Page 176 of The Alpha

She shrugged. “I have no idea. I never come here.”

Kitty gasped. “You don’t? If I lived here, I’d shop here all the time.”

Pari stuck her hands in her pockets. “Not me.” Her cheeks heated. She was poor, there was no denying it. If not for the generosity of her uncles, she wasn’t sure what she’d do.

Melvale looked at the building, sighed in contentment, and took her by the hand. “Come on, everyone. Let’s go shopping!”

Pari had seen no trace of the fiercer side of Melvale so far today. Maybe that side of him was dormant for now. A good thing considering where they were at the moment. She should enjoy herself while she could. How often was she going to have a man like Melvale take her shopping?

Pari found herself smiling as they entered Macy’s and stepped into a wonderland of delectable goods surrounded by tourists, locals, and of course multiple people staring at Melvale with wide eyes. She might as well enjoy that too.

55

As usual, Melvale entered the huge department store like he owned it. Dallan sighed the minute he spotted him. “Here we go.”

Shona slapped him on the bicep. “Be nice. Let him do what he does best.”

“Dress people?” Dallan scoffed good naturedly.

“He wants to impress, Pari. Didn’t you want to impress me?”

“I was fighting for my life, if ye’ll recall,” he shot back. He came away from the counter he’d been leaning against. They were next to a display of lady’s handbags. Shona had been eyeing them since they took up their post to watch for Melvale and the others. “Are ye sure ye dinna want one, Flower?”

Her eyes lit up. “Why Dallan, are you offering to buy me something?”

“I haven’t the coin on me but yes. I can get some money from Melvale.” He gave her a hooded look. “Ye ken he probably has these same ones in that huge wardrobe department of the library.”

“Oh, but Dallan, sweetheart,” she said and ran her hands up his chest. “It’s not the same as buying one here.” She drew closer, standing on tiptoe to kiss him. “You know you want to…”

“Now lass, we had enough ofthatin the taxi.” He glanced over his shoulder as if their driver might be waiting for them. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Besides, the poor man got enough of their canoodling to last a lifetime. But it did keep his mind off the closed space he’d been in.

She walked her fingers up his chest. “Well, get me a new handbag and who knows, you might get lucky tonight.” She smiled at him and batted her eyelashes.

“What is that supposed to mean? Lucky?”

She sighed as her shoulders slumped. “You know, sometimes you take the fun out of flirting.”

“I like flirting, when I ken what yer talking about,” he said with half a scowl.

“Shona!” Kitty called. She grabbed Archer by the hand and pulled him along. When she reached them, she dropped his hand, bounced on the balls of her feet a few times then squealed, “I can’t believe we’re here!”

Archer cringed and put a finger in his ear. “Ow.”

Dallan laughed at his discomfort then eyed Melvale. The dandy stood, eyes wide, a silly smile on his face as he took in their surroundings. “Weel, let’s get this over with, shall we?”

“Dallan,” Shona snapped. “Behave.”

He sighed and looked at Archer, but he was now as mesmerized as Melvale. Great.

“Look at all this stuff,” Archer commented to no one in particular. “I haven’t the slightest idea what most of it is.”

“This,” Shona said holding up a pink handbag. “Is fashion.”

Kitty’s eyes became riveted on the bag. “Wow, that’s gorgeous!” She looked at the price tag. “Then again, maybe not.”

Shona frowned at her.

Kitty’s eyes darted to Dallan and back. He tried not to cringe.Here it comes…

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