Chapter 36
thirty-six
Restocking Trip
Two weeks of slinging books has left the shelves a little barren; a good and bad thing. It seems every local has been in at least once, and the waitress from the Chubby Radish at least five times—though she’s never bought anything.
It seems as if she’s picked up almost every book in the place by the time we need to restock.
She’s dead set on just lingering and perusing—which is fine!
I set up sitting areas for a reason. Some people can’t afford books, or don’t have space in their house.
It’s no bother to me if they come in to read…
I just wish I could help her find what she’s looking for.
Bastian has repaired everything in the backlog, and so now we’re on a quest for more books.
Several local authors reached out to us, and we agreed on a workable consignment rate that helps them more than me, but I’m happy to do it.
Independent authors don’t get nearly enough credit for how hard they work to promote their stories.
We skip the July Flag festival in exchange for a restocking trip.
Bastian sits beside me and Oscar is harnessed in the back seat as we take a quick drive up to Mayfield for the first pickup: Where the Sun Won’t Shine, a YA dystopian novel about a teen boy fighting to free his people from underground work camps.
Then we drive to a ferry that’ll take us to La Pinto for Driving Madness, an MM street racer, enemies to lovers romance.
Honestly, I’ll probably read that one before it hits the shelf!
We walk Oscar for a quick potty break as the attendant parks my car snuggly in with the others on the little boat. It’s packed to bursting on this lovely Sunday morning and there’s no question why. Madiland Island is beautiful, at least at this distance.
“What do you think about doing a little meandering when we get there?” I ask as I lean against the railing.
Bastian touches the bag at my side.
I pop it open to show him his Dick. “Safe and sound.”
He grunts. “Then whatever you would like.”
“But what about what you like?” I ask, poking him in his muscled pec.
It’s so strange seeing him in human form, but also, really nice to be out with him.
He hums. “I prefer to be around you pink flesh as little as possible.”
“That’s not true, is it?”
“Humanity as a whole is quite awful.”
I grimace. “But, you like Renee and Andrew, right?”
“There are very few exceptions.”
“And me?”
He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me against his side. “The nerve you have to even ask.”
I smile and lean my head on his shoulder.
The boat dips and a spray of cold lake water peppers us. Oscar barks indignantly while Bastian and I laugh.
What a perfect day.
“I was hoping we could do a little shopping. I’m not sure how the shop owners will feel about a leashed cat, but we’ll see. Maybe you two can stand outside while I browse,” I say, grinning up at him.
“As if I’d let you out of my sight,” he says.
I roll my eyes. “You can look in through the window.”
“You carry my very life force,” he whispers. “You’re not leaving my side.”
I know he just means the book in my bag but the way he pulls me in harder has my stomach making little flips.
It’s been months of this. Fluttery feelings, and big swoops in my lower belly. These “new romance” feelings with Jeremy were over so quickly, it seemed, that I hardly remember them at all. Was it even like this? Was it ever so intense?
Bastian makes me feel like I’m freefalling and he’s my parachute. He cherishes me honestly and wholeheartedly. He’s flawed but trying. Trying for me, it feels like. I want to be better for him, too.
Bastian smirks down at me. “What’s going on in that pretty skull?”
“Nothing special,” I say as I look back out at the water.
His lips brush the tip of my ear. “It feels special.”
A shiver zips down my back, and I hug my arms tighter. “I was just thinking how nice this is. How good it feels to be here with you.”
Bastian’s hand slides from my hip to my ass. “Such a simple thing making such a mess of your panties?”
I tsk. “They are not a mess.”
Yet.
“Perhaps in our meandering we’ll find a quiet spot for me to fix that,” he says, then nips the top of my ear.
“We have Oscar,” I whisper sternly.
“He can stay in the car.”
My heart pumps madly as I envision Bastian pushing me up against the wall of an alley, the sun-warmed bricks on my back making me sweat. His claws ripping apart my stockings. His tail pinning my arm to the wall. His hand around my throat as he pumps into me with feral passion.
“Oh my,” he groans against my temple. “Kitty is an exhibitionist?”
