Zoe And The Beast

Chapter 4 | Pheromones

Being the only teenager to work at the local library, I remained the only librarian willing to work late.

"Thank you, dear," Deborah gave me an appreciative smile, her laugh lines appearing across her face. At seventy-one, she was still up and running. "You've been such a darling to be here an extra half hour. It saves me so much time."

"Oh, no problem," I replied, returning the beam. "I just have to clean up and get the people out of here before I leave. It's nothing I can't handle."

"Oh, of course," she said, nodding her head theatrically. "It's great to have young people working here again. Thank you for doing this."

"Absolutely."

She waved again, before turning and strolling out the door.

I let out a sigh. Old people could really take their time.

Turning back to the computer to log in information, I did a quick survey to see who was left in the library. From what I could see, less than fifteen stood to find their books.

It was a quiet library, with very few visitors. On a Wednesday night there was next to nobody here, and the ones who were, were normally high school students looking for helpful school books, or elderly people trying to keep themselves engaged. The entire library was just one big room, with six aisles of books. A small catalogue computer sat in the corner, and my desk and computer sat near the entrance.

My job was simple – log data, check out books for people, and keep an eye out for thieves. In all my four weeks of working here, I had never seen a thief.

By the time 8:25 rolled around, most people were gone. It was almost empty, ready for me to close at nine. I continued back to the computer and logged in more information, finishing up the last few slots.

"Hi there," a deep voice interrupted my work, "I'm looking for a book for my summer biology assignment. Can you help me?"

Glancing up from the computer desk, my jaw almost dropped.

Vince Mascars, in all his beautiful glory, was leaning against the desk to look at me, his stunning hazel eyes amused and his gorgeous smirk in check. His eyebrow had cocked up as I stared, waiting for my response.

"I..." Words wouldn't tumble out of my mouth. He was gorgeous, he was handsome, he was perfect – just staring at him made me swoon.

He jabbed his thumb towards the catalogue computer, his smirk still on point. "It's just one book. I'm sure it's here – I just can't find it. Can you help me?"

Still speechless, my mind registered his words.

Vince needed help.

This was exactly what my brother told me not to do, exactly what he said would ruin my life. Talking to Vince. I had no idea why I would be banned to talk to Vince, but there had to be a reason, right? Zach was a reasonable guy, he would never warn me about something as silly as this if he didn't have a reason. I just had to trust him. I just had to not interact with Vince.

But it couldn't hurt to help him find a book, right?

I mean, it was a school project. He needed help to find one book, and it was for biology. I knew the struggle people had with that class, so I figured it would be necessary to find that book. Who cared if he had leaned me up against a wall and whispered stuff to me? It was school, and I needed to help this guy with that. Zach would just have to live knowing that I had searched up a book for Vince Mascars on the computer.

Taking a deep breath, I stood up from my chair and began to walk around my desk towards the catalogue computer. "Let's go to search it up. What kind of book is it?"

He flashed me a godly grin and strolled behind me. "Thanks. It's a book about pheromones."

My eyebrows shot up, and I glanced at him carefully, before pulling out the bench below the catalogue computer desk. "You have a biology project about pheromones?"

I slinked into the bench slowly. Would Vince sit on the bench next to me?

"Of course," he replied, sliding on, just inches away from me. So he would sit next to me. I could feel myself stiffen from his proximity. "Evolution revolves around pheromones. We wouldn't be born without pheromones."

Quickly, I typed in the key word 'pheromones' and waited for the results to pop in. While waiting, I peeked at him from the corner of my eye.

Two tan muscular arms lay casually on the desk, his big hands holding a library card. His lean body was very close to mine, almost touching. He had disheveled dark hair curling over his forehead, raw and sexy. And his piercing hazel eyes lay on me.

Clearing my throat in surprise, I popped a question out quickly. "So how do pheromones cause us to be born?"

His eyebrow cocked up. "Do you really want to know?"

I shrugged. "Why not?"

"Well," he started, bringing his lean arms back across the desk. "Every little sexual connection we have with another human being is caused by pheromones."

I gulped, my thoughts immediately going to Vince. Sexual connection. My mind shot to his arms, to his face, to his body. Oh God, what it would feel like to slip my hand down his chest. His bare, chiseled chest. To streak through his hair, feel his breath heave against my neck. What it would feel like to –

Chill, Zoe. Chill.

Trying to maintain my composure and my imagination, I blurted out a question. "Oh, really? How?"

His coy smile grew.

"Like you and I, for instance." His penetrating hazel eyes met eyes with mine. "When we gaze at each other, romantic interest spikes between us."

I felt butterflies fly through my stomach.

"Or when we touch," he reached down and skimmed my arm with his fingers, slowly, skillfully. "We have attraction brooding between us."

I felt myself become rigid under him, surprised at the sudden electricity flowing through us. Damn, his hands felt good.

"Or," He pulled his hand away and moved it to softly cup my face. Leaning in closer to me, he stopped just as we were nose to nose. I could feel my heartbeat thud rapidity. My eyes automatically becameheavy, ready to close. Oh God, oh God, oh God. "When we kiss."

His lips gently brushed mine.

My heart stopped. Every sensation I could imagine – lust, desire, greed– stirred, awakening a craving for something, anything he could give me. He was so incredibly tender, so voluptuously sweet...

"We have passion exploding through us."

Before I could react, before I could move, before I could even make a sound, Vince leaned back and stood up, turning to leave.

"Thanks for the help, Zoe," he called, on his way out. "I'll come again for my book."

Oh my God. 

Author's Note

Please vote and/or comment if you think this deserves it! It's really motivating for me to write more, and it wouldn't hurt to press that button, right? Did Vince make you feel anything?