by Jami Wagner
“Are there any specific ones you’d like to take charge of, or would you rather I run them all and you can be there to help? I’ve already scheduled them to work out perfectly and I know exactly how each one should go. We can look them over and you can tell me which ones you feel most comfortable with.” I stop to take a breath. I’m beginning to ramble and I’m not sure if he caught a single word of anything I just said.
“Whoa there,” he says, holding his hand up. “Slow down. This might be my first time assisting to host a few events, but I wouldn’t mind taking over some of them for you. It sounds like you could use the help and I’d love to be the one to help you. I think what you have planned is great. More libraries should do things like this to bring people together.” He gaze falls on mine and immediately I blush. How sweet of him. After a moment, his smile returns. “Which events would you like me to take?” He tosses the pamphlet onto my desk and uncrosses his legs. He rests his forearms against his thighs, and my eyes follow the movements. His white shirt rolls up to a quarter sleeves and when he grips his hands into a fist, the veins in his arms make a quick appearance before disappearing. I wonder what those arms would feel like if they were wrapped around me.
Wait, what? Where did that come from? He is your coworker Allie. Dating him would not be a smart move.
I take a deep breath and let it out as I pull myself together. I can’t think that way. It’s completely inappropriate. When I look up, Parker is watching me with a shit-eating grin on his face.
“You still with me?” he asks, holding back a laugh. “I thought I lost you there. I mean at first I thought I had something on my shirt, but then I realized you were just staring. I was thrown off because of the direction your eyes were facing. I’d say you were staring at my—”
“Computers,” I blurt out before he can finish that sentence. “You’re good with them, right?” He nods slowly, but his smile doesn’t falter. “Tuesday morning is for Digital Learning. You’d be teaching members how to use the computers for looking information up, using an audio book, and using the online catalogue to search books within the library.”
“Alright, I can handle that,” he says. “What else?”
Somehow I’ve managed to forget all the events planned for next week. I scan a flyer quickly. “The book signing, Monday afternoon. You can host that one. Make sure the authors get set up the way they want and are comfortable, and also that everyone is ready to go by two o’clock. Does that work? Most of the ladies are older and if my instincts are correct, they’ll just love to have a man like you greeting them as they arrive.” I start sorting through the papers on my desk until I find the one with the list of authors who will be at the signing on Tuesday.
“A man like me?” he asks as I hand the papers to him.
“Yeah, you know. Younger and…”
“Good-looking.” He grins.
I settle my eyes on him. Do I think that was cocky or sexy? He knows he has great features and damn him for knowing that I know it too. “Then,” I say, getting our conversation back on track, “I was thinking Wednesday you could do the children’s reading in the afternoon. There’s an ice cream bar after the reading and you can have that, too.” I smile to myself—kids were never a strong area for me. I get flustered and panic when there’re too many around. If Parker can handle hanging out with a group of kids, he will come in very handy.
“Awesome, I love kids. I’ve got a niece I read to every time I see her, and a nephew who is a few weeks old, I think I can read to a few more.” His smile is bright and refreshing. He likes kids. That’s so cute.
Crap. Parker is a good guy.
Parker
After we separate out the events for the next week, Allie explains to me what her plan is with each one. For The Book Mobile on Monday morning, we’re working as a team, and then she’ll step back and let me take over in the afternoon. She is very adamant that she hold the poetry slam on Tuesday afternoon since I will be leading the event the morning. Then on Wednesday, together we’ll start Children’s Day out with Arts and Crafts. I’ll take over in the afternoon for the reading and ice cream party.
I’m not going to object to any of the events she wants me to manage. She has them planned out perfectly and I don’t see why or how any of them need to be changed. I only wish we could host more of them together. Something about this woman has me intrigued. And it’s not just because she turned me down. Everyone at the library is always talking about how kind she is and how a woman like her is hard to find. I agree, especially because she avoids me, but now, we’re working together and this is my chance to get to know her.
I peek up from my reading to look at Allie. She’s concentrating on some paperwork and is mindlessly tapping a pen against her head. We’ve been completely focused since our lunch break and with only an hour to go before we call it a day, I realize I’m bummed out that a work day is almost over. I should be extra happy since it’s Friday.
I set the papers I’ve been reviewing on her desk and stand. Allie’s head snaps up from my movement, but she doesn’t say anything. She only watches me. I smile, nod, and glance around.
Her office is organized all the way down to how each book rests on the shelf. This doesn’t surprise me considering her admirable work ethics. A large wooden desk sits in the middle with one chair on each side. Two of the four walls have built-in shelves jammed with books and photos. A bright yellow frame with a picture of Allie and the girl from this morning catches my eye. Allie’s gripping a large black lab by the collar, while her friend is holding a yellow cat in her arms with wide eyes and tears running down her cheeks. I laugh.
“Nice picture,” I turn to face her.
A smile takes over her lips. “That day was both terrible and comical. My friend Kelly had just bought herself a new cat. She brought him over to introduce to Bell, my lab, and Bell didn’t exactly like the cat. I’d warned her what would happen, but she set the cat down anyway.” She laughs. “My apartment was a mess by the time we had caught the two of them. Kelly’s boyfriend at the time thought it would be funny to capture the moment.”
