Page 18 of Three Pucks and a Baby

When I started to jerk away, I couldn’t. My brows furrowed as I whipped my gaze from his to where I was stuck. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, I found I was somehow stuck to him.

For the first time, I realized it wasn’t just his hard body I’d run up against. The strings of the guitar strapped to him had somehow gotten tangled up in the material of my dress.

Motioning to our entanglement, I said, “Oh, no! I’m so sorry.”

With a wink, he replied, “Don’t be. It ain’t every day I get entangled with a lovely lady.”

His compliment once again sent a warm rush to my cheeks. “T-Thank you,” I stammered like a teenage girl. Jesus, Viv, would you get it together and act like the mature woman you are?

As I started trying to untangle the snared fabric, I grimaced. “I’m afraid I’m going to hurt your guitar.”

“And here I was worryin’ that I was gonna mess up that pretty dress of yours.”

When I jerked my gaze back to his, he winked. Shaking my head, I replied, “My dress is the last thing you should be thinking of. I mean, I’m pretty sure you paid more for your guitar than I did for it.”

“What kind of gentleman would I be if I ruined your outfit?”

“Probably like a lot of men I’ve had the misfortune of being associated with,” I admitted. Wait, did I actually just say that in front of a stranger? My mouth was seriously running away with me today.

To my surprise, the smile slid from his face. “A beautiful lady like you shouldn’t surround herself with so many assholes.”

“Tell me about it,” I mused as I continued fiddling with the material.

When the fabric finally gave way, I exhaled in relief. “Once again, my apologies.”

“And I’ll once again tell you that I don’t need your apologies. I’m as much to blame as you are since I wasn’t payin’ attention.”

“You might think twice about that after you check your guitar.”

He tilted the guitar on its side. After examining it for a minute, he swiped his fingers down it. “Sounds good to me.”

After exhaling a relieved breath, I said, “I’m so glad.”

“Me too.”

“Well, have a good night.” As I started to turn and walk away, he stopped me. “Wait a minute. Do you go to Southeastern?”

Narrowing my eyes at him, I couldn’t help asking, “You can’t be serious.”

His brows creased. “I am. Why?”

When I realized he wasn’t shooting me a line, a nervous laugh bubbled from my lips. “I’m sorry. I thought you were teasing me.”

“Why?”

“I do go there, but not as a student. I’m one of the librarians.”

He snapped his fingers. “That’s it.”

“Somehow I can’t imagine a guy with a guitar spending much time in the library,” I teased.

He flashed those pearly whites at me again. “I’m very studious.”

“A man of many talents.”

Puffing his chest out, he replied, “I like to think so.”

Just as I extended my hand, a guy barreled down the narrow hallway. “Dude, where the hell have you been? We’ve been looking all over for you.”

---