N. Walters - By the Book

“No problem. They delivered the glass and it didn’t take long for me to put it in.

How about you?” He motioned to the books on the floor.

“There’s not as much damage as I thought. I guess I interrupted him before he had much of a chance to go through things.”

Jonah’s gaze narrowed as his eyes tracked around the room. “You have a lot of valuable books?”

“Some.” She pushed out of her chair and went to four large cedar-lined trunks that sat in the corner. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a set of keys and proceeded to unlock all four trunks and lift the lids.

Jonah straightened away from the doorframe and strode over to stand beside her. He whistled under his breath. “Some of those look really old.”

Amanda reached into a nearby box and plucked out a pair of gloves, slipping them on. “Some of them are.” She pulled out a small leather-bound book with gold leafing and embossing. “This is a private doctor’s journal from the seventeen hundreds. It’s a book on the latest medical techniques. It’s part superstition and folk medicine mixed in with the primitive methods they used to treat patients. This author suggests that physicians wash their hands before examining patients. Quite revolutionary for the times.”

“People buy this stuff?” Amanda couldn’t help but laugh at Jonah’s obvious shock.

He shook his head. “I mean I know it’s historic, but is it valuable?”

“Oh yes.” She carefully replaced the small volume. “Doctors and historians alike would be interested in it. Then there are those people who like to collect private journals no matter what they are.” That made her remember the small volume upstairs. “Speaking of journals…” she began.

The phone rang, distracting her.

“I’ll get it.” Jonah strode down the hall to the kitchen.

Amanda hurried after him, making a mental note that she needed to buy a new cordless phone. The one she kept beside her bed had been smashed when she dropped it last night during the attack.

“Hello.” Jonah listened for a moment and then turned to her. “I’ll check.” He pulled the receiver away from his mouth. “It’s the sheriff. He wants to know if you’ve found anything missing yet.”

“Not yet, but I’m still going through the books that were dumped on the floor.” She swallowed, wishing she hadn’t left her tea behind. Talking was getting easier, but it was still a strain.

“She’s still checking. Uh-huh.” Jonah nodded once. “Okay, we’ll see you then. No, I’m not going anywhere.” He hung up the phone. “Patrick will be here within the hour.”

“That’s fine. I should be able to go through most of the books on the floor by then and check them against each box they were in and tell if anything is missing.” She tugged at the hem of her sweater. “You don’t have to stay, you know. You’ve been here all night. Don’t you want to go home and change or something?”

He came toward her, not stopping until he was right in front of her. She had to tilt her neck back slightly to look at him.

“I’m not leaving you alone.”

Amanda sighed. “Jonah, I appreciate you being here, but I’m not your responsibility.” His lips tightened and his body tensed. “No,” she continued. “I’m not.

We’ve just met, for heaven’s sake.”

His arm snaked around her back, pulling her snug against him. “There’s more between us than that.”

She felt the hard bulge in the front of his jeans press against her stomach. “Well, there is the sexual attraction. But you said yourself it was just sex. You’re not looking for a relationship or anything serious. Just sex,” she repeated.

It was hard to stare him in the face and say those things, but it was the truth. She’d be a fool to make his staying with her last night and this morning into anything more than his innate sense of responsibility and the fact that he wanted her. Not that she thought he was staying solely because he wanted to get her into bed, but that was a part of it.

“You’re damn right there’s sexual attraction.” He ground his hips against her and she had to bite back a moan. The man had turned her life upside down until she didn’t know herself any more. She’d never reacted to a man like this in her life. He had only to touch her and she wanted him.

Amanda stared up at him, trying to follow the conversation. It wasn’t easy with Jonah looking so sexy and serious at the same time. “I’m not denying it.” There really was no point. Her nipples were digging into his chest. The man would have to be blind or stupid not to notice. Jonah was neither.

“But there’s more.” He brushed a stray curl over her shoulder and his fingers skimmed her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. “Much more.”

Amanda leaned back so she could see him better and rested her hands on his chest. “I know you feel a sense of responsibility because you’re a decent guy, but it’s okay. I know you’ve got a life of your own that will still be there long after our affair is over.”

Jonah stilled, his hands resting lightly on her waist. “That means there will be an affair.”

She nodded. She’d come to her decision and wasn’t about to back away now. A man like Jonah only came along once in a woman’s lifetime—if she was lucky.

“But I don’t need a babysitter.”

“Damn it, Amanda. Someone tried to kill you last night.”

“But it’s not night now and there is a deputy parked right out front. I’m safe for the time being. Maybe it was just a random theft. Some guy who figured I’d have some valuable books just lying around.”

“You don’t believe that.” His hands slid up her back to cup her shoulders.

She sighed. “Not really, but it’s not your problem, Jonah. It’s mine.” She glanced at her watch. “I have to get back to work, and you have to get to work. But first you need to go home.”

He raked his hand through his hair. “I need to check on Elizabeth and Susie.”

“Susie?”

“My niece. She and Elizabeth have moved back into the old family home with me since the divorce.”

Amanda hadn’t realized he’d taken on the responsibility for his sister and niece, but she wasn’t surprised. Jonah was just that kind of man. She didn’t want to be one more obligation for him.

