Page 11 of TBR: Dead But Well Read

Surely I hadn’t spoken out loud.

“Your book. You were so focused while reading it that you barely moved for hours.” Loch jerked his chin at the book I’d set on the floor beside me.

“Oh!” I gasped, retrieving the book and turning it over in my hands.

It was a relief to discover I hadn’t humiliated myself by blabbering my inner thoughts as I was prone to do since only Wasabi could hear me.

My relief was short-lived.

“Did you have a favorite part?” Loch asked.

His eyes, which had been so intently focused on mine, suddenly slid down to my mouth. Absolutely flustered, I dropped my gaze to the book in my lap.

“Yes, it’s… um…” I tried to think of even a single scene from the book, but it was no use. My brain was too busy wondering what his lips tasted like. “It’s big.”

Seriously, Axe? Come on, you can do better!My inner pep talk only added to the chaos inside my head.

I turned the book over. “And hard.”

“That’s what she said,” Loch crowed, his chest rumbling with laughter.

Embarrassment flooded my body. The overhead lights flickered, then with a pop, they went out. I was thankful for the cloak of complete darkness, since it gave me time to compose myself.

I like it big and hard?I mouthed the words, crossing my eyes and scrunching my nose as I mocked myself.Open wide, Axe! Let’s see how much further you can shove your foot down your throat.

Dropping my head back against the wall, I looked toward Loch, taking advantage of the darkness to admire the man.

With his high cheekbones, gleaming skin, chiseled jawline, pale hair, and sultry lips, the man looked like he belonged in a Middle Earth kingdom. Honestly, if he’d sprouted a set of fluffy white wings, I wouldn’t have been surprised.

He was one of those pretty people who were painfully attractive. Even if I was having the best hair day, and I perfectly nailed the winged eyeliner on both eyes, and I slid on a pair of jeans without having to do the wiggle dance to get them over my hips, I’d still feel like a frumpy bridge troll in their presence.

My eyes traced the lines of his face before focusing on his lips. With his thumb rubbing soft circles on my upper thigh, I was having trouble thinking about anything other than how long it had been since I’d been kissed.

I wished I had the confidence of the strong female characters in my books. They knew what they wanted and had the courage to go after it. I wanted to straddle his lap, sink my fingers into his hair, and capture his lips in a kiss. But I wasn’t brave or spontaneous, so I remained motionless beside Loch.

My internal struggle came to a screeching halt as a male ghost in a pinstripe business suit walked through the wall and into the archive room. Without looking left or right, he strode across the floor and through the wall that led to one of the library’s storage rooms.

Before either of us could comment, a young woman in denim shorts and a crop top walked through the wall directly behind us. She bumped into me, the movement pushing me away from Loch. For her part, the woman didn’t seem to notice. Rubbingmy arm, I stared at her back as the ghost disappeared through the same spot on the far wall.

I was jostled again when a third ghost, this time a man wearing swim shorts and a sun visor, strolled through the wall.

“That’s weird,” I murmured, staring at the wall the third ghost had disappeared through. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen three ghosts in this room.”

“Yeah. Unless there was a mass casualty disaster nearby, this isn’t normal.” Loch’s denim jeans rustled as he stood. “I’m going to go check it out.”

Reaching out, I caught his hand. “It’s dark and you don’t know the library. Maybe I should check it out, since I can see just fine in the dark?”

“I can see just fine in the dark. Perk of not being human.” Loch winked, lifting my hand to his lips and placing a soft kiss on the back of it.

My mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Did that mean he knew I’d been checking him out? A horrible thought slapped me in the face. He’d watched me make faces at myself. I went pale, which was saying something since I was dead.

Loch smirked, then turned and headed toward the door.

“Why not follow the ghosts?” I tried to clear the lump of embarrassment from my throat.

“Because I can’t walk through walls.” He opened the door, causing light from the hall to stream into the room.

Apparently, my electrical surge earlier had only blown the lights inside the archive room, which was good. The first time I’d lost control of my emotions and surged, I’d accidentally fried three computers and blew every light bulb in the building.

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