I'm frozen to the spot when I hear the soft rumble in his voice, but he's speaking so softly I can't hear his words. Her eyes widen slightly with surprise, before a small blush comes to her cheeks and her energy switches to an obnoxious shade of violet.
A burning sensation fills my chest and I'm seconds away from pulling my gun, but who do I shoot first?
I watch her slide her fingers down his hand with a playful light in her eyes and before I can step forward and break her wrist, she's pulling his hands into the air on either side of him.
“You put them here.” Her smile is a sweet implication but when my gaze cuts to Christian's energy, all I see is the flicker of relief.
… You’re joking.
“I think I can handle it from here, Julia.” I step between the two of them seamlessly with an easy smile, but I can tell from the way she scurries back that I might’ve failed to bring that socialite gleam to my eyes. Honestly, I'm still considering if to break her wrist.
Her eyes are wide as she stutters, before gathering herself quickly, “You know what measurements to take?”
“I've seen you do it enough times.” I manage to make my eyes a little gentler as I take the measuring tape from her and she relaxes visibly, hiding her confusion behind a sheepish smile, “I'll go see if the others are getting through then.”
She escapes hurriedly and when I turn to look at Christian, his energy visibly relaxes. I think I may even see it in the way he releases his shoulders.
I'm quiet for a moment as I take his measurements, trying to settle the urge to grab him by the throat and demand he never pull that shit ever again.
By some miracle, I decide to be civil instead.
“A single-breasted suit only has one column of buttons,” I explain and Christian's head snaps towards me. But I keep my eyes focused on measuring his arms and wrists. “A double-breasted has two columns. The double is for extremely formal occasions, like weddings or business events. They're not my taste but I know Tobias especially likes them.”
Christian's energy is both grateful and anxious as I continue, “The lapel is the collar of the coat. A notch is shaped like this,” I draw the shape beneath his collar and down his chest. “The peak is like this,” I can feel the air entering and leaving his lungs as I draw it against his body.
“And the shawl is like this,” I trace the shape from his neck a bit more slowly.
I hate that being this close to him is devastating me.
I refuse to meet his eyes as I nudge him to hold the tape against his hip before measuring the length of his legs, the size of his thighs and the space around his ankle that'll leave just enough room for the pants to breathe.
“The three-piece suit comes with a vest and the two-piece comes without. If I ever see you without a vest,” my eyes narrow as they meet his, “I will shoot you on sight.”
A few moments of silence pass by as we stare at each other. His measurements are just slightly smaller than mine, so it’ll be easy to recall them for Julia. But even though I still have the itch to grab him by the throat, there’s a shiverof dread that’s creeping into his energy that extinguishes my irritation.
I sigh, “If there's something you don't understand Christian, just tell me.” Instead of flirting with staff right in front my eyes.
The shivers of dread intensify. “Sorry.”
“Not sorry,” I wait for him to correct it and he looks away from me to shuffle his weight from foot to foot. “Christian, I'm not going to bite you if there’s something you don’t know.”
He squints his eyes with obvious distrust and I can’t even begin to wrap my head around it.
But somehow I really want to.
Before I know it, I'm hooking my fingers around his chin and pulling his face to me again so I can see his expression, “If it means that much to you, then I’ll explain everything you don’t understand.”
Christian pulls his face away from me to put distance between us.
A gesture I truly dislike.
“I don’t need you to do that,” he says.
My gaze sharpens, “What do you plan to do then? It doesn’t look to me like you can figure out these kinds of things on your own.”
He scowls, “I got through just fine.”
No, because I almost broke the poor lady’s wrist.
