Page 31 of Gentle Fox

My hands had a mind of their own and rushed to cover my boobs even though they weren't exposed. The dress had thick straps and a V-neck in both the front and the back. I should've been more worried about the swell of my ass considering the zipper started there.

"You need help with your dress and I happen to be available."

His fingers barely grazed my ass as he pulled the fabric away from my body enough to tug at the zipper. But it was just theright amount to send shivers up my spine and to give him a nice view of my granny panties. They were the only kind Dennis didn't get his fingers on.

The zipper was no match for Owen, and before I knew it, the dress hugged me perfectly. However, I couldn't focus on the way it looked. Not when Owen's hands were resting on my shoulders and his gaze was holding mine captive in the mirror in front of me.

"Valerie was right. This dress looks amazing on you."

I didn't know what to say. My mouth felt like a million cotton balls were stuffed inside it, soaking up all the saliva.

"Get it and whatever else Valerie picks for you. Then we can go home for the night."

Owen unzipped the dress and stepped back through the curtain before I could say anything in return.

Home.

His place was starting to feel like that, and I wasn't sure what that said about me.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Owen

Annalee remained silent while Valerie rung up her total. She didn't bother to try a single thing on and Valerie insisted if there was something she didn't like, all she had to do was bring it back.

Something told me Annalee would be keeping every piece. I could see her eyes light up with each article of clothing as it hit the counter but not once did she say anything. She let her facial expression do all the talking and Valerie looked pleased. I had a strong feeling the two of them would be fast friends.

Now we were home. I was busy grilling chicken outside on the patio and Annalee was inside putting together a salad. The entire situation felt completely domesticated and not once did it bother me. I was about to shake things up though.

I could see while we were at the bookstore something was bothering Annalee. She tried to cover it up but I couldn't forget the look on her face. I just needed to find a way to ease into the conversation without putting her on the defensive. There were still a few more days until she could move out and it was better if the time wasn't spent with things tense between us.

"Are we eating inside or out?"

The question startled me. I somehow missed the opening of the sliding glass door and I wasn't prepared for Annalee to talk so soon. Not after being quiet for so long.

"Out here is fine."

If I thought there would be further conversation, I was wrong. The glass door shutting in my face might as well have been a bomb going off. I didn't know what I did to deserve her ire but I was going to find out.

I had the chicken plated and on the outdoor patio table when Annalee brought the salad bowls out. I was no gourmet chef but I thought I knew what salad looked like. It turned out I was wrong. The carrots were shaved into thin strips and curled. Almonds, raisins, and chickpeas were scattered among the bed of spinach leaves and there were even thinly sliced radishes. The ingredients definitely came from my kitchen but were never used together in a salad.

"This looks delicious."

Annalee merely smiled but she was back to giving me the silent treatment. I wanted to ask her what was wrong but figured it could wait until after we managed to eat. No sense in destroying her appetite.

The salad tasted as good as it looked. Whatever dressing she used, I needed to add it to my grocery list weekly. I was constantly trying new ones but never found one that made salad taste delicious enough to want to eat on a regular basis. I was a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy. Rabbit food didn't do it for me but I would consider changing my mind for this dressing.

I was about to tell her as much when Annalee finally spoke up. "I think I made a mistake." The words were barely more than a whisper and were said with her eyes cast down as she moved the food around her bowl with a fork.

"What do you mean?" A million different scenarios raced through my mind at once. She hadn't worked long enough with our company to screw anything up there, and besides cuddling me in her sleep, it wasn't like we had done anything.

"I chose Willow Creek on a whim because of my father's letter but what happens in a few months when I get bored and need a different job to keep me interested? Willow Creek isn't exactly a bustling city with a ton of opportunities."

I let out the breath I didn't even realize I was holding. "Is that why you got all weird at the bookstore?" I had seen the transformation but couldn't put my finger on it. Now it made sense. She was worried about her future and rightfully so. Willow Creek was nothing like Baton Rouge and wouldn't offer her the adventures she was used to.

"Yeah. It suddenly hit me. I applied for the receptionist position because it was the only thing listed on the job openings page. It's not that I don't appreciate the opportunity but do I really want to sit behind a computer every day for the rest of my life?"

Annalee didn't have to answer that question for me to know how she would respond.

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