Page 72 of Cowboy's Healing Heart

Heat rushes to my cheeks. "Shane!" I swat at his chest and laugh. "We're in public."

He pulls me closer, his lips brushing my ear. "Then let's make it private."

Before I can protest, he's tugging me into the spacious dressing room, closing the door behind us. His lips find mine ina kiss that makes me forget, for a moment, about dresses and galas and all the ways I feel at odds with my life and his.

I melt into him, my hands fisting in his shirt as he presses me against the wall. His touch is electric, igniting a fire under my skin that burns away my doubts and insecurities.

"Shane," I gasp as his lips trail down my neck. "We can't... not here."

He pulls back just enough to meet my eyes, his gaze dark with desire. "Why not? I own the place."

The reminder of his wealth, of the vast difference in our backgrounds, is like a bucket of cold water. I push him away gently, trying to catch my breath.

"That's exactly why we shouldn't," I say, smoothing down my dress. "What if someone walks in?"

"Krystal, what's really going on? You've been distant ever since we moved to New York."

I cross my arms, suddenly feeling exposed in the revealing dress. "It's nothing. I'm just... adjusting."

He steps closer, his hand reaching for mine. "Talk to me. Please."

I take a deep breath, trying to find the words to explain the turmoil inside me. "It's just... everything here is so different. The way people look at me, the expectations. I feel like I'm constantly on display, being judged."

Shane's expression darkens. "Has someone said something to you? My parents?—"

"No, no," I cut him off. "It's not that. It's just... little things. The way the staff at the estate look at me. The comments your mother makes about my 'unique' style. I know they don't mean anything by it, but..."

"But it makes you feel like an outsider," Shane finishes, understanding dawning in his eyes.

I nod, relief washing over me at being understood. "Yeah. And I know it's stupid. I shouldn't let it get to me. But sometimes I wonder if I'll ever really fit in here."

Shane pulls me into his arms. "You fit with me," he says softly. "That's all that matters."

I want to believe him. I want to lose myself in his arms and forget about everything else. But the nagging doubt remains, a persistent whisper in the back of my mind.

"Come on," Shane says, pulling back with a smile. "Let's get you this dress, and then I have a surprise for you."

I raise an eyebrow. "A surprise?"

He grins, the boyish excitement in his expression melting away some of my anxiety. "You'll see. Trust me, you'll love it."

As we leave the boutique, dress in hand, I can't shake the feeling that I'm stepping further into a world I don't belong in. But with Shane's hand in mine, I'm willing to try.

The drive to Shane's estate is quiet, the city passing by in a blur of sleek buildings and bustling streets. I mentally compare it to the wide-open spaces of the ranch and the simplicity of life there.

Here, everything feels so... complicated.

"We're here," Shane announces as we pull up to the gates of his family's estate.

My breath catches as we drive up the long, winding driveway. The house—if you can even call it that—is massive, all gleaming windows and imposing stone. It's beautiful, in a cold, intimidating sort of way.

"This is where you grew up?" I ask, unable to keep the awe from my voice.

Shane nods, his expression unreadable. "Home sweet home."

As we step out of the car, a butler appears, seemingly out of nowhere. "Welcome home, Mr. Kennedy," he says, his tone polite but distant. "Shall I take your bags, sir?"

"Yes, and take them to my room need," Shane says. "Have lunch served on the terrace in fifteen minutes."

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