“I see. You really have nothing to worry about. How many times do I have to tell you? No one is as important to me as you. I don’t want anyone else,” he says stroking the line of my jaw with a single finger. The sincerity in his eyes enraptures me for a moment, and I yearn to touch my lips to his. But before I can, Allison interrupts us.
“I have a room ready for Ms. Winters, Mr. Skotos,” she says.
“Great,” Dorian replies as he ushers me towards the dressing area. Allison has filled it with an array of lingerie, from white frilly pieces to dark shiny PVC. I step in and look back at Dorian who is wearing a naughty grin. “I’ll be right out here,” he says, closing the door.
I begin to peel off my jeans, ribbed tank and cardigan when I hear whispering on the other side of the door.
“Mr. Skotos, Ms. Órexis came by for you. She wanted you to have this.” I hear the rustling of paper.
“Thank you, Allison,” Dorian replies with a hushed voice.
“You’re very welcome, Mr. Skotos. If there’s anything you ever need, I’d be more than happy to oblige,” she breathes seductively.
Oh hell no! I’m two seconds from pulling my jeans back on and kicking that slore of a sales clerk’s ass when a light tap on the door stops me in my tracks.
“I’m out here waiting to see you. Don’t be shy; come model for me,” Dorian says softly.
I try to stow my temper, deciding not to reveal what I heard in fear of appearing like a jealous nag.
“Are you crazy? I’m not coming out there dressed like this!”
“Well I’ll just have to come in there then.”
With that, Dorian cracks the door open, leaving just enough space for him to squeeze through. His eyes dance with delight at the sight of me in a pearl pink satin slip with black lace cutouts on the sides. It hugs my frame perfectly and stops halfway up my thigh.
“Do you like it?” I ask meekly. I feel so exposed being on display for him. I can’t even look him in the eye.
“Do I? I love it.” Even the word ‘love’ falling from his lips gives me a flutter in my stomach. Sigh, wishful thinking.
“I don’t know how this ended up in here being that we came here to shop for panties,” I say uncomfortably.
Dorian is still sizing up my body appreciatively and I’m starting to feel like a raw steak in front of a hungry lion. “I’m sure glad it did, though.” He takes a step forward then stops, visibly battling something in his head from the slightly perplexed look on his face. He sighs. “You shall have this. And everything else in here. As much as I want to see you try on each piece, I’m already two seconds away from taking you right here and right now.”
Dorian licks his lips, taking another eyeful before shaking his head. “Go ahead and get dressed. I’ll wait for you out here.” He leans forward and plants a tender kiss on my forehead before tearing himself from the dressing room.
When I emerge, I am nearly floored by Allison standing at the door, waiting to collect the lingerie. She gives me a phony smile before brushing past me and I am tempted to turn around and snatch the pretty blonde hair right off her head. Not out of jealousy though- for the simple fact that she blatantly disrespected me by hitting on Dorian when I was only a few feet away. And who the hell is Ms. Órexis? Another shameless admirer?
Chill out, Gabs.
I need to stop getting ahead of myself. Dorian isn’t officially mine and he didn’t introduce me as anything more than Ms. Winters. I could be his cousin for all she knows. Allison’s locks are safe for now, but if she crosses me again, I can’t make that same promise.
After shopping, Dorian stows my bags in his car and insists we walk down to one of the nearby restaurants, even though it’s drizzling. I don’t complain; he’s in such a jovial mood, there’s no way I’d risk ruining it with my superficial concerns. We stroll into a little Italian restaurant, complete with red checkered table cloths and candles propped in empty wine bottles. A little cliché but the charm is not lost on me.
“You heard what Allison said to me,” Dorian says once we’ve settled in with glasses of wine.
“I did. Not my business,” I say simply, looking at the menu. I avoid eye contact to purposely show Dorian that I am not ruffled by the encounter, though it is far from the truth. Ugh! Why does it even matter to me?
“It is. I don’t want you to feel like I’m hiding something from you. Like I said, I will always be honest. Plus, I have a proposition for you.”
“Oh?” I say with a raised eyebrow, looking up at his beautiful face. Even dressed in simple jeans and a lightweight sweater, Dorian takes my breath away. How can I not be mesmerized by him?