WARNING: Sexual propositioning

XxX

The two of them walked arm-in-arm out the sliding glass doors of the hotel, and the remnants of the warm fall air welcomed them. They crossed the street and walked down a couple of storefronts. The bookstore itself was a two story brick building with ornate ledges, tall archways and leaded glass windows. They entered the main door between two forest-green awnings.

Inside, all of the shelves and stacks were a deep mahogany, filled to the brim. The lighting was bright but not suffocating. There were special sections; historical non-fiction, regional writers and there it was: true crime. An end-cap prominently featuring one David Rossi.

In the very front corner of the store, there were a couple dozen chairs set in short rows, and one stool in front of all of them. There was a table next to it that also featured David's books. A woman Penelope guessed was close to her age approached them. She had a short, dark haircut and was wearing a conservative wrap dress with long sweater. She had small, black-rimmed glasses. 'Bookstore girl, perhaps?' Penelope thought. The woman greeted David warmly.

"Good evening, Dave! Good trip down from Woodbridge?" She shook David's hand for what would be widely considered several beats too long and then seemed to notice Penelope.

"Ava, nice to see you again. This is my significant other, Penelope Garcia. She was able to get away and accompany me this trip."

Ava's eyebrows disappeared into her forehead and she tentatively reached out her hand. She shook hands with Penelope, averted her eyes and her mouth formed more of a straight line than a smile. "So nice to meet you. Welcome to Prince Books."

Penelope thought to herself: 'Ava's face did not match her words'… when it came to her, anyway.

David reached out for Penelope and put his arm soundly around her waist.

"So, would you like me to sign a few before we get started?"

"Yes, please. There are the pens you prefer, right on the end there. I will welcome people and come introduce you when we're ready to get started."

"Will do," Dave agreed.

"Is there anything I can get you while we're waiting?" Ava asked, obligatorily.

"You know, Ava, we will just go to the cafe for whatever we need. Thank you," Dave dismissed.

Ava walked away, working to straighten up the entrance to the store, although it really didn't look like it needed it.

David went over to the table and opened one of the pens. He lifted a book off the pile and signed his name on the title page.

After he finished the first few, Penelope walked close to him and quietly asked, "How long has she wanted to ask you out?"

The author sighed. …Her author. Her guy.

"For as long as I've known her. So, five years? …How did you know?"

"I received a less-than-Rossi-like reception. I graduated from 'girlfriend' to 'significant other'. And your hand gripped my ass so tight I think I might have a bruise later," Penelope chuckled.

He looked up at her, clearly impressed with her deduction skills once again.

"I told you, I'm profiler-adjacent. Like, all of the time now," she winked.

Laughing, he continued to sign books.

"I'm afraid that happens sometimes with this gig. Women are either enthralled with the book, or the idea of the work… or they just act crazy sometimes."

"Or, they like your handsome face," Penelope babbled.

David shook his head and kept signing books as early birds started to take chairs. People whispered to one another and pointed at him. It was a little weird.

"Baby, do you want anything from the cafe? A water? Coffee? I'll run and get it now so I can get a seat."

"Yeah. I don't like having coffee breath when I'm talking with people at these things. Would you mind grabbing me a water and a tea?"

"I absolutely do not mind," Penelope smiled at him and felt natural leaning close, kissing his cheek.

It took some time getting through the line at the cafe. She paid for a bottle of water and two hot teas. She doctored hers up with an appropriate amount of honey, knowing David would prefer his plain like his coffee. By the time she got back to the reading area, all but one or two chairs were full. She walked up and gave David his beverages and he conveyed his thanks.

Penelope went to the back of the room and commandeered a chair from another section, sitting off to the side.

Watching David work and read from his most-recent novel was mesmerizing. He was leaning on the stool, one foot on a rung and the other on the ground. He had the book he was reading from in one hand, then took off his reading glasses with the other whenever he looked up to address the gathering. He was freaking adorable.

It gave her a charge to see her boyfriend in front of all of these people who were hanging on his every word.

Before she knew it, he was finishing up and thanking the group assembled. Ava went forward and invited people to purchase a signed edition of any of his books and mentioned the author would be around for a few minutes to meet fans.

Penelope watched as people filed forward, waiting turns to talk to David. They wanted him sign books they already had in-hand or they asked to purchase a new copy. 'People asked the most-awkward questions!', she thought after listening for a while.

Several times David looked up and caught her looking at him. He gave a tiny, special smile just for her. One time he winked. She snickered and tried to not draw attention to herself.

He was smiling kindly-enough to the people in line as well, but Penelope could tell he was getting to the end of the patience he had allotted for the event.

