Page 6

I was having trouble keeping my mind on running the store. I could feel Garrett’s eyes on me the entire time. No matter where I was or who I was talking to my body felt heated and when I’d glance over, he was looking.

There was no way a man that looked like that was attracted to me. I must have something on my face.

Sara would kick my ass if she heard me thinking about myself that way .

I chuckled out loud as I restocked the tea bags on the snack table.

I still couldn’t believe that G. Barlowe was a man. All this time I’d been thinking I was spilling secrets to a woman friend I'd met online. Serves me right to be that blindly trusting. I had an unfortunate history of doing that.

“Excuse me, ma’am?”

Spinning around with a smile, it quickly dropped off my face at the sight before me.

Seth.

Seth was a man who lived within a couple of blocks of LoveLorn Books and we’d had issues. He had been almost stalkeresque with me. I hadn’t had to file a police report or anything, but he kept crossing the smaller lines and boundaries.

“Hello, Seth.” I answered curtly, trying to deflect from any further conversation, moving past him.

“Wait. I wanted to ask you something,” he insisted, following right behind like a puppy dog.

“Walk and keep up then. I have a store full of people and I’m the only one working today.”

“I wanted to see if you’d want to go out tonight?” he asked.

Seth was a man of average height, although still taller than me. About five-foot-eleven and more a jock type. The kind of guy that hadn’t grown out of his glory days in high school. He’d peaked as the star quarterback and never went anywhere afterwards.

“Seth. We’ve talked about this. You and I have nothing in common. I’m not interested in you that way. You don’t even read books. There’s no reason for you to even be here today.”

“You don’t have to be such a bitch,” he said to me, “I thought we were becoming friends.”

“Seth. Seriously. You ruined any chances of friendship when you started randomly sending me nudes without my permission, or insinuation I even wanted them.” I blew out a breath exasperated as I turned and looked at him.

His face was flushed red as he glared at me.

“You just think you’re too good for me because you read and shit.” he said, growing louder now.

Glancing around the store at the attention he was attracting, I spoke tersely.

“Listen. I’m not getting into this with you today. I don’t owe you my time or an explanation. I’ve made my feelings clear. If you keep texting or coming by I’m going to get the police involved.”

He moved before I could react, grabbing my arm painfully.

“Listen, you stuck up cunt…”

“I’d think about what you’re saying really thoroughly before continuing.”

A voice like ice spoke from behind me and I glanced up over my shoulder meeting Garret’s green eyes. They’d been so welcoming when I’d come to the door and all day long, but now they looked dark enough to be fathomless pools of anger. His jaw was clenched beneath his trimmed beard and there was a predatory stance to his body frame.

“Or what, asshole?” spoke the smaller man, still not letting me go, and obviously not taking a hint.

Garrett stepped closer, coming around my side to glower down at him.

“Or I'll have to educate you. Remove your hand. Now.”

Seth scoffed again, sneering up at him.

Apparently the man had a death wish .

Everyone in the store was watching now. How utterly embarrassing and bad for business?

“Okay, gentlemen,” I try to intervene, “Seth, you’re not welcome here. You need to get your hands off me and leave or I will call the police. Garrett, please go back to signing books. I’ll handle this.”

“Are you fucking this tool?”

Oh for fucks sake. Seth definitely wasn’t the brightest crayon in the box.

Garrett looked like he’d won the lottery. His eyes gleamed like Seth had just given him all the permission in the world he needed. Snapping his hand out he grabbed the stupid man by the front of the shirt. Seth’s hold immediately fell off my arm to grab at Garret's arm, in protest.

Being too fast for him, Garrett had already released the front of his shirt and grabbed him by the back of the neck pushing him in front of him and out the store door. Women turned and pressed their faces to the glass to watch it unfold with their eyes wide.

“It’s just like a book.” I heard one murmur.

I was going to die of mortification, but also…it kind of was.

Hesitantly stepping up to the window myself, I watched the tattooed, green-eyed dark hero speaking sternly down to the now quivering Seth.

Whatever he said had an effect because Seth finally began nodding abruptly, went pale, and turned, practically sprinting up the sidewalk and into the city crowd.

Several of the women stepped back and eyed me, one was fanning herself.

“You should do more book signings,” the redheaded woman spoke, “With him.” Her eyes trailed over Garrett’s form as he came back into the store still glowering and straightening his suit jacket.

“Are you okay, Waverly?” he asked, through gritted teeth, still clearly perturbed and giving me a thorough appraisal.

“Uh…yes.” I answered quickly. “Thank you.”

“You won’t be worrying about him any more,” his deep voice assured me as he reclaimed his seat behind the signing table. “Now, where were we ladies?”

Giggles erupted as I watched him, feeling like my brain had short circuited for the second time today. Had that really just happened? A total touch her and die moment right in my own bookstore. Involving me. Apparently I didn’t have to worry about it being too bad for business with the way these women were eating it up.

I should’ve known it would be okay.

Dark romance girls are a different breed.