She’d had to fight off the temptation not to watch his touching and tense rescue video on replay too. As she pulled it up for the class, and the video filled the five-foot digital screen, Olivia was tempted to allow her gaze to linger on the definition visible in Gabe’s broad shoulders and the toned muscles underneath his soaked shirt. Instead, she savored the determined intensity in his face—which moved her but didn’t get her blood to boiling—and appreciated his surefooted steps as he headed through the rushing water.

“He’s hot,” several girls exclaimed as the video played.

Olivia clamped her teeth over her bottom lip to keep from agreeing. She didn’t need to give these rowdy and hormonal teens any fuel with which to tease her. Even though she kept quiet, the girls knew what they were talking about.

Gabe was hot. And caring and kind. And it seemed that he wanted her.

And we’re having dinner in a little over three hours.

Heat rushed to her cheeks at the thought of sitting at a booth or table across from him and having the freedom to stare straight into those hazel-green eyes or savor the slow curl of his smile when she said something to please him. And maybe afterward…

Attempting to curtail her thoughts, she smacked a hand down onto her desk a little too hard. Things had gotten heated in his truck. In that crazy, wild way she’d never felt before. But everything that day had seemed to be a bit of a fairy tale. Now they were back in the real world. If something was actually blossoming between them, they needed to get to know each other. Sleeping with him wasn’t the answer. Not tonight, at least. Maybe she wouldn’t wait the better part of a year like she had with Trevor. She was an adult now, and if she kept her head on straight, she’d know when it was right.

Being committed to abstinence hadn’t kept her from making sure she was freshly shaved and wearing her sexiest matching bra and panties under her jeans and Westbury Middle School long-sleeved T-shirt. After all, there was the off chance they’d fool around. Okay, hopefully there was the off chance they’d fool around.

She rolled her neck to keep her thoughts from trailing down the road of desire.

As the video ended, the entire class began begging for a field trip to the shelter to see the dog in person, and a few kids were tossing around the idea of a service project.

“We could do a towel drive,” Addison said. “Shelters always need towels. And blankets.”

“And cat litter.”

“What about dog food? My mom works at the pet boutique. They donate the food that’s about to expire to places all the time.”