Avery let out a quiet snort and walked away.
A third woman appeared at my elbow. “Can you help me reach something on the historical romance shelf? I’m justsoshort.”
I caught Avery’s eye across the store, and something in her expression made my chest tighten. She looked flustered, her cheeks flushed and her jaw tight.
She was jealous. I knew it in my gut. Although she’d probably rather chew glass than admit it.
Heat gathered in my cock as I realized Avery was starting to feelpossessiveof me.
She could possess meall night longif she wanted to.
“Avery can help you with that,” I growled, stepping back from the cluster of women. Then I said to everyone, “She knows the store better than me.”
The redhead pouted. “But I wantedyouto help me.”
“Avery’s the expert.” I jerked my chin toward where she stood, holding firm. “She’ll take good care of all of you.”
It felt wrong, having all these strangers pawing at me when the only woman I wanted looking at me was standing across the room pretending she didn’t care.
I walked over to Avery, my fingers dragging slowly across the small of her back, casual to anyone watching, but a deliberate message just for her.
Then I glared at every one of the women who’d looked at me like I was their mountain candy, while I stood too close to my woman, making it clear who hadmyeye.
One by one, each one of the women got helped by Avery while I stood guard over her.
After the group left, I sat on the stool behind the register for a second. “Where the hell did they come from?”
Avery sighed, “I think word has gotten out about you being here. That’s one way to drum up business.”
“You think they came in because ofme?”
She gave me a look like I was crazy if I thought it was for any other reason. Then she opened her mouth to say—
Damn it. At that moment, our new hire, Shelly, walked in.
I wanted more time with Avery. As the morning wore on, I found myself paying more attention to Avery than I did to the customers.
She was training Shelly, who’d started her first day with nervous energy and a genuine smile. Avery was patient with her, walking her through the register system and explaining how the inventory worked.
But something was off.
It wasn’t just the loose button on her cardigan, though that kept catching my eye every time she moved. There were other little things.
Her pretty blonde hair wasn’t as smooth as usual, as if she’d rushed through brushing it this morning.
And there were dark circles under her eyes, shadows that told me she hadn’t slept well.
She seemed almost… frazzled.
So I tried to step in, even though this bookstore was more her domain than mine.
When a customer had a complicated return and got a little nasty, I took over and handled it.
I didn’t know why I felt so protective of her, but I did.
It unsettled me, this urge to smooth out the rough edges of her day.
At five o’clock, Avery sent Shelly home with praise for a solid first training shift. The store was quiet for the moment, just the two of us behind the counter with a few hours before the book club arrived.
