Page 158 of Branded
Her lips parted, and fuck if I didn’t want to kiss the lipstick off, to see the pale pink they’d been without it that morning. My lips. Only for my eyes. A shield for the rest of the world.
But not a shield for me.
Fuck. I was so totally fucked.
I pressed on anyway. “Heard you tell Pru about the clothes. Haven’t seen you in much besides that sexy schoolmarm shit you normally wear.”
“Sexy sch-sch—school—” She shook her head. “What?” she breathed.
“You need clothes?”
Her lips pressed flat then released. “Yes,” she whispered.
I pushed her door closed, snagged the keys from her hand, and bleeped the locks. “So, we’re going shopping.”
“But—”
I took her elbow, led her to my car, and took advantage of her discombobulation to tuck her in the passenger’s side seat, ignoring the growing feeling inside me, ignoring that it was pleased she didn’t fight me, that I’d decided I was going to look after her.
A push had the door shut.
Then I was rounding the hood.
I happened to glance up, saw Smitty sitting in his car, giant shit-eating grin on his dumb face.
It said, “Gotcha.”
It said I was fucked.
I still got into the driver’s side and turned on the engine.
And then I took Beth shopping.
Twelve
Beth
He had bags lining both arms like oversized bracelets.
And I was standing outside a store that looked really freaking awesome, teeth pressing into my bottom lip, wanting to go in, but not wanting to take advantage of the fact that I’d dragged Raph into a half-dozen stores already and had bought enough clothes to make it clear Pru didn’t need to take me shopping for the next half-century, at least.
“Beth.”
I didn’t need those shoes, even if they were flats and had that adorable eyelet detail.
I turned away, started walking. “We should go. It’s getting late.”
It was early afternoon. I’d spent enough money, and even though he’d been exceptionally patient—not complaining once—I’d dragged him along enough places.
“Beth.”
Time to go before I wore out my welcome.
Sparkly sandals with a pointed toe and heel.
Oh, Lord. Those were beautiful.
My feet skittered.
