Bookshop on Maple Street

Chapter Three

Celia 

You have got to be kidding me right now, Aiden Eros, is standing in my bookshop in a skin tight white shirt and black jeans... oh how I want to scream out, from annoyance and then maybe get someone to pinch me, it can't really be him right? I glance over to him and look over his entire body, from his fierce cerulean blue eyes to his strapping thighs. Did I really just use the word strapping? I really need to get out some more, and maybe actually say something instead of staring at him. That's a start. 

"Aiden? What are you doing here?" I question as I step closer to him, my eyes trail down his body and then up again to meet his eyes. He may be the most infuriating person in the world but god is he hot as fuck - he physically makes my ovaries hurt - like when you look at a baby and you just know for a fact you want one. 

"Nice to see you too, Cece," he teases as he plucks the books out of my hands and dumps them on the tabletop next to us. I look at him confused, I haven't seen him since I left for college and thank god for it because if books have taught me anything it's that morally grey men are hard to not pounce on - and he's the epitome of it.

"Again, what are you doing here, Lieutenant?" Aiden scowls at me, he hated when I used his rank as a nickname so I always make sure to use it against him. Tall jerk.

"Watch it Trouble, you're playing with fire" he tilts his head slightly and cocks a smirk. It was one of those knowing smirks like he could see behind my defensive stance, that he could see how my body is flushed and my temperature has risen. I adjust my hair and push my glasses back into place. 

"Will you stop calling me Trouble, you know I hate it, right?"I picked the books back up and checked their condition after he had shoved them down on the tabletop, "and again what are you doing here, I thought you'd only gotten back from deployment yesterday?" I glance over at him and then walk over to the mystery section and finish re-stocking the display. 

"You know you love it and there's truth behind it too," Aiden teases, "we both know you used to get into trouble at school with those popular girls, those jocks too - I remember that Jake and I had to come and save you. Every. Single. Time" I roll my eyes at him and then throw a pillow at him, he avoids getting hit by it, of course... lucky bastard. 

" See now that just wasn't nice, Trouble" I knew for a fact that he was teasing me, I could feel it deep down. I glance over at him as he leans against the counter top. His white shirt was practically melted against his muscles, his black jeans highlighting his toned legs, and the boots ... ah fuck he's handsome, that's not good, not good. 

"So what are you doing here exactly, did Jake send you because if so-" I don't even get to finish my sentence before he so rudely interrupted me. 

"Of course he sent me, I wouldn't be here otherwise, the man practically killed me into doing it" he grumbles and picks up one of the many books on the counter and flicked through it, not actually paying attention to the contents of wonder and fantasy that are held within. 

"So he did send you then." I roll my eyes and fix my glasses into their correct position on my nose. I really must get them adjusted and tightened at some point. "Well you don't have to stay, I've got tons of work to do, Lieutenant" I loosely invite him to leave before he makes me lose the plot in one of two very different ways. 

"If you want me out, then just say so, Trouble" he smirks and winks at me, I roll my eyes in frustration, despite his current unshaven look he was still the most hottest man around, possibly even in the world... nah just kidding, Henry Cavill is, although he does cut a close second. 

"Please feel free to exit the store after finalising your purchases, Aiden" I say in my best customer service tone, just to annoy him a little bit more than usual. 

"Fine, fine I'm leaving..." he says in a huff as he makes his way over to the door and pulls it open, "see you later Trouble" the door bell rings and before I know it, I'm let in that uncomfortable silence I have slowly gotten used to. 

~

Closing up the bookshop is always the hardest, especially today. I had a large group of kids come in earlier and despite my children's section not being the biggest they still somehow managed to trash the place. I must remind myself to screw the tables to the floors and put away the pretty decorations when they come in, my poor cactus never even stood a chance against their grubby little hands. I love kids and I totally want to have one but not at the price of them destroying all my pretty books and my gorgeous tables- 

I look over to one of the tipped over tables and almost burst into tears when I see my favourite vase smashed on the ground surrounded by a pool of water and my books...oh no not my good covers! I rush over and pick up my now soggy books, the pages mushing together - these are all so ruined. Damn kids. 

I pick them up and walk to the back where my little kitchenette is, I place the books on the side and turn on the kettle - I'd deal with the state of those books later. Just as the kettle is about to finish boiling, I hear a spark and the power goes out - fuck.