“I’ll take off when Patrick arrives. I need to run home and pick up my tools so I can start work on your place. I’d planned to begin today anyway, so it’s not exactly a change in my schedule.”

“You sure you can start work here today? Don’t you have any other work lined up?”

She wanted the work done, wanted Jonah here with her, but not at the expense of his livelihood.

“I’m sure. I finished up a job two days ago and don’t have another one lined up for two weeks. Your lucky break.” Leaning down, he rested his forehead against hers.

“Listen, sugar. I want you to be careful. I’m going to stop by the hardware store today and pick up some better locks for your front and back doors. I’ll install them later.”

She wanted to protest his heavy-handedness, but couldn’t. She’d planned to do the same thing later when she finished sifting through the mess in the front room. This would save her some time. “That’s fine. Just save the bills so I can reimburse you, and add the labor to the bill for the electrical work.”

He nodded and released her. She stepped back, already feeling the separation growing between them, and it was more than physical. Jonah’s mind was already elsewhere.

“I’ll be in my office if you need me. You don’t need to wait until Patrick arrives. The doors are all locked, the deputy is outside and I have my cell phone with me. I’ll be fine.”

Not waiting for a reply, she turned on her heel and strode back to her office.

It was time to finish with this mess. Then she planned to take some measurements.

Shamus had promised to drop by later this afternoon to look at her plans for this room.

He’d seemed confident that it wouldn’t be a problem for him to build the shelves and cabinets she wanted for her new shop.

Jonah’s talk about locks reminded her that she needed to look at the overall security of the house. Not only did she want better locks, but possibly shutters for the windows in the front room, plus a lock for the inside door. It would be her office, her store and her livelihood. She didn’t want to take any chances with it, especially after last night.

The sheriff had come and gone and the boxes in her office had been repacked and piled in the center of the room. Nothing was missing. That was a relief to Amanda. But the police still had no leads on who her attacker might be, which was more than a little worrisome.

Still, she didn’t want to dwell on the negative. There were plenty of positive things in her life at the moment. She had a new home and would have By the Book up and running again within two weeks. Besides her online business, which was doing very well, she’d have her small shop open too. She also had several good friends in this town.

Then there was Jonah.

She listened and could hear muted sounds coming from the kitchen. Jonah hadn’t left until Patrick arrived and he had returned an hour later. It hadn’t escaped her notice that the sheriff had stayed until Jonah returned.

Not that she minded the company. She wasn’t stupid and knew she’d be jumpy for a few days. She also wasn’t looking forward to tonight. It wouldn’t be easy to sleep alone, but she would do it. There wasn’t any other choice. Jonah couldn’t baby-sit her forever.

Besides which, she wasn’t about to let some stranger frighten her or chase her away from her new home.

A knock came on the front door. Amanda wiped her hands on the back of her jeans, and left her office, taking care to close the door behind her. She opened the door and stared at the stranger standing in front of her. He was a tall man, thin, with brown hair that was starting to turn gray at the temples.

A quick glance at the curb assured her that a deputy was still stationed there. The sheriff had told her he’d leave a man there until tomorrow morning, but then he’d have to pull him. A small town didn’t have the resources for more. Amanda suspected he’d already gone well beyond what any normal police force could or would do.

The man waiting on her doorstep didn’t look happy.

“Can I help you?” She kept the door partially closed, ready to slam it if necessary.

“You the woman opening up the bookstore?”

Sensing a potential customer, she put on her best professional demeanor. “Yes, I am.” She offered her hand. “Amanda Barrington.”

He looked it, but didn’t take it. She reluctantly lowered it back to her side, her nerves returning.

“I’m Hector Baker. I own a shop on the far end of Main Street. It’s called the Buy and Sell. You might have heard of it.”

Bewildered, she shook her head. “No, I’m sorry I haven’t. I’ve just moved and haven’t settled in yet. I’ll be sure and stop by.” She was still no closer to knowing what he wanted from her. Was this just a social visit from another local business owner? She didn’t think so. Mr. Baker didn’t seem to be in a particularly social mood.

“I sell a lot of books.” He pulled back his shoulders and frowned at her. “A place this small doesn’t need another bookstore. You might want to rethink opening a shop here.”

Hector frowned at her. “Heard you had some trouble here last night.”

Amanda heard the underlying threat in his words. After last night, her nerves were on edge, but she stood her ground. Jonah was in the house. If she yelled, he’d come running.

There was no sound, no footsteps, but suddenly she felt Jonah behind her. He tugged the door wider so that Hector got a good view of him standing behind her. “You know anything about that, Hector?” Jonah’s voice was low, his tone mild, but it sent shivers down Amanda’s spine.

Hector took a step back. “No. No, I don’t know anything about it. Just what I heard down at the diner. Everyone is talking about it.” He squinted at her. “Someone tried to choke her. That’s what they’re saying. And she don’t sound so good.”

“Mr. Baker.” She waited until she had his attention, eager to nip this problem in the bud. “I don’t think my business will interfere with yours at all. Do you sell mostly popular novels and paperbacks?”

He nodded. “I do real well with them too. I trade with some folks and sell with others.”

“I deal primarily in collectables, not in paperback fiction. In fact, I’ll have to stop by your shop and pick up some reading material for myself.”