He gives me a dubious look and I feel my cheeks heat a little bit. “You’re probably reading smut.”
I gasp, “What do you know about reading smut?”
“I have a very well-read girlfriend at home, remember? She likes to read some very spicy stuff.” He winks at me. “Some of it has even made me blush.”
I throw my head back and laugh, not surprised at all because Ariel and I have shared some recommendations before. Spicy books firmly fall under girl talk.
“I’m pretty sure, considering where we are, I should say I’m reading some circuitous ramblings about the history of the military-industrial complex,” I tease him.
Kent chuckles and shakes his head. “Naw, you’re out of school and there are so many better options which won’t put you to sleep.”
He’s not fucking wrong.
Still not willing to answer his question about what I’m currently reading, I decide to change the subject. “Did we get those extra copies of the book Dr. Schmidt needed?”
“Yeah, I put them underneath the desk and already sent him an email.”
“Good,” I breathe out, relief filling me.
I roll my eyes because Schmidt has been bugging us almost daily to see if we’ve gotten them in. As if he couldn’t have let us know at the beginning of the year that he was going to need a few more copies for his students. I get it; when I was in school, I would much rather check out the things I could instead of spending more money at the bookstore. It’s a racket, especially when we’re talking about material for only one class.
Kent scratches the back of his head, “Has he been that bad?”
“Yes,” I deadpan.
Kent laughs and then nods toward the cart. “I’ve organized it, do you want to do it, or do you want me to?”
The cart is almost overflowing with books needing to be reshelved and my fingers are itching to get them back in their rightful places. It might be strange, but one of the reasons I wanted to study library science and then become a librarian is because it combines books and organization. Both are things which bring me peace.
After losing my family, I needed structure and order in my life, or it felt like nothing made sense. I still crave those things, but I can have a little more wiggle room in them. Not much, but a little.
“I’ll do it,” I eagerly tell him and I’m already moving to the cart and pushing it away as I hear Kent’s laughter behind me.
When I pass by Jude, I give him a bright smile and my heart beats fast in my chest when his husky voice reaches my ears, “Afternoon, Edison.”
“Hi, Jude,” I almost sound sultry, which totally isn’t me, but he just seems to bring it out in me.
“You look positively giddy,” Jude’s eyes sparkle as he takes me in.
“I am,” I chirp. “All of these need to find their way back to their home.”
Jude grins at me and I almost melt into the floor. “Have fun then, little mouse.” I scrunch my nose up and Jude laughs before explaining, “I like it when you wear your hair is up in your buns the best, and you are little.”
“I’m just compact,” I sass him.
When Jude’s eyes roam down my body and back up, I swear I can feel his gaze tugging, prodding, and gliding along my skin. It makes me clench my thighs together and I push the cart away from him with a wave before I embarrass myself further.
I hazard a glance over my shoulder to find Jude staring after me, his eyes intense and focused. The odd thing is, even when I’m out of his sight, the feeling of being watched is still there. It doesn’t go away until I’m heading into my apartment building, long after I finished putting the books on the cart in place and have left the library for the day.
After I open my door, I find a teal envelope sitting on the floor waiting for me. When I pick it up, I can instantly tell the paper is expensive. Looking at the front, there’s an embossed gold key on it.
What the fuck is this?
I break the seal and open the flap, pulling out a cardstock invitation in the same teal color and weight. Fancy. When I read it, my jaw drops. It’s an invitation for a night of fun at Club Sin.
I’ve heard about Club Sin here and there. It’s an expensive and exclusive sex club. I wouldn’t think it was the kind of place for me, but a little ember flares to life in the pit of my stomach and my heart starts to race.
For a night of praise and pleasure in Room Four.