章 14: Chapter 14
NICHOLAS
"Going somewhere today?" I asked Giselle.
She still refused to sit with me at the dining table, so she sat at the kitchen island. For someone who had a scheduled date today, she didn't look like she was in a hurry to be somewhere.
She stopped eating at my question. "Why? Am I suddenly allowed to?"
"Funny I don't recall ever saying you couldn't."
"Is that why there's been a change of guards after I went out with Aunt Adrienne? You've doubled the security."
"Because I don't trust you not to sneak out."
She snorted. "What am I? Twelve? Well, I might as well be, since I'm not allowed to leave the house."
"Do you have somewhere to be today?" I asked again.
"Why? You have some guests you'd like to bring to the house?" She asked, sliding off the stool. "This is your house, Nicholas. You're free to do as you please."
She grabbed her bowl of fruit, offering Sara a smile before walking out of the kitchen.
"I thought things have changed between you two," Sara said as she wiped down the countertops.
"Why would you think that?"
"She spent those three days you were away practicing the pasta recipe your aunt gave her. She even called me to ask for a few tips, and that was when she told me she was cooking for you."
"She did."
"Did you eat it? She sounded very eager to have you home when she called."
And like the pezzo di merda I was, I didn't eat any of it because I had been too drunk out of my mind.
"No, Sara, I didn't eat the food."
I didn't offer Sara any additional information before I also made my way out of the kitchen, thinking of a way to make things right.
***
GISELLE
"You don't have a lot of clothes," Nicholas said, tucking the tails of his dark satin shirt into his pants.
I raised a brow at him. What was up with him, and trying to make small talk?
"I know." I chose not to bring them back with me, and my parents' announcement of my marriage had been short-noticed, so here I was.
"You need more of them."
"Are you offering to take me shopping?" He wasn't outrightly saying it, but that was what his words insinuated.
That was weird, but his confession from last night trumped it.
"I have time on my hands," he replied as an explanation for my question.
Going shopping was great for a change of scenery. It had been a while since I left the house, and I needed the fresh air.
I climbed out of the bed. "This better not be a joke." Just because he wanted to kiss me, it didn't mean anything had changed between us. I didn't know where I stood with him, but I was certainly wary of him.
He grabbed my waist when I walked past him, pulling me against his toned chest. "Are we back to you questioning my financial capabilities?"
I couldn't help it. My lips curled up in a smile; a genuine smile. "That in itself would be a slap on the face, right?"
"You catch on fast. Wear something easy to take off. You're going to be doing a lot of that today."
The sentence was innocent, but something about the way he said it in that sinful accent of his had pleasure pooling at the bottom of my stomach.
"I'm going to tire you out, husband."
He squeezed my waist as his eyes turned into liquid silver flames of... lust?
"I'll be looking forward to that."
***
I chose a black sundress for easy removal like Nicholas had suggested, and a pair of sneakers for comfort. If we were going to be up and about for hours, heels weren't the smartest choice.
"Going all out to impress me, are we?" I teased, sliding my gaze over the metallic silver car that definitely set him back a couple hundred grand, but knowing who his family was, it hardly made a dent in his bank account. Hell, he probably made the same amount weekly.
Nicholas huffed, pulling the passenger door open. "It's my newest car. Haven't ridden it yet, and this seemed the perfect opportunity."
I slid into the car, and the sleek, dark interior was just mind-blowing. I wasn't into supercars or anything of the sort, but this car was worth me dropping my jaw.
"How much did you spend to get this car?" I asked when Nicholas got into the car.
"Why? You gonna reimburse me?" He asked with a smirk as the engine purred to life. God, why did I find that sound so attractive?
I snorted. The thought was fucking laughable. My parents were rich, but their money was theirs. It didn't make me automatically rich, and they sure didn't care about that.
"Yeah, maybe after I sell a few organs on the black market."
"You are a Rossi now. My money is yours."
For the first time, his tone wasn't filled with malice when he mentioned me now being a part of his family.
I offered no words, humming in reply.
Eggshells, I reminded myself. I was walking on eggshells around him.
***
Nicholas was officially the worst shopping partner a girl could ask for.
I tried on many attires, and all I got was a hum or a nod from him. We had been civil for hours, and I didn't want to jinx it, so I included him in my shopping spree.
"You're the worst. You know that, right?" I grumbled as I walked out of the private dressing room for the hundredth time, clad in a pair of light blue jeans and a green crop top.
"Tell me more," he drawled with a droll stare.
"At least say something about this pair of jeans."
"I said I was going to take you shopping, dolcezza. I didn't say I was going to pick anything for you. You either like it or you don't."
"Do you watch movies?"
He shrugged a shoulder in nonchalance."A few of them."
"I happen to have watched a lot of them, and guess what happens during a shopping montage? The main character brings someone along so they can be critics of the outfits they choose."
"You want me to criticize the outfits you choose?"
Finally! Cazzo, some men were slow.
"Yes!"
"Okay." He adjusted himself on the couch. "Is there a reason all the pants and jeans you've walked out with are baggy?"
"It has to do with my body type. It's something I learned from a few friends. I dress according to the shape of my body, and I find baggy pants look good on me."
It felt weird to explain fashion-related things like this to Nicholas, a man who I'd only ever seen in a suit or sweats, but he looked genuinely interested in what I was saying.
"That does make sense. Do you want my opinion from a male perspective?"
"Yes."
"I think this might be my favorite pair on you yet."
"Why?" I asked, checking myself out in the mirror.
"It cups your ass more than the others. The top is nice, too. Your tits look fuller in it."
My cheeks flamed up in embarrassment. Maybe I shouldn't have bothered with his opinion in the first place.
Nicholas chuckled, shaking his head at me. "Don't ask for my opinions if you can't deal with hearing them, dolcezza."
"In my defense, I didn't expect your opinion to be explicit."
"Explicit?" A devilish smirk pulled at his lips. "You call that explicit?"
"Yes. Plus, the top didn't make my breasts look fuller than they actually are. My bra did."
"You should get more of it, then."
"I have enough bras."
He rolled his eyes at me. "I didn't say more bras, Giselle. I said more of that design, or whatever you want to call it."
The conversation was taking a turn I didn't expect, and I wasn't sure I was ready to dive into that.
I cleared my throat. "Shall we move on to the next outfit?"
"I haven't seen you try on any dress yet."
I was dreading trying some of the day dresses on, and no, it wasn't because I didn't like them. I picked them out myself, but when I looked at them in the dressing room, they were backless dresses that needed to be held together by strings, and well, I had short limbs. Tying the strings up would be difficult.
"Can I get a sales assistant in here?"
He arched a brow at me. "Why?"
Dammit! I'd hoped he'd agree without questioning me, so I didn't have to explain myself.
"Because I need help with tying the dresses."
"I'm here, aren't I? Wear the dresses, and come out when you're done. I'll help with the adjustments. We don't have all day, Giselle."
Well, things most definitely weren't going according to plan.
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