Page 48 of Call My Bluff
“You’re right,” he said. “I can’t believe I didn’t!”
Lexie said goodbye and was gone, and the cell phone turned into a paperweight in Noah’s hand. He looked down the roadagain. On Valentine’s Day, Lexie had told him Olivia would leave work at five. He glanced at his watch; it was still only four forty. With no other immediate options, he began picking his way through the parking lots and hedgerows that divided the businesses on this side of the highway. Then he sprinted across the four-lane directly into the driveway of something called the Harrelson Center for Children’s Services. A parking lot to the left sported a “staff only” sign, and he followed the curb where it curved in that direction. To his relief, Olivia’s purple Mustang came into view a few moments later; he took up a comfortable position against the trunk of the car and prepared to wait.
Just after five, the back door of the building finally opened, and people began to file out, some climbing into the cars around him with brief and curious glances in his direction. He nodded politely to several older ladies and greeted a gentleman with a deferential “evening, sir” before the sound of young laughter met his ears. A cluster of college-aged girls was exiting the building, and he caught sight of Olivia among them. She turned away from her friends and started across the lot, though she stopped on the sidewalk when her eyes met his. Surprise and confusion flooded her face, and she looked to either side as if preparing to be ambushed.
“Hi,” she said. “What are you doing here?”
“Surprising my girl at work.” He flashed her a winning smile, just in case it would help his cause.
She looked around again as she came closer. “Surprising her withwhat?”
Noah almost laughed. “So suspicious! Can’t I do something without an ulterior motive?”
“Not usually.”
He sighed dramatically and slipped around the edge of her fender to intercept her. “Well, that’s unfortunate, because I’m just here to ask how your day has been.”
She looked up, still clearly unconvinced, and Noah cleared his throat.
“Alright, I’m here to beg,” he admitted, and a new light dawned in her eyes.
“To beg? Well, it’s about time,” she replied. “What exactly are you beggingfor?”
“A ride home with a pretty girl.”
One of Olivia’s eyebrows popped up, and a devilish sort of smirk spread across her face. “Well, then it’s too bad for you that I’m not going straight home.”
“I’ll go anywhere you go—to the ends of the Earth,” he pledged solemnly, his hand over his heart for good measure, and Olivia let out an exaggerated sigh.
“So gallant,” she teased. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
She unlocked her car with her key fob and tried to nudge Noah out of the way, but he refused to move. Instead, he reached over to lift the door handle and then opened the door for her so she could slip behind the wheel. “So, where are we going?” he asked.
“Shopping,” she replied with a smile. “And I need someone to hold my purse.”
Twenty minutes later,Noah found himself in a too-small chair outside a single-stall dressing room in a store called Back on the Rack. It was an eclectic, consignment-type shop where Oliviaapparently spent a lot of time, judging by the way she seemed to be on a first-name basis with the employees.
“What do we think of this one?” she asked suddenly, and Noah heard the lock slide clear on the changing room door. Olivia opened it and stepped out wearing an oversized sweatshirt that looked like it was made from the fur of an oddly colored animal.
“I think somebody killed Elmo,” he deadpanned, and Olivia gave him a look, one hand on her hip.
“That’s not helpful,” she replied.
“Itishelpful!” Noah insisted, putting her purse on the ground and rising to his feet. “Now all you have to do is decide whether or not youwantto wear the carcass of a beloved children’s character. If the answer is no, we put it back.”
Olivia’s expression shifted, and it looked like she was trying not to laugh.
Noah decided to push a little harder. “Hello, children!” he said in cartoonish falsetto. “Elmo loves you! Elmo will keep you warm!”
“Oh, shut up,” Olivia said, her voice wavering as she tried not to react, and she turned to go change again, but Noah looped his arms around her waist from behind.
“No! Don’t go! Elmo wants to be your friend!” he continued, still using his character voice.
Olivia finally gave in, and her laughter filled the small space. Noah reveled in the sound; he loved making her laugh now just as much as he had the first time... and maybe more. She squirmed, trying to free herself from his hold, and he was suddenly very aware of the way she fit inside his arms. She was just the right height, not too wide or too thin, and he didn’t feel like he was going to break her with the slightest pressure. Hedid,however,feel an almostuncontrollable urge to tuck his face against her neck and press his mouth to the tender skin there—just to see what she’d do.
He could. Hewassupposed to be her “boyfriend” after all. And if he did, it would undoubtedly push her past her limits. He was moments away from putting this whole charade to rest!
But they’d been having fun—her trying on outfits and him offering his unhelpful opinions. Did he really want to ruin it all by crossing those invisible lines right here, right now?
