Page 7 of Claimed and Catalogued
I’m pretty sure the comment is playful. She seems like the sarcastic type.
“She’s—” I start, then stop, because it’s socially inappropriate for a man my age to start drooling over someone I’m clearly so much older than. “She’s great. I’d love to take her out.”
“Great!” the redhead says. “Tonight, you’ll take her out, get to know her a little, then tomorrow you can attend her sister’s wedding. It’s a Christmas themed thing, so maybe,” she scansover me, “you can find something a little less revealing at the shop on Main. There are lots of big guys around here, so you shouldn’t have trouble.”
“A wedding? No one said anything about a wedding.” I shake my head. “I’m not good at the family stuff.”
She raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “You just show up, smile, look all big and handsome, all while not letting anyone shit on my friend. Her mother is awful, and her sister isn’t much better. And you met Evie, she’s nice to a fault. The girl would let a T-Rex lick her arm if she thought he was low on sodium.”
I don’t get a response in before I hear Evie’s voice behind me. “What are you torturing him with, Tess?”
“Torture? A man this big… he can take it.” Tess laughs as Evie steps in beside her. Soft voice, wide eyes, sleeves of her sweater pulled down over her hands like she’s trying to disappear.
“I like the reindeer sweater.” I scan her over then nod down toward my outfit. “Kind of goes with the theme. Is this how we should dress for the wedding? Tess said it was—”
“Tess what?” Evie drags her gaze toward her friend as though she’s angry. “Tess promised me she wouldn’t do that.”
“No,” Tess grins, “Tess promised you she most certainly would. You misunderstood. Besides, I saw the way you looked at me when that hot blonde started bidding. I thought you’d tear my face off if I didn’t bid higher.”
Evie’s eyes narrow, her voice sharp with mock outrage as she says, “Tess!”
Tess shrugs, completely unbothered. “What? You gave me the ‘if you don’t fix this, I will’look.”
“I did not.” Evie’s cheeks flush. “That wasn’t a look.”
I chuckle under my breath. “Okay girls. No need to fight. I’ve been won.”
That must not have been the right thing to say because both women glare toward me like I just interrupted a sacred ritual.
I raise my hands. “Just saying, auction’s over. I’m officially property.”
Evie rolls her eyes, but there’s a flicker of a smile tugging at her lips. “You’re not property.”
Tess snorts. “Please. I paid a thousand bucks.He’s property.Now let him carry your stuff and fix all your problems. I love you. Merry Christmas.”
I glance between them, then settle on Evie. “I’ll carry your purse, but I need to change first, unless… you want me out and about like this.”
She glares down and I watch where her gaze lands before she blushes and turns away. “No, it’s okay. You should change.”
“Great. I’ll be right back.” I’ve only half turned away when the bell over the front door is ringing and a man steps in.
My chest tightens as I catch a glimpse of him out of the corner of my eye. Short brown hair, shadowed beard, and a tall, lanky build.He’s the guy from the bounty I’ve been hunting. The guy I’ve been tracking for weeks.
This guy skipped bail on an assault charge. He’s got priors too. Not sure what the fuck he’s doing in a small-town bookstore, but this works out well for me. Two birds one stone, though I’d have to drag him in now which would mean missing the date with Evie.
Fuck.
He scans the shelves casually, like he didn’t put a guy in the hospital six months ago. I hate scum like this. The kind that smile and act like they aren’t the fucking problem.
“Cole?” Evie’s voice is soft and sweet, and her gaze is pointed in the direction of the man in question.
My stomach drops as he wanders toward her, arms open wide for a hug.
“Baby sister.” He grins wide. “Just the person I needed to see.”
No fucking way. Baby sister?
She rushes toward him, arms out to receive his hug, and I feel the ground shift under my boots.
