Page 83 of The Toy Maker

My brows shot up. “Excuse me?” I sputtered.

“That means skirts, loose tops, lingerie, or no underwear at all.”

Part of me wanted to fight for the use of my sweatpants, while the other was intrigued.

“So, we’re here to buy clothes?”

He nodded, peering at me over his shoulder. “Yes.”

“Hate to break it to you, but my salary doesn’t exactly cover sexy merchandise.”

Jason rolled his eyes, the hint of a smile teasing his lips. “I’ll take care of it.”

“What if I need a new robe?”

“Don’t push it.”

He navigated his way to the aisles until we arrived in the lingerie section; he seemed to know exactly where he was going.

Before I could process it, bras were being tossed my way. Lingerie piled into my arms, each piece skimpier than the last. The Cherry uniforms were modest compared to this.

I tried not to pass out at the price tags.

Once he was satisfied, I shoved the pile into his arms and grabbed a burgundy corset.

“I’ve been dressing myself since I was five,” I said, making my way toward the changing rooms.

He raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. As we passed through the different clothing sections, a pair of fluffy pink pajama pants caught my eye. I made a mental note to definitely come back for them after I finished playing dress-up.

But when I reached the changing rooms, I turned, and there they were, dangling from Jason’s fingers.

My heart stuttered.

“For me?” I asked, trying to keep my voice casual.

Jason laughed lightly. “They’re not really my shade.”

I blushed, warmth curling in my stomach.

For a second, I wanted to drag him into the dressing room with me.

But before I could act on that reckless thought, the attendant emerged from the back. Her hair was platinum blonde, and she had long lashes and curves in all the right places.

Her gaze flicked between us, lingering on Jason’s firm chest.

I cleared my throat, hoping to snap her out of whatever fantasy she was having, and handed her my items. She barely glanced at me before waving me in. But the second Jason moved to follow, she perked up.

“Sorry,” she said sweetly, touching her hair. “No men allowed in the dressing rooms.”

Jason didn’t look remotely bothered. “I’ll wait here then.”

I glanced between the two of them and wondered if I could strangle her with a bra strap before Jason could pull me away.

I tried to remind myself that I had no real claim to him. That he wasn’t mine. But spending so much time with the girls, soaking in their unchecked, raw emotions, wasn’t helping me be a rational human being.

I huffed and slipped down the hall.

The dressing rooms were empty, probably because no sane person willingly dragged themselves to the mall this early in the morning.