Free Out of the Friend Zone by Genevieve Jourdin Page A

because I was too chicken to turn around and look. I felt like a teenager again—not cool since I had been kind of dorky in high school.
    I grabbed a stoneware pitcher from my counter and stuck the flowers inside. “Would you like a glass of wine?”
    “Sounds great.” I jumped when I realized he was standing only a few inches behind me.
    “R-r-red or white?”
    “Whichever you prefer. You have a lovely house; it’s very homey. I meant to tell you that the last time I was here.”
    “Thanks. It’s small, but I like it.” I had invited everyone over after the lame company “team building” day last month, and I never got a moment alone with him, even though only half of the office showed up. By the time I had my second Margarita, and with it the courage to seek him out, he was gone.
    I opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of Chardonnay because I needed something cold to snap me out of this sensual spell that Oliver had me under. I vowed to myself that I wasn’t going to use alcohol to boost my confidence tonight; I didn’t think I needed it, anyway. He had been here barely a minute and I was ready to strip off my clothes and…well, I didn’t know what I’d do next, but now that we were out of the confines of work there was no reigning in my hormones. As I reached into the drawer to get my wine opener he was suddenly beside me.
    “May I?” He was holding out his hand so I gave him the opener and the wine. I reached up into the cabinet to pull out wine glasses while he quickly and skillfully removed the cork from the bottle.
    “Very smooth. I usually manage to get some broken cork bits inside.”  
    “I worked as a waiter in a wine bar during college,” he told me as he poured our glasses. I was suddenly thankful that I had received a membership to the “Wine of the Month” club from my sister last Christmas; at least I was pretty sure that anything I chose was going to be good.
    I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “I worked as a phone sex operator.”
    His eyebrows shot up as he gaped at me. “Really?”
    “Yep.” I affected a slightly breathy voice. “I’m Heather. Have you been a naughty boy?” I hadn’t had all that much actual sex in those days, but my boss had given me some magazines and books to study and I had been a good student. I could do phone sex in my sleep.
    “That is so hot.”
    I sent him a smile and took a sip of my wine. I couldn’t believe I had told him about my college job; I never told anyone about that. My parents still believed I had worked in the office of a furniture store. It had been easier all around to let everyone believe that, even my closest friends. I hadn’t wanted people getting the wrong idea about me, and really, it would be the wrong idea. Face to face with a man I was attracted to left me practically tongue-tied. Luckily, Oliver and I had gotten friendly at work, where I had plenty of things to focus on besides his sexiness. Now, without any pressing business except getting to know each other better, I was having too much time to think.
    “So where…” I said at the same time Oliver started speaking.
    “I hope you...” We smiled and Oliver continued. “Ladies first.”
    “No, that’s okay, what were you saying?
     “I hope you like French. I realize I should have asked first but there is a place that just opened up near my apartment and I’ve been hearing good things about it.”
    “That sounds great.” I was lost for something else to add so I held my drink up in a toast. “To French food.”
    “To women with beautiful French names.” He said it while staring into my eyes and I felt myself melt. We clinked our glasses together and we each took sips without breaking eye contact. Oh boy. My heart rate accelerated and I wanted to chug down my wine and lay a kiss on him. I thought back on my phone sex training. Keep him talking. It was the most important rule of job.
    “So did you find the glitch in Fairelake’s