Upstairs there were guest bedrooms and, funny enough, a home office which looked like it was barely used—unlike his table downstairs. Luke claimed he just worked better downstairs, but that didn’t quell Olivia’s amusement. His bedroom consisted of a massive king-size bed and several rows of bookshelves.

None of them had books on them.

They were covered in Star Wars action figures, collectibles, and what looked like a signed photo of Luke with Mark Hamill. Two lightsabers were hanging on display on the wall to the right of the bookshelves—one blue and one red. Olivia’s jaw dropped.

“So, uh...” Luke started to say.

“Oh my God, you’re a hidden nerd.”

“Uh. Yes.” He leaned against his door frame, hands in his pockets, as she started inspecting his collection. There had been nothing else anywhere in the house to indicate this hidden geek side of him and Olivia was fascinated. “It’s mostly Star Wars focused though. My brother and I were obsessed as kids. He always took the action figures out of their packaging though. I was the collector and I just never... stopped. Now it’s just my thing.”

“I can’t believe you never said anything. You realize as soon as Angel and Kate know you’re a big nerd, they’re going to try and drag you into their debates.” The two of them would get into the most ridiculous arguments, which everyone else mostly tried to ignore.

“They seem more into Harry Potter and Doctor Who,” he pointed out.

Olivia chuckled as she moved back towards him, smiling slightly as he stood there waiting for her, his head cocked, eyes slightly alight with anticipation. “You keep telling yourself that will save you.”

Coming to a halt in front of him, so close there was barely a millimeter of space between their bodies, Olivia reached up to slide her hands into his hair and pull him down for a kiss.

Unfortunately they’d barely gotten started when the doorbell rang. Sighing, Olivia pulled away, enjoying the now slightly rumpled state of Luke’s hair. She’d become rather fond of messing up his hair.

“Time to go face the horde,” she said ruefully.

17

Giving Olivia a tour of his house had been a nice little break from reality, especially the kiss in his bedroom, but it all came crashing back down when they reached the downstairs and her worried and upset friends. Olivia moved through them, doing her best to calm everyone—and only wincing a little when Angel burst into tears on her shoulder—and reassure them she was okay.

She was fine.

She wasn’t worried.