JOINED (The Joined Series) (3 page)

“I have the bra in your size. Would you like the
panty too
?”

“She’ll have that and the whole set from the middle to the corner over there.” He turned his body, raising his chin
several
feet away from us. Consuela’s mouth opened wide. Nearby, the other associates fixed their faces expressionlessly. Floored, I sucked in my own cheeks and looked around as if I hadn’t seen the other items in this section.

“Mr. Guvo. I apologize.
I had no idea this young lady wa
s here with you.”

Consuela moved in closer to Mateja, with a frantic look on her face, ready to spew out more apologies and explanations. His hands came down on her shoulders. “There’s no need to apologize. How could you have known Rebecca is here with me?” He rubbed her shoulders.
His
acknowledgement of me sent
a sensation of
pleasure throughout my body, uplifting my mood. “I simply didn’t tell you.” The other associates cast questioning glances at each other, clearly in awe that he claimed to be with me. Better yet, that he was purchasing tons of lingerie—for me, of all people. The associates looked like the kinds of ladies that would be in his company.

Consuela’s shoulders lowered and she half-smirked at him, returning back to business. “Patty! Leticia! Get every item from here over ”—she pointed—“ and across from us in her size… the
panties
in medium to large. Note any items that we don’t have in stock an
d we’ll ask…them if they’d like
the items shipped to the store or
sent...um…to them.” She cast him a
glance.

“I appreciate all this…Mr. Guvo.
T
his won’t be necessary.”

His jaw tightened. Involuntarily, I took a step back. A man never paid so much atte
ntion to me in my life and rarely
worked himself up enough to be frustrated with me. I liked it. I really wanted to please him but I didn’t know why. He made me feel better about myself and I wanted to do the same for him, even though he didn’t need a confidence booster. Consuela looked at me like I was silly.

“Remember. Call me Mateja,” he ordered in a forced pleasant tone, making it clear to me again that he didn’t like my reluctance to call him by his first name. “You don’t like these bras?”

“
I like them
.” For a moment, I paused and with a quick laugh, he lightly nudged my shoulder at my apprehension. Thankfully, the change in music and increase in attractive female customers made me realize that I wasn’t dreaming. Indeed, I was in front of this handsome man whose focus was entirely on me, even though some attractive women conveniently brushed passed him.

I shrugged, hoping to get this moment behind me because my whole body was flushed from his kiss and the nearness we shared. If Consuela looked at me with curiosity, I would’ve been a blubbering mess.

Mateja waved his hand at me dismissively. “She’s a stubborn
woman
,” he told Consuela, like he knew me for a decent period of time to make such an assessment of me. “In all these years, have I ever brought any women here?”

She shook her head. I was more surprised that he asked her that question than the answer.
Why was he explaining himself to me?
Besides, he probably sent women elsewhere or gave them the money to wear the lingerie that he liked.
“It’s nice to see that you’re here, shopping with
Rebecca
.” She beamed a smile. “We’ve been trying to match him with someone for years,” she said it like I should kiss the ground he walked on.

“She’s
a nice
woman
, right?” he asked her
as if I wasn’t even there.
Before Consuela could respond, o
ne of the associates returned, looking rushed.
 

“We’ll have to order six bras in her size.
We have all of the underwear in her size.
We’ll get them by next week, the latest.”

“Is that okay, Mr. Guvo?” Consuela asked him.

He looked stoic as thought about it
, and then he moved to stand beside me. “Would you like the bras shipped to the store…or shipped to your residence?”

I was still dumbfounded. “Again, I think this is too much,” I insisted.

“We’ve known each other for a brief time,” he told Consuela and the other sales associate,
which was
beyond an
understatement, but I didn’t wan
t them to know that I knew him for less than
an hour
. Consuela and Patty nodded understandingly. “But I get the impression that she doesn’t treat herself to much…maybe doesn’t even care for shop
ping,” he said conspiratorially,
“and I know that every woman deserves to celebrate her body. This is one of those ways.
” H
e temporarily stopped, the
assured
look of his piercing gaze made me
want to smack his arm
because he was correct
. “Am I mistaken?” He asked in mock confusion. Both of the ladies looked at me like I wasn’t worth his efforts.

“Certainly, Mr. Guvo,” Consuela said.

He lightly clapped his hands. “At the store or to your residence?” He asked me
again
, unwilling to ask that question again.

“At my home will be just fine.
”

“Very well, then.” Mateja looked at his phone. “Ladies, thank you for your assistance!
It’s been a pleasure, as always.
I’ve got to make a ru
n for it. Any problems, call me.”
He
walked away. Mid-stride, he stopped, looking at me intently. “Charge it on my account. Anything else she buys, put it on my account too.” He paced through the
store
, no longer in my view. I had a few things I wanted to make clear to him in the absence of the sales associates.

