Logan (Carolina Reapers 4)

Cannon was only an inch taller than I was, so maybe that’s what she looked like next to me, too.

“That one caught me off guard,” he admitted as they approached. “Unlike—”

“I told you that you’d figure that one out. Don’t you dare blame me.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Cannon came to stand beside me while Delaney scanned the two books he’d selected and put the one she’d chosen for me off to the side where I couldn’t see it.

“Here you go. I know I don’t need to warn you about the due date since you’ll be back in here by Friday.”

“Guilty,” he said with a nod as he took his books.

“Give me your license,” she said to me, holding out her hand with expectation.

“I’m sorry?” Was this some new kind of scam?

“I need it to give you a library card because something tells me that you don’t already have one.”

“Uh. Sure.” I slipped my wallet from my back pocket and handed over my license.

“Huh,” she said as she typed into the computer. “You guys live on the same street. That’s cute.”

Cannon and I traded a glance, and he subtly shook his head.

“Yeah, that’s why we carpooled this morning.” God, that even sounded stupid to me, and it came out of my mouth.

“Logical,” she determined while her fingers flew. She reached for a card and then scanned it with the beige gun that rested next to her computer. “Keys,” she demanded.

I blinked. That was a step too far.

But for some reason, I gave them to her.

She snapped the card in her hand, and I realized there had been a smaller card attached to the bigger one. She worked her fingers over my keys, and suddenly I had a tiny library card sitting next to the four keys I kept on the chain.

“Here you go!” She handed over my new library card and my keys.

“Thanks?” What was the appropriate response for being given something you’d never asked for or particularly wanted?

“You’re very welcome.” She took the book she’d chosen and clutched it to her chest, her hand splaying over the cover so I couldn’t see it. “Okay. I am willing to bet my life that you’ll love this book.” She tilted her head to the side. “Well, maybe not my life, but definitely something precious. I’m very good at recommending books. Just ask that one.” She nodded toward Cannon.

“She is,” he acknowledged. “But Ward here isn’t a bookworm, Delaney. You might have bitten off more than you can chew with this one.”

She looked back to me, and our eyes locked.

Fuck. Words. Fuck. Something. Yada. Yada. Words. Yeah. Fuck me, she did it again.

“If you’re willing to bet something precious, I’ll take you up on it.” The words left my mouth before my brain got control again.

“Oh?” She cocked an eyebrow at me. “I like bets.”

“If you’re wrong, and I don’t like the book, then I get your phone number.” Fuck, there went my mouth again. Why the fuck wasn’t Cannon stopping me?

Her eyes flew impossibly wide, and her strawberry-colored lips parted. “My...number.”

“Yep.”

“And if you do like it?” She clutched the book even tighter.

“Then I don’t get your number.” I shrugged.

“And what’s to keep you from lying and getting it anyway? Because I really am that damn good.” She smirked.

“Ward doesn’t lie. He’s pretty much the boy scout where we work,” Cannon noted.

“You don’t?” She didn’t look away as she asked me.

“I don’t lie. A man isn’t worth anything without his word—doesn’t matter how much he has in the bank account.” Dad taught me that from an early age.

She weighed her options for a second and then sighed. “Okay, Logan Ward. If you don’t like that book—if I’m honestly wrong, then I’ll give you my number. And if you do like it, then all you get is another book.”

“Challenge accepted.”

“Enjoy.” She grinned and handed over a thick book titled American Gods.

“I’ll be back when it’s finished,” I promised her as I slipped my license back into my wallet and tucked it away.

“I bet you will.”

We said our goodbyes as we walked toward the back door. I took one last look at Delaney as she closed the door, locking it behind us.

The second the lock twisted, my brain came back online.

“What the fuck did I just do?” I asked Cannon as we climbed into the car. I’d sworn off women. I was still fucked up from Blaire’s head games and I’d just bet a woman for her number?

“I have no clue, but I’m telling you right now that it took me months to find someone who would open the library during hours where I could visit alone.” He glared at me. “I like Delaney. She’s smart and funny—”

“Wait, are you into her?” My stomach dropped. Please say no. Please, God, say no.

“Delaney? Hell no. She’s a friend.”

Thank you, God.