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She had no idea where they were going, and she didn’t care in the slightest.
****
Rochelle barely stepped a foot through the door of the expensive clothing boutique before she twisted right around on the heel of her preferred tasteful flat, as if to leave. “This can’t be the right place!” she said in an urgent whisper.
Aric laid a hand on her shoulder and spun her forward. “I’m sure you didn’t just accuse me of getting lost in my own city, on an outing I’ve had planned for weeks.”
“Lord Vardanyan, you’re right on time!” The approaching saleswoman cut off any response Rochelle might have made to his statement. She stopped several paces ahead of them, her hands folded in front of her waist, and barely blinked an eye in Rochelle’s direction. “We’ve got everything you asked for all prepared, of course. Would you like anything to drink while you’re here?”
Rochelle tipped her head sideways to arch a brow at him.
Aric kept a hand on her shoulder. “No, thank you. If you could show us the way, we’re eager to get started.” He was, at least. He was quite interested in seeing Rochelle’s reaction to what he’d planned for her.
“Of course,” the saleswoman said. She stepped sideways and swept her arm forward before walking. “We’ve prepared our finest privacy room for your guest. The template dress is already in place, per your request. Once you know the information you need, we’re happy to pull any dress from the store for you.”
“Thank you.”
Rochelle turned widened eyes up to him. He could practically see the questions screaming through her brain.
The saleswoman ushered them into a back room before slipping away. The room was partially divided with a plush two-seater sofa angled opposite a tall, four-paneled privacy screen. Behind the screen was a cushioned bench seat and something already on a hangar. The template dress, he was sure. There was a floor-to-ceiling mirror between the screen and the sofa, allowing whoever tried on clothes to get a sense of their appearance.
Aric spotted a coat rack in the farthest corner and held out his hand. “I’ll take your coat before we get started.”
Rochelle paused with her fingers curled around the lapel. “What are we doing here, Aric?”
He grinned and set about unwinding his scarf. “You’re aware I’m hosting a party for Mitzi and Darnel at the end of the month?”
“It’s only been mentioned half a dozen times,” she replied. She finally shrugged out of the jacket and handed it over. “I’m so confused. That woman said you arranged this?”
Aric hung everything on the rack before facing her. “I never doubted you’d be able to put the room back together, and I wanted to do something special for you.”
Rochelle looked around the enclosed dressing room. “By taking me clothes shopping?”
Aric moved to the sofa and made himself comfortable. “You’ll need a dress for the party,” he said. “Aside from that, it’s good to know your measurements for formal wear in the event you find yourself needing options. I thought you might enjoy discovering what you like and choosing a style for yourself.”
Silence hung between them for several seconds before Rochelle moved forward and dropped onto the sofa, angled to face him. “That’s too much,” she said. “You’ve given me a wardrobe already and a roof over my head, you’ve made sure I was fed, and you’ve taught me to use my magic. You don’t need to buy me an expensive party dress.”
Aric smiled. “I want to.” He reached out and pulled her nearest hand into his own. “And I’m not buying you something off the rack in the store. I want you to use today to find what fits you, what color and styles you like the most, so I can order something custom.”
Her eyes widened again. “Custom? Why?”
Aric gave her hand a squeeze. To calm her. To remind himself not to kiss her. “Consider it a reward for your hard work.” He couldn’t yet admit it was as much because there was something about her that compelled him to dote on her. He wanted to be as near her as possible, whenever possible, and he wanted to always see her with a smile. He couldn’t explain the feeling, even to himself. No woman had affected him that way before. But he wasn’t a man who lived in denial. He only needed to be sure she was comfortable in her own skin before he made his move, and he didn’t think she was there, yet.
Rochelle shook her head. “That’s too much. I can’t need something like this.”
He arched a brow. “Oh? You don’t want to attend the engagement party?”
She looked away, a subtle pout curving her lips. “Of course I do.”
Aric rubbed his fingers across her knuckles, then forced himself to release her hand. “Then go on,” he said. “Behind the screen you’ll find a template dress. Have you seen those before?” He doubted such a magic-based item was used in Zrynia, but she’d spent a short while in Yafae before coming to his home.
She opened her mouth and a second passed before she said, “No.”
He inclined his head, unsurprised. “Change into that, then pulse a tiny amount of mana into the dress. It will automatically alter to fit your body. If you don’t like the fit once it’s settled, you can manually manipulate the fabric. It will default to floor-length, but we can request another length if you prefer something shorter, or longer.”
Rochelle drew a breath, nodded, and started toward the privacy screen.
Aric folded his hands over his lap. “Don’t be dissuaded by the color,” he said. “It’s designed to be magically dyed, to help the wearer determine color preference.”
