Page 184 of Dancing for the Minotaur

His gaze moved slowly over her, and his golden eyes were suddenly half-lidded in a way that made a little shiver run down her spine.

“I think whatever makes you feel beautiful is what you should wear,” he rumbled softly.

Jenna smiled.

“Well, you’ve got him trained right, don’t you?”

“No,” Terra said softly. “He came that way.”

Taurex’s ears twitched and he gave her another look that made her shiver.

Terra wished they were alone and could talk…or maybe do more than talk. But then Jenna began pulling dresses.

The first was a traditional ball gown with a heavily beaded bodice, enormous skirt, and enough glittering appliqué to decorate a parade float. Terra put it on because Lisa loved it.

The moment she stepped onto the platform, Lisa clapped.

“Princess! Mommy, you’re a princess!”

Lucy tilted her head.

“No, honey—it’s pretty but that’s not your mommy’s dress.”

Terra laughed.

“I agree—it’s kind of a lot.”

Her mom nodded.

“You look beautiful because you always look beautiful, but that dress is wearing you.”

Cody nodded.

“Yeah, Mom—Nana’s right. You look like one of those cakes.”

Terra laughed again.

“Thank you, Cody.”

She looked at Taurex and saw that the big Monstrum was watching her intently.

“Well?” She spread her hands. “What do you think?”

“I think you are beautiful,” he said.

Terra’s heart fluttered.

“But?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

He hesitated.

“The garment… seems unnecessarily large. I looks, as Cody said, like one of the cakes we saw in the bakery. The ones with too many layers. ”

Lucy laughed.

“See? Even the ‘Bull-man’ agrees. Next dress!”

The second dress was a mermaid cut—fitted from bust to knee before exploding into layers of ruffles that trailed behind her like a tail.