Ma’am that’s not a man that’s a whole romance novel
I showed Malachar the screen. “See? Told you it would work.”
He read the comments, eyebrows rising. “These females wish to meet me?”
“They wish to do a lot more than meet you, but we’re keeping this PG-13.”
“What is PG-13?”
“Never mind.” I pocketed my phone. “Point is, by tomorrow morning, this bookstore is going to be packed. And you’re going to be here, looking exactly like this, so they stay and buy books.”
“You are quite devious, little mate.”
“I prefer the term ‘strategically brilliant.’”
“I prefer devious.” He stood, moving closer. “You wish to use me. To parade me in front of other females to make them jealous. To draw them here with the promise of seeing me. This is very alpha of you.”
“It’s marketing.”
“It is possessive. Because when those females come, they all will know I am yours.” His smile was satisfied, smug. “Even if you will not admit it yet.”
“I’m not - that’s not what this is-”
“Is it not?” He was right in front of me now. Close enough that I had to tilt my head back to meet his eyes. “You dress me. You display me. You make sure others can look but not touch. That sounds very much like claiming to me, little mate.”
My brain was short-circuiting. “You’re reading too much into this.”
“Am I?” He reached out, tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. The touch was gentle. Reverent. “Or are you simply not ready to acknowledge what you are doing?”
“I’m running a business.”
“You are staking your claim.” His thumb brushed my cheekbone. “And I am more than willing to be claimed by you.”
I should step back, put distance between us. Should remind him that this was purely professional.
Instead, I stood there, frozen, as his face moved closer to mine.
“Tell me to stop,” he murmured. “Tell me you do not want this, and I will walk away.”
I opened my mouth. The word “stop” should have come out.
It didn’t.
My phone buzzed again. The sound broke through the moment.
I stepped back and cleared my throat, trying to breathe through the wave of arousal crashing through my body. Holy shit. How was it that he was able to make me so damn hot just by a few words? Maybe it was just that I was touch-starved. It probably didn’t have anything to do with him.
“We should get ready to open. People will be here soon.”
Disappointment flashed across his face. But he nodded, taking a deep breath and swallowing hard. “As you wish, boss.”
He moved past me, heading to the front door. I stayed in the back, still trying to catch my breath.
What was I doing?
I looked at my phone’s screen. Another comment:
I’m coming to this bookstore every single day until he notices me
