Page 56

“Yeah?” She asked, sounding unconvinced.
“First of all, you have nearly filled upthis closet. As far as I’m concerned, that’s a good sign that youplan to stay.” I didn’t give her a chance to argue, though sheopened her mouth to. “Second, if you look as good in the rest ofthis as you look in what you’re wearing now? I’m the luckiest manon the planet.”
“Yeah?” Her mouth slanted in a reluctantsmile. “Okay. I guess I’ll believe you.”
“Did you and Sophie do anything else fun?” Iasked, waggling my eyebrows.
“No. Her arrangement is different than ourarrangement,” Charlotte said with a wry roll of her eyes.“Honestly, is sex all you think about?”
“You’re wearing what I assume are crotchlesspanties. What else am I supposed to be thinking about?” I needed tosit down. I’d done a lot more walking than I was used to sincebefore my accident. I sat on the white leather pouf near theshoes.
“She gave me a lot of tips about how to seemrich,” Charlotte went on. “For example, did you know that ifcelebrities are name-dropping a brand, like in songs or being seenin a lot of magazines with it, it’s notthatfancy? Oh, andshe said people like your family wouldn’t be into visible logos, sono Louis Vuitton luggage for me.”
“I’m not a fan of the color scheme, anyway,”I assured her.
“That’s why I got Tumi.” She gestured to apile of assorted bags I’d walked past when I’d entered.
“You thought of everything.” I noted thatthe amount of luggage was not enough to pack all of the clothing,jewelry, and shoes she’d purchased. Another good sign.
Or I was reading into things too much.
“So.” She came over and sat in my lap, herfantastic, round ass on my good leg. “I don’t get a punishment,then?”
I placed one finger on her chest, betweenher barely contained breasts, and drew a line up the center of herthroat, over her chin, to the slick, vibrant magenta gloss on herlips. “No. You have most thoroughly pleased your dragon.”
She gave me a slow smile. “I got lots ofnasty underwear, in case you’re wondering. This isn’t all of it.And I’ll be wearing it this weekend, under my very appropriateclothing.”
I groaned in anticipation of the torturethat would inflict on me. “I’ve thought of approximately six placesI want to fucking rail you in my childhood home.”
Her nose scrunched up. “That’sdisgusting.”
“That’s honesty.” I gave the small of herback a little pat. “Come on. I need something to eat before I giveyou your reward.”
“Yeah, I’m starving, to be honest.” Shehopped to her feet and offered me her hand. “I didn’t
know how to get food here. Like, if I couldorder in and have them bring it up or what. And… I don’t know wherethe kitchen is.”
“Great. I’ve been negligent in my dutiescaring for and feeding you.” By now, my chef would have gone home.“I hope you haven’t been starving.”
I hoped that because I wasn’t sure what wasin the refrigerator, and I was not much of a cook.
“I got McDonald’s on my way back fromshopping. The driver you hired thought I was kidding.” Her cheeksflushed. “Let me put on some clothes—”
“Don’t you dare.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Is that an order, mydragon?”
I gave it a moment of thought. “Yes. I thinkit is.”
“What if I get cold?” she countered.
“Then… It’s a good thing you have a dragonto keep you warm. Are you cold right now?” I asked. When she shookher head, I gestured to the door. “Then let’s go.”
As we walked to the elevator, I explained,“The private kitchen is on the first floor. There’s a cateringkitchen on the second floor, because that’s where the ballroom andformal dining room are.”
“I tried to retrace my steps from breakfastthis morning,” she explained as we rode down. “I went into thatdining room and through the door, but it went to storage. And I wasafraid to go any farther.”
“Because you might fall out?” I joked.