Page 16 of Dangerous Men

“I would if it means I have to handle all of our bookkeeping myself,” I grumble. Jade throws back her head to laugh. Out of the corner of my eye, I see someone approaching the shop counter, book in hand, but I can’t resist getting in one extra jab. “You’re immediately making me rethink attending this stupid thing. You know that, don’t you?”

“Attending what stupid thing?” a velvety voice asks.

I glance over at the customer, instantly recognizing the wide shoulders, the dark, perfectly styled hair. Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome himself.

“Hello again, Sydney,” Alec says with a smile. I shiver. I wonder if he says my name that way on purpose, in an octave just slightly lower than he says everything else. It sends heat through my veins every time I hear it.

“Good evening, Alec,” I greet him, swallowing all my naughty thoughts and giving him a work-appropriate smile. Jade saunters away after shooting me a conspicuous wink, leaving me all alone with him. “Did you find everythingokay?”

“I did,” he tells me. “But you haven’t answered my question. What event are you attending?”

“Just a charity banquet thing,” I answer, glaring at Jade’s retreating back.Traitor. I turn back to give him my least flirtatious smile. Nothing but professional. “For the Sterling Children’s Foundation. They have one every year. Have you heard of it?”

His lips twitch. “I’ve heard of it.” There’s a subtle amusement in his tone that makes me think it was a dumb question to ask him.

It probably was a dumb question. Of course he’s heard of it. I mean, just look at the man’s suit. He’s exactly the sort of person who attends charity banquets and silent auctions and… and ballroom dances, I imagine.

I bite back a sigh and hold out my hand to take his book. When he passes it to me, I can’t help but smile, any embarrassment at my social faux pas dissipating into the ether.

It’s the second book in The Prince’s Knife trilogy.

“You’ve already started it!” I laugh, noting the bookmark lodged in the pages about a quarter of the way through.

“I did,” Alec confesses, almost sheepishly, sliding his hands into his pockets. “I couldn’t resist. I hope that’s all right, to read a little before purchasing it.”

“Of course,” I assure him. I often encourage customers to read the first few chapters of a book before they buy it. I’d much rather they leave with something they will read and enjoy than end up with a book that’s just going to sit on their shelf for years gathering dust. I scan the book at the register and reach out to take his credit card. “Are you enjoying it?”

When I glance up, Alec’s face says it all. My stomach falls.

“You’re… not enjoying it,” I interpret.

His frown deepens.

“No, Iam,” he says, choosing his words carefully. “I’m just… concerned.”

“Oh?” I hand back his book with the receipt tucked inside the front cover. “Concerned about what?”

“I enjoyed the romance in the first book. Quite a bit. I liked Malachi and Phaedra’s dynamic. It was… electric.”

I nod enthusiastically. His words from before, about his favorite scene, jump into my head, and I force myself not to dwell on them.

“But…” Alec taps the new book, frowning. “Now there’s this other man.”

“Zayden,” I supply.

“Zayden,” Alec confirms, frowning at the book in his hand like it somehow offended him. “And he and Phaedra are becoming close.”

“Oh!” I laugh. “I see. You don’t want her to lose what she has with Malachi, right?” When he nods, I smile reassuringly. “Don’t worry. This is a why choose series.”

Alec stares back at me blankly.

“I have no idea what that means,” he admits.

“It means the main character can have more than one love interest without giving up any of them,” I explain. The trope has become so popular lately, I’ve had this conversation at least three times just this week. It’s a concept I’m getting good at explaining. “Why choose, as in… why choose between the two of them, when you can have both?”

Alec still looks confused, so I continue, “You are picking up on the chemistry between her and Zayden. There’s obviously romantic tension there, but that doesn’t mean she’s giving up on Malachi. They both offer her different things, right? Zayden is safe, and he makes her laugh. Malachi would burn the world down for her. She isn’t going to pick one over the other, if that’swhat you’re worried about happening. She’s going to be with both of them.”

Alec blinks slowly. There’s something unreadable in his gaze as he stares at me. Something unexpectedly dark.