Page 99 of Wild Love

Chance covered my hand with his, and my heart stuttered. "You researched the reviews for me?"

I blinked up at him. "You wanted a book recommendation. That's how I determine if a book is worth reading. The blurb, cover, reviews, and word-of-mouth recommendations."

Thankfully, he removed his hand, because my heart was racing out of control. "You take your job seriously."

"Don't you?" I shot back, knowing some men thought my job wasn't worthy of their respect. I wasn't in academia like my parents or published. I was just a librarian. I'd heard that more times than I could count.

"But there's something hot about a woman who can talk books." Chance stood then, one hand clutching the book to his side, and the other hand ran over the buttons of his shirt. What would it be like to unbutton them one by one, knowing there were still several layers to go through to get to his sculpted chest and chiseled abs? He'd taken his shirt off enough over the years when I was at his house with his sister, Scarlett, that the image was embedded in my brain.

My eyes narrowed on him. "Are you messing with me right now?"

Chance barked out an amused laugh. "Not at all." Then he sobered. "Why? Did someone say something to you?"

"Some of the guys I've dated recently haven't looked too favorably at my job choice."

"They're obviously idiots."

Then I remembered what he'd said about women who about talk books being attractive. "Did Shelle Taylor in high school talk about books when you were together?"

Chance scoffed. "Wow. I haven't heard her name in forever."

"She's married with three kids and lives right here in town." She was the quintessential popular girl in Chance's grade. She was tall and blond, all the boys wanted her, and Chance had dated her all through high school.

"Yeah, but—I haven't thought about her since we broke up. She didn't want to date a police officer. She wanted someone with an office job. Not that I was interested in anything long-term with her. But thinking back on her… No, she didn't like to read. I've only recently gotten into it."

I stood, gathering my things because the library was set to close in a few minutes. "So you've said."

"You don't believe me?"

"I believe you." I carefully stacked the books I wanted to bring home tonight.

Chance glanced at the cover of the book on top. "You're reading children's books?"

"It's for the Battle of the Books competition. I read the books and create practice questions."

Chance smiled. "That's a great program."

"You know about it?" I asked him.

"We organize security for it, and I've spent some time there myself."

I settled the strap of my bag on my shoulder and picked up the books. When I came around the edge of the counter, Chance met me with his hands held out. "I'll get those for you."

"You don't need to do that," I said, a little flustered that he wanted to carry them for me. I loved men who were chivalrous but only read about them in books. No guys I'd dated held doors open or even paid for the entire check. They all expected me to pay half. Not that I wouldn't offer, but I wanted a man to take care of me in that way even if I had money in the bank. Manners were sexy.

"I'm not going to let you carry ten books to your car."

It was sweet that he'd offered, but I routinely hauled books back and forth between my house and the library. It wasn't like he could be here every day to lighten my load. What would it be like if we were dating? Would he stop by every night at close to walk me to my car?

"Are you alone here?" he asked as we walked past the general circulation desk.

"I'm usually the last one to leave." I was the only employee, it seemed, who didn't have a family to rush home to. So I was given the night and weekend shifts. I didn't have an excuse not to work them.

"Do the others lock the door when they leave?" He gestured to the circulation desk.

"I do that when I walk out."

Chance frowned. "But it's after closing."

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