“It’s too revealing. I don’t wear clothes that show this much of my skin. I must have hit my head last night to be even trying this stuff on. How did you know my underwear size, anyway?”
As a child, Hope had rambled when she was nervous. It seemed she still did.
He pulled the curtain back.
“Well hell, who knew you actually had a body like that.” Christ, she was sexy. The dress stopped midthigh, and had long sleeves, and fitted everywhere it touched. It was a simple knit fabric in dark blue, because he’d thought anything too bright, stylish, and/or modern may be pushing it with Hope. She had lovely breasts, he realized, and a flat stomach and killer legs. The wordmistakeroared inside his head. He should have left her dressed like a bag lady. With all that glorious hair around her, she looked like a sexy rock chick, especially with those boots and the scowl on her face.
“Jesus, Hope, you almost look human.” He made himself tease her, because if he actually said what was in his head, she’d run for the hills. One thing he knew about Hope Lawrence was that she may play the tough girl, but she wasn’t.
She’d championed everyone who was slightly different, like her, and any animal that needed a home ended up at her place. She had a soft heart, it was just framed in steel.
“I’m not wearing this! I’d rather get frostbite than actually walk about dressed like a runway model.”
Newman swallowed his smile. “Actually, I don’t think a runway model would be seen dead in that. In fact, my mother would struggle to wear it, it’s so dowdy.”
She looked down her body. “It’s not dowdy.”
“Excellent, so wear it, and don’t get frostbite. You still have your shitkickers on, so stop fussing.”
“I really don’t think—”
“There you go thinking again. Any chance I can see how the underwear fits, seeing as I’m paying for it?”
She bared her teeth at him.
Newman gathered up her clothes and left the cubicle, in case she was tempted to put them back on. He reached the counter and asked the lady to bag them. Hope arrived as he was pulling out his credit card.
“I shouldn’t let you do this.”
Her backpack was clasped in front of her, and she looked nervous. Newman felt something move inside him at the vulnerability that was clearly written all over her. Hope liked to be in control, and he’d just wrestled it from her. He was also certain that something more than him buying her clothes was riding her, and he was going to find out what.
Howlers looked after each other. She may annoy him, and they were often like two rabid dogs circling each other, but she was still one of his people, which meant he watched out for her when she needed watching.
“Let’s go, I need food.”
“I don’t know why I let you do that?” she sounded confused. “I never let people buy me things. I also don’t let people tell me what to do.”
“Why did you?” He nudged her through the door to the restaurant, and followed.
“I was cold. Plus, there’s that thing you guys have.”
“Thing?” He held up two fingers to the hostess to indicate they wanted a table.
“You Howling men, you just take charge, and I forget to stop you sometimes. It won’t happen again.”
“It’s called manners and courtesy, Hope, you should give it a shot sometime. Belligerence lost its cuteness many years ago.”
He let his eyes run down the length of her spine. Who knew Loco Lawrence was so goddamned hot? Shaking his head, he wondered if the world had tilted slightly. Because he’d kissed her, and had lustful thoughts, and he’d known her for many years, and not once had he thought her anything but annoying and slightly crazy.
“Don’t you own a handbag?” He watched as she unzipped the ugly camouflage backpack, pulled out her wallet, and stuffed in her clothes.
She flipped him the bird and continued rummaging.
“I have twenty dollars,” she said, opening her wallet. “So you can eat what you like, but if it’s more than that, you’ll have to do the dishes.”
“How about you use that?” He pointed at a credit card.
She looked suddenly shifty, and Newman, who was usually pretty quick to join the dots, said, “Because you’re maxed out, seeing as you’re unemployed?”
