Lupo

Chapter Nineteen: The Bodleian

Bingo.

She pulled the book from the shelf, pivoted around on her toes and stood up again.

"Fuck..!"

She hadn't heard anyone enter the stacks behind her, and yet, leaning against the shelves in the shadows next to her, stood the tall figure of a man. Rearing back and startled, the book slipped from Darcie's fingers and she swore again, but before it could hit the floor, the figure reached forwards - quick as lightning - and snatched the book out of the air. As his face dipped towards the light, his profile became silhouetted against the books behind him, and with a jolt Darcie realised who it was. 

Bash straightened and lent back against the shelves again, tucking the book under his arm. She couldn't see his expression in the dim light, but nevertheless she squirmed and reddened as he turned to face her fully. There was silence between them, and then:

"Er...You were up early this morning." he observed, in a casual voice that was a litle at odds with his dramatic, sudden appearance. "How are you?"

Darcie frowned up at him, taken aback. It took her a few moments to gather her thoughts before she was able to reply. "How am I?" she repeated stupidly, in a choked, incredulous hiss. "What... how...What are you doing in here?!" 

Bash cleared his throat - almost self-conciously - and shifted his position against the shelves."You're still ignoring my texts. And I didn't think you'd appreciate me tagging along with you and Minerva this morning."

Darcie shut her eyes, willing her temper under control. It took a few moments of deep breathing before she was able to speak again. "I'm not ignoring your texts - I've blocked you" she replied plainly, gathering her wits in preparation to push past him. "You just had to follow me down here -while I'm busy working- and scare me half to death, didn't you?"

Bash shifted, leaning forwards slightly, and as the light above sliced over his mouth, she saw his lips quirk into a very small, knowing smile. He swallowed. "I don't want to get in the way of your studies. This won't take long..." he began, and Darcie scowled at the faint thread of joviality in his tone. "And...from the looks of things, you haven't started working yet?"

Fuck you...

Darcie snorted and, channeling anger into courage, stormed forwards and snatched her book out from under his arm. Her fingers brushed against leather, and as she stepped back again, she realised he was dressed in his motorbike gear. She frowned. "How did you even get in here?" she snapped back at him, choosing to ignore his question. "And dressed like that. You need a reader's card to get in - It's the Bodleian. You can't just walk in off the street." 

He sighed. Leathers creaking slightly, Bash pushed himself away from the shelves and took a step forward. The dim electric light from above illumiated his face, and Darcie's heart quickened. He looked boldly into her face, and for a split second she found herself caught in the intensity of his grey gaze, but in another moment rationality returned to her, and she bristled again. Clutching her book protectively to her chest and blushing harder still, she started forwards to squeeze past him with scowling determination. Stoic as ever, he turned with her, and her bare arms brushed against his leathers in the process. Goosebumps erupted up the back of her neck at the touch, and her chest throbbed painfully. 

Seconds later, she was on the other side of him. Hastily, and without sparing a backward glance, she made to hurry back down the aisle. She only managed a step or two away from him, before:

"I have a reader's card, as it happens. Actually, it's an alumni card. But you're right - Dressed like this...I had to take the...back entrance."