Page 5 of No Shelf Control
And right now, thanks to one beautiful, pain-in-the-ass bookworm, I can't even do that.
"Goddammit," I growl, scrubbing my hands down my face before I click to open my document. My gaze scans across the page, my fingers hovering over the keys, but the words won't come. The whole book just feels…off, and I don't know why.
The bell over the door jingles, but I ignore it, trying to force myself to focus. I manage to write two lines, only to immediately delete them and start all over.
"Of course you're at my favorite diner," a familiar, sultry voice grumbles, as a pair of sparkly red heels comes into view, clicking against the tile floor.
My entire body clenches in anticipation as I follow the shoes up, over a pair of shapely calves, onto a pair of thick shorts-clad thighs, and then higher.Christ.She's thick and soft everywhere, like she was made to sink into. Every inch of her is round and sweet. Except her face. There's nothing sweet about that scowl and the fire in her eyes. That's all devil and danger, and I love everything about it.
"Stalking is illegal, Jasmine," I remind her.
"So is being so arrogant that you think I'd come to my favorite diner just to annoy you," she sniffs before sliding into the booth across from me as if I invited her. She immediately stretchesacross the table, her pink blouse gaping open just enough to reveal a hint of cleavage before she snatches a fry from the plate beside my laptop.
I bite back a groan when she pops it into her mouth, her eyes locked on my face. Never in recorded history has a motherfucker wanted to be a French fry before now.
"Have you reconsidered?" she asks, chewing thoughtfully.
Fucking you in front of all these witnesses? Happy to. Mind bending over, princess?
"No."
She swallows the fry, her lips pulled down into what can only be described as the world's sexiest pout. "Are you being stubborn just to irritate me, or are you actually just this annoyingly disagreeable?"
"Pot, meet kettle," I mutter, somehow amused and frustrated at the same goddamn time. Has she never been told no before? Hell, probably not. I'm guessing men fall all over themselves to do her bidding. And fuck them for that, because I want to be the one doing it… but not if groups of readers are involved.
Last time I went to an event, it was a fucking nightmare. I will not be repeating that experience. That's a hard limit for me.
"You think I'm disagreeable?" She laughs softly, batting strands of blonde hair out of her face. "Please."
"I have a few other adjectives in mind to describe you."
"Like what?"
Beautiful. Edible. Fuckable.
"Stubborn, irritating, annoyingly persistent."
"You do know what war means, right?" She leans forward like she has a secret to tell me. "It means no retreat or mercy until one side or the other capitulates or surrenders. And Ineversurrender, River."
I eye her for a moment, not sure if that's a threat or a promise. The way my cock jerks in response, I think he takes it as apromise. "And are you aware of what arrested means?" I finally ask.
"Is that the thing where a big, strong man in uniform puts cuffs on you without a safeword and holds you captive until you promise to behave?" She wiggles her brows. "If so, I might be familiar with the concept."
Jesus Christ.
I choke on laughter. "That's one hell of a way to describe an arrest."
She smirks, shrugging. "Am I wrong, though?"
"You speaking from experience, princess?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" She steals another fry from my plate before leaning back to look around.
Yes, actually. I really fucking would—both whether she wants to be cuffed and captive and if she's ever been to jail. I might actually lose my goddamn mind fantasizing about her answer to the first. And will not be in the least surprised by her answer to the second. Something tells me that Jasmine Knudsen is trouble all the time. The woman could probably run hell and shame the devil.
Audrey notices her at the booth as she passes by with the mop and waves. "We're finishing up your order now, Jazz."
"Take your time." Jasmine grins at her. "I'm busystalkingRiver."
