“This is a winner,” I said with little hesitation.
“You think so?” she asked, doing a turn and looking at herself in the mirror.
My eyes immediately fell to her ass. “We’re taking it.” I said firmly.
She laughed before going back into the fitting room, coming out in a red strapless floor-length dress next. Another keeper. With each dress she emerged in, my desire for her grew, along with her confidence. I could see it in her eyes as she asked me if I liked each dress. My answer was always a resounding “yes.”
Sadie stepped out in a silky champagne dress that hung from tiny straps over her shoulders. The color was so close to her skin color, and the thin fabric clung to her so tightly, she looked almost naked. I couldn’t stand not being able to touch her. I stood up and walked toward her, holding out my hand. She looked at it questioningly before placing her hand in mine. I spun her around, and she let out a little giggle.
When she was facing me again, I pulled her in a little closer, a hand trailing the zipper along the back of the dress.
“Hmm,” I said thoughtfully.
“What?” she asked.
“I’m just not sure if this is structurally sound.” My fingers pulled the zipper with ease, slowly, slowly down her back. “Much too easy to take off.”
I could feel her body tremble at my touch.
“We shoulddefinitelytake it.” I smiled. “And you should wear it out of here.”
She shook her head and playfully pushed me away before heading back into the fitting room. She came out of it, still wearing the skimpy dress, carrying only two other dresses to the counter.
“Just this, please,” said Sadie, placing the dresses in front of the associate.
“Of course.” The associate nodded, beginning to scan each tag.
Sadie placed her credit card on the counter. I huffed a laugh and shoved it back toward her, placing my own on the counter.
“You’re not buying me clothes again.”
“Yes, I am. In fact, miss”—I turned toward the associate—“please retrieveallthe dresses from the fitting room. We are taking them all.”
The associate’s eyes lit up and she quickly left us to go get the dresses.
“Jeremiah…” said Sadie sharply.
“Argue all you want, but you’re not winning this.”
She rolled her eyes and put her card back on the counter.
I quickly picked it up and pocketed it. “You can have this back later.”
“You’re insufferable.”
“I know.” I grinned at her.
Once we were back in the car, the trunk filled with bags, silence settled between us, filled with a trickle of tension slowly bouncing back and forth in the inches that separated us. Tension of words unspoken. Skin left untouched.
I cleared my throat, garnering her attention. Curiosity swam in the depths of her green eyes.
“I wanted to apologize,” I said softly.
“For hijacking my credit card?” she asked.
“No,” I said softly. “For last night. For thinking I could finish an entire bottle of wine and somehow have a memory that was functioning.”
She let out a breathy laugh.
