Maybe she was getting too old for adventures too. Callie knew where every book in the library was, so there was nothing new for her here. The books Valorie donated, she would read every one of them in a month or two. Then what? She remembered her last conversation with Valorie a few days ago when they had dinner at a local diner.
*****
“I’m bored,” Callie admitted. She scooted her chair closer to the table as the waitress placed a bowl of salad down in front of her.
“When’s the last time you got out of town for the weekend? When was your last vacation and where did you go?” Valorie asked taking a sip of her coffee.
“I haven’t left town in years and my last vacation was five years ago when I was job hunting in Washington DC.”
“Job hunting is not a vacation. That I have to tell you that means you need a real one badly.”
“I can’t just leave the library or close it up. People need it. It’s all they have as an escape in this small town.”
“No offense, but that’s just sad. Everyone needs an escape including you and since you work in the library, live in the library, the library cannot be your escape. You need excitement, an adventure, travel to exotic locations, flirt with sexy cabana boys bringing you fruity drinks with umbrellas.”
“That all sounds... interesting. But I still cannot leave my library unattended.”
“Then hire someone part-time to watch over it while you take time off.”
The house was private, but the library was considered a public space. Therefore, the library was allotted a certain amount of money from taxes and government funding that she used mostly for repairs and investing in new books. She never used all the funds, and there was enough left to hire a part-time person to help at the library.
She also had the money from her aunt and uncle’s life insurance policy that she never touched, investing it instead. It was more than enough to allow her a decent vacation once a year. The thought of allowing someone else into her library, re-organizing and disrupting her system, made her too uncomfortable. But maybe she should try it out. Her uncle, before he died, made her promise to live her life to the fullest and not hide behind the books. He would want her to have at least a vacation.
“I’ll think about it.”
*****
Valorie had suggested that she take a vacation, and now Callie wished she had. A break-in and a home invasion was not the excitement she was looking for. She finished with her shower then put on jogging pants and a red T-shirt that said, “Books are Sexy. So am I.”
She went to her compact kitchen and turned on the coffee pot. Valorie had given her a small Keurig one year for Christmas, but Callie preferred the coffeemaker her aunt and uncle used for years. She also enjoyed being able to have multiple cups of coffee throughout the day. Callie put the Keurig in the downstairs library for customers to use, and it made her feel better that Valorie would see it used every time she visited the library. Waste not, want not, her aunt would always say.
Her stomach rumbled, reminding her she never had dinner last night. She had hoped to share dinner with Viper, but then things got weird with the whole stranger jacking off in her bed situation. That killed any appetite they had. Now, she was feeling hungry.
From her refrigerator, she pulled out eggs, milk, bell peppers, onions and sausage. She also had a can of biscuits she popped in the oven. She made two large omelets then baked the biscuits.
Just as she was pulling the biscuits out of the oven, the library doorbell went off. It startled her so much she almost dropped the entire pan of biscuits. Quickly, she placed the pan on the counter and turned off the stove and oven. She slipped on some sandals and hurried down the stairs.
Callie glanced out the side windows before she opened the door to the library. Viper stood with a box in his arms. “Didn’t we just do this yesterday?” she asked jokingly.
He looked at her, confused.
She pointed to the box. “You were here last night with a box too.”
He smiled, and then chuckled. “Yes, but this doesn’t have books. I know I’m here early, but I wanted to change the locks on your upstairs door.”
“Come one in. I was just making breakfast. Would you like some?”
“Yes, please. I don’t think I had anything to eat since yesterday morning.”
“Follow me.”
Chapter 9
Viper fought the urge to reach out and touch Callie. When she opened the door, her hair was still damp from a shower and she hadn’t put on a bra. Her nipples were hard beneath the red T-shirt and the jogging pants were not loose but hugged her perfectly shaped ass.
He followed her up the narrow staircase. Her backside was at just the right height for him to appreciate. Her long dark blond hair was hanging down her back, hitting her butt every so often. His own body responded, growing warm, and he became a little more uncomfortable in the front of his pants. By the time they reached the landing at the top, he had to keep the box in front of his lower region.
“I made two large omelets and biscuits. Way more than I can eat. I guess my eyes are bigger than my stomach this morning.”
The scent of the food hit him, and his stomach rumbled. They both laughed at the sound. “It smells delicious.”
He placed the box on the coffee table and followed her into the compact kitchen. “Can I help you