“I’ve gotta tell you, you must be something special!” Patty said in amazement.

Consuela glared at
her
, communicating a silent warning to her. “Get everything in a bag for her.” Patty walked off, the other associate stared daggers at me.

“I’ve been calling you!” Sarah yelled. Rachel looked like her patience was wearing thin. Stacks and stacks of clothes were in the baskets that she and Sarah held. “Well! Are you ready to try on these clothes on or what?!”

Rachel placed the baskets she held onto the floor. “There’s an eight item limit in the dress room.”

Fortunately, the two hours it took me to try on all of the clothes coasted by. It probably would’ve been faster if I didn’t daydream about
Mateja
. Only a few of the slacks needed to be tailored and the jeans they chose for me fit well. When I tried to pay for the clothes myself, the cashier re
fused
. Sarah tried to ask the associates a bunch of questions, but they were tight-lipped.
I only agreed to Ma
teja’s indications when he was
here; I intended to have my way once he left.

After
we quickly dropped
off my shopping bags
and my suitcases
at Brayden’s apartment, Sarah took me to a nearby nail salon. While the ladies started on our feet and I settled my head to have a quick rest, a quick whistle, almost mirroring Brayden’s perfectly,
got
my attention.

“Miss Becca.” Sarah shook her finger at me. “You’ve been holding out on me.” She
cocked
her head, batting her deep green eyes at me.

I chuckled. “I am going to explain-“

“You got yourself a sugar daddy and didn’t tell me.” She huffed, f
eigning anger
.
“
I was gonna buy you a new wardrobe as your graduation gift, but now…you have no need for me!” She pouted and then twisted her lips.
             

Focusing on my growing mortification, and the fact that I couldn’t stop the rising blush on my cheeks, I bit my lip. A thumb firmly massaged the instep of my foot, and I had to fight with myself n
ot to kick the beautician in his
face. I told her how Mateja approached me and that he ordered the store to charge everything to his account. However, I didn’t tell her about our heated kiss.
I didn’t know if she would me or not.

“That name sounds familiar. I can’t place it, though.” Sarah
frowned
. An employee handed her a glass of champagne. Quickly taking a small sip, she proceeded to lick her lips at me lasciviously. “Maybe a glass will get to you elaborate about this money dropper. Are you sure you don’t want a drink?”

“It’s cool. I am going to hold out on a drink for now.”

“You’re missing out ‘cause their champagne’s good. I bet they have good merlot here too.”

“I am sure they do. They seem to have…everything,” I commented. “My first day back home is certainly not what I expected it to be!” I slanted my mouth with mirth, looking at the gleam in my eyes in the mirror directly across from me. “I’ve never seen him before. Everyone in the store looked at him like he was a god. He strode into the store like he was floating in the air.”

Sarah laughed at me heartily. Composing herself, she eyed me curiously. “You’re as red as a beet!” Ripples of delight went through me as I recalled his voice and the way I fisted my shirt as he innocently placed his hands on Consuela’s shoulders.

“
He would
make
you blush too!
”

A
deeper
laugh rumbled from her chest.
Unabashed that she attracted some attention our way,
she
started to make
kissing noises.
“Don’t try to redirect the focus on me, Becca! You like
d
that he
paid
attention
to you
and bought you
a
wardrobe that
might rival mine.
”
She rolled her eyes.
“Get over yourself! There’s nothing wrong with enjoyi
ng the kind deed of a gentleman,” s
he
chided me
.

Once my feet were painted, I propped myself up with my elbow and sat by the dryer, waiting for my feet to dry and for a table to become available to get my manicure done. “I
am not
saying
that I liked getting his
attention…and the clothes. But come on. It’s random!” I sighed. “Besides, he doesn’t know me. Nothing’s for free. I have no way of contacting him to even express my gratitude.”

Tapping her chin
,
she sighed contentedly. “So what? Random shit happens all of the time. And I am sure you can…express your gratitude.”

“See! Nothing is done al
truistically! He didn’t have
to do anything for me!”

“
But he did because he felt like it.
Stop overthin
king this
.
When was
the last time you had sex
any
way?”
She swigged the rest of her Champagne.

“It’s been a while.”

Sarah brought her arm to me and rubbed my shoulders. “Since Larissa’s death?” she asked
gently
.

“Before then.”

“Okay. There’s nothing to feel guilty about. I know you’re trying to work on yourself and get back into the swing of things, but you have
other
needs too. It’s only natural.” Noticing that I immediately became anxious, she frowned. “Becca.” She put her hands up.

“I am not pushing anything on you. We all operate on our own timetable.”