Mr. Big Jerk: A Forbidden Second Chance Romance (Kinda Cocky Series Book 3), стр. 35
I wasn’t as spontaneous as I came off sometimes to other people.
But, when we pulled into the parking lot, my jaw hit the floor.
“Clint, I said--.”
“Look at me, Roxy.”
I peered over at him. “Do we really have to do this now?”
He took my hand. “I’ve already called ahead and scheduled a two-hour reservation. This is the top maternity boutique in town, and when we walk through those doors, you’re going to have a team of stylists helping you pick out some outfits that will grow with you for the coming months.”
I blinked. “Did you say ‘stylists’?”
He nodded. “I certainly did. These women here are going to make you look and feel as fabulous as you’ve always felt, and they’re going to make sure we leave with clothes that will fit you just the way you want no matter what shape your body takes. And you have my permission to get whatever you want, no matter the price.”
“No matter the price?”
“Yep. Whatever it takes to make you feel as beautiful as you already are to me.”
I sighed. “Promise this isn’t going to suck balls?”
He kissed the back of my hand. “Since when have I ever not been a man of my word?”
I smiled softly. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
He grinned. “Maybe a bit.”
I rolled my eyes. “Come on. Let’s get in there, Windy.”
He chuckled. “All right, Sassy.”
We strolled into the boutique, hand in hand, and three women swarmed us the second we stepped inside. I looked up at Clint, and he smiled down at me before introducing me to the three women that had come to help us. I clung to him a bit more than usual. I felt out of place in an area of town I wasn’t familiar with and surrounded by strangers to boot. But, he held me tight and did all the talking as my eyes danced around the racks and racks of beautiful clothes made specifically for pregnant women.
“Wow. I didn’t know maternity clothes could be so beautiful,” I murmured.
Gloria, an older woman, giggled with delight. “Oh, yes. Maternity clothes have come a long way from when I had my three kids. But don’t you worry. By the time you leave here, you’ll be stacked with clothes that’ll make any runway model jealous.”
Jazzy, a pregnant woman herself, smiled brightly. “I get all of my clothes here. I refuse to go anywhere else. The fabric is so soft, and the stitching is of great quality. Want me to show you my favorite evening dress? I have it in all the colors we have stocked.”
I nodded. “I’d like to see them, yes.”
As I took Jazzy’s hand, Clint relinquished mine. And I didn’t even look over my shoulder to see where he’d gone off to. I never thought I’d walk into a store and feel so comfortable, but I did. These women helped settle my nerves as they walked with me through the racks of clothes, asking me all sorts of questions.
“What kinds of cuts do you like?”
“Are you a leggings or a jeans person?”
“Do you go out at night a lot? Dresses, or pantsuits?”
“What about business attire? What do you do for work?”
By the time I got into the dressing rooms, I had over fifteen outfits to try on. And every single one of them made me feel like a million bucks. From the work blouses in every color of the rainbow to the evening gowns that somehow slimmed me down, I was in awe of the quality of these clothes. And their shoe collection was outstanding! Heels and sandals in every shape and size, complete with materials on the sides of the shoe that expanded to accommodate swollen feet.
There wasn’t an outfit I wanted to put back on the rack.
I could already hear Clint saying, ‘I told you so.’
“How are we doing back here, ladies?” he asked.
I turned around with a smile on my face as I slid my hands down the red dress I had on.
“So, what do you think?”
When Clint came around the corner, I expected him to smile, or tell me I was beautiful. Something to flatter me and make me feel good about things. What I didn’t expect, though, was for him to be holding a massive milkshake and a teddy bear.
What I didn’t expect was for the teddy bear to fall from his hand.
What I didn’t expect was his eyes to roam my body as if he were a lion stalking out his prey.
“My God, Roxy.”
I blushed. “Too much?”
He shook his head. “Not at all, princess. You look--.”
I smiled. “So, you like it?”
“I’m speechless. You look fan-fucking-tastic.”
The boutique girls clapped their hands with delight as Clint walked up to me. He stepped up onto the podium and handed me the milkshake, watching as I took a long pull from the straw. His eyes wandered my body. His hands settled against my hips. I moaned at the taste of banana and mocha as my eyes fluttered closed, chugging the creamy goodness he’d brought just for me.
“I want this dress in every color you have, ladies,” Clint said.
I released the straw. “Except for orange.”
His eyes found mine. “Why not orange?”
“It looks terrible on me. Washes me out.”
He smirked. “Every color except orange, then.”
I held up the milkshake. “What’s this for?”
He thumbed over his shoulder. “Got a teddy bear for you, too.”
“Pssst,” Jazzy hissed.
When I looked over at her, she held the bear up for me and squeezed the hand, letting the bear talk.
In Clint’s voice.
“Just remember, Roxy: you’re my princess, and you’re gorgeous.”
My eyes watered with tears. “Oh, Clint.”
He cupped my cheeks. “You’re radiant, Roxy. And I don’t want you forgetting that even for a second.”
I giggled. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you're spoiling me.”
“Well, get used to it.