“I don’t understand.”
“We’re going shopping. I thought it would be easier if you just held on to my card.”
He pushes his door open and walks around to open mine for me, holding out his hand like a gentleman.
“Shopping?” I giggle, shaking my head. And I’ve been anxious that he was taking me to a quiet place to bury me in cement or something. Maybe I’ve seen too many movies.
“Yes, girls love shopping. Fashion stuff. Clothes. Accessories. Whatever you want. There’s no limit on the credit card.” He winks at me and throws me a devilish smile that makes my heart flip over.
“Why, though?” I ask, suddenly skeptical again.
“Why what?”
“Shopping.”
“Because the only clothes you have at the mansion are the clothes I got for you when you first arrived, and it’s not very much, and it’s not stuff you got to choose yourself.”
“Oh,” I mutter, staring at the shiny black card in my hand. I slip it into my pocket and raise my brows. Alright. Shopping, then.
Butterflies swarm in my stomach as we walk into the mall. It’s massive, maybe four stories high, packed wall to wall with high-fashion stores that I would never have been able to shop at before. Even with all the money my brother has, he never lets me just go wild on a shopping spree. He was set on playing it safe until he was established, whenever that was going to be.
Yulian doesn’t talk much as I roam the stores and select beautiful items. He stays close, though, very close, reaching out to me and touching me often. Almost stalkerish and weird. At first, it made me uncomfortable, because I couldn’t figure outwhat he was doing, but then I realized he’s actually just keeping an eye out for enemies or danger. He’s keeping me safe.
Then I become anxious in a different way. Every time he touches me, it sends sparks through my body. A pull of warmth. A bolt of electricity.
Every brush of his hand or his arm drags my attention deeper into him.
“What about a red dress?” he suggests, gesturing towards a gorgeous velvet red gown.
“Where in the world would I wear that?” I laugh.
“Making cupcakes in the kitchen,” he grins. “You can wear anything anywhere, Katerina.”
I pick up the red dress to try it on, then spot a gorgeous black jacket that I think would look incredible on Yulian. “You’re trying this on,” I demand, slinging it over my arm.
“We’re not here shopping for me,” he protests.
“I’m pretty sure you saidwhatever you want,and I want to see you in this,” I say with sass.
He shakes his head, but his smile is gorgeous. “Fine, what the lady wants, the lady gets.”
“In that case, the lady would like to stop and choose a few suits for you,” I grin triumphantly.
He grumbles and rolls his eyes.
But a little while later, he’s standing with his legs spread and his arms out at his sides while a tailor measures him for a suit I’ve chosen. I step forward and brush my hand over his side. “I think this can be taken in a bit?” I say, but as soon as my fingers touch him, my body sparks to life.
I bite my lip and quickly step back, my cheeks flushing with heat.
“Let’s put the dark gray one on, and we’ll get that one fitted too,” the tailor says, nodding in approval as he steps back to admire his work.
Yulian steps into the dressing room to change, and I sit quietly wondering why the hell my body is on its own mission to be so attracted to him all the time.
When he steps out of the dressing room in the storm-gray suit, my breath catches in the back of my throat, and I stare way too hard.
He looks fucking incredible.
The suit hardly needs any adjustments. It’s tight over his body in the most beautiful way. His broad shoulders and thick arms are hugged by the dark fabric, accentuating his muscular shape.
