“Yeah, I know what I said,” he muttered. When was he going to learn she took every word quite literally?
“Did I do something wrong?”
“Never.” He brushed a finger over her pale cheek. Christ, she was so unbearably innocent. “Why don’t you show me what you like and I’ll pick out the right size?”
“You can do that just by looking?”
His lips twisted in a dry smile. “It’s a gift.”
“A well-practiced gift?”
He stilled, regarding her in surprise. Despite the fact they’d been constant companions over the past weeks, Cassie rarely seemed aware of his presence, let alone the fact that he was a red-blooded male.
Not that he took it personally. She was plagued by her visions of the future and too often impervious to the world around her.
“Are you truly interested?” he husked.
She flashed him a dimpled smile. “Perhaps.”
He swallowed a growl, his body once again hard and aching. She was going to have a raving lunatic on her hands before this was over.
“Better than nothing.” He motioned toward the hovering saleslady, indicating he wanted one of the sundresses, before steering Cassie toward the khaki shorts and pretty summer tops. “Now, let’s choose a few sensible outfits before we move on.”
Within an hour they had a reasonable pile of clothes for both of them and a bill that would make most men shudder in horror.
Caine, however, didn’t so much as flinch as he gathered the packages and headed out of the store. They had left Missouri with nothing more than the clothes on their backs after Cassie had offered her warning to Laylah. Tonight he intended to enjoy a hot shower, clean clothes, good food, and a soft bed. In that order.
In silence they wandered down the wide passageway, occasionally halting for Cassie to peer into the windows. For the moment, Caine was content to allow her to behave as a normal female. It was all too rare that she was able to put aside the burden of her visions.
And as long as he didn’t detect any danger lurking . . .
His brain closed down as his searching gaze was snared by the sight of lace and ribbons and feminine temptation spread in front of a shop window.
Instinct alone had him herding Cassie through the door and into the hushed atmosphere of the exclusive store.
“What are you doing?” she asked in confusion.
“We did your shopping, now it’s my turn,” he informed her, moving toward a table that held a pile of satin teddies with matching thongs.
Oh . . . hell.
Cassie halted at his side, her expression puzzled. “Here?”
“Absolutely.” Dropping his packages, Caine reached for a scarlet teddy, holding up the fragile garment for her inspection. “What do you think?”
“Tiny.” There was a faint hint of dimples. “I don’t think it will fit you.”
Heat blasted through him at the vivid image of Cassie wearing the lacy lingerie and spread across his bed, that same almost-smile teasing at her lips.
“We’ll take one of each color,” he croaked toward the saleswoman.
“They’re not very practical,” Cassie protested.
“Practical is the last thing you should be when you’re wearing fine lingerie.”
Expecting an argument, Caine was caught off guard when she reached to gently stroke a finger over the shimmering fabric.
“I suppose they will be comfortable to sleep in.”