Chapter Three

Neither one spoke for a few moments; they simply stared at one another, at a loss of what to do next. Rick cleared his throat again, and that seemed to break the spell.

“I’ve got spy thrillers and murder mysteries over here, by author,” he managed, gesturing to the right.

“Next sections down the right side are sci-fi, romance, and the other fictional genres. Left side is all the nonfiction, biographies, and so on.”

Faith chuckled.

“Makes perfect sense to me. Our creative selves are right-brain driven so this layout is spot on.”

Now it was Rick’s turn to be momentarily dumbstruck.

He gaped, blinking.

“That is exactly why I set the store up this way; you’re the first person to notice.”

She laughed and echoed back to him.

“Kindred spirits. I just felt it.”

The moment was broken by the telephone at the front register ringing.

“I’ll be right back,” he said as he hustled to answer it.

***

She nodded, watching him walk away, and noted those jeans of his fitting nicely from the back view as well. Then Faith just stopped herself from diving behind the closest aisle of murder mysteries almost as a shield.

What the hell’s gotten into you? she scolded herself. Have you lost your mind? No way in hell, Faith, don’t even think about it. You know nothing about him. Nothing. You know his first name, he likes books, and that he’s hot, and that’s all. What if he’s married? Or a murderer? Get a grip!

Faith took several deep breaths to try to slow down her racing heart, then began to look at the books surrounding her.

And her jaw dropped again when she realized that not only was he carrying all fifty-three of J.D. Robb’s In Death series written to date, but also that he had arranged them in chronological order rather than just lining them up alphabetically. She was a huge fan and collector, with books one through thirty-two in her possession already, so his presentation impressed her.

Well, she mused, I know where I’m taking myself as my birthday present this year. Right here to this row to buy whatever I still need to complete my collection at home.

Faith started to move around the end cap to her right so she could walk down the next aisle, and her focus failed her as once again she was face-to-face with the handsome bookstore owner.

A yelp escaped her.

“Sorry if I startled you,” he said, beginning to grin.

“Damn you’re quiet,” she muttered, hand on heart. “Do you always sneak up on people?”

“Only when I see they obviously have a favorite author in common with me,” his grin grew as he pointed to the set she’d just been looking at.

“My favorite series ever, hands down. J.D. Robb rocks. I’ve read them all at least once. It never gets old.”

“No spoilers!” Faith laughed and mimed covering her ears. “I’ve only gotten a bit over halfway through them. But yes, the ones I own I have read at least once, too.”

She ran a loving hand lightly across the spines.

“I was just admiring the way you organized them. Every other bookstore I’ve been in insists on displaying them in alphabetical order. It’s maddening. Don’t they know there’s a reading sequence involved here?”

“I know, right?” Rick exclaimed. “You can’t read book one, then skip ahead to book twenty-three, you won’t know what the hell’s going on.”

“Yes! Someone besides me gets it!” she smiled in triumph.

“You have a great smile and an even better laugh,” he said softly. “Miss….?”

“Faith.” She extended her hand.

“Faith,” he repeated, clasping her hand in his.

“Beautiful name for a beautiful woman. It is Miss, isn’t it? Not Mrs.?”

The question caught her off guard.

“I’m not married. Anymore,” she stammered, a brief flash of memory moving across her features.

“You?”

"Was,” he said, and his eyes lost their spark for a moment. “Not anymore.”

The jingle of the silver bell over the door marked another intrusion, and he reluctantly let go of her hand.

“Excuse me one moment more,” he said and went to greet the new patron.

***

Faith stifled a sigh as she pondered again what the hell was happening here.

She’d just met this man – don’t even know his full name, for Christ’s sake – and just touching his hand had her thinking, well… all manner of thoughts, her inner voice said, and not even one of them puritanical in nature.

“Shake it off,” she whispered to herself. “You don’t need this right now.”

Before I get myself into real trouble, I had better go, she thought. Besides, I’m starving.

She glanced at her watch. Almost eight p.m.

She turned back and picked up books thirty-three and thirty-four in her favorite series, paused, and grabbed thirty-five too.

“There! This should get me through next weekend, at least,” she murmured, making her way to the counter.

Rick’s new arrival was just setting her purchases down to be paid for, so Faith stopped a respectful distance to wait her turn.

That’s the little white lie she told herself, anyway.

In truth she was taking advantage of an opportunity to watch the fine specimen before her in more detail while pretending to skim the back cover of book thirty-three. His hands were strong but graceful as he keyed the purchases into the terminal, wrapped them, handed them to the buyer, and made change.

Remembering how his brief touch had felt led to wondering what those hands could accomplish running through her hair, down her sides to her waist, up to her breasts…

And she realized she was blushing furiously.

Faith was so preoccupied with self-recrimination that she failed to see the customer before her leave. It was Rick coming around the counter, placing one of those magic hands gently on her arm, that pulled her back into herself.

“You’re my last customer of the night, Faith,” he said with a wink.

“Oh,” she said, unable to think clearly. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to keep you.”

“I don’t mind it at all,” he replied.

He rang up her books, wrapped them, and handed them to her.

As they waited for the credit card machine to print her receipt he said, “I’m starving. Hey, there’s a little bistro down the street from here. Really good sandwiches. You wouldn’t want to join me for dinner, would you?”

“You must be talking about Mama J’s. Their sandwiches are legendary.”

“Oh, so you know it?”

“Yep, one of my favorite places around here.”

“Good to know,” Rick said. “So, will you join me?”

No! What are you doing? Run! her wounded side screeched, then wailed in her head as she looked into his eyes and answered, “Yes, I’d like that.”

“Great!” he beamed. “Just let me close the store, and we’ll go. About twenty minutes?”

“I don’t live far. Let me take these books home right quick. Meet you back here?”

“Absolutely.”

He let her out, closing the door behind her.

And couldn’t stop himself from smiling as he watched her stride away.

“Definitely didn’t see that coming,” Rick said to himself.