The annoying alarm wouldn't shut up. Finally hitting the snooze button, I fell back on my pillow. I didn't want to get up and go to work. Amanda would pop my bubble. My 'happy I had sex with a god' bubble or was it my 'Oliver loves me' bubble. Either one was freaking amazing and fulfilled every daydream I've had since I was sixteen, except for redecorating Ryan, Ryan or Jake's houses in any order. That's Gosling, Reynolds, or Gyllenhaal and not ironically Rex and I share the same daydream.

Like traitors to my desire to hide in bed, the cats walked across my back and one settled in on the small of my back to knead. My best guess was Duffy since he was the heaviest. I'd prefer the other Duff pawing at me.

Oliver! I would see him at the end of the day. Maybe I had a reason to get up. Plus, I couldn't sleep with the incessant knocking on my door.

"Emma! Wake up!"

Groaning, I flipped the cat off my back and got up. They needed to eat. Brynn and Rex were staring at my door. Ashton was long gone, because his shifts started early.

Rex held his index finger to his cheek. "Does she look different to you?"

Brynn smiled. "I detect a glow. How long has it been?"

Pretending not to follow and refusing to admit three years, I defected. "Brynn, aren't you late for work?"

"I have one minute, so did you or didn't you?"

Rex handed Brynn a Starbucks cup. "You forgot the bribe. Answer and this latte is yours?"

"Answer what?"

Rex sighed. "Did you play hide the sausage?"

"Sausage! It looks ten times... oops." I covered my mouth.

Brynn handed me the latte frowning, before she headed toward the door.

Rex hollered. "You owe me ten bucks."

I coughed, choking on my latte. "You bet on me?"

"And Brynn thought you'd be too scared and string him along. I knew he would seduce you."

"What about Ashton?"

"He bet you'd run away, so I won double. I'm driving you to work and to Oliver's house. He can drive you home."

Tingling started between my legs at the thought of seeing Oliver again as I moved around the kitchen feeding the cats.

"Tell me everything about his junk."

I jerked my head at him. "I will not. That's private."

"No fun. Come on princess get beautiful. Tick, tock."

I picked up my latte and retreated to the shower. What should I wear to see Oliver? Amanda! I couldn't face her.

Rex banged on my bedroom door when I finished straightening my hair. I opted for a pencil skirt and fitted blouse. Amanda could never pull off a similar outfit.

I emerged and he scowled. "Do I look bad?"

"No, your heteromale will drool. We're going to be late. Move!"

We were only a minute past eight-thirty. Carol wasn't in and Amanda's office was dark. I had plenty of work to do and started going over the timeline for Oliver's house. It was ahead of schedule, and kitchen demolition had started.

Rex kept looking at me and smiling. I hissed. "I stay out of your bedroom, stay out of..."

"Emma. You owe me dry cleaning."

The voice made me recoil. She dropped a piece of paper on my table. Forty dollars! She ruined my dress.

"You walked into me. You should clean mine."

"Your prom dress? It was your fault."

"How would you remember? It was your fault."

People stopped working to listen. A crowd gathered. Damn Rex had his phone out.

"Says who?"

"Alicia Sumner. She saw and you're just jealous."

"Why would I be jealous?"

"Because Oliver doesn't like you."

She gasped sucking in her face in an unattractive way.

"Emma Joslin, you are lying. I know because my mother is friends with his mother. She would never accept you with her son."

Emma laughed. "She already has. I spent the day at her house."

"Oliver will tire of you."

"Oliver loves me."

Rex gasped. Amanda stamped her foot and screamed. "He cannot love you. He's mine."

I thought of the intimate moments we shared and dreamily added one last thought, I plan to marry him, before Amanda's voice pulled me out of my head.

"Never! I'll blackball you."

Keeping my head, I reasoned. "I thought Alicia Sumner and her friends were important to Keene Designs."

An authoritative voice made me lean back from my ready to pounce posture. "Emma, Amanda. This is not a back alley. Everyone back to work. Amanda come tell me what's upset you."

I watched her leave and let my head drop to my table. "Urgh. Did I just?"

