Dark Shades of Innocence Lost

Meet Me in the Library

It's Tuesday, and you still can't stop thinking about the aftermath of Saturday night. The way Joel took you on the pool table, the way his filthy words rushed through your body and pulled heat to your core, the way he fucked you relentlessly until you were liquid beneath him. But what you really can't stop thinking about is how soft he was with you after. The way he held you against his chest while his calloused fingers ran softly through your locks, the way he made you feel so... safe.

He's... incredible.

You don't really pay attention with the stack of books you're carrying to the back until you run straight into Jane, your coworker who skates circles around you day after day.

She huffs as you collide into her, and she grabs them out of your hands and gives you a displeased snarl. "Will you just watch where you're going for once? Honestly, it's like you're in a fog lately," she mutters as she rolls her eyes.

"Sorry, Jane. Really, I didn't see you there," you apologize.

"You don't see a lot of things lately," she mumbles out while holding the books close to her chest. "Just go help some customers, you're getting on my last nerves."

She whispers curses under her breath as she disappears through the double doors, and you can't help but giggle as her glasses fall from her head.

You guess you should make some use of the rest of your shift. Not like you can pay attention. The only thing you want to think about right now is being underneath Joel again.

You pick up a copy of an old history book about Greece that was left on the front counter and decide to take it back to where it belongs. As you start to walk past the first wooden bookshelf, you turn the corner and run straight into a broad chest that feels like a thick brick wall. When you look up and see who it is, you freeze.

Joel.

"Joel! What are you doing here?" you gasp as the library book goes tumbling from your shaky hands. Joel quickly catches it with ease before it lands flat on the marble floor.

"Thought I'd drop by. Was in the neighborhood," he shrugs. He quickly flips through the white pages of the large book with interest, and you stand and gawk as his calloused thumb glides with ease over the worn pages.

"A book about Greece, huh?" he asks as if it's got your name written all over it.

"Was just taking it back to the section it belongs in." You reach out and grab it nicely out of his large hands, but before you can slide your hand away, his calloused skin connects with yours and heat burns automatically through your body like he just set your skin on complete fire.

You clear your throat and smooth a lock of hair nervously back in place before you give away how ecstatic and nervous you are to see him.

"You ever been?" he asks as he nods to the book that's now in your clutch.

"What?"

"To Greece," he chuckles.

"Oh, right." You shake your head out of a trance and pull yourself together. "No, it's on my bucket list," you sigh.

"My, uhhh... my daughter's actually over there right now studying abroad," he smiles with pride shining in his chocolate eyes.

Your eyes go wide as you take in the new information. "You have a daughter?" you ask slowly.

"Mhm. Her name's Sarah."

"Is she your only one?" you ask curiously, shifting your weight onto your left hip as you hug the history book closer to your chest.