Page 13 of Where We Fall

"I do. You look beautiful, Lexi," I tell her.

Her cheeks blush, and I try not to smile. Clearly, she isn't used to hearing those words. She would hear them every damn day if she dressed like this.

"I agree. This dress isthedress," Trudy chimes in.

Lexi smiles. "Okay. Well, that was easy."

"Now we need to find you some regular clothes. Marcus has instructed me to find business clothes, casual clothes like jeans, and laid-back workout attire."

"Are you sure about that?" Lexi looks to me.

I shrug. "You never know what we will be thrown into this weekend. It's best to be prepared. I'm gonna step out and make a few calls. You ladies enjoy yourselves."

I walk out of the room and make my way toward the doors to the parking lot. I need a breath of fresh air. This day is not going how I had planned, and it's throwing me a bit. Finding out my employee has a killer body that can make my dick react was nowhere on my agenda.

"It's fine," I tell myself.

I'm around pretty women all the time and can contain myself. This is no different. There isnothingdifferent about Lexi.

Chapter Five

Lexi

Lexi

Thisfeelsweird—soweird!

Finding a dress was easier than I thought. Sure, it was different to feel so exposed, but then Marcus looked at me like hetrulyappreciated what he saw. He even called me beautiful.

I never would've thought I could garner a reaction like that from a man like him. It made me feel slightly empowered. Even now as we walk from his car to the salon, I'm in a new set of slacks and a silk, cream shirt. Trudy practically forced me to wear it out of the store.

The rest of the clothes will be delivered to my place tomorrow.

Marcus is walking behind me but is oddly quiet.

"I was thinking about work and the new…" I turn around and see him trailing his eyes from my ass to my face. "Were you just looking at my ass?"

I can't see his full reaction behind his sunglasses.

"No!" he says a little too defensively.

I smile at him, and he matches it with his own shit-eating smirk.

"Just get in the damn salon, Lexi."

He holds the door open for me. My fun and playful mood vanishes, instantly feeling insecure. All the women who work there have perfect hair and makeup, making me feel like an ugly stray dog.

I stop in my tracks as my stomach starts to do flip-flops. I'm more nervous about this than I was about trying on clothes. That part suddenly seems easy.

Then I feel a warm, comforting hand on my back. "You're not climbing back into your shell now, are you?" Marcus whispers in my ear.

"I've never felt comfortable in salons," I admit to him.

Why did I just say that?

It makes me look so pathetic in front of someone like him. Someone who has probably never felt ugly or inadequate.

"Whatever words you're speaking to yourself right now," he continues. "They aren't true. Come on, this is supposed to be fun."

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