Chapter 44: | pretty penny-2

I don't have a worry in the world. My every want and need are tended to. Before leaving, Raquel brings in Caviar branded glass bottles of water and a tray of cupcakes with the word, "Caviar" airbrushed into the frosting. How cute! While everyone else is in their dressing room, chatting over the drapes, I step out of my dressing room. I stand in front of a mirror, wearing a long Dior dress that puts me in mind of something the Greek goddess, Aphrodite would wear. Made of sheer white chiffon fabric, the dress features two-strand twisted shoulder straps, a deep, deep V neckline that extends down to a few inches above my belly button and long slits that run up to my thighs. This dress is both softly feminine and ruthlessly sexy. On top, I'll need two-sided tape, to keep my twins under wrap and because it's literally see-through, I have to wear nude-colored underwear to keep from baring it all. As he walks out of his dressing room, Phoenix stops in his tracks and stares at me. He takes a deep breath. "I think I'm falling for you." My heart beats triple time. A ripple of chills covers my entire body. "Do you like it?" I ask, trying to change the subject. He's tugging at my heart and it leaves me breathless. What do I do with that? "It's beautiful on you." He nods. "That's the one." I look down at myself, "I think you're right. I love what you're wearing too." He's effortlessly cool, wearing an off-white linen suit and a white shirt with the first few buttons undone. Between the off-white suit and his dark seductive eyes, the contrast is stunning. If only we were alone right now. He steps behind me. We look in the mirror together. "We look damn good together." He wraps his arms around my waist, and I melt like ice cream on a hot sidewalk. "You make me weak." My hands find their way up his toned forearms. His erection grows as he leans deeper into me. "I want you right now," he whispers into my ear. "I want to bend that ass over right here and fuck your pretty pussy." His confession causes my lips to throb. I turn to face him and as I do, the look in his eyes makes time stand still. He stares at me with such intensity, it nearly takes my breath away. I feel completely naked in this moment exposed before his eyes. I welcome it. His hands warm my waist as he leans in softly and his lips and tongue touch mine. I pull him deeper into me, wrapping my arms around his neck and caressing the back of his head. Penelope comes out of her dressing room. "Yeah, so Ari what you think?" She looks up and stops in her tracks. "Ew! Get a room!" In a knee-jerk response, we quickly step back from each other. I cover my mouth, smiling behind my hand. Phoenix smirks as he pretends to adjust his collar in the mirror. Penelope stands there, staring at us, burning us with her unwavering gaze. "Alright, we're caught!" I admit, giggling like a wild hyena. "The PDA po-pos got us! I wonder what they do to repeat offenders." Phoenix palms his face and buries his laughter in his hand. A grin slowly grows on Penelope's face as we laugh, at her expense. "Is this real life?" She rolls her eyes. "You're the one staring." "What do you think?" she demands in her usual toddler way. "Hmm. It's so-so. Got anything that brings out that sexy, daring personality of yours?" Appealing to her vanity always works. She rushes off to try on something else. I wrap my arms around Phoenix's shoulder, "Now, where were we?" He removes my arms and kisses each hand. "To be continued," he tells me through a mischievous grin. Then he goes back to his dressing room. Just like that. As I turn to go back into my dressing room, I catch Sheila staring at us intensely. She jumps when our eyes meet and quickly pretends to busy herself with the dress she's trying on. What's the story with her? Twenty minutes later, I'm eating a chocolate Caviar-branded cupcake with a Burberry plaid pattern airbrushed onto the frosting, as I wait for Penelope and Riz to decide on their second outfits. Mia sits across appearing quite satisfied with her choices. Phoenix, JC, Nixon and Sheila have left the dressing room to wander around the store. A few outfits later, decisions are made. We're off to the register to check out. I'm back in front of that rude associate, whose name looks to be Jessica. Raquel stops by and chats with us as we check out. Raquel looks at the register as Jessica rings us up. She coyly whispers, "Whose associate number did you put this under? That's not my number. Whose number is that, yours?" Looking flustered once again, Jessica stammers as she removes her associate number. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. Force of habit." "That's better," Raquel tells her. "Oh, also give them the insider's discount." She turns to us. "It was such a pleasure." "Are you sure?" Jessica whispers out the side of her mouth, barely loud enough to be heard. She gives Raquel a funny look as if giving us a discount is the last thing she'd do. "Yes, I'm sure, Jessica," Raquel sounds annoyed but tries to hide it by smiling at us. "That's cool of you. Thank you." Phoenix nods to her. "Is this all together?" Jessica looks at the huge pile of clothes, shoes, jewelry and accessories. She starts plowing through, ringing up everything in sight. A good while later, she finally finishes. Her eyes are wide as she gives Phoenix the grand total. "Wow, looks like you've bought enough to open your own boutique. Could've bought a house with that," she jokes, attempting but failing to get on Phoenix's good side. I hear her gulp as she watches Phoenix place his black card into the credit card reader. Phoenix pretends her joke is funny, but his phony laughter doesn't fool me. "I smell a winner, winner chicken dinner. Commission on a sale like this has got to be a pretty penny," he says with a huge grin. He signs the credit card slip and politely puts on his shades. She looks like she's in pain. "Sure is," she replies regretfully. I raise my eyebrows and smirk at how well this played out. "Raquel, you were awesome."