“Then I doubt I’ll be doing much shopping for myself,” he teased. His lips touched mine. “But really, I want to take you out shopping. I want you to buy whatever you want, and I want you to have fun.”
I snorted. “Whatever I want? These are the kinds of stores that have seven hundred dollar jeans in them.”
“And you can buy as many pairs as you want.”
“I would never do that! I don’t want to put you into debt.” I said it like I was actually considering it, but I wasn’t. I would never make him buy me stuff.
“Natasha, it would take a lot more than a new closet full of clothes to put me into debt.” He laughed.
He laughed at the statement.
I stumbled over my own feet. “It would?”
“Oh yes.” He grinned widely as he turned to face me. His eyes met mine for a fraction of a second. “Now, may I please take you shopping?”
“O-okay.” But I wasn’t getting a whole new closet.
I didn’t care how much money he thought he had, I was sure these stores could put him into debt, even if he didn’t realize it. I wouldn’t be responsible for something like that. Plus, I didn’t want him to later decide his spending was a mistake and then feel like he couldn’t ask for the money back. I bit my lip as we came to one of the stores I loved. I know it’s overpriced, though, I thought as my feet stumbled and I turned to look at it.
Jeff stopped. I was pulled to a stop as well. I opened my mouth to ask what was going on, but he cut me off.
“You want to go in, don’t you?”
“I …”
His smile widened. “Come on.”
He pulled me toward the store and opened the door for me. I couldn’t say no. I would have felt silly standing there with the door open and the sales girls staring at us while I turned around and ran. So, I stepped into the store and headed for the back where the sales racks were. I knew the store well enough. I came in here often.
“Which ones do you like?” Jeff asked, pressing his ear against mine.
I hesitated. All of them.
I wanted to find a balance, though. I didn’t want him to think I wasn’t grateful. Plus, I really needed a new pair of jeans. Like, I was on my last pair, and I could feel the fabric getting thin in the thigh area. I reached for a pair of jeans. The sides were covered in black lace. I glanced down at the size. Yup, these were right. I’d tried them on before.
“Those ones?”
“Yup.”
Jeff took them from me and held them. “Okay, what else?”
“I don’t need –”
“Need and want are very different.” He grinned as he reached for a black baggy top. He held it up to me. “I like this one. What do you think?”
“I think it’s cute,” I admitted.
“Good, we’ll get it as well.”
I stared at Jeff. He looked so happy, but I felt so bad. Was it worth fighting with him about if it made him happy? I already can’t do two of the things he wanted most. I wasn’t taking him to meet my family, and I wasn’t taking him to meet friends. I felt bad to begin with, could I take away another thing he wanted to do while he was here?
I want him to feel happy about the trip, too. And really, I did need a new pair of jeans. A few tops wouldn’t hurt me, either.
“Hi, is there anything I can help you with?”
I turned to see one of the sales girls quickly closing the distance between us. I opened my mouth to say we didn’t need her help, but she cut me off.
“I just wanted to let you know we have a few sales going on. All shoes are buy three pair, get the fourth fifty percent off. The summer dresses are all an additional twenty percent off as well, and we’ve got some new arrivals in just yesterday. A few of the dresses are one of a kind.”
She held up something I hadn’t noticed she was holding, a red dress with a black lace belt around the smallest part. My brow furrowed. I’ve seen that somewhere before.
“It’s inspired by the most recent red carpet trends, and I honestly think you would look amazing in it. I’m not supposed to say that to shoppers, but it’s the truth. You should try it on.”
I stared at the girl for a couple of seconds, trying to get a read on her. Was she just trying to make more sales? Or was she actually being honest?
“Thank you, but I would never have anywhere to wear it. It is gorgeous, but I wouldn’t want to take it from someone who actually would use it. If it is one of a kind, that wouldn’t be fair of me.”
The girl opened her mouth, but nothing came out. I gave her a wide smile. She closed her mouth, opened it again, and nothing came out for the second time.
I turned to Jeff and smiled. I was tempted to put the jeans back, but I really wanted them and I had for over a year.
“You done shopping?” he asked, as if reading my mind.
“Yes.”
“All righty. Let’s go pay for this stuff.”
He stepped past the girl who was still holding the dress with her mouth open. I followed Jeff up to the counter, not bothering to look behind me at the girl who still stood there.
Apparently Jeff wasn’t interested in the dress either, and part of me was thankful for that. I hated pushy sales people, and I hated when they tried to sell you things. It made me want to leave right then and there. There is a difference between trying to sell something and trying to help the customer find something.
I cringed when I heard the total after my clothes were rung up. I glanced at Jeff, feeling bad. If he wants to say fuck it and leave, that would be fine with me.
“Debit.” He pulled a card out of his wallet without batting an eyelash. I couldn’t believe it. He sounded so calm, like it didn’t matter. Like the price wasn’t a big deal.
He tapped his card against the machine and then took the bag and handed it to me. “Ready to hit the next shop?” he asked. Without waiting for an answer, he turned and headed for the door.
