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‘Fabulous. You look gorgeous, doesn’t she, Ava?’
‘Yep. Wish I had curves.’
‘Give it time.’ Lucas grinned at her.
‘It doesn’t feel quite right.’ Thea tugged self-consciously at the skirt, her bare toes curling with embarrassment.
‘That’s because you need red shoes to go with it. For dancing.’
Her heart suddenly melted. Not exactly taking all her fears with it but overwriting them with remembered joy. The red shoes that Lucas had always referred to as her dancing shoes had been her favourites. She’d danced in them, thrown them off to follow him across moonlit grass, and on more than one occasion had made love in them.
‘You think so?’
‘Don’t you go dancing any more?’
As it happened, no. Thea hesitated.
‘Buy the dress.’ He gave her an imploring look, as if his whole world would fall apart if she didn’t.
‘Buy it for her. Where are your manners?’ Ava’s voice broke in and both of them ignored her. Lucas would have bought her the dress in a heartbeat, but he wanted her to want it. When he looked at her like that, she almost did.
‘I’ll—’
‘Buy it.’
‘Okay. I’ll buy it.’
She didn’t have time to go back into the changing room and think of a reason to change her mind. Lucas picked her up and carried her to the cash desk, subjecting the cashier to the killer smile that generally let him get away with almost anything.
‘Would you mind scanning the lady, please?’ He leaned over so that the woman could reach the ticket, which was hanging from Thea’s shoulder.
‘Sorry.’ Thea mouthed the word, feeling herself blush, and hung on tight to Lucas.
‘Would you like a bag?’ The woman was grinning.
‘Yes, please. And…’ Lucas looked around for Ava and found her standing behind him, clutching her own purchases. ‘These two as well, please.’
‘You can put me down now,’ Thea whispered in his ear, and he ignored her. Ava pulled his wallet from his back pocket and handed over his card, and in a show of bravado he kept hold of Thea at the same time as punching his pin number into the machine.
‘Enjoy.’ The cashier handed Ava’s bag over and grinned at Thea. ‘Would you like me to take the tag off?’
‘No, thanks. I’m going to get changed now.’ Thea pushed at Lucas’s shoulders. He could let her down now.
‘Not until we’ve got the right shoes.’ Lucas was obviously on a mission.
‘Second floor.’
‘Thank you.’ Lucas allowed Thea to slip down out of his arms. ‘Let’s go.’
When she collected her jeans and top from the changing room, they seemed suddenly drab and unexciting. Thea took a moment to smooth the red dress over her hips. It was lovely.
Lucas hustled her barefoot to the second floor then applied himself to talking Ava out of a succession of unsuitable shoes. Thea was left to scan the shelves on her own.
Red shoes. She reached towards the pair of red strappy sandals, almost afraid to touch them. She had to have something now that Lucas had bought the dress. And these were so very pretty.
She sat down next to Lucas and asked for the shoes in her size. ‘You like these?’
‘Do you?’
