Page 27 of The Mountain Man's Mail-Order Mafia Princess

He took the heavier basket from me before I could object. “Anything else?”

“Toiletries.”

Mabel led me to shelves near the back of the store. I selected shampoo, conditioner, body wash, moisturizer, a razor, deodorant, a hairbrush, and the few cosmetics my handbag didn’t contain.

A package of plain cotton sleep shorts went into the growing pile along with socks and underwear. The underwear was basic but not tragic, which felt like an important distinction.

Near the end of the rack hung a fitted red summer dress.

It had thin straps, a low neckline, and a skirt that would stop several inches above my knees.

I held it against myself.

Mabel nodded. “Town does a July Fourth celebration. That would work if you’re still around.”

Jonah stood behind her with both baskets. He didn’t ask whether I planned to be.

He looked over the red fabric and the curves it would cover.

Heat stirred low in my abdomen.

“What do you think?” I asked.

He met my eyes. “You’d look good in it.”

“You didn’t even see it on me.”

“I don’t need to.”

Mabel looked delighted.

I turned toward the fitting room before either of them saw too much.

The dress fit perfectly.

The red made my olive skin warmer, and the neckline framed my breasts without pretending they were smaller than they were. The hem showed most of my legs. With diamonds and the new boots, it would still look like me.

I opened the curtain.

Jonah went silent.

Mabel crossed her arms. “Well?”

His eyes moved down the dress and back up, slower this time.

“It fits.”

I placed one hand on my hip. “You found more words for the boots.”

“The boots weren’t doing that.”

Mabel laughed so loudly that a man near the post-office boxes turned around.

I smiled before I could stop myself.

Jonah’s jaw tightened.

The dress went into the purchase pile.