CHAPTER 10.

Olivia shut the door behind her as she got into her apartment, tossed her keys onto the counter, and dropped her bag on the floor. Her heart was still beating really fast.

She stared at her phone for a few seconds before typing.

Olivia: You home?

Dani: Yeah, what's up?

Olivia didn’t even wait for the second message. She turned right back around, grabbed her keys, and got in the car. Ten minutes later, she was knocking on Daniella’s door.

The second Dani opened, Olivia blurted out, “We kissed.”

Daniella blinked. “Wait, what?!”

“We kissed.”

Daniella’s mouth fell open. “Theo kissed you?”

Olivia nodded.

“You kissed him back?”

Another nod.

“Come inside right now.”

They rushed into the living room, Olivia practically bursting with words. She paced a little while Dani flopped onto the couch.

“So… start from the beginning, tell me everything.” Daniella said, already grinning.

“We went to a spa.”

“You went to a spa?!”

“It was his idea. He said I needed a break, so we went. I didn’t even think it would be like that.”

Dani leaned in, “And?”

“It was peaceful…Then we went into the sauna. And…..”

“And…?”

“He was… close. Like really close, not in a weird way.”

Dani smiled gently. “And then?”

"He brushed a strand of hair off my face, placed a kiss on my cheek, earlobe, neck, forehead, nose bridge, below my eyes, and then....."

“On my lips” She tapped her lips and bit it.

“YES!!!”

Olivia nodded slowly. “It wasn’t rushed. It was just… soft. Gentle.”

“Did you?”

She shook her head.

“Ouuuu, Mr. Romantic.” Dani clapped her hands together, trying not to squeal. “I knew he liked you!”

“It’s not that simple,” Olivia said, collapsing beside her. “He’s friends with Alex.”

“And?”

“Alex and I just broke up. It's too soon, don't you think? And it's kind of messy, too.”

Dani shrugged. “Maybe. But that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve something good. Something real.”

Olivia let her head fall back. “He’s a nice guy. He’s calm. He listens. I don’t feel like I have to shrink around him. I just… I don’t know what this is yet.”

“That’s fine,” Dani said. “But don't run away from it just because it came too soon. You deserve to be surprised by joy too, you know.”

Olivia smiled weakly. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“You don’t have to. Just feel it.”

They sat in silence for a moment.

Then Daniella asked, “Did he smell good?”

Olivia laughed. “He smelled like a man.”

Daniella nudged her with a playful elbow. “Okay, jokes aside. How do you actually feel?”

Olivia hesitated, chewing her bottom lip. “I like him.”

Dani arched a brow. “Like… you like him, like him?”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, Dani. I like him, like him.”

“Wow.”

“I know.”

“You didn’t even like Alex that fast.”

“I know.”

“You just met him.”

“I know.”

Dani gave her a long, curious look. “Have you guys spoken since the date?”

Olivia paused. Her phone was on the coffee table, and her screen was still black.

“No.”

Dani blinked. “No?”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Girl, he took you to a spa and kissed you in a sauna, and you haven’t texted him?”

Olivia winced.

Dani crossed her arms and gave her that face.

“Bitch, if you don't call that man right now imma….” She pretended to attack her.

“I’m calling him,” Olivia said, grabbing her phone before she could change her mind.

Dani grinned. “Better.”

She stood up, walking toward the balcony as the call connected, her heart thudding harder.

Theo picked up on the second ring.

“Hey,” Olivia said, in a quiet low tone.

“Hey,”

“How are you?”

“I’m good. You?”

She hesitated. “Better now. Thanks for earlier.”

“You don’t have to thank me.”

Silence stretched.

“Are you…” she swallowed, “Are you busy?”

A pause.

Then, “No.”

She exhaled, “Can I come over?”