Bang Bang(14)
Author: Rachel Van Dyken

“What if I never ask you?”

He smirked and tilted his head, tipping my chin with his thumb before kissing my nose. “After that kiss… do you really think I’m worried about that?”

“Arrogant ass!” I said breathlessly jerking away from his tempting touch.

“That almost sounded like an invitation,” he teased. “If you want me to kiss you again, just ask.”

“No.” I folded my arms across my chest and shivered. “You’re, you—”

“—So damn sexy.” He eyed me up and down. “It’s a shame you can’t walk around like that — then again I’d have a really high body count, and I’m trying to keep my total under 100 before I turn thirty so…”

I gasped. “What’s it at now?”

“Somewhere between holy shit and I lost count.” He winked. “I take it you’ve finished your… sausage?”

“What is it with you and sausage?”

He just grinned and walked away holding his hands in the air. “We should probably get going, we have some shopping to do before we road trip it.”

“I’ve never road tripped.” I said, feeling suddenly panicked. Did I have to entertain him? Tell stories? Oh no, did I have to sing songs?

Ax turned around, “Wow, that’s a confidence booster. I talk about being in the car with you alone for hours on end and you pale.”

“Sorry.” I shook my head. “It’s not that… I mean, won’t you be bored… driving?”

“Of course not.” He grinned and strode over to the sideboard and grabbed his gun. He stuffed it into the back pocket of his jeans and turned back around, flashing me a smile. “I’ll have you next to me, safe. It’s all I need. You could sleep the whole time and I’d be content just to know I was the one keeping you safe, returning you home, where you belong.”

“I have no home.” I crossed my arms and tried not to panic as I felt the walls closing in around me.

“Hey.” Ax was suddenly in front of me. “I’m your home. Never forget that.”

CHAPTER TEN

Axton

AMY WAS WEARING one of my white t-shirts and a pair of running shorts I’d brought with me at the last minute thinking I’d hit the gym in my free time. Right. Free time my ass. Taking care of her was a full time job, not that I was complaining.

I didn’t know the first thing about shopping for girls, but I had expensive taste, and the small town area wasn’t cutting it. I ran into Walmart with Amy in tow, grabbed a t-shirt, some workout stretchy pant things, flip flops, and called it good. She didn’t complain at all, and I’d half expected her to. I just needed to clothe her so I could take her somewhere nicer.

Though when I mentioned that she looked at me with horror-stricken eyes. “What’s wrong with the clothes you just got me?”

“They aren’t… you.”

“My clothes aren’t me?” she repeated in a deadpan voice. “And you know me so well because?”

“I know you,” I snapped. “And I want you to be in… satin… silk… Italian leather… shit, I don’t know. I want you in something worthy of you.”

“They’re just clothes.” She shrugged.

“They’re touching your body. Never say they’re just clothes.” I growled taking the next exit the navigation instructed. The mall was supposed to be big enough to have a few department stores and some smaller ones that would do just fine.

When I pulled into the parking lot Amy gawked at the giant buildings, “Are you sure these clothes aren’t okay?”

I sighed. “You can’t wear the same clothes every day.”

“Fine.” She opened the car door and got out. I was still trying to figure out why she seemed so upset when I reached for her hand and grasped it within mine. She didn’t pull away but her entire body was tense.

I walked into Nordstrom, recognizing the store only because it had some of the brands I was looking for, and walked over to the directory.

Personal shoppers were on the top floor, but I could dress her, right? I mean, I was a guy, I knew what looked good. I stole a glance at her, right, style I could do, sizes? I would be crap at finding sizes; we’d be stuck there for a lifetime.

“Women’s is on the third floor.” Amy pointed.

I nodded and pulled her onto the escalator, refusing to let go of her hand as we went up to the third floor and started walking around.

I felt hot all over. I could shoot a man in cold blood but looking at pretty clothes with shiny things had me ready to puke and find the nearest bar. I gripped her hand tighter.

“Are the clothes scaring you?” Amy whispered.

“Shut up.”

Laughing she stood with me in the middle of the main aisle, her eyes widening as she looked around.

Where the hell were the sales lady’s? The ones every store had to help relieve customers or guys with panic-stricken eyes and the sudden need to drink away the pain of the credit card swipe? Ah…nice, a female employee turned towards us and started walking. Thank God someone finally recognized the look of horror. She paused in front of us, “Do you need help?”

“Yes.” I damn near shouted in the poor thing’s face. She was only around five foot and that was with the tallest red heels I’d ever seen. Her face was clean of makeup except for bright red lipstick. She looked like she knew what she was doing, so I did what any sane man would do. I pushed Amy towards her and said, “Can you dress her?”

The lady’s eyes narrowed.

“That came out wrong,” I grumbled. “Can you help her find some clothes? She needs a whole new wardrobe, shoes, underthings.” I coughed into my hand and looked away. Bar, bar, where was a freaking bar?

“Sure.” The lady pressed her lips together, probably trying not to laugh hysterically at my expense, and motioned to Amy. “Why don’t we go check out Savvy, I think I can find you some great pieces. What’s our budget, sir?”

“No budget,” I barked out. “Is there a place to get a drink around here?” I tugged at my t-shirt but it didn’t alleviate the choked feeling I had at sitting in a department store with a gun in my pants—literally…

“Actually,” she said smoothly, “Right around the corner is a nice bar that Nordstorm specifically put in for men to sit at while they wait for their significant others to shop.”