checked them once more, noticing that they were of the hard-core variety. Now she was really shocked.
She set them aside, and then picked them back up. It was none of her business what her customers read. She’d just wished she’d discovered it sooner, because she had a whole section of these books, brought in regularly from a few customers who devoured them.
April added the total as she waited for Carol to come back. When the older woman placed her selections on the counter, April gave her the total of trade-in value.
“I went overboard, like I always do,” Carol said with a laugh, and then she gasped. “I didn’t mean to put those in the sack.” She looked horrified, her face turning a brilliant shade of red.
“It’s okay, Carol,” April said. “I don’t care what you read, honestly. In fact, I’ve read a few hot romances in my life, and I take quite a few in trade.”
“You do?” Her eyes widened, and then she grinned. “Where are they?”
“I’ll show you,” April said with a laugh. “I’ve read a few of them myself,” she repeated, hoping it would ease Carol’s mind. She didn’t want her customers to be worried about bringing books into the store. She headed toward the romance section, leaving behind the sweet ones, and the Regency ones. When she pointed to the shelf, she saw Carol’s eyes light up.
“I have a whole bunch of these at home,” she said. “I was a little nervous about bringing them in.”
“Bring them,” April said. “I’ll take them off your hands.”
Carol laughed. “You know how I got to reading them? I saw online that one of my favorite mystery writers wrote erotic romance under a pen name, so I searched her out. It wasn’t easy because you know she used initials and all that so that her regular readers wouldn’t find out.”
For the second time that day, April felt as if someone had punched her in the stomach. T. G. Red, not a very common name. Did Virginia write other books? Mysteries, novels, or chick lit? Searching her out on the Internet would take time, but it might tell her if Virginia authored other books.
After she’d checked out a happy Carol, who had spent more money than she had in a long time, April sat down at the computer and start searching T. G. Red to see what she could find out. She knew several sites that listed books, and most of them had links to authors’ pseudonyms. Unless that author wanted to keep her alter ego secret.
She’d barely typed in T. G. Red when there was a ding at the door. One of her regulars came in, toting two sacks of books. Seconds later, another regular came in. That meant she would have no time to do her search right now.
If the afternoon stayed this busy, she wouldn’t have any time to do what she wanted. And there was that promised visit from Rogers and Threadway. What she needed was someone who could do the search for her.
She could think of only one person. While her customers perused the shelves, April picked up her cell phone and dialed Titan.
“Your bottom missing me already?” he said as a greeting.
“As a matter of fact, yes,” she replied. “But that’s not why I called.”
“I’m disappointed.”
She imagined him on his couch, stretched out with a TV remote in one hand, and a beer in the other. “So, what are you doing?”
He chuckled. “I’d much rather you asked what I was wearing. That would show me you were in a playful mood.”
“Okay.” She looked around before she lowered her voice and said, “What are you wearing?”
“Clothes,” he said with a laugh. “I just wanted to see if you’d do it.”
April couldn’t help but chuckle. “I need your help. I want some research done, on an author.”
“I can do that. But first, tell me what you’re wearing.”
She laughed. “The same thing I was when I left the house this morning.” April’s insides tightened in a delicious way, his words exciting her even though she was still sore from the last spanking he’d
She set them aside, and then picked them back up. It was none of her business what her customers read. She’d just wished she’d discovered it sooner, because she had a whole section of these books, brought in regularly from a few customers who devoured them.
April added the total as she waited for Carol to come back. When the older woman placed her selections on the counter, April gave her the total of trade-in value.
“I went overboard, like I always do,” Carol said with a laugh, and then she gasped. “I didn’t mean to put those in the sack.” She looked horrified, her face turning a brilliant shade of red.
“It’s okay, Carol,” April said. “I don’t care what you read, honestly. In fact, I’ve read a few hot romances in my life, and I take quite a few in trade.”
“You do?” Her eyes widened, and then she grinned. “Where are they?”
“I’ll show you,” April said with a laugh. “I’ve read a few of them myself,” she repeated, hoping it would ease Carol’s mind. She didn’t want her customers to be worried about bringing books into the store. She headed toward the romance section, leaving behind the sweet ones, and the Regency ones. When she pointed to the shelf, she saw Carol’s eyes light up.
“I have a whole bunch of these at home,” she said. “I was a little nervous about bringing them in.”
“Bring them,” April said. “I’ll take them off your hands.”
Carol laughed. “You know how I got to reading them? I saw online that one of my favorite mystery writers wrote erotic romance under a pen name, so I searched her out. It wasn’t easy because you know she used initials and all that so that her regular readers wouldn’t find out.”
For the second time that day, April felt as if someone had punched her in the stomach. T. G. Red, not a very common name. Did Virginia write other books? Mysteries, novels, or chick lit? Searching her out on the Internet would take time, but it might tell her if Virginia authored other books.
After she’d checked out a happy Carol, who had spent more money than she had in a long time, April sat down at the computer and start searching T. G. Red to see what she could find out. She knew several sites that listed books, and most of them had links to authors’ pseudonyms. Unless that author wanted to keep her alter ego secret.
She’d barely typed in T. G. Red when there was a ding at the door. One of her regulars came in, toting two sacks of books. Seconds later, another regular came in. That meant she would have no time to do her search right now.
If the afternoon stayed this busy, she wouldn’t have any time to do what she wanted. And there was that promised visit from Rogers and Threadway. What she needed was someone who could do the search for her.
She could think of only one person. While her customers perused the shelves, April picked up her cell phone and dialed Titan.
“Your bottom missing me already?” he said as a greeting.
“As a matter of fact, yes,” she replied. “But that’s not why I called.”
“I’m disappointed.”
She imagined him on his couch, stretched out with a TV remote in one hand, and a beer in the other. “So, what are you doing?”
He chuckled. “I’d much rather you asked what I was wearing. That would show me you were in a playful mood.”
“Okay.” She looked around before she lowered her voice and said, “What are you wearing?”
“Clothes,” he said with a laugh. “I just wanted to see if you’d do it.”
April couldn’t help but chuckle. “I need your help. I want some research done, on an author.”
“I can do that. But first, tell me what you’re wearing.”
She laughed. “The same thing I was when I left the house this morning.” April’s insides tightened in a delicious way, his words exciting her even though she was still sore from the last spanking he’d
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