Page 49 of On Cloud Nine

I tilt my head to one side, beckoning her. “On the contrary; I want to hear everything.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Why don’t you tell me about what happens to Ripley and how she got these new powers?”

Molly smiles brightly. She begins, and her whole mood lights up. When she’s like this, her true self, I could listen to her talk for hours.

Chapter12

Molly

The resort libraryis a sight to behold. Two stories, stained glass windows, and a winding iron staircase that leads to a treasure trove of books. All surrounded by the beauty of Arizona’s desert. There aren’t any guests here as we meander through the shelves, tilting our heads to read the spines.

We spent the morning together, and now we’re skipping away from the agenda…almost like a date.

No. I shake my head. This can’t be a date. We just agreed to read a book together. That’s all.

It’s natural for couples to spend time alone.Right?That’s basically what Lolita said.

“There’s nothing like the smell of old books,” Matthew says, picking up a dusty, leather-bound cover. The book creaks as he opens it and inhales, closing his eyes behind his glasses. “So, so good.”

My heart races. A warmth spreads through my core. This reaction to something so innocuous is exaggerated, but I can’t help it.

Matthew Hudson is dreamy. Books or no books.

The collar of his button-down shirt peeks open, revealing olive-toned skin and a bit of chest hair, which looks unruly. Manly. Oh so manly.

Please make this day a wet dream I never wake up from.

I need help. Serious, intensive help to get me to snap out of every dirty thought I’ve had about my fake boyfriend.

He’s awakened a part of me I didn’t even know existed. Since we arrived, it won’t leave me alone. I grow wet, my nipples hardening against the fabric of my shirt.

Oh my goodness.I’ll need an extra-long bath before getting into bed tonight.

“When I was younger,” I start, attempting to muster up a distraction, “I spent a summer at an On Cloud Nine resort in Italy. There was a perfume-making class, and I remember wanting to replicate the smell of old books. So, I found a ripe, smelly tome of some kind and ripped a page out of it to boil for my signature scent.”

“No.” Matthew gasps playfully and reshelves his book. “How old were you?”

“Hmm, maybe around nine.”

“Was the sacrifice worth it?” He tilts his head. His glasses catch a hazy light from one of the stained glass windows, brightening up the blue of his eyes.

What was it Lily said? It’s always the quiet ones.

I’m very interested in learning the true meaning of that phrase.

“It was the most wonderful perfume.” We loop around one of the shelves, passing a section on Arizona horticulture.

“You are such a delinquent,” he teases.

I’m starting to love sharing with him. Pieces of myself I never told anyone about.

We climb the staircase to the top floor. The cool metal railing glides under our hands.

“When my dad was in meetings with contractors and property investors, I used to spend hours reading in the little nooks up here. Sometimes, I even fell asleep in the tan chair beneath the window.” I nod to the corner of the space.

“I don’t blame you,” he says. “I love a good library.”

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