Page 47 of Dream Date With the Millionaire
“Not you.”
“I’ve never touched mine and my family can’t understand why,” he admitted. “I did accept my house. A graduation present from the family trust. But, like you, I want to make it on my own.”
Her respect for Bryce shot off the scale. “You really do understand what I want to do.”
“I told you we weren’t so different.”
She was beginning to think he was right. Dani smiled. “You did.”
“And, as I’ve said before, I admire your determination.”
His compliment sent a welcome shot of confidence flowing through her.
The light turned green. She stepped off the curb into the street. She jogged around a woman pushing a baby stroller and drinking from a Starbucks cup as they crossed the intersection.
Dani followed him through a white iron gate to a pedestrian-only narrow street dotted with umbrella-shaded tables.
“Maiden Lane used to be the red light district during the Barbary Coast era so I’m not sure where the ‘Maiden’ part came from,” Bryce said, as tourists in baseball caps and sunglasses snapped pictures. He clasped his hand with hers. “But the street has become more upscale since then.”
As she strolled with Bryce, Dani noticed the signs of the expensive boutiques and salons. Women dressed as if they were going to a fancy party and loaded down with shopping bags darted in and out of the shops. Even when Dani had earned more money at her last job, she hadn’t shopped here. “It’s nice.”
“This is nice.” Bryce rubbed her hand with his thumb. “I never thought I’d find someone I wanted to date using my own Web site.”
“Me, either,” she admitted. “I was pretty anti-dating.”
“And now?”
A man in a fluorescent orange warm-up suit walked a tiny black dog.
“Not so much.”
He smiled. “I’m happy we met, Dani Bennett.”
“Me, too.”
She noticed a pretty green dress displayed on a mannequin in the window of a boutique. She stopped to take a closer look. Now, that would be something to wear to the engagement party if she wanted to make a good impression.
“That’s a pretty dress.”
Dani nodded.
He pulled her over to the window. “Do you want to try it on?”
She shook her head. “New clothing isn’t in my budget right now.”
“You can still try the dress on,” he said.
She shot him a look.
He made a face. “Don’t tell me you’ve never window-shopped. Caitlin dragged me along on one of her arduous excursions and she said trying on clothes is half the fun, whether you buy them or not.”
“I don’t know.” She stepped back. “There’s no chance of me buying anything in there.”
Bryce pulled her to the door. “Come on.”
“I—”
“Trust me. It’ll be fun.”
Dani found herself inside an elegant boutique with pale green walls and gilded fixtures. Cheerful music from a string quartet played. The air smelled of flowers and money. All the women were dressed to the nines. She couldn’t tell who was a customer or who worked there and felt out of place wearing her work clothes from yesterday. A tall, thin woman with long red hair walked toward them.
“Pick a few things to try on,” he encouraged.
Dani selected two dresses, neither of which had price tags attached.
Bryce handed her a third. “I want to see how the color looks on you.”
She shrugged. “Why not?”
“That’s the spirit.” He sat in a big overstuffed chair.
Gabrielle, the redhead, who looked more like a supermodel than a clothing salesperson, handed him a drink. “Fashion show time.”
In the dressing room, Dani found matching shoes, compliments of Gabrielle, to try on with each of the dresses and changed into the green dress from the window.
“Come out here so I can see,” Bryce called.
Dani studied herself in a full-length mirror. “It’s a little short.”
“I’d like to be the judge of that myself.”
“Oh, boy.” She wedged her feet into the coordinating shoes, heels higher than she normally wore, with more crystals than she could count, and teetered out of the dressing room. “Too short?”
“I was going to say just right.” He grinned like a kid turned loose in a Lego store. “No more hiding those long legs of yours, okay?”
“I usually wear pants.”
Bryce waved her off. “Try on the next dress.”
Dani squeezed into a red cocktail dress. The halter neck style really accentuated her breasts, making her look like a hooker who might have worked this street during the city’s bygone era. She gulped.