I followed him outside. “Are you sure … I mean, I don’t want to go spending all your money. I don’t want you to feel like I’m taking advantage of you.”
“I don’t. I want to spoil you, Tasha.”
My heart skipped a beat. I wasn’t sure if it was because he called me ‘Tasha’ or because he wanted to spoil me, but I was willing to bet both had something to do with it. “And you’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, but if you change your mind, I’ll return everything.”
“Sounds fair.” He took my free hand in his and we made our way down the street. “Now, I’m guessing shoes are always a good option for you?” His head motioned toward the shoe store.
“Oh, yes.” I grinned as we headed for the door. I reached for the handle with the hand holding the bag from the last store. “Maybe you could help me pick out something to wear tonight,” I said softly, sure he’d be the only one to hear.
Jeff
I’m not going to lie, it was enough to give me a boner. Not that it took much to give me one. Her words replayed over and over in my mind.
“I could offer you a few ideas.” I was sure of it. And I was sure I’d be putting down a large chunk of money in this store.
I looked around at the shoes and boots. Yup. I could easily do that. I pulled her over to the thigh high boots. “What about some of these?”
She let go of my hand and reached for the tallest black pair. They had a very thin heel. “I like these.” She turned, looking around. I watched as she made eye contact with a sales person. “Could I get these in a size seven, please?”
“Sure thing.” The girl walked over to us and took the boot. She frowned. “If it’s all right, I’m going to grab another pair in a size seven as well. They are over there on the sales rack; they’d be about half the price of these.”
“Oh. Sure, I can try them on.”
It was the same as the last girl who had tried to sell us something. This girl honestly seemed like she wanted to help us, though. A wide smile spread over her lips. “Okie dokie.
I’ll be right back.”
I watched as she headed to the backroom before turning back to Tasha. “So, what else do you like?”
I watched her take a deep breath. “Oh, that’s a dangerous question.” She grinned as she walked among the shelves, pointing to each pair of shoes she liked.
I could see what she meant. There were a lot of shoes here she liked. And she should try every single one of them on, I thought.
I was guessing this wasn’t something she normally got to do, so I was going to make sure she made the most of it. “Pick five other pair and try them on.” I was starting off slow. She would need a little warming up, that much I could tell. I closed what little distance there was between us. “Just the idea of you wearing some of these with nothing else makes me hard.”
I watched her cheeks flush. Her eyes sparkled as she met mine. “I’ll have to try some of your favorites on.”
“You tease.”
Natasha
When we made it back to my place, we had more bags than I thought possible. I had fun. I got carried away and I let him buy me more than I’d intended. Although, he had made a pretty good argument for most of the shoes, which I quickly realized was something he liked. I was even pretty sure I could see a bit of his boner in the store.
We dropped the bags off on the couch and I turned to the man who had just taken me shopping. I flung my arms around him, my lips crashing against his. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“You … er, welcome.” His arms wrapped around my hips. He pulled me close, our kiss growing more passionate.
“I mean it, though. Thank you for taking me out and spoiling me and buying me lots of pretty things.”
“Well, you didn’t make it easy,” he teased, nipping my lips gently.
I grinned. I hadn’t meant to make it hard for him, but I wasn’t used to having stuff bought for me.
“It wasn’t easy,” I admitted.
He pulled me closer. “Next time it will be easier.”
I raised an eyebrow. There was going to be a next time? I liked the sound of that, actually.
My lips touched his for a split second. We’d gotten dinner while we were out which meant we could come home and relax. Or do something else.
I pulled away from him, grabbed his hand, and looked down at the bags and bags of shoes. I pulled out a box and glanced at them for a quick second to see which ones they were. They were a pair of high heels, the blue ones with the lace along the front.
I turned to Jeff, and my grin widened when I saw the look on his face. It looked to me like he knew just what I was about to say. I headed toward my bedroom, pulling him along behind me – not that it took much effort.
When we got to my room, I was thankful it wasn’t a mess. I’d actually decided to clean it before we went away so I wouldn’t have to come home to a messy place. I hadn’t thought for a second I’d be coming home with a man beside me.
I turned to him, flicking the light on as I let go of his hand.
“What do you say we break these shoes in?”
Epilogue
After a month and a half, things were still going well. To show it, Jeff had come out to see me. Of course, this time, I had to let him meet my parents, which they loved.
I sat on top of him, alone in our bedroom. My lips raced over his muscular chest. His fingers tangled into my hair.
“God, I missed you,” he whispered.
“I missed you, too.”
The time was getting close. I was going to quit my jobs soon and head out to the ranch for a trial month. My heart raced just thinking about it. It was going to be interesting to say the least. I had no clue what to expect. I just knew it would be a whole new world for me and Jeff.
“Are you going to get sick of me?” I asked, almost teasing.
He laughed softly as I pulled away. I was glad he thought I had been joking. “I doubt I’ll ever get sick of you.”
I snorted. Such a line. But it did make me feel a little better.
“I mean it. Sure, there might come a time when I see so much of you for a day or two, but I don’t think I will ever be able to get sick of you, Tasha.”
