Caught Up In Between Book Novels & Stories

I was so focused on not being late that I didn’t see the person coming around the corner until it was too late. Before I could react, I bumped into them, and my book slipped from my hands, landing with a soft thud on the floor. "Oops!" I gasped, my heart racing. "Sorry!" I quickly crouched down to pick up my book, hoping I hadn’t made too much of a scene. But then I felt a hand on my elbow, gently helping me up. I looked up, startled, and found myself staring into the eyes of a guy with messy, curly brown hair and striking green eyes. He was a little taller than me, with a friendly smile playing on his lips.

Then they walked down the streets a few blocks until they reached the bookstore. The bell above the door chimed as Daniel pushed the door open. "Want me to help you find your books?" Nathan offered. "No, it's okay. You can go look around if you'd like." Daniel shook his head, then they separated. Nathan idly took out his phone and checked a few social media, responding to his friends' texts, while he waited for Daniel. Some minutes passed by, and he grew a little bored. So he decided to walk around. He fiddled and flipped through a couple of books while looking for Daniel.

I walked in, my heavy combat boots barely making a sound against the plush rug. Just then, her posture shifted slightly, and her footing slipped off the narrow wooden sill. The sudden loss of balance sent a sharp jolt of panic through her; the heavy book she was reading flew from her hands, tumbling into the air. My instincts kicked in instantly. Before she could even let out a gasp, I closed the distance in a fraction of a second. I reacted, catching the falling book smoothly with my left arm while my right hand shot out, wrapping tightly around her waist and steadying her body.

His voice is light, almost unbothered, but I can sense the silent warning in his tone. I let it go. “Here you go,” I say, holding the books out. They were buried under a small pile of my clothes, and as I try to step away from them, I trip over the pile, my foot catching in the folds. Alex moves to catch me, missing me by about an inch. I land on my behind, and he stands above me, his arms stretched out for a minute, his eyes still searching mine. I groan, embarrassed, and I hear a small chuckle coming from him when I try to stand again and fail.

She ran her finger along the spines. “Third edition... third edition...” Damien stood a few feet away, watching her search. “You're looking too low.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I'm not.” “You are.” She rolled her eyes and reached higher. The movement dislodged a book from the upper shelf. It slipped forward. Evie barely had time to react before it fell. Damien moved quickly. So did she. Both reached for it at the same time. Their fingers touched the cover. Neither moved.

It brushes the back of my neck and I can feel him right beside me, close enough that his scent wraps around me. My stomach knots. I keep my eyes on the shelves, forcing myself to focus on the rows of titles instead of the way my pulse won’t stop racing. I scan the books until one catches my eye. The title almost makes me laugh, ‘Screwed Up? Here’s Your Reset Button.’ How fitting. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from snickering and grab the book fast. “I think I see another one,” he utters, his voice dipping a little lower now. “Up top.”

The only thing I’m happy about was that I managed to wound her left eye. As my eyes scroll down the list, I notice something. One of the titles has the status: misplaced. Something strikes me, and although it might be useless, I check the shelf number and hurry over to where the books should have been. Climbing on the ladder, I poke around but see nothing. Disappointed, I’m about to climb back down when something catches my eye. There’s something stuck in the back.

"Must have gotten the doors mixed up in the dark." Kaden arched an eyebrow, clearly skeptical of my excuse. "Library, huh? Interesting choice." I nodded, trying to appear nonchalant. "Yes, you see, I was looking for some books to fill my eyes with.I apologize for intruding." He stooped to retrieve my phone, brushing far too closely as he handed it back. I tried not to notice the spicy scent of his cologne, or how dangerously close those chiseled abs were. “Well you found your way to my room,Serena. Oh and..we don’t have a library.” He folded his arms and stared at me.

I got up and retrieved my book from the floor and dusted it off before I sat back down at my desk. I cracked the book back open to the last few pages. I only had thirty more pages to finish, and then I’d be able to plot my route around campus. I knew Hannah would be gone longer than ten minutes, too. Which meant I had plenty of time to get this done. But as I read, I kept focusing on my jeans. The ones I had fallen asleep in. I kept focusing on my mismatched socks and the long-sleeved shirt I had on. What’