Her breath caught in her throat.

“Tonight is the last night of your schedule. The next time we see each other, I’m going to take you out on an actual date. Lunch or coffee or something inane, and we’re going to have first-date banter.”

“We’re already pretty good at banter,” she pointed out.

“I’m going to ask you about your childhood pets, we’re going to hold hands at some point, and I’m going to drop you off at your doorstep hoping for a kiss.”

The list he made was laughable. The things they had already done were salacious enough to make Victoria blush at certain points of her day. John wanted to date her. The idea of dating him made her heart pound. Dating meant...trying. And that was added work she didn’t need. Their trysts were fun and dangerous. She didn’t have to try or perform. “So, I guess we need to make tonight really fun...”

“I’m sure that can be arranged, Dr. Reese.” He dipped his head and gave her a kiss that was surprisingly gentle. The soft touch of his lips a delicious sensation that made her release a sweet sigh. Victoria melted under his tender touch, finding it difficult to keep herself upright. It was alright though, his embrace was solid and affirming, like a haven for her tired soul to fall into. When John finally pulled away, she was left wanting and unfulfilled. There had been a dreamy intimacy to their kiss that was unlike so many others. Victoria’s disappointment must have shadowed her face, because John gathered her against his chest and stroked the length of her spine. “You wear your emotions so openly, Dr. Reese.”

Something about this interaction puzzled Victoria. John had made an abrupt shift from teasing her about her orderly personality to hugging and kissing her in an intimate, loving fashion. Victoria wasn’t accustomed to being held like this. Like something precious, threatening to crack, if not treated with absolute care. “I hadn’t realized,” she said. The lure of his voice, his warm caress, the smell of his woodsy cologne, was enough to put her in a catatonic state. Was a simple hug really all it took to calm her rabbit-heart?

Only when he released her was Victoria shaken from her quiet reverie. John made another unexpected move by asking her, “Now, where would you like to have ‘fun’? There’s my office, which is right behind the checkout desk. Martha’s hearing aid is still messed up, but I can’t guarantee the patrons won’t hear us. As you can see, the basement’s pretty quiet, but I can tell you’re wildly uncomfortable about messing up your...system,” he said, gesturing to her workstation.

Victoria couldn’t control her burst of laughter. “Thank you for understanding,” she said. “Do you have a whiskey locker we can use?”