She handed it to him. “Hold it,” she said, hurrying to the shoes next. She knew what would look good with it, but did they have it was always the golden question. Again she couldn’t believe her luck when she found the perfect black high-heeled sandals to go with it. “Yessss,” she whispered, clutching them under her arm as she raced to the accessories for some kind of scarf to hide her hair. She pulled a pair of giant sunglasses off the rack and put them on as she shopped.
“You need a basket?” he wondered, sounding stressed.
“No,” she whispered. “I’m almost done. How much are you fronting me?”
“Whatever you want, just hurry,” he muttered.
She stopped at the cosmetics and loaded up on about ten items, before turning to him. “Hold this,” she whispered, carefully depositing them into his large hands.
“Almost done. Just need a bra and panties.” That was right behind her. Good old Dollar General, you didn’t have to walk very far to get to the selections.
She found a black lace bra and panty set. “Yes,” she whispered, flying through the sizes. Shit! Only large. She yanked it off the rack anyway and turned to him. “Go ask for the key to the bathroom.”
“What?” he barely said, glancing around.
“Stop that, you look like a shoplifter,” she warned. “They are strict on those here.” He eyed her and she nodded. “Yes, I’ve had experience.”
“Christ,” he muttered.
“Here, give me all that. No wait.” She draped her clothing on his shoulder to his duress then put her arms next to his hands. “Give me that. I got it.”
He carefully transferred all the items into her hands then yanked the clothing off his shoulder like it burned him.
“Pay for that and bring it to the bathroom,” she whispered, tossing her head behind her. “It’s in that back corner by the pet supplies.”
“What about all that stuff?” he indicated to the cosmetics in her arms.
“I’ll…” she looked around. “I’ll put it down somewhere till I change, then you can buy the rest when we’re on the way out.”
“Why not pay for it all now?”
She considered that. “Okay that works.” She moved next to him. “Here, take it.”
“Wait,” he said, stepping out of reach. “Do you even know the person working?” he wondered, sounding maxed out on stress and ready for her to do the checkout chore.
She leaned around him, trying to see the clerk. No, she didn’t know them. “I don’t.”
“Good,” he gushed. “You can pay for all of it.”
“Fine, let’s both go. In case?”
“In case what?”
She silently implored him with a pained gaze, and he rolled his eyes, turning and heading for the counter. She hurried after him, fighting to not drop anything as she peered out the store window for anybody she might need to hide from. She suddenly spied the one other shopper and her heart dropped. Sheryl! She wasn’t bad news but she would talk for an hour if she saw Winter.
She stood next to Bones so that she was hidden as they set their items on the counter.
The new clerk barely looked a year past seventeen. An Emo kid all cocky in his skin with various sized silver studs decorating his nostrils, brows, lip, and ears. His blue streaked hair covered most of one bright blue eye, lined in black. He moved with a Dollar General enthusiasm, taking way too long to ring up all the items while Winter kept peeking behind Bones to see where Sheryl was.
“Fifty-five dollars and seventy-four cents,” the boy droned, his voice deep for his size.
Bones already had his wallet out and tossed down three twenties. "We need the bath—”
“Never mind,” Winter whispered. “I can wait.” She hurried and grabbed the bags and raced out the store, not waiting for Bones. She held her head down as she went, fighting to get the sunglasses out of the bag and working them on her face.
At the truck, she yanked the door open and threw the bags in then climbed in, staying low. Bones opened the driver door just as she shut hers.
“I thought you were changing in the bathroom?”
“Sheryl’s in there,” she whispered. “She would’ve talked for an hour.”
“Oh God,” he muttered, sounding horrified at the idea.
“Right, so I’ll have to change in the truck.”
He shut his door. “Do what?”
“Just drive, I’ll be discreet, nobody will see.”
‘I’ll see,” he said, his hand on the ignition.
“Well it’s not like you haven’t seen me. I’ll put my bra on under my shirt so you don’t see me entirely naked. I know how to do this, trust me.” She shooed him with a hand. “Hurry before Sheryl comes out and finds me with those radar ears and eyes of hers.”
He started the truck. “How about we just go back home and you can change?”
“Oh please,” she argued, “it will take me literally two minutes.”
“I don’t want to see you even half naked.”
“Why!” She regarded him, wondering what the hell his problem was.
He slid his dark sunglasses on and she saw the tic in his jaw. “You need to remember that I shared a body with Reginald where you’re concerned.”
“But I don’t…” It suddenly hit her what he meant and she zipped her mouth. “Oh.” She watched out of the corner of her eye as he drove with a murderous force, grinding the gears as he headed back to the house. She savored the tiny joy of him wanting at least her body, even if it was left over desires from his missing brother that didn’t really exist.
When he pulled in at the graveyard, she looked around. “Might as well shower and get ready properly. Eat lunch and save some money.”
He gave a light laugh. “Money isn’t a problem. But whatever you want to do.”
“I know I don’t want to lose my window of opportunity,” she said, grabbing up the bags.
“For what?”
“For you taking me shopping. And for a drink.”
“That stays,” he assured. “I’m tired of sharing clothes with you and maybe I’ll let you buy me a drink after.”
