asked, amusement coloring his voice.
“I guess not,” she murmured.
“Good. Then let’s have breakfast and then I’ll take you shopping.”
“But Jace, what about work? You can’t just take off shopping with me on a whim.”
“There are perks to being the boss,” he said smugly. “One of them being that I can take a few hours off. It’s not like I’m going to get fired.”
“Well, okay then.”
He patted her on the ass and then rolled out of bed, leaving her lying there on her side.
“I’m going to shower right quick and then you can have the bathroom while I start on breakfast. Sound good?”
She nodded, unable to keep the smile from curving her mouth.
He smiled back, his eyes lighting up. “You need to do that more often and if I have my way, you will.”
Her brow furrowed in puzzlement. “Do what?”
“Smile.”
Chapter fourteen
Shopping with Jace was an exhausting, thrilling, completely baffling experience. He swept through the department stores and countless boutiques like a man on a mission and he was exacting in his requirements. It occurred to her that he had a lot of experience in shopping for a woman and she didn’t like the jealousy that seized her. Until Jace wryly commented that he’d made countless shopping trips with his younger sister over the years.
When it became obvious that Bethany wouldn’t choose any of the dreadfully expensive items that Jace was convinced she needed, he forewent asking her altogether and took charge. He bulldozed his way through the stores, pointing out what he wanted in her sizes and had the saleslady collect them.
After outfitting her in all the necessities, from underwear—which was horribly awkward—to bras—equally awkward—to jeans, shirts and dresses she had no clue why she’d ever need, he then purchased sweaters, two coats—one short and one long—and three pairs of fur-lined boots.
“I don’t want your feet getting cold,” he told her.
She was appalled and at the same time her heart melted at the care he took in picking out every single purchase.
By the end of the five-hour marathon, Bethany’s head was spinning and Jace’s driver had to help carry all the purchases to the car. There was a veritable mountain of bags and boxes in the trunk and they still had to stuff many of them in the front seat.
Bethany sagged into the seat, bewildered by the way the day had shaped up. Yes, he’d said he was taking her shopping. She figured he’d buy a coat—since he was so pissed that she didn’t own one—and maybe a few items. She’d never expected an entire wardrobe and enough clothes to wear every day for a month without duplication! She didn’t even want to know what all this had cost. She’d refused to look at the price tags after she’d made the mistake of peeking at the first one. She’d nearly fainted and Jace had frowned and promptly directed her gaze elsewhere.
Jace reached over for her hand and squeezed. “Everything okay?”
She nodded. “I’ve never done that before. I mean obviously, but not even on a smaller scale. Most of my shopping—if you can call it that—has been at thrift shops and Goodwill stores.”
He scowled. “Those days are over, Bethany. I want you to forget them.”
She sighed. Over until he moved on, got over his . . . She wasn’t even sure what to call his seeming attraction to her. Whatever it was wouldn’t last forever and going back to her life would be even harder afterward. Before it had been all she knew but now? Jace was giving her a taste of how different things could be.
They pulled up in front of a sleek, modern-looking building on the Upper West Side and Jace got out, extending his hand to help her from the car. After instructing his driver to see that the bags were brought up, he directed Bethany toward the entrance.
Once inside, he introduced her to the doorman. Evidently Jace had already notified him that she’d be staying in the apartment because it was more a case of formality than introducing a new situation.
Then Jace gave her a tour of the facilities and the amenities offered by the building. She couldn’t imagine taking advantage of any of them. Having an actual apartment was a luxury she couldn’t even wrap her mind around. To have all of the extra perks blew her mind.
She was relieved when they finally got on the elevator and rode up to the apartment. Her nerves were shot. She was frazzled by all the shopping and she desperately