I want to fit in.
I want to find my place.
I’ve actually never wanted anything more.
The truth is that I may not be able to fit in, with anyone, ever. I’m not like the other wives. I didn’t marry for love, like Lenora and Chloe. I didn’t find love again like Nicola. I didn’t know him my entire life, then fall in love, the way Luciana did. Massimo owns me.
I agreed to his terms, but at the end of the day, I am his. Owned by this man. This beautiful, sad man that I could fall in love with if I’m not careful. But a man who I don’t think will ever fall in love with me.
Chapter Seventeen
PIPPA
Walking into Lenora’s shop, Sugar Cookies, the bell above the door jingles as the scent of sugar cookies fills my nose. Grinning, I inhale again, enjoying the scent. Then I decide that I should stop by a café or bakery on the way home and buy some fresh cookies to take to Massimo for dessert.
“Pippa?” a voice calls out.
Turning toward the front counter, my lips turn up into a smile. Lenora is standing there, her hair over one shoulder in a long braid. I make my way toward her at the same time she shifts from around her counter, heading my way.
Her arms wrap around me before I realize what she’s doing, she hugs me… like a friend would.
“Oh my gosh, how are you?” she asks. “Arlo told me to leave you alone this week, said you were busy. I’ve been dying to call you.”
I blink. She has been wanting to call me? Unable to stop myself, my lips turn up into a smile. “I’m good. I was out furniture shopping today, but it was kind of disappointing. So, I decided to buy something that I actually like to look for instead.”
“I can totally help you with the fun stuff.” Lenora grins, giving me a small wink.
Together we walk around her store, she shows me some of the new merchandise. Everything is really sweet and while I know that Massimo likes sweet, I think that he may like something not-so-sweet too.
“Do you have anything a little more…” My words trail off as I try to think of the description that I want to give her.
Lenora lets out a little giggle. “I do, in the back. I put all the good stuff back there, c’mon.”
She lifts her hand and motions for me to follow behind her. Inhaling a deep breath, my high-heeled feet carry me behind her. My lips part in awe when I finally enter the room. It’s a small space, but the things that line the walls, some of them are just… shocking.
“Some items are a little wild, but it takes all kinds of people in this world,” Lenora murmurs.
Turning to look at her, I lift my brows as my eyes widen. She lets out a small laugh and flashes me a wide grin. “Take your time, if you have any questions, please don’t be embarrassed to ask me. Anything we say in this shop is completely between us,” she offers.
Nodding, I inhale a quick breath and take another step inside. “I have to go and man the front, but seriously, anything you want to ask. Please do,” she says, almost urgingly. “I just, I know that you were a virgin until last week, so please ask me.”
“Thank you,” I whisper.
Thankfully, she leaves me with that, and I watch her walk away in her tight skirt and high heels. Shifting my gaze back to the room around me, I inhale a deep breath and move toward a wall with all red pieces.
I like the color red, I always have. My aunt told me that only whores wore red, but with my dark hair and olive skin, I know that red looks good with my complexion. Lifting my hand, I touch a piece of fabric.
I’m not exactly sure how the garment is worn, it’s all little pieces of thin straps. It’s a two-piece, but it looks like it’s made completely of bra straps.
The bra has an underwire, then four straps that go across where the cups would be, but no other fabric, just three horizontal straps. The back clasps like a regular bra and the arm straps are just like a normal one as well.
Picking up the bottom of the lingerie, I turn it around in my hands, trying to figure it out. There is a very small piece of the fabric to cover my center, but a string up the back that no doubt fits between the cheeks of my ass.
The sides are high, two thigh straps, one that will no doubt rest above my hipbones, the other that will wrap around my mid-hip. Then there are straps that hang down with small clips, no doubt garters that hook on to nylons.
“You don’t have to wear thigh-highs with those,” Lenora’s voice softly explains.
Turning my head, I look back over my shoulder. Her lips curve up into a small smile. She closes the distance between us. I watch her hand as she reaches past me and takes a small package off of the wall.
“You slip these up your thighs then clip the garters to the hook, instead of wearing complete thigh highs. Unless you want thigh highs, I have those too,” she explains.
I think about Massimo and what he might like. I have no clue what he finds sexy, but I think that he would find this entire outfit completely shocking. He wouldn’t expect it from me and for some reason, I want to surprise him.
“I don’t know,” I mumble.
Lenora doesn’t laugh at me and I can’t see even an ounce of judgment in her eyes as she watches me. “Men like thigh highs, but they like this look too. Let’s get you one of each. Something with thigh highs and this without?”
Licking my lips, I dip my chin in a nod. “Okay,” I agree.
“What color do you think
