and Olivia gave in to the temptation to give them all the finger. She giggled at their outraged laughter as she turned toward the door. And, of course, there stood Jamie Donovan, his fingers curled around the handle of the door.

“I highly recommend it,” he said as he pulled the door open, letting in a gust of cool night air. “The Kama Sutra.”

“She’s joking,” Olivia made clear.

“I’m not.”

She was caught in a strange mixture of happiness and acute embarrassment, but she didn’t want to simply blush and stumble by him. So instead, she took up his challenge and let her eyes travel slowly down his body. He looked lovely with his arm outstretched, holding the door. “Big talker,” she said as she breezed past him with a confident smile, trying to ignore the sticky notes on the book ruffling in the breeze.

“Good night, Miss Olivia,” he called. “See you next month.”

And the funny thing was … he probably would.

CHAPTER TWO

JAMIE DONOVAN LOOKED WARILY around as he walked across the U campus. There wasn’t much of a chance he’d bump into someone from his family. His brother and sister were both at work at the brewery, and they had long since finished their college careers. Jamie had earned his degree long ago, too, but now he was back and sneaking around like a girl past curfew.

He didn’t know why he felt nervous. No one, not even his family, would care that he was taking courses on food and beverage management. They’d find it surprising, true, but in an admirable way. He was, after all, the grand fuckup of the family. The one who took nothing seriously and managed only the barest of achievements. That was why this felt so frightening. If you tried at something, you could fail, and Jamie had a long history of failing.

He managed to locate the classroom without any trouble at all, and he felt a touch of disappointment when he entered. He’d kind of hoped it would look like a culinary classroom, complete with commercial appliances and huge prep areas. But this wasn’t a culinary class, and the room looked like any other lecture hall. Stadium seating. Plain gray walls. A whiteboard and computer screen at the front. And only a few other students so far. He glanced at the clock. Ten more minutes. In his nervousness, he’d shown up early.

He chose a seat near the back of the room and got out his phone to check his messages. But there was nothing. If things went wrong at the brewery, people turned to his older brother, Eric. And his sister, Tessa, only called when Jamie got up to trouble, which he most emphatically had not. He’d been good. Damn good. Better than anyone ever gave him credit for. Even that disaster two months earlier with the Kendall woman hadn’t been his fault.

Well, technically it had been his fault, but he’d been trying to do the right thing, not that he’d bothered to explain that. No, he was too far gone for those kinds of petty explanations. He needed to change his life in a big way and this class was going to help him do that.

With another glance at the clock, he opened his laptop, ready to take notes. He hoped to God this course was as practical as its description had promised. If it started with a socioeconomic history of restaurants, he’d have to get up and leave. He hadn’t rearranged his work schedule so he could get a better sense of his place in hospitality history. He had plans to develop. Big ones.

The door behind him opened, and as the new arrival walked past, Jamie glanced over. Then he glanced again.

No fucking way.

His initial surprise gave way to a pleased grin. It was the straitlaced woman from the book club. Amelia. No … Olivia. That was it. She was even more straitlaced today, in a pale gray dress topped by a blue cardigan. Her hair was still shiny and perfectly brushed, but today she wore little black glasses. She was just so … neat. Jamie felt an almost irrepressible urge to ruffle her hair, just as he had that night at the brewery. Compared to all the other women in the book club, she’d looked cool and sleek and removed.

Before he could give in to the urge to shake her up, she’d moved past him. Good thing, because he could just imagine her reaction to him reaching out and touching her.

He almost laughed out loud, but he was distracted by the fact that Miss Olivia didn’t take a seat in the audience. Instead she walked straight up to the table at the front of the class and set her computer and papers down there.

Holy crap. Miss Straitlaced Olivia was his teacher.

He hadn’t really meant anything by flirting with her last week, but he kind of wished he’d put more effort into it now. Because how hot was this?

