Bookstore princess

Chapter 24

James

The store has been busy since it opened, and I've taken a few precious breaks to go upstairs to check on Nadia who has been on the couch all day with Melody going between sleeping and reading. Around eight, Jacob left me with the cash register and he went to start taking inventory. I'm ravenous at this point, having accidentally missed lunch because I was too busy watching Nadia sleep. I had found a book during the day that I was fairly certain she hadn't read yet and bought it and brought it up to her on my last break. She had been watching an action movie half asleep, with Melody sleeping on her hip. She was overly excited about the book and gave me a loud kiss on the cheek that I'm still grinning for.
It's now nine, and Jacob is still doing inventory so I print out the receipts and sales for the day. Jenny already did hers earlier. I carefully counted the till, and the store easily made over a thousand dollars in cash, not accounting for the debit cards and credit cards that people seem to prefer to use. I can't say that I'm surprised. I count it a second time, and put my findings on a few sticky notes and compare it to the sales on the receipt.
"Did everything balance out?" Jacob comes over with his phone out, and I can see a lot of book titles on the screen.
"It did, your store made close to eight thousand dollars today from books alone" I grin. "Nadia is going to be over the moon," I add.
"Wow, that's fucking amazing. We really have been busy. I haven't looked at the numbers for the week yet, but that's more than we made last week for sure" he seems exuberant.
"My family has been moving here, I've been seeing them come in and out of the store. Some of them more than once a day, taking advantage of the free wi-fi and the coffee at Potions. Mainly job hunting by the looks of it" I grin.
"We were going to put up a posting for jobs, but if you know a few bondable family members I don't see the harm in giving them some interviews" Jacob says. "You've helped the girls out a lot this week, and I'd like to help you out somehow."
"That would be fantastic, I have a few that are pretty big readers and it would make me their hero to get a job in a bookstore" I smirk, thinking that I can get some at least one or two of the older but still in the protection squad of the pack a job here. It would ease my mind, and Nadia would be protected from the rogues across the street when I have to return to my old life. I don't like the idea of being separated from Nadia even for a night, but now that Jacob is back, I'm running out of excuses to stay. It's not usually this complicated for wolves. I vow to myself that if she's feeling better by Sunday, I'll tell her about me then.
"I've got the rest of this if you want to leave for the day. I can hear your stomach growling from here" Jacob takes the till and sticky notes with him past the employee entrance.
"Great, thank you. I have some chowder to warm up" I say. "I'll see you tomorrow" I start to head for the stairs.
"Just don't hurt her," Jacob says softly, and that makes me pause.
"I don't intend on it" I stop in my tracks and tell him honestly.
"The last guy she got serious with beat her, and I'd hate to see her go through something like that again. She swore off men, and that was about three years ago now. You seem like you're different, I just don't want to see her heart broken again" Jacob speaks softly, as though he's afraid that Nadia is going to hear him. My eyes flashed in anger at the idea of anyone raising a hand to a woman, my mate no less.
"I haven't dated much, but with her I'm intending to date for marriage. There is no halfway with me" I assure him. "I've never hit a woman, and I never intend on it" I tell him.
"Good, I'd hate for my kids to grow up without a father" he says as though we've come to an understanding.
"I'll see you in the morning, Jacob. Until she's feeling better, you'll be seeing me every single day" I grin. "And then, if she lets me, every day after that" I add and head up the stairs.
"Good talk" Jacob sighs and heads to the small desk.

Nadia is in the kitchen when I come in, and the pot of seafood chowder I had made yesterday is simmering on the stove. She's set the table with different vegetables and fruits. I noticed right away that she tried her hand at the chocolate fruit dip, and I'm pleased to see that it looks like the right color. She's taking the fresh buns out of the microwave where she warmed them up, and I can tell the fever is still getting to her. Good thing I don't get sick easily. In fact, I can't remember the last time, except when I was a kid. I really love my werewolf immune system, and I hope that Nadia will let me change her so she has the same benefits.
She's wearing a pink apron on top of a pair of raccoon pajama shorts, and one of her baggy black t-shirts. She smells like she just took a shower, and her hair is still wet. Love songs are playing on her phone and the book I brought up to her is laying face down on the table, clearly already being read. The table is already set, and I can't help but think that I can't wait to come home everyday to this.
"Hey baby doll" I finally announce myself and she yelps and turns around. Her face blossoms into a smile as she sets down the wooden spoon she was using to stir the soup and she runs to me. She stops just before getting to me but I close the distance and scoop her up by the hips and pull her close, and she wraps both legs around my hips and her arms around my shoulders as she leans up and kisses me on the lips. Goddess, I can't help the smile on my face.
"You're early" she sighs against my lips.
"Jacob took over the rest of the closing. I needed to see you," I rest my forehead against hers and she sighs happily. I can still feel the fever which concerns me. I don't think it's wise that she's up and moving around. She curls more into me, and puts her head on my shoulder and hums.
"How did I ever get so lucky?" she murmurs. Now I want to say the moon goddess blessed us with a union of our souls, but it's probably not a good idea. I kiss her bite mark instead and hum a little, thinking over my answer.
"Well beautiful, I've been asking myself the same thing. I feel this undeniable pull to you, and honestly, I can't stay away. I'm falling for you, and I want you to know that I'm very serious about you" I tell her with a little white lie. The falling for her isn't true. I'm full blown in love with this woman. I have been since the first day I laid eyes on her, and took in her scent. There's no one in the world that will ever compare. Any other woman pales in comparison to her beauty to me, inside and out.
"I'm falling for you too" she says in a barely concealed whisper. Her breath is soft on my neck, and her admitting that much has my cock hard, and my skin on fire. I need her with each inhale of breath. Feeling that fever from her skin, I do the gentlemanly thing, and set her softly down on her feet. She gives a little pout that I can't help but think is adorable.
"You need to eat" I tell her, leaning down to kiss her softly on the lips. "You don't have me fooled, I can tell you didn't eat all day" I add.
"I ate breakfast," she says, looking a little downtrodden. I tip up her face to me with a finger under her chin. I lean in and give her another soft kiss, humming against her lips. My stomach takes that moment to let out a treacherous growl and she giggles. "Sounds like you need to eat too," she says looking at me in the eyes. Those blue eyes matching mine... man I'm a goner.
"I do, I spent my lunch admiring you while you slept in that beautiful dress you were wearing earlier" I grin. "Let's eat and get you to bed, I need to stay up for a few hours and do some work" I tell her, knowing that there's more work needed for the pack.
"I'm staying up with you" she says stubbornly.
"You need your rest, baby doll" I sigh. "How about this, I'll go upstairs and cuddle you until you fall asleep?" I try to offer an olive branch.
"But you won't be there if I wake up," she pouts.
"Then I'll work in bed" I give in to her. She smiles and gives me a kiss on the lips.
"Good" she smiles and heads to her seat.

