Chapter Twenty Isla
W hen Quinn said he was taking me shopping, I imagined we would go to the mall, which for someone like Quinn I had to imagine would be a form of torture. What I didn’t imagine was us turning onto Newbury Street with its elite, high-end stores. Growing up when we came into Boston, my family could barely afford to drive down the street least of all shop on it.
With a gaping mouth, I turned to face Quinn. “You can’t be serious.”
His dark brows furrowed. “What’s wrong with shopping here?”
“Maybe because it’s about three times outside my budget,” I protested.
“Don’t worry about that. It’s my treat.”
“Oh no, it isn’t!”
Quinn huffed out a frustrated breath. “Isla, you’re attending this gala as my guest, so you’re doing me a favor. Therefore, it shouldn’t be a big deal for me to buy you a dress.”
When I opened my mouth to argue again, he shook his head. “Let me do this.” Staring intently into my eyes, he added, “Please.”
“Well, you just had to go and use please, didn’t you?” At his grin, I sighed. “Fine. And just for you being cheeky about it, I’m going to get the most expensive one I can find.”
“Cheeky?”
“I’m picking up all these phrases from this Irish guy I know,” I teasingly replied.
“I can assure you I wasn’t being cheeky.”
“We’ll have to agree to disagree.”
The driver pulled the SUV in front of a store with a gold and white awning. “Thanks, Mikey. You can circle the block if you need to, and I’ll call when we’re finished,” Quinn instructed.
“Yes, sir.”
Before I could open my passenger door, Shane, Quinn’s bodyguard, opened it for me. He held out a hand to help me down. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Ms. Vaughn.”
“You don’t have to be so formal. You can call me Isla.”
“My apologies, but I’ll only call you that if Mr. Kavanaugh instructs me to do so.”
As I turned around to face Quinn getting out of the car, I said, “Tell him he can call me Isla.”
Quinn shook his head. “He will remain formal with you.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s how it should be.”
“Does Caterina still get called Mrs. Kavanaugh by her bodyguard?”
“Yes, she does. And that’s even after she held him at gunpoint once.”
I widened my eyes. “She did what?”
“It’s a story for another time. Come on.”
I wanted to protest that there would never be an appropriate time to hear about Caterina wielding a gun on her bodyguard, but I decided to keep my mouth shut instead.
As we started in the door, I froze. “What’s wrong?”
“I have a feeling when the salespeople get a look at me, I’m going to have a Pretty Woman experience.”
“A what?”
My brows popped wide. “Don’t tell me you’ve never seen Pretty Woman ?” At his continued blank expression, I replied, “Well, we’ll have to remedy that right away.”
“Let me guess. It’s some chick movie with romance and shit.”
I laughed. “That pretty much sums it up.”
He winced. “I’d rather be tortured.”
“Then I look forward to cracking the whip,” I teased.
Quinn’s blue eyes turned dark. “Don’t tell me Miss Sunshine goes in for anything S&M?”
“Maybe a little.” Tilting my head up at him, I replied, “Spankings can be nice.”
As his jaw flexed, he made a pained noise. “We can’t be having this conversation now.”
I laughed. “Okay, we’ll bench it for another time.”
“Yes, we will.”
The moment we brushed inside the door, my stomach clenched. Although I wouldn’t have pegged him for someone to be at ease in a women’s clothing store, Quinn marched determinedly up the waiting saleslady. If she was uneasy with his imposing figure, she hid it well. “Mr. Kavanaugh?” she questioned.
He extended his hand. “You must be Laura.”
To my surprise, she gave him a warm smile. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
“And the same to you.”
“Your sister-in-law is one of our best and most beautiful customers.”
Quinn returned her smile. “Her transformation since coming to the city is evidence of your talent.”
I fought the urge to crane my neck to stare at him and his apparent personality transplant. I'd rarely heard him say so many words at one time to anyone outside of his family, least of all a stranger.
Laura’s gaze flicked from Quinn’s over to me. Inwardly, I cringed as she apprised me. “This is Isla,” Quinn introduced.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I said, extending my hand.
“Likewise. I hear you’re attending a gala tonight, and you need an evening dress.”
“Yes, that’s?—”
Quinn interrupted me by shaking his head. “While we do need an evening dress, Ms. Vaughn will be needing a few things to add to her wardrobe for events. Some cocktail dresses. A few pantsuits.” As he turned his attention to me, the corners of his lips quirked. “Some lingerie.”
If looks could have killed, Quinn would’ve been writhing on the floor. Since I didn’t want to embarrass myself in front of Laura, I forced a smile to my face. “Now, darling, are you sure all of that is necessary?” I bit out with false sweetness.
Quinn had the audacity to chuckle at me. “Don’t be shy now, Little Dove. We both know you’re only with me for the money, so why shouldn’t I spend it?”
