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“Didn’t mean it like that, Reid.” I started twisting my hands, noting Jett studying us curiously. Reid stopped howling long enough to step forward and put his hand out. Jett caught it in a firm grip, and they shook hands.
“Reid Hershley, I attended Oxford with Sin. We’re like brother and sister, hence her horrified expression,” Reid explained with a curious grin at the biker standing on our doorstep.
“Jett, a prospect in Rage MC. Mechanic and engine designer,” Jett replied, letting go of Reid’s hand. “Glad Sin has someone with her; said she was alone in the world.”
Now it was Reid’s turn to appear stunned. Reid turned to me with a frown.
“Alone in the world? Sin, you knew you had me,” Reid snapped with a bite in his tone.
“You were in England when I mentioned it. Jeez, Reid, I did not expect you to drop everything and come running. Reid, I wouldn’t ask that of you.”
The grimace deepened at my explanation.
“You’d piss me off, sweet girl, if I didn’t understand that you hate to put on people. Sin, you only had to pick up the phone, and I’d have come. Luckily, I came anyway.”
“You got fired over that,” I reminded Reid gently.
“From a job I hated, and being sacked was no loss. Sin, look around; the Reading Nook is getting a second life,” Reid said pointedly. He sniffed at me in annoyance and turned back to Jett, who watched the byplay expressionless.
“Good to meet you,” Jett drawled.
“Ditto, Sin’s not alone, although she hates leaning on people. I’m Sin’s honouree older brother. I watch out for her, and I moved here a couple of months ago,” Reid stated, making a point.
Jett grinned suddenly, and my breath caught in my throat. Wow, Jett was gorgeous.
“Good to hear. So can I be nosey, or you gonna keep me on the doorstep?” Jett asked.
“Come in, mate,” Reid offered, shoving me out of Jett’s way. I aimed a punch at his arm, and it bounced ineffectively off him. Reid glanced down at me. “You hit like a girl, Sin.”
“I am a girl.” I groaned.
“Thank God for that,” Jett muttered back.
I looked up at him from under my lashes and saw Jett studying me intently. Reid gave that sharp, knowing grin of his and began taking Jett around the shop, pointing out new things we’d done and so on. I stuck my head in a box of books that had just arrived and watched them surreptitiously.
Celine’s mouth dropped open as she gazed from one man to the next. Reid was stunning, with chiselled features, shaggy blond hair, and round glasses perched on his nose. Reid’s body was lean, and he worked out at a gym, so I knew he had well-defined muscles.
Jett next to him was darkness, black hair, dark brown eyes, high cheekbones, a square jawline and firm, soft lips. He was slightly taller than Reid and broader, but Jett was lean-hipped, long-legged, and as tightly muscled as Reid.
Oh yeah, I could understand why Celine’s mouth had shot open. It was panty-dropping, hot flushing, and sweaty sex appeal from both males. Together, the result was devastating. Reid was often unaware of his impact on women, and I got the impression Jett was the same. Both men took a stance with hands-on-hips as they looked at the restored mural on the ceiling, a scene from Dante’s Inferno, and Celine dropped her box.
I couldn’t blame Celine at all. I shoved my nose back in my box as both gazed over at me, and Reid continued his show and tell tour. Reid liked Jett; I could tell. And Reid was asking his own questions, curiosity in his gaze and inquiring about Jett’s relationship to me. I heard Jett ask something, Reid rumble a reply, and then both men’s stares returned to me. My skin burned as I kept my head down, and they both went upstairs. I breathed a sigh of relief.
I was on the phone when they came down, so I had a perfect excuse not to speak to Jett, whose gaze lingered on me. And then my eyes shot to Reid, who invited Jett to pop in any time he wanted. Jett said he’d take Reid up on that, and then, with a fiery stare at me, Jett left the store. Reid turned to me, and I pointed a finger at him and slashed my throat in warning. Reid simply laughed!
Chapter Two.
Iwandered around the shop, straightening stands and making sure everything was perfect. The Reading Nook was due its grand opening in an hour, and I was as nervous as a kitten. Penny was finishing up stuff in the kitchen, which smelled terrific, and Celine was shelving a book delivery that had arrived late. Andy was upstairs in the mock Bodleian, and Reid was in the Vault putting out the last additions in the display cabinets, which left me to pace nervously.
My mouth twitched as Zoe rushed past, dressed as a witch. The costume was exceedingly authentic. Zoe was carrying two trays over to one of the coffee tables on which we had placed nibbles. Today was Halloween, hence the costumes. Reid had insisted on everybody dressing up, to my chagrin. Andy was Frankenstein. Reid wore a headless horseman garb. Penny’s face was painted as a mask from the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead but dressed in bloodstained English and served wench clothes.
Celine came as bad Tinkerbell and looked fantastic. Reid had nagged me to dress up, and I’d refused several times. But this morning, I discovered a highwayman’s costume waiting and dressed reluctantly. I wore knee-high brown low-heeled boots with a black band around the top of them and a waist-length black cape. Skin-tight sable breeches tucked into the boots, a mid-thigh white chiffon shirt with a thick belt, and a pair of pistols attached. Topped off with a black masquerade mask, and although Reid would never get me to admit it, it was sexy.
Reid had done several interviews over the last week, drawing attention to the shop and the grand opening. Together, Reid and Andy had posters made and adverts in newspapers and organised a leaflet drop with promotions advertised. Colleges and universities allowed us to advertise, offering a ten per cent student discount on producing a college or university identification card.
Reid had done a local radio and tv station interview. Anything and everything possible to get the Reading Nook into the public’s attention, and now we were going to excel or crash and burn. Quietly, I was terrified. A quick glance at the clock told me it was eight am, half an hour to go. Today we were opening the shop a little later. The usual time would be seven-thirty to catch the breakfast rush. A loud knock startled me. I peered over and saw a crowd. Celine hurried over and opened the door. Astonishingly, a small group of strangers pushed through.
“The shop’s not open!” Celine cried as I recognised three of the guys in front. Jett gave me a shit-eating grin.
