Amethyst (10 page)

His eyes grew a
little wider, and I could tell he was taken aback. The gritty espresso machine
roiled in the background, and his lips twitched, but I stared pointedly at him.
“Boorish, huh?” he said, smacking his lips together. “This is no excuse, but I
was late…late for something very important. Not that that dismisses my behavior
in any way. But I am sorry I ran into you.” He smiled sincerely.

Yeah, he knew
how to score a touchdown when the heat was on. Still, I persisted, “Even if you
were in a hurry, why, after crashing into me, did you stare at me like I was
the crazy one? And what was so important you didn’t have time to utter an
apology?”

In a low voice,
he said, “Look, I’d rather not say, and I did just apologize for bumping into
you. And I did say ‘thank you’ for helping me after the accident.” He dropped
his head and studied the floor. When he looked at me again he said in a cool
voice, “I really have nothing else to add.”

“Oh, that’s
convenient,” I said, increasing the volume of my voice. He might be sexy, and I
might be completely in the wrong, but dang, his attitude was monstrous. Books
crashed to the floor behind me, and I jumped. Despite my mood, I found it
within myself to smile at the poor, frazzled lady who’d just knocked over a
display stand.

“Look,” he
sighed and tapped the book against his leg, “I was just as surprised as you
when I bumped into you. That doesn’t make much sense; I know, but I can’t
really explain it to you.”

I exhaled loudly
and shook my head. “You’re right about that. You’re not making much sense. Do
you mean you can’t explain it, or you won’t?”

He scowled and
said furtively, “Would you believe me if I said that cute little mole under
your right eye and your stunning, dark eyes had me transfixed.” He nodded,
wide-eyed and added, “Simply put, you rendered me speechless.” His expression
was unreadable. I honestly couldn’t tell if he was being playful or trying to
incite my dark side.

“Right,” I said
sarcastically, inadvertently touching the cursed mole.

“It was worth a
try.”

“You’re
impossible.”

“True.” His
smile faded away. “For your own sake, I must warn you that I’m argumentative by
nature, and most people find my company intolerable.

“Obviously,” I
said, but found I was biting back a grin.

He studied me
momentarily and said in a softer voice, “I should have thought of something
more original, huh? I’m sure you get compliments on your eyes all the time.”

What was he up
to now? With a hint of cynicism, I said tiredly, “No, but thanks…I think.”

“For some reason
you compel me to say more than I usually would.”

I put my hand on
my forehead and shook my head. He hadn’t shared much of anything so far. I
couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re kidding, right?”

“No, I’m
serious.” He looked over at the bookshelves and back again. “If I’m being
honest, after I collided with you on the sidewalk…I forgot everything else
around me. It was like the rest of the world had stopped, and there was just
us.” He scratched his head.

Was he blushing?
Seeing him flustered was rather endearing after his impertinence. He’d just
gained extra points for a successful two point conversion. Okay, why was I
comparing his every move to football? As a die-hard fan, I found the sport
exciting and addictive. Is that how I felt about him?

Strange folk
music played over the speakers, and he finally broke the silence. “By now you
probably think I’m a complete ass.”

Stifling a grin,
I crossed my arms. “You said it, not me.” I didn’t really think that at all;
although, he was somewhat exasperating. Even so, he was easy on the eyes, and I
was indebted to him for saving the lady and her toddlers.

He glanced at
his watch like he was nervous. “I should be going…” he started to say.

My cell phone
went off, playing my dad’s favorite Tim McGraw song, and by accident, I turned
on speaker mode in my rush to answer it.

“Hello. Alex?”
My dad’s voice echoed clearly through the store.

“Hi dad, I…” I
dropped the phone and it went skidding across the floor. Heat rushed up my neck
as I chased it down.

“Alex? Alex? Are
you there? Can you hear me?” my dad called out. Actually, anybody within a 20
foot radius could hear him. I grabbed my phone off the floor, silencing the
speaker. A couple customers were looking my way with displeasure, and a lady
with stark white hair rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“Hi dad,” I said
in a hushed voice. “Sorry. I dropped the phone. I’m here now, but I need to
talk quietly; I’m in the book store.” My dad understood right away. Loud people
in bookstores were a pet peeve of his, and he promised to be quick. I glanced
up at my mystery man. His lips parted, and his eyes sparkled. I had a hard time
focusing on my dad’s voice with those eyes watching me.

