Shaking my head, I sighed. My extra suits were okay, but they were both black and not something that would impress anyone. I lifted the one I liked slightly better off the rod and stared at the dark material, picking at a button while I mourned the pretty clothes I wouldn’t be wearing yet. I normally had my head wrapped around the ugly clothes I had to wear day to day, but the high from the shopping trip had made me forget I had things like this awful suit waiting at home.
“What are you doing, Lolly?” Legend asked, sticking his head into the closet. He smiled, but when I only frowned back, he tilted his head.
“We’re going to dinner with your family.”
“So?”
“So, I guess I could wear some nice panties or something, but—” I held up the suit. “—it’s a moldy fireworks moment to have to put this on after all the shopping.”
He snorted. “Moldy fireworks?”
“They’re too wet to explode and be beautiful, you know? They’re just there, a tease of something amazing that doesn’t happen.” I shrugged.
He held up a finger and ducked back out of the closet, so I followed him, clutching the suit while he peeked into bags on the bed. I sucked in a breath as he tugged out a beautiful emerald retro-style dress with shoulder straps and a flared skirt. The top hadn’t gaped when I’d tried it on in the shop, and I’d fallen in love, but— “It’s really short. Are you sure your sister will be fine seeing me in this?”
I didn’t ask the real question: would she be fine seeing me in a dress, period?
“Listen, this is Australia.” He waved the dress around. “It’s bloody hot during the summer, and you see people in things like this all the time. No one will think twice about it being short.” He stared directly into my eyes and seemed to be reassuring me that I wouldn’t be hassled, and maybe with him at my side, no one would have the nerve to say anything shitty. There was a time I wouldn’t have cared because I would’ve had a catty comment ready to sling right back into the face of a hater, but that part of me hadn’t worked quite as well recently. Legend was big and his height alone would probably make most people think twice about being a jerk to someone out with him.
Running my fingers along the material, I bit my bottom lip. “Do we need to meet with the Company guys later?”
He shrugged. “Probably should. You can change before that happens, but you don’t have to.” He stared at me, and there it was again, that assurance that I could do anything I wanted when he was around.
“You’re not embarrassed at all?” I whispered.
He shook his head slowly and heat flared to life in his eyes. “You’re beautiful. Why would I be?”
Sucking in a deep breath, I nodded. “What about your niece? Your sister won’t mind her seeing me this way?”
He snorted and grinned this time. “We might be bogans out here, but we’re not bigots. Besides, like I keep telling you, you’re pretty. Anyone in Townsville should be so lucky as to get a good eyeful of you in this dress.”
My heart swelled and I traded my suit for the dress. A nearly painful happiness exploded inside me as I smiled down at it. “You talked me into it, but not in front of the Company men, okay? I want to change before we see any of them.” I wasn’t sure if it was embarrassment, or the worry that they would say something to Mr. Killough that had me hesitating to expose this side of myself. Sure, Mr. Killough had a pet, but from what I knew of Conall, he never dressed up in anything that wasn’t masculine. The most “out there” thing I’d heard about Mr. Killough doing with his pet was fucking him in public sometimes.
A thrill zipped through me as I glanced at Legend. What we’d done today in the fitting room was so good. What if I had a dress on? It would be easy for him to sit me on his lap, pull my panties aside, and fuck me. I let out a long breath.
“What are you thinking about, naughty Lolly?” he asked, shocking me into glancing back up at him.
“You fucking me in this dress.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “You know, maybe you should put more faith in your friends.” He walked around behind me, and his hands landed on my shoulders, massaging in just the right way to have me groaning and melting.
“Why do you say that?”
“Cillian came blustering into my office, ready to save you. Talking about how Mr. Killough and your uncle were important, and they had to sign off on it if I wanted to keep you.” He leaned around to smirk down at me.
My stomach flipped because that was kind of true, even if Legend was less than worried about it. “Cillian’s right,” I murmured, swallowing hard.
Legend grunted. “He’s not. You’re mine, and the only way I’d give you up would involve me dead on the floor full of bullets.”
The image he painted was gruesome but oddly did a lot to make me relax.
“My point was, it seems they have your back. Maybe worry a bit less.” He leaned forward and planted a kiss on my temple that had me smiling again.
“I’ll think about it.”
He surprised me when he slapped my ass. “Go make yourself pretty. Get ready. I want you fresh as a rose petal when I bury my face between your arsecheeks later.”
My cock tingled and I sucked in a breath as I nodded quickly. He stared at me while I grabbed a few things out of the bags, then discovered all the items from my suitcase that I would’ve wanted to be in the bathroom were already in there. With a nervous little wave at him, I disappeared inside. It didn’t take me long to shower and shave—everywhere. I dried my hair and styled it, using a shiny green barrette that matched the dress to give myself a bit of soft charm, even though my hair was short. Maybe if Legend was telling the truth and I ended up staying here with him, I could grow it out. I brushed my hair away from my forehead.
