“Excuse me? Did you just call medowdy? I mean, seriously?”
“Do I look like I’m joking?” Corbin rosefrom behind his desk and was standing in front of me before I couldblink. “Here.” There was another motion too fast to see and he wassuddenly holding a dress in one large hand. I frowned—damn hisvampire speed. “Put this on,” he said.
I took one look at the dress and shook myhead. “Uh-uh, I don’t think so.”
He raised an eyebrow. “And why not, may Iask? Isn’t it modest enough for your taste?”
Actually, it was. It was a simple, flowinggown made of some silky, gauzy material with an empire waistlinethat looked like it would hit just above my knees. It was a littlelow cut but not slutty in any way and it had flirty little capsleeves that would flatter my arms, now that Corbin had healed myscars.
“The problem is the color,” I said, lookingat the dress, which was a deep, brilliant red, just a shade darkerthan freshly spilled blood. “Look at it, Corbin. Everyone knowsredheads can’t wear red—it clashes.”
“This isn’t just red—it’s crimson.” He heldit up to my skin. “I had it specially made for you, Addison. Itwon’t clash with your hair—it will complement it.”
“I don’t know…” I frowned. “I guess I couldtry it on and see.”
“By all means.” He handed me the dress.
“Where’s the bathroom?” I asked, lookingaround his office. “You do have one, don’t you? I mean I knowvampires don’t have, uh, human functions but most places at leasthave one.”
“May I remind you that I have seen younaked?” he murmured.
I felt my cheeks get hot. “Which doesnot entitle you to a strip show now. So where’s thebathroom?”
He sighed and gestured. “Behind thebookshelf in the corner of my office.”
“Thank you.” I went into the little room andmade sure the door was locked. It was a useless gesture—if Corbinhad wanted to get to me, a brick wall wouldn’t have stopped him,let alone a flimsy bathroom lock. Still, it made me feel better tohear the snick when the door shut.
There was a full length mirror on the backof the door and after I got into the dress I stood in front of itto look myself over critically. Actually, it didn’t look half bad.Corbin was right about the color—it was dark enough not to clashwith my hair and it gave my skin a creamy glow. The style wasnothing I would have picked for myself but it fit me perfectly,hugging my small breasts and flowing down from them in a gauzy redwaterfall of silky fabric that managed to look both sexy and demureat the same time.
Hanging on the same hanger that the dresshad been on was a small black pocketbook with a long strap. I don’tusually carry a purse but in this case, I decided to make anexception because it was just large enough to fit my Glock inside.True, this was just supposed to be some civil trial kind of thingbut with vamps, you could never tell when things might turnviolent. And I would be damned if I’d spend time around a vampRoderick’s age without some kind of protection.
There was a light rapping at the door.“Addison?” I heard Corbin say. “Are you ready to come out?”
I sighed, smoothed down my hair, and settledthe small purse firmly on my shoulder. “I guess so.”
“Let me see it.” He sounded impatient,almost like any human man would be, waiting for his date to getready.
Only I’m not his date—I’m nothing to himbut a prop, I reminded myself sternly. Slowly, I came out ofthe bathroom and stood in front of him with my arms spread.
“Well?”
Corbin sucked in a breath. “You look lovely.I knew that color would suit you.”
“It’s not bad,” I said grudgingly.
“It is beautiful, as are you. We need onlyone more thing. Here.”
Before I could ask what the one more thingwas, he was suddenly kneeling in front of me with a box in hishands. He opened it, revealing black, strappy heels so high I wassurprised they fit in the box. The open-toed design made me gladI’d had a pedicure recently.
“Are those Jimmy Choos?” I asked, as he tookone out and reached for me.
“Manolo Blahniks,” he said absently. “Here,let me put them on you.”
“Let me sit down first, I’ll fall over,” Iobjected as he lifted my right foot.
“You’ll be fine. Just hold on to me.”
I was forced to do just that, holding on tohis broad shoulders as he slipped first one shoe on and then theother. They had a simple yet elegant design with a single strapover the toes and another around the ankle. Corbin’s long fingersseemed like they would be too large to buckle the delicate anklestrap but he managed with no problem.
“There,” he murmured when he was done. Iexpected him to get up but instead he remained kneeling at my feet,looking up at me. “Perfect. Addison, you are a goddess.”
“Stop it.” I could feel my cheeks gettinghot and it occurred to me that I was still holding on to hisshoulders although both my feet were planted firmly on the ground.I caught a whiff of his scent—that cool fragrance that reminded meof the ocean somehow. I wanted to step away but I couldn’t.
“Why should I stop?” Corbin growled softly.“Why should I not say what I think? When was the last time a mantold you how beautiful you are?”
Actually, it had been so long I couldn’tremember but I wasn’t about to tell Corbin that. Instead, I forcedmyself to take my hands off his shoulders and move away.
“So you expect me to walk around in theseall night?” I asked gesturing down at the shoes. “I mean, I wearheels but these things are stilts.”
Corbin rose smoothly and looked down at theshoes critically. “They complement the dress perfectly. And theyhave the added advantage of making you tall enough that I can biteyou without stooping too much.”
“Bite me? Wait a minute.” I
