Page 81 of A Dusk Of Stars

He closes his eyes for a second, shaking his head. Then he looks at me again. “Tonight at midnight, show up in the Library and return a book. I’ll find you there.” He lifts a warning finger. “And since you’ll be of no use otherwise, prepare to beveryquiet.”

“Quiet like a mouse,” I rush to reply, still smiling. “Then I guess I’ll see you tonight.”

I turn to the door, only to have his arm block my way again.

It makes me swallow roughly, when he wraps the arm around my waist and comes to press his chest into my back. “I don’t remember dismissing you,” he says in a low, scolding voice.

The voice and his breath against the skin of my neck make heat pool between my thighs, but I shake my head and choose to be firm and straightforward, “I’m not getting involved with you.”

“You say that as if it can only be a complication,” he whispers, then proceeds to tug the collar of my shirt to the side so he can take a bite of the flesh between my neck and my shoulder.

My eyes fluttering shut, I fight not to squirm with pleasure. “And whatisit, if notthat?” I ask with a breathless laugh.

“This?” he asks as he slides his hand down my stomach and under my tights, my breath hitching when he starts stroking me over my panties. “Just two people taking what they want in the moment. Unless…” The fingers of one hand still teasing me down there, he runs the fingers of the other up my nape, threading them through my hair and pulling my head back and to the side so he can whisper into the corner of my lips, “Unless you tell me this is not what you want right now?”

Chapter 25

Istop in front of the Library entrance, wondering what I’m getting myself into. It’s not just about breaking into the Restricted Section. If only it were.

I’ve spent the afternoon assaulted by the flashes of him bending me over the bench in the gym — being all bossy and taking his sweet time making me come over and over again — and trying to figure out why I let it all happen again.

I mean, there’s no denying that I’m seriously attracted to him, and he obviously knows exactly how to use that against me, but come on…

It was only yesterday that I decided this is not the kind of complication I need in my life right now.

Then again… We’re only two people taking what we want in the moment, right? And if he doesn’t think it should be more complicated than that, why should I?

It makes me breathe a sigh of relief when the thought pops into my head for the first time. Like any physical attraction, thishas to have an expiration date. At one point, I’ll get it out of my system, he will too, and we’ll both move on with our lives.

It’s just as the clock strikes midnight that I give myself a determined nod and step through the entrance, all my focus instantly shifting onto the dreaded task at hand.

It’s with a buzzing mind and sweaty palms that I show up in front of a colleague at the Service Desk, handing her the book I’ve brought with me.

Almost as soon as I start turning left — trying not to even glance at the Restricted Section and wondering what the hell I’m supposed to do next — I spot Bane standing between the bookshelves, motioning for me to come over with an open book in his hand.

It surprises me, to see how relaxed he is. Quirking an eyebrow at an illustration he has the book open to, he asks, “Isthisthe kind of thing that made you become a Librarian?”

I frown. “You’re dead wrong if you think I can focus on that right now,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “So, what’s the plan?”

He looks up at me, closing the book shut. “So jumpy,” he quips, obviously amused.

I shoot him an angry look.

“Fine,” he says with a low chuckle, putting the book back.

Then, to my surprise, he takes his jacket off and slings it over my shoulders, taking a second to observe the result. “Now you smell like me. When Derek opens the door for me…” He gets in my face, turning dead serious. “Go for it,no hesitation, got it?”

Then he goes back to being annoyingly relaxed and starts turning in the direction of the staircase.

What the… “That’syour plan?” I demand as I come to block his way, fighting to keep my voice down. “Me darting through the door and past thevampiretrained to guard it?”

His lips curl into a smirk. “Well,” he drawls as he comes to press himself against me. “I believe I already told you you’d have to beveryquiet.”

“What kind of magic will you be using?” I ask as I take a step away from him.

“Magic?” he echoes, his eyebrows shooting up and lips curling into a smile. “No magic, Novak.”

“No way,” I say with a shake of my head. “Come up with something else or we’re not doing this.”

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