“Definitely in the yes pile,” Wyatt decided. He glanced at his watch. “Change for me, honey, we’re on the clock. Can you get the zipper back down?” His voice changed deliberately, dropping an octave so that the sound was caressing.

She flashed him a siren’s smile. “Definitely, Cajun man. You stay right there.”

Her voice implied all kinds of things. She lifted her hand and waved her fingers before disappearing back inside. There was a stunned silence. Pepper looked elegant, classy and as if she were worth a million dollars. She carried herself like a princess, but seemed approachable and friendly at the same time. But her attention was all on Wyatt. Every move she made, every look she gave him had been that of a woman who saw no one else. He was her center. He almost believed it himself.

“Your fiancée?” Harley’s voice came out strangled.

Lucia sent him a dark look that promised retaliation. Shoving her glasses on her nose, she caught Harley’s arm. “Let’s get out of here.”

“I thought you wanted to shop.”

“I forgot I have some errands to run. Right now, Harley.” Her voice was demanding. High-pitched. Angry. She lowered her voice. “And what kind of stupid name is Pepper, anyway?” She hissed the last out. “That’s a comic book character.”

Wyatt, pretending not to hear and hiding a smirk, lifted a hand when Harley shrugged his shoulders and muttered good-bye. He also didn’t fail to catch Harley’s glance toward the dressing room. Even without the biochemical spilling from her body, Pepper was potent. She was sexy as hell and that couldn’t be toned down any further than she’d already done. He was okay with that, as long as he was around. He couldn’t imagine her going into a bar by herself. Every unattached male would make a beeline for her.

Are you upset with me? Did I do something wrong? I thought you wanted me to rescue you from the woman.

You did exactly what I wanted, sugar. You drove her right out of the shop. She couldn’t take the competition.

He’d better learn to be comfortable around the competition, comfortable and confident.

She came out in outfit after outfit, and he realized it didn’t much matter what she put on, he liked it all. Slim vintage jeans or a dress for dancing, every bit of clothing she tried on clung lovingly to her curves. He made certain she walked up to his chair and turned around for him, just because he enjoyed watching her walk, the smile on her face telling him this new experience mattered to her. He decided he wanted to get her some killer heels, not necessarily to wear for anyone else, but he wouldn’t mind in the bedroom, which necessitated a trip to another store.

Wyatt had a lot of time to contemplate what it was about his woman that made him feel so great when he was with her. He realized her entire focus was on him. Unless Ginger was close, she was there, in his mind, or watching him, even if she appeared otherwise occupied. She focused completely on him.

With his legs stretched out in front of him, his cock stirred, thinking about how she was concentrated on his pleasure when she took him into her mouth. When his body moved in hers. It was all about him. He was the one who made the experience about her for himself. Otherwise, she would have given him anything he wanted – or needed.

They left Mrs. Marsh extremely happy and Pepper even happier. She had quite a bit of new, lacy, Wyatt-approved underwear. He wasn’t certain how he was going to get all the way home thinking about all that lace and what it covered, although he wasn’t delighted she had already put a pair of lacy panties on. Still, it was probably a good idea since the shoe store was their next stop.

They walked in and his happiness went down another notch. He knew the clerk. He’d been the most popular boy in the school, a handsome, charming man who loved the ladies – and the ladies loved him.

Pepper tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow, moving closer, looking up at his face, her dark purple eyes drifting over his harsh features.

I’m okay with not coming here, Wyatt. What’s wrong?

There it was. Complete focus on him. She saw every mood swing when everyone else thought his face was stone. Her hand slid down his arm, her fingers threading through his and she leaned into him, her face upturned to his. He couldn’t help himself, he bent his head and took her mouth. Right there. In public. His arm swept around her back to drag her close, so close her body melted into his.

There was fire in her mouth. An addicting taste that drove a man right out of his mind. He didn’t care. The earth moved when she kissed him. There was gold in her mouth, paradise, and he couldn’t get enough. Yeah, and it gave him a hell of a hard-on as well, but that was becoming fairly standard.

Are you all right? she asked again when she lifted her head, her beautiful eyes searching his face. She lifted a hand to his mouth. Tell me what’s wrong?

He didn’t want her to know because this was the perfect opportunity to see how things went when she was in the company of a man who thought every woman wanted him and he had a right to her.

I’m okay, babe. I know that man.

She barely glanced at the clerk, but Wyatt was beginning to realize she saw everything. You know everyone.

He’d grown up there and certainly just about everyone he met on the street had greeted him warmly.

Alain Daughtry glanced up and his entire being stilled. Wyatt watched his face change the moment he spotted Pepper. His eyes moved over her openly as if inspecting her. Wyatt stiffened, slid his hand down once again to hers and tugged until they were all the way inside the shop and walking toward Alain.