Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 116662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
“You said that about the previous two stores we went to.”
“You weren’t supposed to remember that.”
He snorted. “Hard to forget when each promise had filled me with hope both times.”
Quinley chuckled. “What a big baby you are.” She gave a polite “No, thank you” smile to a worker who tried offering her a free beauty cream sample.
Much as she teased Isaiah, she could totally understand his eagerness to leave. He preferred to shop online, and they’d been at the mall for hours. Her cat was just as fed up.
The building was all glass, tiled floors, bright lighting, and fake foliage. It was also decked out for the holidays. Fairy lights flashed and danced. Tinsel curled around plants. Inflatable Santa’s and snowmen were perched here and there.
This mall was different from the one she’d ventured to with Blair, Elle, and Bree. There were plenty of stores, kiosks, coffee shops, and juice bars, but this mall was somewhat smaller and not so much about big brands.
It was also closer to their neighborhood and less busy. Well, usually less busy. It was currently more hectic than it would typically be due to it being the holidays.
An endless amount of shoppers carted around bags of all sizes that bore various logos. A jumble of voices, laughs, and cell phone chimes echoed throughout, barely overridden by the Christmas music. Lots of squeaking and clicking came from the soles of wet shoes that left damp trails in their wake on the tiled floor.
Though she was enjoying herself, she’d be glad to leave. Her feet were sore, every shop was jampacked, and the lengths of the cues at counters were ridiculous. She kind of felt sorry for the workers—they had to be both shattered and frazzled.
Of course, she hadn’t told Isaiah that her feet hurt. Overprotective as he was, he’d either carry her around or pressure her to leave. She wanted to grab just one little last gift for her nephew Ren first.
She hadn’t been able to find this particular toy anywhere—no mall, no market stall, no public street store, not even online. There was only one toy shop here that they hadn’t yet searched. She had her metaphorical fingers crossed that the place had the item in stock.
A teenager preoccupied with scrolling through his cell almost bumped into her. Isaiah’s arm shot out wicked fast, protectively acting as a blockade.
The teen’s head whipped up, and his eyes went wide at the sight of Isaiah.
“Move, kid,” her mate ordered.
Oh, the kid moved. Quickly.
She smiled. It had to be said that the dude came in handy. And there was something about him acting as a living shield that made her all tingly.
“Just to let you know,” she began as he dropped his arm, “I’m thinking of always taking you shopping with me from now on.”
He cast her a sideways glance as they resumed walking. “Why?”
“Because I don’t have to weave my way through the throngs of shoppers when I’m with you.” They naturally parted for him. Maybe it was his large frame, or maybe it was that they sensed the predator in him. Either way, it worked out nicely for her because it meant they also moved out of her way.
His lips curled. “It has to be hard to be sma—”
“Height-challenged.”
His smile grew. “Yeah. That.”
Ass. “You’re not going to protest to being my shopping buddy?”
“No,” he replied, raising his voice slightly to be heard over the sound of water pattering the base of a fountain. “Unless it’s a day when I can’t get time off work. I usually can, but sometimes it’s necessary that I stay local to the pride or that I accompany Tate somewhere.”
Whereas, since he was effectively her bodyguard at the moment, he could focus on her. “Do you miss not working as much?” She knew he prized his position.
“If you’d asked me in advance if I would, I’d have said yes.”
“But you don’t?”
“No. I like that we’ve been able to spend the extra time together. It’s made it easier for us to get to know each other. And it would have frustrated me to have to trust someone else to watch over you lately. I wouldn’t have trusted them to be as vigilant with your safety as I am.”
“In all honesty, I wouldn’t have either.” She turned her head at a loud, “Ho, ho, ho.” It came from a guy dressed as Santa who was striding around with a bucket, collecting money for a charity.
Returning her attention to Isaiah, she saw that he was staring at her, his expression soft and warm. “What?” she asked.
He shrugged. “It’s just nice to know that you trust me to keep you safe.”
She wasn’t sure when exactly that trust had solidified in her gut, but it was there. This man would never purposely harm or neglect her—Quinley believed that with everything in her. Her cat agreed, the animal’s faith in him an unshakable thing. “I thought you already knew that.”