Chapter 2 Catch of the Day

Felicity popped the ear buds out of her ear as the sound of voices intruded over her music. She glanced over to see Roy and Thea with John. Frowning at the little jolt of disappointment that hit her when Steve wasn't the one walking through the door, she dismissed the feeling. She'd enjoyed admiring him, but it was probably better he hadn't come in to help. She'd just blurt random, sexually charged thoughts at him again.

Guys that looked like that did not go for brainy hackers like her. Case in point: Oliver. No, no, no, she was not going to think about him. She'd just started to find her footing after he and Sara had hooked up and the dynamic of the team had suddenly shifted. It had been hard facing the fact that Oliver didn't see her the way that she wanted him to and probably never would. Felicity cringed as she thought about the bullet she'd taken in an attempt to retain her place as 'his girl'. She wasn't sorry she saved Sara or that she'd helped stop the bad guy of the day, but she was self-aware enough to know that she could have gotten hurt a whole lot worse.

"Hi Guys," she waved a little at Thea and Roy. "Are you here to help or just dropping off goodies?"

Thea smiled as she set her bags down. "We're here to help," she announced. It didn't take long to divide up the work and get started. Roy went to help John move tables, Thea was in the kitchen putting together baskets to be given out to the kids and Felicity was just getting the last of her bundle of decorations hung. As she reached the last corner, she realized she hadn't placed the ladder in quite the right spot. The last part of the wall was just a tiny bit out of her reach.

Not feeling like taking the time to climb down and move the ladder over, she reached with her left arm to steady herself on the corner so she could stretch toward the last little bit of wall that needed ribbon hung on it. She wasn't ready for the jolt of pain as her still healing bullet wound protested how reaching so far made the skin pull across her shoulder.

Felicity gasped and automatically took a step backwards, away from the pain, only to realize she was on a ladder and about to fall backwards. She flailed for a second until she felt strong arms catch her and settle her against a very well chiseled, hard chest. 'Oliver', her mind supplied, but her rescuer's scent was all wrong. Oliver had a classy smell to him that she associated with expensive cars and high rise office buildings. This was a clean, earthy smell.

"Are you OK, Ms. Smoak," Steve asked, studying her face for a second as he effortlessly held her against him. She didn't answer at first. Her mind was too busy processing how his arm felt cradling her backside and how hard his pecks felt where her hand lay against his chest.

"Ms. Smoak," he prompted. "Are you injured?"

"I'm fine," she finally answered, finding her voice. Steve searched her face for a moment before he carefully set her back on her feet. Felicity was speechless. She liked the feel of being held so securely in his arms. She also recognized the strength it had taken to catch her and control her fall so easily.

Her heart sped up. Wow, he was even sexier close up. When he set her on her feet again, he didn't immediately release her. She felt the heat from his hands on her hips, steadying her. An answering heat was slowly growing to pool low in her center. Taking a deep breath and trying to calm her breathing, she smiled up into his clear blue eyes. He had really honest eyes, she decided, but a bit haunted. Maybe I should be asking him if he is OK, she thought, steading herself by lightly gripping his forearm. He was very solid and warm beneath her fingers.

"Muscles," damn, she had to stop that. She hadn't babbled this bad since Oliver had dropped off the bullet ridden computer in her office so long ago.

"Steve will do fine, ma'am," he was smiling at her and he hadn't yet stepped back out of her space or released her. "Are you alright?" He asked her again. "You looked like you were in pain before you fell."

"Felicity," her voice was a little breathless. "You can call me Felicity," she instructed. "And I'm OK. I just stretched wrong when I was trying to hang the last part of the ribbon." Steve glanced up at the spot she'd pointed at. He gently took the ribbon and thumb tack she was still clutching and reached around her to push it into place on the wall.

"It must be nice to be that tall." She observed glad nothing sexual came out of her mouth for once.

"I like it better than being short," he agreed, a lopsided smile on his face that made her think it was an inside joke he was telling.

"Were you ever short" she teased back.

"About 100 years ago." He smiled. "Is there anything else you need to hang?"

"I think the hanging part is all done." She told him, glancing over her shoulder where Thea was just finishing her section. "The next part is the fun part. We get to stuff the plastic eggs with treats for the kids and hide them. Digg has everyone meeting in the kitchen for stuffing duties." She turned to pick up the ladder, but Steve reached around her and picked it up before she had a chance.
"Lead the way."

"Thank you." She'd forgotten how nice it was to have someone paying attention to her without wanting anything in return. Well he might want something, but not the usual something like IT information or a suspect tracked down.

"Felicity," Steve stopped her. When she turned back to him she was surprised to find that his face was slightly pink and his ears were turning red. He met her eyes and hesitated, before taking a deep breath. "Would you allow me the honor of escorting you to dinner tomorrow evening?" It all came out in a rush.

She hadn't seen that coming. When his face started turning even redder, she realized she hadn't answered yet. "I'd like that," she told him honestly, suddenly feeling almost giddy. "I'm doing some IT work at Verdant but I should be done by 7pm if that is OK?"

"That's the club a few blocks down on the right?" Steve asked her. At her nod, he continued. "I'll pick you up at 7:00." He was smiling now too. It felt good to be excited about something that did not involve Slade Wilson or killing and mayhem.

It was a little weird that someone as athletic and good looking as Steve would be interested in her. Jocks did not date brainy, hacker girls.

"I'm not sure what a 'hacker girl' is, but I like smart, beautiful women." Steve told her. Oh, God, she'd said that out loud.

When she didn't immediately respond, he looked at her and a smile spread across his face. "You didn't mean to say that out loud did you?" The laughter was evident in his voice, but she could tell he was amused with her, not laughing at her.

"Are you sure you want to take me to dinner?" she asked, her voice resigned. "Conversation is likely to be filled with more unintentional babbling. It's a disease."

Steve didn't try to hold back his laughter this time. "I like your unintentional babbling. Not many people are honest enough to just say what they think. I'm looking forward to dinner." The man knew the perfect thing to say Felicity decided.

"Me too," she confessed.

"We should probably go in and start filling eggs," he pointed out. Smiling over her shoulder at him, she led the way to the kitchen. This was turning out to be a very good day.