“Again, it was Rooster’s balls, not mine,” Murphy shouts.
The girls walk faster, giggling so hard they both bump into me. “Whatever,” Heidi says over her shoulder.
“As if they’re going to let us out of their sight.” Trinity slows to a more normal pace. “Especially you, Shelby.”
“No kidding. Rooster said the story’s all over the place. I’ve been afraid to look.”
“Don’t worry,” Heidi says. “We won’t let anyone bother you.”
Trinity pats her own cheeks and grins at me. “My fuck-off face is cocked and loaded.”
“Ooo!” Heidi stops dead and pivots to the right. “Can we stop here? I want to look for a pair of boots for Alexa. She’s already growing out of her last pair.”
“If you two have another girl, she’s going to have a fabulous wardrobe from day one,” Trinity says.
“I know, right?” Heidi nudges Trinity’s shoulder. “Since certain aunts spoil my kid rotten.”
Thankfully, the store has adult sizes too. I’m browsing through rows of shoes when an inky-blue western boot embroidered with gray stars and flowers is thrust in front of my face.
“Those are pretty.” I tip my head back to look at Rooster. “A little girly for ya, though.”
“Cute.” He shakes the boot, drawing my attention to them. “Do you like them?”
I do very much. They’d caught my eye when we walked in but I’d been afraid to look at the tag. “If I say yes, are you going to buy them?”
“Sir, here’s the size seven.” One of the salesgirls sets down a box on a bench behind us.
“How about that?” Rooster tips his head toward the bench. “If you like them, will you try them on for me?”
“Do you need help?” the salesgirl asks.
“No, I’m fine,” I sigh.
“Those are so pretty,” Heidi squeals. “They’re LOKI blue too.” She plops down on the bench next to my box and strips off her shoes.
“I thought you were looking for boots for your daughter?” I ask.
“Momma needs new shoes too,” she says without looking up from the pair of hunter-green ankle boots she’s about to try on.
Murphy’s watching her with laughter on his lips, shaking his head. “She really doesn’t.”
“See? Like Heidi said. They’re club colors.” Rooster nudges me toward the bench. “I didn’t see any boots in this color down in Texas.”
I drop down next to Heidi and open the box. Inhaling the fresh, leather scent, I unwrap the boots. Damn, they’re pretty.
Rooster drops down on one knee and holds a boot out to me.
“Look at you,” I tease to calm the fluttery sensation in my belly. “My own Prince Charming. But with a cowgirl boot instead of a glass slipper.”
“I’m a King, baby, not a prince.” He lifts his chin in a hurry up sort of way. “Come on, slide that pretty little foot in here.”
The boots are nice and snug. Rooster helps me with both and I stand, pacing a few steps back and forth. They’re perfect, really.
“They’d match that silver dress you have, wouldn’t they?” Rooster asks.
“Such good fashion sense.” Murphy slaps Rooster’s chest.
Rooster ignores him, still focused on me. Yup. These would look and feel a hell of a lot better on stage than the black heels I’ve been wearing with that dress. But I hate having Rooster drop even more money on me today.
I drop onto the bench and tug at the left boot.
“They kinda rub my heel a little,” I say in a low voice.
Rooster squats in front of me, helping me pull the boot all the way off. “Want to go up half a size?”
“No, that’s okay.”
He leans in close. “It would really make me happy to see you wear these on stage. If they honestly don’t fit or you don’t like ’em, say so. But if you’re just worried about me buying them for you, don’t.”
Why is this so hard for me to accept?
He brushes his knuckles under my chin, forcing me to meet his questioning eyes. “Tell me what’s going on. I bought you boots down in Texas and you were okay with it.”
“That was different.”
“Why?”
I blow out a breath and stare at the ceiling, thinking of a way to put it into words without sounding awful. “Back then, what we had was a hookup. I wasn’t sure I’d actually see you again. So, it felt more like a memento of a hot fling.”
He doesn’t so much as chuckle at my completely lame explanation. “And now?”
I shrug, uncomfortable exposing myself like this in the middle of a damn shoe store. “Now, you’re my…partner. I love you. I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
His eyes widen. He swallows hard, then swoops in and brushes a soft kiss over my lips. He sets the box down with a muted thump and grasps both my hands in his. “You don’t know how much I love hearing you say that.” He squeezes my hands gently. “But here’s the thing. I’m your man.” He pauses, waiting for an acknowledgment, I suppose, so I nod. “And I really like spoiling my woman.”