by Mills, L. C.
I shrugged. “Maybe it's the heat! Yanno sending everyone crazy!”
He smiled. “Yes, perhaps! Let's go find you a dress! I am so looking forward to Saturday!” He held his hand out for mine.
I placed my hand in his and smiled. “I'm still a little nervous to meet your friends and your parents, but I am excited too!”
“You will be fine, I just know everyone will love you.” He smiled as he pulled open his office door.
“Glad you have such faith!” I smiled proudly that he had so much faith in me, but I wasn't so sure, I just had a funny feeling.
We made our way out of the building and around to the waiting SUV. Cameron opened my door for me. “Ladies first!”
I grinned as I climbed in and shuffled over so he could climb in. He sat himself down next to me.
“Good afternoon, sir, Miss Watson.” Jones smiled into the rear-view mirror as he drove off.
“Hi Jones.” I grinned from my seat.
Cameron cleared his throat as Jones smiled and I wondered why he didn't like me talking to him?! What was he was afraid I'd find out?!
“You have the list of things I'll be needing, James should have emailed you.”
Jones nodded. “I do, indeed, I shall have them for when you and Miss Watson return!” He kept his eyes on the road this time.
“Thank you.” Cameron sighed.
I stroked my fingers over his on the leather seat. “So do you mind if I get some patches and pins for this jacket?! It feels too plain.” I grinned at him.
His eyes softened as he stroked a loose tendril of hair from my face. “Of course I don't mind! We can look on the Internet later and order you some!”
“I might even have some back at mine!” I traced my index finger over his knuckles.
He closed his eyes and let a breath go. “I see.” He grinned as he looked down at my fingers sitting over his. “I know I need to paint my nails! Don't worry, they will be done before Saturday.” I had previously to meeting him splurged on all new nail varnishes so I'd see what color my new dress would be and attempt to coordinate colors.
He chuckled. “I wasn't even thinking that, more that your hand just looks right with mine! You have very delicate fingers!”
I grinned at his admission. “Guitar players' hands those!” I flexed my hand out and then rested it back over his.
“Indeed they are! You're a very talented player.”
“Thanks, I guess I learnt from the guys in the band, life lessons learned everyday on the road, before they got really famous, it was tough! I learnt early on to blag what I could like food and stuff!” I grinned, remembering.
He turned his hand over so his fingers linked through mine. “It must have been hard for your father, he did a good job of bringing you up, you turned into a beautiful young woman.”
I grinned at him. “He did do a good job, it wasn't easy, but I guess you just get on with it!”
chapter 36
An hour later and I sat in the changing rooms of Selfridges dress department, I leant my chin on my hand as I glanced around the plush changing room. I was surrounded by dresses, none of which we could come to a decision on. Cameron was standing outside having an argument with the personal shopper. He hadn't liked the choices he'd bought in. The red ones which were stunning had tipped him over the edge finally.
“Get rid of all the red! I want something that is suitable for a black tie event so nothing above the knee! I am paying a very good price for your time at least try not to ignore what I am telling you!”
I cringed hearing him lose his temper and glanced at the dress I'd just taken off. Cameron loved it, I'd hated it. It made me look like a baked potato! It was all scrunchy silver like foil.
A few minutes later the curtain opened and Cameron stepped in holding a new dress. My eyes snapped up as I took it in, it was floor length and black lace. I loved it just looking at it.
“Ah, so I think you like this one! I see your eyes sparkling!” He grinned as he removed it from the coat hanger and undid the zip at the side and held it out for me to step into. I had never been shopping with a man that was this involved in the process, he insisted on helping me in and out of each dress, which was distracting given how his touch ignited my skin and that in part was why we'd not found one that was suitable because ones I liked he didn't like the look of and ones he liked I hated. I prayed he liked this dress as I stepped into it, he shimmied the lace up my thighs and I suppressed a moan as his fingers traced my lower back.
“I love this one, please like it!” I bit my lip as his fingers brushed my skin as he did the zip up.
He placed a kiss on my neck as he admired me and the dress in the mirror. “I agree it's stunning! Turn around for me!” He grinned as he stepped back and admired me.
I studied myself in the mirror. I looked a few years older in this dress and it felt wonderful. It was all black with floral lace, with a black bodice and flared skirt. You could see the paleness of my skin at the shoulders, waist and legs. It looked sexy. I turned on the spot for him. “Ta dah!” I giggled as he stepped forward and traced his fingers over the exposed skin under the lace.
“This is the dress! Your eyes are dancing! I knew I'd find one you loved! This will go with the shoes you bought and we can go pick some accessories, I know you find all this personal shopper stuff too much so we can browse the jewellery section together! I'll have the dress taken to the till but first I want to take a selfie of us!” He grinned as he stepped back over his phone in his hand.
I adjusted my hair in the mirror as he slipped his hand around my middle, he was in his suit and in the mirror I could see us both, we looked good. He held the phone so the camera would take the photo of us from the mirror. I turned my head and kissed his cheek as he took another photo. “I actually look worthy of you in this dress! Also the neck line is too high for a necklace so I'll get some bangles and I'll need a clutch bag!” I grinned.
