Page 90 of Bonfire and Bliss Bookstore

“Hey, you seemed to enjoy yourself that night.” Her lips lift even farther. “You could come, too? If you really want to see me, that is.”

Tongue to my cheek, I swallow back a smile. “Don’t tempt me, Penny Darling. I will gladly make sex candles with you.” She laughs as I sigh, settling my hands on the counter. “As much as I want to see you, I guess I can skip that. It means you’ll owe me for ten thousand words.”

She hums as her eyes dance. “Oh, Monty. Whatever can I come up with to make it worth your while?”

“Make the list.” I knock my fist on the counter. “Now.”

Chapter 27

Penny

Monday comes and goes in a blur, meaning I’m left scrambling on Monday night to prepare for book club. The broken computer thing is really putting a damper on all the good things happening in my life because I have to manually track all my sales and stock with either my phone or a physical notebook. It’s been quite the headache.

What’s not a headache is the number of sales that have been streaming in due to another viral post.

Today I featured the stalker romance that Monty and I have been buddy reading. He sent me a few texts about it throughout the day, though I was quick to remind him that he’s supposed to be writing. I’m still giddy after everything that happened this weekend.

My hand reaches for the necklace he bought me and I suck in a quick breath, trying not to get ahead of myself. He is just practicing how to be a good book boyfriend, like he told me.

Still, when I look down at it, I can’t help but think of the flames on his chest. And the words that he whispered as he sunk inside me. How I belong right there.

And now I’m sweating because the thought of Monty thrusting deep inside me has my cheeks flaming and my panties soaked.

I shake my head, turning my attention back to the phone in my hand.

apennyforyourbooks: Book boyfriend and I are currently buddy reading this gem! Tell me, who’s your favorite stalker book boyfriend?

theredheadedsmut: A man with a mask who doesn’t speak? Sign me up! Oh and if he uses rope and calls me a dirty little reader, total Zaddy!

I giggle at the comments—this girl is hysterical.

“What are you laughing at?” Rosie’s voice startles me as I turn to find her staring over my shoulder.

“Shit. How did you get in here?” I pull my phone to my chest. “You scared me.”

Rosie raises a red eyebrow, her violet eyes dancing in delight.

“Oh, and now she’s hiding what she was laughing at,” she says to my sister, who snuck in with her. The rest of book club will be arriving shortly.

“How did you guys get in here without the bell sounding above the door?” I glance toward the front of the shop and spot Billie with a case of wine in her arms.

Tally turns around to help her, but not before calling over her shoulder, “Oh, it rang! You were just so interested in whatever was on your phone that you didn’t hear it. Was it a text from Monty?”

“It was work,” I reply quickly. “Orders have been crazy lately.”

Tally’s eyes widen. “Ah! That’s awesome, Penny.”

Her excitement makes my own burn even brighter. Just like last year, when my sister baked a wedding cake that went viral online and I pushed her to use that to open her own business, I know she’ll always be there to support me, too.

The truth is, a lot has changed over the past year and I’m starting to think maybe I have changed, too. Part of that change is due to my engagement ending. But another part is due to losing my father and then gaining back my sister. Dad’s dying shattered our world, but having Tally come home has helped to put us together again, piece by piece.

Small changes I’ve made have had a significant impact, too. Like the creation of my Bookstagram account and finding my own footing in my career. Discovering what I want in a relationship through reading. And now Monty.

The past month may have caused some of the biggest shifts of all: the stupid smile that won’t leave my face whenever I think of him, and my newfound confidence. Normally, I wear oversized sweaters in a bid to hide my full shape. But tonight, I’ve left the cardigan upstairs.

I turn my attention back to the girls.

“Things are really starting to look up for the shop. Monty actually arranged to have one of my favorite authors come to town for the pumpkin picking event. I’m hoping I can order some books to have her sign afterward for an in-store signing.” I take a moment to look around the small space. “Then again, I doubt everyone could fit in here.”