Bookish and the Beast - Ashley Poston Page 0,35
I would have to rearrange this boring library.”
“Ah, there it is.” I start to stand.
“Here,” he mumbles, and outstretches a hand. I hesitate, eyeing it. “I’m not going to bite.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
“Ha.”
I reach up to take his hand anyway.
He pulls me to my feet, and I straighten out my jumper. Then I turn to the bookshelf I had been trying to reach, and put my hands on my hips, and sigh. Well, my first plan definitely didn’t work. Now how am I supposed to get it? I suppose I could climb on the shelves…
“You know,” he begins, drawing me out of my plotting. I glance back at him, only to find that he’s looking at me with this frustrated intensity, like I’m a stain that won’t come out of his perfect silk shirt. “I don’t understand you. Why are you sticking around?”
I turn to him, baffled. “Why? If it wasn’t obvious,” I say, motioning to the books around me, “I’m not the kind of person to go back on my word. But that does bring to mind a question I wanted to ask you,” I add, turning to face him fully, and even though he’s a good head taller than I am, I pull my shoulders back to puff myself up. “Why are you here?”
His lips thin. “None of your business.”
“Don’t you have some nightclub to haunt back home? Some private jet to fly off on? Some—some Instagram-worthy vacation to get to?”
“Hey, I live a little,” he taunts. “What do you do?”
My fists clench. “I haven’t ruined my life, unlike you.”
A muscle in his jaw twitches. “Yeah, well, at least I have one.”
“Had, past tense. You’re here same as me, Reigns.”
Something unsaid sparks in his eyes. “Not for long.”
“Yeah, sure.” Then I turn to the bookshelf again and point up to the shelf I can’t reach. “Now instead of just standing around gracing me with your tallness, could you please reach those books before you…”
But he’s already stalking his way out of the library again like an angry shadow.
I let out a growl toward the smooth, crown-molded ceiling. “Fine. I’ll do it myself. Like everything else!”
Even if it’s almost impossible. Even if, sometimes, I don’t like it. I never go back on my word. My mom taught me that. She said you’re only as good as your promises, and I intend to pay my debt. And I might never have gotten out of this sleepy little town, but that doesn’t mean I never will. Vance is stuck here, same as me, and if he wants to try to get rid of me that badly, I’d like to see him try.
He might be stubborn—but so am I.
SHE FINALLY LEAVES A FEW HOURS LATER, probably still without having reached those books on the top shelf. I really hope she didn’t use the antique table. I don’t want to imagine her footprints all over…whatever sort of old wood that is. I’m rich, not versed in old stuff. There’s a difference. I watch through my bedroom window as she walks down the driveway to the main road, where she always parks her car. She glances at me up in the window and waves goodbye with her middle finger again, then leaves before I can retaliate.
That—she—her—!!
I’ve never met someone else half as stubborn; it really is breathtaking. I’ve acted awfully beastly toward her every day she’s been here and still she stays. Not even my LA friends stayed when I acted like a wanker.
If I’d known she was this infuriating back at ExcelsiCon, I would’ve—I wouldn’t have—
Argh!
I scrub my face with my hands, because she was right. I ruined my life, that’s why my parents sent me to this place, and now I’m stuck here, same as her.
There is a knock on my door and Elias pokes his head in. “Dinner’s about ready. Potato soup tonight—it’s the recipe from that show we watched the other night! I found it online and—”
“Not hungry.”
He sighs. “Ah, you’re still angry.”
“Tired, really.”
Elias leans on the side of the doorway. “Why do you want me to get rid of her so badly?”
Because she’s infuriating, and she’s stubborn, and if she knew who I was—
I grab my jacket from the back of the computer chair and shove my arms into it as I squeeze past him into the hallway. “I’m going for a walk.”
“But dinner—”
“I’m not hungry,” I repeat, and leave though the garage door. I didn’t bring my car—my Tesla was still waterlogged by the time they sent me here—so