Free Rose by Sydney Landon Page B

born knowing how to do?” I know that last line was a mistake when she glares at me.
    “I may have a vagina,” she snaps, “but that doesn’t mean I’m some mall groupie.” Then she lowers her voice, sounding achingly vulnerable. “I’m never done this before, Max. I’ve had someone else picking out my clothing since the day I was born. My parents didn’t trust that I wouldn’t embarrass them.” She pulls on the tailored shirt that she’s wearing as tears glisten in her eyes. “I don’t know how to be anything other than this. Yes, I’ve shopped with Lia before, but that’s different. We were buying things for her. Do you know how I dress myself each day?” When I shake my head, she continues. “I have a notebook telling me which pieces to wear together. With every new wardrobe, I get specific instructions so I don’t screw it up. It’s like fucking designer Garanimals for adults!”
    Her face is red, and she looks like a powder keg on the verge of exploding. I think carefully of a reply before I finally settle on, “What in the hell is a Garanimal?”
    In an instant, she loses her defensive stance and bursts into laughter. “Oh my God, that’s all you got from that whole spiel? Garanimals are children’s clothing that come with little tags that make them easy to match up. And before you can ask how I know that, Lia suggested I buy some for Lara instead of the Valentino baby collection that I’d been planning to get.”
    I wave my hand around me as I say, “So you have been somewhere like this before.”
    She rolls her eyes. “It’s called online shopping, counselor. Something that we should have considered before putting ourselves through this.”
    It’s downright pathetic how little it takes to turn me on. Her calling me “counselor,” has me imagining myself bending her over the witness stand while I go balls deep inside her wet heat. My cock is rock hard at the visual, and I attempt to nonchalantly put my hands in the pockets of my jeans, to create some camouflage. “Should we—um, give this a try?” I ask in a voice that sounds unusually high.
    Almost as if she has a direct line to my thoughts, her eyes drop to my crotch and her cheeks flush. Any other woman would pretend not to notice, but not my Rose. She’s not your anything; get that into both of your heads. “What’s with the wood?”
    I look away, feeling like a schoolboy who has just been busted. “You didn’t just say that,” I groan.
    She shrugs her shoulders. “Answer the question, counselor. I mean I know all about the whole waking up with a stiffie, but shouldn’t that be over by now? I didn’t notice it at the house.” She wrinkles her nose and gives me a wary look. “You’re not one of those guys who gets turned on by the feeling of women’s clothing, are you? It’s not going to get you out of shopping with me, but you’ll need to carry a shirt or something in front of you to hide that thing. Geez, why did I never know this about you? All this time, I thought you were so straight-laced. We definitely can’t buy lingerie if you’re getting a boner from looking at a dress through the display window.”
    By the time she finishes, my mouth is hanging up. I’m in such a rush to assure her I’m not a weirdo that I admit something I’d planned to keep to myself. “I’m hard because I’m with you. It wouldn’t matter if we were at a mall or fucking Toys-R-Us. It’s just the way my body reacts when you’re around.”
    She looks nonplussed for all of a few seconds before she smirks at me. “I believe I’d keep your sexual references away from a kid’s store, counselor, but I like the general theme of your message.”
    Now, I’m the one with a flushed face. Rather than wait on this train wreck to reach the station, I pull on her hand and stalk into the store we’ve been standing in front of for far too long. Unfortunately, I know as soon as I look around that there is nothing here for Rose. The place is