Logan (Carolina Reapers 4)

My grin was wide because the truth was that she did most of the talking between us. Not that I’d ever complained, or ever would. Talking to Delaney gave me the same rush that driving fast did—she drowned out the noise in my life and filled it with her humor and quirky way of looking at things.

“Oh! I have a book for you!” she announced like she’d just remembered. “If you’ll follow me, Mr. Ward?” Her voice shifted to a playful, professional tone.

“Happily.”

Once we were on our respective sides of the circulation desk, she ducked low and popped back up with a new hardback. “Okay, this is out of your usual genre, but I really think you’ll like it.”

“That thing is huge!” I balked at the size of it.

“Yeah, I think she says that on page 238 or something,” she retorted with a wicked little smirk.

And just like that, I was fucking hard. Awesome. I leaned against the desk, hoping to hide the evidence until I could calm myself down. Damn, this was getting bad. She hadn’t even said something sexual, just playful, and I was ready to put her up on this desk and show her exactly how big it really was.

“You okay?” she asked with another head tilt.

“Yeah, absolutely.” I cleared my throat and tried to think of the least sexy thing I could— like the dude on the back of that book over there. Yeah.

“I figured big was good since you said this is a crazy-long road trip for you. Six days or something, right?”

“Yeah. LA then Denver.” Almost a week where I wouldn’t be able to see her. The thought sliced into me a little deeper than it should have.

“Mr. Waters? Did you need something else?” Delaney asked the man who had reappeared at the other side of the desk.

“I was wondering if this book had a sequel?” His eyes dropped to her breasts, and I stood up straight. His gaze met mine, and the blood drained from his face.

“Yep, that one does, but it won’t be out until November. Did you change your mind?”

“Uh.” He looked my way one more time, and I tilted my head at the same angle as Delaney’s. She might not have been mine, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to get ogled right in front of my fucking face. She deserved a hell of a lot better than that. “No, I’m good. Thanks!”

He turned, and damn-near ran out of the library through the main doors.

“Well, that was weird. He’s usually way friendlier than that,” Delaney said with a shake of her head.

“Yeah, something tells me he’s not just coming here for the books.”

She rolled her eyes at me. “Well, let’s be honest, neither are you.”

“True.” I wasn’t about to deny an obvious truth.

“So is this just a quick pick up? Or are you headed straight to the airport?” She asked as she checked the gargantuan book out.

“I have about an hour before I have to fly out.”

“Want to come file with me?” She asked like it was the most fun anyone could possibly ever have.

“I would love to file with you.”

“Good. Perfect timing!” She waved down her friend, Quinn. “I know you have a date in a half-hour, but would you watch the desk so I can go get those books filed?”

“Yep. You two have fun.” Quinn glanced between the two of us and nodded with a smirk.

“It’s filing,” Delaney hissed.

My eyebrows rose.

“Like I said, have fun. I’ll be here. Don’t hurry.” She winked at Delaney.

“Second floor,” Delaney said to me as she passed by quickly, her face flushed.

“You okay?” I asked, increasing my pace to keep up with her strides.

“Right as rain!” She nodded as we started up the stairs. “Cart is already up there. I swear I’ve been trying to get these books filed all day, and things just keep popping up.”

“Well, I’ll help you,” I promised as we reached the second floor. The little gray cart was empty on bottom and I hid Delaney’s present in it before she could see.

“Let’s start!” She took off again, and I followed behind dutifully. What the hell had set her off at Quinn?

The first five minutes were absolutely silent as she filed book after book, and finally, I couldn’t keep quiet anymore.

“Okay, I’m not moving until you tell me what put you in this mood.” I stopped in the back of the second floor, not quite to the children’s section.

She spun and stared me down. Then her glasses slipped, and she lost a little of the stern effect. I walked over and slid them gently back in place, my fingers grazing her ears. She softened and sighed.

“Quinn is on me about...you, even though I’ve told her that we’re just friends.” She started chewing on her lower lip.

“I understand. I get it a little from—” I swallowed and caught myself. “From the guys at work.”