Chapter 23 Oh…No…Poison #2
He stops again. His hands dip into his pockets as he leans back on his heels and looks up toward the ceiling. “Did I just ruin all of my sex appeal by admitting that?”
“No,” I say, my mouth tipping up. “I don’t think anything could do that.”
He steps toward me, enclosing us amongst the shelves, and I look over my shoulder. We’re completely hidden, and I swallow hard, inhaling his warm cologne.
“Is that so?” he asks, leaning forward, caging me against the shelf behind me.
I nod my head slowly. “I think it actually sounds kinda hot.”
His mouth breaks into a grin.
“Tell me more.”
“You, sitting at a table, thinking hard about which piece goes where.” I reach up and run my hands over his chest. “Add some slutty little glasses and one of those turtlenecks you wore yesterday, and oh, my godddd.” Dropping both of my arms, I fan myself with one hand and roll my eyes into the back of my head.
His mouth finds mine in a chaste kiss, and my eyes shoot open just as he’s backing away.
“Sorry,” he says. “I shouldn’t have…”
Swallowing hard, my fingers brush against my tingling lips.
“No, it’s okay.”
He begins to move away from me down the aisle. Need pulses through me, and I wonder if maybe I was wrong to tell him we needed to stop the flirting and skip the sex until we get back. Maybe that’s exactly what I need.
I try to shake the thought and focus as we turn the next corner.
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” I mutter as the rows of sex and intimacy books come into view.
“What—” Everett begins, looking over his shoulder.
“You two good over here?” Ginger asks, popping up out of seemingly thin air and causing me to jump.
“Oh, shit! You scared me.”
“I’m sorry. Just wondering if you two needed help finding anything.”
Everett’s eyes shift to me, and he chuckles.
“We’re looking for a book on…um…magic,” I explain.
Ginger starts to giggle. “My, my you two.” She begins to walk down the aisle and bends down to a lower shelf.
“This one always seemed to make things a little more magical for Rusty and me,” she says, blush painting her cheeks.
She stands and hands me a book titled How To Have Mind Blowing Sex And Keep Having It.
“No,” I blurt out, not taking the book and waving my hands. “I didn’t mean that. I meant actual magic. Sorry.”
She giggles again. “My mistake. You two probably don’t need any help in this department.” She begins to bend down to put it back on the shelf when Everett stops her.
“Actually, I think we might get that one too.” He wiggles his eyebrows in my direction.
“No, we won’t.”
“Couldn’t hurt,” he quips.
“No!” I say a little too loudly. My face heats, and I cut my eyes in his direction. Given the goofy grin plastered across his face, it’s clear he thinks he’s hilarious. “We don’t need it, but thank you,” I assure her a little more calmly.
“Okay,” she muses, shrugging. “If you’re sure. It is a good one though.”
She replaces it on the shelf and then stands, cocking her head to the side in thought. “Let’s see. Magic? Magic. Magic. Magic. I know we have a book on magic tricks over in the kids section, but I’m guessing that’s not what you’re looking for?”
“No,” Everett says.
“Hmmm,” she hums to herself and begins to walk to the back of the store. “Follow me.”
“Should we get a puzzle then?” he asks as we follow her.
“Why?” I question.
“So we can live out your fantasy,” he explains. “I think I saw a second turtleneck in my closet, and I’m sure I could find some glasses if you’re into that.”
“You’re insufferable sometimes. You know that?”
“Maybe, but I know it turns you on,” he whispers.
“Does not.”
It does.
“Then why do you have that look in your eye?”
My mouth falls open, and a chuckle rumbles his chest.
“Here we are,” Ginger chimes as we approach a small shelf full of discounted books, stuffed pumpkins with faces, and craft kits. “This is what’s left over from Halloween. There might be something on here.” She scans the spines.
“Tarot cards, crystals,” she mumbles to herself. “Oh what about this? Magic 101 for the Modern Witch?”
Everett and I glance at each other. “Sure, that sounds interesting,” he says.
Ginger giggles again, pulling it from the shelf and handing it to him. “Why are you two suddenly interested in magic?”
“Claire’s looking into becoming a part-time Etsy witch to help pay the bills,” Everett says, throwing his thumb in my direction.
Ginger shakes her head, and I roll my eyes. “You sound like you’ve been spending too much time with Cami,” she says. “Anything else I can help you find?”
“Any books on the town’s history?” I ask.
She begins walking, and we follow her again. “Let’s see,” she says as we arrive at a small section. “This one.” She pulls out A Brief History of Sugarplum Park by Stella Crumb and hands it to me.
“Or, if you want something more thorough, I have this one.” She hands Everett a thick book titled Sugarplum Park: A Complete History by Stella Crumb.
She pulls a third book from the shelf, and my heart aches when I see that it’s The Nutcracker. “I swear,” she complains. “People will just put books anywhere they want. I spend half my day putting things back where they go.” She exhales a short breath. “You two ready to check out?”
“This should do it,” Everett says. “Unless Claire wants to get a puzzle.”
“No, I’m good. Maybe next time.”
We follow her back up to the front of the store with all three books in hand, and I send a silent prayer to whoever will listen that the answer to getting us home is within them.