Chapter 5 #2
And it had lots of helpful hints. How to clean the wound. How to hide scars…since most people still didn’t accept werewolves as equal members of society. Riiight. How to explain things to your parents—or spouse. The spouse thing seemed a stretch, especially the possibility of kids being involved.
Still, I could see the appeal of believing werewolves were real. The idea of loyalty for life called to me. Insta-boyfriend. No wondering if a crush would lose interest or find someone better.
I shook my head and closed the book.
Too bad it was just old fiction like the rest of the shelf.
After putting the books back, I picked out several werewolf romances and checked them out.
I had another message on my reader when I left.
Let me know when you’re done, and I’ll pick you up.
I’m overweight and need the exercise. See you soon.
Opening a book, I set out, walking in the real world while living in a fictional one where werewolves had true mates and were completely devoted to the one they chose. It also had a lot of chiseled abs and insatiable sexual appetites.
“Not what I pictured when you said you read a lot.”
I fumbled the book at the sound of Sam’s voice. It dropped straight into his waiting hand.
Eyes wide, I watched him take in the man on the cover. The corners of his mouth twitched.
“Can I borrow it when you’re done?”
“What?” I croaked.
“Borrow it. It looks interesting.”
Interesting? He thought a paranormal romance with a bare-chested man on the cover was interesting?
Understanding hit me, and I didn’t know whether to laugh or feel crushed.
I decided on neither.
“Sure. It reads pretty fast, so I should be done tomorrow night. I can bring it over. What kinds of books do you usually read?”
We talked about books on the walk home. His tastes definitely ran toward non-fiction, but I was excited that he was willing to dip his toes into fiction.
When we reached our neighborhood, I saw Mom watching for me through the window and smiled at her, already anticipating her shock at the news I had to share.
“I’d better go,” I said. “Thanks for talking books with me. See you tomorrow, maybe.” I held up the book I planned to pass to him in farewell, then jogged home.
Mom’s expression as I shut the door bordered on full gawk.
“You ran.”
“I jogged.” I kicked off my shoes, still grinning. “And you’re going to love this. He’s gay.”
“What?”
I could have eaten her shock with a spoon. It helped ease the sting of my disappointment a little.
“He’s gay. I ran into him on my way back from the library. He saw what I was reading and asked if he could borrow it when I was done. He said it looked interesting.”
I tossed her the book. She looked at the cover and frowned.
“Yeah. Exactly. We talked about books all the way home, and it was nice. He was nice. Zero creep factor. Now, can we go back to being normal, or do I need to ask for a copy of Grandma’s house rules so I can decide which home is the lesser of two evils?”
Mom looked up from the book. “You’re considering living with her?”
“I am. Homeschooling means faster independence, something that didn’t really intrigue me until recently.”
She frowned and looked down at the book again.
“Is dinner ready?” I asked.
She nodded, but didn’t stop staring at the man’s abs on the cover.
Yep, she needed a date soon.
Mom watched me leave without saying a word.
Since dinner yesterday, she hadn’t said much, actually. Not about how much I ate. Or about how late I stayed up to read. Or about going to Sam’s house to give him the book I just finished.
I was giddy as I crossed his yard.
He opened his front door before I reached it.
“Saw you coming,” he said.
“Finished it.” I held out the book to him.
“Was it good?”
I like the way he focused on me, not the book, as he took it.
“Good is subjective. If you’re asking if I liked it, I did.
It pulled me in and made me forget how much I wanted ice cream for dessert last night, which is impressive.
The character interactions were a little over the top, but not so much that it pulled me out of the book.
And the world descriptions made me wish I could live there. Does that help?”
He nodded, still not looking at the book.
“Would you like to come in?”
“I’d better not. It’s a miracle that Mom even let me come over. Enjoy the book. If you like it, let me know so I can recommend another one. Oh, and it’s a library book, so don’t spill anything on it or Mr. Clint will fine me.”
“I’ll be careful,” Sam said, all seriousness.
“It’s a five-dollar fine, not the end of the world. See you later!”
Mom was waiting at the door for me.
“What did he say?”
“He asked if it was good and listened to my speed-critique. I told him I’d be able to recommend more if he liked it, and then I came back.”
She frowned thoughtfully, probably questioning all the “non-fiction” she’d been fed. Mates weren’t only loyal…they wanted to be with their mates all the time. That wasn’t Sam. He didn’t cling to me. If only he would. I’d gladly jump on him.
“I’m off to my doom room to read and obsess over fictional boys since I’m too young to date real ones.”
Turning to walk backward down the hallway, I added, “But you’re not. I think you should dive back into that pool to show me how easy it is to find a good one.”
The look she shot me said not to push my luck.
Shrugging, I retreated to my room and a fictional world with a hero who liked his woman a little clueless and curvy.