Chapter 14
SAMANTHA
“What are we doing here?”
I look around the store and see the people staring at Elijah. I’m sure they’re all wondering what he’s doing in here with me.
“We’re shopping,” he says, as if this is something we do every day.
I whisper to him, “I know the concept, but I mean, what are we doing here, Eli? People are staring.”
With that, he raises his head and looks around the store. And sure enough, every woman in the boutique has their eyes on him.
He ignores them and looks at me. “I’m getting you some pregnancy clothes, and we should probably get some things for the baby.”
I stop dead in my tracks. “You are not buying me clothes. And I’m not buying anything for the baby, not yet.”
He just smiles at me. “You look pretty in blue. I mean, you look pretty in everything you wear, but I’m thinking something blue. What do you think?”
He pulls up a pair of maternity jeans. “What size do you need?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Can we talk, please?”
With clothes in each hand, he nods. “Yes, talk.”
I lift my chin because I refuse to be embarrassed about this. There’s no shame in my situation. “I plan on buying some things when I get my first paycheck.”
“Why wait? I want to get them for you now.”
I fist my hands at my sides and shake my head. “Eli, I can’t do this. I can’t. I’ve already let you give me a job—”
He cuts me off. “I need you.”
“And the company car,” I continue.
He shrugs. “It’s just a car, Sassy.”
I cross my arms over my chest, feeling vulnerable. “And now you want to buy me clothes?” I look down at myself. “What is it? Do I embarrass you?”
He tosses the clothes back on the rod, grabs my hand, and then walks with me out of the boutique.
He pulls me around the side of the building and glares down at me.
“Don’t say that to me, Sassy. You know me better than probably anyone, and you know that I’m not embarrassed by you or your clothes or anything else. ”
I glare up at him. “Then what is it? Why are you insisting on getting me clothes?”
I woke up this morning to breakfast. Somehow, almost miraculously, I had my toiletry bag and a change of clothes at Elijah’s house, and he insisted he needed my help shopping today. He failed to mention what we were shopping for.
He puts a hand at my waist. “Because last night when I undid your pants, I saw the mark they left on your skin. I asked Kane to bring over some maternity clothes, and after I explained to him what that was, he said you didn’t have any.”
I can feel heat rush to my cheeks. “Like I said, I was going to buy some after I got a few paychecks. I’ve been buying necessities for the baby and—”
He leans down, and I can feel his breath on my cheek. “Can I kiss you, Sassy?”
I look around. “You want our first kiss to be in an alley behind the boutique?”
He plays with my hair, twirling it around his fingers. “Technically, it’s our second kiss.”
“You can kiss me, but I’m not going to let you buy me clothes.”
He doesn’t hesitate. His lips touch mine, and I’m a goner. Kissing Elijah Wolfe is both intense and unreal. He tilts my head to the side and wraps his hand around my neck. He deepens the kiss, and when his tongue slides against mine, I gasp at the feeling.
The moan escapes me before I can stop it, and Eli pulls away, smiling.
He rests his forehead against mine. “Listen, honey. I’m not buying you clothes because I think you can take care of yourself.”
I smirk. “It sure feels like it.”
“I’m buying them because when I see those red marks on your body, I feel like I failed at something I didn’t even know I was responsible for yet.”
“That’s not—” I start.
But he doesn’t let me finish. He intervenes. “I know, but that’s how it feels, Sassy.” His hands go to my waist. “You’re carrying a baby. You’re doing the hard work. Let me just try to make it a little easier for you.”
I feel like I’m losing control again, and I don’t like it. “This doesn’t mean anything.”
He holds his hands up. “I know. No expectations. No promises.”
I sigh. “If we go back in there, people are going to talk, Elijah.”
He opens his mouth, but it’s my turn to stop him. “And I know that you don’t care what people think, but you should care on this. People are going to make assumptions about us…”
He smiles big and wide, and I shake my head because I know I’m losing this fight. I stop and shrug. “One pair of pants.”
