Page 173 of Plunge into Obsession

Starting with the red six-inch heels, up to her long shapely legs, and the matching red dress that had a long slit starting at mid-thigh. If she moved in just the wrong way, her underwear would be exposed.

She was beautiful in the way models with their faces and bodies touched up with computers were beautiful.

Flawless.

Dark-brown eyes that complemented her tan skin well, and long, flowy, shiny dark-brown hair that fell all the way to the small of her back.

She looked like she had been pampered her entire life. Her makeup was flawless, with dark, smoky eye shadow not dissimilar to the way I’d done my makeup when I was working at the strip club. Her lips were painted a dark mauve.

They curved in a cruel smile, and the expression in her eyes told me she found me lacking compared to her.

I was so surprised at the hostility from a stranger that I took half a step back before I really thought about it.

I blinked up at her.

“Excuse me,” I said, looking past her to the door she was blocking.

She didn’t say anything for a moment. I really thought she wasn’t going to move, but then she edged sideways.

I narrowed my eyes at her before I pushed forward. Our shoulders clipped when I did, and I was nearly knocked over.

The woman had about several inches on me, even without the high heels she wore, and despite looking rich and pampered, there was nothing delicate about her.

She looked like the kind of woman who was comfortable getting into fights, and that wasn’t me.

I moved out the door without bothering to glance back at her.

Who the hell went to a baby store dressed like they were going to a fashion show?

By the time I got to the front of the store, Gabriel still wasn’t done purchasing the stuff, and I had an idea why, considering the high-pitched giggles coming from Karissa.

I narrowed my eyes at them when the woman placed her hand on his chest, threw back her head, and laughed.

I doubted Gabriel had said anything funny.

Gabriel wasn’t a funny man, and what was more, his expression was annoyance, not humor.

I was still reeling from my interaction with the woman in the bathroom, and now this?

I was at the end of my rope.

I was seething.

I rushed forward, and just as Karissa was about to say something, I pushed in front of Gabriel, who moved back to make room for me. He wrapped his arms around my middle, pulling me close and taking away some of my anger, but not enough.

I glared at Karissa. “Can we please make the purchase?”

Karissa went bright red. “Uh, yes, of course. I will have you rung up in no time.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and narrowed my gaze at her.

Gabriel placed a sweet kiss on my temple. Karissa looked up in time to see it, and she quickly went back to work.

Finally, she finished with us. “That will be four thousand, three hundred and eighty-two dollars and ten cents.”

It took everything in me not to react. Jesus, but what the hell did we buy?

Gabriel took out his card and paid, barely batting an eyelash over the price.

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