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She nodded.
He said warningly, ‘Leo... I need to hear it.’
More cars beeped.
A bubble of euphoria was pushing its way up from her chest and she blurted out, ‘Yes! Yes, I do... Now drive! Please!’
They moved off smoothly back into the traffic. Cars were overtaking them, beeping their horns, but Gabriel showed no sign of being bothered. A small wicked smile played around his mouth and Leonora felt a lightness she’d never felt before, with anyone.
‘Y
ou like causing havoc, don’t you?’
He glanced at her and his smile grew more wicked.
‘Always.’
* * *
Instead of being taken home, though, Leonora found herself being driven into the city centre—specifically to an exclusive shopping street in Salamanca. A place she’d avoided for some time, without the funds to purchase designer clothes.
‘Why are we here?’ she asked as Gabriel navigated expertly into a small parking space right outside one of the world’s most expensive designer shops.
He turned off the engine and faced her. ‘I’ve taken the liberty of organising for you to meet with a stylist. Unless you’ve already sourced a wedding dress and trousseau?’
Leonora flushed. Of course she hadn’t. She’d been in denial, wondering how far her dressmaking skills would get her, cobbling together things from her wardrobe and her mother’s.
‘You’ll be back on the social scene as my wife, and you’ll need to maintain a certain...standard.’
Leonora swallowed. Again, that was something that had only hit home in that moment of panic at his offices earlier. Uncomfortably, she said, ‘I don’t like the idea of you buying me clothes.’
A slightly exasperated look came over Gabriel’s face. ‘You would say that, wouldn’t you?’
‘What’s that supposed to mean? I’m sorry if I’m not making this easy for you by merely acquiescing to your every demand.’
Gabriel snaked out a hand and caught her behind the neck. He tugged her forward gently, so gently that she could easily have resisted, and yet treacherously she didn’t want to. She knew this was part and parcel of marrying a man like Gabriel—so why was she winding him up? Because she wanted to provoke him?
‘As long as you acquiesce to this demand we’ll have no problems.’
His mouth landed on hers like a hot brand, immediately cauterising her thinking process.
* * *
‘And Señor Torres said that we need to fit you for a wedding dress, yes?’
Leonora’s attention came back to the efficient stylist, who had spent the last two to three hours helping her select more clothes than she thought she’d ever know what to do with. Or wear.
‘Yes. I’m getting married this weekend.’
Leonora ignored the way the stylist paled slightly. She recovered herself and said, ‘Very good. Please, come with me across the road to our bridal selection and we’ll see what we have there. Luckily you’ll fit most sample sizes.’
Leonora smiled weakly, following the woman across the road to another exclusive boutique. The stylist looked her up and down critically and Leonora said quickly, ‘I don’t want anything fussy. It’s not that kind of wedding.’
What kind of wedding is it, then? a snarky inner voice prompted.
She ignored it.
The stylist disappeared behind a rack of voluminous dresses and Leonora called out, ‘Honestly, the more simple the better. In fact maybe it could just be...’
