Wild Men of Alaska Collection - By Helmer, Tiffinie Page 0,79
Loving After the Death of a Spouse.’”
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Are you really going out with him?”
Gemma jumped, and the pile of sci-fi books in her arms scattered to the floor. She glanced around, even though she knew there was no one else in the store but her. Everyone had headed home for the night since the bookstore was currently closed. She should have done the same, but had prolonged her workday not wanting to face her empty house. Not with sleep beckoning and her seducer waiting for her to fall asleep. Was he tied to her or the house?
“I’m tied to you, and going out with that other guy will really complicate things,” Lucky’s voice rumbled over her.
“And you don’t think my life isn’t complicated already?” She was talking to dead guy. Basically a ghost, and since he’d shown up here didn’t that mean he was haunting her?
“I’m not a ghost, and I’m not haunting you.”
Holy balls, she forgot about that mind reading trick of his. “You have to stop doing that.” It was bad enough he knew so much about her, she didn’t want him inside her confused, messed up mind too. What woman would like the man she was attracted to knowing her every thought?
“I love how you think. You’re refreshing and honest. Your thoughts are as beautiful as you are.”
The man could seduce merely with words.
He gave a chuckle that did crazy things to her insides. “You should see what I can do with my—”
“Okay, stop.” She threw her hands up.
“You say stop, but what you’d really like is for me to—”
“No more reading my mind.”
“It’s hard not to when you project so easily. You have such charming thoughts, Gemma.”
Project? Did she have a part in this?
“You’re like a beacon in a storm. A hot, fervent place promising shelter where I want to—”
“Beacon or not, I don’t want you in my head.” It was tough enough being alone with her own thoughts.
“I can’t promise. I’m not the most disciplined.”
That, she believed.
Gemma bent to retrieve the books she’d dropped and found them missing. She swiveled and discovered the books stacked on the shelf where she’d meant to display them. “Did you do that?”
“It was my fault for scaring you. Helping you clean up is the least I could do.”
Yeah, but unnerving as hell. She shook off the shiver. She hadn’t even seen the books move. Explained how he could so easily get her undressed.
“Definitely a perk.”
“Hey.”
“Sorry. I can’t help it. Just like I can’t help this.”
He tucked strains of hair behind her ear that had fallen out of her clip, and she swore he nuzzled the side of her neck.
Her heart skipped. Now don’t get excited, she tried to chide herself. She was supposed to be downplaying her attraction to Lucky not building on it. After all, there was only so far this—whatever it was—could go.
A wave of sadness enveloped her, and she suddenly felt lonely. She’d never been one to feel alone. It was more than melancholy she felt. It was desolate isolation with the promise of eternity. Could she be picking up on Lucky’s feelings?
“Now that is interesting,” Lucky murmured. “I’m not up on all the rules. Rules have never been my thing.” She imagined him shrugging. “But somehow I must be transferring my feelings to you.”
Her knees wobbled. She might need to sit down for this. Instead of falling into a horizontal position that her body so badly craved, she returned to the customer service desk for the other stack of books awaiting her attention. She felt him shadow her. What she wouldn’t give to see him. There was another wave of understanding that she interpreted as him wanting the same thing.
She grabbed a pile of “Hot New Romances” and carried them to the endcap in the romance section. She placed the books in the already set up Plexiglas holders and then looked them over to make sure the display seemed balanced. She turned to get the next pile of books to fill in and found them floating in the air.
She froze.
“Did I freak you out again?” Lucky asked, the stack of books lifting as though he were offering them to her. “I’d just like to help.”
“Don’t move,” she whispered. With him holding the books, she knew exactly where he was. What if she put something on him? “Seriously, stay right here and don’t move.” One last look to make sure the books were still suspended in mid-air, she ran for the café and grabbed one of