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But it was the next steps. Could I push to the level beyond the thousand-dollar earrings from Saks to the eighty thousand-dollar ones from Cartier? While the items were important, it was also about the time investment. How long did it take for me to merely gaze at something or mention it in passing before it ended up gift wrapped and delivered? I never asked for anything. Iwasn’ta beggar. All of it was given freely.
Every single time I was showered with gifts, the thrill was indescribable.You can be anyone you want to be.My mother had told me that for as long as I could remember. After things went to hell, I embraced those words. Lived by them each and every day.
When I had a new mark, I became someone else. New name. New number. New life. I harnessed the power of being whoever I chose to be. There was no rush like it. Yet somehow, here, with Drew and the other people I’d met, I was the real me. I didn’t understand why, but I was simply doing what felt natural.
And these shoes felt like we were meant to be.
I was so busy admiring my feet, I barely noticed the figure that moved behind me.
“You won’t have to sneak those out of here.”
I spun around, coming face to face with the very reason I was here. Sam let out a shrill bark.
“Andyoushouldn’t sneak up on people,” I fired back, suddenly feeling ridiculous with my flannel pajama pants pulled up above my knees so I could admire the Jimmy Choos.
“What about pickpocketing? Is that acceptable behavior?”
I lifted my chin indignantly. He wouldn’t shame me for something I was entirely not sorry for. Except he didn’t seem all that mad. In fact, there was a definite tease in his voice.
“Everyone knows that’s wrong,” I said, wrinkling my nose as if he was a fool for even asking.
He stepped closer, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans. I held my ground, though my heart sped up exponentially. When was the last timethathad happened? Even as I fled the scene of the crime after a punch in the face, my heart hadn’t beat much harder than what a brisk walk might cause.
“So you intentionally do what you aren’t supposed to?” The words were enticing, spoken with a hint of awe and a lot of interest.
“Don’t confuse the two of us,” I returned haughtily, straightening. I would admitnothing.
“You’ve skipped all your meals today. That little tigress in the alley wasn’t afraid, so why are you hiding?” This SOB specialized in taunting.
“I should ask you the same.”
“Avoidance. . . always a sign one is on to something,” he replied smoothly. “So I’ll ask again. Why are you hiding?”
“You go first.”
“Sugar, I don’t hide from anything.” Drew was so smug that I actually believed him.
“I’m battered. What do you think I’m hiding from?” The half-truth felt wrong, considering how the women I’d met here so far had accepted me. Not only accepted me, but even though I hadn’t talked to many of the girls, hadn’t learned about their story—why they were here with nowhere else to go—I was still humbled. I shook my head.Why is he here again?Drew moved to the racks, scanning them until he found what he wanted.
“Put this on,” he commanded, shoving a coat at me.
“Why? It’s warm in here.” I didn’t move, and he held it against me, our eyes at war with one another, battling for who would give in first.
“I didn’t take you for one of those, the kind who needs help putting on a coat.” He rolled his eyes and held the jacket open for me.
“Not until you tell me where we’re going.” I crossed my arms, and he groaned, not bothering to hide his annoyance.
“Outside. Now put it on.”
“Bossy much?” I found myself shrugging into the fleece-lined jacket, the soft warmth enveloping me.
He grabbed my hand and quickly led me out to the back alley where we’d met yesterday. The blast of cold hit me in the face, the temperature much cooler than it had been the day before. I shivered, grateful for the jacket, though my feet were freezing and already hurting from the stilettos.
“My feet are cold,” I complained, just for the sake of it.
“I figured if I tried to take those shoes off, you might get violent,” he said with a smirk.
He had my back against the brick wall in seconds, pinning me to it, his face an inch from mine. Damn, he smelled good. Had I noticed that yesterday? Now wasn’t the time to let a man like him get under my skin. It was supposed to be the other way around.
