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“No.” He shakes his head adamantly. “I haven’t wanted to and I’ve been too busy with Cole, but I … I think I’m ready,” he admits. He looks me over, and even through his dark sunglasses the intensity in his stare burns.
Since I don’t know what to say, I end up exclaiming, “Ooh. Look. Bookstore!” It’s a horrible segue, and Ryder’s laughter tells me he knows so, but he’s nice enough not to comment.
He holds the door open for me and I step inside the cool shop. The air-conditioned air feels good to my heated skin. There’s already a slight sheen of sweat on my forehead from our trek outside.
I inhale the scent of books and I can’t help but smile.
The bell above the door jingles as Ryder comes in behind me. The store is small, but every surface is covered in books. I’ve never been in this particular store before. I usually order my books or get them from the local chain store, but the quirkiness of this place immediately speaks to my soul.
“You love popcorn,” I say to Ryder, “and I love books.”
He chuckles behind me and his fingers lightly graze my waist as he squeezes in beside me. “I do too. Mysteries are my favorite and the occasional thriller.” He removes his sunglasses now that we’re inside and hooks it onto the collar of his shirt. I take mine off too, but slide them into my hair.
“Romances,” I say, “especially historical romances.”
He sucks his bottom lip into his mouth and I know he’s fighting a grin. “Those books with the covers of the women with big boobs draped around some shirtless guy and they both look like they’re seconds away from having an orgasm?”
I snort. I hadn’t expected all of that. “Yep, those are the ones,” I say.
“And I’m sure they’re highly historically accurate?” He raises a brow, his eyes sparkling with laughter.
“Absolutely.” I fight a smile.
Is this flirting? Are we flirting? I’ve been out of the game so long that I have no clue. What I do know is, if we are I like it entirely too much.
“I have an idea,” Ryder begins, leaning his back against one of the many shelves and crossing his arms over his chest. “Why don’t you pick out a mystery for me and I’ll pick out a historical romance for you—and even if it’s one we’ve already read we have to get it and re-read it.”
My lips lift into a smile. “I like that idea. And—” I look around “—while we’re at it maybe we could slip some of these into the books?” I hold up my envelope of paper cranes.
“That’s a good idea,” he agrees and hedges toward the romance section. “Meet you at the checkout in fifteen minutes?”
I nod and he turns around fully, quickly disappearing amongst the shelves.
I find the mystery section and scan the titles. I want to pick out something he isn’t likely to have read, but it’s impossible to know. While I browse, I slip some paper cranes inside books and stick some others on the shelves.
I glance down at my phone and see that my time is almost up.
I end up closing my eyes and picking a book at random. It seems fitting considering they’re all mysteries. Armed with the book, I head to the checkout. Ryder is waiting, a black plastic bag hanging from his fingertips. He sports a wry grin and my heart pounds inside my chest.
“No peeking,” I tell him, using my back as a shield when I hand the clerk the book I chose.
Ryder turns away, playing along. I pay and accept my own black bag.
The two of us head back out into the blazing sun. We take a seat on one of the planters and swap bags.
“One, two, three,” Ryder counts and we both pull out our books.
I immediately burst into laughter at the one he chose for me. It’s called The Highlander’s Love Kilt. It features a shirtless man wearing a green kilt that’s blowing slightly in the wind. There’s a woman behind him with her arms wrapped around his neck, looking at him in adoration.
“You like it?” he asks with a pleased smile.
“It’s perfect,” I say and lean over to kiss his cheek.
The action comes so easily that I don’t even realize what I’ve done until I pull away.
Ryder’s mouth parts in shock and he looks at me with this stunned expression. Neither of us seeming to know what to do or say.
“I-I … Forget that happened,” I stutter, looking away.
