I try to keep my gaze from drifting to his sculpted ass, but I fail. At least I look away before he catches me.
“Ryan was already booked for this morning, but he’ll be here to make you breakfast tomorrow.”
I jerk my blanket back over myself rather violently. “Already booked?”
“I share his services with one other person. Prior to having you here, I didn’t need him every day, so it didn’t make sense to have him full-time.”
“Thought you didn’t share,” I mutter, closing my eyes and trying to ignore the wetness between my legs as I try to get comfortable so I can go back to sleep.
“I don’t share you,” Calvin specifies. “A chef I can share.”
I grumble incoherently and try to relax, but it’s impossible knowing he’s still in the room.
Mercifully, he heads for the shower, so I’m able to fall back asleep.
__
When I’m ready to wake up for the day, I do so slowly.
I have to take another shower since Calvin is such a greedy man and dirtied me up. Much to my relief, I find a pair of my own pajamas waiting for me on the bathroom counter. Calvin must have stuff from my apartment stashed somewhere because the pink and gray Aristocats pajamas are definitely the ones my sister bought me for Christmas last year. She bought us matching ones and we took a picture in them together with Marie snuggled up on the couch between us.
Since I work from home most of the time, I’m no stranger to wearing PJs all day. It’s the most like myself I’ve felt at Calvin’s as I head to the kitchen, pausing to pet Marie who rubs up against my legs.
“Mommy will feed you right now,” I tell her. “Assuming your new boyfriend Calvin didn’t already do it.”
She flounces her tail as she ignores that comment and sashays into the kitchen.
I smile faintly and follow her.
Once Marie is fed and I’m fixing myself some instant oatmeal, I hear the elevator doors open in the gallery. I freeze, not sure what to expect, but it’s Hollis who comes around the corner.
“Good morning, Hollis.”
“Morning,” he returns, nodding his head.
I see he’s carrying a garment bag draped over his back and a rectangular box tucked under his arm. “Did you bring me presents?”
He nods, walking over and pulling a black envelope from Calvin out of his interior suit pocket.
I stop stirring and put the spoon down so I can grab it and open it.
Hallie,
I’m taking you to dinner and a show tonight.
The show starts at 7, so be ready to leave at 4:30.
Have a good day.
-Calvin
That’s kind of sweet.
I frown at my own thought. Is it?
I don’t know, but I do enjoy going to the theater. I assume the gifts Hollis brought are what Calvin wants me to wear.
I take the lid off the rectangular box and find a stunning pair of red and black leopard-print pumps from Dolce & Gabbana. “Wow. These are stunning.”
Hollis nods his agreement. “Very pretty.”
“Will you be coming to the show with us?”
“I’ll drive you. I won’t be going in.” He hands me a small shopping bag with satin strings and tissue paper inside that I didn’t notice him carrying under the box.
I open it to find a pair of pantyhose and a scrap of material I guess Calvin considers underwear. I hold them up by the strings and look at the scant piece of black lace that will cover my crotch. “A thong. How comfortable.”
Hollis turns to cover his smirk. He unzips the dress bag and holds it up so I can do the rest.
I have to get pretty close to him to pull the dress out of the bag. I catch the scent of his cologne and off-handedly tell him, “You smell good.”
His eyes widen like I just punched him in the abdomen and he cannot believe my audacity. “Don’t say shit like that.”
I blink. “What?”
He shakes his head, glancing around like Calvin’s home and he’ll overhear it. I’ve never seen Hollis look antsy before, but he does now.
“It was just a casual compliment. Relax,” I tell him. He’s being squirrelly as hell, but I ignore it and tug the dress off the hanger.
It’s a beautiful, classic little black dress with an asymmetrical neckline. It’ll look great with the shoes he bought me, and I’m glad it’s a sheath that won’t blow up if there’s a gust of wind since the panties will not provide much coverage.
“These are so pretty,” I say, going back over to look at the shoes. “I’m excited to wear them.” Actually, I’m too excited to wait. I might look silly wearing them around the house, but there’s no one but Hollis around to see.
I don’t want to wear them barefoot, so I take my new pantyhose to the master bathroom as well and change into them.