She smiled at that and opened her door. “I’ll need to borrow twenty.”
"More like a hundred," he muttered, implying he'd want to get drunk.
THE NEXT CHAPTER
Bones decided to change as well. It occurred to him that he wasn’t exactly dressed “normal.” He went through his clothes in the closet, trying to see them like Reginald would. What was appropriate? He pulled a midnight blue long sleeve shirt out, feeling like it was the closest thing he had to dressy. Black jeans seemed like a fair compromise over slacks, he wasn’t going that far.
He changed in his room while Winter occupied the bathroom. He had no idea what he looked like since he had no mirrors other than the one over the lavatory. He wore his newer boots and he felt like he looked acceptable up to the shirt. He didn’t know how to wear it. Out? Tucked? He tried both ways and felt either weren’t right. He took off the shirt and put on a black t-shirt. Now that was comfortable. He added the long sleeve shirt over that. Maybe he’ll leave it open like a jacket.
Shit, he was clueless.
He needed a cup of coffee with his “drink” being so far off. Wait, he had his stash. He made his way to the pantry, pulled the bottle of fiery, cinnamon flavored liquor from the top shelf, opened it and guzzled a few swigs. He closed his eyes, focusing on the heat burning down to his stomach. So perfect.
He closed the bottle and stared at it, visions of mall life bringing a surge of panic. He opened it again and took several more gulps, then returned it to the shelf.
Now he wasn’t hungry. But maybe she was. She could eat at the mall, so there was no sense in cooking anything.
“Does this make me look stupid?”
Bones turned to find Winter in the kitchen doorway wearing that black thing she’d bought.
She turned and looked over her shoulder. “Does it ride up my ass? It’s kind of small.?
??
His gaze locked on said ass, making his cock ache. Christ, she had a gorgeous mother fucking ass. He’d never seen a woman with an ass that made him crazy like hers did. It had the perfect roundness to it in every direction that screamed fuck me, suck me, spank me, and oh yes, finger me, all night long. The other astonishing part of her sexy build was her tiny waist. If he wrapped his hands around her, his fingers would probably touch. And her tits, her fucking tits were not big or small, they were just fucking right.
She suddenly turned and faced him distressed looking. “Are you speechless because it looks so stupid that you don’t have words?”
“No.” The answer came before he could even think, and with more conviction than he’d meant to express.
She gave a small smile, relaxing. “What about the front? Do I have a camel toe?”
He met her gaze, confused. “A camel what?”
“You know, when your… shit rides up in the front?”
He glanced down to see, again being slammed by the urge to fuck her senseless. God, help him. She was making him stare at her pussy and his mind had her naked instantly.
“Well?”
“Well?” he muttered, still looking.
“Now you’re staring way too long. Is it too fat looking in this?”
His dick screamed as he stared. Yes, it was too fucking fat looking, it needed to be more invisible because any man seeing it would need to fuck it and suck it. “There’s nothing... wrong.”
“So it looks okay?” she asked, hopeful. “Is my make up too slutty?”
He regarded her face, happy for something else to look at until he saw how beautiful she was for a silly mall outing. For any outing. She shouldn't be that dressed up out in the world. For what? Why should they see her like that, she didn't owe them her beauty. “It’s kind of… too much.” Her face fell and he couldn't keep from adding, “But it’s fine to me.”
She brightened right away, easily convinced. “Okay. And my hair?”
Christ. “What about it?”
“Is it… you know.”
“I don’t know what is normal,” he admitted. “I don’t leave the graveyard often.”
“But… you think it’s okay?”
Hearing that she cared about his opinion made some kind of difference to him. “I think it’s…” He held his breath on the word. God just say it. Say her fucking hair is pretty. It wasn't just pretty though. It was the prettiest hair he’d ever seen. But then he never looked at women’s hair.
“I’m sorry," she said, sounding sincere. "I’m forcing you to say shit just because I’m desperate for a stupid compliment. Actually, I’m scared to look stupid and then make you look stupid, I don’t want you feeling embarrassed—”
“I think it’s beautiful. But I don’t know shit, I don’t look at hair.” He tossed an awkward glance around. “You ready? I’m not hungry, if you want to eat, you can eat at the mall, they have plenty of food there, no point in waiting.”
When she raised her face, she hit him with a smile he'd not seen before. Wow. She was breathtaking. She tucked hair behind her ear and nodded, aiming those bright green eyes at him. “Okay then. I’m ready.”
****
“Wow, this place is packed,” she whispered.
Bones wondered what he heard in her tone. Excitement? Terror? He was ready to tear out of there and go back to the Dollar General. He finally found a parking spot and pulled in, glancing at Winter to see if maybe she shared his sudden need to flee.
She finally turned his way and he stared, forgetting to look for the reasons he’d intended. He was glad he had on his shades. He tried to turn away but he couldn’t, he had to look and see her, study her again.
“What,” she wondered, her pretty face falling with worry.
He shook his head, looking around. “You ready to do this?”
“Are you?”
