Page 196 of Dark Love

“This is my to-be-read pile.”

Um… “What?”

Vex slides some books out and pushes on a piece of paneling to reveal a keypad. He presses a few numbers, touches his finger to it, then looks into it, and a door clicks open.

“Did you turn into a super spy or something?”

“Not quite. My collection is valuable. Therefore, it needs additional security.”

Collection? Security? “For a library?”

“Come see.” He holds a hand out to me.

Secret passages. Spies. “Are you sure you’re not a spy?”

“Positive, Dahl. Spies blend in. Is there anything about me that blends in?”

Not a single thing. Vex scares most people with a single glance. I take his hand and follow him down the secret spiral staircase.

The view that emerges with each step is mind-blowing. “This isn’t real.” You only see libraries like this in magazines or historical sites. “This can’t be real.”

“I assure you it is.”

But he’s wrong. So very wrong. It can’t be real. No one man can own this beautiful of a library.

There are enough books in this cavernous room to supply an entire town, yet there’s still more empty space to fill on the floor-to-ceiling shelves lining the walls and running down the middle. All of that is mixed with wrought ironand woodworking that couldn’t have been crafted in this century. “How is this possible?”

“Money.” Vex tucks his hands in his pockets and watches me.

“It took more than just money. This took imagination and vision and… all the determination to make something beautiful.”

We’re on the second floor of the library overlooking everything. There’s too much to take in all at once. “It’s a good thing you didn’t show me this room the first time we met.”

“Why?” He tips his head to the side.

“Because I wouldn’t have known if I fell in love with you for who you are or because of this.” There’s a grand staircase that leads down to the next level, but what catches my eye is a small… a relatively small detail… rolling ladders. “You have rolling ladders. Why didn’t you tell me you have rolling ladders?”

“Dahl?”

“Seriously, Vex, a girl needs to prepare for rolling ladders and I’m not prepared. You should have warned me. I need to go.”

“Dahlia?”

“No time. I’ve got to go change.” There’s no way I can wear jeans and a shirt on a rolling ladder. I dash up the steps and straight into the closet. And for the first time, I’m not just happy my man is a bit nutty about spoiling me, but I’m thankful. There’s an entire rack of long dresses from sundresses to full-on ballgowns.

“Dahlia, what are you doing?”

Vex followed me. Sweet. But now isn’t the time to think about my romantic man. “Trying to decide what to wear.” Obviously.

“You’re wearing clothes.”

“Not the right clothing.” How do I choose out of several dozen amazing dresses?

“Dahlia, we’re just reading books on a couch.”

Just reading books. “Oh no we aren’t. How can you not understand what a momentous occasion this is?”

“It’s just a library.”

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