Nadia

James is nothing short of a gentleman. As soon as we finished eating, he insisted on cleaning up, which included the dishes. He wouldn't let me help, even when I tried fighting him on it. He had that stubborn set in his jaw, and to drive his point home he touched my forehead and pointed at the living room. I huffed, but secretly, I loved that he was taking control. I went and read more of the new book he brought me before he finished. Once he was done, he grabbed his laptop and I led the way upstairs. True to his word, he cuddled me until I fell asleep. I woke up a few times during the night, and there he was, still beside me either focused on the computer or he was sleeping and holding me close.
When I wake up the final time in the morning, he's still there sleeping peacefully. I turn in his arms and see that his mouth is slightly parted and he's giving a soft snore. I kiss his cheek and climb out of bed to head to the bathroom. I'm a little sad that Jacob is back. I don't have any excuses to keep James here. I don't want him to leave. It's a little crazy, but I feel like I need him close all the time. I don't want anyone else. I like having him beside me when I go to bed, even if he's still working. I like having him there when I wake up, as long as he's still in the vicinity.
I go on doing my morning ritual, my thoughts always trailing back to James. Is it too early to ask him to move in with me instead? I know his family is all moving here, so his attention will be needed elsewhere soon. But maybe, just maybe, he could stay here until his house is built. If he's not sick of me by then, maybe he will ask me to move with him. I frown a bit at the thought of leaving the bookstore, especially since it's been under attack so much. There hasn't been any for at least a couple of days, so maybe we are in the clear.
I get out of the shower and wrap a towel around myself and head back into the bedroom where James is still blissfully asleep. I go to the dresser and pull out a fresh pair of panties and clean bra before going back to the closet to pull out a pair of jean shorts and a black t-shirt. I usually dress up for work, but I'm still not feeling good. I figure this is the best I can do for the day.
I head back to the bathroom and take my temperature. It's still a hundred and one, but I'm not going to tell anybody today. I'll work as long as possible, and then tell them I need some rest if we aren't too busy. I put on very light makeup, with just lip-gloss for my lips. Anything else would need more maintenance, and I don't have it in me today. I put the lip-gloss in my pocket and headed downstairs.
I'm in the middle of getting breakfast out of the fridge when I feel two arms encircling me around the stomach, and a scratchy kiss to the fading bruise where James bit me.
"Good morning," James says, pulling me in closer to his hard body. I let out a soft whimper before he started kissing up the side of my neck.
"Good morning" I finally say, feeling like my body is in ecstasy with just a touch. That familiar spark makes me want to throw caution to the wind and tell him we are both calling in sick today so I can touch every single inch of his body. As though he knows what's going on in my panties, he pauses and chuckles before he nips at my earlobe.
"Do I get a morning kiss?" he asks in a teasing lilt. I turn around and wrap my arms around his shoulders and pull him in. The kiss starts off soft but quickly escalates into something more. I can't help it. He's everything I've been hoping for my entire life. His tongue is dancing with mine in a dance I'll never be tired of, and his hands slowly trail down my back to my ass where he lifts me up. I automatically pull him in closer and wrap my legs around his hips. He steps away from the fridge and kicks the door closed before setting me down on the side of the table so he can get his fill. His hands come up and cup my breasts and I thrust my chest out to him even more. We both moan in unison, and it's like time has stopped. My hands go from his shoulders to his chest and slowly start moving down. His cock jumps in his sweatpants as though knowing exactly where I'm headed. "Fuck" James steps back right before I hit my mark.
"What's wrong?" I ask him, pouting slightly.
"I want you so bad, but you still have a fever and I don't want to push you" he groans.
"But I want you to push me" I reach for him.
"As soon as that fever is gone, we are staying in bed together for an entire day. No work. No exceptions" he nips at my bottom lip.
"Okay, but it had better be soon" I sigh.