Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 70014 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70014 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“Kenzie can’t keep a secret.” As I tried not to laugh, he realized how that might’ve sounded. “I’m not being mean. He said so too. And he…he keeps calling…well, secrets are hard for him, so maybe we should do this on our own?”
His logic couldn’t be faulted, so I nodded. “I should’ve taken that into consideration, but Talon can keep things to himself if needs be.”
Stefan’s head moved back and forth almost imperceptibly. “Yes…yes, I can see that, but…but I think we’ll be fine.”
Looking utterly innocent and adorable, he sat up straighter. “I trust you, Mr. Boyd, Sir.”
Chapter 5
Stefan
That hadn’t sounded any better, but at least he’d smiled?
I’d have been able to sound more reasonable or logical or grown-up or something if he’d looked less like a Dom from one of Kenzie’s books, but Boyd was just…he was so distracting.
“Thank you, Stefan. I’m glad you trust me, but if something changes and you want me to call the deputy over after all, I just need you to say yellow and we’ll pause things. If you decide I need to leave, you just need to tell me red.” Boyd gave me another Dom from a romance novel stare and paused. “Do you understand what I’m saying, Stefan?”
He’d given me safewords.
“Yes, Mr. Boyd, Sir. I…I understand.” Did he give them to everyone he thought was a stressed-out sub or was it just something about me? Maybe Kenzie and Lorne hadn’t been as confused as I’d thought they were? “I’m green.”
Shoot.
He didn’t think that sounded insane, though.
“I’m very glad.” He smiled and his whole face lit up. “What do you need to do before you can take lunch?”
His very reasonable question took entirely too long to make it through my brain but he was wonderful and didn’t laugh as I sat there stupidly. “Oh, I need to lock the door.”
“Is there anything I can help you with?” He glanced around. “Anyone I need to chase out?”
Sometimes the answer would’ve been yes, but I’d been working on training my patrons that lunch was my time. Running the library with very little help was both fulfilling and frustrating. “No, Sir. I just checked out the last patron right before you got here.”
Had his timing been deliberate or accidental?
“Perfect.” He stepped back from the counter as I stood up, not answering my unasked question.
So whatever they were couldn’t read minds?
I had countless questions I was hoping would finally be answered, but I didn’t rush as I put up my sign reminding people the library was closed over lunch and locked the door…because some people opened first and read second even though they were coming to the library.
I’d hoped it would give me time to take a few deep breaths and find where my brain had wandered off to, but that seemed to have been an unrealistic goal based on how fast my heart was pounding and how hard it was to think about what I had to do next.
“Are you still alright, Stefan?” Boyd’s question and the concerned expression he was wearing said I wasn’t hiding my reaction as well as I’d hoped.
I’d thought getting older would help me look less like a scared rabbit when I got nervous, but that seemed to have been an unrealistic goal too. “I’m not going to lie and say I’m fine because I think Kenzie said that would be very naughty, but I would like to continue with our plan, please.”
Still no laughter.
“That’s right. It’s important that you’re honest with me about how you’re feeling. You shouldn’t ever tell me something you think I want to hear.” Boyd sounded so serious and so…so dominant that I wondered if he realized he was doing it or if it was just part of who he was as a Dom…as a Daddy.
Kenzie said he was a Daddy.
“Yes, I am, and we can talk about that too.”
His answer had me stopping in my tracks…he couldn’t read minds. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud. I’m sorry.”
I thought I should’ve been sorry and at the very least I was horribly embarrassed, so it seemed best to apologize…but Boyd shook his head. “Don’t be sorry. It’s not a secret.”
He sighed so dramatically, it made me smile. “Nothing is a secret very long in this town.”
Since I had to agree with him, I shrugged. “Everyone is very nice?”
No matter what species they were.
Boyd actually barked out a laugh that lit his face up again. “Yeah, they’re something alright.”
Agreeing with him sounded rude, so I shrugged again, which got another laugh from him. “Alright, Mr. Librarian, show me where we can sit and talk while you eat.”
Hearing him call me by Kenzie’s name for me made me blush and it finally hit me that if he was Kenzie’s friend and if Kenzie chattered as much with Boyd as he did with me, Boyd probably knew a lot more about me than I’d realized.