“Has the cat been around since?”
“Nope, and neither has the guy was seeing.”
I glance over my shoulder as her words fade. She’s fully focused on the papers in front of her once again. Shaking my head, I return to examining her bookshelf. Every form of romance novel fills the space. Historical, Young Adult, New Adult, Suspense, Thriller, and…holy shit, she has erotica in here.
“I don’t take you for much of a romance reader, let alone enjoying something like this. I’ve never even heard of you to be dating anyone.” I say. It doesn’t hit me about what I’ve said until I turn around to see her starring at me. “I’m sorry, that’s none of my business.”
“It’s alright, if I could find a man half as sweet as the ones in those books, I’ll be sure to let everyone know.” The humor in her voice takes me by surprise.
“Not one guy has come close?”
She shrugs. “I read a lot of books.”
“Well, I happen to have a very open attitude toward any type of genre. Romance might not be my first choice, but I wouldn’t mind reading one of them if it meant we would have more to talk about than work.”
I place the book back in the intended spot. Allie’s observing me and there’s no mistaking the curiosity in her yes.
Ask her now or you’ll lose your chance.
“Maybe sometime we can—”
“Hey, Allie?” One of the receptionists, Amber I think, knocks on the doorframe, capturing our attention. “Can you help me for a moment? I’m trying to check this gentleman out and he needs a new card, but we’re out and I can’t find them.” Amber’s gaze darts in my direction and she blushes. “I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything.”
“No, not at all, follow me. I’ll get those cards for you.” Allie’s voice sounds cheery as she heads for the door. “It’s almost time for us to be getting home anyway. Is Levi still here? Are
you both alright to close everything up?” She asks, walking past Amber, who follows her down the hallway.
For a moment I don’t think I should go too, but then it dawns on me that I don’t know where these cards are either. I should probably know where to find them just in case I need them during the events.
Allie guides us to a storage room at the end of the hall and hands a stack of blue cards to Amber.
“Thank you, Allie. Have a good weekend,” Amber says, and I step out of the doorway so she can pass. She gives me a smile and then returns to the front where she is helping a customer. Looking back into the storage room, I find Allie standing with her hands on her hips, clearly scanning the shelves for something. I step up behind her at the exact time she takes a step back. Her back smacks into my chest and she startles. She spins around with her hand to her chest.
“Oh my gosh, you scared me,” she breathes. “Don’t sneak up on me like that.”
“Sorry, I thought you heard me come in behind you.”
She narrows her eyes at me then turns back around.
“What are you looking for?”
“I’m looking for an extra swipe card I can activate for you. I should have thought about it sooner, but you won’t be able to access most areas of the first floor without one.”
I examine the shelves to help her. These swipe cards are the size of a credit card. She’s going to have to get a lot closer to find one if that’s the case, because I don’t see any labeled boxes.
“Oh, right there!” She moves forward and steps up on the bottom shelf, which is about a foot off the ground. She grips onto a rail with her hand and extends the other as far as it will go. I’m about to tell her she’s going to hurt herself and that I can get it for her when she pushes to the tip of her toes and slips. It’s not far to the ground, but I rush forward and grab her by the hips to steady her before her feet can decide to slip from under her.
In the small moment, Allie manages to land upright facing me. Her shirt bunches at the sides from where my hands are gripping her. Her arms are still in the air exposing a glimpse of her bare stomach. Our eyes lock together as she slowly lowers them. I assume she’s going to push me away, but instead her hands come to a stop just as they reach my shoulders. The moment they hold on to me, something happens. It’s as if a spark is sent through my body. Something to tell me that this is the girl for me. That opportunities like this one don’t just happen.
My hands tighten a little around her waist and I rub my thumbs against the soft skin of her hip bone. This woman is beautiful. I want to pull her close and wrap my arms around her, but too quickly she steps back.
“It’s umm…” she looks around the room. “We should probably get going.”
I let my arms fall to my side and nod. “Yeah. We probably should.”
Allie locks the room, and we walk in silence back to her office. I want to say something, but I don’t know what I can say. She never did get me that swipe card.
Chapter Three
Parker
“Have a good night.” Allie’s sweet voice cuts into the chilly evening air as we step outside. It’s getting dark, colder than this morning, and snow is falling fast. She turns to lock the backdoor and then begins walking right past me. When Allie reaches the sidewalk, a feeling I’ve never felt settles in the pit of stomach and my eyes wonder the parking lot. My truck is the only vehicle left.
“Wait! How are you getting home? You’re not walking, are you?” I don’t care if she’s bundled with her matching gloves, scarf, and hat. She isn’t walking home in this weather.
She stops to face me. “I don’t live far from here and I like to walk.” She shrugs and continues on her way.
“Can I give you a ride?” I jog to catch up with her and point to my truck. Even with my hand at the small of her back, she doesn’t move from where she stands.
