To Tempt an Irish Rogue Read Online Free PDF Page B

so glad,” she murmured. “Are you looking for another book for her?”
    “Perhaps.” His emerald green eyes settled on her. “But I was also looking for myself.”
    “Oh?”
    “Yes.”
    She tried to swallow but her mouth was too dry. “And what is it you would like?”
    His eyes widened the slightest bit, but he didn’t answer.
    “Would you care to browse?” she suggested weakly.
    His intense glance lingered on her longer than anyone would deem proper. Her cheeks grew warm and a funny feeling filled her chest.
    “Would you mind if I did?” Mr. Reeves questioned, one of his dark eyebrows raised.
    “Not at all. Feel free to wander about the store.” She waved her hand in an attempt to appear casual and light-hearted. “If you decide you need my assistance, please let me know.”
    “I promise I will, Miss Hamilton.”
    Paulette surreptitiously watched him turn and make his way down one of the rows of tall shelves lined neatly with books of all sorts. He was in the philosophy section. Interesting, she thought.
    He was very tall, she noted, almost as tall as the highest shelves. And he walked with definite purpose, with his hands clasped behind his back. It was strange. He had the mannerisms of a much older man, yet he was quite young. Close to her own age perhaps. She was dying to ask him how old he was, but knew it was impolite. He disappeared around the corner shelf at the end of the row and she lost sight of him.
    Rousing herself, she wondered at her nervousness. The man had flustered her and she did not know why that should be so. In an effort to calm herself, she reached for the water pitcher and filled a cup with the cool liquid. She downed the water quickly.
    Once again the bell jingled and the shop door opened. A trim young woman with a bright yellow bonnet covering her black hair entered. “Good morning, Paulette.”
    “Hello, Lizzie.” Grateful that her assistant had arrived and she was no longer alone with the enigmatic Mr. Reeves in the shop, Paulette smiled. “You’re early this morning.”
    Lizzie Parker and her brother Daniel had been assisting in the bookshop for the last few years, but recently Paulette had trained Lizzie to manage it completely, to take her place when the new shop opened. Paulette and Colette would need to spend most of their time in the new store.
    “It’s such a glorious morning, I got an early start. Oooh! I see Tom Alcott has been by already with his mother’s shortbread!” Lizzie’s face lit up in delight.
    “Yes, please take the basket away from me before I devour all of them,” Paulette said, suddenly unable to stomach the thought of another shortbread biscuit. It was strange that she lost her appetite the minute Declan Reeves had entered the shop.
    “Oh, I’ll take them from you gladly and have some with my tea!” Lizzie took the basket in her hand. “I shall bring them to the back room to fortify me as I sort through those crates of—” Lizzie suddenly eyed the tall form of Mr. Reeves meandering through the shop. He voice dropped to a whisper. “Who is that?”
    Paulette couldn’t help glancing in his general direction. “A gentleman from Ireland who was in two days ago with his daughter,” she explained quietly as that flutter of nervousness rushed through her again at the thought of Declan Reeves. “He’s browsing.”
    “So I can see.” Lizzie’s eyes narrowed. “Isn’t it a bit early for customers?”
    “We’re open, aren’t we?” Paulette countered, but her thoughts had been exactly the same as Lizzie’s. Even though the shop opened early, most customers didn’t usually come in until closer to noon. He had arrived rather early.
    Lizzie shrugged, and with basket in hand, she walked toward the rear of the shop, calling, “You know where I’ll be.”
    With Lizzie in the back room, Paulette felt comforted knowing she was no longer alone in the shop with the Irish gentleman. Glancing around, he was out of view again and she wondered