His words made my heart do a backflip. I lowered my mouth to his. “What did I do to deserve you?” I asked.
He laughed softly against my lips, our kiss growing hungry. “I wonder the same all the time.”
The truth is, I knew exactly what we had done that allowed us to be lucky enough to find each other. Despite the fact it had been hard, we had done it. Even though when I first met the man I love, I hadn’t wanted to risk my heart, but I did. He was scared I would end up hurt, and even though he sworn he would never fall in love again, he did.
We both took a chance.
A chance on us and a chance on love. And now, here we were. My fingers tangled together with his, pinning his arm above his head. The sex was over, now this was playful. This was about being together and cuddling.
I laid down beside him. “When I get back, I’m going to learn everything about the place,” I promised.
“When you get back, you’re going to get put to work in the kitchen to see if you’re a good enough cook for us.”
“I will be.” I had total faith. No fear.
Jeff already seemed to have faith in my ability, which was all I needed to know that the rest of them would, too.
The Private Club
Vol. III
Sarah J. Brooks
Ken
“Sarah, is that really you?”
I stopped what I was doing and looked up. Whoa. I hated myself for knowing her the second I saw her. But how could I forget? She still had wavy blonde hair. My heart skipped a beat as I thought about all the time I had spent crushing on her when I was fourteen years old.
I sucked in a deep breath. She was still gorgeous.
I forced myself to look away.
“Yes,” she said.
“So, it’s true? You’re back in town. You …”
The woman behind the counter trailed off. Damn it. What was the point of eavesdropping on gossip if you didn’t learn anything from it?
“Yes. I’m back home for a while. I’m getting some stuff sorted out and then I’ll be looking for a place.”
“Here?”
“No.”
I could hear it in her voice. The last thing she wanted was to stay here. I smirked.
I’d felt that way once. What most people didn’t realize when they came to the ranch is that my brothers and I spent some of our time here when we were younger. It was one of the big reasons we thought about buying the ranch here. Plus, it was cheap, and we knew the good it could bring to the small town.
I mentally shook myself and grabbed the flour I was told to pick up. I headed for the checkout. Standing behind Sarah felt so strange. I wonder if she remembers me.
The girl behind the counter looked at me. I watched her brow furrow. “Oh. Hi.”
She didn’t sound pleased to see me. I bit my lip and forced a smile. “Hi, Bunny. How are you doing today?”
“Fine. You?”
“Great.”
I plopped the flour down and she scanned it. Sarah glanced over at me, and I caught her eye. My heart pounded as I looked away quickly.
“Sarah, have you met Ken before?”
This was it. The moment of truth. Did she know me? What if she remembers me? Did I really want her to?
“I don’t believe so.”
Crushed.
Those four words were enough to crush me as I heard the answer to my question. Yes, I wanted her to remember me. I wanted her to know who I was. I opened my mouth to tell her we went to school together, but instead I just held out my hand. “Hi.”
We shook. “Are you from around here?” she asked.
“My brothers and I run the ranch a few miles back.”
“Oh! I’ve heard lots about it.”
Crap. I always hated hearing that because I knew what the townsfolk said about us. Some of it was probably justifie
d, but the truth was I was sure a lot of them didn’t realize we’d lived here before. I couldn’t expect Sarah to remember someone she had met when she was a teenager.
“You should stop by some time. We’ve got lots of daily activities. Horseback riding, hiking, a pool.”
I watched her eyes light up. “Really?” There wasn’t a clean body of water around here for miles. “Maybe I will stop by sometime.”
I had no clue what to say. I was excited. I couldn’t wait to see if she’d actually stop by. If she does I could –
“That will be $23.11.”
I spun to see Bunny standing there. She watched me carefully, her eyes narrow. I forced a smile, despite the fact I wished she had kept quiet while Sarah and I talked.
I pulled my wallet out of my pocket, handed her the bills, and waited for my change. I tucked it away and grabbed the ten pound bag of flour like it was nothing. After working at the ranch, it kinda was nothing.
I turned to Sarah and she said, “You make that look so easy.”
I shrugged. It was, but I didn’t want to sound full of myself and say so. “I’m used to heavy lifting.”
“Really? So if I needed someone to help me with moving some stuff …”
“You know how to get a hold of me. Just make sure you ask for Ken when you call the ranch, or if you stop by, just have one of the guys find me.”
I jumped at the chance to help her out, but I didn’t want to seem too desperate. I mean, really, she just got back into town; I’m sure she was getting hit on enough to make her want to shoot someone by now.
A smile took over her features. “Thanks.”
I nodded and headed out of the store. I had no clue what else to say, and I didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable.
My heart raced as I headed back to the old black truck. I tossed the flour in the passenger seat as I climbed into the driver’s side.
Sarah
I dropped my stuff in the bedroom I had once called my own. Now I’m back here and I’m stuck. I shook my head and sighed. I didn’t want to admit it, but I already hated being home.
The Billionaire's Fake Marriage: A Single Dad Next Door Romance Page 33