“Thank you, but I don’t need a ride.”
“I know you don’t, but it’s late and dark, and you shouldn’t be walking alone.”
“I do it all the time.” Her voice is pleading, but I don’t budge. If anything happened to her, I’d never forgive myself.
“To be honest, if my mother ever found out I let a beautiful woman walk home alone in the dark, I’d never live it down.”
Pulling her bottom lip into her mouth, she looks around us. Nodding, she finally gives in and heads toward my truck. “Okay, but I’m not going to fall for the momma taught me best line every night.” She grins to the ground as she keeps walking.
“Okay, I’ll be sure to think of a few more lines to use until winter is over.”
She laughs and spins around to object, but I open her door and place my hands at her waist to help her inside. She freezes at my touch and then her hands cover mine quickly as if she is going to remove them, but changed her mind. Her eyes go wide and her chest rises with her breath. Like any normal man, my eyes fall quickly to the movement. For a moment we just stand here - her watching me, me watching her every breath, and her hands on top of mine. Everything about this encounter is peaceful. As if the moments alone between us are natural.
Our exchange has a warm feeling to it that I’ve never felt before, and already I know I like it enough that I can’t screw this chance up. Slowly, I lift my head to look at her and the moment I do, she shivers. I swallow hard and watch as her eyes dart from mine to my lips and back. The urge to pull her close and kiss her until neither of can breathe takes over me.
I close my eyes and start to lean in when a car speeds by honking the horn, followed by someone screaming out the window. I can’t make out what they said, but with the way Allie is blushing, I’m guessing she did and it was something about us and what I was about to do.
“It’s getting cold out here. You should get in,” I say regrettably.
She nods and slowly moves her hands from mine as she turns toward my truck. Once she’s safely inside, I lean in to grab her seatbelt. When my face is inches from hers, I freeze. I do this whenever my niece rides with me and I think the habit got the best of me. Whatever the reason is, it brought me closer to Allie.
“I can get—”
“Sorry, I—”
A laugh escapes our lips and I pull back, closing her door and jogging to my side of the truck. I jump in, thankful for the auto start that already has my seat warm and ready to go. I turn the radio down a bit because I plan on talking to her the entire way and I don’t need the distraction.
“So, what made you decide to work in a library?”I ask, pulling out of the parking lot.
“The short version—take a left here—the short version is that I’m addicted to anything that involves books.”
“And the long version?”
“The long version is that this is just a small tour in my future of reading and writing.”
“Sounds like the long version is easier than the short version.”
“Yeah, but everyone has to start somewhere, right?”
“Yeah, I guess,” I say, nodding to her response.
“Turn right here, and it’s the third building down,” she points to my right. Damn, I thought I would get more time.
I follow her directions and pull up in front of an old building. It’s two stories of red brick that clearly looks like a four-plex. The second-floor apartments have balconies that look like they might fall off if anyone sets foot on them. Please let Allie live on the ground floor.
I put the truck in park and get out, walking to her side briskly and opening her door. She smiles.
“I would have never taken you for the chivalry type,” she says and freezes as I offer her my hand. She stares at it, clearly trying to decide if she should take it or not. The way she blinks and squints her eyes tells me she’s thinking hard about it. Reaching my hand to hers, I lace our fingers and she gets out of the truck. She doesn’t even try to pull away.
“Which apartment is yours?” I close her door, but never let her hand leave mine.
“I’m on the second floor r
ight—” she points up and starts to laugh. Before I get the chance to see what’s funny, the sound of a dog barking from inside captures my attention. I look up to a large window and see the glimpse of a dog between two curtains, its head thrown back with each bark. “That would be Bell, also known as my watch dog and proud cat chaser,” she smiles.
The wind comes up from behind us, reminding me we’re outside. I squeeze Allie’s hand and guide her toward the entrance. Once inside, she starts up the steps and lets go of my hand.
“I can take it from here. Thank you for the ride home.” She steps backward up the stairs. I don’t want to go yet.
“A true gentleman would make sure you got to your door and inside safely before he leaves.” I skip the stairs two at a time until I reach the top.
Allie can’t hide the grin on her face. She steps up to the door on the left, unlocks it, and then turns around. “Again, thank you for driving me home.” Bell scratches the door behind her, needing out I’m sure.
Here’s my chance. Ask her now or you will never know. “Before you go, I was thinking it would be a great idea if sometime this weekend we got together and had dinner.”
“Like on a date?” she takes a step toward me.
“Yeah,” I nod.
She takes another step. “I don’t date coworkers.”
Shit.
“Then think of it as more like we’re non coworkers over the weekends.”
Allie steps back and looks me in the eye. She nods up and down slowly as she considers it.
“I thought I heard someone… oh,” the friend from the coffee shop, Kelly, erupts from the door across from Allie’s. She freezes midstep when she notices us. “Sorry, I—” she turns back to her door then stops and spins around again. Her checks are bright red. “Allie, just, you know, call me when you’re done or whatever. Okay, see ya,” she says awkwardly before disappearing behind her door.
