Chapter Twelve
Lacey was in shock as she went through all the things the girls had brought her. They had thought of everything, down to tampons and face cream.
There were several outfits in the bags, and she set them to the side. After she had everything out on the bed, she took the bathroom things in and then tied up her hair before trying to put the wig on.
She’d never done it before, and it was more difficult than she thought it would be.
“Hey,” Cason said as he came through the door.
“I can’t get it on,” she cried out.
“It’s okay, honey. I’ll help. Between the two of us, we’ll figure it out.”
Just like that, he calmed her when she was on the verge of a meltdown. She’d never had anyone like this in her life. He was patient with her and had never lost his temper. Oh, she knew they hadn’t known each other long, but whenever he was around, she felt peaceful and couldn’t say that about anyone besides her father.
He pulled the wig off. “Did a stocking come with it?”
“I don’t know. What would it look like?”
“It might look like a round piece of hose that you put on your legs.”
“Oh,” she said and brightened. “I didn’t know what that was.” She raced to the bed and moved some things around. “I found it.”
“Good, bring it here.”
She handed it to him and watched as he went through the things on the counter.
He put her hair in a bun and pinned it before he put the wig grip on. When that was even and secure, they slipped the wig on.
They both stared at her reflection.
“Wow, it’s amazing that just the wig can change your appearance,” he said.
“Wait,” she yelled and ran back into the bedroom. She slipped the sunglasses on and stood in front of him again.
“Would you guess this is me?”
“Not at all.” He grinned at her. “This will make me feel better about taking you out.”
Her gaze went to his reflection. “You’re very handsome.”
He looked surprised. “Thank you, honey. I think you’re very beautiful.”
“You’re my knight in shining armor.”
He smiled and shook his head. “No…”
She spun around and grabbed his hands. “Yes. I would have died in this building. I was terrified all the time. The only time I’ve safe in my life is with my dad and now … you. You will always belong to me, and I’ll always belong to you.”
She stopped him when he opened his mouth to talk. “No. Please listen. I know it sounds fanciful or even crazy, or you might think I feel this way because of a fairytale, but I’m not thinking like a baby. I feel it deep inside. It’s like my dad sent you to save and then protect me.”
Lacey knew if he kept denying it or, worse, walked away because he was freaked out, she’d be hurt.
“Honey…”
“Wait,” she interrupted him again. “I’m not trying to freak you out… Mmm.” She grabbed the hand that he pressed over her mouth to get her to shut up.
He stared down at her. “You’re going to let me finish. I was going to say what I feel for you is nothing I’ve experienced before, and the depth of my feelings I didn’t know existed, and this is only after a day. What’s it going to be like in a week or a year? That thought kind of scares me.”
He released her when she pulled on his arm.
“I’m scared, too,” she said. “I’m scared you’ll decide you don’t want a woman like me. You’ll want a sophisticated one who can wear high heels without breaking her neck.”
He grinned. “Honey, so far, I love everything about you. What if you decide you don’t want a daddy or find someone you decide is more attractive than me? These are the crazy thoughts in my head.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist. “God, Cason… Daddy. You’re in my soul. There isn’t anything better than that.” She smiled when he shuddered.
“You calling me daddy just now. Hell, I don’t know how to tell you what it does to me.”
She grinned up at him. “Good, I like saying it.”