AllFreeNovel
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We approach the hostess, and I ask for a table for two. Luckily, they have several empty places, so we’re led straight to one. I would prefer one in the back, but the place is a little busy, and I’m hungry, so I don’t complain. Before the hostess walks away, she asks us if she can get us anything to drink. We both ask for water. It’s a very quick moment, a nod, and then we’re left alone.
“I thought we’d get some lunch, then do some shopping. I have an appointment tomorrow morning, but I have time today for this,” I say.
“Shopping?” she asks.
Humming, I clear my throat. “Babe,” I murmur, “you don’t have any clothes.”
Her cheeks instantly turn bright red. It’s cute as fuck, but I hate that I embarrassed her. I don’t want to do that, ever. It’s the truth, though—she’s got fuck all when it comes to clothes. She’s got a couple pairs of shorts and a couple tanks. None of which are new or even remotely fit her.
Clothes don’t mean shit to me, but I know they mean something to women. Plus, as fucking shitty as it sounds, she’s going to be a reflection of me, and it would look like goddamn fucking shit if she had four items of clothing to her name as my wife.
“I don’t,” she whispers. “But I don’t need them.”
I don’t respond to that immediately because the waitress appears with our waters, then takes our orders. When she leaves, only then do I turn to Piper. She’s got her neck bent, staring at the table as if it’s going to impart wisdom to her.
“You don’t?” I ask. “Everyone needs clothes. And you’ll have a credit card, too, so you can spend whatever the fuck you need to spend after we’re married on whatever shit you need.”
She lifts her gaze to meet mine, her eyes wide as she stares at me. I let out a laugh that I attempt to disguise as a cough before I continue. “I’m not poor. I’ll just pay the card off every month. If you get out of hand, I’ll let you know. But I want you to have your freedom.”
Her lips part, and she stares in awe across the table at me for a long moment. “Freedom?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper, as if she is in complete disbelief.
“You aren’t my…” The words trail off because I don’t know how to say this.
“Slave?”
“That,” he growls. “You ain’t that. Contract or not, when we’re married, that’s for real. You’ll be my wife, and that means we have one another’s backs.”
“Okay,” she exhales.
She’s so fucking quiet and shy, I wonder if this is the way she’ll always be or if she’ll change and grow into herself now that she will have the freedom to discover who she really is. Piper has been extremely controlled her entire life. And while I crave control, that’s usually only in one place—the bedroom.
When our food arrives, we’re both quiet as we begin to eat. I don’t make any more announcements, afraid it will be too much for her. I can tell she’s already spooked as it is.
Instead, we eat our meal, and I watch her. I take her in, and I’m filled with curiosity, mainly because I really don’t know her. I’ve been thinking of her, watching her, imagining what life would be like with her, but I don’t know her.
“Have you thought about if you want to work?” I ask.
She holds a French fry suspended in the air. Her eyes bigger than ever as she watches me for a moment. “Work?” she asks.
Chuckling, I pluck the fry from her fingers and pop it into my mouth. “Yeah, work. Have you ever thought of working?”
“No,” she exhales. “I’ve never thought of working.”
“Maybe you should. Kiplyn went to some kind of skin school. She does facials and shit now.”
“Esthetician,” she corrects.
Smirking, I jerk my chin but don’t say anything else right away. She reaches for another fry. I watch as she dunks it in ketchup before she lifts it to her lips, but I can tell she’s lost in thought.
Piper’s brows snap together before she lifts her gaze and finds mine. “You would be okay with me going to school?” she asks.
“Yeah, babe. You’re going to be a married woman, but you’re a free woman, too. I got rules, but they don’t include you staying home and not seeing the outside world.”
She lets out a heavy sigh, then shifts in her seat as if she’s a bit uncomfortable. “I don’t know what I would do.”
“Yeah? Well, you got time.”
She nods her head once, then exhales again. “Yeah,” she breathes, “I do.”
