Chapter 2: The Second Try
The following day, Nathaniel Wolfe was waiting for the library to open. Probably for a while already, as she caught the empty paper cup placed by his side. She recognized him with an embarrassing flush on her imperfect face, which was utterly unreasonable. But so was he.
He was dressed in another dashing suit, completed with a red necktie tucked neatly under his dark vest. It matched well with the sole of his shoes. That she saw only because he was sitting regally on the stairs outside with one leg over the other. She wondered what part of this planet he owned, how deeply rooted his influence and wealth were for him to appear at ease while posing like the mighty monarch directly plucked from Game of Thrones.
As an underpaid contracted staff – she wasn't even a civil servant, which was also underpaid, in her humble opinion – Keira was highly against wealthy people in principle.
It was not just pure jealousy, mind.
"Let's make out in the philosophy corner," was what he said nonchalantly.
Without any preamble.
Not even a greeting or a nod. Nothing. It was only due to his luck at having a distracting grin that stopped Keira from slapping his face.
That was not what normal, sane, and polite people said to a stranger they had only seen once previously. Well, aside from the many books she got on her hands anyway. He should be thankful for that. However, as they were right in front of the library, she must keep a professional façade and act like she didn't hear his absurd greeting.
Her attempt at forming a polite smile got caught in the way he graciously rose to his feet while brushing nonexistent dirt away from his crisp suits. He was towering over her, thanks to the three steps of stairs between them. Along with the fact that he was already half-ahead taller than she was. The intense gaze from his blue eyes was unnecessary additional damage she didn't have the choice but to accept.
The piles of newly donated books she was carrying in her hands wobbled dangerously when she tripped on the stairs like an idiot. Mr Wolfe seemed to find her near humiliating fall funny.
He had the decency to chuckle at her and exclaimed, "Don't be embarrassed of it. Women dropping on their knees before me is not as rare as you might think. I'd say, it's a privilege of a kind."
Keira rolled her eyes at the narcissistic behavior clearly displayed before her. If she were not busy trying to keep her flushing, imperfect face away from his prying eyes, she'd suggest he visit a therapist this time. Evidently, his problem was not as physical as she thought at first. He needed to check his mental health before becoming a nuisance and danger to the people around him. As soon as possible.
Although, she shouldn't give two fucks about him. Mr Wolfe was just a stranger who came by the library and didn't retort about her glaring birthmark on first notice. She should be sad and question the world if she gave Mr Wolfe such high regard just because he did the minimum reaction ought to be the norm.
Managing a small smile, she brushed aside his previous statement and greeted him with the mandatory polite tone. "Good morning."
"Do you want some help with those?" The light, cheerful voice he uttered had no business sounding so flirtatious.
At first, she thought he was referring to her breast, and she was already forming a scathing remark to tell him no. She wouldn't let him slide for the second time in just a few short minutes. Then it dawned on her that he was most likely referring to the stack of books heavily rested in her hands. She would like to say yes and accept his offer, but she was pissed by her own prejudice toward his suspicious kindness.
"No, it's fine," she snapped, jerking away from his advancing form.
Four large books on top of her pile crashed on the steps of stairs between them. One of them audibly broke its back just as Hyde walked by with a paper cup of hot coffee in hand. He merely paid them an unimpressed glance and passed by without uttering a single word.
A few months ago, Hyde was caught selling semi-antique books stolen from the stacks down in the reference library on the black market. He did that dirty business for almost a year, selling a book every month. Hyde claimed that it wasn't as forbidden as it was in reality, considering it took them that long even to notice something was missing.
The not-so-secret affair he had with their boss was the only thing he had to keep the job. If it were anyone else, they would find their ass jobless with no chance of ever getting hired as a librarian. Instead, he was demoted to library assistant. A disgrace for anyone with a master's degree, moreover from a famous university. Now, Hyde spent his days doing shelf-work and sighing dramatically at patrons and colleagues mishandling books.
How ironic was that?
"Oh, look at that," Mr Wolfe said and leaned down to pick up the fallen books. "Well, I suppose you could always make paper planes with it now."
He handed the books, and Keira tried grabbing hold of them without dropping the others too. She pouted, regaining balance. Mr Wolfe turned around and climbed up the remaining stairs leading to the public library she worked at. Keira followed him a little behind, walking awkwardly with the stack of books in her hands.
"Thank you," she muttered politely as he held open the door for her.
"Speaking of, I'd still like to see that lovely Latin book we were chatting about yesterday."
Placing the piles of books burdening her arms along the fifteen-minute walk from her apartment on the desk to sort later, she turned to the man trailing behind her obediently. "Believe it or not, but it's still placed in the reference library that is available only for scholars."
She thought he would glower at her and threaten to murder her or something for a second. That was how a wealthy-looking man like him, who could pose regally no matter where they sat, usually acted.
However, Mr Wolfe seemed to surprise her once again. And she wasn't impressed even one bit.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone