Bindings and Books (3 page)

Ash stared back at him in confusion. “James, please….”

Damn but he’s gorgeous! Maybe—

No!
The air left his lungs on a sigh. “I’m sorry, Ash. I just can’t.”

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Hi James, Hope the rest of your ski holiday went well. I was wondering if you have a copy of The Skills of Carving (Skiing Techniques). I have been searching for this book for a while.

Let me know. I could stop by the store.

Regards, Ash

____

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

To Mr. Ash Bradley-Mills,

Thank you for your book inquiry. I do not currently have a copy of The Skills of Carving in stock. However, I have ordered a copy and will email when the book arrives.

The cost of the book is $27.99, and for your information, we provide free postage for items over $25.00.

Yours sincerely, James Connell—Owner of The Pages Bookstore.

Aug. 6th

____

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Thanks James,

I look forward to hearing from you again soon.

Regards, Ash

____

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

To Mr. Ash Bradley-Mills,

I have now received a copy of The Skills of Carving. As mentioned in my previous email, the cost is $27.99 (free postage included). Payment can be made by credit card via our website. Please include a postal address.

Yours sincerely, James Connell—Owner of The Pages Bookstore.

Aug. 22nd

_____

T
HE
BELL
at the bookstore entrance tinkled. James raised his eyes from the invoice sheet to absorb a tight black T-shirt and biceps.
Damn!
Obviously his suggestions of free postage hadn’t worked.

Near the shop entrance, his young assistant, Stephanie, magically appeared from between the book stands to pounce on Ash. He gritted his teeth. Steph looked ridiculous, flipping her hair and giggling like some silly teenager.

Topic for discussion at next week’s staff meeting: Inappropriate flirting with customers—gives a bad impression and makes the boss want to smash something.

After a few moments, she reluctantly indicated to where he stood at the counter. The ache in his jaw intensified. He shuffled the papers in his hands as Ash and all his hotness made his way to the counter.

“Hi, James. I thought I’d drop by, say hi, and get that book you ordered for me.”

“Sure… Ash.” For a second, in an attempt to keep things formal, he had considered calling him Mr. Bradley-Mills but saying it in person was quite different than in an e-mail. He would have sounded like a total prick. “I’ll just get it from the storeroom.”

The smiling skier on the book cover mocked him from the shelf in the “Orders” section of the storeroom. Okay, he needed to stay cool and calm. Just give him the book, be professional, and send him on his way.

When he returned, Stephanie was once again hanging all over Ash. His stomach clenched. With exaggerated care, he placed the book on the counter and suppressed the urge to drag her off Ash by her hair,
One, two, three, four, five—Nope, not helping
. “Steph!”

She jumped. “James! I was just t-telling our customer about our Saturday coffee mornings.”

“I see. Go stack those new books on the shelves, please.”

Stephanie flashed Ash a smile before turning away. Hurrying past the counter, she poked her tongue out at him.
Insolent child!
She was definitely getting that lecture on flirting later.

He turned back to the delectable man in front of him and cleared his throat. “So, Ash. That will be $27.99. Will you be paying by cash or credit card?”

“Before I pay, I thought I’d just have a look around. I might find something else that looks interesting.”

Damn!
“Sure, let me know if you need any help.”

He tried to ignore Ash as he moved about the store, but concentrating on the invoices proved difficult. Why was he here? Hadn’t James sent a clear message with the brutally professional e-mails?

His gaze strayed back to where Ash stood, arm up, reaching for the top shelf. The hem of Ash’s T-shirt slowly pulled free from his jeans to expose an enticing strip of skin, and James’s breath hitched.
Damn!

He wanted to touch that skin. Plaster himself to that back, press and thrust against that ass. The blood rushed from his head to his groin, and he shifted slightly, easing the pressure from his suddenly too-tight pants.

Just look away and stop the torture.

He veered from the tempting image to scan the store. And there was Stephanie—with one eyebrow raised and a mocking smile on her face.

Heat flooded his cheeks.

Damn! Busted!

Stephanie skidded back to the counter. “So, that’s the way it is, then.”

He picked up another invoice sheet, which suddenly became engrossing. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Ha! I saw you checking him out and staring at his ass.”

“I can assure you, I was not. Now please leave me alone. I am very busy doing important things… and… stuff.”

Steph plucked the blank sheet of paper from his hand and replaced it with an actual invoice. With a cheeky grin to rival the Cheshire Cat, she skipped toward the back of the store.

He scowled and threw the paper onto the counter. He had not been checking Ash out! Okay, he had, but it was hard to ignore all that delicious skin.

“Great store.”

He jumped.
Crap!
Talk about giving a guy a heart attack.

With his polite shop-smile in place, he turned to Ash. “Did you find anything else?”

“I did.”

Maintaining the smile, he glanced down at the book Ash placed on the counter.

He blinked. What? That was unexpected. He never would have guessed.

“I hear it’s good.”

He cleared his throat. “Yes. Yes, it’s excellent. I’ve read the trilogy. There’s three of them. Well, obviously there’s three… if it’s a trilogy.”
Oh God!
Just close your mouth and stop talking… now!

Ash’s mouth twitched. “So, how much do I owe you?”

While entering the amounts for both books into the cash register, his heart rate slowed a little. Okay, Ash would be gone in a few minutes. He needed to hold it together a little longer.

He stated the total cost of the books.

After placing the books in a bag, he stamped a small card twice, then handed it to Ash. “This is one of our loyalty cards. After you’ve purchased ten books, you get a free book to the value of twenty dollars.”

“Thanks, James. That sounds like a plan. I’ll definitely be back again… and again.”

