manner. "No, thanks," she said. "I'm just looking."
"Hmm." The woman pursed her lips and looked her over as if she were dog meat.
Bastien was off to the side, trying to stay out of the way. He had noticed that Terri seemed to flit about, looking here and there, and rarely stopping. He had found that if he followed her too closely, he ended up having to step to the side or backtrack to get out of the way as she whirled and changed direction. Such movements could be quite abrupt, as her eyes were constantly skating over the area ahead, and if she saw something that caught her eye, she beetled off toward it. If not, she veered off another way, or turned back. It was just easier to give her space to maneuver. But now Bastien moved forward, his protective instincts coming to the fore. This clerk obviously wasn't impressed with Terri's attire, her worn jeans and T-shirt.
"We'll call on you if we need any help," he spoke up, drawing the woman's eye and her full attention.
Her attitude changed in a heartbeat, her lips un-pursing to become a warm smile. "Well, hello."
The clerk spoke as if stumbling across a lovely treasure in her store. Bastien tried not to grimace. He was a good-looking man, and used to women paying him attention, but he had seen the way this one's eyes had skated from his face to the expensive watch he wore, to the family signet ring with the Argeneau A etched in diamonds. She smelled money, and liked the smell.
Bastien glanced toward Terri to see how she was reacting, only to find that she'd moved off and was now examining a rather pretty black satin bra that would look quite lovely on her. At least, it did in his mind as he imagined it. Forgetting about the clerk, he moved after Terri.
"That's lovely."
"Yes, it is," she agreed with a grin.
"There are matching panties for it." The clerk had followed, and now she couldn't be more helpful. Moving past them she returned with several pairs. "Let's see. I'm a small. That would make you… what?" She glanced down to consider Terri. "An extra-large?" she suggested innocently. Then she turned to Bastien and added in a husky voice, "I can model these for you."
Bastien had to bite his lip as Terri's eyes nearly popped out of her head. She flushed, then seemed to go terribly calm. Her voice was kind when she spoke. "That won't be necessary, I'm sure. And no, I'm not an extra-large. But don't feel bad for making the error. It's the boobs," she said bluntly. "It can be terrible being so well endowed. They often give the first impression that you're large everywhere." Her gaze dropped briefly over the woman's almost flat chest, and she commented, "You're lucky you don't have any at all to cause that problem."
While the clerk choked on that, Terri added, "Don't worry, though, a little more experience in your career and I'm sure you'll get the hang of sizing your customers properly."
Bastien grinned at the furious clerk over Terri's head, enjoying the woman's discomfort. Had he thought Terri needed protecting? Obviously not.
Terri turned to him and said, "I think I've had enough shopping for now. How about an ice cream?" She didn't wait for an answer, but marched off toward the escalator at a quick clip.
"You handled that beautifully," Bastien said as he caught up to her.
"I was a bitch," Terri responded. "And halfway through my ice cream I'm going to feel horrible for behaving so badly."
He stared at her blankly. This was her idea of being a bitch? And she'd feel bad after the way the clerk had treated her? If so, then it did seem Terri needed protecting. From herself, Bastien decided. She'd handled the woman with class and much more kindly than most would have. Others would have got huffy, or just plain freaked. Someone else might have complained to management and had the girl fired. Terri had merely given her a gentle set-down. And she felt bad for it! Incredible.
Chapter Six
« ^ »
Terri was stepping out of the shower when the phone started
"Hmm." The woman pursed her lips and looked her over as if she were dog meat.
Bastien was off to the side, trying to stay out of the way. He had noticed that Terri seemed to flit about, looking here and there, and rarely stopping. He had found that if he followed her too closely, he ended up having to step to the side or backtrack to get out of the way as she whirled and changed direction. Such movements could be quite abrupt, as her eyes were constantly skating over the area ahead, and if she saw something that caught her eye, she beetled off toward it. If not, she veered off another way, or turned back. It was just easier to give her space to maneuver. But now Bastien moved forward, his protective instincts coming to the fore. This clerk obviously wasn't impressed with Terri's attire, her worn jeans and T-shirt.
"We'll call on you if we need any help," he spoke up, drawing the woman's eye and her full attention.
Her attitude changed in a heartbeat, her lips un-pursing to become a warm smile. "Well, hello."
The clerk spoke as if stumbling across a lovely treasure in her store. Bastien tried not to grimace. He was a good-looking man, and used to women paying him attention, but he had seen the way this one's eyes had skated from his face to the expensive watch he wore, to the family signet ring with the Argeneau A etched in diamonds. She smelled money, and liked the smell.
Bastien glanced toward Terri to see how she was reacting, only to find that she'd moved off and was now examining a rather pretty black satin bra that would look quite lovely on her. At least, it did in his mind as he imagined it. Forgetting about the clerk, he moved after Terri.
"That's lovely."
"Yes, it is," she agreed with a grin.
"There are matching panties for it." The clerk had followed, and now she couldn't be more helpful. Moving past them she returned with several pairs. "Let's see. I'm a small. That would make you… what?" She glanced down to consider Terri. "An extra-large?" she suggested innocently. Then she turned to Bastien and added in a husky voice, "I can model these for you."
Bastien had to bite his lip as Terri's eyes nearly popped out of her head. She flushed, then seemed to go terribly calm. Her voice was kind when she spoke. "That won't be necessary, I'm sure. And no, I'm not an extra-large. But don't feel bad for making the error. It's the boobs," she said bluntly. "It can be terrible being so well endowed. They often give the first impression that you're large everywhere." Her gaze dropped briefly over the woman's almost flat chest, and she commented, "You're lucky you don't have any at all to cause that problem."
While the clerk choked on that, Terri added, "Don't worry, though, a little more experience in your career and I'm sure you'll get the hang of sizing your customers properly."
Bastien grinned at the furious clerk over Terri's head, enjoying the woman's discomfort. Had he thought Terri needed protecting? Obviously not.
Terri turned to him and said, "I think I've had enough shopping for now. How about an ice cream?" She didn't wait for an answer, but marched off toward the escalator at a quick clip.
"You handled that beautifully," Bastien said as he caught up to her.
"I was a bitch," Terri responded. "And halfway through my ice cream I'm going to feel horrible for behaving so badly."
He stared at her blankly. This was her idea of being a bitch? And she'd feel bad after the way the clerk had treated her? If so, then it did seem Terri needed protecting. From herself, Bastien decided. She'd handled the woman with class and much more kindly than most would have. Others would have got huffy, or just plain freaked. Someone else might have complained to management and had the girl fired. Terri had merely given her a gentle set-down. And she felt bad for it! Incredible.
Chapter Six
« ^ »
Terri was stepping out of the shower when the phone started
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