“I don’t know,” I whisper.
The thought that anyone could walk around the corner of that alley and find him ravaging me is one part terrifying and one part delightfully intoxicating. What would they think when they see a seven-foot-tall dragon pumping into me? Would they be jealous?
I would be…
“That’s what I’d like,” he says, pulling back and looking out over the water.
“Huh?” I ask, befuddled by my own musings.
“You asked what I’d prefer, and that’s it.”
“What is?”
“I’m going to make you come all over this island,” he says with a big, confident grin.
I choke on my spit then glance around us to see if anyone is eavesdropping.
“I’m pretty sure we’ll go to jail for that.”
“Only if we’re caught. And still, if we avoid children’s parks, we won’t get much more than a fine,” he says with giddy anticipation, then adds with a shrug, “Probably.”
“Probably…how do you know this?” I ask.
“I’ve read all the recent bylaws,” he says.
“Bastian, you’re not making me come anywhere on this island,” I say.
He leers, positively radiating excitement. “We’ll see.”
The ferry comes into the port with a gentle jostle. The attendants help us disembark and I’m glad for it, because I really couldn’t drive my car with visions of Bastian doing all kinds of naughty things flashing through my head.
We don’t drive far for the next pickup, and the author recommends the best restaurant for fish and chips when I tell her I’m a Pescetarian.
We find a lot to park in for a few hours and take to the strip by the harbor.
It’s a small stretch of about a quarter mile, but it’s lined with shops and restaurants.
Scents of cooked fish and fried things trickles through the wind, inspiring my hunger—but I want to shop more!
Bastian’s hand brushes mine briefly. An electric shock travels through me from the spot and I gasp. He glances at me with a smirk, then grabs my hand. My face is on fire and my smile is unstoppable as we stride down the quaint street, Oscar trotting along just ahead of us.
There’s a textile store I have to go in, but they’ve got a strict no pets rule. Bastian, much to his dismay, is stuck outside with Oscar as I shop. He looks in the window with stalker-like intensity and I laugh at how both he and Oscar seem like statues.
When I tell the attendant about my shop, she squeals and pulls out her phone, showing me her Instaframe page. She’s already following Second Chance Fantasy and tells me she’d planned a trip for her day off on Wednesday.
We talk far too long about books as she leads me from fabric to fabric. So long, Bastian comes inside with Oscar and starts following us around. Jenn, the attendant, doesn’t shoo him off; too engrossed in our conversation to really notice.
In the end, I spend probably too much on some gorgeous faux leather and a glittery purple satin I don’t yet have a use for. I pick up some standard supplies too, and then we’re off and on our way, Jenn promising to visit next week.
A touristy shop catches my attention next, and I drag Bastian inside to force hats and t-shirts against him. He frowns as I hold a particularly bedazzled pink sweatshirt that says “Made on Madiland” against his chest. I giggle, then hold it up to me, and he smiles.
My chest aches from how full I feel, in the best kind of way.
We buy a few souvenirs, then head to the recommended restaurant. The fish and chips are the best I’ve ever had, and I have zero regrets about how much oil I’ve just consumed. We’re strolling along the other side of the street when my phone pings to let me know the last ferry will leave in an hour.
We bring the bags back to the car and Bastian helps Oscar into the back. I’m reaching for the driver’s door when he pulls me back. I yelp as he wraps an arm around my middle, hugging me tight to his chest.
“I have a promise to fulfill, at least in part,” he says, caressing my neck with his other hand.
“Oh, what’s that?” I ask, though I haven’t forgotten at all.
“I said, all over this island, and I meant it,” he says. “Use your magic to obscure us from view.”
“I don’t know if I can do that,” I say, fear tickling my insides.
“You can,” he says. “Do it now. I’m going to loose my wings.”
I suck down a breath and push my will through my hands.
Hide us.
Orange ekes out from my palms and swirls around our bodies. The magic settles and when I look down, I see nothing but the car and the asphalt.
“Holy shi—”
There’s a loud rip and I’m jerked from the ground.