"Thank you, kind sir," I said with a smile.
"It's my job to look after you." Putting a hand at the small of my back, he guided me away from the curb as a delivery truck rattled past. "And I take my job very seriously."
There was no doubting the sincerity in his voice. I was fast learning that Nate didn't speak unless he meant what he said.That was refreshing. The world we inhabited was full of people who used flattery and half-truths to get what they wanted.
Nate led me into a clothing store with shelves filled with neatly folded jeans and racks of cotton shirts in an array of colors. Looking around, I could see they also stocked sportswear, a selection of dresses, some lingerie and footwear.
"This is the only place in town that sells women's clothing," Nate said. "If I had more time, I'd have taken you to San Francisco."
I shook my head. "This is fine. There are plenty of options." Well, color-wise that was true, but the choice of styles seemed more limited. I picked out four shirts in different shades and a couple of pairs of jeans before heading for the changing rooms. I shimmied out of my borrowed clothes and slipped on the new ones, admiring myself in the mirror. The jeans hugged my hips and gave the illusion of a fuller ass than I had. I liked it.
When I stepped out to model my first outfit for Nate, he was leaning against the wall, legs casually crossed at the ankles as he scrolled through his phone. As soon as he realized I'd emerged from behind the heavy floral curtain, he gave me his full attention.
"What do you think?" I raised myself up on my tiptoes and executed a perfect pirouette.
"Looks good. Orange suits you."
Orange? I examined the sleeve of the shirt. "It's coral."
Nate shrugged. "Still suits you."
Our eyes met, and for several long seconds, neither of us looked away. My own desire was reflected back at me from Nate's intense gaze. After a moment, I cleared my throat.
"Uh, I think I'll buy all this and then grab some, um, underwear." My cheeks heated. I hadn't intended to draw attention to my need for bras and panties. Before my embarrassment could make me say something stupid, Iremembered something. "Oh, will I need a gown for the harvest dance?"
Nate smiled and shook his head gently. "It's not a harvest dance, sweetheart. It's just a small gathering for the men and their wives."
"Do you have food and drink at this gathering?"
"Yes."
"Music?"
"Yes."
I put my hands on my hips and cocked my head to the right. "Dancing?"
A grin spread across Nate's lips. "Uh-huh."
"Then I hate to tell you, buddy, it's a harvest dance."
Throwing his head back, Nate laughed. "Yeah, I guess it is."
"I'm glad we're agreed. Now I want you to know you don't have to worry about the decorations and things. Eileen and I have decided on a theme. We're going with Sunset on Sonoma. I'm having the lighting guys work up some ideas, and I've commissioned an ice sculpture."
Nate's expression was so startled I couldn't contain my laughter.
"I'm kidding. A few drinks, some chili, maybe something sweet and a little music. That's what you usually have, isn't it?"
"It is. We like to keep things simple." He thought about it for a moment. "But a dress might be a good idea. Wait here."
As he disappeared from the changing room, I sat on the wooden chair in the corner. This place was a million miles from the glamorous boutiques I usually shopped at, but for some reason, I preferred it. Perhaps it was because I wasn't under pressure to make the right choices. There was no need to consider what would photograph well or how fashion commentators would write about my outfit.
When Nate returned, after a couple of minutes, he had a pretty red floral dress draped over his arm.
"It's not Chanel, but I think you can pull it off."
He held out the dress, and I took it from him. "I'll try it on."
