Page 75 of Sinful Hearts

Sayinghusbandsounds too … weird.

She doesn’t look at Emilio in fear. The way she bites into her pierced lip says she’d consider scribbling her number on his receipt before he left.

My body relaxes at the smell of a lit vanilla candle, coffee, and fresh book pages wafting through the air.Heaven.

Emilio steps to my side, slipping his hands into his pockets, and scans our surroundings as if looking for an enemy.

As we walk side by side toward the counter that acts as both the barista bar and checkout area, the height difference between us screams. He’s almost as tall as the bookshelves.

A bookshelf I’d love to climb and?—

I shake my head, trying to rid myself of lustful Emilio thoughts.

“Caramel macchiato,” I say, ordering my usual.

“Extra vanilla and soy milk,” Delaney adds.

I give her a thumbs-up before peering back at Emilio, raising a brow—a silent ask if he wants something. As soon as he steps in front of Delaney, her cheeks warm, and it takes her a few seconds to find the buttons on the screen.

“Coffee,” he says. “Black.”

I stick out my tongue, making a very immature, grossed-out face.

Emilio pays, and I smile at the generous tip he leaves.

Takes me to a bookstoreanda good tipper?

Don’t threaten me with a good time, devil husband.

Delaney makes Emilio’s drink first since it’s clearly the most complicated. She slides it across the counter to him, but he doesn’t touch it. It just sits there, as if he’s waiting for mine to be ready as well.

I shuffle away from the counter and pretend to browse the shelves. Delaney’s curious stares are making me too antsy.

Emilio follows closely, like an unwanted shadow.

“I didn’t know you were a romance reader,” I say jokingly, needing some kind of conversation. “What’s your favorite genre?”

He says nothing.

I turn the corner, running my fingers along the spines. “If you say Mafia romance, I’m callingcliché.”

His face is unreadable, but somehow, I know he’s listening to my every word.

“Small town?” I tease. “Cowboy?” I pause, dramatically gasping and snapping my fingers. “I know. You’re a why-choose reader.”

He raises his brow.

Finally, a reaction.

“The fuck is that?” he asks.

I stop to slightly face him. “It’s a love triangle where the heroine getsallthe guys.” I grin from ear to ear. “I’ve always dreamed that’s my future. Just little ole me and all the men.” I spin on my heel and walk away, not bothering to wait for his reaction to my taunting.

The moment I turn the corner, out of Delaney’s sight, Emilio crowds me. He wraps his hand around the back of my neck in a tight and possessive hold. I yelp as he yanks me back, pulling me flush against his chest.

His lip brushes my ear as he holds me in place. “I don’t share.”

I should pull away, fight him, and even scream, but I don’t. “How can you hate something you’ve never tried?” I mutter, my voice raspy.