5
Florence
I look around the nearly deserted Book Nook. I love my tiny bookstore and café. It should be easy to find my NotNeurotic date here.
I don't want to meet in a very crowded place right now—there's enough drama on social media without adding an innocent woman into it.
The bell above the door rings, and a tall striking blonde woman with piercing blue eyes steps inside, glancing around before zeroing in on the coffee counter in the back. She's dressed impeccably in fitted jeans and a sapphire blouse that matches her eyes, far too put-together for someone who's had less than an hour to get ready. Something feels vaguely familiar about her, but I can't place her.
I circle around a bookshelf and silently come up behind her. "Are you NotNeurotic?" I murmur in a husky voice close to her ear.
She jumps, her hand flying to her chest. "God, you scare me." For just a moment, there's a flash of recognition in her eyes. Then it's gone. "What kind of question is that? I'm not neurotic. Are you?"
I snicker. "I'm IcyBoss. I meant your Her handle."
She lets out a long breath. "Oh. Sorry." She hesitates. "I've never done this before. I didn't expect you to sneak up and scare the shit out of me. You can call me Josie."
"Can I buy you a drink, Josie?" The corner of my mouth curls up. I think I like this woman.
She might be a good fit for what I need. Her height is striking—she's got at least five or six inches on me—but it's her quiet confidence, even after I've rattled her, that draws me to her.
"If they have tea? Sure." Her gaze drifts along the bookshelves as we walk toward the back of the store. It's like she's trying not to look at something—or someone. Me.
"You like to read?" I ask, following her eyes as they linger on the literary fiction.
She blushes. "Some, although my typical taste is a little less refined than that." Her fingers absently brush along the line of her neck, drawing my attention to the curve of her throat.
Judging by her flushed face, I take a guess. "You like trashy romance novels," I tease. "Exclusively lesbian, or straight, too?" I don't have much time to read, but I indulge in the occasional romance once in a while.
"Only women for me." She frowns. "Oh, —sorry! You meant books, didn't you? Mostly sapphic romances, honestly. Living vicariously and all that." She shrugs. "What about you? Do you read?"
It's a fair question, seeing as I invited her to a bookstore. "Some," I say simply. I bite my lip as I study her. Despite her easy smile, she's trying very hard to look relaxed. Definitely nervous.
"Do you want some wine?" I offer. "Instead of tea, I mean?"
She glances around the store like she's checking for exits. "Is there a good bar nearby?"
I chuckle. "There's a wine bar next door."
"Nectar? They wouldn't let me in, not looking like this." She looks down at herself. "I didn't plan to go out tonight."
I wave at Matthew, one of our employees, to get his attention. His gaze flicks to Josie and lingers just a bit too long.
"Can we get two cups of tea, please?" I ask.
He raises a brow, but nods. Josie gives him a tight smile and looks away.
"Now," I turn back to her, "it's my first time using the app, too. I don't usually meet women this way."
She lets out a soft laugh. "I imagine you meet women everywhere you go." Her eyes trace the curve of my neck before darting away.
"I'm not looking, honestly. I've been independent all my life. I never felt like I needed someone else to complete me."
"Doesn't that get lonely?" Her face softens, then falls. "Let me guess." She bites her lip. "You're the boss. Work always comes first, and now you're looking for someone who fits into your schedule."
I gape at her, caught off guard.
She laughs. "It doesn't take a brain surgeon, IceQueen. Your clothes, your posture—they give you away. So why now?"
I deflect. "Tell me about you first. Where do you normally meet women?"
She looks down at her hands, fidgeting. "I— I haven't dated much." She bites her lower lip. "I had a best friend. We spent every waking moment together."
I reach across the table, my hand covering hers. "What happened to her?"
She snorts. "She fell in love. With someone else." Her voice catches, but she distracts me, turning my hand over and tracing the inside of my palm. Her touch is soft. Familiar, almost. Surprisingly intimate for a stranger.
