Silver Spoon Read Free

man. Spoon flipped the book over, quickly reading the back. He smiled slightly. "Werewolf?"
    She shrugged, her grin softening from the earlier stiffness. "It's what came to me."
    He shook his head. "I don't understand why women read and watch this"—he flicked his hand toward a long set of shelves—"paranormal stuff."
    "Read one. At worst you will know why women like it. At best, you will actually like it." She nodded toward the book still clasped in his hand.
    Hearing the challenge in her voice, he straightened his back. "What if I don't like it?"
    "I'll personally give you a refund."
    He nodded abruptly. "Deal." Standing, he stepped away from the table before pausing and turning back. "I didn't even ask. What's your name?"
    She chuckled, a light and gleeful sound that reminded him of the first songbirds returning in the spring after a long winter.
    "Riley. Riley Bordeaux."
    "I'm Aidan. My friends call me Spoon."
    "Spoon? That's an unusual nickname." Her head tilted in puzzlement.
    He shot her a quick smile. "Have dinner with me tonight and I'll tell you all about it."
    She blinked a few times before she managed to recover. With a wide-eyed look, she shot him a tentative grin. "I'd like that."
    "Good. When are you done here?"
    She checked her watch. "Twenty more minutes."
    "I'll pay for this then meet you back here. How do you feel about cheeseburgers?"
    "I love them."
    With one more glance, he headed to the front of the store to buy the book. Luckily, he found another display that held the hardback action novel he initially came in for, otherwise he would have forgotten it entirely, as captivated as he was with Riley. Waiting in line, he pondered why he'd just invited a perfect stranger, one that he must have overlooked at the gym a dozen times or more, out to eat.
    As callous as it sounded, seeing her tonight in a new light brought her to his attention, whereas he'd typically paid little attention to the sideline workers at places he frequented often, the gym, the grocery store, the bank. Not that he considered them beneath him, he just focused on the task at hand, not the various individuals around him. Sure, he always scanned for anything appearing out of place or erratic, but when everything checked out, he possessed a single track mind. And overlooked a pretty redhead with glittering emerald eyes.
    Riley. The name suited her. Atypical and different. Pretty and easy to talk to, she exuded confidence, kindness, and hinted at a good sense of humor. All top priorities in his list for the opposite sex.
    For a fleeting second, he considered his earlier plans of hitting the bars in search of a hot, willing woman to share his bed tonight. As soon as the thought came, he discarded it like a stained napkin after lunch. In all honesty, the constant search and find mission of bar hopping and one-night stands hit the level of nearly boring. He would share a few hours of empty sex with a woman he just met but didn't even know her last name, before parting before dawn. That worked just fine. Until now.
    Riley sparked his interest in a way no other woman had in a long time.
    Might as well give it a shot. He had nothing to lose by taking her out to see if the brightness wore off after a couple hours in her company. If all else failed, the bar scene would still be there next week.
     
    * * * *
     
    Yesterday, he'd nearly bulldozed her over like a mere stop sign on an empty and isolated road. Today, he asked her out to eat. Talk about a crazy world and the difference a day can make.
    Riley mentally shook her head, still reeling from the drastic turnabout in such a short period of time. So what if they landed at a Mom and Pop old fashioned malt shop? The laid-back atmosphere suited a get-to-know-one-another situation fairly well. Who was she to complain either way? Her first date in months included a gorgeous pin-up model with a bit of mystery. For that she would eat bologna sandwiches on a park bench.
    "What do you do for a living?" She