Four blocks down from her townhouse was her favorite book store. Her days were very long sometimes and it was a great place to go unwind. She'd always arrive during her lunch hour since there were less people during that time of the day. It was a little, quiet getaway with a small coffee shop just inside near the front door. Soft music always played since there was a small area to buy CDs as well. Big, puffy couches and chairs were in the back, surrounded by tall bookcases which went as high as the ceiling, with large, rolling ladders that slid side to side along the shelves.
Briskly walking in the cool air, the sky began to get darker and darker. The street light changed and she quickly crossed approaching the front door. The door swung open as a couple held it for her, cradling there coffees while they past by her on the way out.
Stepping inside, glancing off to the left, she gave her quick wave to the familiar lady standing at the front counter. She walked toward the back, noticing a line of people hovered around the coffee shop as saxophone music filled the air. Three wooden coat racks lined the wall as a couple talked to one another in a hushed tone. Hanging her jacket on a free hook, she walked toward the bookcase. The sign above read 'Romance'.
"That is perfect." she thought to herself.
Walking casually down the rows of books, her finger tips touched the backs of each novel, looking for one that would catch her eye. Looking just above chin level, she sees a beautifully colored book and grabs it, studying the back.
"You don't want that one." a man says, his voice peeking through the parted books.
She looks up slowly. "Yeah, why is that?" she smiles, wondering what the rest of him looks like with only the sight of his eyes.
"There is not enough passion, in my opinion." he says, his deep, brown eyes continuing to stare.
Her eyes become trapped in his as a moment of silence is caught between them. Shocked by his response, she looked back at the book , searching for something to say.
"Got a better one?" she asks.
"Yes, I do. You see the next shelf up? There should be a couple dark red books there. Unless of course someone has bought all of them" he chuckles.
Her eyes leave his as she scans the shelf above looking for a red book. "This one?" she asks, as she pulls it from the shelf, holding it within his sight.
"Yes. That is it." his smile widened.
'Wild Nights' was scrawled across the cover of the book. She looked up at him to see him still staring. "Thanks! I'll check it out." she said as she smiled back at him.
"Anytime." his smooth and warm voice spilled over the books between them.
She turned to lean her back up against the books, opening the cover and flipping through the pages. Stopping at a page, she began to read a little. Candles, wine, soft touching and slow kisses start to spill from her lips as she read a few paragraphs under her breath. Her lip pressed between her teeth as she saw a scene in her head, reading more of the passion that was promised by the stranger.
"Looks like you have found something there." his soft voice was heard once again.
"Uh huh, it is going to be hard to put this down. I am hanging on every word." she said, leaning her ear back into the bookcase and listening to his voice.
"I hope you'll forgive me for saying so, but your perfume is very inviting and with my favorite book in your hand, it is very exciting to stand here and watch you read it." his soft voice lingered just over her shoulder.
"I don't mind at all." she said, making him feel at ease with his forward comment. Moments passed as she continued to read. Shifting her weight, she became more restless as the pages turned at a quicker pace.
"You look sexy standing there biting at your lip as you read along." he paused. "The man in the story has you wrapped up in his passion."
"Mmm, he is kissing her passionately now. What woman doesn't like the time and effort that a man takes to kiss her?" she whispers back to him.
She heard a loud thud and looked down at the end of the bookcase. A man knelt down, picking up a book that he dropped. She turned toward the bookcase and his eyes are gone. She looked around, no trace of him.
Walking to the edge of the bookcase, she looked down along the rows, trying to see if he was standing nearby. Two big sofa chairs, back to back, with only one woman sitting quietly, reading to herself. Still holding the Wild Nights book in her hand, she walked over to the big, empty chair, sitting down to get comfortable. Figuring he'd left, she began to read. Quietly, the woman behind her stood and grabbed her bag as she turned to leave, looking for another book.
Sinking into her chair, her thoughts wrapped up in the story. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt his touch, stretching out past the words on the page.
"I see you have gotten to the part that leaves you breathless with anticipation." his voice came from behind her. With a small movement, his breath was at her shoulder, his finger tips placed at the tops of her shoulders. "I think you should buy it. It looks as though you like it." his voice was at the edge of her neck, giving her chills as they flowed down her neck and all over her back.
"I think I'll do that." she said, her voice heated.
He shifted his weight and his breath was at her other ear. "Maybe I'll see you next week when I come here and then you can share one of your books." his tone was filled with adventure.
"I just might do that." she said, struggling to find the words.
"Alright. You enjoy that book. I would love to know what you think of the ending." he said, quietly moving away from her ear, getting up and walking down the row of books toward the front counter. Only the back of him was seen as she looked up at the last minute, catching a glimpse of him as he walked away.
