Monday afternoonsat the library are my favorite part of each week. Storytime for Toddlers makes my heart swell, and gives me a sense of purpose. As I peer around at all the tiny faces, I nearly start to cry. At the rate I’m going now, it’s like I’ll never get married and have kids unless I get the heck out of Burly Creek. Some might call my dreams a lack of ambition, but having a big family as successful and loving as my own is all I’ve ever wanted.
I close the picture book and set it down on my lap. “The End.” Ten sets of tiny hands applaud. It may be an easy crowd, but I love it.
After I’ve said goodbye to all the little ones, giving hugs and high fives, I head up the stairs to the main branch of the Burly Creek Library. I just finished my domestic thriller—that I guessed the ending of—and I need another one stat. For a small town, Burly Creek’s book game is top notch.
I browse the new releases, hoping for something engaging but not too crazy. I need to keep it light, and romance novels have been giving me the blues lately. It always seems so easy. Boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, wham bam thank you, ma’am. You know the drill. If only real life were like that.
My brothers have all found their wives, hell one of my sisters-in-law is my best friend from college. I’m happy for them all, I just wish I were next, but how am I supposed to find someone here in a town I grew up in and already know practically everyone?
A tiny gasp escapes my mouth. “There is a God!” I whisper, spying one of my favorite author’s new releases at my fingertips. I reach for the hardback book, covered in crinkly plastic, and pull it from the shelf. The little sucker falls straight through my fingers and hits the marble floor with an echoingthump!
Embarrassed, I reach down and grab the book and stand as quickly as possible. Without looking, I take a step in the direction of the checkout desk and run into something solid—somethingbigand solid. I’m met with the crisp scent of pine as I pull back from the towering man who seemed to appear out of nowhere.
“Sorry, I didn’t see you.” The words die in my throat when my eyes flicker upward. Anthony Hunter peers down at me, tall as a towering oak, dressed in a flannel with the sleeves rolled up to reveal his intricate sleeve of tattoos. Us Strongs are known for our size—a real detriment for a woman, if you ask me—but, dammit if Anthony isn’t the biggest, bulkiest man I’ve ever seen. He makes me weak in the knees, always has.
“Are you okay?” He reaches out and touches my arm. The sparks that pass between us are undeniable. They dance through every cell of my body, causing my panties to drench on the spot. Maybe it’s his aloofness that makes me want him so badly, but I’m not an idiot. He’s clearly not interested. Every time he’s around me, I feel that it pains him to talk to me.
“Oh, I’m fine.” I say, a girly laugh escaping my lips. “What are you doing here?”
His sandy brow furrows. I swear the man’s eyes are made from pure sapphire. “It’s the library.” He holds up the book in his hand. “I’m checking out a book.”
“You read?”
His face scrunches up, causing the tiny lines around his eyes to grow more pronounced. Damn, Anthony Hunter is a fox.
“Of course I read. Just because I’m a cop, you think I don’t?”
“It’s not that.” A wave of heat rushes to my cheeks. How presumptuous and closed minded of me to say something so stupid. I’m normally so good with words. “It’s just, most people don’t take advantage of the library.” I press my book to my chest, clearing my throat. “And, I’ve never seen you here.”
“I’ve seen you, down in the kids library reading them stories.” He licks his full lips, and brushes his golden hair away from his forehead. “Is that weird?”
“No. Wait, why didn’t you ever come say hi?”
“You always look…” as he searches for the word, my heart swells. “Like you’re on a mission.”
“Really?” I scrunch up my nose. I just want to get my book, grab a cup of coffee and spend the day reading.
“Hmm.” He says, crossing his gigantic arms over his chest, book still in hand. “I didn’t think you were the type.”
“Me? I’m the total type. Why would you say that?”
“You’re so…” he looks me up and down and my heart races. “Social.”
“News flash.” I toss my hair over my shoulder. “I can be both.”
“Fair enough.” He says, and the strange sitting silence that always stretches between us returns. Is it me? Am I boring him? Does he need an out? I can’t stand it anymore. I have to break the silence.
“Say, do you want to join me?” I ask, and a swarm of butterflies flap their wings against my ribcage.
“Definitely.” He says, and without another word walks me up to the checkout desk. He may be silent and stoic, but my mind is moving at ninety miles an hour. This is not how I expected my afternoon to end. A million emotions wash over me. The first being thattheAnthony Hunter notices me. He’s the town heartbreaker. Every woman in town has the hots for him, but we can’t figure him out. No one can penetrate his secretive demeanor. It’s almost like he’s not interested in anyone at all, a lone wolf.
So then, why does he want to hang out with me? Is this a date? For the first time in ages I can’t seem to form a cohesive thought. I don’t want to get my hopes up because this could just be a friendly coffee date. He is after all, my brother’s good friend.
On the way out, he holds the door for me and as I pass him, I feel small in comparison—in size, only. Being the gym buff that he is, there isn’t an ounce of fat on Anthony, which is more than I can say for me. I’m allergic to the gym. A nice long walk is all the movement I need…and it shows.
“Strong Brew?” He asks, pointing down the street to our left.
“Where else?” I smile. We head down the street together as my brain works overtime to squash any sort of feelings I have for Anthony to save myself the embarrassment of being wrong about the vibe I’m getting from him.