Bookish Read Free

speaking to every one of his fans…when they could talk. Most of them were crying or stood with their mouths gaping open as they handed him their books to sign.
    A few feet away, one busty older woman pulled apart her shirt, exposing herself. The bodyguards stood interference, but Isaac laughed, walked to her and took the felt pen she handed him.
    “What would you have me say, love?” he asked. His voice was smooth; it cut through my heart like a hot knife through butter. What was happening to me?
    “Let me see what’s going on!” Chloe shrieked behind me, but I was mesmerized.
    “Just put ‘property of Isaac James’ and I’ll be the happiest soccer mom this side of the Rockies,” the woman replied and giggled as he wrote it out and signed his name with a flourish. The crowd was buzzing with nervous excitement and it really got to me. I could feel my pulse in my temples, throbbing with some hypnotic beat.
    Three feet between Isaac and my trembling Kindle. My hands betrayed my nervousness. I was usually so detached and in control.
    “Seriously,” Chloe screamed, “I can’t see a fucking thing!”
    “I want him to sign my cover and I’ll get out of the way,” I said, not looking back.
    “Where is he?” Chloe squealed and I felt her hands hit the small of my back with a mighty shove.
    I was unbalanced from leaning over the velvet rope to see Isaac as it was, and with her help, I pitched face first directly into the path of the hottest man on the planet.
    My Kindle went flying and I saw his body guards move towards me, ready to drag me off.
    “Wait,” Isaac’s voice broke through the noise, “hang on.”
    The women around us went quiet and a hush took over the place. I struggled to get up, but ended up feeling a little like a turtle on its back. The skirt had twisted and tangled in my legs and my arm was bent underneath me.
    “I’m okay,” I squawked and tried to right myself.
    Within seconds he was beside me, kneeling on the carpet near my face and sliding his hands underneath the front of me. “Let me help you, love,” he said and I swear I melted into a pool of idiotic woman right in front of him.
    “It’s okay, I’m okay,” I said again, but I didn’t know if I was trying to convince him or myself.
    He smelled like heaven. Like a cool breeze on a hot day, like masculinity wrapped up in the prettiest package you’ve ever seen. Like hot sand and salty waves washing over your naked body.
    I’m sure I was redder than I’d ever been in my life; it was a mortifying and strangely satisfying experience. It was like the entire world had shrunk down to just Isaac and Aubrey.
    He hooked his hands under my armpits and stood up, pulling me with him. He was a good eight inches taller than me and was like a wall of solid, ridged muscle. His arms bulged, not with the strain of pulling me up, but on their own like they were proud to belong to a man like him.
    “Are you all right, love?” he asked and looked into my eyes. Amusement painted his face and I was so close I could count the whiskers on his five o’clock shadow.
    “I’m good,” I whispered and stared into his eyes. They were green and flecked with grey; I’d never noticed that in the hundreds of photos I’d seen of him. Then again, I’d probably been like every other woman on the planet and completely focused on his abs.
    “OH MY GOD!” Chloe squealed and rushed to my side, “Are you okay Aubrey? Oh my god, I hope you didn’t hurt yourself.”
    She took my arm and shook Isaac’s hand. He smiled at me, never breaking eye contact and asked me, “Do you know this woman? Can I trust you in her care?”
    “I’m her best friend,” Chloe declared and tugged on my arm. Isaac hadn’t removed his from under my arm. His huge hand cupped my ribcage and he could surely feel my heart pounding under his grasp.
    “She is,” I said, my voice dry and threatening to give out on me at any moment. “I’ll be okay. I’m okay.” I really needed