”Library.”

“Bibliothek?”

“Ja, eine Bibliothek.”

“Do you read often?” Natalie asks.

“Once upon a time,” Graeber says. “Do you?”

Natalie shakes her head. “No, but for the sake of fun, we will say I read all the time, and that’s how we meet…”

…

…

…The library was quiet as Graeber looked over the books and considered what author would be good to look at…Thornton Wilder, Thomas Wolfe, and Margaret Mitchell were all excellent options, but he found himself traveling down the aisles to see if something could captivate his interest. Graeber soon found himself in the romantic novel section and paused. There were a lot of titles here that he didn’t recognize.

He was distracted for a few minutes and didn’t notice that someone else had walked beside him. He glanced over at the newcomer as they reached for something nearby. He saw slender fingers without polish and a hairless arm that was lightly sunkissed. He followed the arm to its owner and saw a girl with glasses floating on her button nose. Their eyes met and she smiled. White, straight, proper. “Entschuldigung.”

A slight accent indicated that she learned German from a third source, but Graeber didn’t mind. “Bitte,” he stepped away and gestured to the books, allowing her full access to the complete selection.

Her eyes drifted over the titles and made a face. She looked at Graeber and laughed slightly. “Do you have any recommendations?”

A subtle blush came to Graeber. This question caught him off guard— he was about to tell her the same thing!

Graeber explores the shelves as he looks for an answer. “Uhm, I don’t.”

The girl giggles. Her brown hair was swayed as her head slowly bobbed. “You don’t seem familiar with what’s in front of you.”

A smile creeps over Graeber’s mouth, and he shakes his head. “Your observation is correct.”

A small exchange of interests is given to each other. Finally, the girl offers a few of her own recommendations. Along with those recommendations is also her name, Natalie. She’s also Russian with German genes along the way from the Volga. There hasn’t been a war between the two nations since the Great War; their governments were different and a little tense, but the people were at peace with each other.

The questions that follow suit are basic but personal. No longer are authors or titles talked about, but family names and local cultures. They seem to have some things in common, but not everything.

After the initial surprise and chat are over, Graeber feels a little braver and lets his eyes go over the girl. Her brown hair is long and braided. Her tanned skin and almond-brown eyes complement it. A light layer of makeup is applied, most notably the gloss on her lips and the blush on her cheeks. Her form looks solid and firm, shorter than he is, but lean like a dancer.

“Do you dance?” Graeber blurted out without much thought. “You look very healthy.”

Natalie grinned, her cheeks becoming scarlet. “Your observation is correct, Herr Graeber.” She perks her chest out slightly, her eyes on him.

Graeber fights the urge to look at her, but his eyes glance down. Natalie has a beautiful body which is hugged by a white blouse tucked into her navy blue dress. His expression has flushed somewhat, too, but he knows better than to let his staring linger for too long. No matter what his thoughts told him, it wasn’t very gentleman-like to gawk at a woman.

“I have to ask,” Natalie continues. “Have you gone steady with someone?”

Graeber let out an awkward laugh. “I’m afraid not.”

Natalie hums and nods, studying Graeber like an interesting title now. “Would you maybe like to try?”

“That sounds like an exciting treat,” he looks around. “You haven’t been sent by one of your friends to groom for a date, have you?”

Natalie blinks. “I was being selfish and considering myself, actually.”

A stupid smile forms on the man’s mouth. He isn’t nervous about retaining his staring anymore. He could get lost in those eyes. “I could indulge your behavior. Coffee then? It’s on me.”

Natalie sighs, her eyes leaving his. “You’ll think poorly of me after I say.”

A dot of concern pecks in Graeber’s stomach. “What’s wrong? Have you been leading me on?"

“I’ll be going back soon,” she tells him. “Tomorrow morning for Russia.”

Graeber nods. “Damn it,” he thinks.

Natalie continues, however. “I was thinking about being with you a little more intimately.”

A hard blush comes over the German’s cheeks. “Why?”

Natalie blushes harder than the German now and steps back a few inches. “My father married a German woman because she was fun… I was wondering if a German man would excite me too.” –?!

–Graeber laughs when Natalie says this but stifles his grinning. “Please, tell me that isn’t why your father really married a German.”

Natalie looks up at him. Her features were hot because of a candle that was lit in the office. “Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t.”

“No way,” Graeber is still smiling. He’s shaking his head in disbelief. “I would have been reeling if this happened to me in real life.”

A smile is forming on Natalie’s face too, but it’s made because of embarrassment. “Whatever, let’s continue to the story…”

“Where are…where should we connect then?” Graeber looks around, his voice lower than before. “I could find a place real fast, and maybe we could get to know each other better before we…indulge in our fantasies?”

Natalie grabs Graeber’s hand and brings it between her chest. “No. Blind lust is all I need for this test.”

Heat flares in Graeber’s cheeks like fireworks. “Alright. Where shall we go then? In here. In the library.”

Natalie looks around and says…