Aidan
After Dan helped us send a tip to the Douglass County Sheriff’s Department, he asks if I could recommend a couple of books.
“Charlotte might better at that,” I tell him.
“But I want to hear your picks,” he replies. I pick out a couple and to my surprise, he buys all of them. With each book, the stony exterior protecting my heart cracks a little bit more, and hope shines through the crevices. He is trying.
Am I anxious this won’t last? Yes. I’ll probably always be a little uneasy.
Xander and Nicole slip out with knowing grins not long after Dan leaves. The bookstore is quiet now. There’s also a lull in customers, so it’s Charlotte and myself, with Thelma lounging in her bed in the window.
“Mind if I stay here and hang out with you?” I ask, not wanting to leave.
She’s stunning in a burgundy wrap dress that emphasizes her cleavage in a way that makes me half hard.
Her golden-brown waves are long and flowing today, with tendrils falling over her neck and chest. I curl my fingers in a fist to keep myself from reaching out and stroking those golden-brown locks.
“Sure,” she replies, and scrunches her nose at her computer. “Can I put you to work? I’ve got admin stuff to do.” She rubs the bridge of her nose. “I’ll give you a paperback.”
I nod, and she hands me several order sheets.
“If you could pull these and put them on our orders shelf, that would be great. Stick the order label in the books so we can see the name when they’re picked up or shipped.
If they’re not on the shelf, they’re in storage, and you can just leave those here, and I’ll grab them later. ”
“Yes, ma’am,” I reply and grab the proffered papers. “I’ve always wanted to work in a bookstore.” I want to offer something else as collateral, something a bit more physical. But it stays lodged in my throat.
“Only if you keep calling me ma’am.” She winks.
“Yes, ma’am. I accept payment in books or coffee.”
“Anything else?” Charlotte raises an eyebrow and leans over the counter. I can see the promise of her breasts.
After last night’s passionate make out session, I feel things heading to a steamier conclusion. I want that. I really do. But I’m nervous, incredibly nervous. It’s been a while since I’ve had sex with anyone. What if she finds me lacking? What if I screw up?
I swallow, my mouth suddenly going dry as my shorts tighten. “Well, I guess maybe you could add pizza as one of those things. A sausage and pineapple pizza?”
“And?” She tilts her head to the side.
“M-m-maybe we could discuss bonuses once we’re both finished?” I stutter out.
Charlotte nods and turns back to her work. “You’re right.” She points a pen in my direction. “I’m getting distracted when I really need to finish this up.”
We work in silence for a few minutes. I’m midway through pulling an order off the shelf when Charlotte says, “It was interesting meeting your dad. He seems nice, but I know you’ve told me differently. How are things going?”
“Things are fine,” I say and gather the remaining books in my arms. “It’s kind of weird how well things are going.
I go into every interaction expecting him to call me a failure at life or to ridicule me, but it hasn’t happened, yet.
” I set the books on the counter and rest my hands on the wood.
“Am I wrong for worrying that something bad is going to happen?”
She leans over the counter, and I reluctantly divert my eyes from her chest. “Given your history, it makes sense that you’re still anxious about it.” She reaches out to rest her hand on mine. “Your feelings are valid.”
Moistures pools in my eyes, and I blink a few times. “Thank you,” I croak out. “We should change the subject. It’s illegal to be sad in a bookstore.”
She presses her lips together and tilts her head from side to side like she’s pondering the thought. “You’d be surprised.” Her nose scrunches and I want to kiss away the frustration. “If one doesn’t have enough money to buy books, then one is sad in a bookstore. I’ve seen it happen.”
I study her. “Really?”
She nods, and a radiant smile spreads across her face.
“But then the customer gets happy because I direct them to the library. Many people don’t realize that any Maryland resident can get a library card from any library, even if they don’t live in the county or jurisdiction.
” All too suddenly, that smile dies on her face and she frowns.
“What am I going to do if the library closes? I won’t be able to send people up the hill anymore. ”
Within two steps, I’m at her side. My hands grip her upper arms, and my finger pads caress her soft skin.
“Hey Charlotte,” I murmur. “Look at me.” She doesn’t, and her shoulders start to heave.
Droplets form on her eyelashes, and I know that I’m losing her to a wave of sadness and potential defeat.
I envelope her in my arms and tuck her head under my chin, whispering soft words of comfort as the waterworks fall.
We stand there for several minutes, our bodies rocking gently back and forth.
“I know. I know,” I coo into her hair. “You’re doing everything you can. You’re doing great job. Everything will be ok.” I run my hand over her back and shoulder. “Everything will be ok.”
After a few minutes, Charlotte sniffles and takes a step back from me, but she still lingers in my arms. “Thank you,” she whimpers out. “I needed that.”
I hook my thumb under her chin and tip her face up to meet my gaze. “Hey, look at me. Everything is going to be ok. We’re doing all we can with the library, and we’re doing our best to make sure it stays open.”
“But what if we fail? What if it closes? I can’t afford to lose my store too.”
My fingers graze against the skin of her jaw. “Then we’ll adapt and figure things out.”
“But my business? My dad’s legacy?” Her gaze travels from my face to the walls of the store.
“It’s all I have. I mean, yeah, I have Thelma, but she’s not very helpful, and I’ve got Nicole, but she’s always busy with her own work.
I don’t have a backup plan. This isn’t just my job.
” She heaves in a gulp of air. “This is my life.”
My hand drifts from her chin to her cheek, and I wipe away a track of tears. “You have me now. We’ll figure it out.”
She sniffles again before wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling herself close. “Thank you,” she whispers into my chest. She breathes heavily a few more times before she steps out of my embrace. “Thank you for being there for me. You’re a really great—”
She’s cut off by the bell above the door twinkling, and a group of elderly ladies walk in. Panic sets in on Charlotte’s face, and she quickly tries to dry her tears. Her face is red and splotchy, giving away the fact that she was crying just a few minutes ago.
“Go,” I say, pushing her toward the office. “I’ll take care of them.”
She whirls. “What if they want to buy something? You don’t know how to handle the register.”
“Text me, and I’ll figure it out.”
“But there’s people?” she pleads, her gaze darting to them.
“Go,” I insist, a little more firmly this time. I shoo her off. “I’ve got them.”
She nods with wide eyes and disappears into the office. I watch her go before my attention redirects to the ladies, who are browsing the shelves and talking among themselves.
There’s a part of me that’s questioning why I’m volunteering to put myself in an uncomfortable situation. I not only have to talk to people, but I have to sell books to people. My stomach somersaults as I picture myself trying to put on a salesperson persona.
But Charlotte needs me. She’s depending on me.
“Let me know if I can help you with anything ladies,” I say cheerfully and offer a grin while internally churning bile. My phone vibrates multiple times in my pocket, and I check it to see a string of texts from Charlotte regarding the register. I repeat the instructions in my head several times.
Select New Sale. Ask name for rewards info. Scan the items. Select Payment method.
Seems simple enough.
I can do this.
After a few minutes, the ladies bring their books to the register. Charlotte reappears as I’m ringing the customers up. She watches me through the transaction but doesn’t interfere. Her cheeks are still red, and her eyes are still a little watery, but she doesn’t look like she’s been crying.
“Nice job,” she says when they leave, swinging their bags of books as the doors close behind them. She steps up to me, holding her elbows. “Thank you. For everything.”
I bring my hands up to her arms, letting my fingers glide along her skin. “Of course. How are you feeling now?”
Her mouth parts, and she sucks in air before letting it out in a raspy sigh. “Still nervous, but better.” She presses her lips in a thin line. “Did you mean what you said? That I have you, and then we can handle things together?”
I nod. “If that’s ok. I’ve got one more week of school, and you’ve got me full time the rest of the summer.” Chewing on my lower lip, I continue, “Regardless of what happens with the library, I want to be here this summer.”
Her eyes dart about my face for a minute as she studies me. Is she questioning whether she wants me here beyond the summer? Is she wondering if the feelings or emotions in my words are genuine?
This can’t be love yet.
The logical part of my brain is telling me it’s too soon for those powerful and overwhelming feelings.
But I feel something in my gut yanking me toward Charlotte.
I’m drawn to her passion and drive, and it’s invigorating being around her when she’s acting on those motivations, like with the library.
It’s like she makes me want to be braver and not just go along with life and accept things as they come along.
Or maybe this is love?
Swallowing hard, I add with a lowered voice that I hope conveys some of my emotions, “I want to be here with you.”
“As my boyfriend?” She asks with a raised eyebrow. “Or do you want to work here too? I was thinking about hiring someone for the summer.”
Something bold brews inside of me. “Does Sunflower Books have an HR policy against dating coworkers?”
“As the sole proprietor of this company,” Charlotte murmurs, “I am HR.”
A wicked grin spreads across my face. “So, I can be your boyfriend?”
“Yes,” she whispers. My hand travels from her arm to the back of her neck, where my fingers play with the strands of hair. She takes a little gasping breath, and I notice her throat working. “But if you work for me, I’ll will pay you.”
“I accept payment in books and coffee.” I add quickly, “And kisses.”
“Oh really?” She inquires with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh yes.” Channeling that courage from her, I claim her mouth with mine.
She lets out a little gasp and leans into me, pressing those beautiful tits right into my chest. She tastes like black tea and vanilla from the London Fog I brought her, with a hint of salt from the tears that streamed down her face earlier.
Warmth radiates throughout my body and my heart races.
Blood pools right into my groin, and I bite back a groan.
If I was a braver man, I’d place her on the counter and step in between her thighs and let her know exactly what I’d prefer.
The bell twinkles, and I jump back from her, my blood still thick and hot with desire.
She flashes me one glance, one heavy-lidded glance, filled with need and lust that vanishes once she makes eye contact with the arriving customer, a young family with small children. “We’ll finish that later,” she murmurs before greeting them.
Adjusting my pants to hide the erection, I pick up the order sheets, plaster on a family friendly smile, and resume pulling orders.