Page 11 of Snow’s Charming (Hope Runs Deep #7)

Shop Till You Drop

I slid into the buttery leather seats. It was soft and cool against my skin, and then a twinge of guilt washed over me.

I’m a shifter now. Should I worry about animals?

What if I was unknowingly sitting on a former shifter?

Thoughts of going vegan shot through me as quickly as the bile in my stomach was churning.

“Don’t worry, it’s vegan leather. I mean, I’ve never met a cow shifter, but I suppose that could be a thing, and that’s why we’ve gone vegan with a lot of things. We still eat meat, but our vendors are responsibly sourced.”

“That’s good to hear. I was wondering if I should eat only leafy greens for the rest of my natural life now that I discovered I’m a shifter. It’d be weird sitting on a brother or sister of mine.”

Sylus gave me a nod.

“So, what are we looking for first on our shopping excursion? Please say bras and panties.” He waggled his eyebrows and gave me a goofy grin.

“Well, I need them, since I only have a couple of sets.”

“Great, Samantha’s Secret it is!”

“Oh, Sylus, they are so expensive! We should go to a department store for that. I’m sure this mall will have an RM Murphy—right?”

“Sesi, when I said you deserve to be treated like the princess you are, I meant it.” He said, squeezing my hand and bringing it to his lips.

“I may not have ever worn one, but from what the girls say in the pack? Those things aren’t the most comfortable to wear unless you have a well-fitted one. I want my Luna comfortable.”

“I guess I can’t win this argument—can I?”

“No, you can’t.”

His grin was so cocky. All I could think about was kissing the smile right off his face.

The kiss he gave me after discovering I was under the spell of that poisonous apple took my breath away.

No one had ever kissed me like that before.

It was amazing, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it—about him.

“And we are here.” He said as he put the car in park and clicked it off. I reached for the door handle, and he palmed my forearm. “Let me open the door for you.”

I smiled brightly. No one but my father treated me like a princess by pulling out a chair or opening the car door. For some girls, gestures like these may be outdated, but I liked this side of Sylus .

“Okay.”

He jumped out of the SUV and ran to the other side to help me out of the car. My arm instinctively wrapped around his forearm as I stepped onto the asphalt.

“Next stop, Samantha’s Secret! Please promise you’ll model them for me?” He asked as his eyebrows waggled up and down.

“Oh, my God!” I giggled as I playfully slapped his shoulder. “Don’t be such a perv!”

“Admit it, you like me and my sense of humor. I have a sixth sense about such things.”

“Right.”

We were in the store before I knew it. Thankfully, they were having a sale on panties.

You could get seven of them for $35. But I was sure I wouldn’t be so lucky with the bras.

The Invisible Bra made for tee shirts and the Awesome Bra were my go-to bras, and those always ran around $40 to $55 regularly.

As soon as we entered the store, Sylus walked over to the first bra set displayed. “These are nice,” Sylus brandished a satin black thong between his thumbs and index fingers. “I like the bra that goes with it, too.”

I clamped my hand around the pair. My cheeks were on fire as I placed the panties back.

“Leave it to you to pick a matching pair that won’t cover any of the important parts.”

He leaned over the shell of my ear. Goosebumps pricked my neck as his hot breath and deep voice hit me all at once .

“It’s a shame to cover a perfect behind like yours, love.” He walked over to the panty display, opened a drawer, and pulled out a turquoise pair with see-through lace. “These are nice, too.”

“You are impossible,” I said as I shoved a couple of neutral colors in a neighboring drawer into my shopping bag.

We headed to the bras next, and Sylus pointed out black and turquoise-colored bras, too. Suddenly, a thought hit me.

“Did you peek in the bag that Jerry gave me?”

“Why would you ask that?”

“Because you keep pointing out the same two colors, and those just are—” My throat suddenly went bone dry.

Sylus raised his palms.

“I mean nothing by it, but? They are my favorite colors.”

“I see,” I said as I reached for a pushup demi bra in an aqua sea color and a black Invisible Bra. “Would you mind if I tried these on?”

He gave me a wide smile.

“Knock your socks off, babe.” He said as he headed to the pajama sets.

I tried on the bras, and they fit as perfectly as I imagined.

I always hated how expensive these bras were, but they were made well and lasted forever.

Typically, a bra has a life expectancy of only six months.

The cheap ones wore out even quicker than that.

