Page 112 of Bonfire and Bliss Bookstore

“It’s going to be okay,” I say gently. “We’ll get this sorted.”

“What?” she mumbles against my chest.

“I’ll help you with the packaging and orders. There’s no need for you to do this all on your own.”

She pulls back and those beautiful copper eyes meet mine. “You’d do that?”

“Xuxuzinho, I’d do anything for you. You need to start expecting more. You deserve more.”

She sighs. “I know but we’re—”

I shake my head, not allowing her to finish the sentence. I can’t handle her telling me we’re not real. But I know this isn’t the moment to tell her how I feel. She needs help. And rest. When I do tell her, I want to do it right. I want to take her out. I want to show her how she deserves to be treated.

“Am I your friend?”

She shrugs. “Yes.”

“Then forget everything else right now. Let me be here for you. Let me help you with the store—just as you’ve helped me with the book.”

Her voice is soft, but so is her smile when she agrees. “Okay.”

It takes us hours to get all the new books Penny has stocked manually added to her store checkout. And another few to package all the online orders she’s received during the past few days.

I’m so proud of all that she’s done with this store. She’s proud, too. I can hear it in her voice, the way she gets excited as she explains to me how she’s been using social media to drum up excitement for these books. She tells me how she did the same thing for her family farm last spring and for Tally’s bakery. Her sister can’t keep up with the amount of orders coming in. I’m not sure Penny realizes how incredible she is but I try to tell her every few minutes. As the hours go by, the color returns to her cheeks, as does a smile.

“I can’t believe we got all of this done,” she says as a glow settles over the store, the setting autumn sun leaving us in a dazzling haze. She pushes up on her knees beside me. We decided to close the store for the day to get on top of everything. “I couldn’t have done this without you.” A small smile plays on her lips as her eyes drop to my belt. “I need to show my appreciation.”

“Penny.” I shake my head. “Spending the day with you was more than enough for me.”

Those cheeks of hers go red, but instead of brushing me off, she leans in to kiss me. Just as our lips touch, her stomach makes a loud rumbling noise.

“I need to feed you,” I say, pulling back an inch.

She groans. “I don’t think I have anything here to make.”

“We’ll order something?” I suggest. “Or I can pick something up from the brewery?”

“Oooh, good idea. Rosie has a really good fall stew.”

“Perfect. Let’s go upstairs and get you settled on the couch. And then I can head out to pick up some dinner.”

She hums and holds out a hand as we head up the stairs. “You’re too good to me.”

I press a kiss to the top of her head when we reach her apartment door. “No. I’m what you’ve always deserved.”

Penny peeks at me as she sticks the key into the lock. “Well, what I really deserve is a certain book I’ve been promised.”

I groan. “It’s not ready yet.”

“That wasn’t the deal, book boyfriend.”

I follow her inside the apartment, and she moves to collapse onto her couch, pulling me with her as she does. “It just needs a little work,” I admit. “I’m not used to anyone reading my books before they’re done. Well, apart from my mom.”

Penny leans forward and presses a kiss to my shoulder. Excitement—at the little, yet intimate, gesture—burns through my veins.

“You used to let me read everything you wrote while you were writing it. To this day, Swept Away is still my favorite.”

I eye her, surprised. “But that one wasn’t ever published.”