Page 41 of Theirs to Corrupt

“Amelia. Always a pleasure.” Wanting any doubts Tessa is feeling to vanish, I gently place my fingertips at the base of her spine. “This is Tessa. My future bride.”

Her breath catches.

“Congratulations!” Amelia’s happiness for us is real. “You must be delighted.”

When Tessa doesn’t respond, I answer for both of us. “We are.”

She continues to remain quiet. At least she hasn’t contradicted me. I’ll take that win.

“We’re eloping,” I explain to Amelia. “So she needs a wardrobe for Las Vegas. Anything you can think of. Skirts. Slacks. Leisure outfits. Handbag. Shoes.”

Tessa’s eyes widen, and she turns to me. “We agreed to a few essentials,” she protests, her voice low but firm.

“It’s nothing more,” I insist, keeping my tone light. “And as Pax said, time is of the essence. We don’t have time to go shopping anywhere else.”

Amelia, ever the professional, pretends not to notice the tension. “We’ll get started with some basics, shall we? Link, you’re welcome to make yourself comfortable. Tessa, may I offer you a glass of champagne while we browse?”

“Thanks. But no.” She’s polite, but her shoulders are held back tight.

Instead of taking a seat, I walk over to one of the nearby racks and select a sleek black dress that will stretch to hug her the way I’d like to. Perfect for dinner in Vegas. “This is a good start,” I suggest, holding it up.

“Excellent choice,” Amelia says as she takes the hanger from me and then gives it to an employee with an instruction to get a fitting room started for Tessa.

My future bride tips her head to one side. “Don’t you have somewhere else to be?”

“Not at all. As you heard, my schedule has been cleared for the afternoon.” When she clenches her jaw, I grin. “I’m at your disposal.”

“I think we can manage this without you.”

Instead of arguing, I smile and take a page out of Pax’s playbook. “Mmm,” I respond noncommittally.

“Let’s begin over here,” Amelia says, directing Tessa’s attention toward the back of the store.

I select an emerald-green silk blouse that I think will suit her, and I give that to the clerk, along with a couple of skirts.

A full twenty minutes later, Amelia whisks Tessa to her fitting room. I settle into one of the leather armchairs near a raised dais surrounded by mirrors where she can model the items.

“I’d like to see everything,” I call out, steepling my fingers as I lean back to wait.

Maybe it’s only my imagination, but I think I hear her stamp her foot from behind the closed door. I grin.

A few minutes later, she emerges in a sundress that leaves her arms and shoulders bare and ends just above her ankles. “Beautiful,” I approve.

“I don’t know.” She wrinkles her nose as she studies herself from every angle. “We don’t have a lot of summer left.”

I shrug. “You will be glad you have it in the Las Vegas heat. And we’ll have plenty of warm weather for you to wear it again.”

“But…”

I wait.

“Surely I won’t be going out all that often.”

“Not even for coffee?”

She blinks, as if she hasn’t considered all the potential changes to her life going forward.

“I usually wear leggings when I run errands.”

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