“Okay dad. I can
do that. I’ll be on the lookout for the box.” My dad rattled on a bit longer,
and I studied the floor so I could concentrate on his words. I nodded. “Sure
thing. Tell mom I’ll do it, and I’ll send a note to Aunt Louise, too. Yes, I’ll
let you both know what I find. Love you too – bye.” I tucked the phone back
into my pocket and looked up. “My dad, obviously,” I said.

He flashed a
disconcerting grin. “Yeah, I got that much. As did everyone else,” he said in a
flagrant tone – the tone, I realized, he used when he was teasing.

“Very funny,” I
said. “Anyways, my Aunt Louise, who still lives in my grandparent’s house,
that’s where she and my mom grew up, is having the roof redone. I guess the
workers found an old box of books hidden in the attic. Since my aunt is an
allergy magnet and rarely opens a book, she didn’t want them.” When he nodded
and grinned, I almost lost my train of thought, so I blinked hard and focused
on the scar in his eyebrow – anywhere away from his lips. “She sent them to my
mom, who is super busy, and has decided I should go through them.”

Rubbing his
chin, he looked at me curiously for a few seconds. “Sounds like it could be
interesting. You never know what you might find. Rare books, hidden treasures,
ancient family history…” his voice drifted off, and he pointed at me. “From
that one phone call I’ve learned quite a bit about you. Most importantly,
though, is that your name is Alex.”

I regarded him
steadily and said with a dab of irritation, “Well, Alex is not really—”

“Alex fits you
perfectly,” he cut in. “I like it.”

I was going to
correct him, but for some reason, I didn’t. I liked the way he said it, and not
that I’d admit it, but it felt more intimate. For some reason, I welcomed that
closeness. The music changed completely, and a rough and tumbling Celtic song
started up. “You have me at a disadvantage,” I said, tilting my head to one
side. “You know my name, but I don’t know yours.”

He leaned in
close until we were at eye level and said in a low, lingering voice, “Why do
you want to know? Is it simple courtesy?” He bit his lower lip. “Or do you find
me charming?”

Oh brother! If
that’s how he wanted to play the game – fine; let’s see if he could catch a
long ball. I reached out and poked my finger against his chest. He took a
quick, jagged breath, and his pupils grew larger. Good to see I could fluster
him. “You wish,” I said suggestively. Unable to resist the temptation any
longer, I reached up and touched his chin. His mouth parted, and I pulled my
hand away. “But really,” I said sweetly, “I was just being polite.”

He gave me that
women can be so confusing look, shook his head, and said, “Good. Because I’m not
looking for any type of relationship.”

I almost laughed
aloud at the absurdity of that comment. “Don’t worry. Neither am I,” I said
hotly. As if premonitions, Amethysts, and mortality weren’t enough to deal
with, the last thing I needed was an exasperating, yet wickedly handsome man to
complicate things. “Besides, you’re hardly my type,” I said brusquely.

He scratched his
head and replied just as tersely, “Fine then. My name is Jason.”

I nodded slowly
but didn’t break eye contact. Perfect, I thought.

A somber
expression returned to his face, and he said, “Well Alex, thanks again for
coming to my rescue the other day. I’ll let you get back to browsing. Maybe
I’ll catch you around some time.” With a quick nod, and without even waiting
for me to respond, he simply turned and walked away.

Having been so
abruptly dismissed, I stood for several seconds in absolute confusion. Why did
my heart suddenly feel so heavy? Since he didn’t bother to glance back over his
shoulder, I turned and made a bee-line for the stairs. After a few steps, I
stopped and wondered when I’d become so gutless. Why let him scare me off? I
had just as much right to peruse the fantasy section as he did. My time might
be limited, but there were still some books I wanted to read. Gathering my
gumption, I marched back up the stairs and didn’t stop until I reached the
Katherine Kerr books. More than aware that Jason’s gaze flickered my way, I
refused to acknowledge him. That didn’t slow my pounding heart or stop the
dampness forming on the nape of my neck.

