Page 5 of Perfect Guy
“There’s a lot to see and people to meet that wouldn’t understand our way of living. That doesn’t mean they’re better. I guess I realized I prefer our small town and community, gossip and all, over…the city,” she shrugs.
“That makes sense. And, hey, you may not have to give up your dream career. Who knows if Bill will call you for another job after this one?”
“That’d be great,” she agrees. “You were working on that other house, right? The one with the solar panels.” Her blue eyes lift to mine.
“Yeah, I installed the cabinets in the kitchen today.” I cross my arms over my chest, looking at her. Her face is fresh, without a trace of make-up, and I see a few freckles on the bridge of her nose. They’re only noticeable if you’re close to her.
“That’s awesome. Bill showed me pictures. They came out great.” She twists her mug around.
“Thanks,” I smile proudly. “We’ll be starting on the house you designed next.”
“I can’t wait to see the progress. It’s going to be amazing.” She’s back to her happy self.
“What are you reading? I interrupted you.”
“Oh, no. It’s okay.” She shakes her head, placing her arm over the opened book.
“What is it?” I tilt my head. She didn’t answer my question.
“A book Laken recommended when I walked into the bookstore the other day.”
“Let me see.” I reach for the book, but she pulls it back.
I furrow my eyebrows and look at her. That’s when I notice her cheeks are pink. Curiosity gets the best of me, and I grab the book from her hold. I keep my finger on the page she’s on to not lose her spot and close it to look at the cover. My eyebrows furrow when I see it’s covered in some kind of wrapping paper.
“Uh…” I lift it.
“What?” Madelyn asks.
“What happened to the cover?”
She sighs, sagging into her chair. Her eyes dart all around the coffee shop, from the paintings on the walls by local artists to the mix-matched chairs and tables. While she avoids my question, I lift the paper and peek at the cover.
“Stop,” Madelyn warns. Her wide eyes are comical. I don’t get what the big deal is.
“It’s got a shirtless man, okay. I covered it with pretty paper like kids sometimes do with their school books so that no one would see the cover. It’s not that I’m ashamed—maybe a little embarrassed right now—but you know how people in town are. If they see me reading a book with a shirtless man, all abs, they’ll start saying I’m reading my porn instead of watching it.” She sighs heavily.
I laugh, pulling the paper back to see this cover she’s talking about. Now I need to know what it is. Like she said, a shirtless man takes up more of the front, his pants hung low, and a guitar slung across his body. My eyes snap up to hers, and her blush has deepened.
“Who knew Little Madelyn was into these kinds of books,” I tease her. Honestly, my sister reads them, and I find nothing wrong with them.
“Canaan,” she warns through clenched teeth, still avoiding my eyes.
“I’m only teasing you. There’s nothing wrong with this. Most guys watch porn.”
“Shhh… This isn’t porn or anything like it,” she whispers. “It’s romance, but you know how people are here.” Her eyes are wide, and she’s leaning over the table, so no one else hears us.
I nod because I can imagine what some of the older women would say about a cover like this. They don’t understand the business, and like everything in our society, sex sells.
“Why don’t you read an e-reader then?” I return the book.
“Because I love the feel of a real book. It’s different to read on my phone or some tablet.” She folds the corner of the page and closes it.
“Well, if you ever need a real-life visual, you know where to find me. I don’t own a guitar but…” I let my meaning linger between us with a wink. “Gotta go.” I tap the table and stand, leaving with a semi before my dick grows and makes it impossible for me to walk with any dignity.
I’m not sure what possessed me to say that to Madelyn. Maybe it was the adorable embarrassment on her face, or maybe it’s knowing she’s no longer a kid. She’s sexy. Knowing she’s reading books with sex in them, though nothing wrong with that at all, makes me imagine her in other ways I probably shouldn’t. As a firefighter, I guess I do like to play with fire.