Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27969 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27969 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
"Hey, Rebel." He grins, reaching out to steady me. "I thought that was you."
"It is. Why are you here?"
He blinks, his grin slipping. "Huh?"
Jeez. I sound like I'm ready to whip out the Malleus Maleficarum and accuse him of witchcraft.
"I mean, I'm surprised to see you in my bookstore."
"Your bookstore?" His lips twitch as he glances around. "You own it? Nice."
"Yes. I mean, no. Lilah Davis owns it. I just…" I wave my hand, deciding it's probably better not to tell the hottie-next-door that the sum total of my life consists of petri dishes, arguing with a Yorkie, and this bookstore. "That's beside the point. I'm just curious what you're doing here."
"Uh, I came to get a book?"
He's lying, and he isn't very good at it.
Why is he lying?
Oh, my gosh. Did he follow me here?
"What book?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.
"Uh…" He stares at me for a moment before his lips curve into a grin. "Haven't decided yet. I thought I might look around a little bit first. I mean, if that's okay with you."
"Fine with me." I move aside, presenting the store with a flourish. This should be good. The way he reacts when he realizes exactly what kind of bookstore this is will be telling. If he's a jerk about it, I can cross him off the list of fantasy material. No way am I getting myself off to thoughts of a man who looks down on romance. My vagina will blow dust first.
He cocks his head to the side, eyeing me silently. And then he chuckles and steps around me, close enough that his arm brushes against mine. I pretend I don't shiver…but I definitely do.
I also watch him like a hawk, trying to figure him out as he browses the shelves, picking up books, reading the cover copy, and then replacing them. He doesn't look surprised, disgruntled, embarrassed, or even slightly annoyed at all. He's perfectly…chill.
What the fuck?
"Stop staring!" Sarah hisses, bustling past me.
"I'm not," I lie.
She just snorts wordlessly, which I take to mean she knows I'm full of shit but isn't going to call me out on it yet. She'll wait until we're alone, like a true best friend does.
"How's Oscar?" Mason asks as he drifts closer again, running his finger over the spines on one shelf in a way that screams sex. God, he's ridiculously gorgeous.
"What?"
"How is Oscar?"
"Oh. Fine." I pause. "Vicious and deadly."
His lips twitch. "Is that a warning, Rebel?"
"Why? Do you need one?"
He doesn't answer. Instead, he plucks a book from the shelf, shoots me a smirk that makes my clit twitch, and then strolls toward the counter. "See you later, neighbor."
I stand rooted in place, watching until Sarah finishes checking him out and he disappears. I'm not sure I breathe the entire time, and then I mutter a curse.
I forgot to see what book he bought.
Dammit.
Chapter Two
Mason
"Murder! Murder! Help! This is murder!"
"Jesus Christ, Paulina," I groan, flicking my gaze at her cage. "Can you chill out with that shit?"
She fluffs her feathers, looks me in the eye…and screams again. "Murder! Murder! Help! This is murder!"
"You want your hedgehog?" I ask, hauling myself up from my desk to grab her favorite toy, hoping it'll appease her. She's been mad as hell since we moved. I think Aunt Letty's furniture offends her. Honestly, I can't say I blame her.
Not even the goddamn 1970s wants this couch back.
Paulina grabs the mini hedgehog plush in her beak before hopping to the lowest perch in her cage. The door is wide open, but she refuses to come out. Last time I tried to coax her out, she bit me and called me an asshole.
That's par for the course since we moved. She'll settle eventually, but she fully intends to make me pay in the meantime. I don't mind. She was my mom's bird. She's smart as hell, but she fucking hates change since Mom died two years ago.
"Good girl," I croon, stroking the top of her head, which earns me another glare. But she's too busy snuggling her hedgehog to scream at me this time. It's progress. "You going to be good while I'm out today?"
Instead of answering, she shuffles further away on her perch.
I take that to mean hell no, and chuckle. "Fine, but if you don't behave, you don't get to watch Law & Order tonight."
She lifts one clawed foot, transferring the hedgehog from her beak to her foot. "Pretty Stabler."
"You can watch Stabler if you behave today."
"Asshole. You're an asshole."
"I know. You said that already."
She glares at me, shifting the hedgehog back to her beak.
"Behave," I murmur, closing the door to her cage so she doesn't try to destroy the goddamn furniture out of spite while I'm gone. With her, it's a possibility.
I grab my keys and head out, my gaze drifting toward Olive's house, even though I know she isn't home. She worked half the day today, and then left an hour ago, dressed in a cute little white top and a pair of jeans that hugged her round ass tight enough to make my mouth water.