Page 96 of I Accidentally Summoned A Demon
The man rounded the corner, and Kat’s eyes widened. He was so beautiful he hardly seemed real—brown hair, brown eyes, rich umber skin, the picture of a model. He had nothing on Nex, but then again, no one did. Still, she couldn’t deny he was beautiful, and the flawless, white-toothed smile he gave was almost blinding.
“I’m just browsing.” He approached the counter and drummed his fingers against the top. “I arrived in town yesterday, so I’m exploring.”
“Okay.” Kat forced a smile. Something about him reminded her of Gabriel. Not the exact aura, but similar. It made her uneasy after their confrontation. “Feel free to look around. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“I won’t.” He flashed another grin, and his gaze dropped to her nametag. “Thank you, Katherine.”
Kat’s polite smile faded as he disappeared down an aisle, and she picked her book up again. Her phone buzzed, and she made sure the customer wasn’t looking
Nex: Mondays are slow. Close early, and come home to me.
Kat: I can’t. I have a customer.
Nex: Send them away, then come home. I miss you. I want to spend the night together. Just us.
Kat couldn’t contain the smile. Him missing her always made her heart flutter.
Kat: I miss you too, but be patient. I thought the boys were coming over for dinner.
Nex: I forgot about that. I’ll tell them to fuck off. I want you to myself. Fuck everyone else. You’re the only one I want to be around.
Kat bit her lip against a growing smile. She glanced up at the customer approaching and put her phone away. She nodded to the books in his hands. “You found something.”
“Indeed, I did.” He set them on the counter.
The one on top was a Bible, and Kat smiled up at him. “Is this a gift? I still have wrapping paper from Christmas.”
“Oh, no. It’s for me.”
“Are you a new believer?”
“No, no. I have been for a long time,” he said. “And you?”
“My whole life.” Kat patted the Bible resting on the counter from earlier when she was working through the Bible study questionnaire Allen handed out.
The man’s eyes darted to the leather Bible she had a hand on. Her name was engraved on the cover. He frowned and returned his gaze to her. It didn’t add up that this was the girl he was supposed to mark.
“Oh, how funny.” Kat pointed to the Oscar Wilde novel under the Bible. “I’m reading that.”
“Have you read it before?”
Kat beamed as she checked out his books. “A million times, but I don’t get tired of it. I’m a big Oscar Wilde fan.” She slid his books into a paper bag. “That’ll be twenty-five dollars and fifty-nine cents.”
He handed her cash. “You like the classics then?”
“Definitely.” Kat accepted the money and counted his change. Feeling him staring, she peered up to see not a smile on his face but a concentrated frown and intense stare. She shifted her weight, and his frown was replaced with a smile.
She passed him the change, and he took it with one hand but grabbed her wrist with the other. He turned her palm upward and examined it. Brows knitting, he ran his fingers over her skin. Kat opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
He turned her hand over and placed a kiss on her knuckles. “Thank you, Katherine.”
Kat jerked her hand back and slid the bag across the counter so she wouldn’t risk them touching again. She was working alone. “Have a good day.”
“You as well.” He made his way to the door but paused and glanced back at her. “Stay safe, Katherine.”
The door closed behind him. Kat swallowed and fiddled with the ends of her sleeves, then grabbed her phone.
Kat: Will you please walk me home? My last customer gave me the creeps, and he was a lot bigger than me.
