Thief of Hearts by L.H. Cosway Page B

startled when Stu appeared.
    Alfie looked at him with absolute horror in his expression. He seemed to shrink as if he was hiding himself, like Stu had walked in on him naked, towelling himself dry after a shower. Oh, Alfie. Always one to overreact. I guessed Stu now understood what I meant about Alfie being a little odd.
    I cleared my throat. “Yes, it’s just through there,” I said, indicating the way I’d come.
    “Thanks,” he replied and glanced at Alfie. “Hi, I’m Stu, a student of Andrea’s. You must be her cousin.”
    He held out his hand but Alfie just stared at it like he was offended. His social awkwardness really knew no bounds. In fact, it was making me feel awkward by association.
    “You all right, mate?” Stu asked, frowning.
    Alfie looked at me, shook his head and began backing away. “I’m going home. I’ll see you later.” And with that, he left.
    I shot Stu a look of apology. “I’m sorry. I told you he’s not good with people.”
    He chuckled. “Yeah. I got that.”
    Staring at the wall because his eyes were intense this close, I continued, “He’s also incredibly paranoid. I, um, I may have mentioned your past to him. He thinks you’re stalking me.”
    Stu’s smile grew wider. “How do you know I’m not?”
    His response took me off guard as I sputtered a reply, “ Are you?”
    “Nah, but you have to admit it’d be just a little bit sexy if I was.”
    I rolled my eyes, trying not to let him see how his words affected me. “Sure.”
    “You know I’m right, Andrea,” he said, stepping close and running a hand over my shoulder. It took a concerted effort not to tremble. Until two weeks ago, another man hadn’t touched me this intimately since Mark. I felt skittish, affronted. I backed up as far as the wall and levelled him with a stern look.
    “Does that voice work on all women?”
    His lips twitched. “I’d say it’s got about a ninety-five per cent success rate. Why? Is it working on you?”
    I scoffed, my denial a little too fervent. “Noooo.”
    Stu’s eyes flicked down to my chest then back up again. He leaned even closer as he whispered, “Then why are your nipples hard?”
    I gasped and reared away, glancing down to check. I was wearing a padded bra, and although yes, admittedly my nipples were hard beneath the fabric, they weren’t visible. Stu had baited me and I’d fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.
    He winked. “I bet they are.”
    “They aren’t.”
    He let out a low, sexy laugh and moved by me into the bathroom. “You keep telling yourself that, luv.”
    I exhaled a breath when the door closed and then went to find a quiet spot amid the bookshelves to calm my erratic pulse. The reading had moved on to questions and answers, as Jamie held court taking questions from the attendees. A minute or two passed before I sensed movement in my peripheral vision. Judging by the faint hint of his cologne, I knew he’d found me.
    “Are you hiding?” came his deep, masculine voice, and I glanced up from my place on the floor.
    “Just having some ‘me’ time,” I answered, and Stu’s brows rose.
    “Behind the shelves of a public book shop? Andrea, I didn’t peg you for the kinky type.”
    “You’re an incurable smart-arse, do you know that?”
    Stu smiled and dropped down beside me, his shoulder bumping mine. “Ah yes, smart-arsery runs in the family. You’ve met my brother, right?”
    I nodded, thinking he was definitely correct on that one. “I have.”
    A moment of quiet ensued as I stared at the shelves in front of us. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Stu studying my profile, but I didn’t dare move. I felt like I was on display somehow, my every thought on view to him. Lacing my fingers in my lap, I tried not to let the quiet affect me but it was a lost cause. It wasn’t necessarily awkwardness I felt, but I was definitely uncomfortable.
    “You should come meet the rest of my family,” said Stu, breaking the quiet, his eyes still on