Page 73 of Accidental Blind Date

Chapter 25

Libby

“Can I help you?” I ask without turning around. Meanwhile I am trying not to smirk. Trying not to get hot. Trying not to just spin around and kiss the man right in the middle of my store during the busiest time of day.

“Yeah, I uh, do you have any books about…medical conditions?” Dax asks from behind me. I am trying to rearrange the YA section because it has to be fresh at all times, a hard thing to do for an age group whose own definition of cool changes on a weekly basis. Dax is…not working…and making it hard for me to do so.

My mouth twists into a smile but I still don’t turn around. “What kind of…medical…condition?”

“Hmm. I don’t know, it’s like…” he sucks the air between his teeth. “Heart palpitations? And racing pulse. And this hot…like radiating…throbbing feeling in my–”

I spin around and cover his mouth with my hand before giggling and whispering, “You have to stop.”

Dax pulls my hand down but doesn’t let go of it. “See, that's going to be a problem. Because from what I’ve looked up, WebMD you know, it sounds like the only way to cure me of mycondition is…” he leans in, his mouth close enough to mine to kiss me and lowers his voice. “To rail you.”

A laugh that is a couple octaves too high bursts out of my throat. “You are ridiculous.”

Dax pulls me against him. “Am I though?”

“Yeah,” I nod.

“Wanting you is ridiculous?”

“Trying to get me to have sex with you while I am at work is.”

“Hmm. How about a kiss? That might at least suffice as a bandaid.”

I bite my lips, nodding. “And if it doesn’t work?” I ask.

“Then,” he kisses me. “We try it,” he kisses me. “Again,” another kiss. “And again,” and another. It goes on until we are pretty much making out in the YA section like a bunch of lovestruck puppies.

It isn’t until we both hear Summer clear her voice (more than once because we are rather distracted) that we pull apart.

She pretends to be organizing a couple books before saying, “Sorry to interrupt, but–”

Before she can say anything else we realize why she is in fact interrupting us.

Oh shit. My brother.

Chapter 26

Dax

“Dax!” Kai’s voice fills the shop as the door clamours and we jump apart fast. I drop down to quote-unquote organize the books on the bottom shelf and Dax walks out.

“Hey bud, what’s up?”

“What’s up is I have an idea for the cash wrap. Because we are going to need to rip this whole center thing out. It’s in the middle of the store which leaves no room for a line to form. And I can guarantee you that once we are Hemingway, there’s going to be a line. Am I right?”

“Right,” I hear Dax agree though it sounds half hearted, at least from where I am standing, or, sitting. I grit my teeth and tuck my hair behind my ears before standing up.

“You do know,” I say with a forced smile, “That this center desk here was made by–”

“Oh my god, Libby,” Kai lets out a frustrated laugh. “We can’t keep everything dad made just because dad made it. It’s not macaroni art.”

“No, you’re right, it isn’t. It’s more than that.”

“Jesus,” he says, still smiling bitterly. “Okay you know what? I can’t believe I have to do this. This isn’t and shouldn’t be asibling rivalry conversation, yet here we are. Dax, please be the third vote and tell my sister here how things need to go.”