“Are you going to show me anything? I am something of an expert and might be able to give you a qualified opinion.”
What was she waiting for?
She opened the door and stepped out to the waiting room to find Ella seated on Henry’s lap, her little legs dangling in front of him, Henry’s phone tight in their hands as they played a game together. The sight of the philandering playboy with the preschooler in such an unguarded and sweet moment sent an unwanted rippling of something hot down to her belly…and beyond. Henry sensed her presence and looked up at her, unaware of the reaction she was having to the scene.
Henry tilted his head and nodded. “Other than the eye rolling when you came out here, I would say you already feel a little different. The jeans look great on you. And the shirt—” He studied her again. “Great color.” His eyes dropped to her chest. “But that bra isn’t really helping. You know, bras were invented to lift you up, to be supportive. I’m not exactly sure what kind of action is going on here.”
The saleswoman, who had been standing to the side waiting for Henry’s slightest command, nodded and came toward her with a measuring tape in hand. “Let’s get you measured.”
Benny raised her arms to her chest almost defensively, and the saleswoman actually smiled. “Let’s go to the dressing room. I promise you’ll thank me for it.”
With another glare thrown in Henry’s direction, who already had his eyes back on the phone screen as Ella giggled, she followed the woman back to be groped.
…
Henry looked at his watch, wondering what was taking Benny so long this time. She defied everything he understood of the opposite sex—he’d thought clothes shopping was naturally built into their DNA.
And it wasn’t like she didn’t have a surprisingly decent shape once you got rid of those damned scrubs. Thanks to the pair of jeans she’d begrudgingly put on, he was hard-pressed not to notice the curves the woman had in all the right places. It had been, frankly, something of a surprise.
The door of the dressing room creaked open and he prepared himself for whatever scowl or objections she was going to lay on him. But the soft-looking, sexy woman standing in front of him barefoot in a snug green dress that wrapped around her voluptuous body was not what he’d expected. He swallowed, telling himself not to overreact.
She was watching him uncertainly, he realized, and he studied those nervous blue eyes. Even without a trace of makeup, they were captivating.
He smiled, hoping he didn’t look as lecherous as he felt.
“Pretty. Like a princess,” Ella volunteered, glancing up for a moment from her game.
“Now that is exactly what you want to wear to capture the attention of the good doctor.” He tore his gaze from hers—harder than he’d have expected—to follow along the lines of her body.
The bra the saleswoman had found for her was nothing short of genius. Why had she been hiding those things? He smiled and glanced up to find her eyes narrowed, as if she knew exactly where he’d been looking.
This was not being overly pervy. He had a task to do. That was all. He grinned again, without apology.
“I feel like I’m trying too hard. It’s not too much?” she asked, wrapping her arms around her waist as if trying to hide from inspection.
The dress was actual
ly conservative by many women’s standards. Even though it clung to her body, it wasn’t overly tight, or too short, hitting just at her knees, and the neckline stopped in a V that revealed an enticing amount of skin, but no real cleavage.
“I think this is exactly what you need. It’s classy but also sexy. And Dr. Seeley won’t know what hit him. I promise. Now I think all we need is a few pairs of nice, tailored slacks that you can wear at the office and maybe a pair of shoes that don’t say, ‘geriatric grandma,’ and you’ll be set.”
A little over an hour later, Benny had just paid for her clothes when Ella pulled on Henry’s arm. “I’m hungry. Can we stop at the place with the funny hats and get corn dogs?”
It was about that time, he supposed. Henry, however, hadn’t had a corn dog in God knew how many years, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to break that record just yet. “We definitely should eat. But is a corn dog really what you want? The Cheesecake Factory is right around the corner and—”
Ella scrunched up her pert nose. “It always stinks in there, and it takes forever to get our food. Please, Uncle Henry? I just want a corn dog.” The kid’s voice had taken on a high, whiny tone that was drawing a few heads turned their way.
Benny took the receipt and dropped it in the bag. “Seriously? Are corn dogs beneath Henry Ellison? Ella, for being such a good sport, how about I take you to the food court and buy us each a corn dog while your uncle goes and waits for a table for one at the restaurant.”
“Yes!” the little girl shouted. “And can I have an Orange Julius, too?”
“Don’t push your luck, Ella,” Henry interrupted. “But I can see I’ve been outvoted. To the food court we go.”
Ella apparently knew the way and skipped ahead. Benny followed, dressed in a new pair of jeans and a pretty white blouse with some embroidery along the neckline. He took a moment to appreciate the wider hips and backside she’d been hiding away under bulky cotton fabric before he caught what he was doing and settled on the back of her neck and that darn scruffy ponytail.
Over corn dogs and too-sweet lemonade, Ella chattered away about her excitement at starting school next month and the friend she’d already made. “Will my mom be there my first day?” she asked wistfully and peered up at him.
Benny shot him a curious look but didn’t say anything, just sipped from her straw. “I’m sure she’ll try her hardest.”