Ruining Rune

The Main Distraction

Rune’s fingertips trailed over the spines on the shelf, eyes steadily moving over their identifiers as she looked for the coveted book. She didn’t know why she needed to touch them as she searched, but there was something sensual about it; about all that knowledge lying in wait. Waiting to be devoured. A thick book gently fell, leaning to the left as her hand spliced the space between it and its neighbor, revealing a view into the next isle. She looked through the space and noted how much she loved the look and feel of books from floor to ceiling. There was a quiet kind of strength and authority about them that even the most powerful men in the world couldn’t rival. A vast expanse of knowledge and power that only a library could hold all at once. She respected that. In fact, she loved it. If the library were a man, she would be his.

In her hands lay the open book with its hidden treasure inside, waiting to be found. Rune’s heart beat faster. The book may very well hold the missing pieces of the historical puzzle she’d been working on. Her fingers trembled as she flipped the pages. She was so close to finding a truth that no one had ever pieced together, before.

Taking one last glance into the next isle, she turned, about to head toward the long table that separated the section from the others in the library, like an intimidating wall. It was the only one of its kind; an original antique with exquisite detail in its claw foot legs and feet, solid mahogany, and thick with strength.

Rune pondered how many books had hit that table, and how much knowledge it might have absorbed by osmosis, if it could. As she took a step forward, she heard rustling, and then a book, falling and leaning close by. Rune’s senses were sharper than most.

“That’s odd”, she said to herself in a whisper, “I’m usually the only one in this section, especially this time of night.” She quieted for a moment and stood still. Taking in a deep, slow breath, she caught the scent of a captivating cologne. Curiosity had just caught her tail. Her footsteps lightened so as to not arouse suspicion as she followed the sounds and scent. Quietly, she peered around into the aisle to the left and had to stifle her reaction.

“What? No one comes to this section of the library!’, she blurted in a whisper.

“Preposterous, Rune”, she scolded herself in her head, ‘you do not have a corner on ancient languages. Stop being so paranoid.’

But it was true! And it had to be HIM, no less. The would-be-Adonis that graces the library way too much, pretending to be scholarly. Rune’s breathing hitched, and she trembled as she stood there. She hated him, but she loved to look at him. He was divine. A divine distraction. She hadn’t seen him in this section since she had started her dissertation and suddenly, he’d developed an interest in ancient languages? It made no sense, whatsoever.

Barely pulled back from her peeping position, propped by a shoulder against the end of the aisle shelves, she heard movement. Not thinking much of it, she turned around and jumped out of her skin. His stride was strong and sure. So was the hand that came to rest on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Miss. It wasn’t my intention to startle you.” His eyes.

“What are you doing here?”, Rune muttered in agitation.

 “My sincerest apologies, but I thought this was a public library?” Those deep brown eyes pleaded forgiveness with a suspicious twinkle, aided and abetted by silken brawn voice, and an even more dangerous smile. Even though she had seen him numerous times, they had not crossed paths. And why would they? They were worlds apart in social grace, at the least. But he was hard to miss, if not impossible. Rune worked hard to be missed. She dressed modestly in classic colors and styles on purpose, knowing that doing otherwise might invite distractions, like him, into her life, only to make a mess of it. He was tall, had long dark hair, heartbreaking features, and strongly chiseled bone structure, yet he was easy on the eyes… so easy on the eyes. She had caught him glancing at her a few times, but nothing she had paid much mind to.

Usually, their encounters were in passing; a glance to say, “Excuse me”, or a slight acknowledgment of presence, when appropriate. She was careful not to stare. It would be easy to gawk at someone as beautiful as him.

 Rune thought back to her younger days, remembering how difficult it could be, to be beautiful like that. She didn’t feel she could compare the two, but Rune didn’t doubt her beauty. However, her beauty was now neatly tucked into the scholarly life and the persona she had grown into creating. She was still noticeable, but not in a way that demanded attention, or even sought it. She couldn’t afford to be noticeable beyond her accomplishments, without inviting the risk of jeopardizing all she had worked for. And she certainly couldn’t afford that.

Rune recognized that he was of Native American descent and wondered what his back story might be. 

How had he found himself in London? He was notably younger than her, even though she had aged, people generally thought her at least fifteen years younger. But this young man; he held his stature like an old soul, full of wisdom and strength, and that was unsettling for Rune. She wouldn’t be able to use it to maintain her disdain for his existence. She was adept at reading people, and despite his dominating presence, there was a gentleness about him. He was inherently self-contradicting and shrouded in mystery; and for Rune, that was unnerving. Almost alarming.

Compose yourself, girl, Rune chided herself in her head as she nervously nodded in a yes motion, stumbling over the one thing she considered herself an expert at; language.

“Of course. I apologize for my jumpiness. It’s usually just me here doing research, this time of night. Forgive my behaving like I own the place.”, Rune replied with a terse and halfhearted attempt at friendliness.

Torn between wanting to get to her school work, and entertaining this monumental distraction, she noted the sensations welling up in her belly; sensations she hadn’t felt in quite some time.

She must have stood there dazed for a few moments, despite her tone, because he snapped his fingers in front of her face and she involuntarily startled again. But this time, the book she had just procured launched into the air, nearly clocking him in the head in its trajectory. Rune’s eyes flew open as she covered her mouth to keep from reacting, squeezing her eyes shut in sheer humiliation. She tentatively opened one eye to see him holding the book, with a look of relief on his face.

“Nice catch?”, she dared ask, somewhat jokingly, as flames crept mercilessly into her cheeks. Cringing was warranted.