She adjusted her glasses and tugged her sweater straight while Jamie noticed how slim she looked in the dress. She wasn’t exactly petite—if he remembered correctly she’d been average in height. Five foot five maybe, but her slim hips and delicate arms made her seem smaller than she was. Not that she wasn’t tough, though. Her eyes didn’t give an inch.

Those eyes were currently sweeping coolly over the classroom, but they didn’t seem to notice Jamie. He tried not to feel insulted.

“Welcome to Restaurant Development and Management,” she said, her voice ringing clearly up the slope of the room. “I’m Olivia Bishop. It looks like we’ve got a good mix of students for this session, as we usually do during the summer. Some of you are current restaurant owners. Some of you are dipping your foot into the idea. Some are just passing through for the air-conditioning.”

Laughter rumbled through the room and Jamie found himself grinning at her as if he were somehow responsible for her good work.

“As this is a community class with no credits, it’ll be fairly laid-back. Please remember that when I give an assignment, it’s not for a grade. It’s an opportunity for you to increase your knowledge and maybe work toward a dream of opening a restaurant. Later, I’ll invite some discussion about what each of you is looking for out of this session. But we’re opening with information that applies to everyone regardless, so let’s just jump into it, shall we?”

She fired up the computer screen and started with statistics about the restaurant business in the real word. Jamie relaxed. This was exactly the kind of class he’d been looking for. He had plenty of ideas, but he needed to understand the practicality of it.

It was just an added bonus that Olivia Bishop was going to be the one to teach him.

He typed notes into his computer and only occasionally took a break to let his gaze wander over her tight calves. She wore black flats, but he could just imagine those legs in spike heels and a short black dress. Did she ever dress that way? She’d worn dark slacks and a sleeveless sweater to the brewery. Tight black dresses probably weren’t her thing. But there was something about her that made him itch to find out.

And when she finally looked up at him, when her eyes finally found him and widened, Jamie felt a sharp stab of interest. When she stumbled over her words and lost her place in the lecture, the interest grew into something more solid. It wasn’t the first time he’d flustered her, after all.

Maybe Olivia Bishop wasn’t as cool and calm as she thought she was.

HAD THAT DARK BEER he’d fed her damaged her brain? How else could she explain the vision of Jamie Donovan sitting in her classroom?

It’s not so strange, Olivia tried to tell herself as she swallowed hard for the tenth time in a minute. He’s a partner in a brewery. Why wouldn’t he be here? But logic couldn’t make her mind stop skipping like a scratched CD. It didn’t help that he was smiling as if he knew how flustered she was.

She should’ve noticed his name on the enrollment sheet, but she’d gone over it two weeks ago, before the trip to the brewery. So here she was, facing him with no warning at all.

Olivia smoothed down her sweater. She clutched the delicate cotton of her favorite dress, then made herself let go before she creased it beyond repair. “Um, so … Yes, on to first-year failure rates. You hear a lot of numbers thrown about, but they mean nothing unless we … um, unless we take a closer look at the causes of failure.”

She finally got back on track and made it through the full ninety minutes with a few shreds of dignity intact. Whenever she’d accidentally looked in his direction, he was diligently typing on his laptop, apparently taking the class seriously. That helped her relax, but that relaxation disappeared in an instant when she dismissed the class and Jamie started down the stairs instead of up.

There was no kilt for her to peek up, thank God. Today he wore ancient-looking jeans and another T-shirt. This shirt offered a faded Road Runner racing across his chest.

“Well, hello there, Miss Olivia.”

“Don’t call me that,” she corrected.

His eyebrow quirked. “Ms. Bishop, then. I kind of like that. Makes me want to bring you an apple.”

She couldn’t stop the blush climbing up her cheeks, so she shuffled papers around and let her hair fall forward. “This is a community outreach class. It’s just Olivia.”

“All right. Olivia.”

Just like last time, he made her name sound like something naughty. She cleared her throat. “Are you taking the class for the brewery?”

“Yes, just trying to brush up a little.”