He knows he won, and he shrugs. “And something blue.”
I can’t help it; I laugh. “Maybe.”
He leans back and holds his hand out. “As much as I want to keep making out, let’s go try on some clothes.”
I groan. “Ugh, don’t act like it’s something fun because it’s not.”
“It’s okay. I’m here, and I’m going to make it fun.”
I look at him doubtfully. “I guess we’ll see.”
I put my hand in his, and we hold hands as we walk back toward the boutique.
A salesgirl walks up to us. “Hello. Welcome back. I’m Milly. Can I help you find anything?”
I rub my now sweaty palm down my pant leg. “Maternity jeans, please?”
She leads us through the store and stops next to the jeans. “You looking for wide leg, skinny, boot cut, or straight leg?”
I lift my shoulders. “Uh, boot cut?”
I say it more as a question than an answer, which is ridiculous. It’s not like this is my first pair of jeans.
She eyes my waist. “Uh, let’s see.” She pulls a few pairs from the stack. “I think these will be perfect for you. I’m going to get you a dressing room started.”
I am about to follow her. “That’s all I need. I’ll just go with you.”
The three of us go to the back, and she points at a couch for Elijah to sit on and then leads me to the dressing room.
“Are you sure I can’t get you any tops? We got the cutest shipment in this week, and you’re in luck because we are just about to put them out.”
I look at Elijah, and he’s bobbing his head up and down. He’s trying to respect my wishes. I nod. “Maybe one… a blue one if you have it.”
I point at the dressing room. “I’m going to be right in here. I’ll be fast.”
Eli picks up his phone. “Take your time. I’m in no rush.”
I try on a few jeans when Milly knocks on my door. I open it, and instantly, she gushes over the jeans I have on. “Oh, my. Those look perfect on you.”
She walks into the dressing room and hangs some of the shirts on the rack. “You know, we have those in black, and they’re perfect for work. Can I grab a few of those?”
I want to say yes but not after the big stink I made out in the alley. “Uh, I don’t think so.”
“How’s it going?” Eli asks in the doorway.
Milly pushes the door open wider. “Look at those pants on her. They’re perfect, aren’t they?”
Eli’s gaze travels down my body, and the heat in his eyes tells me he likes the way they look. He nods. “They are perfect.”
Milly smiles. “I was just telling her that we have different colors, and we have a black pair that would be perfect for work but—”
Eli can’t help himself. “We’ll take them.” He looks at me. “I mean, if you want them, you should have them, and honey, those pants look like they were made for you.”
I give him a stern look, and he asks Milly to give us a minute.
As soon as she leaves, he shuts us in the dressing room. I wave my hand at the closed door. “Now this, they are really going to talk about this.”
He grabs me by the arms and gently turns me around. I’m watching him in the mirror, and he stares down at my ass. “These jeans look good on you, Sassy.” He lifts my shirt up and exposes the loose pouch around my body. He lets out a breath of relief. “These have to feel better.”
Reluctantly, I agree. “Yeah, they feel good.”
He nods and pulls my back against his chest. He leans down and kisses my neck and whispers, “That’s all I want. I want you to feel good.”
His manhood presses against my back, and I lean into him. “I can’t let you spend more money on me.”
He kisses my neck up to my ear. “I want to. And think of this as doing something for me. I like seeing you comfortable.” His hand slides down, and he squeezes my ass in his hands. “You’re hot in these jeans, Sassy.”
My head falls back, and then his other hand comes up to squeeze my breast. I moan loudly, and I don’t realize how loud until I hear a giggle on the other side of the door.
My head comes up, and my cheeks flame.
Eli turns me quickly to face him. “I’m buying the clothes. All the clothes.”
I don’t want to argue with him. “I’ll pay you back.”
He leans down and kisses me and then pulls back. “I’ll let Milly know we’re going to get a few more things.”