 “I’m sorry”, she sputtered out in a sincere, but obviously nervous voice. Another smile, soft this time, perched on his lips, radiating to his eyes. This is a very dangerous man, indeed, she thought to herself.

“Way to go, queen of klutz”, her inner critic chimed in. Her worst enemy was already having a field day. Great.

“Queen of Klutz…I like it.” He laughed heartily. Had she said that out loud?

“It’s OK…”, he continued.

“You are a dangerous one, though, I’ll give you that. I just might have to wear protective gear the next time I visit this section.” He winked.

Of course he did…perfectly gorgeous and perfectly cliché. He couldn’t leave soon enough...her blood began to boil in a confusing mix of offense and defense. “Too bad we can’t get hit by books and absorb everything they have to say, by osmosis, huh?” His smile was unearthly, and now she couldn’t breathe.

Feigning a halfhearted smile at his snarky observation, she stated what she thought, was the obvious.

“Maybe I’m better off alone in this section, after all.”

Rune was giving him the perfect escape; her mind justifying not wanting him to feel like he had to entertain her hopeless awkwardness. She was the dangerous one, apparently. He raised his brows in a furrowed and worried look and reached out to hand the perpetrating book, back to her. As he did, he pulled it back slightly in that teasing schoolboy fashion, just as she reached for it.

“Seriously?” She muttered in a very sarcastic tone.

She reached, and he pulled it further away, burning holes in her as he waited for a reaction. It seemed he was about to speak, but he stopped himself. Rune grew even more flustered. 

“You don’t own this section, if you recall…” and finally handing the book to her, he added, “But I’d let you try to assault me with it a hundred times more, just to see you blush like that again.”

Rune’s cheeks turned beet red, and he laughed, amused at how easy it was to make her body betray her.

"Oh, so you like making women this uncomfortable with your over the top, masculine charm...I'm sorry to disappoint you..maybe I should make it up to you with coffee, for posterity sake." The snarky, sarcasm laden words flew out of her mouth before she could even attempt to reign them in. 

 Where did THAT come from? What are you doing? What are you thinking? She was now quite likely the most socially awkward, geeky, and desperate sounding fool he had ever met.

But he smiled. Big time.

He stared at her with a quizzical look, flashed that stellar smile again, and finally opened his mouth after what felt like minutes of torture.

“You really have nothing to be sorry for, but I would love to take YOU out for coffee. Although, on second thought, maybe caffeine isn’t the best idea for you? Maybe a cup of herbal tea? Your jumpiness is tantamount to injury… theoretically speaking, that is.” His robust laugh echoed through the aisle before he realized how loud it was. Rune blushed again, this time, embarrassed for him and her.

He studied her face for a moment, and with a triumphant smile, spoke; “Is that all I have to do to see those cheeks turn bright as a rose?”

“I guess that depends on the color of the rose.”, Rune’s response was laden with feigned dismissal. Infuriated with herself, she contemplated his offer and decided to decline, or at least delay.

She knew she owed him that much, but she was still free to change his mind. 

She thrust out her hand in a gesture to handshake. He chuckled at her blatant awkwardness as he reached out to receive it. She smirked inwardly at her success.

“Let’s start over. Hello, I’m Rune. Nice to meet you…and you are?” 

Rune’s grip was firm. She had always been professional in that way. His was firmer…and warm…and strong…and she knew she was in trouble. She could feel herself flush with color as his eyes lit up and that smile crept across his lips again.

“Hello, Rune. I’m Sam, and it’s a pleasure to meet you, too. Quite a fitting name, Rune is, I must say. You seem to have a penchant for ruining things. You’re not hiding anymore flying books, are you?” He winked as he poked fun and had a hearty laugh at her, and then surprisingly enough, he didn’t let go of her hand.

“C’mon, I know exactly where we’re going.”, Sam tightened his grip and she started to feel a little uneasy as he tugged at her. She shouldn’t have felt nervous, but this man’s presence was powerful, and she wasn’t accustomed to being affected by anyone this way.

“Wait. I’m sorry, but I really can’t today. Maybe later this week?” Rune tried to sound as sincere as she could,

“I’ve been waiting for this book to come back from inter-library loan, and well, I’m really close to an important breakthrough in my research, so I want to stick with it.”

Sam kept hold of her hand, and although a tinge of defeat was clamoring for room in his chest, he didn’t let Rune see it. He needed to be patient, he told himself. She was not one for impulsive or impish behavior.

Firmly bringing her hand to his lips, Sam kissed the back of her trembling fingers and conceded,

“Later this week, then. Don’t make me come find you, because I will.” He winked at her as he said it, knowing damned well she’d be in this library every night of the week. Part of him was angry. Part of him was impressed that she’d been able to resist what he already knew was meant to be.

Rune

The shiver that assaulted her spine was violent. Rune was emphatically grateful that he had turned and started walking away before it hit her.

She finally sat down at the table and tried to ground herself, but her mind was in a tailspin. Damn him!

“Concentrate!” She demanded in a whisper to her brain, while her emotions and body had other ideas. She skimmed the text, not comprehending a word, cursing the fact that these books were part of the special collection that couldn’t be checked out of the library.

Rune forced herself to fight for focus for another hour. She could feel him burning holes in her back with those eyes, for every second of that hour.

“I will not give him the satisfaction.”, she muttered under her breath, finally giving up for the evening.

I’ll go home, take a bath, have a glass of wine, and start fresh tomorrow, when my senses aren’t reeling, Rune thought... trying to comfort herself.