"So next week?"

"Ha!" Even without being there, Tessa was the one happy link that joined them together.

Jamie left his brother laughing-a rare occurrence-and walked to his own office, pondering his resistance to his sister's new relationship. He and Luke had been friends in college. He liked the guy well enough. And while Luke had partied damn hard, he hadn't exactly been a dog. He'd hooked up with lots of girls, but he'd never been that asshole feeding women shots to loosen them up. He hadn't talked about them behind their backs.

And Eric was right. All indications were that Luke had left his days of drinking and dating behind. He'd grown up.

Maybe that was what pissed Jamie off. Luke's youthful indiscretions were accepted as just that, while Jamie was stuck with the label of slacker playboy for all eternity. But, hell, that was as much his fault as anyone else's. For a few years there, he'd thrown himself into that life with everything he'd had. Because...he'd believed that was all he was. A fuckup. A slacker. Way more of a disappointment than anyone else could even know.

So maybe that was what bugged him about his old friend Luke. Luke had long ago moved on from his youth, though he'd made other mistakes throughout the years. This was a possibility that Jamie needed to learn to accept: that he could put himself out there and fall flat on his face. And if that happened, it would be all right.

So he took a deep breath and fired up his computer. It was time to do a little homework. And then later...the fun.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

OLIVIA GAVE JAMIE A KISS at the door and tried to pretend that the deepening dusk behind him wasn't distracting. But it was distracting. It was nine o'clock. If they went out now, they wouldn't get back here until after eleven. Assuming there were no post-dinner activities-and she didn't assume that at all-she wouldn't be asleep until midnight.

And if you're lucky, you won't get to sleep until two or three.

Olivia tamped down her anxiety. She could do this. If missing a few days of running was the price for a night with Jamie, she'd pay it. She'd pay the hell out of it.

He certainly looked worth it tonight. He wore jeans and a T-shirt, as usual, but he'd dressed it up with a green plaid button-down. The sleeves were rolled up, exposing his forearms, and the sight of them made her mouth water. They just looked so incredibly masculine, wide with muscle, rough with hair.

"Are you ready?" he asked, stepping back onto the porch to let her past.

"Where are we going?"

"It's a beautiful night. I thought we'd walk to a restaurant a few blocks over." He glanced down at her heels. "Are you up for that?"

"Sure." She paused to slip off her heels. "I can do that."

"Wow. That's extra credit, Ms. Bishop. Very impressive."

"I must have an inspiring teacher. I'm already more fun." When he took her hand, inspiration tingled up her arm and spread down from there. The sidewalk felt rough and cool beneath her feet. As the sun disappeared behind the mountains, the air nipped at her skin. And Olivia felt utterly, completely alive.

She tightened her fingers in his. "Tell me about the brewery."

"Hey, I'm done with my work for the day."

"No, I mean, who started it? How long has it been in your family?"

"My father started it twenty-five years ago. He had a brother who'd died in Vietnam, and he named the brewery in his honor."

"That's really lovely. Though I'm sorry about your uncle."

"Thanks."

"And your dad? I think you said he'd died...."

For a moment, Jamie's hold on her hand loosened. She thought he was letting go, that she'd stepped over a line. But then his fingers tightened again. "Yes, he died when I was sixteen."

"But you said your mom-"

"They died in a car accident."

Olivia pulled him to a stop, too shocked to go on. "I'm so sorry, Jamie. You were sixteen? That must have changed everything for you."

"It did, yes. But at least I was almost an adult. Tessa was only fourteen."

"So, what happened to you? Who did you live with?"

He tugged her until she started walking again. She could barely see his face now in the dark, but maybe he preferred it that way. "My brother, Eric, moved back in to take care of us. He took over the brewery until Tessa and I could do our part. Now all three of us run it."

"Is that why he has so much trouble letting you lead? Because he's done it for so long?"

"I'm sure that's a big part of it."

This was a sore subject. She didn't need to see his face to pick up on that. So Olivia dropped it. "Your sister seemed really nice."

"She is. Too smart for her own good, but she held us together as a family, even when she was young."

Olivia wondered what role that had left him, but she didn't ask. That seemed an awfully serious question for a fun night. She'd accidentally stumbled into something deep and sticky. "Well, I guess it's a good thing you have an affinity for beer. I wonder what would've happened if you didn't."

"Not possible. It's a gift passed through the blood."

She bumped him with her hip. "A gift, huh?"

"Some of us are born with it, but anyone can be taught."

"So there's hope for me?"

His thumb rubbed the sensitive skin of her hand. "Oh, there's hope. I know for a fact that you're a quick learner."

Maybe she was a quick learner, because she'd already dropped all her worries about the time, and she was just enjoying it. A barefoot stroll through the night with a sweet man. The nearly sure knowledge that they'd make love. The hot, heavy weight of anticipation low in her belly.

She'd experienced a lot of nervousness with Victor when she'd first started dating him. A lot of trembling, anxious want. But she'd never felt this languid melting. Not even close. This was a want so strong that she felt almost powerful with it.

Jamie took her to a restaurant she'd only been to once. They shared a bottle of wine and managed to avoid any more sticky subjects. He didn't ask about her divorce. She didn't ask about his family. Instead they spoke of music and university gossip. Then Jamie told her ridiculous stories of customers who'd had too much to drink or simply wanted free therapy from a friendly face. By the time they stumbled from the restaurant, Olivia was breathless from laughter, her sides on fire from the workout.

