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Neither could sleep for long and it was barely afternoon when Vivian and Cade walked into the bridal boutique. This was far different from the shopping trip for Aurora's first dress, which involved the bridal party, both mothers, and the wedding coordinator. Now it was just her and Cade standing in the cold, starkly white surroundings of the boutique, hoping she could find a dress that would fit Aurora and also appeal to her somewhat exacting standards.
"Hello!" a thin, bright voice that seemed to perfectly match the surroundings of the boutique startled her and Vivian spun around.
A tall, wiry woman came toward her with a smile so intense it made Vivian take a step back.
"Hi," she said.
"I'm Kathryn. Are you looking for a gown today?"
"Vivian," she said, shaking the hand Kathryn extended to her, "Yes. I actually need something that I can buy today and take with me if that's possible."
Kathryn looked from Vivian to Cade and smiled even bigger.
"So, the wedding is soon?" she asked in a tone that said she felt like she was being let in on a secret.
Her flowery perfume was so strong Vivian felt like she was standing in a cloud of it as Kathryn leaned closer to hear her response. Vivian opened her mouth to try to explain the situation in the simplest terms possible when she felt Cade's muscular arm envelope her waist and pull her up against his side.
"It's this weekend," he said in a silky voice.
"That's wonderful!" Kathryn said and reached down to take Vivian's hand.
Vivian glanced over her shoulder at Cade as Kathryn pulled her toward the dressing area in the back, her birdlike voice a stream of fabrics, silhouettes, and accessories. Before she realized what was happening, Kathryn had her in a mirror-lined dressing room and she was stepping into an elaborate gown. The bodice hugged at her body, drawing in her waist and creating lush cleavage from the deep sweetheart neckline.
Layers of tulle and satin felt heavy on her legs but she loved the way the skirt draped and pooled on the floor around her. She stepped out onto the small raised platform in the center of the fitting area and turned to Cade where he sat on a low white sofa. His eyes grazed across her, lingering on the neckline and the tight curve of her waist.
"I don't think that looks like…you," he said, but his voice lacked the criticism she would have expected.
"You're right," she said, suppressing a smile at his charade, "I think I would like something a little simpler."
Kathryn immediately jumped into action, corralling her back into the fitting room and handing her another gown.
Three more gowns hung discarded on the back of the door by the time Vivian stepped into a sleek satin sheath that draped across her breasts and hung low on her back. The color was soft like champagne and the delicate straps over her shoulders were narrow braids of tiny satin strands. She knew Aurora's slightly fuller body would fill it out perfectly and that she would appreciate the more muted color.
Vivian stepped out onto the platform and noticed that Kathryn was no longer standing sentinel beside a rack of gowns. She could hear her voice in the front of the store talking to another bride, and exhaled, relieved that the pressure of her watching every movement was gone at least for the moment.
"What do you think?" she asked Cade, turning slowly so that he could see the entire dress.
In the mirrors that surrounded the platform she could see Cade stand from the sofa and approach her. Without saying anything, he took her by her hips and led her backwards through the open door of her dressing room. Vivian gasped as he pushed her back against the wall. Keeping his hands pressed to her hips, holding her in place, he lowered his mouth to the swell of one breast and ran it along her skin. His lips were parted just enough that she could feel the heat of his breath roll between her breasts and down the front of the dress to her belly.
Cade pressed into her hips slightly harder as he moved his mouth to her other breast, turning his thumbs so they massaged into the soft valley between her hipbones. Vivian whimpered at the slow, deliciously torturous touch and tried to push her hips forward, wanting to will his hands lower. Maintaining complete control over her, Cade lifted his mouth from her breast, only to rest it in between them and draw his tongue gradually up the center of her chest and along her neck.
His lips hovered just above hers as he met her gaze intensely.
"What color are my eyes?" he asked in a direct, serious whisper.
The smell of sage was stronger now, its earthiness somehow building on the desire tightening in her belly. Her breath was coming in ragged pants and she couldn't bring the words forward. Cade dipped his head down to nip his teeth into her neck.
"What color?" he asked again.
"They look like honey," she murmured, bringing her hands up to his shoulders and kneading her fingers into the strong muscles there, "but with streaks of other colors."
A sound like a low growl rumbled in Cade's throat and he caught Vivian's mouth with his, urging it open with his tongue. Vivian complied, welcoming his tongue against hers and lifting her arms to wrap around his neck. He kissed her feverishly, and when he finally pulled his head back she felt breathless.
"Only women meant to be a part of the clan can see the colors in a dragon's eyes," he whispered to her through his own rough breaths.
Before she could reply, Kathryn's voice came to them through the dressing room door.
"Is everything alright in there?"
"Everything's fine," Vivian answered, forcing a high, casual note into her voice, "My zipper was just stuck so Cade was helping me."
"Did you find something that you like?"
Vivian felt Cade's mouth return to her neck and his fingers gathering her skirt so that it rose over her knees and was slowly inching up her thighs.
"I did," he whispered against her skin and Vivian laughed, trying to push his hand away from her skirt.
"Yes. I think I found the perfect one. Thank you for your help."
"I'll just be in front when you're ready," Kathryn said and Vivian heard her footsteps scurry away from the fitting room.
Cade started inching her skirt up again and Vivian playfully batted his hand away.
"We have a lot more to do today."
His tongue flicked across her bottom lip and Vivian felt her knees weaken. Suddenly his hand swept her skirt out of the way and she felt his fingers trace up the inside of her thigh and slip beneath the elastic at the leg of her panties. She drew in a breath as they touched her, gathering the hot slickness already there and swirling it into her. Her hands gripped his shirt and she rose onto her toes in response to the touch, biting her lip to avoid crying out.
"It seems we do," he murmured before sucking her bottom lip into his mouth.
She surrendered to his kiss and tilted her hips forward to offer herself completely into his hand. Muffling her sounds with his mouth, Cade continued the masterful movement of his fingers until suddenly Vivian felt her control shatter and her body release in a climax that left her sagging against him and sobbing for air. Cade trailed gentle kisses across her face and down her neck as he carefully withdrew his hand and let her skirt fall back into place.
"I'll wait outside while you get dressed," he said, reaching behind him to open the door, "I don't think Kathryn would like what would happen if I saw you naked right now."
Still trembling from his touch, Vivian quickly removed the dress, hung it back on its hanger, and got dressed. Cade took it from her hands as she stepped off the platform, brushing another kiss across her lips. They went to the front of the store to buy the gown and Vivian noticed the incredible quiet of the boutique now that Kathryn was doing everything she could not to make eye contact with them.