Page 49 of Bookworm

"And why would I do that?"

"To throw me off my game," I said.

"You have game?" he asked, sarcasm coloring his tone. "I had no idea."

"Ha ha. Are you ever going to show me what we're doing?"

Instead of answering, Bo studied my face until I began to fidget.

"What?" I asked.

"Just filing it away," he said, and there was definitely a gleam in his eyes. "Charlotte Kent thinks I'm rugged and well-built. That'll feed my ego for a while."

"As if you need it," I mumbled. "And I also said grim. Let's not forget thatpart."

Bo shrugged his big shoulders like that description didn't bother him one bit.

"Okay," he said, "since you insist on being here even though your assistance is unnecessaryandunwanted—"

I rolled my eyes.

"—here's what's going to happen.Iwill be cutting the stems off these flowers and then bring them out to the front of the shop. After that,Iwill load the van with the arrangements, most of which have already been put together, and at that point, you willaccompany me in the van to make the deliveries. All of whichIwill carry to the door and deliver to the customers."

"Okay, so what do I do?" I asked.

Bo lifted a brow. "Watch."

"Watch?" I repeated.

"Yeah," he said.

"Come on, Stryker. I can do more than that."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because," he said.

"What's with the one-word responses?" I asked.

Bo stared me down.

"I owe you."

"Wrong."

I shook my head. "Seriously, I'm here to make up for your wrist and the bookcussion."

His face grew curious for a moment, and he crossed his arms."The what?"

Ha, I thought. At least that was more than one word.

"The book slap that left you possibly concussed. Book plus concussion," I said. "Thatequals a bookcussion. It's my fault that you're in your current state. You can't just expect me to watch."

Bo's frown only grew.

"Just so you know"—I gestured to his face—"that glare-frown combo doesn't scare me. I've come to think of it as your signature look."

---