Chapter 8

After getting a latte from across the street—the inn didn’t have an espresso machine at the moment—Gwen stopped to wave at Alex through the bookstore window. Alex gestured for her to come inside.

“I have the latest Lila White!” said Alex, holding up the book in question.

Gwen didn’t need any more persuasion. She snagged the book from Alex, greedily reading the blurb and flipping through the pages. It was a big, fat novel; Gwen loved those kinds of books. Doorstoppers, the ones that completely engrossed you the moment you started reading.

“The reviews are pretty stellar,” said Alex as she continued shelving. “I wasn’t a big fan of her last one, though.”

Gwen scoffed. “And you call yourself a bookseller. Her last book was ~amazing~.”

“I’m just not a big fan of the secret-baby thing. It only works in ye olden times, not in the twenty-first century.”

“But Lila White can handle it. Come on, that grand gesture at the end—”

“Oh, it was great. I’ll give you that.”

Alex had worked in Hazel Island Books, or HIB as the locals called it, since she was a senior in high school. The owner and manager, Max, had been a single man with no children, and he’d taken Alex under his wing. Although Alex had left the island for various jaunts around the world, she’d always returned to HIB.

When Max had become ill and unable to run the business, Alex had stepped in. Now, she was the official owner.

Island folk had been skeptical someone as flighty as Alex Gray would be able to run a bookstore. She was also still young, and despite her quick mind and ambition, she’d been inexperienced with the finer aspects of owning a business.

It didn’t help that so much of the book world had shifted to digital. Although many of HIB’s patrons were loyal to buying and reading print books, the pool shrunk every year. And it wasn’t uncommon for a previously loyal patron to return in the summer with a shiny new eReader in hand to read on the beach.

“How’s everything going?” asked Gwen.

Alex hopped down from the ladder. “Good. We’re having a reading for Lila White soon. Actually, I’ve been in contact with Lila’s people to see if she’d do a reading here on the island.”

“Seriously? Do you think she’d come?”

“No idea, but you’ll never know if you don’t ask.”

Inside the store were only two customers, and as Gwen wandered the store with Alex, she didn’t see any more come in. Then again, it was the morning. Business would probably pick up later.

“So business is good?” said Gwen after one of the customers left without purchasing anything.

“Good? I don’t know about that.” Alex laughed a little. “It’s not terrible. Let’s just say anyone making a profit from a bookstore must have magical powers.”

Gwen stared in surprise. “How are you paying yourself? Are you getting a salary?”

“Oh, that one is so good.” Alex pointed to the mystery novel the other patron had just pulled from the shelf. “I highly recommend it. The twist at the end!”

Gwen knew when she was being ignored. Although Alex had never outright said the business was struggling, Gwen had no idea if it was even paying Alex a salary. How was she paying for her apartment? Gwen worried that her friend had gotten in over her head.

Once the store was empty, Gwen said frankly, “If you need help, you know you can always ask me, right?”

Alex blushed a little. “Help? You mean you want to come work for me? Bonuses are free books.”

“Alex, be serious.”

“I am. About the bonuses, that is.” Then her shoulders sagged. “Look, I can take care of myself. I’ll figure it out. I always do.”

Clearly, Alex wasn’t going to unload her problems. She had too much pride, Gwen thought, to admit when she was stuck. It was both commendable and frustrating. Gwen had a feeling Alex’s stubbornness could get in her own way far too easily.

Changing the subject, Gwen said, “Your sister said something interesting last night, about Luke Wright. She seemed super hostile when I mentioned him.”

Alex laughed. “If you’re trying to get me to spill, I’ll tell you right now, I know nothing.” At Gwen’s expression, she said, “No, really. Jocelyn has never told me why she hates the guy. Or the family. And you know I’m the best person to get someone to confess their secrets.”

~But you don’t know mine~, thought Gwen wryly. “She said I shouldn’t trust Luke.”

“Knowing Jocelyn, he was probably rude to her once in high school and she holds a grudge. She’s like that. Once she decides she hates you—” Alex drew a line across her throat. “There’s no coming back.”

Alex peered more closely at Gwen. “Why should you trust Luke? I didn’t think you two were friends.” Her eyes widened. “Are you two dating?”

Gwen nearly choked on her latte. “Luke Wright? God, no.” Not that he wasn’t attractive, but he wasn’t her type.

She couldn’t help but think of Jack’s dark eyes right then. No, Luke Wright was not a guy she’d want to date. He’d had life too easy, for one. What would Gwen do with a man who’d been born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth?

“Then why are you asking about him? Seems fishy.” Alex poked Gwen in the shoulder. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing. I just mentioned something offhand about the Wrights, and Jocelyn was there. That’s all.”

Alex didn’t seem convinced but surprisingly, she didn’t press the matter. “Well, I will say that if Jocelyn says he’s shady, she probably has a good reason for it.”

“You just said she could be holding a silly grudge!”

