Over Her Head by Nora Fleischer is a sweet and charming turn of the 20th century romance novella.
A bicycling young lady scholar writing her thesis on the historical meaning of merpeople tales visits a well-known collector of literature on the subject, determined to get him to let her read his books. She comes armed with cookies, that well-known advent to a man’s heart, and is surprised to discover he’s not at all the old curmudgeon she had imagined him to be. In fact, he’s almost dismayingly handsome, putting her far out of any running, were she so inclined, which of course she’s not. She just wants his books, despite what her landlady may say. Though she wouldn't say no to his friendship.