Page 10 of Until We're More
I readjusted the stack. For things filled with nothing but paper, books were heavier than you’d expect, especially when there were…five, six…seven of them. “How many of these have you read already?”
Guilt flickered across her features, then resolve crept into the set of her chin. “Only two, but one of them is a special edition. Of course, if I get it, I’ll need to find the other special-edition books in the series or they won’t match up on my bookshelf, and that’ll drive me crazy.”
“Naturally.”
She flopped my paperback on the top of the pile.
“To the cash register?” I asked.
“Yep. Oh wait, I didn’t check the sci-fi section yet, and—”
I shifted the books, holding them tight against my stomach, and caught her arm before she managed to zip around the corner and get lost for another hour. “Later. If I don’t eat something soon, I’m going to be crabby.”
“Going to be?” she teased. “If I feed you, and a guy hits on me by some miracle, will I actually get to talk to him for a few minutes?”
I grunted, and she laughed and shook her head. As the woman behind the register reached for the books, I spotted the guy I’d scared off one row over. I turned to Chelsea, already regretting what I was about to do but making myself do it anyway. “Romeo is hovering around the sci-fi section. Go get his number.”
A blush spread across her cheeks. “I can’t do that.”
“If I go and ask on your behalf, he’ll probably run. And if I have to tackle him, I’m pretty sure you’ll never get a date.”
She rolled her eyes, but her smile spread. That pinch that wasn’t jealousy rose up again, and I realized there might be ahintof jealousy. Because she was supposed to be all mine while she was here. I didn’t want to share. But as I’d mentioned before, I was a sucker when it came to keeping her happy, and that part about him being the first guy to approach her in a long time dug at me. Evidently she was surrounded by a lot of stupid, wussy guys, and I couldn’t have her thinking she wasn’t worth approaching.
Then there was the other thing I’d managed to forget. I was supposed to be teaching her how to go after what she wanted. “Didn’t you mention that your bosses want you to be more assertive? And you said yourself that you needed to learn to push past your comfort level.”
Her mouth opened and closed like she wanted to argue. “Fine. I could, perhaps, use a smidgen of practice with that. Gee, thanks for not holding it against me.”
“You’re welcome,” I said, ignoring her sarcasm. I nudged her in the guy’s direction. “Go talk to him and I’ll buy your books.”
“Oh, no. I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You’re not asking. I owe you for scaring him off.” I gave her another nudge. She wobbled slightly, her stiff posture softening a fraction. “Come on, Jessop. Show me what you’re made of.”
After another glance at my face—which I made sure conveyed the same mix ofyou can do itandI’m not backing downI gave my fighters—she quickly spun around. So much determination entered her steady stride that I worried the pansy might run fromhernow.
Having a relationship with a nice, nerdy guy like that would be good for her.I wanted that for Chelsea, but at the same time, the idea grated on my nerves. Hell, I didn’t know what I wanted. Why’d this side of me choose now to come out?
It’s just because I miss her.I’d experienced how much it sucked when she wasn’t around, which would happen more and more if she started dating Bookstore Bro.
“How’s your day going?” the cashier asked.
“Fine.”
“Ooh, I love this whole trilogy.” She picked up the next book and scanned it. “This series is a great one, too. Did you hear that they’re making a movie out of it?”
One Chelsea would undoubtedly be disappointed in. Instead of scanning in the next few books, the cashier paused, clearly wanting an answer, and probably one that matched her enthusiasm. “They’re not mine.”
She nodded a few times and gave up on the small talk, thank goodness, leaving me free to return to thinking about how much I didn’t want Chelsea to be busy with other people in the limited time she was here.
But I’d be nonstop busy training Finn as we continued working to restore Team Domination’s name anyway, and after that, I’d get even busier as I busted my ass to prepare for my own fight and keep all the momentum we’d built going.
Maybe if things were different and I could actually…
But they’re not. So don’t even go there.
The cashier announced the grand total, and I handed over my debit card.Add one more reason I can’t be that guy for her, I sarcastically thought, grasping at straws to ease the irritation coursing through me.I’m not sure I could afford her book habit.
Chapter Five
