Tell Me a Story (The Story Series Book 1) by Tamara Lush Page A

almost-sneer. This was the first time he’d looked annoyed or cross with me. The hurt look in his eyes tore at my heart, but I couldn’t bring myself to acquiesce.
    “The bookstore,” I whispered, then put on my clothes and pressed my lips to his cheek. I was probably screwing up this entire relationship by leaving, but I had to protect the one thing I hadn’t yet given him during our whirlwind relationship: my heart.

11
    T he lawyer twisted her mouth into a sad smirk. “There’s not a damn thing I can do for you, Emma. Sure, I could take your money and shuffle a lot of paperwork around. But according to what I see in the city’s zoning regulations, the new owner of the building has every right to buy it and knock it down and turn it into condos. There’s no historic designation in that area so they can do whatever they want.”
    I sighed. Definitely not the news I had hoped for. “So there’s no option but to wait and get evicted?”
    She stacked some papers neatly and put them into a folder, then handed it across her desk to me. “There’s the city council meeting to discuss redevelopment of that block on Monday. That’s three days away. You should go and speak during the public comment section to register your opposition. If the other business owners attend, you might collectively have some sway. But don’t hold your breath. The council is very pro-gentrification.”
    I thanked her for her time and walked into the warm winter sun to my bookstore. Crap. But maybe, just maybe, the other storeowners and I could convince the council. It was all we could do. And maybe the local media would be there. My mind spun off in various directions, and when I was a block away from the bookstore, I was jarred into reality by the buzzing of my phone.
    It was Caleb. He’d been gone four days, and I was trying to ignore the fact that I missed him terribly.
    “Hey!” I said brightly. “How’s Brazil?”
    “Meh. I’ll be glad to get home. And that’s why I called. Would you do something for me?”
    “Sure. What’s that?”
    “I’m about to board the plane, and I expect to be back in Orlando tonight around midnight. I’d love it if you were at my house, waiting for me when I get home.”
    I stopped walking and ducked under an awning, wanting to avoid the bright sunshine. I leaned against a shop window. Suddenly, I felt like hiding, and I didn’t respond to him.
    I’d have to stay over if I agreed to this. No way could I wait for him, hang out for a few hours, then leave in the middle of the night. He’d be exhausted, he’d want to have sex, then he’d want to sleep…
    “Emma? You there?”
    I pushed out a breath. “Yes. I’m here.”
    My heart sped up because this seemed like a big leap of faith. Was I ready for this? I squinted into the white-bright sunshine bathing the asphalt, then almost squealed when I realized there was a gecko just inches from me on the glass. I stepped back into the sunshine.
    “Yes, Caleb, yes, I’ll wait for you at your house. But I don’t have a key.”
    “I’ll call the concierge and they’ll let you in. Oh, and Emma doll?”
    “Yes, Caleb?”
    “You should expect a package from me today at your house. Don’t forget to open it and surprise me.”
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    T he package was from La Perla, and it was a decadently expensive, short cream-colored nightgown that was lacy and nearly see-through and sinfully pretty. I slipped it on after showering at his house, then padded barefoot around his pristine space, feeling whimsical and capricious. Caleb was nothing if not minimalist and tidy, and part of me wanted to leave heaps of clothes or stacks of books in random places.
    The thought made me smile, wondering if he’d allow my somewhat chaotic messiness to truly invade his life.
    I poked around first in the kitchen, figuring it was safe to check that out. He didn’t have much other than sparkling water and my favorite white wine in the fridge. I opened a drawer, and there was the