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Between Kai’s outstretched hand and Calliope giving me thedon’t you dare say no to this hot maneyes, I know they won’t give up until I agree. Reaching out one hand I slip it into Kai’s and let him pull me to my feet, bringing our bodies inches from one another. He doesn’t step back or give me space, just gently removes the teacup from my other hand and places it on the table.

Looks like I’m playing hooky today and going into town…with Kai.

Chapter 8: Kai

I could kiss that Calliope girl for placing such a perfect opportunity to spend time with Daisy right in my lap. I won’t though. If I’m going to be kissing anyone, it’s going to be Daisy. That’s not the type of gossip I want spreading around town.

I happen to be partial to the quiet, half human, earth nymph. Imagining more and more what I’d like to do to her distractingly tempting mouth.

Today Daisy has covered herself with a long flowing forest green skirt and creamy ivory sweater, and again no adornments or jewelry. The flowers in her hair are calmer than before, remaining the same without the constant changing; a yellow daisy, white jasmine and a few small light purple blooms I don’t know.

Although her skin is concealed under the fabric, she must not be wearing much under it, because the hard points of her nipples are still visible through her sweater. I want to reach out and pinch them but restrain my impulse. She’s still too shy and timid around me. I’ll have to work on that. I want her soft and accommodating, pliant and accepting of my touch and affections when I reach for her. I don’t want her shying away from me, I want her reaching for me as much as I do her.

The thought of having her under me and yearning for me has my zipper tightening against my groin. I don’t readjust myself; I don’t care if she or anyone else sees the evidence of my arousal. As long as Daisy knows it’s because of her.

We walk into town, and I make sure to keep close to Daisy, brushing my arm against hers every chance I get. When we cross the street, I make sure to place a hand low on her back to direct her, and take any opportunity given to touch her. By the time we reachTall Tail Books, I feel like our walk has been a strange form of foreplay and my cock is ready to go for the main event.

I ignore it, no matter how hard that may be. I’m trying to woo Daisy and convince anyone who sees us that we’re an item, not seduce her for a quick fuck. Although fucking is not off the menu. I will gladly fuck Daisy in any way she wants me to, but not until she wants it. I may be a borderline sex addict, but I never sleep with a female who doesn’t agree to it first.

A bell jingles overhead as we enter the bookstore. Glossy wooden shelves line every available space, packed to the brim and filling the small store to bursting. Meres and their collections. They always get obsessed once they’ve discovered their treasure of choice. It’s obvious this is a mere owned establishment, and whoever they are, they have a massive thing for the written word.

Elegantly hand painted wooden signs hang from chains, labeling the isles genre. Fiction, non-fiction, history, cooking, children’s, science, young adult, religion, and romance. The light inside is dim, spines of books illuminated from vintage sconces and fixtures. A few golden rays slip in through the two front windows, most of which are blocked by gauzy curtains. The place smells of paper, ink, and celibacy.

Daisy smiles shyly at the mere with shimmering kelp green scales working behind the counter, a young male who looks us each over with a welcoming smile. For once I don’t smile in return. My usually friendly demeanor faltering as I watch the male check out Daisy’s backside as she walks by. When he looks to me, I give him a narrowed eye glare telling him that yes, I did see him checking her out and no, I do not approve.

Moving in closer to Daisy, I place a possessive hand on her hip that I convince myself is just because I’m trying to sell the image of us together, not because I want to slip a finger under the short hem of her sweater and feel her soft skin beneath. It’s all for show. It’s all so the gossip does what it’s supposed to and gets back to my mother, solidifying my ruse. The way my body reacts to her nearness and the soft inhale my touch elicits has nothing to do with it. Not. At. All.

“What kind of book are you looking for, Blossom?”

Daisy shrugs an indifferent shoulder, but I don’t believe it. “I don’t know, just something new.”

“Well, I have no idea what’s new, so you’ll just have to tell me if my picks are ones you’ve already read.”

Daisy nods. She doesn’t like to talk much when other people are around I notice, because yesterday she was very chatty with me when we were alone. So, in an attempt to get her talking, I pull a book off the shelf as we pass, holding it out for her inspection.

“How about this one? It looks interesting.” I have no idea what book I picked, but she turns to look at it and the corner of her lips pulls in a smirk.

“If I were curious about the history of the US quarter, I’m sure it would be riveting.”

I look at the book in my hand and realize I pulled some sort of history of US currency book. I snicker at myself. “Okay, maybe not that one.”

For the next book I pay a little more attention to my choice. “Here, you can read about homesteading. Seems like something up your alley.”

She gives me a lopsided grin and cocks her head at me playfully.There’s the Daisy I remember from yesterday.

“I don’t need to read about it, I already know how.”

“Of course you do, because you’re the amazing Daisy ofDaisy’s Gardens.”

“I wouldn’t call myselfamazing,” she says, with such a quiet disbelief that it tears up my insides to know she doesn’t believe she’s amazing. Whoever told her such nonsense deserves to have their ears clipped and nose broken.

“I would.”

Daisy looks up at me through thick lashes and that self-deprecating tone I heard vanishes with her appreciative eyes and ruddy rosy blush.

“Thanks,” she practically whispers as we round a shelf and find ourselves in the romance section.

“Now this is my type of genre. Which one do you think has all the naughty stuff in it? Do they have picture books? I’m a visual learner.”