another way too. There’s a flutter in my belly and my breasts feel tight.
“Your eyes are a gorgeous shade of blue that’s rare. Your skin is flawless. Your round face and button nose… I get it. I can see why it would get old and annoying.”
I nod. He understands. “I know it sounds weird. Who doesn’t want to be pretty? But it hasn’t served me well.”
“How long were you in foster care?”
I lick my lips, hoping he’ll keep touching me like he is, stroking my cheek. “Always. Until I ran away at sixteen, I mean.”
He stiffens for a second. His eyes close and then slowly reopen. His lips part, and I hold up a hand. “New rule.”
He smirks and lifts a brow before dropping his hand back to my knee. “You’re making rules?”
I nod. “Yep. If I can’t say thank you every time you do something nice for me, then you can’t say sorry every time you find out something new about me.”
He holds my gaze for a moment and then clears his throat. “Okay, I’ll agree to that rule as long as I get to introduce another rule of my own.”
“Agreed. Whatever you want.”
“I make all the rules from now on.”
My eyes widen, but he doesn’t see this because he has shoved away from me and is now pouring batter into the hot skillet. My tongue is tied. I can’t even come up with a retort. What does he mean?
While he flips pancakes, he changes the subject, nodding at my dress. “So, you don’t mind the dress?”
He has an odd fascination with my clothing choices. “No. I guess not.” I wiggle my butt on the counter, realizing that I kind of like it actually. It feels less restrictive or something.
His attention is back on the pancakes as he lifts them out and pours more batter. “Your clothes aren’t in very good condition. Will you let me buy you some new things?”
I suck in a breath. “I don’t want you to spend money on me.” I’m uncomfortable with this idea.
“And I don’t want you wearing threadbare jeans and shirts when I’m perfectly capable of buying you some new clothes.” He removes the last of the pancakes from the skillet and sets the platter on the island between the plates and silverware he’s already arranged there.
A second later, his hands are on my hips again, and I’m flying through the air. My butt lands on the stool. My dress isn’t tucked under me though, and heat rises once again on my face as I squirm to smooth the cotton skirt over my panties against the stool.
He doesn’t say anything as he takes a seat and pushes the butter and syrup toward me.
I’m starving, but I need to address his last statement as I prepare my pancakes. “Davis…”
He sets a hand on top of mine and squeezes. “It’s already done.”
I lift my gaze. “What is?”
“I ordered some new clothes for you this morning while you were still sleeping. They’ll be delivered later today.”
“Oh.” I swallow. My hands are shaking.
“Please, just accept my help and don’t let it bother you.”
I nod, tears coming to my eyes.
He wipes them away gently with the pad of his thumb and smiles at me. “I kinda hope you like dresses more than your wardrobe suggested because I bought you some.”
I offer him a smile. “Okay.”
“If you’re not comfortable going out of the house in them, you can wear jeans and T-shirts and sweaters. I get it. But maybe when you’re in the house, you could find a way to let yourself feel as pretty as you are?”
More tears fall. He’s so astute. Before I can think to stop myself, I murmur, “Thank you.”
He lifts both brows.
And then I say, “Sorry.”
He laughs. “I’m going to have to come up with creative consequences for every time you say thank you unnecessarily.”
I shiver. Consequences? Hmmm. “Like a swear jar?” I joke.
He turns to face me and cups my chin. “Sweetie, you don’t even want to know what might happen if I hear you swearing. Saying thank you will seem like a walk in the park.”
My eyes go wide, my mouth open.
His eyes go wide too and he drops my chin, jerking his attention back to his plate. He grabs his knife and starts slathering butter on his pancakes. Finally, he looks at me and offers me an odd smile. “Sorry?”
I swallow and return the strange smile. “Habit?”
We hold each other’s gazes for a long time before he responds. “Yeah.”