Jessica laughed weakly at Oliver's last. "You're just afraid you'll catch cooties from me if I kiss you after."
She reached up to take his hand in both of hers and turned it to kiss the palm. "Fine," she said quietly, "since you asked so nicely. And as long as they promise not to keep me over night, I need your big, burly arms, and I doubt they'll let you in bed with me."
Through all that, Oliver had said a word that had made something inside Jessica make a strange flutter. It was a word she'd considered the meaning of over the last week or so but had yet to earn the courage to voice it.
Maybe love wasn't such an intimidating feeling after all.