The Other F-Word by Mk Schiller Read Free Book Online Page A

name is Emmie,” I snapped, gathering up a pile of books and heading to the far shelf.
    He followed. “That’s going to take some getting used to. You see, I’ve been thinking about Jessie for over a year now.”
    Those words sank in. He’d been thinking about me too? This was not good. He was too sweet and sexy and…just too much.
    I set down the books, straightened my skirt and squared my shoulders. “I’m sorry if I’ve misled you in any way, but the woman you danced with that night is not who I am.”
    “I think she is, but if she insists on hiding, then at least let me meet the woman in front of me. Why won’t you go out with me?”
    “I’m sure you’re used to getting your way—”
    “You’re avoiding the question.”
    I sighed in exasperation. “There is an age difference between us.”
    He smirked in response. “I hadn’t noticed, but now that you bring it up, I remember you told me you were a cougar. Looks like the ferocious cougar turned into a frightened kitty.”
    “It’s amazing how much courage liquids can buy. And let me tell you, I was pretty free spirited that night.”
    “Don’t bullshit me. Alcohol is just a cheap, over the counter brand of truth serum. You were that way with me because you wanted to be.” He leaned in closer, bending so his mouth was hovering over my ear. “You know the cougar’s natural predator is a wolf, right?”
    I backed away until I felt the wooden shelves against my back. “I think you might need to check out some books about the animal kingdom because I’m pretty sure you’re wrong.”
    “We’ll see. I am used to getting my way. I really just want to have dinner with you. We can talk about the fundraiser.”
    “Are you insinuating that choosing the library for your charity is contingent upon us having a date?”
    He stared at me for a second, his eyes widening at my accusation. I flinched, prepared for his anger, but his voice came out steady and calm. “Of course not. One has nothing to do with the other.”
    “Then the answer is still no.”
    “All right. The library is the charity I’m going with. Now we don’t have that hanging over our heads.”
    “The answer is still no.”
    “I’m not asking you out anymore. Just listen.” He waited for me to respond so I nodded. “I want you to plan the party. Who better to plan it than the one person who convinced me of the service you do?”
    It was my turn to laugh. It was cynical, high-pitched and bitter as it escaped my lips. “I’m a librarian not a party planner, Mr Wolfe.”
    “It’s Damien, and didn’t you just finish telling me you can learn anything in the library from astronomy to quantum physics? I’m sure you have some texts about party planning here.”
    Damn…the man was making me eat my own words.
    “I can agree to those terms,” I said, crossing my arms so tightly I could feel my shirt stretch. What he offered would save us from becoming another empty structure without any more stories to tell. I wanted my grandchildren to experience the magic of this old brick building.
    “Excellent. So we’ll meet for lunch in three days.”
    What?
    He pulled out his wallet. I took another step back from him. He took out a business card and handed it to me. “I assume you lost my number, so here it is again. My private cell is on the back.”
    I flipped it, noticing he’d scrawled it in hand. It said— Jessie, don’t lose this one .
    Wow, cocky much?
    “I’m sure we can email each other, or you have an assistant I can report to. It seems highly unusual for such a busy man to be concerned with details.”
    “My business thrives because I care about the details. You’ll come to find out that I’m very hands-on.”
    I glanced at his large hands with their long fingers, remembering how they’d felt against my skin. The memory fuelled a teasing tingle through my body. I tried to recover by shifting my gaze to the floor.
    “You pick the restaurant and text me.”
    “Fine.” I