Page 62 of When the Woods Go Silent

“Among other things,” he says, his tone teasing, even as he scans the room with a sharp eye, like he’s looking for anything out of place. I pull the book I saved for him from under the counter, and I’m not mad when Ruby wanders away to give me a little privacy.

Kier touches the book cover lightly. “Thanks for saving it. I might browse a little more, though. Care to show me around?”

I feel his eyes on me as I move from behind the counter and lead him into the next room. “This is the local history room, but you probably remember that. We haven’t changed everything.”

“Give me the grand tour anyway.” The corner of his mouth hooks up, but he still seems distracted. His eyes keep roaming the room, flicking to each of the windows in turn, before settling on me, only to start the process over.

“Are you looking for anything in particular?” I can’t help but feel like he’s not just here for flirty banter.

Something in my tone makes him pull it together, and he focuses intently on me.

“Sorry, Rose. I’ve had a trying morning, but I’d really like to see the shop.”

God, his eyes are amazing. I’d thought they were mostly green, but now I see a slim golden ring around the iris, and the corners crinkle as he grins down at me. His cheekbones and jawline are sharp enough to give him a foxlike aura, and I just know he would be a beast in bed.

My cheeks heat, but I manage to hold my own as I give him a little tour, although each room we pass through seems impossibly tighter and smaller than the last, as though the shop itself wants to press us together. Kier brushes against me in every doorway, his fingers curving against my lower back when we nearly bump into each other. Everywhere he touches is a light singe of heat, and I’ve never wanted to disrespect a bookstore as much as I do right now.

Eventually, we find ourselves back in the main room, where Ruby stands behind the counter, checking out another customer I hadn’t even heard come in. An edge of guilt creeps in - I’ve been worried about her neglecting the shop for Torrence, and here I am doing the same thing.

Kier sets the handful of books he’s gathered during the tour on the counter and pulls out some cash as Ruby rings him up. But his smile vanishes when he sees the bakery box still sitting open on the other side of the counter.

“Is that fromGoblin Market?” His tone is sharp, and I resist flinching as Ruby nods.

Kier’s gold-ringed eyes look molten now, and his full lips are pressed together in a tight line. “I know you’re new in town, but I’d stay away from that place. It doesn’t have a good reputation with the locals.”

“I thought you were only in Clearwater on business?” I blurt, exchanging a glance with Ruby. We’re both confused. None of our neighbors have warned us away fromGoblin Market.

“I’m here often enough,” Kier snaps, pocketing his change without even glancing at the amount. “Trust me on this. Their food will make you sick. You should stay away from them, especially the owner.”

My jaw sets. I really want to like Kier, but this is sounding a little too familiar. “Funny. Because Torrence was here the other day, and he told me to stay away fromyou.”

Ruby’s eyes are wide, darting between the two of us as she takes in the tea.

Kier laughs, and the sound is nothing like his usual smooth, flirtatious manner. It’s hard and cruel, and the sharpness in his face grows even more prominent. For a bare second, I imagine him as an animal, backed into a corner and ready to strike.

“He would say that. I guess you’ll have to decide for yourself. But since it seems like both of your human instincts are a bit broken, I feel justified telling you to stay the hell away from that place. If you think Torrence is harmless, you’re plain stupid,” he adds, flashing his glare at Ruby.

Her mouth pops open, but Kier is already striding out of the shop, the small stack of books hooked under his arm.

“What in the world?” Ruby murmurs, her fingers tracing the edges of the bakery box as she watches Kier grow smaller in the window, his ginger hair flashing in the afternoon sunlight.

“That was soweird,” I agree, my annoyance growing. Why can’t I just find a normal fucking guy? Why are all the ones I’m attracted to here so freaking strange?

“Well, I’ve tasted quite a bit of this food, and I’ve felt nothing but good vibes.” Ruby’s mouth is set to stubborn now, as she lifts the lid of the box and chooses another sample to try.

I smile, but my memory is suddenly snagging on the way I felt on the double date. I hadn’t thought the food was what made me sick, but now I can’t help but remember the way it turned to ash in my mouth. Nausea spreads through my stomach with the memory, and I step away from the counter and the food, busying myself with straightening displays that have hardly been touched.

Still, there has to be more to Kier’s warning than that, though. A little food poisoning or even a health code violation shouldn’t produce such obvious hatred from him. There’s bad blood between those two men. But instead of separating myself from the drama like I normally would, I find that my curiosity is scrambling to figure out the puzzle.

Ruby likes Torrence, and if there’s a real reason why Kier would insult her like that, I need to figure it out before she gets in too deep.

---