Someone stepped
between us and grabbed a book off the shelf, so I looked up to see who was in
the way. A guy with dark hair, dark eyes, and an over abundance of men’s
cologne peered back at me and smiled brightly. “Hi,” he said, leaving me wondering
when exactly the bookstore had become such a man haven.

I could see
Jason sizing him up from behind, and when his eyes met mine, he gave me a cold
stare. Tilting my chin in the air, I shot him a dirty look. Assertively, I made
eye contact with the newcomer and responded with a friendly, “Hello.”

Stepping towards
me with his arm outstretched, he said, “I’m Tyson. What’s your name brown
eyes?” With a cheesy grin, he stood waiting for me to shake his hand, and Jason
snorted from behind him. Even if I’d wanted to shake hands, which I didn’t, I
couldn’t, because I sneezed four times and launched into a coughing fit. His
cologne was overpowering, like a nasty bug repellent.

“Are you okay?”
he asked.

Doubled over, I
gasped for breath as tears began streaming down my face; it was all I could do
to hold up my index finger.

“Alex,” Jason
said in an imposing voice, stepping forward, “it’s time we took off. I’m ready
for lunch.” My head snapped up, but all I could do was nod.

After catching a
glimpse of Jason, the guy put his hands up defensively and backed away. “Sorry
man,” he muttered. He set his book on the shelf and bolted towards the stairs.

“Thanks for
saving me,” I said, wiping my eyes.

Jason shook his
head disgustedly. “Come on, I’ll buy you lunch.”

I couldn’t tell
if he was asking out of obligation or not, so I decided to let him off the
hook. “Oh that’s not necessary…” I started to say.

He cut in, “I
won’t take no for an answer, and I can’t leave you here. You might die from an
allergic reaction if that guy gets within a ten foot radius. I won’t be
responsible for an innocent person’s death. Besides, I’ve recently discovered
what a rush it is to save people,” he added cheerfully. “I wouldn’t pass up
another opportunity to rescue someone, especially a damsel in distress. In
fact, I might make it a full time job.”

His words struck
me like a bolt of lightning, and my head snapped up. With an expression of
total disbelief, I stared at him. Suddenly, I felt paralyzed; even my heart
stopped beating. A wave of nausea overtook me; my temperature spiked at least
ten degrees.

Jason looked at
me funny. “Hey, are you okay? Did I say something wrong? I wasn’t trying to
make light of the accident a couple weeks ago. I might be joking around with
you right now, but saving that woman and her kids was a serious matter. On a
personal level, it was also very rewarding.” He smiled. “You rescued me, so you
should understand how gratifying it is to save someone. Right?” His eyebrows
shot up.

I felt like I’d been
slapped in the face a thousand times over. The weight of his words made me
dizzy. Made me feel even guiltier. Yes, I knew how good it could feel to save
people, but I also knew how all-encompassing and exhausting it was. Still,
hearing those words from him hit me hard and sparked something within me, a
feeling I couldn’t identify.

Having been
silent too long, I knew I needed to respond. He made me feel alive, in a way I
hadn’t felt for ages. It felt good. A smile passed over my lips. “You’re right.
Helping you was amazing, but you’re the hero who saved three lives. I should
buy you lunch.”

He gave me a
puzzled look and said, “Alex, you perplex me. But lunch is definitely on me.”

“Okay,” I said.
“And thanks – that guy was toxic.” I brushed the tip of my nose.

“Does trouble
find you, or do you find it?” he said, placing the book back on the shelf.

“That depends,”
I said. “Did you find me, or did I find you?”

“Very funny,” he
said, but his eyes were sparkling. “Do you like fish-n-chips?”

“Of course,” I
said and sneezed again, “but let’s get going, I need some fresh air.” I didn’t
want to be face to face any more. He stole my breath away, and I was already
short on oxygen. Furthermore, I needed a moment to collect my thoughts. I’d
walked into the bookstore with a different perspective on life than I was
walking out with – all because of Jason, the maniac runner.

Despite
boundless white clouds, the afternoon was warm and humid. “So, where we
headed?” I asked.

“Just down the
block.” He pointed. “Have you eaten at the fish bus?”

“Nope, I’m new
to Bellingham.”

“You’ll love it.
Great food, fun outdoor atmosphere, and a million different ice cream flavors.”