Chapter 57 #2
“Hello.” An elderly female greets us with a smile.
She looks like she’s mixed between a syloc, a smaller species like a Dothronite, and possibly something else.
Interesting. She immediately eyes us both from head to toe.
Her hair is knotted in a quirky updo on the top of her head with pins crossing through it, and there’s also a ball with needles sticking out of the pocket of her loose, uniquely-styled yellow dress. “How can I help you?”
“She needs a few new outfits,” Daegan tells her. “Nothing purple.”
I open my mouth to protest, then shut it again when I see the look he’s giving me. He’s up to something.
“I actually don’t have any money…” I say as I realize that truth.
“I’ve got it,” Daegan says.
The shopkeeper looks at us with a smile that tells me she thinks we’re a sweet, adorable couple. How wrong she is.
“Let me see what I can find. I’ll be right back.”
I immediately turn to Daegan when the seamstress gains some distance. “Why do I need new clothes? And why can’t they be purple? That’s my preferred color, in case you forgot.”
“I know.” Daegan crosses his arms, his eyes traveling from my feet all the way up to my hair. “And so does your father, and possibly all the guards who are looking for you. Besides, all you brought from… that place was the outfit on your back.”
“So I need to blend in with the crowd more. Got it. Smart.”
“You could never blend into a crowd,” he says clearly.
A moment of tension follows as we look at each other.
“Perhaps I should chop my hair as well?”
His lips twitch and then his eyes slowly travel from the top of my head, all the way down along my braid. “As long as I can still grab onto it,” he says with a shrug.
I shove his arm, and he doesn’t even budge. He smirks and saunters off down the side of the shop, perusing the clothes.
So we’re just… flirting now? As if a year of pain and separation didn’t drive a huge wedge into what was developing between us?
Whatever that was… it sent a jolt of heat into my body.
I watch him from behind as he stalks the aisle.
His thin, black, long-sleeved shirt is more filled out than before, and I might be imagining it, but he seems even taller.
How old is he now? Twenty-five? Do dragon shifters still grow in their early twenties?
I admittedly don’t know the answer to that one.
I finally take off after him, unsure what to say now.
“Hey, you can’t just do that, you know?”
“Do what?” His eyes trail along a few dresses on the wall as he pretends to act clueless.
“Just… whatever that was back there.”
He finally turns to look at me again. “Elle, I just missed out on an entire year and a half with you. Time that I could have spent with you, getting to know you even deeper, and learning every inch of your body. Everything else that happened in between, we can talk about when we actually have time alone. But I’m not going to waste another moment pretending that every single thing about you doesn’t drive me absolutely fucking wild. ”
My breath hitches and my pulse races as I look into his mesmerizing gaze. “It’s just… when I first saw you again I wasn’t sure you still…”
I was terrified, devastated that he didn’t feel the same anymore.
“You weren’t sure I still wanted you?” He runs his hands down the sides of his face. “I’m sorry my reaction wasn’t great that first night. I… didn’t expect to see what I saw. After months of desperately searching… it just threw me off.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
“No. I’m sorry. You have nothing to be sorry for. I wanted to fucking kill—”
“Here we are,” the seamstress returns with a handful of colorful outfits. Everything but purple seems to be there. I guess blue will be my new color.
I step closer and assess the piles, picking a couple things. “Can we start with these?” I ask.
“Excellent choices. Let me know if you need any help. There’s a curtain just this way.” She looks back and eyes Daegan. “And a seat for your handsome companion.”
“Thank you,” he says with a sly smirk.
I roll my eyes and turn back around, smiling as I pull the curtain shut with gusto.
“I’ll be right out here.”
“Okay…”
I pause, and my smile grows bigger. Can we really pick back up right where we left off?
Is that what I want? Is that really what he wants?
It seems like such a silly time to worry about that, given that we’re on the run and attempting to commit treason, among other things, but it’s impossible not to think about him when he’s just… always right there.
I step into the first blue dress. It’s light, flowy, and airy, with a bodice that’s relaxed and not too constricting, and a skirt that flows easily.
I’m not sure I really have use for any dresses at the moment, but you never know when we might need to sneak into somewhere that requires more formal attire to blend in.
I clear my throat.
“Are you okay?” Daegan immediately responds.
“Yeah… fine.”
“Need any help?”
I hesitate for a moment. “Could you… help me tie the back, please?”
I hear him get up, so I pull the curtain to the side. Our eyes meet for a moment before he places his calloused hands on my shoulders and slowly turns me so I’m facing the mirror. He begins to tie it gently.
There’s a chilling silence as his fingers maneuver the strings, and it feels like he’s taking his time doing it. I focus on his beautiful, relaxed yet focused face in the mirror.
“There,” he finally says, dropping the tied strings against my back.
“Thanks.” I twist and face him, holding my arms out with a shrug. “What do you think?”
“Perfect.” A tingling sensation travels along my spine as he rakes his gaze over me. “But what matters is how you feel.”
I shrug once again. “Good enough.”
“Did you even look?” He gestures toward the mirror behind me.
“No. I’m sure it’s fine.”
He crosses his arms and narrows his gaze, studying me. “Okay,” he finally says. “Turn and I’ll undo it so you can try the rest.”
I turn around and stare at the floor as he undoes it, much quicker this time.
“Thank you,” I say again.
His hands grip my shoulders in a soft embrace, and he leans in toward my ear. “You look absolutely stunning, Elysande. But the next time I undress you, I’d like to complete the job,” he whispers. Then he walks away, shutting the curtain behind him.
And just like that, I want him again in a way that I hadn’t thought about in a long time. My body responds to him in a way that’s concerning. But I feel like some conversations need to be had before that’s on the table again.
Before he comes to my room again tonight and I cave all too easily…