Page 5 of Pucks and Books
“What isn’t computing? A hot guy reads hot books in your store without you knowing it?”
“Yes,” I complain. “How long have you known?”
“For a couple weeks,” she says simply, sitting down in his chair, grinning. “I thought you knew.”
“Don’t you think I would have said something?”
She shrugs. “I thought maybe you didn’t care.”
“Eliza, really? I make it a priority to welcome customers, especially super-hot guys with cornflower-blue eyes who read kink.”
Eliza gives me a bright grin. “You should come over here. He’s left his scent behind.”
“You freak,” I tease, but I scoot toward her until his spicy scent hits me, and I groan in appreciation. God, he smells like sex.
My sister only laughs. “Takes one to know one. You came over here sniffing too!”
“Because you told me to.”
“So, if I said to jump off a bridge, you would?”
I nod. “Especially if he’s at the bottom!” That has Eliza choking on her laughter. I don’t laugh, though; I’m too dizzy from his scent. “Jesus, who is he?”
“I don’t know. But he’ll be back Thursday, and you should bring a pomegranate to share with him.”
I blink. “I can’t believe you allowed me to go on like that when he could hear it all.”
Eliza doesn’t seem the least bit concerned. “He obviously thought it was funny.”
“Because that’s what I want—a super-hot guy who reads knowing I just want to be fucked.”
She gives me a dry look, and that makes me feel like she’s not understanding the problem at all, which is beyond me. “I don’t see any issue here.”
I groan loudly, lying back on the floor and looking at the high ceilings of the shop. When my peepaw built this for me, I told him I wanted it to be very Victorian-like, and he delivered, with the high ceilings and gorgeous black crown molding along the dark-green walls. Gold pendant lights hang in the most perfect spots, giving a Slytherin House vibe to the place. For some it may also give off dark romance vibes, but for me, it’s just my aesthetic. Thankfully, I carry all romance—from vanilla to full-on smut. Something for everyone.
Even the super-hot, pomegranate-eating dude.
“I bet his name is John.”
Eliza makes a sound of distress. “Ick, no. I feel like it’s Chad or Chandler.”
I move my gaze to her. “Chad and Chandler are out there getting laid. John sits in a romance shop, listening in on conversations not meant for him, and reads raunchy smut.”
Eliza’s eyes shine with mischief. “No matter what his name is, I bet you wouldn’t mind screaming it.”
I grin at her, fighting back the giggle that would like to escape.
Because while my sister is maddeningly optimistic, she’s also nearly always right.
CHAPTER 4
Ciaran
Cruz drops to his knees, kicking his leg out to block my shot, but since I knew he was going to do that, I lift the puck with my blade, sending it over his leg and into the back of the net. I don’t celebrate because I know it’ll only add fuel to the fire. My roommate was out late, drinking and fucking, so he’s struggling this morning and pissed at me for making him come to work out with me.
Not that I care even a bit.
I got no sleep either.