AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You should let me grab a few. I’m on my way out anyway. Karen and Johnny are in charge of closing tonight.” Summer isn’t even looking at me as she continues to offer her aid. She clicks away on the computer, working her librarian magic.
Keeping to my plan requires me to say no. It would be even better if I could turn down the offer in a flirtatious way. Maybe lean on the desk and stare deep into her eyes and tell her…
…
Damn. My mind is blank. This never happens when I’m writing. Only when I’m talking.
Mainly when I’m talking to Summer.
Because I can never come up with the right words, I tend to opt for a stoic, silent demeanor, knowing that with how I look, people tend to think I’m brooding.
Often, I am.
But in this case, I want to give her an answer, and I’m only able to formulate one.
“Yes.”
Summer continues talking as if she didn’t hear me. “I mean, seriously. Just let me help you. For once.” Her fingers fiddle with my giant stack of books, straightening them until all the corners align.
“Yes.”
“I don’t understand why you’re so stubborn. Yes, I admit, you know the Dewey decimal system, but that doesn’t mean you have to turn me down. Everyone needs a little bit of help sometimes.”
I can’t keep the grin from creeping over my face. “Summer.” Damn her name tastes good on my lips.
She jerks her head up to stare at me, surprise coloring her face.
“I said yes.”
“No, you…you did! You said yes!” She shimmies a little happy dance, clapping her hands as if I just told her she won a basket of kittens.
“I did.” I smooth my fingers over my mouth, trying to push away the foreign expression that curls my lips.
“Youneversay yes to me helping you.” As Summer hurries around the desk, reaching to gather a few of the volumes in her arms, the full meaning behind her words hits me.
She’s asked to help me so many times, and I constantly turn her down. I always thought she’d be impressed by my ability to navigate her domain on my own. One more way that I’m bad at this slow-burn wooing I’ve been attempting. Clearly being able to help someone makes her happy, which I can’t pretend like I didn’t notice. Summer is always wandering around the library, checking in with patrons, offering her assistance when it comes to locating items or answering questions. And she’s always smiling one of those happy-mouth, happy-eyes smiles when she does.
I’m the only one that gets angry eyes.
When Summer has an armful of books, she waves a finger at me. “Wait here. I just need to grab my purse from my office.”
I nod. She has half of my books held hostage, so it’s not like I can leave without her. Should I tell her I’m completely willing to have her hold my body hostage too if she gets the urge?
No. That’s weird. And might scare her off. I never want to scare Summer.
She disappears behind a Staff Only door, and I lounge against the front desk, eyes fixed on her exit, waiting until the moment she reappears.
“You come here a lot, huh?”
The security guard is just across the way, his eyes tracing over me. He’s judging me, I’m sure. Looking at the ink and metal in my skin, and giving me a label.
Bad news, his frown shouts.
“Yes,” is the only word I give him. Authority figures have never been on my good list.
“Got nowhere else to be?” He grimaces with both his eyebrows raised. There’s another question hovering just below the one he spoke.
Are you homeless?
