Claiming Callie: Part two by Paige Rion Read Free Book Online

sniffs and runs a hand over the top of her head, smoothing her hair. Desperately needing something to lift her spirits, she moves through the jewelry section, into the women’s department. A leather Calvin Klein sheath catches her eye and she ’ s drawn to it like a moth to a flame. She scans the rack, easily finds her size, and holds the garment against her body, inspecting the length and cut.
    Gorgeous.
    Before she knows what she ’ s doing, she ’ s moving among the racks, choosing a cute top, pant s, and a couple of the early spring items to try on. In the accessories department, she finds a pink and gold scarf that would look hot with the top she ’ s holding and a cute set of bangles. With a flare of excitement and a bounce to her step, she finds the fitting rooms and tries everything on. The items fit her like a glove, the luxurious fabric clinging to her curves. She feels taller, stronger. Like a new woman.
    Just what I need.
    Putting her top and jeans back on, she gathers up the clothes and drifts through the ladies’ section to the shoes, where she spots a cute pair of Calvin Klein booties and stops to inspect them. They ’ re on sale, but the ninety-dollar price tag is a little steep for her budget.
    She scoffs at herself. Ten dollars is too much for m e right now. Besides, in her arms, she’s carrying several hundred dollars’ worth of merchandise, and she’s worried about one more thing? Pursing her lips, she holds the shoe down by her foot and imagines it with the new pair of black skinny jeans she holds in her hands.
    Hot.
    Her phone jingles in her pocket and she has to balance the pile of clothes in her hand to find it. Palming her phone, she glances at the screen and sees Dean ’ s name on the caller ID.
    She freezes, as the six thousand dollars he gave her flashes in her head like a warning sign. Money he gave to her in confidence. He trusts her to not squander the opportunity he ’ s given her , and that ’ s exactly what she ’ s about to do.
    She scowls and places the bootie back on the acrylic stand. Her gaze flickers to the clothes in her arms, the exorbitant price tags hanging from the fabric like reaching arms.
    What am I doing?
    A salesman with platinum hair and a distinguished suit approaches her. “Can I help you try something on, Miss?”
    Callie takes a deep breath and stands there for a moment, unable to say no, but unsure of whether she can say yes, either.
    Don ’ t do it.
    Her hand moves toward the shoes. Just these things in my arms and then one pair of shoes. I ’ ll just try them on and see…
    The salesman blinks , still smiling, still waiting for her answer.
    Her phone bleats out the signal that she has a voice mail and guilt pelts her as if she’s been caught in an epic hailstorm.
    I can ’ t do this.
    The clothes in her arms suddenly feel too heavy. Their cost is more than the price tags. Forcing her legs to move, she begins to back away, then drops the garments right there on the floor and leaps back as if they ’ re a bed of coiled snakes.
    Her arms twitch with the pulsing need to pick them back up, but the salesman is now staring at her as if she ’ s crazy. Turning, she runs from the store, the sharp taste of shame coating her tongue.

CHAPTER FIVE
     
    DEAN
     
    Dean slides on his white Pitt jersey, then shakes his arms and rolls his head, trying to loosen the ball of tension at the base of his neck.
    “Dude, you ’ re all worked up.” Emmett smacks him in the chest. “Loosen up, bro, or you ’ re gonna do us no good out there. It ’ s not like Callie ’ s never been to a game before.”
    Dean leans down, resting his hands on his knees, then straightens again and runs one through his hair, unable to stay still. “I know. It ’s just … I don’ t know, but it ’ s different somehow. She ’ s here as my girlfriend. It needs to be different.”
    Emmett snorts. “What, are you gonna tap dance at halftime for her? Relax, man. It ’ s just a game. The