Page 44 of Without a Hitch
“You can have commitment, Pepper. But every commitment, contract, and choice comes to an end eventually. Even if it has a better outcome by ending, it always ends.”
Just as I’m about to start kicking so he’ll put me down, he nods to a doorman and places me on the sidewalk. The doors open soundlessly, and with a hand at the small of my back, he guides me inside.
“Mr. Blaine!” A saleswoman coos the instant we step inside the store. “How lovely to see you again! Your sister said to expect you. I believe we have just what you’re looking for.”
Blaine grips my wrist and holds up the shoe. “What size?”
“Um, a five.”
“Come right this way.” We follow the woman deeper into the store. “I’ll see what we have in the back.”
She leaves us alone, and I can’t bring myself to meet Blaine’s gaze, so I wander through the displays. My chest feels like an elephant is sitting on me, and it’s so unreasonable I want to yell at myself. My eyes catch on a pair of sparkling, strappy heels, and I run one finger along the thin ankle clasp. When I catch sight of the price, my hand snaps back like it’s on fire. They cost more than my rent and car payments combined.
“I want to see you in those and nothing else.” The heat from Blaine’s words caresses my skin like a kiss and a promise of all things naughty.
“I have more responsible uses for that amount of money,” I mutter.
I feel his gaze on me, but he says nothing more. The sales associate comes back with a box in her hand and dollar signs in her eyes. Blaine takes the box from her and removes the shoes.
“Put them on my bill,” he orders, taking my hand in his and dragging me behind him.
“Mr. Blaine?” the doorman calls as we hurry outside. Blaine pauses with an irritated expression.
“Miss Nova called. She said you may need this.” He holds out something that looks like a ten-year-old’s scooter.
“What in bloody hell is that?”
“An electric scooter, sir.” The doorman appears to be holding in laughter, but I don’t. I laugh out loud as if I don’t have a momager waiting to cut me down to size. Blaine stares between the two of us. He’s a horrified Adonis, and it makes him even sexier.
“Yes, I see what it is. What am I supposed to do with it?”
“We ride it,” I say with as much seriousness as I can muster.
“We what?”
“Come on, pretty boy. Hop on.” Before he can argue, I hook the shoes—that are probably going to do serious damage to my bank account—on the handlebars and stare at him over my shoulder. “I’m driving.” I add a saucy wink that causes his eyes to dilate. He likes it when I take control, and it gives me that jolt of confidence I’d never realized I was missing.
“Abby. We are not riding on this thing. Get off.”
“Hmm…the last time you said that, I was dressed a wee bit differently, don’t you think?” I press the accelerator, and I jolt forward a few feet. Holy geez, does this thing pack a punch! I wobble in my heels on the narrow floorboard, and I’m nearly positive Blaine just let out a rather undignified shriek.
Glancing over my shoulder, I find him racing toward me, white as a ghost. It makes me laugh even more, and because I sometimes revert to being a toddler, just as he reaches me, I press the accelerator again, this time prepared for the jerky take-off.
His resounding growl has my core clenching.
“Come on, Blaine. I don’t have all night. Audra is counting on me, and five hundred people are waiting for her.” I force my tone to sound exasperated, but a grin ekes its way out too.
“Pepper,” he rumbles through clenched teeth.
When I feel his heat getting close, I scoot forward again, not even attempting to rein in my laughter.
I’m just coming to a stop when his hands clasp my waist. “I’m going to smack your ass for that. Tonight. Possibly before the reception is over as punishment. You’ll finally be forced to hold in that sass so no one hears.”
My breath catches in my chest, and my eyes get hot. I blink feverishly. “There’s no way,” I object, just as he steps on behind me. I’m forced to turn one foot sideways so we can both fit.
“Never underestimate me, Pepper.” He leans in so his front is plastered to my back. Then he places a hand over mine on the handlebar. “I’ll steer the ship from here on out, darling.” The endearment drips with sexy innuendo. I’m fairly certain my knees knock together, and not from the bumpy ride our scooter is giving us.
“You left me.” His voice is raspy and so quiet that I barely hear it over the wind whipping around my face. “I was beginning to believe you were a memory meant to haunt my dreams for eternity.”
