Page 19 of Snow's Charming
“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 thestitching 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 toalmost $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.”
