Page 35 of Bookworm

A very grouchy cucumber.

"Oh my gosh," I breathed, bringing my hands up to cover my mouth. "Stryker, are you okay?"

Bo's eyes narrowed. "Am I okay? You just assaulted me with a book, Kent. My face is throbbing like a mother."

"I know, and I'm sorry," I repeated. "So, so sorry."

"Didn't know something so tiny could cause so much damage."

I nodded. "Actually, historically books have been used as weapons. Today, women even carry them around in their purses.It goes right in there with the pepper spray.I read something about that recently."

Bo grumbled, "I wasn't talking about the book."

Oh.

"Again, I trulyapologize. I didn't mean to book slap you. It was just…I was reading, and it wasso good…and I got startled."

There was an awkward moment of silence, then Bo sighed.

"I came to apologize to you actually," he said.

My brow furrowed. "For what?"

"For what happened yesterday. All that stuff with Leif." Bo cleared his throat. "The kiss."

I stared at him.

"I know you're mad, and you have every right to be," he said."I should've never done that, stolenyour first kiss. I'm sorry, Kent.Been trying to figure out how to say it all day."

"I'm not mad," I said quietly.

Bo's eyes snapped to mine. "You're not?But I thought—"

"That kiss made me feel a lot of things, Stryker. But mad was not one of them."I shook my head, the movement making me realize that yes, I was still on top of him."It wasn't even in the top 10emotions."

And oh goodness, now, his lips were turning up on one side.Was that…?Yep, that was definitely a grin. It was Bo Stryker's version of one, tiny, barely there, all lips and no teeth. But it was a grin alright.

"You don't have to look so pleased with yourself," I said.

Bo's frown fell right back into place. "This better?" he asked.

"Yes, it's very you."

As I reached out to touch his cheek, Bo's breath caught.

"Does it hurt?" I asked. "Where the book hit?"

"Not right now," he said in a low voice.

"Hurt anywhere else?"

"Honestly, Kent, all I can think about is the fact that you're on top of me."

I swallowed. Bo's eyes dropped to my neck, tracing the movement. Then ourgazeslocked. All at once, I realized how close our faces were, how if I leaned down justan inch, and if Bo were to lean up…

A new voice interrupted us before anything else could happen.

Another book slap.

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