Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77579 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77579 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“Honey, can I give you some practical advice, woman to woman?” she asked.
“Um, sure,” I said, feeling a little whiplashed from the events of the last fifteen or so minutes.
“If a nice man wants to spoil you, you let him. That’s what all that young and pretty is for,” she said, waving a hand toward my body in general before moving off.
“She’s not wrong,” Jeffrey agreed with a light in his eyes. “How about another glass of champagne while I get this all sorted for you?” he asked, but it wasn’t a question, because he was bustling off to get it.
I felt a nice little buzz moving through me by the time the bags were waiting for me at the counter.
I didn’t see the receipt, or hear anyone tell Cosimo how much it cost. But a little mental estimation said it had to all come out to almost fifteen thousand dollars.
Fifteen thousand.
And he was acting like that was nothing at all. Spare change in his pocket.
God, maybe it was.
“What?” he asked, catching me staring at his profile as he handed the bags off to the two guards who I’d completely missed, they’d been standing so far away.
Not liking to be caught staring, I said the first thing that came to my mind.
“I need to get some bras,” I said. Then immediately regretted it when, in public, with a saleswoman just two feet away, his gaze slid down to my chest, lingering for a long second, long enough for heat to rise in my cheeks, but also into my core.
“No, you don’t.”
Was the saleswoman trying to hide a smile at that?
“Yes, I do,” I said, voice lower.
“Not happening.”
“Pajamas too,” I added.
“You won’t need them,” he said.
Then he was turning and striding away, leaving me to wonder what the hell that was supposed to mean as I tried to catch up to him once again.
The thing was, by the time I did, he was sliding into the car with Miko.
And I was being shuffled into the other one.
I never got a chance to ask.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Cosimo
I’d never had the experience of dropping money on a woman.
My interactions with the opposite sex being what they were, the most I would spend on one was a nice dinner, or some drinks. Maybe, if things got heated and clothing got ripped, I’d leave some money to replace the item.
But I’d never taken the time out of my day to spend with one.
I’d woken up early and rushed out of the house to hit the gym before making it to the stores when they opened, picking out items that I could picture on Halle. Or, more accurately, picture taking off of Halle.
It had been the sales guy, Jeffrey, who’d pretty much convinced me to set up an appointment, and allow him to do some shopping for items. I had to admit that I’d jumped at the idea. Though, at first, I figured I would sic the task on Miko, who likely had experience shopping with women, thanks to his sisters. But, in the end, I found myself clearing my fucking schedule to do it with her instead. To no one’s surprise more than my own.
Turned out to be a great fucking idea, too, I decided. My mind flashed back to the dressing room, to stripping her naked in there with a whole store just feet away, then getting down on my knees and finally getting a taste of her.
Then, fuck, she’d taken it upon herself to get on her knees too. I hadn’t been expecting that, not with the way she seemed to barely tolerate being around me.
But then there she was.
With my cock buried in her mouth, letting me come down her throat.
I was half-hard just remembering it.
“… Shoes.” Miko had clearly been saying something, but I hadn’t been paying attention.
“What?”
“Did you get her more shoes?” he asked. “That pair she had on was nice, but she can’t wear them all the time.”
Right.
Shoes.
I’d been so focused on the dressing room, and then a minor fire that needed putting out with one of my soldiers, that I’d been rushing through the checkout process.
“Right,” I said, shrugging. “Guess we’ll put that on the schedule tomorrow,” I said.
“Is the plan to keep her so busy that she doesn’t freak out about not going to the shop?” Miko asked.
“That’s… definitely a factor,” I agreed.
I’d had some of my guys do some snooping on the bills at the place. And as far as anyone could tell, things were paid up, so there was no rush to reopen. And even if bills came due, I could toss some money at them.
It just wasn’t safe for her to be back there yet.
Or, at least, that was the lie I was telling myself.
The reality was, I could make her almost as safe at her shop as she was at my penthouse.