Just as she wondered how much longer the signing might go, a group of three young women scurried toward David. They waited behind the one person in front of them. Each had a copy of one of his books clutched to their chest. When they got close to him, they literally squealed.

They were beautiful. Their hair and make-up was millennial chic - very detailed, but understated, their clothes very-fashionable… and small. None of them could've been over a size 2, maybe a size 4. Penelope's stomach sunk without her permission.

The blonde-with-dark-roots girl of the group had a black string, short tank and sleek mini skirt on. The one with auburn hair that barely-brushed her shoulders had a short, string tank on as well… but bonus! Her's was made of lace. Her skirt had a wide band around her hips and only went just past her ass. The only one with her chest covered was the one with long, jet black hair. She had a full coverage tank that went from her collarbone to her belly button. She paired that with a black leather mini skirt with chunky zippers in opportune places.

When it was their turn, they shrieked, again, and surrounded him. The blonde had her arm around David's back. Penelope couldn't see where she was touching him. The black-haired beauty had her hand up-and-over his shoulder. They both could be touching him with their chests, the thought of which made Penelope's own chest tight. The auburn one with the barely-lace-covered torso was standing in front of him and actually put her hand square in the middle of his chest - and kept it there.

She was close-enough to hear some of what they were saying, Penelope held her breath.

"We'd love to hang out with you, Agent Rossi," the blonde cooed.

"You could always take us for a drink," the girl with auburn hair suggested.

"Come out with us tonight. We'll show you a great time. Promise," the one who had jet black hair dared. She may have had most of her bosom covered, but she was the boldest.

Penelope watched her move her hand from David's shoulder around his bicep. The tech analyst was certain she gasped and her eyes bugged out of her head at the same time tears welled up in them. David was allowing these women to touch him. There was no way she could compete with them. She couldn't watch this any more.

Darting beyond the chairs, Penelope went to go look at books, she told herself.

She paced and fretted, wringing her hands and willing the moisture stinging her eyes to go away. 'How can he want to be with me when he has access to *that*? Was he just with her because there weren't better options at the time? She had a plethora of thoughts in quick succession.

'It's natural women would hit on David, he's handsome.'

'He's famous, they're fangirls, nothing more,' she tried to reassure herself. When she closed her eyes, she could see the scene as it played out. He didn't look like he was refusing them. But there was something about his smile that seemed 'put on' or fake… which was it? Sigh. How would she ever know? The thoughts continued to come to her.

'There were likely always women willing to throw themselves at him. …and why would he go through the trouble of bringing me along if he knew he could get laid?'

'How long has this bookstore girl - or hotel clerk for that matter - wanted him?' Penelope poked her head around an end-cap. 'She is nice looking… and other than her response to me… I'm sure she's a pleasant-enough person.'

'When was he satisfied with a woman? When they were pretty? When he had sex with them? Which was it?'

She paced aimlessly while asking herself these questions rhetorically. Without knowing how, she found herself behind a bookshelf that must've been the only thing separating her and David. She could hear his voice clear as day.

"Now, ladies," David said in a stern tone she hadn't heard since Gideon interrupted dinner. "I've already told you I am not taking you up on your offers, tonight or any other time. To be crystal clear, I am in a committed relationship and I have absolutely zero interest in anyone other than the woman who is already in my life."

He was quiet for a moment and Penelope wished she could see what was going on.

"Thank you very much for attending the reading tonight. Have a wonderful evening," David said in a manner that left no room to question it was time for them to go.

She heard the trio of girls mumble in response. Penelope decided to round the bookshelf to the reading area so she could look them in the eye.

Subsequently, she traded stares with each member of the trio.

Once David saw Penelope back in the area, he promptly approached her. His hands were clasped in front of him where he was holding his glasses and one of the pens.

"I was wondering, beautiful lady, if I could take you to dinner," he asked with mock shyness.

"Well, I don't know," Penelope pretended to look around and behind Dave. "I was supposed to meet my boyfriend here after your reading."

Dave put his arms around her waist and pulled her close. He spoke while they were cheek-to-cheek, loud enough for those girls or anyone else nearby to hear.

"I believe that's me, Bella."

She drew her head back and eyed him with fabricated suspicion.

"Oh! I'm sorry, are you David Rossi?" She asked, her voice fluctuating with some drama. "The famous, best-selling author, David Rossi?"

"The one and only," he tipped his head and smiled.

Penelope put her hands around his neck and made sure her bosom touched every part of his chest it possibly could.

"Well then… *you're* my boyfriend! And I would love to go to dinner with you. I'm starving!"

He closed the small gap between them and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss started soft and sweet… and quickly became completely, extraordinarily, indecent.