Karina Bliss - What the Librarian Did / LA Cinderella - What the Librarian Did / LA Cinderella

One glance at Devin, and Rachel knew not to try. “We don’t have that kind of relationship,” she said quietly, hoping to remind people of their own tenuous connection to him.

“We weren’t trying to be pushy or anything, mate,” Kev assured Devin, who raised a skeptical eyebrow.

“Of course you weren’t, Kev,” Rachel answered. She took Devin’s arm, unconsciously patting the dragon. His hand closed firmly over hers. “I imagine if Devin picks up a guitar in public the media will start hounding him.”

“I’m not going to give up my privacy.” Under her hand, the muscle relaxed. “But I could have explained it better.” His thumb began a gentle circuit of her knuckles. “I’m sorry for being so defensive.”

Everyone apologized then, with back slaps and handshakes all around. Devin signed autographs, a camera was produced and he stood patiently while everyone had their photo taken with him. Rachel shook her head when he held out a hand for her to join them. She needed to reestablish some distance.

He closed it and her pulse sped up at the heat in his eyes. “Shall we go?”

“No,” she said firmly, practicing the word. “I promised Kev a dance.” Satisfied that Devin had got the message, Rachel dragged the bemused farmer to the dance floor.

SHE WANTED HIM.

That was all Devin needed to know to be patient. While Beryl went off to get a recipe from the chef, he sat at their table and ordered coffee, watching Rachel on the dance floor. In one date, he’d gone from indifference to fascination. He wasn’t used to challenge in his relationships with women. He decided he liked it.

He cast his mind back to his two marriages, the first in his late teens, to an indie rock chick in an all-female band. He’d wanted a port in the storm, but Jax had proved to be as angry offstage as she was on it.

Ten years later he’d hooked up with a Swedish actress during one of his frequent blackouts. It had been a trophy marriage on both sides, the mirror over the bed reflecting two clichés going through the motions of intimacy. They’d separated after three months.

There was no point regretting a past he couldn’t change; still, Devin couldn’t help wincing.

He heard a muffled ringing and tracked it to a cell phone in Rachel’s bag. It wasn’t a model he was familiar with and a text message flashed up when he tried to answer the phone.

Dnt blow chnce 2 screw a rck str. Trix

He stared at the message, then replied, Nt tht kd of grl?

A few minutes passed. R now, rmber our tlk!

Grimly, Devin returned the cell to Rachel’s bag. He was a trophy date, and the librarian was only acting hard to get. Increase her chances of banging a celebrity, he guessed. The fact that it had nearly worked infuriated him.

When Rachel arrived back at the table five minutes later, he regarded her coldly. “I’ve settled the bill.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to contribute?”

“Let’s not spoil a great evening.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” He pulled himself together—never let them know you care—and steered her toward Beryl and Kev. They left with a promise to visit if they ever got to Matamata. Wherever the hell that was.

“Close to Hamilton, where I grew up,” said Rachel. She filled the silence on the way home with Wikipedia trivia. If Devin hadn’t known better he’d have said she was nervous.

But he did know better. His anger grew hotter, barely contained. Outside her house, he handed over the car keys, shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans and turned away. “Good night.”

“I said I’d lend you that book on music and math. Wait, I’ll run and get it.”

Another ploy. Damn, this woman needed a lesson. “Sure,” he drawled.

He undressed her with his eyes as she led the way to the house. Rachel opened the door and started groping for the light switch. “It won’t take me long to find it.”

Devin cut the game short. “I’ll bet.” He stepped inside and spun her around to face him.

“Wha—”

In the darkness, he found her mouth. She wrenched away from him. “What on—”

“Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about doing this?”

She hesitated too long.

He kissed her again, pulling her close, cupping the nape of her neck with one hand. With a moan, she settled into him and he forgot everything but exploring that incredible mouth—moist, full, bitable.

Following her lead, he kept it tender, reveling in the contrast between her tentative tongue and the unconscious pressing of those lush breasts against his chest.

They came up for air.

“Do you always kiss like that?” she gasped, and he struggled to remember she was using him. And then felt disgusted all over again.

“Why, are you taking notes?” Backing her up against the wall, he nudged her thighs apart and ground his erection against her. “If you want to screw a rock star, this is how we do it, babe—standing up, right here, right—Owww!” He reeled backward from a knee to the groin.

“You narcissistic bastard!”

“Okay, I get it.” Devin groped for the wall behind him. “You changed your mind.”

“Changed my—” The light snapped on and Rachel advanced on him. “I was never going to sleep with you!”

“Take a look at the text messages on your mobile and let’s cut the crap.”

“What?” Frowning, she pulled the phone out of her handbag and checked it, then looked up, exasperated. “So one of Trixie’s stupid jokes allows you to treat me like a groupie, is that it?”

Devin eyed her closely. “Was it a joke? Or something to boast about?” He’d been caught before.

She drew herself straighter. “I’ve never met anyone with such a high opinion of himself. What gave you the idea I was even interested?”

“Oh, I don’t know…. Maybe it was when your hands were on my butt.” When she blushed, he folded his arms. “Quit acting coy. I even asked you if you’d thought about it.”

Her mouth tightened. “Kissing you. That’s all.”

“Kissing?” Devin stared at her incredulously. “When a grown woman tells a guy she’s thinking about it, Heartbreaker, he’s not imagining kissing.”

“I didn’t give you permission to imagine anything, mate. And if you’ve ever dated a grown woman I’d be very much surprised.” Color high in her cheeks, she opened the front door. “Now, please leave!”

“Happy to,” Devin said grimly. Didn’t she know how many women wanted to sleep with him? “Frankly, I’m amazed I hit on a cardigan-wearing, pass-on-the-butter, book nerd anyway.”

As he walked out, he caught his shin on the serrated pedal of the mountain bike. “Sh—”

The rest of the expletive was cut off as Rachel slammed the door behind him.

Dammit, that gave her the last word.

MARK WAITED ALL MORNING for Devin to notice he had hurt feelings. By lunchtime he gave up.

Walking to the cafeteria between classes with Devin, he stopped abruptly. “I waited for you an hour at the ferry terminal last night.” It was two hours but he didn’t want to seem that much of a loser.

Devin looked at him blankly and Mark’s sense of grievance grew.

“You invited me for a jam session, remember?”

“Did I? Sorry, buddy, I forgot.” Devin continued walking, as distracted as he’d been all morning.

Mark’s hurt smoldered into active resentment. “You know what?” he said to Devin’s back. “Since you obviously don’t even notice I’m around, I’m gonna skip lunch and catch up on some homework in the library.”

Turning impatiently, Devin scowled at the last word, and Mark immediately regretted his temper. “I’m sorry, okay?” he said. The last thing he needed to do was piss off one of his few friends here. “It was just … well … never mind.” He’d had a frustrating few days piecing together a staff list from old yearbooks and faculty newsletters, but it wasn’t comprehensive or age-specific. He’d have to visually scan every female staffer on campus and confront anyone who seemed the right age.