At my gasp of horror, Laura smiled. “It’s all right, Ms. Vaughn. Your boyfriend informed me on the phone that you would be resistant to spending a lot of money on clothes, but for me to persevere into changing your mind.”
I pinched Quinn’s arm. “You’re in so much trouble.”
He merely smiled down at me. “Let me spoil you.”
With an indignant huff, I replied, “Fine. But I won’t like it.”
Quinn chuckled. “I think we can work with that.”
She nodded. “Let me show you to the dressing room. While you get undressed, I’ll find some things that will be divine on you.”
Reluctantly, I followed Laura to the back of the store. Glancing over my shoulder, I watched as Quinn had a seat on an expensive leather sofa. He gave me a smile, which I returned.
After I slipped into the dressing room, I started to get out of my clothes. Laura returned rather quickly with an armload of dresses. The first one she handed me was emerald green. It had intricate beading on the bodice before flowing out in fluffy waves. It was something I would imagine Cinderella wearing, except for the low neckline that showed off all my goodies.
Although it was slightly awkward having Laura inside with me, it did help when the dress needed zipping. “Breathtaking,” she said as we stared at my reflection in the mirror.
“Thank you. You have exquisite taste. This is like a princess gown.”
“And you look the part.” With a playful little nudge, she said, “Go show off to Mr. Kavanaugh.”
With a grin, I headed out of the dressing room and made my way down the little runway where Quinn sat. Since his head was buried in his phone, I cleared my throat. When he jerked his gaze to mine, the expression on his face caused my knees to go weak.
Adoration.
I’d never seen it on a man like that before. Especially not directed to me. It caused warmth to tingle from the top of my head down to my feet.
“Well?” I prompted.
“You’re a vision.”
“Really?”
“Green is one of your colors.”
“Usually it’s red.”
“I like you in green.”
“So, I should get this one and forget the rest?” I teased.
He shook his head. “I want to see you in the others.”
“You do? I mean, this isn’t boring for you?”
“Anytime I get to see you looking so beautiful could never be boring.”
My heartbeat broke into a wild gallop at his compliment. “You’re very sweet.”
“Only to you,” Quinn mused. He jerked his chin at me. “Now go and try on more.”
“So bossy,” I murmured before heading back down the runway. Once I got back into the dressing room, Laura unzipped me and put me in a midnight blue satin dress.
It hugged my curves like a second skin. I feared it might be a little too indecent for a gala raising money for children’s charities. But I didn’t voice my concerns. Instead, I just went back down the runway.
This time Quinn was ready for me.
His eyes tracked my movements like a hungry lion. He eased forward on the couch. To add fuel to the fire, I did a slow turn, showing off the plunging back. “Well?” I questioned.
“It’s indecent.”
I laughed. “I thought the same thing.”
“Get it.”
My eyes bulged. “Quinn, I can’t wear this to a charity function.”
“We’ll find somewhere for you to wear it.” He rose off the couch and stalked towards me. “Even if it’s just in my bedroom.”
A shiver ran down my spine. Since my attack, Quinn had refused to touch me in any way that was remotely sexual. There was nothing more in the world I wanted than for his hands to give me pleasure.
As his breath warmed my earlobe, I replied, “I’ll get it only if you promise to tear it off and ravish me.”
“I think I can do that.”
“Good.” Tilting my head at him, I countered, “You’ll do it tonight?”
He grimaced. “You’re still healing.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “I don’t think you’re going to break me.”
“You have no idea what I could do to you.”
A shudder ran through me at his words. “At least let me try.”
“We have the gala tonight.”
“Then after the gala.”
“Isla,” Quinn groaned.
Shaking my head, I countered, “ Tonight .”
“Do you know how hard it is for me to say no when you’re standing there dressed like sin?”
“Then I’ll ask Laura to pick even more sinful dresses.”
He chuckled. “You’re not letting this go, are you?”
“Nope,” I replied, my lips popping on the p.
“Fine. We can try.”
“I’m glad you could see it my way.”
“Go finish with the dresses.”
With a coy smile, I asked, “And then you’ll finish me tonight?”
Quinn smacked my behind, causing me to squeal. “If you don’t watch your mouth, I’ll fuck you against the wall in the dressing room.”
My mouth ran dry at his words. “Please?”
With a growl, Quinn shook his head. “You’re a dearg-due .”
“Does that mean tease in Irish?”
With a chuckle, Quinn replied, “It’s a female demon who seduces men.”
I smacked his arm playfully. “I’m not a demon.”
He grinned. “No. You’re an angel.” With a wink, he added, “A very horny one.”
“Is that right?”
“Mm, hmm.”
“And what’s Irish for asshole?”
“ Gléas .”
“I’m going to spend more of your money, gléas .”
“You do that,” he chuckled.
When I turned to flounce back down the runway, he smacked my ass one last time. And it felt so very, very good.