“And the first session? Was it useful?”

“It was great. Honestly, I was worried I’d be wasting my time. That it would be too esoteric for my needs, but … You were really amazing.”

That brought her head up. “I was?”

“Yes. You’re in charge, yet you’re warm. You give the information without being dry.”

“Thank you.”

“And …” he leaned closer “… you’re by far the prettiest teacher I’ve ever had.”

Olivia dropped the papers she’d been straightening and stepped back. “Mr. Donovan.”

“Yes?”

“This isn’t appropriate.”

“I know.” His smile became a wicked endearment.

Olivia pretended she didn’t feel the shiver work through her. That smile had nothing to do with her. He’d likely trotted it out ten times today already. It was a tool, though she wasn’t exactly sure what he meant to fix with it.

“Flirtation is extremely inappropriate.”

“Extremely? Come on now. You’re just barely my teacher. You’re not even giving me a grade, so I think ‘extremely inappropriate’ is a stretch. But if you’re interested in being in a position of power …”

Olivia gasped and drew her chin in.

“Go out with me.”

“What? No! Didn’t you even hear what I said?”

“Didn’t you hear what I said? Give me one good reason we shouldn’t go on a date.”

“You’re …” She waved a hand toward his body. “You’re just barely legal. What are you, twenty-five?”

“I’m twenty-nine. What about you? Thirty-one?”

“Thirty-five,” she bit out, her teeth threatening to break under the pressure when he gave a low whistle.

“Thirty-five, huh? I’d get a note from my dad, but he died a while ago. I think he’d be okay with it though.”

Olivia heard a soft growl and realized it was coming from her own throat. “No, thank you. But I appreciate the offer. Now if you don’t mind, I need to get to my next class.” That was an out-and-out lie, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

He shrugged, his body still perfectly loose and relaxed.

“Let me know if you change your mind. You know where I sit.”

He’d done that on purpose. She could see the mischief in his eyes as he turned to walk up the stairs.

Olivia had thought she was safe from the temptation to ogle since he wasn’t wearing the kilt, but his ass was on a perfect eye level as he ascended the stairs. And what a prize-winning ass it was. Round and tight and lovely.

If only she were a little bit younger. Or a little less careful. But she wasn’t.

She was just Olivia Bishop, but … she was learning to be happy with exactly that. She didn’t need to be someone different. And Olivia Bishop would never sleep with a young man in her class. Even if he did leave her body buzzing with excitement.

“Not in a million years,” she murmured as the door closed behind him.

CHAPTER THREE

OLIVIA SPENT THE REST of her day doing the responsible things she expected of herself. She cleaned her tiny office and filed away all the papers and notes from the spring semester. She called her dentist and rescheduled an appointment that conflicted with her summer class. Then she walked across campus to the library, her arms full of books and bound reports. It was a beautiful day, so this was one responsibility she didn’t mind. She was smiling by the time she dropped off the books, and instead of heading toward the nonfiction area, Olivia browsed the recent bestseller rack and paged through the fiction. Book club or not, she’d like to do more casual reading.

But her little bubble of relaxation was interrupted by the ding of her text message alert.

Hi, sweetheart. Are you going to Rashid’s farewell party tonight?

Sweetheart? Her ex-husband sure had a lot of nerve. He’d cheated on her. She’d divorced him. And he still thought he could manipulate her with his little hints and endearments.

Yes, she typed, assuming he’d ask her to pass along some message. Victor always left town as soon as his last spring class finished. Olivia was actually enjoying the quiet sunshine of the campus in summertime now that she wasn’t obliged to travel with Victor.

Her phone dinged again. Do you have the directions?

Olivia dropped the book she was holding and stared at her phone as the loud thunk echoed through the room. What the hell did he mean by that? The only reason she’d said yes to this party was because she was sure Victor wouldn’t be there with one of his recent graduates on his arm.

No, she typed, hitting Send as if she were pulling the trigger in a game of Russian roulette. She held her breath until the phone dinged softly again.

