“Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?”
“I just missed you, that’s all.”
I drag my nose down the slope of hers before pecking her lips once more. “I missed you too. Come on, let’s get to the store so I can take you home and show you just how much.”
“Deal.”
I carry her around to the passenger seat and strap her in before I jump in the driver’s seat and drive us over to the store.
The parking lot is packed, which doesn’t surprise me. People will be stocking up on last-minute supplies and perishables. It takes a couple of rides around to find a space big enough to accommodate the van. Once I do, we both jump out and head in. I grab a cart and head down the first aisle, coming to an abrupt stop when I see Marcus lying on the ground with a woman sprawled all over him.
Sorrow plows into my back, snapping me out of my stupor. “Jesus, warn a girl next time, Banner. I nearly broke my nose on your stupidly toned shoulder,” she grumbles, making me snort. Her hand slides over my back, sneakily feeling me up as she moves around me and pauses at the scene in front of us.
“Interesting.”
We watch as Marcus tries to get up at the same time as the woman moves, resulting in him headbutting her.
“Ouch.”
“Shit,” Marcus curses before spotting me. “A little help here.”
I walk over to help. Sorrow hurries to keep up with me as the mystery woman tries to get up once more. This time, her knee connects with Marcus’s balls, making the man snarl at her to stay still.
“You again. Jesus fuck, woman, you’re a walking calamity.”
“I said I was sorry, but I wasn’t expecting to be taken out by a giant in the dairy aisle,” she tells him, making me grin.
I reach down and offer her a hand. When she sees it, she looks up and flushes. She’s familiar, but I have no clue where I know her from until Sorrow speaks.
“Oh my God, Aurora! Are you okay?”
“Wait, you know her?” Marcus grunts.
“If you ever went to the library, you’d know her too.” Sorrow shakes her head at him before offering Aurora her hand. Between the two of us, we manage to get her to her feet without any more damage to Marcus’s crown jewels.
I hold my hand out for Marcus and yank him up. He glares down at Aurora, wincing as he adjusts himself. I look away so he doesn’t notice my grin.
“You’re a damn menace, woman. I’m starting to think you’re doing this shit on purpose.”
“You walked into me this time,” Aurora huffs out, her hands moving to her hips as she stomps her foot.
She’s shorter than Sorrow and dressed as you’d imagine a librarian would, right down to the cardigan and glasses hanging from a string around her neck. Her auburn hair is pulled up into a tight bun, and she’s not wearing a stitch of makeup. She’s certainly not an imposing figure, though she looks like she’d love nothing more than to kick Marcus right now.
“Maybe you need a keeper, or I don’t know, to actually wear your fucking glasses,” He snaps as her whole face flushes red.
She mumbles a thank you to me and whispers goodbye to Sorrow before sidestepping Marcus and hurrying away.
“You’re a dick,” Sorrow tells him.
He frowns at her. “What did I do?”
“You embarrassed her. She’s sweet, a little clumsy, sure, in an adorable kind of way.”
“Adorable, right?”
When she’s about to say something else, he holds up his hand to stop her. “You see the best in everyone, Sorrow, and I love you for it. But the best place that woman can be is far away from me.”
I see the woman in question peek her head out from behind the shelves, her face pale at his words.
