Page 4 of He Loves Me Knot

“Heads, I win!” She fist-pumped in victory.

The guy snatched the coin. “In what universe does calling the correct side mean you lose?”

“The one where you’re stealing my book.” She laughed. “We didn’t define what heads means. It could mean you lose.”

“I say best two out of three,” he grunted back. “You completely lost, and this is me being merciful.”

She held out her hand for her coin. “Fine, best two out of three. But my rules. And I already won the first round.”

He placed the quarter in her hand, his fingertips brushing hers for the second time. Their eyes locked, and goose bumps rose on her arms.What the hell is going on here?Besides the complete absurdity of the two of them squatting on the bookshop floor for this.

An unsmiling man approached, and they both looked up. Just when Liddy was sure he was about to scold them for being on the store floor, he instead reached past them, sniffing in disdain, and lifted the book in question from the shelf.

The hot guy exchanged a look with Liddy.

They both scrambled from the floor as the man started away, the guidebook in his hands.

The guy caught up with him in a few steps. “Excuse me.” He touched the man’s elbow, and the older man stiffened.

“Sorry.” Hot guy raked his fingers through his hair. “Sorry—I—uh, I was going to buy that book.”

“And so was I,” Liddy added as she reached them.

Not an ounce of sympathy appeared on the man’s face. “Well, have a chat with the owner. Perhaps there’s another copy.” The man started forward again.

Liddy groaned.Why is this the most popular book here?“But we were there first?—”

“Not now, love.” The hot guy put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze. She gave him a baffled look, and he dropped his hand, winking.

“Sir, if I could just have a moment of your time.” The hot guy stepped in front of the man once again. “It’s my girlfriend’s first time in London. And I promised her I’d buy her this book and that we’d follow it from the first page to the last. I have a whole thing planned for it, but it’s all based on this book. Which I need.”

Why was he trying to get this book so much?

Maybe he deserves it.

Or he’s just really competitive.

Either way, he amused her.

Then the hot guy blurted out, “I’ll give you twenty quid if you let me have that copy.”

The man gave him a baffled look. Then his lips drew to a line. “Fifty.”

“Done.” The hot guy reached into his pocket.

Sixty dollars?

To win a guidebook?Hot guy is insane.

After he’d retrieved the book, the hot guy gave her a victorious smile as he paid for it at the register.

But she smiled and held out her hands, palms up, and shrugged. “All right. You win. The book is yours. Nice job.”

She looked down at her watch. Damn. She had that welcome dinner in—shit—twenty minutes.

She was never late. And if she wasn’t early, she considered herself late. “I have to go. Nice to meet you.”

“I have a boring business meeting first, but you wouldn’t want to get drinks later, would you?” the hot guy said in a rush.