“No way. The one you have is perfect. Just don’t open the door with it on.”
She turned her head to look at me instead of out the window.
“I think continuing to wear it would be a little dangerous for us both. If I say yes to shopping today and want a nightshirt, can I trust you to help me buy something more appropriate than what Blake did?”
I wanted to squirm with guilt like I was a cub caught stealing food from the kitchen again.
“Yes. You can trust me.” We’d have plenty of time to shop for less appropriate things after the Judgement. After she Claimed me.
Pleasant thoughts of what those items might be partially occupied my mind while I navigated the roads to the shopping district and pulled into the first parking spot I found downtown.
“Ready?” I asked.
She nodded, her attention on the buildings and people surrounding us. I got out and jogged around the front of the car to open the door for her. People already going about their day crowded the sidewalks.
Olivia got out slowly, her head turning left and right as she took in the busy street.
“I’ve never seen so many people. The ones at Blake’s complex tended to avoid me. And on the way to your home, Frank had stuck to the highways and mostly avoided the cities.”
The expression on her face didn’t quite look like wonder, though.
“And what do you think of it?” I asked.
“It’s so loud.”
I grinned.
“It is. But, sometimes loud is good.”
I threaded my fingers through hers and led her along the busy sidewalk. At the first coffee shop, I pulled her in and ordered us drinks to help keep her hand warm. Her first tentative sip and the surprise on her face made me ache to wrap her in my arms. Only the wounds on her back, not her warning to behave, stopped me.
“You like it?” I asked.
“I love it.”
“Come on. Let’s find out what else we can try.” We walked further and found a bakery. The smells coming from that place made my mouth water and reminded me of Olivia’s sweet scent. I led her inside and studied all the treats.
“There’s a lot here,” I said. “This one has a name I can’t say. It looks like a tiny pie, but not the kind with the slanted sides. This one’s sides go straight up and down. It has a fancy swirl of whipped cream on it and something stuck into it that looks like a cookie. It looks good. The one next to it…I have no idea what the card says, but it looks like someone had trouble with a layered biscuit and kind of balled it up in frustration. I’d still eat it, though.”
Olivia’s hand jerked in mine, and I glanced at her. She had her other hand over her mouth to stop from laughing aloud. The kid on the other side of the glass display case was looking at me with a mix of hesitation and mirth. I grinned and kept going, describing every pastry I saw inside the case to Olivia.
When I finished, I ordered a bear claw, the only thing I could pronounce without sounding like an idiot, then turned to Olivia.
“What do you want to try?” I asked.
“You pick for me. But not a bear claw. I’ll try yours.”
I liked that she knew I’d share with her.
“Do you like sweet or savory?” I asked.
“Both.”
I turned to the man waiting on us.
“Can you choose three more for us? Whatever you would recommend.”
When we had our four pastries, I led her to a free table. Instead of setting her plate in front of her, I kept it by me and lifted the first pastry.
