The sound of the bell chiming over the door pulled a reluctant Emily from the depths of her book.  She surfaced groggily, her eyes adjusting to the change in light as she smiled up at the new customer.  He was bundled tightly against the day’s chill, a scarf wrapped around his neck, his coat buttoned to the collar, and a hat pulled low over his brow.

“Hey, welcome to Bee’s Book Stop.  Let me know if you need any help.”  She smiled at the man, but if he responded she didn’t hear him.  After a moment of making sure he was all set, Emily let her eyes stray back to the pages in her hands.

His warm grasp moved from the soft flesh of her thighs, upward, and the squeal that followed brought a grin to his lips.  Deftly, his fingers found her –

“Excuse me?”  The voice made Emily jump in her seat, blush instantly painting her cheeks. 

“Yes?”

“Do you have any more copies of ‘The Great Gatsby’?  I can’t seem to find it on the shelves.”  The scarf had been loosened, the hat was now clutched between his hands, and Emily couldn’t help but stare into the piercing blue eyes looking back at her.

She glanced at the book in her hands, certain the character that she’d just been reading about had somehow slipped into her store.  Her cheeks flamed at the thought.

“Yeah, right this way.”  She gingerly stepped from behind the counter, hesitating as she stepped around him and made her way toward the back of the store.  As she passed him, the smell of his cologne invaded her senses, and Emily was happy he could no longer see her face.  “Right here.”  She pointed out the section, trying to distance herself from his physical presence.  “There are some other classics, too, in case you want to check those out.”

“Thank you.”  He smiled at her, but his attention was taken by the books on the shelf and Emily slipped away without saying anything else.  When she reached the safety of the counter, she grasped her book in shaking hands and flipped to an earlier chapter.

He was tall and lanky, but the muscles beneath his clothing were obvious to the casual observer.  His hands were rough from years of working with them.  What was most striking, though, were his eyes.  Deep, ocean blue orbs with emotions storming and swimming beneath the surface of his cool façade. 

Emily swallowed thickly, glancing back up to find the man standing before her again.  She could feel her palms get sticky with sweat and it took her a moment to find her voice.  “Can I help you?”

He placed two books down on the counter, eyeing the book in her hands suspiciously.  She blushed harder, feeling as if he could read her thoughts.

“That a good book?”  He nodded toward the novel now set aside on the counter, a wary look still on his face.  When his blue eyes met hers, she felt as if they were piercing directly through her.

“It’s pretty interesting, year.”  She glanced at the book, worried that it was flashing the contents of her mind from him to read.  “It’s not my favorite…but it helps pass the time.”

He managed a tight smile, handing over his money when she told him the total.  Emily was feeling completely disoriented by this man, and she kept trying to convince herself that she was imagining things.  Really, it couldn’t be anything else.  She let out a deep breath, plastering on a smile as she bagged his books and handed them over the counter.

“Thanks for coming in.” 

When he stood there for a moment, eyes locked with hers, Emily started to panic slightly.  Thankfully, the phone in the back room started to ring, ending the strange staring contest they’d fallen into.  “You should probably get that,” he prompted, his words propelling her into action.

When she returned from the back room, he was gone.  Strangely enough, so was her book.