Page 21 of Librarian & the Rockstar

My heart does this weird clenching thing, and I suddenly feel a little bulletproof.

"I like knowing that," I rumble, stroking her knuckles again. "I want to be someone you aren't afraid to talk to about anything, whether it's books, possessed cocks, your fantasies, what you're dealing with, or the goddamn weather. Listening to you isn't a hardship."

"Thanks," she whispers.

"Can I ask you a question now?"

She nods, her expression still soft and open.

"Why the library?"

"Books," she says simply, lighting up just like she did yesterday. "My whole life, I've wanted to be surrounded by books. Now, I am." A tiny laugh escapes her lips. "It's my happy place."

"I've always felt that way about music," I murmur. "Didn't care what I did, so long as it involved music."

"And now, look at you." She beams at me. "I guess we both got our dreams, didn't we?"

"Yeah, I guess so," I say, a little uneasy.

We subside into silence, both of us lost in our own thoughts. Mine are worrisome as fuck. The library is her dream…and it's about as far removed from my life as you can get. She's shy, content with her life here. Is it really fair for me to insert myself into it and fuck it all up for her? To force her to face public scrutiny and a constant barrage of attention just because I like the way I feel with her?

I don't know. I really fucking don't. But the thought of letting her walk out of here tomorrow twists my stomach into knots, too. Whatever this is between us is big, it's important, and it fucking matters.

"If I asked to keep seeing you, would you tell me to fuck off?" I ask, praying she doesn't tell me no. Maybe she should. Maybe that's what's best for her. But I'm selfish enough not to want this to end yet.

She glances up at me, startled. "You want to keep seeing me?"

"Hell yeah," I rasp, holding her gaze. "For as long as you'll let me."

"I…"

My heart clenches, convinced she's going to shoot me down.

"I'd like that, Ash," she whispers.

"Yeah?" I grin at her like an idiot.

"Yeah." She shoots me a tiny smile I feel in my heart. "I think I'd really like that."

I climb to my feet, circling around the table toward her. Before she can say anything, I lift her to her feet, pulling her into my arms. She burrows into me with the sweetest little sigh.

"You're going to change my whole life, aren't you?" she asks, her voice soft.

I don't know, but I'm absolutely positive that she's already changing mine.

"Maybe," I murmur, tipping her head back to take her mouth in a deep kiss. "Or maybe I'll just invite myself into it and never leave, baby."

She moans against my lips, melting into me, and I think, maybe, she wouldn't hate that at all.

Christ, she's perfect. So fucking perfect.

I scoop her up into my arms, striding out of the kitchen.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm going to get you naked. You're going to sit on my face. We're both going to come until we can't move."

"You should read more," she says with a soft moan, shifting restlessly in my arms. "Books give you all kinds of fantastic ideas."