The clerk finished ringing up my purchase. Since this was Saks Fifth Avenue, she didn’t tell me the total, just turned the scanner in my direction. I gulped, flicking my gaze from the screen to her sable eyes. “Um…I thought the dress was on s-sale?”

Her lips flat-lined as she glanced over my messy bun, and freshly scrubbed face. “It is. But I took the liberty of adding the strapless bra you tried on to your purchase.” Shifting her focus to my chest, she raised a brow. “A good foundation is a must, you know.”

She was probably right, but I had just enough on the gift card my father had sent me for my birthday to cover the dress. I’d been saving it to buy something to wear for graduation, but I fell in love with the Monique Lhuillier gown the moment I saw it. And since I needed something to wear to the ballet tonight, I’d decided to treat myself. But the pampering didn’t extend to a one hundred and forty five dollar bra.

“J-Just the dress,” I said, sliding my gift card to her with a smile.

She nodded briskly and, after making the adjustment, she slipped my purchase into a garment bag.

“Lillian?”

Cringing inwardly, I squeezed my eyes shut. Coming here was a mistake. But Cameron had insisted on buying a tux for our date, and this was the only store where I had enough pull to get the alterations done by this evening.

Straightening my spine, I turned with a forced smile. “Hello, Mrs. B-Blackstone.”

My mother’s best friend enveloped me in a hug infused with so much French perfume my eyes watered. After kissing both cheeks, she held me at arm’s length to look me over. “Aren’t you cute as a bug’s ear. You look just like Abby. Now, come over here and tell me everything you’ve been doing.”

Before I could untangle my tongue, she dragged me over to a settee in the center of the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see all of Men’s Formal Wear, including the door to the dressing room where Cameron was getting fitted.

“You must be so excited about your graduation.” she said, patting the rich, velvet upholstery on the settee.

Smile frozen on my lips, I eased down onto the cushion. Graduation. My debt. I could almost picture my father, looking me over with disappointment from behind the desk in his office. But I still had a couple of months before I’d have to face him. Maybe I’d win the lottery.

“Lillian?”

“Oh…yes. Very excited.”

Luckily, Mrs. Blackstone had known me all my life, and she didn’t expect me to elaborate.

Better to say one sentence perfectly, than stumble through an entire conversation. Less is more, Lillian.

She’d been there the night of my coming out party when my mother had given me that piece of advice.

“Will you continue to work at the Mansion after you graduate?”

My cheeks heated. “I’m n-not sure.”

Something akin to sympathy flashed across her features. “You haven’t had any luck finding a position?”

I shook my head, dropping my gaze to my lap. “N-not yet.”

She sighed. “I dare say that is your mother’s doing, sweetheart.” I blinked at her, and she frowned. “She’s been functioning as the head of the Fine Arts League ever since Whitney ran off with that painter from Spain. They’re going to make the official offer as soon as the party season is over.”

I didn’t know what surprised me more, the fact that she’d admitted that Judge Sinclair’s wife had skipped town with an artist half her age, or my mother’s new position.

“I d-didn’t know that.”

But, of course, it made sense. Everything made sense now.

“Listen,” she lowered her voice as she dug a card out of her purse, “I have a friend in Taos, where we have our winter home. She runs a very prestigious gallery. Maybe you could give her a call.”

The unspoken “keep this between us” hung thickly in the air as she pressed the card into my hand.

“Thank you, Collette.”

If we were going to be partners in this little deception, I might as well call her by her first name. She’d asked me to on many occasions, but my mother would never permit it.

My mother.

Could I even call her that anymore? She obviously didn’t care about me. I was just a box she’d ticked off on her bucket list. An obligation. Procreate. Check. And when I didn’t turn out the way she wanted…

“Excuse me, Miss Tennison?”

Torn from my thoughts, I shifted my focus to the haughty sales clerk trying desperately to get my attention. Only she didn’t look so haughty anymore. She’d obviously figured out who I was. And that my mother spent more than the gross national product of a small country in this store.

“Here’s your dress.” With a big grin, she turned over the garment bag. Leaning in, she added in a whisper, “I went ahead and threw in that bra.”

I nodded, and she turned her pretty smile on Collette before retreating back to her spot behind the register.

“Thank you for t-the referral,” I said as I climbed to my feet.

Collette did the same, then folded me into another hug. “Don’t mention it, sweetheart.”

One last peck on the cheek and she was gone, gliding toward the rack full of overpriced clothes the haughty salesgirl had picked out.

Once they were in the dressing room, I unzipped the garment bag, pulled out the bra, and tossed it on the settee. And then I tucked Collette’s card in my pocket and went to find Cameron.

I looked down at the guy crawling between my legs with the tape measure hanging around his neck. His hands were everywhere. Tucking. Pinning. Groping. I swear he was groping.

When Lily finally returned to the dressing room, a black zippered bag draped over her arm, I was pinned against the wall.

Biting down a grin, she hung up her bag, then dropped onto a chair to enjoy the show.

“Not funny,” I mouthed when the guy made another pass over my package.

Lily pursed her lips, and I could tell she was a second away from letting loose. Clearing her throat, she focused on the tailor. “Mr. Gravis, are you sure you can have this delivered to the Mansion before five o’clock?”

A smile lit his chubby face. “Of course...” Pushing to his feet, he cocked his head and surveyed me with a discerning eye. “The jacket—it is a perfect fit. A little tuck in the trousers and voila!” He glanced over at Lily. “A perfect body for the clothes, no?”

Lily’s gaze travelled the length of me. “Yes. He is perfect.”

Mr. Gravis nodded and gratefully, thankfully, departed so I could change.

“Hold on,” Lily said, dropping to her knees in front of me. My cock sprang to life, and I tangled my fingers in her hair. “Don’t get any ideas. You’re full of pins. You’ll be lucky if your balls make it out in one piece.” She carefully slid the trousers over my hips. “Cameron—step back.” But I didn’t move, tightening my grip on her silky locks. Those eyes met mine, full of fire. “I’m not blowing you in the dressing room at Saks.”

Before I could tell her all the reasons why it was a good idea, she scampered up to hang the trousers on the hook next to the mirror. I followed, sliding my hand under her shirt. “How about you take off your clothes and—”

“Later, you sex fiend.”

With a sigh, I stepped into my jeans, carefully tucking my erection inside. “I see how it is. Now that you’re my girlfriend, all the fun stuff is going to stop. No more limo sex. No more tying you up with your pretty pink bra.”

Our gazes collided in the mirror, and her lips fell into a frown. “Don’t tease me, Cameron. It’s not funny.”

If she thought I was teasing, she was dead wrong. I was terrified. And very serious. Looping my arms around her waist, I rested my chin on her shoulder. “I’m not teasing you, darlin’. But before you get all starry eyed, you should know I haven’t had a girlfriend since the eleventh grade. So I probably suck at it.”

Turning in my arms, her cornflower blue eyes quieted my every doubt. “Try not to hurt me, Cam.” Laying a hand over my heart, she sealed her plea with a soft kiss. “Please try.”