Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 62972 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62972 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
My eyes flare. Damn. Why does he have to be so sweet sometimes? “That’s okay.”
He gazes around at the shelving, taking in the empty tables and then focuses back on me. “This would be a great place to hook-up. Ever consider it?”
I roll my eyes. “Scoping out future make-out places? Please, for the sake of the books, leave the library out of your pound town itinerary.”
He throws up a cocky eyebrow. “I like the dim lighting and all the shelves. Good coverage in case someone comes up.”
My face colors, picturing him with some pretty co-ed.
He grins. “Would you be jealous if I hooked up with someone here?”
“No, don’t be ridiculous,” I say. Yes.
He studies me, eyes at half-mast. “Okay, fine, Delaney. I’ll never hook-up with anyone in the library…unless it’s you.”
My mouth opens and I’m about to say something really witty and smart—although I can’t think of a damn thing—when Ryker turns the corner. I guess something must have caught his eye on the way over and that’s why he lagged behind.
Obviously, Maverick has impeccable timing.
The quarterback gives me a nod. “Ah, Delaney. Surprise, surprise.”
Is he being facetious?
Because he doesn’t sound surprised. He sounds cryptic and a little pleased with himself if that makes sense. I squint at him, reminding myself to play back this conversation later.
“Hey, Ryker,” I say, giving him a nod. “We rarely get people on the third floor, so…welcome?” I hold my hands out.
Ryker looks around. “Yeah. It’s dead up here. Great place for a hook-up.”
I shake my head. “Oh my God. Is that all guys think about?”
“Yeah,” they say in unison.
“Typical,” I say with a laugh.
Almost as if he knows I’m putting up my internal defenses against him, Maverick takes a step closer and picks at a spot on the shoulder of my black shirt. Butterflies take off inside me as his index finger and thumb press together on the fabric to grab a white hair.
“What’s this?” he asks.
Swallowing, I look down at his hand and clear my throat. “Cat hair. I got in the kitten tent today at the shelter and they crawled all over me. Super adorable. I’d love to bring one home but Han would flip his lid.”
Ryker takes a full two steps back from me, his eyes wide. “You rolled around with cats?”
“Well, not literally, but yeah. It’s very therapeutic. Are you allergic?”
He nods.
“That’s awful.” I grimace.
He waves me off. “No worries. I’ll just stand over here so I don’t breathe it in. That way you guys can chat.” He finds a spot about ten feet away and pretends to look at a book. I say pretend because it’s a reference book about rivers in South America and I can’t imagine why he’d be interested, but who knows.
It’s almost as if they planned on seeing me…
I turn back to Maverick who hasn’t taken his eyes off me. “I’m completely non-allergic to cats,” he tells me.
“Why should I care?” I’m being bratty, but his cockiness brings it out in me.
He isn’t fazed and plucks another hair off me, this time around the neckline of my shirt. His fingers brush my collarbone and I inhale sharply, remembering the texting convo about collarbones with He-Man. “You’re really covered in these.” My chest rises rapidly, and he grins, leaving me convinced the man is the devil.
I’m saved just as I hear Skye talking. We’d made plans to meet after my shift and grab a drink at Buffalo Bills before we head home. She’s probably on her way up here to keep me company until I’m done.
I hear her talking to someone as she calls out my name rather tentatively, which is odd, and I’m wondering who’s with her. It sounds like a guy, but not Tyler…
Alex and Skye appear from around the corner of the shelf and I start, stiffening.
What the hell is she doing with him?
With a sheepish expression on her face, she clears her throat and waves at everyone. “Hey, y’all.”
I’m frowning as my gaze goes from her to Alex.
She nods, reading my expression. “Ah, yeah. Alex saw me on the staircase on my way up and wanted to talk…” Her voice drifts off.
Ah, I fill in the rest. She couldn’t tell him to buzz off. She’s too nice and she’d probably done her best to dissuade him.
Alex’s eyes are measuring the space between Maverick and me, which admittedly is just a few inches.
“What are you doing up here?” he asks Maverick.
Maverick straightens, his back going stiff. “It is the library. People do come here to study. What are you doing here?”
Alex taps his hand against his thighs and juts out his jaw. “Studying. Same as you.”
“I don’t see any books, kicker,” Maverick says.
A spot of red appears on Alex’s cheeks. “I left them on the first floor—since you’re so interested.”
“Huh. Maybe you should go get them.”