He led her, through towers and stacks and shelves. Her eyes couldn't adjust to everything at once but he kept moving. Just a step ahead. Just two steps, his cologne a trail following him, urging her to follow it and connect. She did. They waltzed between the racks to the ceiling, her neck craning to see all the titles. He looked back, his eyes delighted at her delight, the tendrils of hair caressing her neck and he too wished to caress.
The thought was forbidden, the act unimaginable. But he imagined. And as she turned from her joyful perusal he saw it.
It was there.
It matched his.
The glint in her eyes matched his own, and he knew the answer was yes.
He moved faster through the shelves, the smell of paper intoxicated them, drove them faster through the maze of volumes.
He brushed past her once, close, their arms touched and he thrilled. She trembled. He glanced and watched her tongue dart out to wet her lips as he made small talk about a book he once read.
She saw him watch her tongue; she knew what power it had. She did it again. His eyes narrowed because he was older, wiser, and he knew her game immediately and caught her at it.
But he loved it.
She watched him love it as she dragged her tongue across her bottom lip slowly.
He snapped around and moved faster away from her. Still his cologne beckoned her to follow, and follow she did. He was leaving this place, this place of magic and books and shelves to the ceiling. This magic place where the volumes begged to be read, their spines begged to be touched. Pulled from the shelf and loved by someone who would value them.