Naughty List Librarian (Chestnut Lane Bookstore #4)

Chapter One

Tess

What the hell has my life become?

I tilt my head slowly to the side as I watch my best friend’s brother, Cole Maxwell, stride into my favorite little bookstore in full-on fireman gear. Well, minus a shirt.

Apparently, shirts aren’t necessary in zero-degree weather. No, that would be ridiculous. Every good fireman knows that freezing temperatures are about stripping down for dramatic entrances.

The stripper in question tracks snow across the old pinewood floors, a wide, satisfied grin on his face, his suspenders hanging low on his hips like some kind of calendar cliché.

“Someone call for a fireman?” Cole smiles even brighter as he circles the folding chairs where The Smut and Cocoa Book Club sits gawking and whistling.

Note to self, never assume old women are wholesome and sweet.

“Umm, Cole,” I say, clearing my throat, “what are you doing? Did you lose your shirt in a fire or something?”

“Nope,” he says, popping the ‘p’ in the word. “Just here to save the bookstore.”

I can’t help but laugh, though it’s short-lived. “And how does defiling your uniform save the bookstore?”

“You said you needed heat, so I brought it.”

I blink at him, trying to keep my expression neutral. “I said we needed the heater fixed. It’s been smoking. I thought you did that kind of thing on the side?”

“I am here to fix the heat.” He glances back at the women fanning themselves in the circle. “Looks like everyone is getting warmer.”

Dear God.

“You’re such a generous man,” I say sarcastically as I cross my arms over my chest, trying hard not to scan over his perfect abs and his bulging biceps.

I have self-control. I’ve seen abs before. They don’t prove anything other than the fact that a person spends too much time working out.

“Just doing my civic duty.”

Okay, this smiling thing is getting out of control. So are the women giggling like teenagers behind me.

“The heater is in the back closet,” I say, working hard to keep a straight face. “Would you like me to show you?”

He nods once. “Lead the way, city girl.”

I roll my eyes and turn on my heel, guiding him toward the back room, where the utility closet sits tucked behind the self-help shelf.

“Heater’s in here. If you get bored, there are a few books nearby you could check out.

I’d recommend ‘Bench-Pressing Emotional Growth’ by,” I bite back a grin at my own joke, “can’t remember the author, but I’ve heard good things. ”

“You saying I need help, princess?”

“No,” I snap. “Don’t call me princess. I’m not your princess. I’m a grown woman.”

The crowd of women hushes behind me as though they’re listening for every juicy detail of this very strange conversation. Cole and I have only met a handful of times, but every single interaction is just like this.

Sarcastic and strange.

“Didn’t say you weren’t grown. You just look like royalty with all the bossing me around.”

How does this man do what he does? How does he say a completely rude and condescending comment and make it sound sweet? I think it’s his face. The square jaw, the beard, and the deep voice, though the muscles probably don’t hurt either.

Instead of falling all doe-eyed for whatever it is he’s trying to prove, I counter with something truer to me. “Oh,” I smile sarcastically, “well, you’re right about that. I am royalty. The kind that likes to behead men who call me princess when I’m in fact a queen.”

He nods his head back slowly and pulls a toolbox from beneath the bottom shelf like he’s been here before. “Your majesty,” he says with another warm grin, “I had no idea. Do you think you could send one of your servants to fetch me some cocoa? I need a little something to get motivated.”

There are barely two beats that pass before Brelynn Walters is sandwiched between us with a cup of steaming cocoa and a sugared Christmas cookie.

I get it. The guy is hot. Like, really, really hot. Everyone sees that. I see that. It’s hard not to see he’s huge. That said, he’s also a complete mess.

Cute, little, blonde Brelynn doesn’t seem to mind. “Hey, Cole.” Her voice is two octaves higher than it usually is. “I brought you some food. Are you, ugh, you going to the Christmas Eve rodeo?”

I’m pretty sure I’m having secondhand embarrassment. She’s barely out of high school. Cole is probably closer to his forties.

He takes the food and offers her one of the signature grins he’s so kindly heating up the bookstore with. “Thank you, ma’am. Not sure if I’m goin’ to the rodeo or not this year. Life has been pretty hectic.”

“Well,” she hooks her hands in front of her and smiles sweetly, “I’ve got an extra ticket if you’re interested. Front row seats. My dad gets them every year.”

I resist the urge to groan while simultaneously vomiting. I’m not jealous. I’m just protective of my oxygen supply, and this woman is currently sucking it out of the room with all her desperation.

