Page 48 of Chasing Kings

“Hi,” Sam greeted without looking up. “I’ll be right with you.”

A masculine grunt was the reply, diverting Sam’s attention from Mrs. Bowler to see who had come in. The new arrival slipped down one of the aisles before she could see his face, but the rear view was worth a long glance. He wore faded jeans that hugged a divinely rounded butt and a battered brown leather jacket snug across his wide shoulders. His hair was a short crop of dark brown curls, and Sam’s breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding so hard she thought she might have a heart attack then and there.

She’d lived in Edison Falls her whole life, and in all those twenty-six years she had never seen anyone with an ass like that because that ass didn’t belong to anyone from Edison Falls. Mrs. Bowler must have noticed Sam’s distraction, as the older woman craned her neck to follow Sam’s rapt gaze down the aisle.

“Oh my,” Mrs. Bowler said, tapping the counter thoughtfully. “I’ll take one of him too. To go, please.” She cackled at her own joke, and the man turned to see what they were laughing at.

For a moment Sam was so dumbfounded at Ethan’s sudden appearance she couldn’t look away. She thought she was imagining him, except Mrs. Bowler had to see him too if she was making coy jokes.

His full lips quirked up in a grin when he caught her looking, and Sam shook off her stupor, returning her attention to Mrs. Bowler.

“Um. That’ll be…uh…” She jammed a few buttons on the cash register, trying to remember her basic motor functions. “Forty-three sixty, please.”

Mrs. Bowler handed over her credit card, and Sam completed the purchase, cramming the books into the reusable bag her best customer always insisted on using. Sam hurriedly handed over the receipt and bid Mrs. Bowler happy reading.

“You have fun, dear.” The older woman winked and bustled out the door, the bell chiming her exit with a jingly flourish.

Sam gripped the edge of the desk, the rough surface grating against her hands, and took a deep breath.

When Sam failed to say anything, he offered her a raspy, “Hi.”

She caught her breath and stared at him, unable to speak or move. She stood behind the counter and watched as he shifted from one foot to the other, looking down at his boots self-consciously.

When she finally managed to get a word out, she wished she hadn’t, it sounded so pathetic. “Ethan?”

He smiled that stupid, soul-jarring smile of his, and Sam’s heart swelled to near bursting. All the feelings she thought she’d left behind in her Vegas hotel room were suddenly on her all at once, making the room feel small and far too hot.

“Hi, Sam.”

“Are you…? What are you doing here?” The words sounded harsh, but it was only because she was having trouble swallowing, and her throat felt dry while her tongue was ten times too big for her mouth. “How did you find me?” she croaked.

“Samantha Hart? You think there are a ton of women with that name who own bookstores in Oregon?” He shrugged, his smile never wavering. “Did you not want me to find you?”

She shook her head, then not sure if that was giving the right answer, she switched to nodding. “I didn’t think I was ever going to see you again.”

“I wasn’t sure you would either.”

At least he was being honest.

“You barely answered any of my texts. Saying ‘fine’ or giving yes or no answers…” Her grip remained tight on the countertop. She wasn’t sure what she would do with her hands if she released it. She would either hold on to him so tight she’d never want to let go, or she was going to slap him.

“I didn’t know what I could say to you.” The bruise on his face had healed, but there was still a slightly yellow shadow left behind. His lip had healed up nicely though, and it would have been a shame if she hit him and made a new mark.

That there were no new bruises on him had to be a good sign.

“Julian has been leaving you alone?”

“For now.”

Her knuckles began to throb, and finally Sam had to let go of the counter. “It’s good to see you. You look—”

“Sam, I know what you did.”

“What?” She didn’t think her heart could have beat any harder, but now her pulse was hammering so loud she wasn’t sure she’d heard him right.

“The money. I know what you did to get me that money. That it was yours, not the casino’s.”

She wasn’t sure why, but she felt embarrassed. “Oh.”

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