N. Walters - Legacy Found

She didn’t take it, looking at the tag instead. She shook her head. “It’s too much.”

“Just try it on,” he encouraged. James swallowed his anger. What had her life been like that a twenty dollar used coat was too expensive? He already knew she hadn’t had an easy life, but he was afraid the truth was going to be even worse than he imagined.

Reluctantly, she took the jacket and slipped it on. It fit her to perfection. James stepped up beside her and zipped it closed. She watched him, an unreadable expression in her eyes.

“There. It looks great.” He eased her in front of the mirror again and was pleased at the delight in her eyes.

“Oh, it’s gorgeous.” She ran her hands up and down the leather before doing a little twirl. Her pleasure in such a small thing made his heart hurt even as it made him smile.

She shook her head. “But I can’t. It’s really too much.” She shrugged out of it and handed it back to him. He tossed it over his shoulder.

“Do they have any boots or shoes?” She needed something more than thin canvas sneakers. If he had his way, he’d take her to the nearest department store and outfit her from head to toe. He could easily afford it. But he knew she’d never allow it. Whatever she’d been through in her life, she had pride and wouldn’t accept what she saw as a handout.

“Over there.” She motioned to the corner.

“What size do you wear?”

She shook her head. “Size nine.”

James left her and went over to check out the footwear. He found a pair of slightly battered, lace-up boots. They weren’t in the best of shape, but they were better than what she was wearing.

He went back to the dressing room and knocked on the door. “Shelley?”

The door opened a crack. She was dressed in the jeans and her bra. The sweater was back on a hanger. James swallowed hard as it became difficult to breath. The bra she was wearing was plain white cotton and it was barely large enough to contain the bounty of her breasts. He’d never seen anything sexier in his life.

“James?” His name was little more than a breathy whisper.

His heart pounded as he shifted closer. He had to have her. Now. He took a step closer.

“Find everything you were looking for?” The woman’s voice shocked him back to reality. He clamped down on the need swirling like a maelstrom inside him and slowly turned to face her.

“We’re good.” He glanced at Shelley and back at the woman. “Can she wear the jeans, sweater and boots instead of the clothes she came in?”

“Sure,” the sales clerk nodded. “We do that all the time. Just wait a second.” She hurried back toward the front counter.

“James,” Shelley whispered his name loudly. “I’m not sure what I’m buying yet.”

He shoved the boots toward her. “Try these on. They’re warmer and sturdier than your sneakers.”

She automatically took the boots, holding them against her bare stomach. God, her skin was so smooth. He wanted to go down on his knees and bury his face against it.

He shifted uncomfortably. He was sweating now and his pants were way too tight. Thankfully, the clerk came back before he could do something stupid.

“Here we go. I’ll just cut off the tags.” She quickly snipped the tag from the jeans, the pair of boots, and the turtleneck James pointed to.

Shelley said nothing as he gathered up the rest of the clothing hanging on the hook in the dressing room. “Get dressed, honey.” He closed the door before she could say anything. He knew he’d get an earful when they left the store, but he didn’t care.

He plunked the clothing and the jacket on the counter. Shelley was heading toward him, her own clothing in a bundle, as the clerk finished totaling everything. “That’s seventy-five dollars even.” James took four twenties from his pocket and laid them on the counter.

“I’m not buying all that, James,” she said as she reached his side and dumped her clothing on the counter. She was stiff with anger and, if he wasn’t mistaken, shame. That was the last thing he wanted her to feel.

“I know you’re not. I am.” He took the jacket, from which the clerk had already snipped the tags, and slipped it over her shoulders. “Please, Shelley.” He leaned down, his lips near her ear so the clerk couldn’t hear. “Let me do this for you. It’s the least I can do.”

“Here’s your change.”

James took the money the saleslady handed him and stuffed it in his pocket. Then he picked up the large bag she’d put all the clothing into.

“Ready?” He asked Shelley.

She nodded and silently headed toward the exit.

Shelley wasn’t quite sure what to think. She’d been happily trying on clothing when James had suddenly appeared. The way he’d looked at her had made her heart skip a beat. When it resumed beating, it was pounding so hard and fast her chest had hurt.

Her breasts had tingled and her nipples puckered. Not to mention the soft, liquid feeling between her thighs. She still couldn’t quite believe she’d become aroused in the middle of a store.

It was astounding for her to become aroused at all. It had never happened to her before. Never.

Okay, that was a lie. It had never spontaneously happened before. But she had been completely aroused once before. And that time still shamed her. She’d been in her early twenties and she still wasn’t quite certain what had happened to her. She’d had sex with a complete stranger, a man she’d only seen that one night. It was all a blur and not something she liked to remember.

Since then, about once a year she’d go through a period of feeling hot and needy. She hated it. It was a part of her animalistic nature that Tom had always berated her for. During that time, her body had craved sex even though emotionally and mentally she’d wanted nothing to do with a man. Not that she’d had much choice in the matter.

Whenever Tom wanted her, he took her. He owned her. Body and soul. He’d told her that enough times over the years. Then he’d laugh and tell her she didn’t really have a soul. Animals didn’t.

She paled and swayed, hating that she’d even thought about that time. It was behind her now.

“Shelley? You okay?” The bag crinkled as James shifted it and wrapped his free arm around her.

No, she wasn’t okay, but she was working on it. And that brought her back to the here and now. “You can’t buy me clothing. I’m going to pay you back.” It would eat into her small reserve of money, but she didn’t have any choice. In her experience, you didn’t get something for nothing. And she wasn’t going to owe a man anything.

James didn’t say anything as he unlocked the passenger door of the truck and opened it for her. She climbed in and he stood there watching her for several long seconds before shutting the door.

She let out a shaky breath as he went around to the driver’s side and let himself in, stowing the bag from the shop behind his seat. He shoved the keys in the ignition and started the truck, but he made no move to pull out into traffic. Instead, he peered out the window.

Shelley dug into the pocket of her jeans where she’d stuffed her money. Dragging out a handful of bills, she counted out enough to pay for her clothing and repay the twenty James had given her to buy something to eat. She didn’t want to owe him anything.

“Here.” She thrust the crumpled bills at him.

Slowly, he turned to face her. His expression was blank as he glanced from her face to the money and back again. “No. I won’t take your money, Shelley.”

She ignored the little shiver of pleasure that rocketed through her when he said her name and placed the money on the seat beside him. “I can’t let you buy me clothes.”