Sadie looks hesitant, but she’s forced to the front door by Kimmy. “See you soon, love! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” Kimmy snickers before the door swishes shut behind them.
“So, you want to go home?” Killian asks, head tilting to the side. His dark hair sweeps across his forehead.
I shrug out from beneath his arm, giving him my best death glare. I’m about to tell him off when I realize something. He’s only here to keep an eye on me. Which means, he definitely doesn’t want to go shopping with the woman he’s being forced to marry.
My lips twitch upwards. “Actually, I came here to shop. And I’m not finished yet. So…”
Killian’s amused look drops. “Can’t you go shopping some other time? With an actual bodyguard?”
“I don’t need one,” I tell him. “And no. This is my only free time for, like, two weeks. Looks like you’re stuck babysitting.” He mumbles something under his breath.
I give the dress one last longing look before replacing it on the rack. I’d love to get it, but the mood’s been ruined. Feeling annoyed, I head out the front door. My friends are long gone, and I have no idea if they went home or if they were around here somewhere. Not wanting to run into them, I scan the street, trying to find the perfect shop to torture him with.
My eyes land on one just across the street, and I smile.
I start across the road like a girl on a mission. Killian follows a few steps back, but stops just as I open the front door of the boutique. I glance over my shoulder at him, feeling a slight thrill of victory at the look on his face.
“You don’t have to come, you know. You could just…go home,” I suggest.
His eyes flick to mine, dark and tempestuous. “And miss all the fun?”
I shrug, pretending as if that’s entirely his choice, before stepping inside the lingerie store. The men I knew would hate coming in here. Sadie’s brothers wouldn’t dare step inside, even though they were older than us by two years. But Killian walks in like he owns the damn place, eyes scanning the mannequins. He picks up a few bras before setting those aside and looking through the lace panties lined up on top of the display case.
“What are you doing?” I hiss, scurrying over. The women at the register are shooting him amused glances, giggling and whispering.
“Looking for something presentable,” he replies without missing a beat. “You really don’t think I would trust you to pick out your own lingerie when you wear shit like that.”
I look down at my white button-up and beige sweater. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”
He snorts. “This isn’t a business lunch, Cara.”
I cross my arms, trying hard not to be offended. “I dress for success. You dress like you’re about to go kick some puppies or steal a little girl’s ice cream cone. Clearly, we’re two different people.”
“Yeah. Clearly.” He tosses a black lingerie set that’s more lace than fabric into my arms. “Go try that on.”
I open my mouth to protest, and he must sense it because he turns around, pulling me closer until I’m pressed against his chest. The only thing between us is the skimpy material in my hands. “That wasn’t a request,” he murmurs, hands tightening around my hips.
Killian’s a few inches taller than me, forcing me to look up at him. When I do, our noses nearly brush. We’re so close I can smell the Aqua di Gio cologne mixed with the scent of mint. The fresh scent sends me reeling, making me too dizzy to argue. When I finally come out of it, I find myself in the small changing room at the back.
My hands uncurl, revealing the bits of black fabric. There’s a bralette that apparently clips to the panties, making up the entire ensemble. Clenching them in my fist, I know what I have to do. Killian wants to try and embarrass me? To make me uncomfortable? Fine. I can play his little game. But I’ll do it better.
He’s sitting on a plush chair when I finally come out of the changing room wearing nothing but the outfit he picked out. Killian barely glances at me at first, a bored look on his face. Until the scenario finally registers in that little brain of his. His head snaps back around, eyes dragging along my bare skin. I cock a hip, planting on hand at my waist before turning around.
“What do you think?” I ask innocently, checking myself out in the mirror. I have to admit, he did a damn good job at picking it out. The bralette was nearly see-through along the edges, small straps following the curves of my body before attaching to the high-waisted thong that literally showed off…well, everything. The black lace had a cute little floral pattern that swept across my breasts, two little black bows hanging from the ends of the straps at the front.
“I think,” he said slowly, “that you should go change.”
I glance at him sharply. That isn’t the reaction I’d thought he’d have. His voice is dangerously low, more growl than anything else. As if I’ve done something wrong. But I can see the truth in his eyes. Desire burns like coals among the waves of gray, heat flaring each time I move.
“You don’t like it?” I twist around again, pretending to gaze at myself in the mirror when I’m really watching him.
“No.” He almost spits the word.
“Hmm.” I turn my head, looking at him oh so innocently over my shoulder. “But most guys would like this.”
He moves so fast that I barely register it. Pressing my back against the glass, he towers over me, thick arms caging me in. The feeling of danger and darkness wraps around me. “I’m not like other guys,” he says roughly. “And when you’re finally mine, I’ll make you forget about everyone else,tesorina.”
Shivers snake down my spine. I can’t look at him unless I want to be burned alive. “I told you…You don’t get to touch me until we seal the deal.” I try to sound more confident than I feel, but my voice sounds weak even to my own ears.