"Yup. You told Amanda mister blue eyes loves you."

Giggles took over like I was drunk on champagne. "He told me and he promised me shoes."

"Shoes?"

I whispered. "To go with the gowns for his fancy parties."

Rex smiled. "You are a princess."

The clock stalled as co-workers took any opportunity to walk by my table and stare. I felt like an animal in the zoo. The sign would say, a single female finally mated with a superior male species. We didn't mate-mate thanks to JJ's condoms. I need to make an appointment for birth control.

"I never had that problem, but I agree."

"Did I say that out loud?"

Rex grinned. Thankfully, the man was used to me.

"Come on. I can't stand it. Let's go meet with Mick."

Oliver's house was filled with workers. We had to stay clear. The kitchen was gutted, so Rex and I measured the room again. I needed to talk to Mick about the exact placement of the island. Rex and I were debating a few inches one way versus another when Mick appeared.

"You hiding?"

"Staying out of the way."

He nodded as if he knew it was a good idea. "Upstairs is taking shape. What's the ETA on the cabinets?"

"Soon. Next week. I hope."

"I have to head out. Walk through. Can't say I'm sorry to be missing the googly eyes."

"Googly eyes!" Rex double over laughing, as my face burned.

With my hand on my hip, I scowled. "You can leave now"

"And miss lover boy's greeting."

"I'm telling Ashton you have the hots for Oliver!"

"I don't. Not really." His sly smile caused him to blush.

"Bye, Rex."

My friend wasn't budging as we bickered until Oliver's silver car arrived.

"He's here. He's here."

Rex acted excited, but the flutters in my belly confirmed I was more so. Oliver stepped inside and greeted Rex, before turning to me.

His charming smile set the flutters on fast forward, as he approached me. "Hi."

His sky blue eyes gazed into mine and I flung my arms around his shoulders and kissed his cheek. When I pulled back, his strong arms held me to him.

"How was you day?"

Before I could answer, Rex did. "I have a video of her telling Amanda you love her."

Oliver's frown turned up as a grin spread across his face. "You told her."

I nodded feeling pink spread across my cheek. Knowing Oliver found my blush adorable kept me from covering my face.

"She gave me her dry cleaning bill."

"She what?"

Rex took out his phone. "Here."

I reached for the phone. "No need to watch."

Oliver eyed me. "Why?"

"Because it's embarrassing."

Oliver whispered in my ear. "I think we're beyond being embarrassed. I've kissed all of you."

Not all but I didn't want to give him any ideas. He reached over me and took the phone from Rex. I ran away upstairs to hide. My flats slid on the ceramic tile in the bathroom causing me to fall back on my bottom. I sat where I fell and felt tears well in my eyes.

Oliver would listen to Amanda and realize he made a mistake. I heard him behind me.

"Did you fall? Are you hurt?" I shook my head. He walked around me and I stared at his shiny black shoes. He squatted down and lifted my chin. When his lips met mine I sighed. The memory of our first kiss came back. He tasted sweet and his lips made mine tingle.

He didn't stand or apologize when he pulled his mouth from mine. Instead, he had a cocky grin.

"Did you tell Amanda that you intend to marry me?"

"No. I thought about it, but didn't."

He laughed, throwing his head back. "Sweetheart, you have a habit of speaking your thoughts. I'm just glad we have the same long term goal. My short term goal is to feed you and take you home. I might have tomorrow's suit in my car."

"What's your mother going to think of me?"

"She loves you. I told her I'm staying with Oreo. I miss her." It was my turn to laugh. I could hear Rex, you only miss your pussy? "I was thinking about the extra whip cream. It might make a fun dessert."

My cheeks mirrored a Delicious apple. "You and your sweet tooth."

"I crave you more than sweets."

He stood and reached out his hand. "Come on before I decide to try out this new floor."

I let him pull me up. He held me. "Someday you'll stop running from me and will walk towards me"

I dreamed for years of kissing him again. My new dream involved this bathroom with laughter and a wet floor and me and Oliver by the tub with giggles inside. I wanted to raise a family with him in this house.

"Let's go see our kitties."