He frowned. “You are worthy of me dressed in anything! You do look stunning in that dress, but I won't have you putting yourself down! Evan, you are beautiful!” He looked exasperated with me.
I shrugged. “I can't help how I feel! I still have to pinch myself that this isn't just a dream Cameron!” I lifted my hand and stroked his cheek. “You make me feel like a woman and no one has ever done that before!”
He leant into my touch, his lips parting as he breathed out. “That's because you are a stunning young woman, and you don't think that I do the same?! I woke up last night and watched you sleeping, counting how many breaths you took and how many times your chest rose and fell in synch. I have to remind myself that you're actually real and not in my head! You make me feel alive and I am terrified you will leave me every time another chink in my armour is removed by you, I feel exposed! If you decided all of my shit was too much and left you'd take part of my sole with you!”
I blinked at him, unsure what to say. Words meant very little in the grand scheme of things to Cameron, he had to be shown how I felt for him to understand so for him to actually admit that had taken a lot for him so I leant forward and brushed my lips against his showing him how much I loved and cared for him. He closed his eyes as he kissed me back, his hands in my hair. I would never leave him. He was the air I breathed, we held each other together.
After a few moments we broke the kiss and his forehead rested on mine.
“Thank you, let's get you out of this dress and back into your clothes so we can go look at the bags and accessories!”
He smiled widely at me flashing his perfect white teeth.
“Sure thing! Let's go and after this I'm going to that Starbucks I saw nearby! We are gonna have ice cold drinks and maybe a muffin!” I grinned.
He raised a brow. “I've never been in Starbucks! I will let you guide me on what's good to have! I've actually got a gift card from a client in my wallet! We can use that!”
I laughed. “Oh, I can pop your Starbucks cherry! And even better, it's
on your clients!” I winked at him. “You need to unzip me first!”
He smiled broadly as he stood behind me and unzipped the dress. “The next time I do this I am going to make love to you!”
I stepped out of the dress and walked over to my pile of clothes and picked up my denim shorts. “At your friend's house?!” I raised a brow.
He smirked as he put the dress back on the hanger. “Oh, indeed! The thrill will make it even more enjoyable!”
He stood back and watched me re dress. “What shall we do with all these other dresses?!” I eyed the cream mini dress that I had fell in love with, it was beautiful, with sheer panels.
“Pass me that one, I'll get you that too! You looked amazing in that just wasn't suitable for a black tie event!”
I picked it up and handed it to him. “You don't have to! You've already got me loads of clothes!”
He smiled. “Like I said, I've got the money, let me treat you! I am sure we will find an occasion for you to wear that! I might not to be able to keep my hands off of you in that though!”
I let a breath go. “It's so pretty! I love its simplicity!” I put my bag back over my shoulder and followed Cameron out of the changing room. I felt bad that someone had to come and tidy all the others dresses away, but Cameron was walking with determination leaving me no choice but to run to catch up to him.
“I'll take these and we will bring back the rest of what we want! My girlfriend would prefer if she was able to choose for herself!”
I gave the personal shopper an apologetic smile as Cameron handed him the two dresses.
“Not a problem sir. I can understand Miss wants to choose for herself! Shopping is a very personal experience! I'll be loitering around if you need me!” He flashed me a smile as he took the dresses.
“This way darling!” Cameron took hold of my hand and led me away into the store.
After another half an hour I had the most wonderful Valentino Rock Stud clutch bag, I tried not to dwell on the fact it cost equal the dress and a selection of Stirling silver hexagon bangles and rings.
“I really think that's enough now!” I was trying to reel myself back in.
“You liked them other rings! I want to get you them too!” He led me back towards the stand with the rings.
“No, I've got enough! Truly, Cameron you have spoilt me enough today!” I sighed as he fished out my ring size and added them to the basket completely ignoring me.
“I have only just begun!” He grinned excitedly down at me. “I am a very rich man! I can afford these many times over so please let do this!”
I sighed. “But I feel like you're buying me! I don't need to be brought things! I wouldn't care if you were rich or not!” And the truth was I wouldn't care if he was piss poor! I would still love him and in that moment I knew I'd treat him like a king, I'd want to see him in fine tailoring but not if it made him uncomfortable and that was what he didn't understand it wasn't that I didn't like the dresses or the accessories it was more that I felt uncomfortable with him spending large amounts of money on me.
“I'm not buying you; and I am fully aware that you don't care about my money so why worry about helping me to spend some of it! I make more than this in an afternoon!”
I sighed, resigned. “Fine, but after this, no more!”
He pulled a face. “What if you need something though?!”
I laughed, he was bartering a deal with me. “Then that's different! If it's essential to my life than okay, but after this no more extravagant shopping!”
He licked his lips. “Well, in that case I had better make the most of it! You liked the idea of coming running with me didn't you?!”
I sighed. “Yes, but I've got track shoes at mine!”
He grinned. “Yes, well you'll need a sports bra, high impact! And some kinda fitness tracker! So you can see how far you've ran and what not! Handy for when you first start running!”
I stood with my mouth open in shock. “What?! No! This was meant to be the lot!”
