“Hi,” is all he says when I approach him.
“You know, we don’t need to spend every second of the day with each other,” I point out, and he frowns at me.
“I’m not here to spend time with you. Benz knocked over a glass on the kitchen table, and it ruined the book you’re currently reading. I’m here to buy you another,” he says nonchalantly, like he wouldn’t have laughed at that in the past instead of going to a bookstore to buy me a new copy.
“Don’t worry about it. I wasn’t enjoying the plot anyway,” I admit and walk away from him to hide the heat in my cheeks. Somehow, his proximity only increases the temperature.
“Alright. Let me buy you another then, something new,” he says, but I shoot him a confused look.
“I think you’ve bought me enough this week,” I remind him, but he walks away without gracing me with another word. Jesus. He must have been some sort of royal in a previous life.
I try to ignore Leonard as he starts a conversation with Susie, I really do, but I can’t help the curiosity blooming in my chest at what they’re talking about. He looks as serious and stoic as ever, but Susie is lighting up and blushing at him like there is no tomorrow. I get it too. Leonard is charming and charismatic. I’m convinced if he started smiling at people, they would follow behind him like lost puppies. It’s not only because he’s handsome either. Unfortunately not. It’s his entire presence. He may pretend to be an unfeeling ass most of the time, but he’s a very kind man.
Half an hour later, Leonard and Susie walk to the register with two huge stacks of books. I do my best to keep my jaw from dropping. My eyes catch the spines of the books, sending a wave of shivers through me when I notice every single one of them is on my to-be-read list. I told Susie about them in case she finds one that’s a bit damaged, but these are all in great condition. It makes me suck in a sharp breath and focus on the man who’s been showing me one kindness after another this week.
“No,” I say, interrupting their conversation, and he furrows his brows at me.
“Don’t worry, these aren’t for you, little demon,” he replies, trying to bring his focus back to Susie, but I’m not finished speaking to him.
“You’re buying all of the books I want to read for yourself?” I challenge, crossing my arms in front of my chest. My friend shoots me a look I can only interpret as ‘shut up, this will be good for my business’. My mouth almost immediately sows closed.
“Yes, I’m very interested to learn even more about women’s pleasure, and what better way is there than romance novels?” he asks, shutting me up even more. A tingle runs down my spine as heat pools between my legs until my clit swells unbearably. I hate my body’s reactions. And him too for making me feel this way withwords.
“Fine,” I reply and start checking out the books more aggressively than necessary.
“Fine,” he repeats my response, soft and amused. Sometimes I wish I hadn’t stopped fighting competitively. I could use a good fight to let out my frustrations right now.
After ten minutes, I’ve finally managed to scan all of his books, pack them in bags, and read aloud the sum that’s making my stomach turn upside down. Leonard pays without blinking an eye, and I keep my eyes on the ground while he enters his pin. I don’t know why I do it. I know his pin. He shared it with me days ago. Maybe I just want to give my skin a moment to breathe.
“Thank you for your visit,” I say as I hand him his receipt, forcing a small smile onto his lips. His fingers linger on mine as he takes the long paper.
“Let’s go home, Starling. Your shift is over,” he says, and my eyes flicker to the antique clock on the wall on my left. He’s right. It’s time to go home and get ready for Mamma to come over for dinner.
Susie and I exchange goodbyes and promise to see each other soon while Leonard waits patiently by the door. I attempt to take one of the bags from him, but he jerks it away from me at the last second and tilts his head to the exit without a word. I let out a small groan because he’s so stubborn and cute at the same time, it’s messing with my head. I don’t like him. Twenty years of fighting won’t go away because he’s showing me a completely different side of him now. A side so wonderful, it’s confusing me.
Leonard places the bags in his trunk and goes to open my door before I get a chance to. I give him a dumbfounded look because that’s exactly how I feel at the moment. This isn’t normal. Leonard is more likely to slam a door in my face than be all chivalrous and rush over to my side of the car to open one. I scan the area, not getting in the vehicle even though he’s giving me an impatient look.
“What are you searching for?” he asks, and I turn back to him, my gaze meeting his warm, brown eyes.
“The real Leonard,” is all I say. I would have never expected him to reach for my sides and start… tickling me. I burst into a fit of giggles, stepping away and frowning at him for getting that reaction out of me. “That never happened,” I blurt out before covering my mouth.
“But it did. Chiara de Luca just bloody giggled. Priceless,” he says while shaking his head and smiling. Not half a smile, not a little one, no. A full-faced smile I drink in until it vanishes again, leaving me incomplete. Fucking incomplete. I want it back, see it again, which is ridiculous. It’s a smile, nothing more.
Except, it’s Leonard’s smile…
“In the car, little demon. I still need to make dinner,” he says, his features hardening again.
“Under one condition,” I say, fighting him like I always do. He drops his head on the arm resting on the top of the car door.
“What condition?” he demands, and I chew on my bottom lip for a brief moment.
“I want to help you make dinner.” His head lifts in surprise.
“But I don’t let anyone in my kitchen,” he says, and I nod. I knew that. He hasn’t let me cook once since I moved in, and every single time I try to take a pot, heshoosme out of the kitchen, telling me he's already made a plan in his head about what he would like to cook.
“I know,” I reply, his eyes scanning my face as uncertainty sparkles in them.
“Only if you promise to listen to me and not fight me on what I say in the kitchen,” he offers, and I fight back a grin. I hold out my hand, trying to look as serious as possible.
