“All I want are these two dresses and the shoes,” I informed the cashier.
“Your total comes to four thousand seven hundred and ninety,” the cashier announced.
I swallowed hard as I handed her my Shell-B credit card.
It was almost eleven o’clock when Ryan finally came through the door of our suite. He barely stepped four feet inside when I wrapped my arms around him. He dropped all his belongings on the floor and grabbed a hold of me. It felt like everything that had been wrong was put back to right the moment his lips touched mine.
“Looks like you had fun yesterday,” Ryan said, nodding his chin at the garment bags hanging on the door. I couldn’t believe how much I missed waking up in his arms.
“I wouldn’t necessarily call it fun,” I breathed out on his neck, hiding my eyes in his hair.
Ryan lifted up the bed sheet and looked down at our bodies.
“Okay, now I’m really worried! I have thoroughly checked, and I know you’re a girl. You have all the proper girl parts.” He ran his hand down over my rear, causing me to fidget. “I thought all women love to shop. What’s going on?”
I turned away, reluctant to have another conversation about my aversion to spending his money. “I don’t know. I mean I had a lot of fun with Kelly.
It’s just, well I feel guilty.”
“Guilty? Why, did you rob the store?” His eyes pulled me back, forcing me to tell the truth.
“I just wanted to get a nice dress. I didn’t think it would cost so much. I’m only going to wear it for a few hours.”
“How much did you spend?” he asked, sounding reproachful.
I looked up at him with one guilty eye. “In total?” I swallowed hard. “Four thousand eight hundred? I got two dresses and new shoes to wear, one for dinner tonight and another for the party Saturday.”
He shook his head and scowled at me. “What were you thinking?”
“I know. I told Kelly it was too much, but she told me that your girlfriend has to look stylish,” I confessed. “I should have tried to find something more affordable back home, but it’s too late now. I’ll pay you back, I promise.”“No. That’s okay. I guess I’ll have to do another movie or something. It’s either that or we’ll have to drag the mattress out into the front yard again.” He sounded all disgruntled and then he rolled his body on top of mine.
“Tar, you’re going to have to get used to dressing up when I do public appearances, award shows, and premiers. You know that, right?”
I nodded.
“Dresses and stuff aren’t cheap. But if you feel that strongly about spending my money, you could always work off your debt,” he said slyly, softly kissing my lips. “I must warn you though; I may ask you to do things that you might find disgusting and perverse.” His devilish grin made my heart race.
“Nah, that’s okay. Let me get my purse and I’ll write you a check.” I teasingly tried to wiggle out from underneath him.
“I don’t take personal checks.” He pinned me with his long arms, pretending like he was going to take a big bite out of my exposed breast.
“Besides, I was hoping to subject you to fifty years of hard labor.”
“Does this mean we have to renegotiate our terms again?” I whined, locking my ankles together over his rear.
“Absolutely! Now roll over so I can change the fine print on our contract. I just have to get my eraser out down here,” he joked.
Our morning together passed by so quickly and now he was off again.
“I’ll see you around six,” Ryan said, kissing me goodbye in the privacy of our room. “Listen, just have fun and enjoy yourself this afternoon with Kelly. And don’t ask how much, all right? Just put it on the card – my card, not your card,” he corrected. “After the screen tests I have to pick up my new suits and then I’ll meet you here.”
I kissed him goodbye and frowned when he slipped from my hands.
Kelly saw to it that I had the works done at the spa that she took me to. I was scrubbed, massaged, and purified. I had never felt so relaxed in all my life. My skin glowed. After the manicure and pedicure I had my hair cut and styled. I felt fabulous.
“Just so you know, when we get back to the room I’m tearing that dress off your body,” Ryan informed in the car on our way to the restaurant.
I rolled my eyes.
“I’m serious!” He took my hand and rubbed it down the front of his pants. “Feel that? That’s from just thinking about it!”