I’d come to this house with nothing but the clothes Theo’s aunt had supplied for me. Since then, Lexa had donated all my other clothing needs, but hers were all considerably longer on me than I was used to. Still, I was thankful for them as I pulled on a pair of fresh panties and then slid on a pair of yoga pants before reaching for a T-shirt.
A bra was one thing Lexa couldn’t offer since we weren’t exactly the same size in the chest department, so I’d been without one all week. Having been stuck in bed, I hadn’t really given it much thought. But now that I planned on doing anything other than lying around being lazy, I probably needed to figure out something to contain my breasts. They might not have been anything to take note of, but without a bra, people would definitely notice.
As I pulled the T-shirt into place, I dropped the towel. I was sore after all the activity of showering and dressing, not to mention nearly falling, so I was moving a little slower as I walked toward the door.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Theo demanded from behind me.
I didn’t even bother to glance back at him. “To talk to Raven or Flick about getting a bra.”
A choking sound coming from him had me pausing with my hand on the doorknob, and I looked at him over my shoulder. “What?”
“You haven’t said anything about needing a bra,” he half growled, his eyes going straight to my chest and the simple pink T-shirt that was the only thing covering my breasts.
“That’s because I was lying in bed for days and didn’t consider it. Now that I’m able to move around, I need one.” Opening the door, I walked through and hurried to the stairs.
The house was a lot bigger than I’d imagined. I had been asleep when we arrived, so I hadn’t seen anything but the room I’d been trapped in for a week. Pictures decorated the wall and were angled along the stairs as I descended them to the first floor.
I heard voices and followed them. The living room was large and homey. A picture of Lexa in her wedding dress standing with her parents was on the mantel. I hadn’t met her father yet, but I wasn’t surprised to find she looked so much like him.
Pushing open the door to the kitchen, I found Raven standing at the island. A smaller woman with gray eyes stood beside her, both of them chopping vegetables. The new woman’s hair was just as short as Raven’s and Flick’s, making me wonder if the pixie style was something everyone favored in this part of the country.
Both women looked at me as I entered the room.
“I was wondering when you were going to chance getting up,” Raven said with a grin as she carried her cutting board to the stove and tossed the peppers she’d just chopped into a pot.
“You told me not to,” I reminded her, unable to completely hide the pout in my tone.
“Of course I did. But I’ve also learned how stubborn you are. I knew once you were actually ready to get up, you would, whether I said you could or not.” She returned to the island and started on an onion. “How about some mashed potatoes for dinner?”
My stomach growled hungrily. “With gravy?” I asked hopefully, disliking how young and unsure I sounded.
Raven smiled. “If that’s what you want.”
I nodded, my gaze going back to the other woman, who was watching me even as she chopped her own pile of peppers.
“Tavia, this is Lexa’s aunt, Willa Masterson,” Raven introduced.
“It’s good to finally meet you, Tavia.” Willa wiped her hands on a dish towel and walked over to me, her hand extended. I shook it, noting how strong her grip was. “We’ve all been worried about you, but Raven refused to let anyone except Flick or Lexa up so you weren’t overwhelmed.”
“We’re making cheesesteak soup,” Raven informed me as she sliced the onions. “Unfortunately, you can’t have any quite yet, but I’ll freeze some for you. So when you finally can eat it, it will be ready.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I murmured, even though my stomach was begging me for a bowl then and there. I’d never had cheesesteak soup, but it sounded amazing. “I don’t want to be a bother.”
“No bother. Willa and I are making enough to feed everyone. Saving you a little is nothing.” Her brows pulled together when she looked behind me, and I didn’t have to turn to know Theo had come into the kitchen.
/> I’d felt him as soon as the door opened. There had always been something about him, some aura or magnetism that alerted me to his nearness.
Fighting not to shiver, I walked to the fridge and extracted a bottle of water, anything to avoid looking at him. “Actually, there was something I needed to ask you,” I spoke to Raven. “I seem to be in need of a bra.”
“What size are you?” Willa was the one to ask, her eyes on my chest. “You look like a B cup.”
“Thirty-eight B,” I told her and she nodded.
“Perfect. That’s what my girls wear. I’ll call over to the house and have one of them bring a few.” She picked up her phone that was lying on the island beside her chopping board and dialed. “Monroe, I need you to grab a few of your bras and bring them over to Aunt Raven’s. Thanks, sweetheart.” With a smile, she went back to chopping. “She just got home from school. She’ll be over in a few.”
“I will send Lexa to the mall and get you whatever you need,” Theo said as he pulled a beer from the fridge. “Clothes, underwear, bras, and anything else you want.”
It was that easy. All he had to do was throw money at whatever problem got in his way. That was exactly what I expected him to do, but I didn’t want a single cent of his money spent on me.