Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 46695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
But my own paranoia is short-lived, with the boutique staff glad to see a guy like Ethan this early in the day with his credit card out.
The store is as immaculate and imposing as the casino to a girl like me. I’ve only ever bought clothing off the rack.
And never with a designer label on it.
But Ethan seems at home here, as he does anywhere that looks like luxury.
Eyeing me are the stick-thin mannequins showcasing the latest high-end fashions.
“Looks like something the girls in the Pearl Room wear,” I remark, making a face that has the staff move their attention from Ethan to me.
I’m still in my work clothes and look pretty sharp. But compared to the clothes they’re wearing and selling, I look and feel like a glorified maid.
“Maybe we can start with something more…casual,” a helpful attendant says, stepping forward.
To my surprise, she’s not stick thin, and with a knowing look, she offers to show me around.
I look to Ethan for guidance, but he only gives a little shrug, asking if they have anything that would fit him.
If I’m worried about my not-so-small size requirements, I’m reminded instantly of his. His tailored suit and shoes aren’t just made to look the part.
A man his size needs big everything, and I suddenly feel awkward once it’s clear this shopping trip really is all about me in Ethan’s eyes.
He’s wangled it, so I get out of work to spend the day with him, and now he’s making sure I have everything I need and more to look and feel as good as he does.
He also manages to ensure that even though he’s on the other side of the store in the menswear section, he can keep his eyes on me.
He pretends to look interested in some shirts that might fit him, but he smiles when he sees me seriously looking at what I might like.
“Krissy?” The store attendant asks, breaking my fixation on Ethan for a moment.
“How about these?” she asks, holding up a selection of designer jeans. “They’re low-cut but perfect for us gals with broader hips,” she says with a wink.
I like her choice, but I’m more confused by how she knows my name.
I still have my casino ID around my neck, which explains everything, and I flush with embarrassment once I tuck it into my pocket that I’ve had it on all this time, it’s also got a passport-sized photo of me.
Not my favorite picture of myself, and not one I’d want Ethan to see, let alone walking around in public with hanging from my neck.
But Ethan never mentioned it, and despite my determination to contribute by earning my keep with Ethan, a part of me is hoping today’s the last day I ever need my casino ID.
Or my job. But the thought seems alien to me still.
How can I just do nothing all day and have Ethan pay for everything? That doesn’t seem fair.
The memory of his mouth over my mound. His fingers inside me tell me that Ethan probably has a few ideas about exactly how I’ll earn my keep from now on.
It makes me smile to myself. Willing myself to relax and just enjoy things instead of overanalyzing it all.
“I’m May,” the store clerk tells me, noticing me tucking the ID away, “I tried for a job at the casino, but they weren’t hiring normal people that day,” she jokes.
Sharing my view that it’s not all about skills or experience getting a job across the road.
“You worked here long?” I ask.
“About eight months,” May sighs, quickly turning her attention back to outfits, which she tells me she has a ton of ideas for.
“There’s more here than you think will fit,” she says with confidence.
“Most of our customers who buy off the rack aren’t all size two’s and three’s,” she adds.
And I’m not sure if she’s just being nice or if I really am a snob when it comes to stores like these.
But she’s right.
The first pair of jeans I try on actually fit, and they’re more comfortable than anything I’ve ever tried on.
Looking around for Ethan once I come out of the changing booth, I notice he’s not anywhere near the clothes anymore.
He’s talking to another attendant over by a glass case filled with watches.
A whole counter of high-end jewelry, watches, and sunglasses.
Handbags, luggage. Perfumes and cologne. They even have a whole section for designer shoes and lingerie.
The more I look across the store, the bigger it seems to get.
The bus stop is the furthest I’ve ever strayed from the casino on this side of town, so it feels like a whole new world to me.
And with Ethan busy but within sight, I guess I’ll do what he wants and keep trying on and choosing more clothes.
“See, a lot of high rollers come through here…,” May remarks, “…And don’t mind me saying so, but none of them have casino staff on their arm.”