Chapter Eleven
Thefirsttwoweeksat the library were so hectic, I hardly remembered them. Even with the exhaustion, I was happy. Successfully handling my duties gave me a sense of competence and being needed did wonders for my self-esteem. Gavin was pleased enough with me to extend the trial to the full month we discussed, and I had high hopes for the following six months after that.
I didn’t have a single moment to spend with Mason those first two weeks. My work started when I woke and didn’t end until I slept. Even then, thoughts of the library slipped into my dreams, leaving no room for anything else but the burning desire simmering in the back of my mind. He texted me a few times to check in on me, and each time my heart raced in my chest.
The first day of my one-month trial, Emma was my volunteer. Most of the staff still wouldn’t meet my eye, but Emma was slowly coming around. I wondered if Eileen said something to her about me when she picked up her belongings. Emma walked through the door, smiled at me, and went to work putting away the returns. “Emma?” I called her over, sounding unsure.
“Yeah, Claire?” She pulled her head out of the deep return bin.
“You’re a journalism major, right?” I tried to shove the nervousness out of my voice. I was her boss and offering her an olive branch shouldn’t intimidate me.
Her eyebrow popped up in question, “Yeah, how did you know that?”
“Eileen left me some notes and things when she came by.”
“Oh.” She looked around, searching for a way out of the conversation.
“I’m working on some acquisitions, and we’re lacking in journalistic photo books, world news kind of stuff.” Her face lit up like she finally found some interest in what I said to her.
“I know some great ones,”
I gave her a warm smile, “I hoped you’d say that because I could use some help.”
“Now?” Genuine enthusiasm replaced the hesitancy she usually had with me.
“After you finish the returns, meet me at the circulation desk.”
“Awesome, I would love to!” I smiled to myself, satisfied with my deft handling. I went back to circulation and worked on acquisitions for other genres. My favorite part of this job was choosing new books to stock, and I quickly lost track of time as I perused all the stories I wanted to share with the community. A text came across my phone. I was too distracted reading the synopsis of a contemporary novel, and I waited a few minutes to open it.
Look up.
My brow furrowed, but I did as he said, and my eyes caught his green ones sitting directly ahead of me, watching from a wingback chair near the magazine racks. I smiled at him, as a familiar warmth settled between my thighs. He lifted an imperious finger and gestured for me to come to him, and like the slave my body was, I got up and made my way across the room.
He watched me, a predator observing his prey, a king lording over me from his throne inmylibrary. We still did nothing more than kiss and yet I responded to him as if he ravaged every inch of me. I stood in front of him, staring. “Hi,”
“Hi, Claire. You look lovely today.” His fingers absently tapped against his strong thighs.
Heat crept up my neck and into my cheeks. “What are you doing here?”
“Aren’t you pleased to see me?” He feigned hurt, knowing full well how happy he made me.
I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth to quell the sensations bubbling within me. “I’m thrilled you’re here. Can I give you a tour?” I didn’t understand the amusement on his face, but he stood and took my hand. I showed him around and that entertainment never left his expression. “Would you like to see my office?”
“Sure,”
I opened the door and led him inside, “What’s so funny? That little smirk has been on your face the entire time.”
“I know the library well, Claire. We met here if you remember.”
The painful blush I wasn’t accustomed to until I met Mason, flooded me. “Oh, yeah, you haven’t seen my office though, right?” His smile grew wider. “You’ve seen my office too? Great.” I slapped my hands against my thighs and his eyes followed the movement.
“Never with you in it.” He walked toward me until he had me backed up against my desk. The heat from his body seeped through the thin fabric of my top. His nearness intoxicated me. He leaned in close enough to whisper in my ear, but still didn’t touch me, “It’s a much more interesting place with you here.” I let out a whimper as he pressed his lips to the hollow beneath my ear. “It’s been quite a while since our date. Are you trying to get rid of me?” The confidence in his voice told me he knew better.
I shook my head and made a little moan of disagreement. “That’s good because I have thought of nothing but you.” His strong, scarred hands lifted, caressing my face. He hovered his lips over mine for a moment before he pressed the lightest kiss on my open mouth. “Let me take you to lunch.”
“Fuck me, right here.” I countered, not believing the words that left my lips. He was correct about me and my thrill-seeking. The longer I mulled it over, the more sense he made. Him knowing me so well turned me into a puddle, and the way he looked at me didn’t hurt.
Heat flared in his green eyes, and a small spasm crossed his features. I would bet anything he was hard, and I wanted to reach out and find out so badly I thought the unrequited urge might kill me. His lips returned to my ear, “Once I’ve had my way with you, I’ll be more than happy to fuck you here whenever you want, but I have a lot of ideas for our first time together, and they don’t involve a quickie bent over your desk.” His teeth nipped the tender skin beneath my ear in admonishment.