James’s shoulders tensed.
Damn!
He smiled. Sort of. It was really more of a clenched teeth grimace. “Thanks for shopping at The Pages.”

With a smile and a wave, Ash and his tight T-shirt and sexy ass left the store.

The breath left James’s body in a rush
.

Double damn!

A
SH
RETURNED
to James’s bookstore on Saturday, taking Jess with him. The large store buzzed with voices and energy. Customers perused the shelves or relaxed on comfortable chairs, drinking coffee and chatting.

He smiled.
Enjoying coffee and good company.

The store was busy, so James would most likely be working. Ash was determined to break through James’s reserve and solve the mystery of his mixed signals. That little e-mail stunt and “keep it professional” act was not about to put him off. Walking away was not an option. James was just too… everything.

James’s sister strolled toward them. “Ash! Nice to see you again.”

“Hi, Rachael. This place is busy.”

“Yes, Saturdays always are. As you can see, even I get roped in to help serve coffee. I think James is in the storeroom. Why don’t you go find him? I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you.”

“Well… I’m not so sure about that.”

“Yeah, me either, but my brother has never been able to see what’s good for him. You should go on back there and say hello anyway. I’ll stay here and chat with your friend while you’re gone.”

With a smile, he strode to the back of the store where the noise level was distinctly lower. Inside a large storeroom, James stood with his back to the doorway, hands on hips and wearing the familiar and sexy black leather jacket.

A creaky floorboard announced Ash’s arrival.

“I haven’t found it yet, but….” James turned around and froze. “You!”

“Me. Guilty as charged. Jess and I decided to check out your store and say hi.”

James cleared his throat. “I…. Umm. Hi.”

“Can I help you find whatever it is you’re looking for?”

James jerked into action. “Right, sure. There should be a box labeled Fantasy Romance G somewhere here. Of course it should be in the red section and alphabetized, but I think my assistant, Steph, has been in here messing things up again.”

The shelves were neatly stacked, labeled, and color-coded. With an eyebrow raised, he smiled at James. “So this is… organized.”

James froze for a few seconds before spinning back to the shelves. “Y-yes, everyone tells me my labeling is over the top, but it works for me. My staff still manages to—aha! Found it!” James held a medium sized box aloft before moving away from the shelves.

They both moved toward the doorway at the same time and performed an awkward dance. Pressing forward, Ash deliberately encroached into James’s personal space. No way was he letting James escape! He placed a hand against James’s warm back and edged closer. His chest hovered one deep breath away from connecting with soft leather over hard muscle. His lungs begged for more than his shallow breaths allowed. With one small stretch, his mouth would reach James’s lips. “James.” A woodsy scent invaded his senses. Like the forest or a cedar log cabin—and something else he couldn’t define.

James swayed toward him, and a warm solid body connected with his chest, sending quivers through his stomach. His cock twitched.

James’s breath whispered across his lips. “Ash, I—”

“Did you find it?” Stephanie bounced toward the storeroom. “Oh! Sorry!”

James brushed past him. “Yes, here it is.” He handed the box to her. “Stephanie, this is Ash. I’m going to get Nicholas to make him a coffee. Follow me, Ash.” James charged toward the storefront.

Shit!
Shit! Shit!

A red-faced Stephanie silently mouthed the word “Sorry.”

Back in the store, James directed his employee to make coffee, free of charge, before scuttling off to the cash register to serve the line of customers.

A few minutes later, Ash accepted the newly made coffee with a sigh. Stephanie had rotten timing.

He sipped his coffee and studied James. Shoulders hunched, brow furrowed, jerky movements—that body language was broadcasting tension. James turned, and their eyes met.

Yes, James, we almost kissed, and you wanted it as much as I did.

James fumbled the book he held and quickly looked away.

A smile spread slowly across Ash’s face.
Message received.

On the other side of the store, Jess and Rachael stood with their heads close together, whispering and glancing repeatedly at James. Stephanie joined them and gestured urgently, no doubt filling them in on the scene she had interrupted.

As Ash sipped his coffee, a plan began to form.

Co-conspirators were always a good idea—James didn’t stand a chance!

J
AMES
RETURNED
from the storeroom. Why was Steph whispering loudly?

“Yep, I’ll call you. It’s only five minutes away. Yep, Gin—Thank you very much, sir. Good-bye.”

Stephanie hung up the phone with a crash. “James! W-where is… the stapler?”

Sighing, he picked up the big red stapler from the counter and held it up. “Honestly, Steph, sometimes I wonder how you function. Well, I’m off to get lunch from Gino’s. Shall I get you the usual?”

She knocked over the pencil container. “Umm…. Yep, thanks.”

He frowned. She was acting strangely. Well, more strangely than usual. “Right, help Nicholas unpack that new delivery, please. Back in a while.”

“Okay, boss.”

The bell on the entrance door tinkled as he departed.

Heading down Collins Street, he strode toward his favorite sandwich shop. Over recent years, he had tried a few different places, but this one was the best. He especially liked the way they displayed their ingredients in a logical order from left to right with the condiments at the end, close to the cash register. It made perfect sense.

Unfortunately, they were useless at making coffee, but he didn’t need to buy coffee today, as it was Friday. Nicholas, his only
normal
employee, worked on Fridays and knew how to use the expensive coffee machine at the bookstore
.

Ash would probably know how to use the coffee machine.
He smacked his hand against his leg. He had to stop thinking about Ash. Nothing was going to happen between them—he wouldn’t let it.

“James!”

To his left, Ash dashed across the street toward him.
Damn!
What were the odds?

Ash and his sexy smile ran the last few steps to the pavement. “Hi, nice to see you again. Are you on a lunch break?”