No problem. I’ll call Rashid. See you there, O.

That bastard. What right did he have to hang around when he was supposed to be gone? Had he stayed just for this? She didn’t think she was that important in his life, but he certainly seemed to relish any opportunity to strike up a conversation with her while his arm was draped around another woman.

She wondered which one he’d bring this time. Allison? Or was there a new one? It didn’t matter. Olivia could barely tell them apart anymore.

He’d been the one to cheat. She couldn’t understand why he was having so much trouble letting go. He’d lashed out as if it had been her fault. You’re no fun, he’d said. You’re boring! What did you expect? But the girls he dated now … they were like trips to the circus, apparently. Nonstop entertainment and wild-animal acts.

Olivia closed the text window without replying. She picked up the book she’d dropped and left the library in a much different mood than when she’d entered. The walk across the campus now seemed an impossible distance.

She didn’t want to go to the party if Victor was going. She could handle seeing him. She saw him four or five times a week at school, after all. But it wasn’t fair that she had to watch him parade his toys in front of her. She wasn’t even jealous anymore, she was just pissed as hell that he was so damn rude.

But Olivia never lost her temper. She didn’t cause scenes. She didn’t do anything emotionally impulsive. She was boring, just as he’d said. No fun. And the nice thing about having a boring ex-wife was that she never caused any trouble.

Screw him for taking advantage of that.

Jaw clenched in anger, she stomped across the green expanse of the lawn and thought of the last faculty party. Victor had brought a beautiful young woman and flaunted her with false modesty. He was a showoff, and sometimes Olivia couldn’t believe she’d been married to him. What she’d thought of as a generous, outgoing spirit … that was just a need to be the center of attention.

The center of attention. Like Jamie Donovan. He would give Victor a run for his money.

Olivia stumbled to a stop, one of her shoes slipping off in the rough grass. She kicked off her other shoe and stared at her scarlet toenails peeping through the blades of emerald.

She couldn’t, could she?

It would be wrong. Outrageous. Emotionally immature.

And she’d enjoy the hell out of it, at least for one petty moment. Victor deserved to be taught a lesson.

“No,” she told herself, picking up her shoes and continuing on. The grass was a cool contrast to the hot sun. She wondered why she hadn’t kicked off her shoes earlier. Sometimes loosening up brought good things.

“He did ask me out,” she whispered to herself. But he hadn’t asked to be used.

Anyway, she had no way of getting in touch with him. Well, she had the class lists, but that would be slimy. Way over the line. Using a student list to call for a date would reach Victor-levels of inappropriate behavior.

So there was nothing to be done, really. It wasn’t as if she knew where he worked. Ha.

When she finally reached her car, Olivia slid in and laid her forehead on the steering wheel. She stared at the specks of dust on the dark speedometer.

On one hand, she’d never do something like that: walk into a man’s workplace and ask him out. On the other hand, she was looking for new experiences. New adventures. New daring.

But daring didn’t mean foolish. And adventurous didn’t mean sneaky.

Decision made, she drove toward home, but for the first time, she noticed that her normal route took her within a block of Donovan Brothers Brewery. She couldn’t see it from this side of the block, but it was there, pulsing like a terrible beacon. Luring her in.

Cursing, she turned right and drove in the opposite direction of her house. This direction took her toward the brewery, and Jamie, and the really bad decision that called to her so loudly she couldn’t ignore it.

Pulling into the parking lot, she looked around as if she would recognize his car. Stupid. As stupid as getting out of the car and walking through the door, but there she was doing it, spite pushing her on.

After the bright sunlight, she couldn’t see anything for a moment. This world was dark and cool and smelled strongly of icy beer and wood polish. She blinked rapidly, worried that Jamie was standing there watching her founder.

Finally, her eyes adjusted, and she was both relieved and disappointed to see that Jamie wasn’t behind the bar. A blond woman with a perky ponytail stood at the tap. She slipped a lemon onto the edge of a glass, added it to a tray with three other beers and went to serve the only table that was occupied. “Hi!” she said as she passed Olivia.