He grinned playfully. “Now, Miss Watson did you or did you not say that I could only treat you today?!”
I opened and closed my mouth a few times, he was right I had. “I didn't expect you to take advantage of how I worded it!”
He grinned as he turned on the spot and started walking away. “Yes, well I don't always play fair Miss Watson!”
I caught up with him. “I had noticed Mr. Ballard!”
We made our way the sports section and I choose myself a bra while Cameron went off to play with the fitness wristbands. I walked back over and grinned, watching him play with all the different types. He looked his age in here, shopping with his girlfriend, he was having fun and I didn't want to see that smile go.
“Hey!” I said as I slipped the bra into the basket.
He grinned at me as he turned around. “I can't make my mind up about the fitness wristbands I'll look into what's the best one when we get home, are you ready to go?!”
I smiled. “I sure am! Then we go grab a drink! I'm definitely getting a blueberry muffin! We can share it!” I could never eat a whole one to myself.
“Sure thing! Jones will pick us up from outside!”
We made our way back over to the personal shopper. He smiled as Cameron handed him the basket.
“Very good, sir. We have your card details on our records would you like to sit and wait while we package this all up for you?!” He indicated the area where you would wait if the personal shopper was doing your shopping.
“That's great, thanks.” Cameron indicated I sit down.
I took a chair next to Cameron.
15 minutes later I was holding three medium sized bright yellow Selfridges bags and Cameron had the three larger ones with the dresses in.
“What's in the third bigger bag?!” I pushed open the door and the sounds of the city hit my senses as did the heat.
“It's a surprise! You will have to wait to see it!” He grinned as we walked down the road to the crossing.
“That's not fair!” I laughed as he stood and waited to cross the road. I got the odd feeling that we were being watched, I couldn't explain it, I just knew so I glanced around and sighed as I saw a man in a hoodie with a large camera, not even pretending to fit in just down the road. The subject of his photos wasn't the beautiful architecture that surrounded us but of Cameron and me.
I sighed. “We have paparazzi watching us!” I turned back to face the front as the green light flashed to say we could cross.
“I saw him as we went in, I figured he might have got bored! Let's get us those drinks and head off!” He used his right hand to guide me across the road, his hand splayed on my lower back beneath my jacket.
“They don't get bored! Looks like we're today's hot news!” I shook my head as he entered Starbucks.
We joined the line and waited.
“You order with this, I'll call Jones!” He handed me a green gift-card.
“Okay, cool, holy crap that's like a £100 balance Cameron! Who was this client?!!”
I smiled at the barista as I approached the counter.
His eyes widened as he took me in and then almost popped out of his head as he saw Cameron stood next to me. “Hello, what can I get for you?!” He smiled brightly.
“Hi, can I have two iced coffees and a blueberry muffin and oh uh what should we get Jones?!” I glanced at Cameron.
He gave me a confused look. “What?!”
I sighed. “What shall we get for him?! Coffee?! Food?!” I didn't see what the issue was, he had to eat and drink too, and he'd been running around after us all day.
“He won't want anything! It's a kind thought, though!” He put his free hand around my shoulder.
I shook my head, confused. “And two chocolate chip muffins with that please!” I handed over the gift card. “Jones can share the chocolate muffins with Gwen!”
Cameron chuckled. “You're very thoughtful!”
&n
bsp; I grinned lopsidedly at him. “Yes, it has been said! You can share my muffin when we get back!”
He smirked at me. “I will look forward to that!”
“Your card back Miss. Names for the orders?!”
I grinned. “Evan and Cameron! Thanks.”
“Awesome! They'll be down the end for you.” He grinned as he handed me the two bags of muffins and moved away to make the order.
We made our way down to the end of the counter and a few minutes later our names were called. I stepped forward and took both cups knowing Cameron would want a hand free.
“Jones is just pulling up now! Let's get you home!”
I frowned, feeling disappointed why was he taking me home?! Was it because I'd ordered two muffins for Jones?!
“Why am I going back home?!”
He grinned. “Sorry, I meant mine!”
I smiled, feeling relief. “Oh good!”
I pushed open the doors and we left Starbucks. I spotted the same man with the camera from before, he was just down the road on the same side as Cameron guided me to the SUV, his hand protectively pressed into my lower back. He stood at my side while I climbed in shielding me from the camera. “Thank you.” I mouthed as he closed the door.
I put my bags down as Cameron climbed in the other side and sat down. The bags by his feet.
“Here's your drink!” I handed him the iced coffee.
“Thank you! It smells nice! Let's see what it tastes like.”
Jones pulled away from the side of the road and joined the traffic.
I watched as he sucked the iced coffee up the straw, making a slurping noise. “Oh, actually tastes okay! Be careful of brain freeze though!”
I grinned as I slurped my own before checking to see if they’d spelled the name right, there is black marker was my name, it was finished off with a little heart. “Hey look mine has a heart.” I grinned as I showed him before sucking more of the iced coffee. “Yeah I always forget that.” I winced as my forehead seared with pain from the cold drink. “It's so your wind pipes don't freeze up!” I said matter of fact, as I wondered how long it would be before the photos of us would hit the Internet!