Love & Business: Part III

Bookstore

...

"I didn't know you liked books," I said as I skimmed through one in the non-fiction section.

"Yeah, I use to be a bookworm before I took over the business," he answered while reading the description of the book in his hand.

I turned to him in shock. "You've never told me this."

He looked back at me with a weak smile. "You never asked."

I felt something jump in my chest as he moved on to the fiction aisle.

I walked up to catch him before something caught my eye.

It was the very first romance novel I read when I was a teen. It was a simple friends-to-lovers trope-good up beginning readers.

My range of books was wide when I was a teen. I use to read dark, smutty, enemies to lovers tropes to cute first love romances.

"Do you see something you like?" Hunter asked as walked closer to see what I was doing.

I snapped out of my nostalgia and turned to him. I picked up the book and showed it to him.

"This is the first book I've ever read. I think I'm going to reread it."

He took it out from my hand and examined it. "Wow, I can't believe they still make these things. It must be an antique book if you've read it."

I punched him on the arm and he laughed.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" He surrendered.

I rolled my eyes and tried not to smile as I grabbed the book back from him.

We started heading out of the section.

"Aren't you getting anything from this section?"

He shook his head. "Nah, you know I'm not a big fan of romance."

I wish he was.

I simply nodded.

"Let's go find a bedtime storybook for Blaze," Hunter suggested.

I smiled brightly as I nodded. There was no joking when it came to Blaze's bedtime stories. He loved when we read from the physical book.

"Let's see..." Hunter said as he scanned through.

He was a meticulous man when it came to buying things.

He had to bend his back a bit as he had outgrown the height of the children selves.

Thoughts of us together flowed through my mind as I watched him. He attracted me so much. It was like he was some kind of magnet.

His finger then handed one. "Found it! Ready to make out?"

My eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

He lifted the book which was in his hand. "I asked if you were ready to check out?"

"Oh, yes," I laughed as I pushed past him to get to the cashier.

He gave the cashier his card.

"Hunter, I'm not in the mood to repeat what happened last time so please let me pay for myself."

"You said I have to compensate for that medicine you bought me so this is it."

I stepped aside and allowed him to pay.

"Thanks."

He handed me the bags as we walked out of the store.

"Don't thank me, it's just a simple contract. You get something, I get something."

"Do you have to ruin everything with legal facts?"

He shrugged.

It didn't take long before we reached back to the hotel.

He looked down at me before looking off in the elevator. I noticed that he kept doing that throughout the day.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No," he said as he walked out of the elevator.

"Come on, tell me," I begged as I followed him inside the room.

"It's your hair..." he mumbled.

"My hair?" I ran to the mirror. "What's wrong with my hair?"

"It looks like shit. Take it down."

I frowned. "No, it doesn't."

I walked up to him. "Are you messing with me right now? Is this some sick joke you're playing to make me feel bad?"

He started backing up. "Just take it down or stay back."

"No," I said moving closer to him.

Each step I took forward, he took backward.

"Sophia," he said in a low tone.

His jaws were clenched and it looked like he was fighting himself internally.

I'll make sure we stick to being enemies from now on.

I finally stopped as his words echoed across my mind.

He used that opportunity to push past me and once again walked out on me.

...
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