That Sexy Librarian and Me

23rd

                                                              tingles and tickles

                                  all twenty three t i m e s

The slightest touch would have her jumping, Athenia realized as she put away the books. It felt like... well, she knew it wasn't intentional on Remy's part, but, still. She couldn't ignore the way her skin burst into a million sparks every time he touched her.

When had this started?

Talking to Maddie was out of the question, not until she was absolutely sure of what was going on. 

Did Remy feel it too?

At night, they stuck to their respective sleeping arrangements, their conversation to a minimum. Ever since that trip to the beach something had changed, and she didn't know who to blame for it. Remy was acting as if she would explode if he said the slightest thing.

It was so stupid that she felt the same way.

Days at the library made her feel restless somehow, with or without Remy there. The end of the term brought with it the exams and the pressure, and the kids to wrap up their no-dues forms.

Without question, Remy ran into most of his friends.

"Hey, Rem Dog! I heard ya were working here. Man, somethin' else to be watchin' ya in action."

If Remy ever spoke the way the dog was speaking, Athenia would have bled from her ears. Not that the way the dog looked was an easier on the eyes.

"Hittin' that librarian's ass yet?"

"Just ignore them," he told her as they waited for them to finish and leave. 

"Is that what you've been doing?"

"Why do you think I fought with my roommate in the first place?" his eyes went to the dog. "Big dick is all he is. Don't let him get to you."

"Rem..." she trailed off sadly. "I wish you'd told me."

"So you could fight my battles for me? Fat chance of Eddie being more than just this, Ath. That fight was the best thing that ever happened to me."

For some reason, she was grateful she didn't have to face an encounter with one of his ex-conquests. 

At night, after Athenia had come back from doing her laundry, she found Remy sprawled on the bed. It was Wednesday. Wednesdays were her days.

Tell him in the morning, she told herself. And don't stare at him like some stalker.

She did, of course, stare, for quite some time. 

Sleep was very difficult to come by that night.

Realizing she'd fallen for the pig she had for a roommate just about shocked the breath right out of her.

"Would it be the worst thing?" Maddie asked during their evening coffee ritual. "I mean, I run by so many hot people, some even not so gay, but I work for a fashion magazine, so I can't sleep with my assistant.

"Librarians, on the other hand, could fall in love with theirs."

"None of that made sense, do you know that?"

"That you should make love to Remy? What's to make sense about it? You love him, don't you?"

How could she, possibly, love Remington... what's his last name? After racking through her head she realized she didn't even know his last name.

"It's Howsham. Why are you asking?"

Because I'm in love with you and I may just want to doodle Mrs. Howsham on every surface available.

"You never told me," she told him as she watched him focus on the game. "I was just wondering."

"Yeah. It's a lousy last name, lousier than my first. Dad's British, mum's American. They own a firm together. Yippie."

"You're going to make a difference. You'll be different from them. I just know it. Besides, it's not wrong to be successful, Remy."

"It is when you earn billions and do nothing for the world with it."

Drowning in something all too unbelievable, that stinging sensation in the pits of her stomach ever present now, made her wonder why, of all the people, it had to be Remington. He was annoying, filthy and freaking irritating to no end.

But he was there, wasn't he? Right from cribbing about the excessive salt in the food to dropping food all over the place, he was there.

Some way or the other, he was everywhere.