Page 31 of Bear In A Bookstore
“Okay,” she breathed. “I’m going in.”
Desi swiveled his hips away from her as she reached for the button of his pants. “Goingin? But we’ve only just met.”
“Would you just hold still.”
Reaching for him again, she sighed behind a smile and popped the button at his waist. There. That hadn’t been so hard. Her chest hitched as she prepared herself to pull down the zipper. The torso armor didn’t quite reach his hips, leaving a space where the fly stood open. A golden patch of skin peeked through the opening . . . tight, supple skin dusted with a swirl of dark golden hair.
Oh, boy. Okay.
Her body came to life, every part of her tingling and heated. She took the zipper pull between her fingers. He cleared his throat.
“Would this be a good time to tell you I’m commando?”
“You are not!” Kora jerked back.
His face suggested that she probably didn’t want to test his sincerity.
“You’re impossible!”
“It’s been said.”
“Ugh. Forget it.”
With a frustrated groan, she strode to the desk and retrieved the heavy, plastic sword and shoved it into his hands. It took some struggling, but he was able to bring his arms together just enough to grip the hilt. Sort of. Then she retrieved a long-handled broom from the closet and returned with the handle out like a weapon.
He arched a brow suspiciously. “No hits below the belt, Kora.”
She smirked. “Not my fault you didn’t wear undies this morning.”
Her gaze dropped to the naked peek of skin at his waist. Why did he have to be so damn hot?
Desi stepped forward and tapped her stick with the sword, then took two steps back. The sword was raised in one hand, his other out beside him for balance. Kora narrowed her eyes.
“What was that?”
“A challenge tap. It means you have to fight me, now.”
She cocked her head. “I’m the one running this show, thank you.”
“Then tell me what we’re doing.”
She thought about the scene in her book. “We’re elves in a heavily wooded forest. You’re the bad guy. I’m the good guy, and I’ve got a thick-ish branch wedged in the collar of my chest plate, so I’m at a disadvantage. I’m also wounded and can only use one arm. How can I defeat you?”
Desi lowered the sword. “You can’t. You’re dead.”
Her shoulders slumped. “I’m thehero. Dying isn’t an option. I have to kill you.”
“Women usually wait until after the first date to say that to me.”
She closed her eyes and shook her head. His warm chuckle washed over her, giving her an odd, pleasurable sensation.
“Okay, okay, here. Bring your sword up. Like this.”
He raised his own and had her mirror him. “Do the elf’s legs work?”
She nodded.
“But he’s hung up on a tree branch?”
