Bookstore Barbie (Magnolia Ridge #1) - Alexa Riley Page 0,10

about me.

“Don’t worry about Missy. She’s always carrying on about something.” The cops look around my store. “Everything okay in here?” Thomas asks.

“It’s fine. Is there something we can help you with? My girl is closed.” Shaw drapes his arm over my shoulder in a possessive hold.

“We got a call you might be poisoning people,” the other cop says. “I think we know who made the call but we have to respond.” He gives an apologetic smile.

“Isn't it against the law to make false calls to the police or something?” If anyone should get in trouble, it’s Missy.

“Yeah, if we actually know without a doubt who made the call.”

“Sounds like you’ve got something to investigate. I’ll see you out.” Shaw drops his arm from around my shoulder. He wants the cops gone but is it because he wants to get back to what we were doing, or clean up? I know which one I want to do but I have a feeling cleaning up is going to take precedence.

“You know your back door lock is busted,” Thomas says, not moving from where he’s standing.

“What?” I hardly use the back door unless I’m taking trash out. I don’t have a ton, so I only go out that door once a week maybe.

“We circled the back before we came in. The lock is busted off. From the look on your face I’m guessing you didn't know.” I turn to go look for myself and Shaw snags me around the waist, stopping me.

“Your place is upstairs?” I nod. “Let me go have a look.” He drops his arm from around me and steps over some books.

“We’ll go,” the other cop says, but Shaw is already on his way to the back of the store. The two cops follow after him and Shaw barks at them to not step on any of my books. I fight a smile—he’s worried about hurting them.

When they said the lock was broken, I figured it had to be an accident or something. I wouldn't put it past Missy to do something just to needle me. Does Shaw think someone is up in my place?

“Babe, stay.” Shaw stops at the door that goes into my back storage area and the stairs that go up to my place. He takes up the whole doorframe so the two officers have to stop because he’s in the way. It’s humorous that he’s bigger than both of them. “Please,” he adds as a second thought.

“Okay.” I stop walking.

“Thank you.” He pushes into the back, leaving Romeo and me alone.

“He called me babe,” I tell Romeo as I pet his head. He purrs with not a care in the world as his eyes stay closed. “You know you made this mess.”

I’m bothered by the fact that he interrupted my makeout session and I lick my lips thinking about the kiss. My whole body buzzed with need as I moved against him, and his dirty words turned me on more than any book I’ve ever read. Something about him calling me a good girl almost made me orgasm. I was so close.

“It’s all clear but your lock is busted,” Shaw says as he makes his way back to me with the cops following behind him. I hope I never have a real emergency in this town.

“Could someone have run into it or something?”

Shaw shakes his head. “There are marks on the door. It looks like someone hit it with a hammer.” I look towards Missy’s place, but what would be the point of breaking my lock? Oh god, what if she was going to come in here and try to do something to sabotage my business? Would she really go that far?

“I haven't been out that way for a few days. I have no idea how long it’s been like that.”

“When does the hardware store close here?” Shaw looks to the police officers.

“Already closed.”

Everything closes early around here. Not to mention it’s Friday and this is a high school football town.

“I’m sure it will be fine until tomorrow.” It’s not as if this town has robberies. At least I’ve never heard of one since I moved here.

“Did you want to make a report?” I can tell from the cop’s face he’s hoping I say no. What would be the point? How could you begin to find out if someone smashed my lock?

“No.”

“Yes,” Shaw says at the same. “You need to record it, babe.” The “babe” word once again has me agreeing with him. It’s almost