“Thank you for this. You’re a very talented agent of deassholization.”“Oh, this isn’t my method of choice. Trust me. But if it makes you happy then I’m okay with it.”She looks away shyly, but her eyes come back to mine, unable to resist the magnetism that’s between us. “Well, it makes me very happy.”

“When she smiles shyly at me, I exhale. And when her cheeks turn pink, I chuckle. I don’t know why that makes me so happy. But it does.”

“Looks like he recovered from the wood chipper pretty well. Want me to kick his ass?”“No, I don’t want you to kick his ass.”“You sure? Because I specialize in deassholization.”This time she smiles. “Deassholization?”“Yeah. Just think of me as the Orkin man of assholes—utting assholes in their place.”“Well, I appreciate the offer, but he’s not worth it.”I reach forward to tuck a stray lock of raven hair behind her ear. “If he hurt you, he’s worth it.”

“If you’re really uncomfortable with this, you don’t have to do it.”I hold my breath as I lean back to get her answer, hoping the brave one will win out.And she does.Slowly, Olivia shakes her head and wiggles a little closer to me on the bar. Her eyes are sparkling with determination. And challenge. And it makes me jerk in my jeans.I grin at her. “All right. You asked for it,”

“You sure? Because I specialize in deassholization." This time she smiles. Deassholization?" "Yeah. Just think of me as the Orkin man of assholes--putting assholes in their place.”

“Well, first of all she’s gorgeous and—”“You’re gorgeous,” he says softly.My stomach flips over, but I continue. “And she flirts very openly with you.”“I wish you would flirt very openly with me.”

“I smile and I look down at Olivia where she’s curled up against me, her beautiful face relaxed in sleep.I don’t want to put names to the things I feel for her. I just want her to know I’m not going anywhere. And that I want to take care of her. To make her happy. I hope that’s enough. It has to be.”