"She's still my best friend," she continues quietly, "and I still have feelings for her." She lets go of my hand, her fingers lingering just a hair too long. "I had a friend with benefits—someone else—but she said it wasn't healthy for me to keep that going." She exhales. "Sorry. I'm babbling. I'm not really looking for a relationship right now. That wouldn't be fair to you. But friendship… someone to spend time with…"
I tilt my head. "Why did you say that you couldn't get into Nectar next door?"
She rolls her eyes. "Have you ever been inside? I'm not dressed for it, and it's… Well, it's a little out of my price range."
"It would be my treat."
She raises an eyebrow, her grin sly. "You must have quite the kingdom, if you've got pull at a place like that."
I blink. "Kingdom?"
She lets out a genuine laugh. "Ice queen. Kingdom." She shrugs, still grinning. "Never mind. Am I allowed to ask what your real name is?"
"Back up a second. I'm not an ice queen. Where do you get that? You read too many steamy romance novels." I try to make it sound like teasing, but the edge in my voice betrays me.
Josie's sapphire eyes meet mine. She's quiet for a long beat, her brow furrowing. "Seriously?"
Yes, seriously. We barely know each other. Am I that transparent?
She takes my hand in hers, caressing it before turning it over. She spreads my fingers apart and slowly traces from the center of my palm to the tip of my index finger.
"First, your Her handle is Icy Boss." Her finger moves down my middle finger, lingering at the tip. Her focus stays on my hand, like she's studying the page of a book.
"You carry yourself like you own the world," she murmurs, almost absently. "You spoke to the waiter like you know him and respect him—but with an authority that most people wouldn't carry. Not just for tea."
She swallows, tracing my ring finger next. "You're observant. You pegged exactly what I like to read." She glances down briefly at her simple jeans and blouse. "And despite how I'm dressed, you have enough sway to get me into Nectar. Or think you do, at any rate."
Her fingertip glides along my pinkie, then she folds her hand over mine, her warmth sinking into my skin. "And you asked me to meet you in a nearly deserted place, where it's unlikely anyone would recognize you."
Her gaze lifts, locking onto mine.
I study her carefully, not reacting. "You've got me all figured out, do you?" She's spot on. It's unnerving.
She shakes her head, her eyes dancing. "No. Not even close. I don't even know your name." The side of her lips twitches. Amused.
I lick my bottom lip. "If you've pegged me right… am I someone you want to know?" I look away when I catch sight of Matthew approaching with our tea.
"Ladies." He places the steaming mugs in front of us and steps back. He puts his hands behind his back, looking at me expectantly. "Ma'am?"
The corner of my mouth turns up in a smile. "Two glasses of your finest, please."
He dips his head in a slight bow before disappearing through the back door.
"The plot thickens," she teases. Her gaze lingers on the door for a moment before returning to me. "To answer your question—yes. I'm interested."
I hold her gaze steady. "I'm not looking for anything serious, Josie." I resist blinking first.
"Neither am I." She blinks first, almost flirty. "I'm not even looking for anything romantic." She swallows. "Not opposed to the idea, if it happens, but… not looking."
"Sex?" I ask lightly, surprising myself. I hadn't really thought about that until she walked into the bookstore, her soft dark-blonde bob pulled back, her piercing blue eyes and matching blouse already knocking me off-kilter.
She inhales sharply and blinks twice, caught off guard. "Not opposed," she says slowly, "but not looking for that either." She glances around the bookstore, then back at me. "Do you have a name, or should I just call you Boss?"
"You can call me Boss if you want to." I bite back a grin.
Her smile flickers, falters, before she fixes it back in place. Her gaze drops to her hands, wrapped around her tea.
"I'm sorry." I sigh. "You were right—about me wanting to stay under the radar." I study her closely. "Can I trust you?"
Her smile softens, reaching her eyes this time. "I'm good at keeping secrets. Am I supposed to be a secret?"
I laugh, for real this time. "Josie." She has a pretty name. "Will you trust me?"
"If you tell me your name, I will."
I stand and offer her my hand. "Follow me. Then yes—I will tell you."