He didn’t answer my question or wait for an answer to his. He kept up his bizarre interrogation.

“And was it you who told me you loved me in a motel room this morning?”

I crossed my arms on my chest. “You know it was.”

“And who were you with all those times?” he asked.

“Zano. You!” I snapped. “What’s the deal?”

“And do you know me?” he pushed, and I sucked in breath.

I knew him.

And I got him.

He knew I got him and this was why he said, “You know what you signed on for, babe. Now take my card, buy what you need and text me to sign for it so we can get outta this fuckin’ place.”

I had to admit, his desire to exit the mall without delay was a surprise. Ren dressed really well. Although it would be a hit to his alpha badass to be comfortable in a mall, the results of said comfort couldn’t be argued.

Still, I found it interesting he clearly had an aversion to the mall.

This made me wonder where he got his clothes.

“Ally?” he prompted, and I focused on him.

Seeing as we were together together, I loved him, he loved me, I decided in that moment to try new conversational gambits that might result in actually conversing and not fighting.

Therefore, quietly, I pointed out, “You know what you signed on for, too.”

“Yeah,” he agreed instantly. “I also know my woman’s apartment exploded. So I want to get her across from me at a nice dinner with booze so she can relax. Then I want her at home with me in my bed so I can make her really relax.”

I was down with both of those.

Ren kept going.

“And she’s facing a variety of shit, including a lot of shopping, which is going to cost a whack and take a lot of time. You can do that. I want no part of that. I’m doin’ this. And I want this done quickly. But I also want you to have something nice that makes you feel good that’s from me so that makes it special, so you can have something special on a very special day that, unfortunately, included your apartment exploding. Not something you like that you can afford that’ll do. So, go, enjoy and,” he leaned in, “text me when I gotta sign something.”

Oh my God.

That was really nice.

As in, really.

“You could have explained it like that,” I shared.

“I just did.”

He did. Though belatedly.

In order to keep conversing and not fighting, I didn’t point out the belatedly part.

Instead, I informed him, “You’re freaking me out.”

His brows shot together.

“Why?” he asked.

“Because you’re thoughtful, or more thoughtful than I thought you’d be.”

“If you’d let me in a year ago, by now you’d know intimately just how thoughtful I can be,” he replied, and that was when my brows shot together.

“Just saying right now, you have precisely two more opportunities to throw that in my face, and then you’re done,” I snapped.

He looked at the ceiling.

Then he looked at me, his hand snaking out, hooking around the back of my neck and his mouth came down on mine.

In Cherry Creek, at Nordstrom’s, he laid a hot, heavy, wet one on me.

Then he lifted his head and I blinked, trying to remember what we were talking about, at the same time trying to make certain my knees didn’t fail me.

“Go. Shop,” he urged softly. “And don’t freak if you see Lucky or Santo trailing you. They’re both on you unless I’m with you and they’re both here.”

This was news.

Lucky and Santo were Zano family sidekicks. I’d met them both during Ava’s Rock Chick Ride. I also didn’t know what to make of either, as in, if they were buffoons or if they concealed crafty under a thick veneer of moron.

Since he was kind of their employer so hopefully didn’t think they were buffoons, I didn’t ask Ren his opinion on this.

Instead, I asked, “They are?”

Ren nodded.

“Since when and… how?”

“Since I called between you getting corralled by the Rock Chicks, then saving you from the Rock Chicks, and I told them to haul their asses here to watch your ass.”

“You know I can take care of myself,” I told him.

“I know I’ll feel better if you got backup,” he told me.

“I’m uncertain, since you’re here, why you aren’t my backup.”

“If I was your backup, I couldn’t use this time to return the fifteen messages I got while we’ve been dealing with this shit.” His eyes started heating and he concluded, “And if I was with you when you bought what you’re about to buy, I wouldn’t get the surprise I suspect I’ll like later.”

This was a very good answer.

“I think it’s time for me to go shopping,” I announced, and he smiled.

Getting his smile, I leaned into him but lifted up to my toes.

