Falling In by Lydia Michaels Page B

her heart, chasing away some of her trepidation, but not all of it. She sighed, resigned, and he tapped on the ceiling. The door opened and Dugan took her arm as she climbed onto the sidewalk.
    Scout shivered and Lucian stepped out beside her. “Where’s your coat?” he asked, again frowning.
    â€œI don’t have one.”
    Her words seemed to render him momentarily speechless. He didn’t comment, merely nodded and headed toward their first courage outlet.
    A woman with hair the color of silken wheat greeted them. Her nails were long and painted white at the tips. She carefully ignored Scout’s presence and purred up at Lucian. Scout’s brow pinched and she decided not to like her right off the bat.
    â€œMr. Patras!” she cooed. “What a pleasure to have your company today. Is there something particular I can show you?”
    Scout curled her lip at the woman’s ridiculous advance. Lucian typed something into his phone. Without even looking at the woman he said, “Evelyn here requires an entirely new wardrobe. Do you think you can help her with that, Simone?”
    The woman pouted. “Sonia.”
    Lucian tucked his phone back in his pocket and looked at her in confusion. “Excuse me?”
    â€œMy name’s Sonia, sir.”
    â€œOf course.” He nodded a halfhearted apology and came to Scout’s side. Slipping his hand around hers, lending some of his power and strength to her, he squeezed her fingers and smiled, sending her a sidelong glance.
    Did he know the attendant’s name? Was he fucking with her? Scout’s lips twitched as she hid her smile. She squeezed his hand back. It was the first time he made her feel
with him
rather than against him or below him.
    They were taken to the back of the store. Dugan arrived with Lucian’s laptop and the ladies of the boutique brought him coffee and a table. He soon had himself his own little squatter office. He worked as one woman after another presented her with beautiful garments and accessories.
    Lucian might have been otherwise occupied, but he always had a bead on what was happening around him. All Scout had to do was look in his direction and she’d find his gaze on her. He’d offer a slight nod or a shake of his head, and the women of the boutique would either discard or hang the garment he was rating. She found it amusing that a piece of clothing the women would rave about one moment could become a travesty of fashion in the next if it was something Lucian didn’t favor.
    Scout was soon bustled into a large room with mirrored walls and a button-upholstered round ottoman that reminded her of the inside of a genie bottle. Sonia began to tug at her clothes and she backed away. The attendant smiled, but some of the sincerity she recalled from when they were on the floor had left her eyes.
    â€œYou have to undress if you plan to try on clothes, honey.”
    Scout scowled at her patronizing tone. “I’ve been undressing myself since I was a child. I’d like some privacy.”
    The snobby attendant pursed her lips and shrugged. She backed out of the dressing room and left Scout there with a variety of outfits.
    Quickly kicking off her shoes, she stuffed her oversized wool socks into them. Sliding out of her jeans, she folded them. Recalling the selection of undergarments Lucian had approved, Scout grimaced at her black cotton panties.
    Her fingers reached under her sweatshirt and unlatched the clasp of her money belt and carefully stuffed it in the leg of her jeans. Taking a deep breath, she pulled her sweatshirt over her head and added it to the pile. As she turned to select her first outfit she gasped and jerked to a stop.
    There, staring right back at her was her reflection. She hadn’t seen herself so completely naked since . . . well, the last time she saw herself like this her body was very, very different.
    Her lips parted and she blinked. Her hair was still