Ever Increasing Interest

Adam

Adam opened the large, heavy door and stepped into the building. A receptionist immediately smiled at him.

“Hello, can I he— Oh! Adam. How are you today? Here to read something new I presume.”

“Maybe even a collection of things,” Adam replied with an intriguing dance about his eyes.

“Oh?” the receptionist inquired.

“I was thinking of getting something old, something new,— ” He smirked. “— and something blue today.”

“Oh good heavens,” the receptionist exclaimed, her cheeks blushed and her eyes dove and could not meet his.

“I suppose I could humor you and check out the new selection of the heated romantics’ section.”

His eyes danced with glee as he watched her squirming under his attention. Her body physically contorted as she was obviously enjoying this attention as well, regardless of the fact that this much attention made her feel uncertain.

“Um, yes. I suppose that might be a good section to check out,” she choked out with a squeak in her voice.

“Would you like to join me Miss Margrette?”

“Oh, dear heavens!” she exclaimed as he held out his hand to her. “Um no, no, no. I have much, much too much to do, to be going off gallivanting with you Mr. Black.”

Adam smirked as he still eyed the middle aged female. She was quite attractive, without a wrinkle to be seen on her face. He even liked the glasses she wore at the end of her nose, adorned with that beaded strap that was so very librarian. He lingered for a moment still enjoying her uneasy, scatterbrained movements. Her eyes looked up and her cheeks flushed. Of course he was still there, why wouldn’t he be?

He wandered over into the adult section of the vast library. A cathedral ceiling met him. Desks, chairs and other furniture adorned the room. His favorite spot to read was at one of the chairs adjacent to the large, gas fireplace in the center of the room. Adam noted that his usual sitting place was not taken and so he continued walking to the romance section.

He had always been known as the peculiar child in his household. Since he was a young child, he had dreamt of his wedding, as a young girl might. He never was wearing a dress mind you, nor were there any other peculiar instances to his musings. He simply wanted a classy, beautiful wedding that would make his bride lose her breath and her bride’s maids jealous. He had read most of the romances in this section but today was the first of the month and they always bought a collection of novels each month. He noticed its pastel spine right away from among the others. It was the only one with a spine that had not been creased yet.

Adam about jumped out of his skin as his fingers graced another hand instead of the spine. His gaze instantly jumped to the owner of the hand. A female whom he had not taken notice of when entering the isle. She smiled at him, glanced at the book as she slid it off of the shelf, and then winked at him, with her large oval eyes, before walking out of the isle. Adam just stood there, blinking. He turned around pointed at her, pointed at where he stood, and then pointed at where the book had been. He hadn’t taken notice of anyone because in his memory there had been no one in the isle. He turned and noticed another less creased novel. One that he had read only partially.

He sat down in his seat and opened the pages. It wasn’t long before he was lost in the story, only to be interrupted by a feminine voice clearing her throat. He looked up to see the female whom had stolen his new novel. She was sitting across the fireplace, Adam could see her through the glass panes. She motioned at the novel in her hands. He returned her gesture with a questioning look. She smiled with mirth as she gestured that she liked it. Her smile turned into laughter as he quickly looked away and glared at the empty space directly in front of himself. Voices shushing them murmured throughout the room. She looked around apologetically, and then smiled at Adam, covering her mouth, for he was looking around at everyone with a challenging glare. None met his stare and so he dramatically readjusted his position in his seat, like one would if you wanted to sink very deep to get cozy. He glanced at the female as she muffled her laughter. He motioned at her, indicating that he wanted to trade. She smiled mischievously, and shook her head, her kluke bouncing about. A scowl descended upon Adam’s face and he jutted his finger at the book, at the isle it had been down, and then gave her a first signal. She smiled again, hugged the novel to her chest, then rocked back and forth. Her kluke swayed, with a few draping forward over her shoulders. Adam dramatically huffed, bouncing in his seat to face away from her. A muffled giggle left her lips again. Adam just ignored her, continuing into his story.

He read for quite some time until his wrist began to vibrate. Adam swiped the watch, dismissing the alarm, and then recorded the book and page he had been reading in said smart watch. He stood but then noticed that the female was gone. He walked briskly to the isle, in hopes that the new novel had been replaced. To his dismay it was not and if she took it with her, it would be weeks before he could read it. Adam scowled as he returned his novel to its respective ranks.

Why can’t other readers do as I do? You read some of the novel and then return it straight away to the isle you retrieved it from. It seems a simple enough task.

Adam really did know why others checked their reading projects out, but he had no interest in collecting those receipts. No. He had done that in the past and then he couldn’t borrow for weeks. That’s what prompted this new way of reading. This way no matter how long it took him to read the novel he wouldn’t have to shell out anything and no one complained because a novel read within the building, and never leaving the building, could not be late.

He brought a blush to the receptionist, Miss Margrette’s cheeks with a wink and a ravenous twinkle about his eye. He almost walked out of the front door when the thought struck him. Miss Margrette shrieked with a flurry of fresh, warm, and wet, weekly news articles.

“I do apologize. I almost forgot to ask you something,” he said as he bent down to help her pick up the papers. “There was a new romance novel, but I was a hair too late, and a female beat me to it. It is not in its place, and I was curious if you could tell me the tentacle female’s name, who checked it out.”

“Oh, Cherice! THAT IS SUCH A RUDE WAY TO DESCRIBE HER… they are called kluke” Hissed the librarian receptionist. “She’s a lovely girl! She may even enjoy romance more than you,” she commented, lightening her tone back to its previous state.

“I doubt it. You see, I focus on my partner. I never let her forget I am the Alpha, but I do things that please her so much that begging for more is the only option. In fact, I am such a good study of my partner, that I have yet to have heard a bad remark or a safe word muttered even once. I know my limits and the limits of my partner and I stray far from them.” His tone lowered in pitch. “Would you enjoy to fancy an adventure with me Miss Margrette?”

The papers flew everywhere at his invitation.

“Good heavens, Mr. Black! Uhm, While your invitation is quite nice. I, uh, I have to decline.”

Adam swept the papers up, and handed them to Margrette again, bowing as he stated, “If you ever happen to change your mind, I am at your service, Ma’am.”

Her cheeks flushed, and her hand felt the back of her neck.

“Don’t you usually have a time pressing matter that takes your attention about this time?”

“That I do Miss Margrette. I wish you with the best. I shall see you next week.”

“It is always a pleasure!”

Her cheeks flushed again.

“Not as much as it could be,” replied the smirk.

“Oh you! Now stop that! You’re half my age! Now go!”

“You don’t look a day over ninety-nine.”

Miss Margrette rolled her eyes and picked up a packet of papers, fanning herself.

“Oh, goodness my! You better be going before you get yourself in trouble.”

“But the trouble is my favorite part.”

“Adam… I always enjoy the attention, but you aren’t worth my position here baby, and by that I do mean both attraction and your age.”

Adam clutched his chest, spinning away.

“Oh! My heart! The dagger! It’s too deep! It’s too much! Pull it out! Let me DIE!”

Miss Margrette wadded up a scrap paper. She almost missed bouncing it off of his forehead because of her laughter, almost.

“Get, out!”

Adam smirked, bent, and tossed the paper back, before walking out the front door, smirking still with a wink.