“She’s my older sister. I have to roast her, duh.”

Returning to work, Gwen couldn’t help but mull over Alex’s words. ~She probably has a good reason for it. ~

Did that mean Gwen should avoid getting a loan from Luke? But she was also confident that Jack wouldn’t be friends with someone untrustworthy.

~Jack might not know everything about his friend. Your friends don’t know everything about ~you.

Gwen felt twisted up inside. Most of all, she wished people would just be transparent for once. But then she laughed at herself, because she’d been as opaque as anyone, what with her beating around the bush with Jack.

As if he’d heard her thoughts, Jack appeared next to her in the inn’s kitchen. He looked like he’d been running, his breaths coming in pants.

“What in the world? Are you okay?” said Gwen.

“I need to talk to you.”

Gwen looked around, but they were alone. But she still took him to her office for privacy’s sake, closing the door behind him.

He started to pace, but her office was too small for pacing. Instead, he leaned over the single chair, gripping it hard. Gwen’s anxiety shot up. Had something bad happened and he was trying to find the words to explain?

“I thought about what you told me, about your ex-husband.” Jack said the word “ex-husband” like a curse, startling Gwen. “But most of all, I want to ask you one thing.”

His eyes were blazing with fire. “Are you attracted to me? Because by God, I want you, Gwen. And I want to prove to you that you aren’t broken.”

To Jack’s dismay, Gwen started laughing. “You’re joking. Seriously? Who put you up to this?”

“No one put me up to anything.”

Gwen just kept shaking her head. “You seriously came in here and would say that to me? Why? I told you that in confidence, but if you think it’s all just a joke—”

Jack went around to her side of the desk and took her hands, squeezing them, forcing her to look him straight in the face.

“I’m not joking, Gwen.” His voice was low, and he felt like his heart was going to explode out of his chest. “Why the fuck would you think I’d do something like that to you? Have I ever treated you like that?”

Her lower lip was trembling. “No,” she whispered.

“Then tell me the truth: do you want me? Because when I almost kissed you that night, you wanted me. And don’t try to lie to me. I can tell when you’re lying.”

That made Gwen scoff. “What, like you can read my mind? For all you know, I lie to you all the time.”

“Any time you’ve tried, you get twitchy.”

“I do not.”

He moved closer. He could feel the curves of her body pressed against his own, the way she fit against him perfectly. Just being this close to her sent his senses into overdrive. It took everything in his power not to kiss her right then and there.

“Do you want me?” he repeated. “Tell me. If you say no, I’ll never touch you again.”

He could tell she was trying to find a way out of this. She was shaking now, but her cheeks were flushed, her nipples hard. Even if she wouldn’t say it out loud, her body wanted him.

“I don’t want you.” Her fingers flexed against his hand as she said the words.

“I don’t believe you. Why are you lying?” Jack tilted her chin up, brushing his thumb across her lip. “Try that again.”

She didn’t have the strength to keep lying. He could feel the fight go out of her in that moment. Her eyes pooling with tears, she said, “I do want you.”

Jack dug his fingers into her hair and kissed her—hard. She moaned in surprise, but then she wrapped her arms around him. His tongue delved into her sweet mouth. He kissed her like he was starved for touch, and he was—he was starved for this woman.

~Even if this is temporary, it’ll be enough. It has to be enough.~

Gwen dug her nails into his shoulders as he kissed her harder. But then she pulled away, panting, her entire face and chest red now.

“Jack.”

“Give me a chance,” he rasped.

She just shook her head. “Just because I want you—it won’t work. I won’t do that to you.”

“You won’t be doing anything to me. Even if this is all I get, this one kiss? Fine.”

She stared at him. “You’re seriously telling me that you’d want a relationship with no sex?”

“Want? No. But for you? I’d manage.” He touched her cheek. “And I’m not talking about a relationship, Gwen. I’m just talking about having fun. No commitment. If you want to end it, you can. It doesn’t have to be messy.”

“You’re saying we should become friends with benefits.”

He tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “Sure. Call it that.”

“I’ve never done that before. I don’t think I’m that kind of person. I’d probably get all emotional and overly attached.”

“Then just don’t fall in love with me. And I’ll do the same.”

“Not fall in love with me? I’m not sure if I should take that as a compliment.”

Jack reached down and squeezed her ass, pressing her pelvis against his semi-hard cock. “I want to bend you over this desk right now,” he rumbled. “I want you every possible way a man can have a woman.”

Gwen licked her lips, her lashes fluttering. “Let me think about it.”

“Forty-eight hours. That’s all the time you get.” He wanted to kiss her again, but Gwen was starting to think again. He had a feeling pushing her too hard would end poorly for them both.

He forced himself to put space between them, even though his body screamed at the broken contact.

“Forty-eight hours? Okay,” said Gwen, her voice husky. “I’ll talk to you then.”

“I’ll be counting the hours.”