“I thought you were looking for boots for your daughter?” I ask.
“Momma needs new shoes too,” she says without looking up from the pair of hunter-green ankle boots she’s about to try on.
Murphy’s watching her with laughter on his lips, shaking his head. “She really doesn’t.”
“See? Like Heidi said. They’re club colors.” Rooster nudges me toward the bench. “I didn’t see any boots in this color down in Texas.”
I drop down next to Heidi and open the box. Inhaling the fresh, leather scent, I unwrap the boots. Damn, they’re pretty.
Rooster drops down on one knee and holds a boot out to me.
“Look at you,” I tease to calm the fluttery sensation in my belly. “My own Prince Charming. But with a cowgirl boot instead of a glass slipper.”
“I’m a King, baby, not a prince.” He lifts his chin in a hurry up sort of way. “Come on, slide that pretty little foot in here.”
The boots are nice and snug. Rooster helps me with both and I stand, pacing a few steps back and forth. They’re perfect, really.
“They’d match that silver dress you have, wouldn’t they?” Rooster asks.
“Such good fashion sense.” Murphy slaps Rooster’s chest.
Rooster ignores him, still focused on me. Yup. These would look and feel a hell of a lot better on stage than the black heels I’ve been wearing with that dress. But I hate having Rooster drop even more money on me today.
I drop onto the bench and tug at the left boot.
“They kinda rub my heel a little,” I say in a low voice.
Rooster squats in front of me, helping me pull the boot all the way off. “Want to go up half a size?”
“No, that’s okay.”
He leans in close. “It would really make me happy to see you wear these on stage. If they honestly don’t fit or you don’t like ’em, say so. But if you’re just worried about me buying them for you, don’t.”
Why is this so hard for me to accept?
He brushes his knuckles under my chin, forcing me to meet his questioning eyes. “Tell me what’s going on. I bought you boots down in Texas and you were okay with it.”
“That was different.”
“Why?”
I blow out a breath and stare at the ceiling, thinking of a way to put it into words without sounding awful. “Back then, what we had was a hookup. I wasn’t sure I’d actually see you again. So, it felt more like a memento of a hot fling.”
He doesn’t so much as chuckle at my completely lame explanation. “And now?”
I shrug, uncomfortable exposing myself like this in the middle of a damn shoe store. “Now, you’re my…partner. I love you. I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
His eyes widen. He swallows hard, then swoops in and brushes a soft kiss over my lips. He sets the box down with a muted thump and grasps both my hands in his. “You don’t know how much I love hearing you say that.” He squeezes my hands gently. “But here’s the thing. I’m your man.” He pauses, waiting for an acknowledgment, I suppose, so I nod. “And I really like spoiling my woman.”
My gaze lands on the box again. “They would be pretty with that dress.”
“Good. Done.” He presses a quick kiss to my cheek.
Heidi returns and slips off the shoes she’d been trying on, murmuring a few words to Murphy. He grabs her box and heads to the register.
Rooster raises his eyebrows in a see-no-big-deal expression.
“Yeah, but they’re married,” I whisper.
He shrugs and holds out his hands for the boots.
The six of us regroup outside the store. Trinity links one of her arms through mine and one through Heidi’s, pulling us ahead of the guys. “Can we please find the electronics store now?”
“Sorry,” Heidi says. “It’s just nice to shop in person instead of online for a change.”
Trinity chuckles. “You make me feel old.” She turns to me. “What’s wrong? Those boots are so pretty. I thought about trying them on too,” her lips curl into a playful smile, “but I wasn’t sure we were at that matching outfits level of our friendship yet.”
I burst out laughing. “I think I could handle it.”
“No, seriously. Everything all right?”
I still haven’t been able to wrap my mind around Rooster’s spoiling his woman comment. “He’s already done a lot for me. I don’t want Rooster to think I’m some gold-digger.”
Trinity winces. “That term needs to die already.” She slows her relentless walking pace and pulls me to the side against the railing overlooking the first floor of the mall. “Shelby, you’re a lot younger than me, and I don’t know what kind of men you’ve dated before.”
“A lot of selfish jerks. Immature—”
“Right,” Trinity continues. “Well, let me tell you this—real men, good men—aren’t keeping score. They’re not resentful. They provide for the people they care about no matter what.” She flicks her gaze over my shoulder where I assume the guys are close to catching up with us. “Rooster’s a provider and a protector.”
“All of our guys are,” Heidi adds.
“He’s also smart. If you were trying to fleece him, he’d sense it. He seems to really care about you.” The honesty in Trinity’s eyes and voice stuns me right before she delivers her final knock-out. “Let him.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Rooster
“Well, fuck, brother. I had no idea your ol’ lady was famous.” Ice flaps a glossy tabloid in my face. “One of the girls brought it in.”
This is my punishment for deciding to spend our last couple days in Virginia at the clubhouse? Really?
“What a relief you’re not a subscriber to Gossip Club magazine, Prez.” I roll my eyes. “I said she was on tour. We were at the arena when it all went down.”
The clubhouse is quiet now, but the atmosphere is festive. Girls move around, straightening up the place. Brothers stock the bar while heckling each other and eyeing the club girls.
“I don’t pay attention to country music,” Ice says.
Sure. He has way too many porn stars to look after. “Yeah, I didn’t either.”
Shonda brought our stuff up to our room with Shelby, and as the girls bounce down the stairs together, Ice studies Shelby a little too closely for my liking. “You’re really taking an ol’ lady at your age?”
I hadn’t realized Ice and I were at the sharing-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-the-future stage of our relationship. “I’ve plowed through enough bunnies to know she’s a keeper. The one. Thanks for the concern, though.”
“The one.” He scoffs. “Well, news says she’s about to be a huge star.”
Can’t say I care for what he’s implying there. “It’s not like that. We met before she started blowing up.”
“She seems nice. A real stunner too.” He slaps my back. “Happy for you, brother.”
“Thanks.” I hope that’s the end of the conversation. Part of me remains tense, worried next he’ll ask if she’d like to star in a celebrity sex tape or something.