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Before I can get to my feet, strong hands grip me under my arms and lift me. Xavier doesn't let go. He holds on tight, keeping me upright, my feet barely touching the ground. "How do you feel now? Anything broken? There's an urgent care on the other side of town."
I move my wrists and elbows, then do the same with my ankles and knees. Everything works the way it should. My butt hurts like hell, but on the right cheek, not the butt bone. "Nothing's broken but my pride. I can stand."
Xavier lets go, but he stays close, his gaze on my face. He slides a foot over the pavement. "There's definitely a patch of ice here and it's nearly impossible to see. This sidewalk should have been better salted." He pulls out his phone and turns away as he taps something into it.
"Thanks for helping me, but I'm okay now. In fact, I've got some ideas for your branding I'd love to go over if you have time."
He scowls and shoves his phone back in his pocket. "I'm not hiring you, so don't waste your time on me."
"Are you trying to go out of business? You've got a great product, but your window display is boring and your website is an absolute mess. I couldn't even figure out how to—"
He holds up his hands. "Stop. It's my day off. What are you doing out here?"
I grin up at him. "It's makeover day. Want to help?"
He stares like maybe he thinks I hit my head after all. "You want me to help you with a makeover?"
The wind picks up, chilling me right down to my bones. "Come on, I'm freezing. Let's go inside and get started."
I link my arm through his and pull gently toward the store.
He doesn't move an inch. "I've got things to do. I don't have time for a shopping spree."
I drop his arm and pout, batting my lashes. "I've been injured on a town sidewalk. What if it's worse than I realize? Can the town handle a major lawsuit?" I grab his arm again and tug. "You better stay with me to make sure I'm really okay."
To my shock, he doesn't resist this time. "Just so you know," he mutters as I swing the door open. "I'm fully aware you're manipulating me, but I'm not risking a lawsuit while I'm in charge."
"Fabulous." The door closes behind us and I'm enveloped in heat so glorious I can almost forget about my aches and pains. The store has toys in the front, but the back is filled with racks and racks of clothes.
Xavier looks around, a severe frown creasing his sexy face. "Why do you want my help?"
"I'm in Rome and I'm asking a Roman to help me fit in."
"Ah." He relaxes. "You want a warm coat, gloves, and a hat? I can help with that."
"No. Well, yes. But I need to dress more like you, boring and utilitarian."
He looks down at his heavy coat, jeans, and boots and pulls the beanie off his head. His short hair rises with static, but he doesn't know or doesn't care and makes no attempt to pat it down. "I don't dress boring. My clothing is functional and good quality."
I wave a hand. "Don't get offended. You have to be born with fashion sense and a desire to look fabulous. Not everyone is and not everyone appreciates those of us who are."
I step farther into the store, heading for a selection of brown and beige clothing, but Xavier grabs my arm and halts my forward progress. "What's going on? Why do you need to change the way you dress?"
I purse my lips. "I don't fit in. I don't look professional. Some might even say I look like a hussy or a harlot."
He doesn't laugh, though I intended him to. Instead, his brow crinkles. "I didn't take you for the type to care about fitting in."
I soften toward this big grump of a man. "I appreciate you acknowledging my unique style, but not everyone sees things the way we do. Some people believe professionalism means buttoning up and hiding things like cleavage and personality. If I want to make the right impression, I need to conform."
He eyes me like he can see straight into my soul. Why does he even care? "This is about that asshole, James, isn't it? Did he say something about the way you dress?"
This feels wrong. I've never changed myself for a man before, but I also used to see nothing wrong with my mother's way of using men for their money. Sometimes evolution is difficult. "He's allowed to have an opinion about how I dress. He merely suggested I change to achieve certain goals."
He narrows his eyes. "What's so great about this guy that both you and my sister are obsessed with him?"
I hold up a hand and fold down my fingers, one by one. "Dependability. Responsibility. Loyalty. A vision for the future. He'll be a great dad." And I don't love him anymore, so he can never break my heart again. "He's the kind of man who sticks around for his wife and his family, Xavier. Trust me, that kind of man isn't so easy to find."
"You might be surprised." His voice is gruff and sexy.