***
One week passed and every night she read from the book. The passion was just as he said it would be, which was more than she ever expected. Work was tough, not being able to concentrate, always watching the clock, wanting to get home so she could crawl in bed and read more each night. The images of the couple in the story just haunted her. She would see his eyes and feel the writer's words melt her body.
"Lunch time!" she said to herself, taking another look at the clock. Clicking her computer off, grabbing her bag with her keys in her hand, she walked out the door.
"I wonder if he's already there." she thought as she crossed the street. It's all she thought about for a week. She kept replaying his voice in her head, as if she was afraid that it would stop and she would be unable to hear it again.
Reaching the front door to the book store, she glanced off to the side with an automatic wave. The lady at the counter brought her hand up, smiling back at her. With no line for coffee, she walked over, sliding a couple bucks onto the counter toward the cashier for a hot double mocha. Glancing around the store, she didn't really know what he looked like, but she couldn't help herself, wanting to know if a man would be staring back at her long enough to give away his identity.
She picked her coffee up, moving toward the back of the store. Approaching the bookcases, the large soft chairs were empty. Just a few people scattered around the store with books braced under their arms. A couple stood at the help desk, looking books up on a computer. She set her cup down on the little table in front of the chair, hanging her jacket on the coat rack. Casually walking down the romance section, every so often she glanced up to see if his brown eyes would be peeking through the books.
Further down the bookcase, she stumbled onto the erotic section. "Seduction. Now that's something you can always get better at." she laughed to herself, grabbing the book off the shelf.
"Do you think you need more help in that area?" a soft voice lingered from behind her.
She froze. "I think improvement is always a good thing." she said, turning around slowly, seeing him leaned up against the bookcase. Her mouth was slightly ajar, not able too break her stare.
With a book in his hands, he stepped closer to her. "Your so right." his smile curled at the corners of his lips. "So, what book are you going to share?" he stepped closer, just to the side of her shoulder and then turned in front of her to lean back up against the bookcase.
"Hmm, well, my choice is completely different. Mine is more on the adventurous side, but I'm sure it would lead to intense passion." she said, winking at him.
For a moment he stood there enjoying the look on her face. Her smile filled with the adventure she spoke of. Finally breaking the stare between them, she started to walk away from him. A couple more steps and she leaned down, her fingers finding the pick she spoke of.
"This is it." as she went to turn around, he was standing directly behind her with only the book between them.
"What do we have here?" he said, pulling the book from her hands, but his eyes hadn't looked at it yet. Her feet felt heavy, like they were bolted to the floor, wanting to back up, but powerless to do so. "101 Nights of Great Sex. By Laura Corn." he said with a puzzled look in his eyes as he looked up at her.
"It's not what you think." she giggled under her breath. "It's like a fun game that becomes addictive. Especially since the pages are sealed. They read, 'For Her Eyes Only' or 'For His Eyes Only'.
"Now, how am I going to see if this book is any good if I can't read it?" he said quickly, almost disappointed.
"Well, I guess you'll need someone to play the game with." she said wickedly.
"I suppose you have your favorites?" he asked.
"Oh, yeah! I like number #55 'Sweet Surrender". And number #74 'The Body Tease'." she said, without giving him anything to go on.
With a chuckle, he looked down, flipping through the sealed pages. "Hmm, Fire Down Below, Yield To Temptation, and Taken by Surprise." he read as she watched his lips curve around the words. He leaned forward, just inches from her lips and then turned his face. "Mmm, wearing that awesome perfume again, I see." his voice dropped, becoming softer again. "Tell me, because I am so curious. Did you like the ending to the book?" his breath was so close to her neck she almost felt like shaking.
Her head turned slightly as if she was offering it to him. "Yes, I did. It was full of passion. It made it hard for me to get to sleep." she said with a small sigh as he pulled the book away and dropped his hand, placing it at her lower back.
With a very small tug, he pulled her closer to him. "I have an idea." he whispered."Let's go out on a date." his soft voice purred at her ear. "I can tell you this. I would love to play your game." he said, as chills covered her neck, waiting for him to touch her. His grip became lighter until she felt his hand leave her back. The seduction book dangled from her finger tips. She could barely hold onto it as it was suddenly grabbed by his hand.
"Here, you might need this." he laughed wickedly.
"What makes you think I want to go out with you?" she said quickly, trying to appear in control of her emotions.
"Because I have you breathless with anticipation." he began to laugh, seeing her face redden and then become flushed. "So, how about it? Going to take me up on my offer?" a wink of challenge covered his eyes.
