Page 29 of The Librarian’s Familiar

Another label he didn’t need, though he had worn it before.

He finished his meal, intending to pay and leave before anything else went wrong and could be pinned on him. He made it to the till at the same time as August.

“You go first,” Charlie said.

“I’m only paying the tab…but I can keep it open if you want another beer?”

He should say no, but he wanted to say yes, and the chaos part of him won. “Sure.”

August ordered two beers. “And put his meal on my tab.”

“Sure thing, August.” The waitress beamed at him. “I’ll get those beers sent over, don’t lose your table.”

Perhaps he’d read her wrong, and she smiled like that at everyone. That, or she had the worst luck in picking men.

He followed August back to the booth and sat opposite him. This wasn’t awkward at all.

Chaos: invite him back and see how far he’ll go.

Order: keep things neutral.

“Sooo…what now?” Charlie rested his forearms on the table and laced his fingers.

August mirrored his pose. “I don’t know. I’ve never done this.”

“You’ve never had a beer in a bar?”

August gave a low laugh. “You know what I mean.”

There were threads that would be easy to pull. Unravel the hem of his shirt, a hole that was begging to form in the pocket of his jeans, but he wanted August begging to be unmade.

Charlie smiled, reminding himself to behave. He was not here to fuck his way through town. But after two beers, and with August sitting opposite him, and the heat melting his glacier blue eyes until all Charlie wanted to do was drown, it was really hard to remember to be smart.

The polar bear was going to chew him up and spit him out.

At least the fox had been fun, and they’d both known it was nothing serious from the first word. This had a different feel. Maybe it was magic warning him to be careful, maybe it was common sense. Maybe they were the same fucking thing.

The waitress placed two glasses of beer on the table. “Do you want any fries or other snacks?”

“We’re good, thanks.” August gave her a winning smile that seemed to be one hundred percent performance with zero warmth.

If she noticed, she didn’t give any sign.

Charlie leaned in and kept his voice low. “Do you actually want to be sitting here, or do you wish you’d followed me out?”

“I thought that might be a bit creepy.”

“Depends on if you give me a little look and a nod first.”

“You make it sound easy.”

“You’re the one who can hear and smell better. You have extra clues that I don’t have.”

“I know, and while I’m aware of the tells, it’s not easy to act on. Do you like the idea of being stalked?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never tried it.” His pulse quickened with excitement. This was stupid. He shouldn’t be entertaining this idea, and yet, he couldn’t shake it off either because it was exactly what he was craving. It was chaotic and unpredictable. “Guess I’d better finish my drink first.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN