Page 9 of Unlocking my Boss's Heart

He smiled fully then, and it was utterly dazzling. The swarm of butterflies increased in my stomach, I found myself holding the book tighter to my chest for grounding.

“Well, aren’t we well-read?” he teased.

I relaxed a bit, pleasantly surprised that I could converse with someone so easily on my first day here. From my earlier experience, I’d thought it would be difficult to get to know people. Not that I would ever see him again.

“So, what’s your—"

“Please, bring your purchases to the front. The store is now closing.”

The high-pitched teenage voice rang across the bookstore again, interrupting my question.

Was it too bold of me to want to ask his name?

We both moved at the same time and bumped into each other again. I laughed nervously, stepping aside.

“Excuse me,” he said.

“Sorry.” I flushed.

When I looked up, I mused about what it might be like for him to lean down and kiss me, his face just inches from mine as it was. Embarrassed, I looked past him down the aisle.

“Ladies first,” he said gallantly, waving me past while making as much room as the narrow aisle between the bookshelves would allow. My shoulder brushed his chest still. “Well, enjoy that book,” he said.

“Thanks, you, too,” I said.

I could kill myself.

You, too?

I made a beeline for the checkout before I could make an even bigger fool of myself.

My book pressed to my chest, I realized my heart was beating faster than usual, and my skin felt flushed. I refused to look around the store as I set my book down on the counter, and the girl rang me up. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and I sensed he was looking at me. But I refused to turn, wishing the ground would swallow me.

“Just this book, miss?” the girl at the register asked.

“Yes, that’s all.”

The doorbell chimed, I didn’t look, but knew the man left. A wave of disappointment washed over me, my heart sank as I realized he had gone out of my life. I wasn’t usually the swooning type, but something about the man made me do just that.

After the cashier packed the book, I headed out too, glancing around the street as I exited. But it seemed the man had disappeared.

It was growing darker by the second, the sky already touched with the dark hues of sunset. I needed to get home as soon as possible. I couldn’t help the thought that popped into my head, however, as I started back the way I came. Maybe if I returned to the bookstore tomorrow around the same time, I would see him there again.

Chapter three

Anton

“She didwhat?” Johan, my younger brother, asked over the phone, clearly amused.

“Reeva brought her stuff into my apartment and announced she was moving in,” I repeated, earning a full-blown laugh from Johan.

“You’ve got to hand it to her—she’s got guts. She’s not afraid to go after what she wants.”

“Well, what she wants is to become a Waltons, and that’s never going to happen. Unless you’re volunteering?”

“Not a chance. We should warn Benjamin about her too,” Johan added, referring to our youngest brother. “I did warn you about her when you started dating.”

“Yeah, but she played the part well, made it seem like we were on the same page. And with Mother determined to marry me off, it was a solution to that at the time. I don’t get why she doesn’t focus on you for a change. I’m a lost cause.” I sighed,the exhaustion from last night's restless sleep weighing on me. A clear sign I needed more coffee.

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