He glanced back at her, again wondering why she’d care what he was ready for. He wasn’t used to that. Reginald… he was the only one that ever did that. “Do you want to?” It all hinged on that one thing, if she wanted it. He could do it if she wanted it. Just like he did for Reginald when Reginald wanted something, same thing.
She gave him a cute wince. “I think so.”
“You think so?”
She looked around, worrying at her lower lip. “Been so long since I’ve been here.”
“Well, I’ve never been, if that helps.”
She furrowed her brows. “We don’t have to do this,” she said. “If you’re not comfortable? I know what that’s like, I’ve only been once as an adult and it was harrowing.”
Harrowing. Perfect term. But he wanted her to have decent clothes, not Dollar General shit. “We’ll be quick.”
“Like ripping off a band-aid,” she said, nodding a little. “I’m a fast shopper, we’ll zip in and out. zippity do da,” she muttered.
He pulled the keys out of the ignition and opened the door, eying her. She still sat there, looking around. He wanted to feel bad for her but he was actually relieved. He’d always been the hard ass, the doer of difficult shit and dirty deeds. This damn well qualified. Her being weak helped him right along.
He made his way to the back of the truck, waiting for her. She’d put on her giant glasses and when she stepped next to him, he reached out and took them off.
“Somebody might recognize me,” she whispered, grabbing for them.
“You’re not wearing those inside, you’ll only draw more attention.” He found a side pocket on her purse and shoved them in.
“I never come here,” she mumbled as though talking herself through panic. “And dressed like this, maybe nobody would recognize me. I’m usually in jeans, never dressed up.”
So, that was considered dressed up? He hadn’t been sure, he just knew she looked fucking amazing and he didn’t like the idea of the world gawking at her.
They walked toward the mall and Bones realized a miscalculation. His need to protect her grew with every step they took toward the building containing every possible threat. “We should probably appear as a couple,” he said.
“A couple?” she wondered, sounding surprised but not opposed.
“So people don’t fuck with you.” He caught her smile out of the corner of his eye.
“If you think we need to.”
“I do.” He grabbed her hand and held it. “Nothing personal.”
“Right, duh,” she muttered, lacing her fingers in his.
It was just a hand and yet Bones found himself aroused, of course. Being able to touch her and feel her hand in his fed his kinky appetite. He found himself comparing. The size in his. The sleek shape, the soft texture that made him want to press in and feel. The weight and warmth. The biggest affect it had on him was the gesture itself and what it said to the world. She belonged to him. She was his. Something about it had him feeling strange, nervous, and alive.
They entered the mall doors on the far right, walking into a type of food court lined with mini restaurant fronts. As they made their way, the smells hit his stomach and woke his appetite. “What are you hungry for?” he asked, wanting her to eat.
“Ohhh,” she muttered as they slowed to look at the options. “I haven’t had oriental food in a long time,” she said.
He scoped out the tables in the center of the food court and spied an empty booth at the end. He led her to it making her sit on the same side with him, when it seemed she’d take the chair opposite. Better to appear possessive so there was no question about her availability.
“You want me to go order?” she whispered. “I can do that.”
Sounded like she wanted to compromise, or needed to do something sacrificial. They were a lot alike in that department. He realized he no longer needed to hold her hand but he couldn’t bring himself to let it go either. As long as she didn’t complain, he’d leave it alone.
“It’s just right there,” she said, seeming to sense his hesitation.
The concern she had for
him always took him off guard. He finally gave in, pulling out his wallet. He let go of her hand and grabbed two twenties, handing them to her.
“What would you like?” she asked, glancing at the menu close enough to see. “Oh, Spicy Orange Chicken looks amazing. I love spicy food.”
“I’ll have whatever you pick.”
“You sure? How about I get several things and we can have a variety.”
“That’s good.”
“Okay, here I go.”
She got up and his gaze immediately dropped to her ass. God, he wanted to hide it. She was too fucking sexy. While he waited, he covertly kept track of all the eyes, catching several dudes checking out her ass. A small group of loud girls stepped in line behind her, blocking his view. He leaned in various directions, trying to keep some part of her in his line of vision, while the girls laughed and whispered, making him nervous.
He stood and moved a few feet out where he could see her. She stood in line, her foot tapping rapidly and her arms crossed over her chest. One of the girls pointed to her ass and they erupted in laughter. Shit. He tried to see what they found funny but didn’t see anything out of place. He leaned against a post, hooking his thumbs in his front pockets as he watched out for her.
She suddenly peered around on her left then finally glanced right. He tossed her a wave, hoping to get her attention.
One of the girls behind her smiled and he realized he’d caught the wrong eyes. Five seconds later and it was nothing but slutty giggles and smiles aimed his way.
Winter turned with a tray of food and he pushed off the post, hurrying over to her. “I got it.” He took the tray from her.
“I love your tattoos,” one of the girls blurted followed by an outbreak of giggles.
“Yeah, thank you,” he muttered, walking off.
“Are they real?” another called.
Winter turned. “Very real, honey. And they taste as good as they look.”
Her bold words brought a grin he couldn’t resist as they walked back to the table. He put her in the booth first, then sat. “Good one,” he muttered.
“You like that?” she mumbled back, unloading food from the tray.
“I did. Very much.”