Page 118 of Zach
His head bows, his voice is low. “I pay attention. Too much.”
He sees me.
I should move. I should thank him. But my body’s pinging with sensation, and I want another
moment. I’ve never been a greedy person, generally satisfied with my lot in life, but he’s changing
that. Who knew the simple act of putting on a shoe could make my heart race like this? Cinderella
must have been all tingly when the prince kneeled in front of her. I wonder what their wedding night
was like. Did he make her wear the shoes?
Now I’m blushing again.
He’s totally talking to me, and I missed it. “What?”
He rolls his eyes, which, to be fair, is a totally appropriate reaction. He’s been so kind, and all I
can think about is how soft his lips are. “I asked you how they feel.”
“Oh!” I peer down at my suede-covered feet.Moment of truth.I wiggle my toes, then reluctantly
drop my feet to the floor and stand. I pace away a few feet in one direction, then the other. Then I
crouch and twist and spin. The shoes flex and move with me, not rubbing or pinching anywhere.
“They’re miracle shoes,” I breathe, staring in awe at the pretty nude suede. “They feel like slippers.”
Zach’s hoarse chuckle wraps around me. “They’re not miracles. Shoes are supposed to be
comfortable. I don’t know why the hell you bought those other ones in the first place.”
I just shrug because the truth would only make him look at me like I’m an alien. How would this
man ever understand the anxiety I felt going into a mall? By the time I managed to find clothes that felt
good, a full marching band had taken up residence in my head. I beelined into the first shoe store I
could find and bought the first pair I found in my size.
“You didn’t have to do this, but thank you. No one’s ever done anything this thoughtful for me
before. You’re incredibly kind.” Yep, I’m teary. I blink furiously, refusing to bring attention to it by
wiping my eyes. Zach frowns as he studies me, his gaze lingering on my cheeks.
“It was nothing,” he says, moving toward the elevator. “Let’s goPretty Womanyou.”
Wait…what?
21
MAYA
I try to hide my reaction, but I’m not successful, judging by the scowl on the saleswoman’s face.
We’ve been in this change room, together, for nearly an hour, and so far, not one outfit has been
