Page 42 of Hate It with You

Air releases from his lips. “I have taste. You want to know why I love that car so much? Let me show you.”

“How?” I ask.

“You busy this weekend?”

“I do have a bookstore to run, you know.” I level him with a look, reminding myself that I eventually need to figure out how to get customers to actually visit my store.

“Yeah, but you have shortened hours on Sundays, right? Let me take you somewhere, show you how lovable my car is.” He smiles, and I’m intrigued by his offer. Though I won’t agree to it so easily.

“Where exactly?”

“That’s a surprise.”

I raise an eyebrow at him. “And what am I getting out of this?”

Making a show of thinking through my question, he taps his forefinger on his chin before responding, “I’ll make a large purchase from your bookstore. Five books.”

“You sure you can read that many books?” I ask, unimpressed by his offer.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover, Beth,” he says, a shameful tone taking hold in his voice.

I take a moment before responding, unnerved by the fact that I’m going along with this in the first place. “Fifteen,” I counter.

“Ten.”

I stick my hand out in an offer to shake. “Deal,” I say as he grabs my hand, giving it a firm shake. We both laugh at the ridiculousness of our deal.

It isn’t until our laughter dies down that I notice our hands are still connected. It’s as though they have a mind of their own and don’t want to let go of one another.

I pull my hand back, standing from the bench.

“I’ll see you this weekend then.” I nod my head in agreement of our deal.

Alex looks up at me, a wide smile lighting up his face, sending me back to last night when he was on his knees before me.

“See you this weekend, baby.”

18

ALEX

Iwould buy every book in Beth’s bookstore if it meant she’d come out with me today. Though my wallet is happy that we settled on ten books. What I haven’t told Beth yet is I’ve already read half the books she stocks in her store, most of them making up the collection I have at home.

I can’t wait to see the look on her face when she finally comes over and sees my entire living room lined with bookshelves. Every time I’m in her apartment, I have to resist the urge to look at her personal collection and think about ways to combine it with mine.

Pull it together.

I shake the thought from my mind, clearly clouded by my excitement for today.

Two take-out cups warm my hands as I wait for Beth to answer her apartment door. A tea for her and a coffee for me, purchased from the local coffee shop down the street. It’s one of the only things I’ve been able to learn about her in the past few months.

Well, that and the fact that she doesn’t let people in easily. Though I’ve never been the type of man to back down from a challenge. I just wish I knew how to get her to trust me.

The other night was a start. When she kissed me, I was sure she was going to say she hates me and walk through her bookshop door. When she said nothing and kissed me again, I couldn’t help myself. I’ve been starved, feeding only off the crumbs she’s willing to give.

I’m hoping I’m lucky enough that she decides to kiss me again.

When Beth opens the door, I’m overwhelmed with her scent. Vanilla, with a hint of rose and something bold I can’t put my finger on. It matches her perfectly.