the tank top.”
Heat tingled down my body at his declaration. Something he said so easily and probably didn’t even think twice about. Something told me you’d be more comfortable in the tank top. He knew what made me comfortable. The tank top, a longer skirt. Most guys would have wanted to see my boobs crammed into a corset, but Tate not only knew but respected what I wanted. “You look pretty good, yourself,” I said, smoothing the tank top, even though it didn’t have a damn wrinkle in it. “So…you going to tell me what the hell is going on?” I laughed at how ridiculous we looked.
He still didn’t answer, just handed me the box in his hand. “You need just a couple more things to complete the look.”
I set it on the coffee table, tore the ribbon off the top, and opened it. A feather boa. Huh. This just keeps getting weirder. And a feather clip for my hair. At least, I thought it was for my hair.
Before I asked any more questions, he took the feather and moved to clip my bangs back. Fear and anxiety collided in my chest, and I jumped from his touch, pressing a palm to my bangs. “What are you doing?”
“It goes in your hair,” he answered cautiously. I knew I was acting like a lunatic. That reaction was extreme, even for me, but I just wasn’t ready for him to see my scar. To see the actual damage that permanently marred my face and was a constant reminder of that horrible night.
I swallowed, feeling like something gooey was caught in the back of my throat. “I’ll do it,” I managed to say, taking the clip from him. I pinned the other side of my hair back and took a quick look in the mirror.
“Ready?” he asked, wrapping the boa around my shoulders.
“For what?”
“Your next lesson, mademoiselle.”
I locked the door behind me, and as we stepped on the elevator, my eyes trailed down to his feet, which were clad in penny loafers. I tried to hold in my laughter, which only resulted in a weird hiccup-snort hybrid.
His eyes widened, surprised at my laugh. “Did you just snort?”
“Whatever, dude. You’re wearing penny loafers. I could pee myself, and you should still be more embarrassed.”
“Oh yeah?” He didn’t wait for my response, but dug his fingers into my ribs, tickling me. I jumped, screaming and laughing nearly collapsing to the elevator floor. He caught my elbows, ceasing the tickle attack, and helped me to my feet as I caught my breath. “Sure you want to keep testing that theory?”
I shook my head, panting. “Where the hell did you get that outfit, anyway?”
“Reagan found it all in the costume department. She let me borrow it tonight.” He adjusted the cap, looking at his reflection in the elevator door. “Though, I think I might keep this hat. Looks damn good on me, wouldn’t you say?”
“Oh, definitely,” I said, rolling my eyes. “You’ve got a hat face.”
He swept his fingers over the brim in some sort of Bruno Mars-Michael Jackson move. “I know, right?”
“Maybe I didn’t mean it as a compliment.” I pushed onto my toes, tipping the hat to the side so it sat on an angle on his head.
“Of course it was a compliment. You said it yourself, I’ve got a hat face. Meaning I look good in hats.”
“Or your face looks better covered up.” I laughed and tugged the brim down over his eyes.
He flicked the edge of the hat, and damn… I had to admit it was a smooth move. He winked, wetting his lips. “The only way my face looks better covered…is if it’s covered by your lips.”
My heart fluttered, the irregular beat causing my chest to lurch. “Anyone ever tell you how humble you are?”
He grinned, flashing me that dimple almost as if it were deliberate. “Not today.” Then, leaning in, he tugged at the feather boa, dragging it across my neck. “I also bet we could make good use of this eventually, too.” Warmth spread through my limbs at that, and I tried to calm my somersaulting stomach. Because despite my need to go slow, damn, did my body want to go faster.
Ten minutes later, we were pulling up to the old Charleston train station, which had been converted into a lounge a few years ago. People were milling about, all wearing clothes similar to ours. Hell, most were even more elaborate. In front of the door was a sign that