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I can feel my body trembling, but I clutch the thin fabric in front of me as tightly as possible to try and contain the fear coursing through me.
Timofey jerks my chin up, looking straight down into my eyes. “Do you understand?”
His body is pressed to mine. I can feel his heat through the dress.
I want to slap his hand away, but I also recognize the look in his eyes. The look of a father who, misguided as he may be, cares for his son.
It’s as admirable as it is terrifying.
“I understand,” I grit out.
He holds my gaze for a few more seconds and then lets go of me all at once, backing away. “Good. Now, put on the dress.”
57
PIPER
“Another one.” Timofey flicks his hand lazily at me like he’s scrolling through a slideshow instead of gesturing at a human being.
I groan. “This dress is fine! It’s…it’s…”
I glance down at the disco-ball-like gown ballooning around me and try to drum up something positive to say. Truth is, though, I hate it. It’s showy and gaudy and makes me feel like a princess in all the worst ways. But I’m so tired of trying on dresses.
“Preposterous,” Timofey finishes. “Next.”
“If you want to catch attention, this is the way to go,” I say. “I think it’s unique.”
“It’s terrible. Take it off.”
I spin around and face him. “You’ve had a problem with every single dress so far.”
“That’s why we’re trying them on. To get the right one.” He snaps his fingers. “Put on the next one, Piper.”
Usually, I’d jump at him for snapping his fingers at me, but I already tried that. The first time he snapped, I told him I wasn’t a dog.
He replied he’d chain me up like one if I couldn’t behave.
He may have scored that point, but I’m about to score this one.
I pull down the zipper along the side of the shimmery bodice slowly. I feel each tooth of the zipper releasing. The material slides further and further down. Then, with a whisper, it lands in a puddle at my feet.
For the first time in half an hour, Timofey perks up.
Every other time I’ve undressed, I’ve covered myself. I held up another dress in front of me or hid behind a partially opened closet door. Somehow, I’ve managed to keep myself at least partially covered during every outfit change.
Not this time.
“If you’re doing this just to see me naked, then take a good look.” I hold out my arms and spin. “Take it all in.”
To my surprise, that’s exactly what he does.
Timofey leans forward, icy blue eyes not missing a single inch of me. But as he trails over my breasts and around the curve of my hips, I’m starting to have regrets. The moment of frustration that led to this burst of confidence is being burned away in the heat of his attention.
Without looking away, Timofey grabs the purple gown next to him and walks over to me. I want to shrink away, but I force myself to stay put. He’s already seen it all now, anyway. There’s nothing left to hide.
He walks until we’re less than a foot apart. I’m positive he can hear my heart thundering in my chest.
“If I wanted to see you naked, I wouldn’t have needed to spend thousands of dollars on dresses.” He looks between us, admiring the shape of my chest with his lower lip between his teeth. Then he holds up the purple dress. “Cover yourself.”
