Free Kissing Santa, A Clover Park Novella (Clover Park, Book 4) Contemporary Romance (The Clover Park Series) by Kylie Gilmore Page B

movies!”
    “Everything?”
    “Yes!”
    “Hmmm…”
    He stopped pacing and blew out a breath. “She keeps harping on the fact that I’ve been with other women. Why does that even matter? I’m sure she’s been with other men. God, I hope so.”
    He shuddered. He didn’t want to break in a thirty-year-old virgin. Way too much pressure for a guy.
    “What exactly did she say?” Elena asked.
    He stared at the beer in his hand, thinking hard. “I dunno. Something about being part of my long list of conquests.”
    “Did you brag about other women?”
    “No! I know better than that. I mean we ran into Jolene, and there was that song about Jamie—”
    “All right, little bro, I got this. It’s simple. She wants to feel special.”
    “I told her she was special.”
    “That’s not enough. Okay, here’s what you gotta do.”
    Rico listened, feeling a little queasy, then quickly got off the phone. Was he really going to do this? Could he bear to go through with it?
    ~ ~ ~
    The next morning Rico showed up at Book It the moment they opened. He wanted to be the first one at the bookstore—in and out with no witnesses. The owner, Rachel Miller, who also co-owned Something’s Brewing Café with Shane, flipped the sign to open and let him in.
    “Good morning, Rico,” she said. “I haven’t seen you here before. Is there something I can help you find?”
    His eyes darted around the store. “Just browsing.”
    She gestured inside. “Enjoy.”
    He cruised up and down the aisles, scanning the labels on the shelves. History, Biography, Sports. No, no, no. He kept going. Kids section. He grabbed several picture books for his youngest niece and some adventure novels for the older nieces and nephews. It was a good cover for his real mission anyway. He kept going. Cookbooks, Hobbies, Mystery. And then he found it. The label for the large section was in purple script: Romance.
    The bell jingled on the front door, and he quickly moved back to the mystery section. He picked up a book and watched as an older woman approached. She went straight to romance and picked out a book. He glanced over. It was in the New Releases section. She went to the register. He snatched a copy of that same book and hid it behind the mystery in his hand.
    The books were becoming unwieldy. He needed a basket or something. He set the stack of books on the floor and pretended to be checking out the mysteries while he listened to Rachel chatting with her customer and ringing up the purchase. Finally the woman left.
    Rico took one of each on the New Releases shelf, bringing his total to a dozen romance books. Elena better know what she’s talking about , he thought grimly. He balanced the romances under one arm and bent to scoop up the stack of books he’d left on the floor.
    Crash! The books scattered everywhere.
    Rachel appeared in front of him and took in all the books, her eyes lingering on the romances. “Oh my.”
    “It’s for my sister!” he exclaimed.
    She bent down and started gathering books. “Sure, sure. No problem. She might like the latest from Lorelai White too.”
    “Okay, I’ll try that—I mean, take that one. It’s Christmas, after all.”
    She grinned.
    He avoided her eyes and quickly grabbed all the other books. He followed her to the register.
    “You really want all these other books or are they just a cover?” Rachel asked. She looked like she was trying not to laugh.
    Rico cringed. “I told you I’m Christmas shopping. I need everything.”
    The bell jingled again, and Barry, the guy who played elf to his Santa, walked in.
    “The picture books alone will run you a hundred bucks,” Rachel said.
    Barry stopped at Biographies.
    “Yes, yes, hurry!” Rico slapped his credit card on the counter.
    Rachel giggled and started ringing them up. Rico kept his back to Barry, who had moved to Personal Growth. Was Rachel going extra slow on purpose? Sweat broke out on his forehead. Barry was a loudmouth. He did not want this