"Please tell me that isn't true," she gasped.

"It's true!" Jamie insisted. "She threw the ring back at him, dumped a bowl of peanuts over his head and walked out. And I'm not kidding about this-he turned to the woman sitting next to him at the bar and asked her to marry him. And she said yes."

"No!"

"The woman was her best friend. Apparently, she'd been waiting on the sidelines for the chance to get into the game."

"Oh, my God. Did they get married?"

"No idea. I never saw them after that. The other woman-the first woman-she came in a few times, but I didn't think it would be appropriate to ask."

Olivia had to stop and lean against the wall of a bus stop, hands pressed to her stomach as she gasped for air. "That is the worst story ever!"

"Oh, I've got more where that came from, but I'll dole them out slowly-keep you on the hook."

She stood straight, grinning up at him, memorizing the sight of his face, blue in the night. The black sky behind him was full of stars, and they made her feel sparkly inside. Or maybe that was the brush of Jamie's fingertips down her cheek.

"You should take off your heels," he said. "It's a long walk home."

"I don't want to take off my heels," she answered, letting her head fall back against the glass. "I want to look sexy."

His teeth gleamed when he smiled. "Oh, you look sexy regardless."

"Not true. I usually just look like a teacher."

"You do, actually, but-"

"Hey!" She gave him a little shove, but only his shoulder moved.

"I like that. I like watching you in your sweet little skirts and your cardigan sweaters and your glasses. You look so untouchable."

Olivia felt a sharp stab of regret, because that was the real her. She knew that, but she wanted something more. When she closed her eyes, Jamie's thumb touched her mouth, startling every nerve in her body.

"I like you like that, because when I look at you, so buttoned-up and reserved, I picture you in the hot tub, naked, steam rising around you-"

"Jamie," she whispered, and the tip of his thumb eased between her lips.

"-your head thrown back as you ride me. Your lips parting as you come."

Lust crashed hard into her. She drew his thumb deep into her mouth and sucked at it, loving the way his breath broke into a groan.

"Olivia," he rasped. When she rubbed her tongue against the pad of his thumb, he growled and pressed his body to hers. He slid his thumb from between her lips, dragging the wetness down her chin as he kissed her hard. He plunged his tongue deep, letting her know he was just as aroused as she was.

The wine made her reckless enough to edge her feet apart so he could fit his knee between hers. His thigh pressed snug against her sex as she slid her fingers into his hair and kissed him deeper. Everything inside her burned for this, but when his hand covered her breast, her whimper was half in need and half alarmed. It was dark, but they were still in public, and Olivia hadn't had nearly enough wine for this.

When she turned her head away, Jamie's mouth slid to her neck as he dragged his fingers over her nipple.

"No," she whimpered, even as she pulled him closer. She edged one knee higher on his leg, and Jamie rocked his thigh into her until she moaned.

"We can't do this," she whispered.

"Do what?"

"This. We'll get into trouble."

"We're just kissing," he countered, nibbling his way along her jaw.

"No," she groaned. "This isn't just kissing. It's..."

"It's fun," he said, rocking against her again. "And no one can see."

God, he was right. It was fun, and they were all alone in the dark. Surely they'd hear footsteps first if anyone came near. His fingers plucked at her nipple. His mouth sucked at her pulse. Everything inside her tightened.

She sighed his name and let her head fall back as his hand found her neckline and snuck beneath. The moment his bare skin rasped against her breast, Olivia was lost. She'd never done anything like this, but she wanted to. She wanted to climax right here, with only the darkness hiding her from the rest of the world.

But she'd forgotten that darkness was a faulty shield. And, more importantly, that bus stops were always located on streets. Even from behind closed eyelids, she caught the glow of light and opened her eyes. "Car!" she gasped, scrambling to get her foot back on the ground and untangle her fingers from Jamie's hair.

He cursed and pulled his hand free of her dress just as the lights caught them head-on. Olivia held her breath and squeezed her eyes shut until the car whipped past and they were plunged back into darkness.

"I told you!" she cried.

"Crap."

She pushed him until his knee wasn't wedged between her thighs. "Jamie!"

"Okay, sorry. You were right. I just...wanted to."

In the face of that declaration, she could hardly muster the will to be outraged. "Let me be clear. I only want to have the kind of fun that won't get me arrested."

"You sure? That'd be a pretty wild experience."

She shoved him again, but he just chuckled and leaned in for one last kiss. She kept her lips tight together to prevent another disaster.

"All right," he sighed. "Even I'm not up for seeing the inside of a jail cell. And at this point, I'm not entirely sure my family would bail me out. Maybe we should head home."

"Maybe!" she said, but she couldn't hide her grin as they set out toward her place. "You're crazy, you know that?"

"Nah. I'm just horny. I don't know what your excuse is, though."

"Wine," she said dryly, as if she weren't still painfully aroused. As if she hadn't spent every waking hour looking forward to having him again. Her palm tingled when he took her hand and wove his fingers through hers.

"So, tell me what you used to do for fun."

Olivia frowned. "That's a silly question. I already told you I wasn't fun."

"I don't believe that. You're a natural."

"No, I'm not. For fun, I...I run. And I read. I go to museums."

"Whoa!" Jamie said. "You sprang that one on me too fast."