Page 55 of The Bodyguard's Fall

The taller Edna nodded happily toward Tate. “Glad to see this handsome young man finally off the market.”

Tate’s smile was charming as he squeezed me in close. “About time too. I’ve been chasing after her for years.”

His words were simple. Casual. Sweet. And the exact wrong thing for my brain.

But it was more than enough to satisfy the Ednas.

Two squeals of excitement sounded from the bench before Tate said our goodbyes and opened the library door.

“You shot that out pretty fast for someone who claims not to like me,” I said as I stepped inside the doorway, creaky floorboards and the musty smell of old books, like a sip of warm tea, immediately calming my nerves.

An easy smile crossed his lips. “You’d be surprised at the things I have to pretend to like while undercover.”

That’s right.

A tiny stab of disappointment filtered through me just then. A pinprick, really. I was working with an undercover agent of the law. I’d forgotten for a moment. He could fake anything with anybody and not think twice about it. That was all. Back on track now.

I brightened when I saw a familiar face behind a circular desk, smiling with a young mother holding a toddler as she checked out a stack of children’s books.

“Wait. Emma Harper’s the librarian?”

Tate followed my gaze to take in the friendly red-headed woman he’d graduated with. Although she was a couple years older than me, I was familiar enough with her that I considered her a friend, even though I was closer in age to her younger twin siblings, Rosie and Dominic.

He shrugged before waving at her when she looked over at us. “Looks like it.”

“Alright, I’m going to ask her a few questions.” I motioned toward the rows of books to his left. “The classics are that way if you need to brush up.”

He still looked wildly uncomfortable.

“I’m going to do a quick walk-through of the building and then wait outside by the door. Keep in view of the main window and come outside when you’re done.”

“I thought you said you were going to be brave,” I taunted lightly.

His nose wrinkled in a very attractive sort of way. “If the books are any good, they’ll make them into a movie.”

I gasped. He’d wounded me.

“Great,” I said, a devious edge to my voice. “Your girlfriend writes movies. Have you seen any of hers?”

A begrudging smile bit his lips. “I haven’t. But you couldn’t keep me away.”

“Perfect. I’ll meet you on the couch later tonight to watch one.” Actually, I would rather die than watch something I wrote with him. But I held back my cringe when he smiled.

“If I’m going to be writing half your manuscript, I probably do need to see what I’m working with.”

“Ha ha.”

I turned to visit with Emma when his low voice stopped me.

“Wait.”

He waited until I had turned back around before he added a fake furrow to his brows.

“Is that how you say goodbye to your boyfriend?”

I stared at him blankly until a roguish smile crawled across his lips, and a rush of flutters swarmed my belly at his meaning.

When I stood there like a fish out of water, he laughed and motioned toward Emma. “Get to work. We don’t have all day.”