Page 34 of The Overdue Kiss

When she doesn’t respond, I spot the earbuds in her ears. She chuckles at something as she works, pulling books from the shelf and snapping photos of the back covers. Some books she re-shelves and others she tosses in the box beside her. She’s so completely engrossed that I worry I might startle her if I come barreling up.

“Maya?” I say a little louder this time.

Oblivious, she keeps gathering books, and a soft smile pulls up the corner of her mouth, stretching her full lips. It’s a small movement, but it lights her up from within. I lean a shoulder on the bookcase, admiring how lovely she is. The need to touch her, to trace the outline of her face, and to pull her close has my fingers twitching from want. I know I’m staring, but I can’t tear my eyes away even if I try. My brain is refueling on her image, soaking in all the details.

How can she think she is anything but stunning? Curse Felipe and all the emotional baggage he dropped in her lap. I can’t believe he brought up her weight.Please!Her curves only add to the allure.

Is this why God brought her here to me? So I can show her the truth?

“You’re beautiful,” I whisper, wishing she thought so too.

Of course this she hears.

Her spine stiffens, and she glances left and right before twisting around to check behind her.

I perform some ninja reflex and tuck-and-roll into the adjacent aisle, landing on my rear and earning myself a rug burn on my elbow for my efforts. Panting, I wait on the floor for her to call out or investigate the noise, but the sound of her digging through the box returns. I slump into the bookshelf behind me with a relieved sigh.

Then the realization of my actions hits me.

Why did I do that?I could have just been normal and said hi. Now this will be weird if she finds me hiding on the other side.

Okay. Let’s regroup.

If I sneak back to the staircase and act like I just walked up, she won’t realize that I was checking her out then ran away. I shift to my knees, preparing to army-crawl out of here and save my dignity.

At that exact moment, Maya pulls a book from the shelf, leaving a big enough opening that our eyes meet. The decibel her scream reaches is equivalent to knives in my skull. As fast as I can, I bolt around to her side, waving my arms at her.

“Maya, it’s just me.”

“Des! Oh my freaking goodness. My heart stopped. I thought you were a ghost.” She flops onto the pile of books surrounding her, her curly hair fanning out around her. “I think you nearly killed me.”

“I’m so sorry. I came in and tried to get your attention, but you didn’t seem to hear me.”

“I’m listening to an audiobook while I work.” She lifts a hand to explain and drops it back to the floor. “Besides scaring a year from my life, what are you doing here?”

“Ms. Santos?” Mr. Sherman bellows, his voice cracking. The wood protests as he rushes up the stairs. “Is everything all right?”

Maya scrambles to her feet, her face flushed. “Yes, I’m so sorry to have frightened you.”

He presses his hand to his heart when he sees her alive and well. “You gave my ticker a jumpstart.”

“It’s my fault,” I admit. “She didn’t hear me and I startled her.”

“No, it’s my fault. I’m listening to a gothic romance. My nerves were already strung tight before I saw him through the stacks.”

Mr. Sherman cuts the air with a hand. “I don’t care whose fault it is. Remember this is a library, and there is a level of decorum, as you know, Ms. Santos. I do not tolerate these types of shenanigans, especially from adults. Do I make myself perfectly clear?”

“Yes, Mr. Sherman,” we say in unison.

The old man huffs and pulls on his suspenders before giving us one last glare like we’re misbehaving children. He clomps noisily down the stairs, muttering under his breath.

I peek at Maya from the corner of my eye, unsure how she is handling the “scolding.” Her shoulders are shaking, her fingers pressed over her lips.

“You okay?”

She turns to me, her brown eyes twinkling as she laughs behind her hand. “I think we might lose our library card if we don’t behave.”

“I didn’t even know I had one to lose.”

---