Page 74 of Risky Obsession

He released a lovely laugh. “You’re not going to find a gala ball outfit in an op shop.”

“Ahh, challenge accepted.”

“In that case, I’m looking forward to this.” His beaming smile grew bigger, and my stupid heart fluttered.

Holy smokes, can he get any more handsome?

I couldn’t stop the grin on my face, and I allowed myself a few lovely minutes with Kane, pretending we were just a couple of friends out for a stroll. The reality of my situation was getting harder by the minute.

I pointed across a cobblestone road to a shop with mannequins wearing dresses in the window. A hand-painted sign hung above the door: Fräulein’s Frocks.

Kane opened the door for me and inside, the air was thick with the scent of lavender and mothballs.

“It’s pre-loved clothing,” I said.

“I can smell that.”

Clothes were crammed onto all the racks, and the farther I progressed into the store, the more my claustrophobia reared its ugly head.

“Back here.” Kane waved at me over the top of the racks.

Sucking in a lungful of musty air, I squeezed between two overloaded racks and entered a small, contained room. “What have you found?”

He swept his hand to the rows of dresses lining the three walls of the windowless room. Dresses in every color, style, and length filled the racks. Satins and sparkles dominated the theme.

I scanned the price tag of one dress. One hundred euro.

“Jeez, if that price is for secondhand, I’d hate to see the price for brand new.”

“Forget the price,” he said. “The question is if anything is suitable.”

I tugged a full-length satin dress from the rack. It was a fire engine red, with puffed sleeves and a decorative patch of rhinestones on one hip. It wouldn’t win any best-dressed awards.

Scrunching my nose, I held it to my body.

Kane’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Dare you to try it on.”

“You have no idea who you are challenging.” I hooked the dress over my arm. “Find me five more.”

With a devious smirk, he turned back to the dress rack. “What about this one?” He held up a green satin dress that shimmered beneath the fluorescent lights. There was enough fabric to make a parachute.

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t even think about it.”

Laughing, he put the dress back. While I searched for dresses that were at least decent, Kane was doing his best for the opposite.

“Ha. This is the one.” He held up a dress that looked like it should be a costume in the Bridgerton movie. It was pale pink, had a massive skirt and puffy sleeves, and was dotted with diamantes and lace. It was like the dressmaker was on a challenge to use up all her leftover items.

“Oh, that’s beautiful,” I said, trying to keep the grin off my face.

Kane’s jaw dropped.

I burst out laughing and then gasped at the pain in my ribs.

“You need to try it on now,” he said.

I rolled my eyes. “Fine. Give me that.” I snatched the dress off him and headed toward the changing room.

“You need to show me them on,” he called to my back.