Page 32 of Tangled in Temptation

“Yes, your loyal subject has been delivered.”

He chuckled and walked into the suite. I closed the door behind him. “How was the drive?” he asked.

“Fine. Busy. What’s all this about, Timothy?”

He grinned, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “I wanted some company, and you need a gown.”

“You wanted company?” I repeated. “Are you serious?”

“Absolutely,” he said, his voice rich with amusement. “I thought it would be nice to get you out of Sleepy Hollow. It’s just a little trip.”

“A trip? To The Plaza?” I asked incredulously. “Isn’t that a bit...excessive?”

“Not at all.” He shrugged casually. “Business here can be pleasure too.”

“And the gown?” I couldn’t help but ask. “You didn’t think I could pick one up in Sleepy Hollow?”

He gave me a dry look. “No. Besides, this is a very upscale event. You want to look the part.”

“You know, typically one would ask someone if they wanted to go,” I said with a smile. “It would be a discussion and not an order.”

“You said you would go.”

“But you never mentioned it again,” I pointed out.

“I’m mentioning it now. Get dressed; we’re going out into the city. We’ll find you a gown and get some dinner.”

“What do you mean get dressed?” I asked. “I’m not exactly naked.”

He looked me up and down. “Trust me, you’ll feel better if you’re wearing something more, uh, more New York.”

I looked down at my jeans and tee. In my defense, Bennet had barely given me time to pack a bag, let alone get dressed and put on makeup. “Maybe we should just browse online,” I muttered.

Timothy chuckled. “Just trust me, Kitkat. Get dressed, I’ll wait.”

Before I could protest further, he moved to sit down on the couch. Resigned, I grabbed my suitcase and carried it to my bedroom. Before I closed the door, I glanced at Timothy, who was now flipping through a magazine he’d found on the coffee table. He noticed me looking and waved his hand to shoo me into the room.

“Go on,” he said. “I’ll be right here.”

I quickly changed into something more suitable for a day out in the city. I put on some makeup and brushed my hair out the best I could. I didn’t feel like I was on his same level of sophistication, but it was the best I could do. I stepped out. “Ready.”

He got to his feet. “Beautiful. Let’s go. We have a car waiting.”

We made our way to a high-end boutique that specialized in designer gowns. I could hear my father’s voice in the back of my head telling me not to touch anything.

Timothy seemed to read my thoughts. “Relax,” he said, supporting me with a hand at the small of my back. “You’re not going to break anything.”

The shop assistant, dressed in an impeccably tailored black dress and her hair up in a sleek bun, gave us a warm welcome.

“Good afternoon,” she said with a polite nod. “How can we assist you today?”

“We’re looking for a gown,” Timothy answered. “Not we, her. Something elegant.”

The woman looked me up and down. “We can do that.”

“I have to make a phone call,” Timothy said. “I’ll leave you in their good hands.”

I felt a bubble of panic. “Come, dear,” the woman said and escorted me to a curtained area.