He touched his mouth to mine before he murmured, “Go.”

“’Kay,” I murmured back and pushed away.

I got two steps in before he called, “Ally?”

I turned back.

Eyes holding mine, he stated, “I don’t need those two opportunities. That one was one too many. It was also out of line. That’s done.”

I stared at him, knowing what I was feeling but unable to put it into words.

Then I found the words.

“You do know I think you’re the shit, right Zano?”

They were the right words.

I knew this when he gave me another smile and replied, “I know.”

I tipped my head to the side and lifted the credit card I was still holding. “Do I have any limits?”

His answer was a question. “Is tonight special?”

I started feeling warm(er) inside.

“Yes,” I replied.

He looked beyond me, then at me, and finally answered, “Then show me how special.”

I smiled at him. He jerked his head so I’d get a move on.

I got a move on. I shopped, texted, shopped more and got an LBD, fabulous shoes, equally fabulous undies, a phenomenal nightie, a plethora of makeup, perfume, shower stuff and a few other bits and bobs to get me through the next couple of days.

We loaded up and Ren took me to his place.

At that point, it was well into the afternoon so I headed to the bathroom with my bag and Ren headed to his office upstairs with his phone.

We had the same charger. He had one in his bedroom so I hooked my cell to it before I did my going out gig.

But now I had smoky eyes, sleek hair and I smelled good.

And the only jewelry I was wearing (because it was the only jewelry I now owned) was my guitar pendant. It didn’t exactly go with my slinky dress with its tunic-style, v-neck top, empire waist, ruched short (short) skirt that was skintight and my strappy stilettos. Then again, what it was and who it was from, it was my opinion that it would go with everything I owned.

After I gave myself a once over and walked out of the bathroom, I didn’t go to Ren.

I’d given it time, and not just the time my cell needed to charge.

So I went to the phone.

I scrolled down and dialed Indy.

I got voicemail.

I took in a deep breath and disconnected. It wasn’t unheard of I’d get voicemail. If Lee had Indy’s attention or she was neck deep in coffee, she wouldn’t answer her phone.

The thing was, her BFF had her apartment bombed. This was not a time when she wouldn’t take a call from me.

I hit go on her contact again.

I got voicemail again.

This time I didn’t disconnect.

Instead, after her message, I left one.

“Hey. I figure you’re pissed and just to say, you have a right. I kept a lot from you, but I had a lot going through my head. I kept that from you, too. But if you’ll let me, I’ll explain everything. I had my reasons, chickie. And hopefully, when you hear them, you’ll understand.” I paused, then whispered, “Love you.”

Then I hung up.

I was unplugging my phone from the charger and pushing thoughts of Indy being pissed at me to the back of my head by lamenting the fact I hadn’t bought a bag to go with my slinky dress when I heard Ren mutter, “Christ.”

I straightened and turned.

While I was in the bathroom, he’d changed into dark blue trousers and a light blue shirt with dark blue and gray stripes.

Nice.

“Hey,” I greeted.

He said nothing, but his eyes were glued to the vicinity of my hips where my dress was very tight and didn’t leave a lot to the imagination, even through material.

I took this as indication he liked the dress.

I smiled big inside, but my lips only tipped up slightly on the outside.

His gaze drifted to my shoes and locked there.

“Zano, I’m hungry.”

He looked at my face.

“If I tell you to get your ass over here, are you gonna give me shit?” he asked.

“Yes,” I answered. “Though, I will warn you, you unwrap this package now, you spoil the surprise I have planned for later, and I’ll note that whatever you might make up in your head from now until then, the reality is better.”

His eyes heated but his lips quirked.

“Baby, just to say, I’m likin’ how special you’re showin’ me this night’s gonna be.”

My tipped lips tipped up higher.

Then his head cocked to the side and the heat went out of his gaze, but it stayed fastened on me and changed to probing. He studied me a moment before walking to me, lifting both hands to either side of my neck and dipping his face close.

“You have insurance?” he asked gently.

I wasn’t following from our sexual banter to that question, so I asked back, “What?”