Page 74 of Rebel Secrets
I straightened as our gazes met and held, and heat spread through my body with sizzling flashes.That heat remained, even when he looked away, his attention focused on Krista, who continued to chatter.She held onto his hand as she skipped beside him, and his expression… The man actually grinned.
I’d only ever seen him give that smile to Krista.I might have been a little jealous.But I certainly couldn’t stay jealous at an eight-year-old.Especially not one as adorable as Krista.
“Miss Erin!Miss Erin!”She broke free from Rebel and ran to the desk.“Uncle Rebel said we’re gonna look at all the books.”
“Hi, Krista.That sounds like fun.We just got a whole lot of books, and they’re all on the shelves in the Book Forest.I think Miss Abby is back there now, and she can show you where all the new ones are.”
Krista’s smile could light the entire town.“Come on, Uncle Rowdy.”
“I’ll be right there, Krista.Just gotta talk to Miss Erin for a minute.”
Behind me, I heard Abby say, “Krista?Come back and join us for a story.We’re just starting.”
I’d actually forgotten there were other children in the store.I’d been working on inventory for the past two hours.It normally wouldn’t take that long but I kept getting distracted.I had bread in the ovens for tomorrow and had to keep an eye on that, and the store was busy.
We offered children ninety minutes of fully supervised activities every last Thursday of the month so parents could get something to eat at one of the local restaurants or do a little shopping of their own at the other stores on Main Street.We hired a couple of local teenagers to help Abby, and so far, it’d been a huge draw.It was one of our biggest nights outside of book clubs.I was actually thinking about opening the café for a few hours on those nights, but then I’d have to hire more people and just thinking about that made me twitch.
“Go ahead.”Rebel smiled at Krista.“I’ll be right here.”
“Okay, bye!”
Rebel watched her take off at a run through the store before she disappeared into the entrance to the children’s section, his smile widening as he watched.
Then he turned to me and that smile became something else as he walked forward and leaned on the counter.
I took a deep breath.“Krista looks?—”
“You haven’t answered my texts.”
Okay, guess we were going to jump right in.
I looked around to see if anyone had heard him, but there was no one in the vicinity.I wondered if he’d be able to catch me if I made a run for it.Which was stupid.It was my store.And I couldn’t stop staring at the man.
His beard was trimmed, his hair perfect.He wore a short-sleeve henley with two buttons undone that perfectly molded to his upper body and khaki shorts that I’m sure made his ass look great.And I would totally be looking at that when he turned around.
But right now, he watched me intently, looking like every suburban mom’s dream son-in-law candidate.But then he always looked like he put in a little effort to look good.And he really,reallydid.
I breathed deep and released it on a sigh.I could stare at the man all day.But then my brain started to throw out images of when he didn’t look so put together.When he’d looked a little rumpled and…gloriously naked.
“I’ve been busy?”
Why did I make that sound like a question?Ugh, I was ridiculous.
He nodded.“Makes me think you don’t want to talk to me.And we need to talk.”
I knew that.At least, rationally, I knew we needed to discuss what had happened like two adults.However, there was another part of me who wanted him to just show up at my door one night, walk into my home and throw me on the couch and ravage me.
I’d never been ravaged.I mean, like, full banging up against doors and pushing things off tables and making the headboard bounce off the wall.I’d never thought I wanted that.Sex with my fiancé had been nice.And yeah, I know how that sounds.And you’d be right in thinking you know exactly what I mean.I did mean exactly that.
Sex with Rebel had not been nice.
It’d been amazing.
“Maybe I don’t want to talk.”
His jaw tightened, and he was probably biting his tongue.I couldn’t tell if he was upset that I didn’t want to talk or if he’d read my mind and knew what I wanted to do instead of talk.It’s not that I didn’t want to be with him.It’s that I didn’t want to talk while I was with him.
But I knew he couldn’t read my mind, and he probably took my words at face value, which meant we were going to have to talk.
