“If you’re mine, I want everyone to know how lucky I am to have you.”
“I’m not, though, not really.”
My heart slams against my ribs. “Aren’t you?”
The air crackles between us, but before either of us can say anything, Anita pops her head around the corner and gushes, “Oh, Bea, that looks like it was made for you. Tell me you love it.”
“She loves it, and we’re taking it,” I confirm before reluctantly stepping out of her cubicle and sitting my ass back on the couch to wait for her.
Despite her reluctance, we end up leaving with almost every item Bea took into the fitting room. And I couldn’t be happier with the dress she chose to keep on to wear for our date tonight. It’s a light summer dress that rests just above her knee with an elasticate waist to allow for bump growth, and it’s loose enough right now that I don’t think anyone would be suspicious.
“Thank you,” she says once I’ve placed all her bags in the trunk and joined her in the car.
“You don’t need to thank me, sweetheart.”
“Did you not see the cost of all that? I really do.”
“It was nothing. Now, is there anything else you need?”
She glances away from me, gazing out of the window.
“Bea?” I warn.
“Shoes. I need shoes.”
“Okay. Now? Or shall we go for dinner?”
“Definitely dinner first. I’m starving.”
“Me too,” I agree before putting the car into drive and heading toward the Italian restaurant I booked for our second date.
The drive is short, and before I know it, I’m walking around the hood of the car after demanding that Bea wait for me.
She does as she’s told, and the second I hold my hand out to help her, she slides her palm against mine and allows me to tug her from the seat, and I don’t stop until she almost collides with me.
“Whoa,” she gasps, her free hand pressing against my chest.
Reaching out, I tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, loving that I don’t have to hold back touching her like I do when we’re at home.
“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”
Her eyes shutter and her lips part as if she’s about to argue. And right before any words spill free, I lean forward and steal them with a kiss.
It’s not like our last one, just a quick brush of our lips, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t just as potent.
“You look beautiful,” I whisper, just to really nail the point home.
With her hand in mine, I tug her away from the car and close the door.
“Whoa, this place is busy,” she comments as we walk toward the entrance.
“There’s a good chance we’ll be photographed tonight,” I confess, ducking my head low so it looks intimate.
“Right,” she says weakly. “I guess it’s a good thing I have a new dress then, huh?”
“There’s a method to my madness. You’re okay with this, right?” I ask, suddenly regretting bringing her out.
“We’ve got to make it look believable,” she says, but it sounds more like she’s convincing herself than assuring me of anything.