If you buy them off HaloHanger, you’re lucky if the stitching lasts a run through the wash—let alone a season of washes.

As I came out of the dressing room, Sylus greeted me and placed panties that matched the black and turquoise colored bras I’d tried on into the bag along with two adorable satin short pajama sets in hot pink and plum.

I pulled them out to check on the sizes, and sure enough, they were my size.

He also placed two bras in a nude color into the bag.

I couldn’t help but notice they were the same style and size as the ones I’d just tried on.

“Are you a mind reader or something? How did you figure out my sizes?”

“I asked Josie.” He said with a shrug.

“I didn’t realize you knew her.”

“I may have had a hand in who your stepmother hired when your dad got sick,” Sylus said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

My eyebrows shot up over my forehead.

“I wondered why they were so nice. They didn’t seem like Jackie’s typical hire. Her friends and the boys she forced me to date over the years were far from nice.”

My heart raced as the memory of the rape came to the forefront of my mind. I placed a palm on my chest to tamp down the pounding rushing through my ribcage. Sylus palmed my shoulders and pinned my eyes to his gaze.

“When you are ready to talk about whatever this is that makes you uncomfortable, I’m here to listen. But until then, let’s practice a breathing exercise. In. Out.”

My cheeks burned in protest. How could he know what was happening to me? And did I really want to show this vulnerable side of me to him?

“In, out, babe.”

I wanted to protest, but I did what I was told because one, it was in my best interest not to have a meltdown in the middle of Samantha’s Secret, and two, I so did not want to have a meltdown in the middle of Samantha’s Secret.

Yeah, maybe I’m repeating myself, but did I mention I didn’t want a meltdown in the middle of the Samantha’s Secret store?

He reached for both my hands, and the minute mine contacted his, my breathing calmed. This guy had such an effect on me. It was mind-blowing and scary all at the same time.

“Good girl. Now let’s get to the checkout with these.” I followed him to the registers, and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder while we waited our turn.

Once we were at the register, the sales associate who had helped me into a dressing room smiled at us.

“Will this be going on your SSM account?”

“No, I’ll be paying with this,” Sylus said as he plopped a black card onto the countertop.

I bit back a gasp. I knew the limit of those cards—Dad had one.

It was more than I’d ever made in four years of working full time at the local coffee shop.

And then I nearly gasped again when the damage came to almost $500.

I never spent that much on myself—ever! And he was doing it for me. I couldn’t believe it. I just couldn’t.

Once we were out of the store, I’d finally found my voice. “You didn’t have to spend that much on me. That’s a lot of money.”

He wrapped one arm around my shoulder and kissed my temple as his other was carrying the large bag of purchases.

“You’re worth it, baby, because you are priceless. Now, where do you want to go next?”

“Can we go to America’s Casual Shop and then go somewhere that sells sneakers?”

“Of course, babe. Anything for you.”

After we dropped another $500 on jeans, sweats, graphic tees, and a miniskirt that Sylus insisted on, we found ourselves at the food court.

“Do you want to stop for a bite, or would you rather go home and I can fix us something?”

I asked him, hoping he’d let me make him something. It was the least I could do to thank him for everything he bought me.

“Do you like Italian food?” He asked as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and kissed my temple.

“Who doesn’t?”

“Great! I’m taking you to Luna Bella. Please wear the mini. Pretty please?”

My eyes widened as my brows shot up over my forehead .

“Sylus—that place is way too expensive! I can’t ask you to do that for me.

You’ve already spent so much. Please let me make you something at home.

If you want Italian, I can make a lasagna.

Do you prefer the classic red sauce with ground beef and sausage?

Or? Would you rather have a mushroom one with white sauce?

I swear, shiitake mushrooms are the best for a mushroom lasagna!

Normally it’s made with portabella, but I think the shiitake gives it a meatier flavor. ”

“Wow! You seem to know your way around the kitchen!”

“It’s been a passion of mine for a long time. I enjoy cooking for others. I haven’t had that chance since my father died.”

He stopped walking and cupped both of my cheeks.

“No one is as sorry as I am that your dad is gone. He was such a great man whom I looked up to. And I know how doting he was with you. You were the apple of his eye. Princess, I would like nothing more than to take you out tonight to spoil you because I know you haven’t had that since your dad got sick.

But if making us dinner would make you happy, we can do that on one condition. ”

I smiled widely as his gaze brightened with each word.