“Appreciate it,” Cole says, taking a sip of cocoa.

She lingers a beat too long before finally returning to the reading circle, where the group resumes their chattering about how attractive the handyman is.

“She’s subtle,” I say dryly.

He smirks. “You jealous?”

“Of Brelynn? Please.” I roll my eyes, but my pulse betrays me. “Fix the heater, Cole.”

“With pleasure, your majesty.” He shifts toward the steaming pile of junk, and I try not to notice the muscles flexing in his back as he crouches down.

I need to get my head on straight. I’m not even going to be here much longer. My focus should be on this book club, on the marketing plan for the rest of December, and my exit plan for moving back to New York, not Cole and his massively impressive body and everything he could do to me.

No matter how great that would be, small-town life isn’t for me. I’ve known that for months now.

Sure, I love this little bookstore and the people that work here, and I’ll do whatever I can to save this place, but my life is in the city.

“Tess,” Brelynn calls, interrupting my thoughts with her piercing voice.

What more could she possibly have to say?

I force a smile and turn toward her. “Yeah? What’s up?”

“A few of us just got alerts on our phones that a massive snowstorm is headed into Rugged Mountain. They’re calling for two inches an hour. I think we’re going to cut out early and head back up the mountain before it gets too bad.”

I glance back at the group already packing up their things, then outside at the snow falling more heavily now.

Shit! This is our first meeting. We didn’t even get to discuss plot points or imagery, or why the heroine found it necessary to run off with the hero, or why Chestnut Lane Bookstore is a community gem that can’t be sold.

“Okay. Yeah. Umm… text me when you get home safe and have a Merry Christmas. We’ll resume book club next week.” I hand everyone their little gift bags with custom Chestnut Lane merch as they head outside and into the blustery scene of white.

This is another thing I won’t miss about the mountains.

Snow.

Sure, we get snow in the city, but it’s just enough to make life feel festive, then it melts and everything is normal again.

Here, the snow comes hard and fast, debilitating the entire town for days.

People make trips for bread and milk like the end of days are near, and there’s never enough of either to go around, which is weird because it seems like everyone makes their own bread here.

“Say goodbye to Cole for me, dear,” Mrs. Robinson says as she leans in for a hug. “He’s a sweet boy. You should spend some time with him. I think he’s smitten.” She kisses my cheek softly and grips her friend’s arm as they walk into the elements together.

Mrs. Robinson is someone I will miss. She’s the town’s oldest resident, and I’ve gotten quite close to her over the past few months. She’s like the mom and the grandma I never had, though I think she’s way off base thinking Cole is smitten for anything or anyone but himself.

The front door has barely closed when I hear Cole’s voice behind me. “Where do you live?”

I spin toward him, my brows narrowed. “What?”

He’s holding his phone in his giant palm, scrolling down. “They’re closing roads. Where do you live?”

My chest tightens. I have to go home tonight. I have presents to wrap. I have leftovers in the fridge. I have laundry in the dryer that will most definitely be wrinkled if I don’t fold it immediately. “Eagle Peak.”

“Closed. They closed my road too.” He grins. “Looks like we’re stuck here.”

I shake my head and stalk toward him, grabbing his phone as though I don’t have my own. Sure enough, in black and white on the Gazette webpage… Eagle Peak is closed.

I run through the list quickly, taking note of any other closures that might affect the ladies that just left for book club, but they’re in the clear.

Maybe I should go home with them.

“We aren’t stuck here. We can’t be. All we have is this little space heater. We’ll freeze overnight.”

“I know you’re not used to such conditions, your majesty, but… it seems we are in fact stuck in town.”

“We can get a room at the inn.” My eyes widen. “Separate rooms. I’m sure they—”

“Not with the rodeo in town. They’ve been booked up for months.”

Oh my God!

“You’ll be fine. You’ve got cocoa, blankets, me… it’s all you need.”

I stare at him, trying to unlock my brain from whatever dark place it’s spinning out in, but it’s not working.

My rational brain is lost in the weeds, and suddenly all it wants to think about is Cole leaning me up against the bookshelves in the back while he does the things he does in my dreams. The dreams I have that I tell no one about. The dreams I barely think about myself.

Get a grip, Tess!

“I know I’ll be fine,” I snap and head toward the back office. “I just need a second.”

Preferably one where I’m not imagining what he tastes like.