“Hi,” Olivia replied weakly. A quick glance showed that Jamie wasn’t lurking in one of the corners of the room. Olivia eyed the swinging doors at the back, but if he was behind those doors, he may as well have been a hundred miles away. This was a sign that she wasn’t meant to be here. She’d been saved from ruin and embarrassment.

Olivia slid her foot back and started to turn.

“Can I help you?”

The woman again, with her tray tucked under her arm now. She smiled widely, and Olivia felt a jolt of recognition. This girl was definitely related to Jamie.

“Did you want a beer?”

“Oh. No. I was looking for someone. Sorry, I’ll just—”

“Jamie? He’s not working the bar today.”

Olivia blinked. Did women come in looking for Jamie all the time? Yes, of course they did.

Her chest filled with horror as she slid her left foot back to join the right. “Okay. Thanks.”

“You should follow our Twitter account! He always lets everyone know when he’s behind the bar.”

“Oh, sure. Thanks. I’ll do that.” She coughed, then repeated. “Thanks.”

Just as Olivia was reaching back for the door handle, the swinging doors opened and Jamie walked through.

Oh, God. Oh, God.

His smile froze and his eyes widened in surprise. “Ms. Ol—” His gaze slid to the female bartender and then back to Olivia. “Olivia. Hi. What are you doing here?”

The woman winked at Olivia and said, “Look who was hiding in the back,” before she retreated to the bar. “Hey, Jamie,” she said lightly as she passed him.

Jamie ignored her and walked toward Olivia, and her heart sped to a frightening pace. She couldn’t back down now. Because what other reason could she have for being here? She hadn’t even thought to bring class handouts or a book or anything that would offer an excuse for her presence. This was the kind of disaster that descended when you didn’t make lists.

“Hi,” she croaked.

“Hi.” He put his hands in his pockets and waited, his mouth curved in a puzzled smile.

“Are you working?” she asked.

“Not really. I’m off today.”

“Oh.” She nodded, and kept nodding until Jamie cocked his head.

“Did I forget something in class, or …?”

Olivia took a deep breath. “Are you busy tonight?”

That popped his chin straight. “What?”

“You asked, and I said no, but … there’s a party I have to go to tonight. One of the professors is leaving….”

The wide smile spreading across his face distracted her.

“What?” she snapped, irritated by the way her pulse sped.

“I’m just … surprised.”

She felt a sudden fear that he’d only been kidding. It had all been a flirtatious joke. She couldn’t possibly be his type. “If you don’t want to—”

“Of course I want to. What time should I pick you up?”

“We can just meet there. There’s no need—”

“Right. What time should I pick you up?”

For the first time, Olivia caught a glimpse of steel beneath his velvet exterior. Her pulse enjoyed it very much. “Seven-thirty?”

“Great. Seven-thirty. I’ll be there. Do you want a beer or a glass of water or …?”

“No. No, thank you. I’d better just …” Guilt was turning her stomach, so she gave him her address and phone number, then stammered out a goodbye while he smiled sympathetically.

“I’ll see you tonight,” he said, making it sound like a promise.

She left with an awkward lurch for the door. The heavy wood nearly closed on her leg, but thankfully Jamie caught it just before it got her. She hurried to her car and then collapsed inside.

What the hell had she just done? Why was she going on a date with a man who inspired women to regularly come into a bar to ask for him? It was madness. She must look like a fool.

“I’m not into him,” she whispered to herself. “I’m doing this for me.” And she was. But she couldn’t pretend that Jamie Donovan’s charm wasn’t part of what she wanted. That charm felt like magic dust being sprinkled over her skin, and she wanted everyone to see the glow. Including her ex-husband.

She’d wash the magic off later and everything would be fine. But her heart was still racing when she made it home, and it didn’t have anything to do with nerves.