At the library, Noah went straight to the kids’ section and curled up in a beanbag chair with a book he randomly pulled from the shelf, while I got to work shelving books, sending emails about overdue fines, and so on.
Rolling my sore neck, I turn in my computer chair to Florence. “I’m finished with?—”
“Shelve those books next,” she interrupts me while staring at her own computer a few feet away. I’m pretty sure she’s playing solitaire.
Instead of barking back, I push the rolling cart out in front behind the circulation desk and start with the romance novels. As I replace these books on the shelves, I make note of the ones that look intriguing so I can add them to the list of books I want to read.Giftsby Brynne Asher,Find Meby Ashley N. Rostek,Cuervo’s Carnivalby N.J. Weeks, andThe Diavolosby Nouha Jullienne.
Looks like I’ll have something to do in my downtime.
“Got any good recommendations for me?” a voice says from behind me.
Jumping, I let out a yelp as the book I’m admiring drops from my grasp, and a hand covers my mouth. My heart picks up speed.
“Shhh. Don’t want to get in trouble with the fossil that is Mrs. Baker.” The man behind me chuckles.
I whirl around with my fist at the ready, but I’m met with familiar sunset hair. I relax my hand at my side as he smirks and bends down, picking up the book.
“Ice Planet Barbarians,” Jed reads the title to me and follows with a questioning raise of his brow.
“Gotta keep it interesting,” I defend sarcastically.
“And blue ETs with horns and bizarre dicks is what does it for you?” he teases but his voice has an edge that is off-putting.
“I’m trying to broaden my horizons.” I shrug, adding the same edge to my own tone.
Jed places the book on the cart. “There are other ways to do that.”
I take a closer look at Jed. His shirt is slightly rumpled, and his hair is disheveled under his cowboy hat. The dark circlesunder his eyes are faint, but I can still spot them. He doesn’t have the same flirty demeanor as the first time we met.
“What can I do for you, Jed?” I fold my arms and lean onto one leg, attempting to appear calm, but I'm observing his every move.
His eyes wander the shelf behind me as he answers, “Would it be cheesy if I said I just wanted to see you again?”
“Yes,” I respond immediately, all playfulness gone.
A switch flips, and he brings back the man I met the other day. “Then let me prove it to you.”
Keeping my face passive, I respond, “And pray tell, how might you accomplish that?”
“Come to dinner with me tonight.” His gaze looks eager, like he’d eat me up if I let him.
Would I?
Maybe.
Still determined to give him a hard time, I don’t let him off the hook so easily for his judgmental comment. “That didn’t sound like a question.”
His forehead scrunches. “Huh?”
“If you want to take me to dinner, then you need toask.It’s the gentlemanly thing to do.” Toward the end of my reprimand, my lips curve.
Jed’s smile matches my own. “Raven, may I please take you to dinner tonight?”
“I have to work, but I might be free on Monday.”
He makes his confusion known again. “You’re working at the library at night?”
“No, I have a second job.”
