Charles entered the little bookshop. It smelled of vanilla and spices and wood, the smell of old books. In the dim light of half a dozen bulbs, he couldn't even see the back of the store. On his left, behind a desk, a guy was playing with a Rubik's Cube, aligning the red faces with a frown.
Charles cleared his throat rather loudly. The man's cube escaped his hands and ended up on the floor in a clatter. He stood up, blushing. "Good evening, sir. My name is Erik. How may I help you?"
In many ways that you can't even imagine, Charles thought. He tried to visualize the handsome man on his knees, covered with red lashes. He suppressed a shiver of arousal.
Erik was still looking at him with expectation, as well as some less pure interest, if the spark of admiration in his grey eyes was to be trusted.
"I'd like to know if you have, by any chance, an old edition of Darwin's On the Origin of Species," Charles finally said.
Erik smiled. "I think you're one lucky man. Follow me, please." The man led Charles to the back of the shop, where the walls were much higher and literally covered with books. "It's up there," Erik said, pointing at a shelf above their heads. "Could you help me and hold the ladder while I climb?"
"Sure," Charles answered. And he didn't regret it when he had Erik's ass in front of his face. He had to resist the urge to bite it. He usually liked bubble butts, round globes of supple flesh, wobbling under his numerous attacks. Erik's was nothing like that. It was barely there, a thin layer of hard muscles on sharp bones. And still Charles wanted nothing more than lavish it with attention until it opened for him – and its owner begged for it.
Charles shook his head and focused on his book. Erik had found it and was holding it out to him with a grin on his face, as if Charles had broadcasted his thoughts and Erik had read them.
"You know, there's a saying about books and covers," Erik whispered. "Mine is bound in leather. Maybe you'd be interested in opening it?"
Charles chocked on air. He may come back regularly to this shop. For books, of course! Only for the books…