Devin

 

Four weeks had gone by in the blink of an eye. Even though Devin had a lot of business to take care of, and he had been away from Miami for most of that time, he couldn't believe how much he missed Camille when he couldn’t see her.

 

The upcoming art show had kept her busy too so that they only had the chance to meet three times in those four weeks. And she hadn’t stayed over on any of those nights because she wanted to wake up early and he’d had work as well. Now his busy streak was finally over, the art show was in two days, and he had convinced her that he should take her shopping.

 

He was waiting for her, leaning on his Harley outside her apartment building. Camille finally appeared at the door. She was in a pair of ripped boyfriend jeans with a loose oversized t-shirt tucked in and a wide black belt. She looked too young, too innocent and beautiful for a life with him, he thought. But Devin smiled nonetheless. Camille came bouncing down the steps towards him. They hadn’t seen each other in over five days, and by the look on her face, she had missed him just as much as he had missed her.

 

“Devin!” Her cheeks flushed with excitement as she came running towards him. He extended his arms so that she fell into them and he picked her up. They kissed passionately, and when he pulled away, her cheeks were still flushed. The large silver hoops in her ears shook as she laughed.

 

“It’s so good to see you,” she said, and he released her, her sneakers touching the ground again.

 

“I’ve been dying to see you. You look gorgeous,” he replied, and she tucked in some curls behind her ears in embarrassment. She really didn’t know how to take a compliment, Devin thought and laughed.

 

“All set for the show?” he asked as she walked around to hop on the bike.

 

“Yes, all set. The paintings and sketches have been transported to Evangeline’s storage. Now it’s all in her hands,” Camille said as she slid her legs over the backseat like a pro, and waited for him to settle in. Devin smiled and buckled up his helmet. He felt her arms wrap around his waist as he revved up his engine.

 

“Are you as excited about it as I am?” he asked, and he felt Camille nuzzle up behind him.

 

“You have no idea, and thank you again, Devin. For doing this for me.”

 

He turned sideways to face her. Their faces were close, and she placed a small kiss on his helmet where his lips would have been, and Devin immediately felt the tension from his shoulder muscles subside. She always had a calming effect on him.

 

“You’re very welcome, but don’t thank me. It’s all about your talent, and you deserve it, Camille.” He smiled, but she couldn’t see it behind his helmet. But she looked happy nonetheless.

 

“Remind me again, why you’re taking me shopping?” she asked with a giggle.

 

“Because you will need a grand new dress for the show and I want to treat you to something nice,” he said and started his bike before she could protest again. Unlike all the other women he had ever dated, Camille Griffin was shy about compliments, and also shied away from accepting gifts. He wanted to do this for her; he wanted her to feel like a princess at the show and be the center of attention. Devin had a feeling, even though she had told him very little about her life, that Camille had grown up with very little. He wanted to make her feel appreciated for her talents. She deserved it for how good she made him feel.

 

They arrived at Dorothy’s boutique fifteen minutes later, and he could already sense Camille’s inhibitions as they got off the bike.

 

“I thought we were just going to the mall,” he heard her say as she hopped off the bike behind him. He took off his helmet, parked the bike and got off himself. He couldn’t suppress the smile on his face. He had brought her to the most exclusive boutique in the city. Dorothy Patterson catered to celebrities, millionaires, and dressed film stars for the red carpet; she designed everything from clothes to accessories, to jewelry. This could be their one-stop destination for the perfect look for Camille for the art show.

 

“You deserve something special. An artist needs to sell herself just as much as her art,” Devin said, placing a hand on her waist as he led her towards the entrance to the store. Camille hesitated; he could feel the tension in her shoulders.

 

“But this is too much, Devin. Dorothy Patterson’ boutique!” she whispered as he pushed her gently towards the store.

 

“I wouldn’t bring you here if I didn’t think I could afford it.”

 

Camille turned to him while biting her lips in nervousness. “I didn’t know models make that much money,” she said, and Devin smiled.

 

“I also have my business,” he said, and Camille raised her eyebrows.

 

“Which I know nothing about, but which you insist is a hundred percent legitimate,” she replied, finally giving up and walking at his pace. Devin laughed and stroked the small of her back as he held open the glass doors to the boutique.

 

“You don’t need to concern yourself with that. Just enjoy today, and concentrate on your art. I promise I won’t get us into trouble.”

 

Camille walked past him into the boutique, wide-eyed and nervous. She turned to him with a half-baked smile as she waited for him to join her.

 

“I just want you to stay safe, that’s all,” she said, and Devin leaned in to plant a long kiss on her forehead.

 

***

 

It was Devin who was insisting that she try out every possible dress at the store. He was sitting opposite the changing rooms, and Dorothy Patterson’ assistant kept handing Camille dresses over the curtains for her to try on.

 

This time, Camille parted the curtains and stepped out. The assistant had even picked out shoes for her to wear. It was a glittering silver cocktail dress with long sleeves and a plunging back that reached just above her butt. The shoes were high, silvery heels and Camille walked out in the outfit looking nervous and shy.

 

“Give me a twirl,” Devin said with a satisfied smile on his face, and Camille turned slowly. He could feel himself move in his pants as he watched her. But she looked uncomfortable.

 

“Just one more, the black one, and then you can choose which one you want,” Devin said, sitting back in the chair, and Camille rolled her eyes.

 

“I can’t believe you’re making me do this!” she snapped, trying to suppress a smile as well. As much as she tried to deny it to herself, she was enjoying the experience. The assistant brought over a silver tray with two champagne glasses that they both accepted. Devin could see the excitement in Camille’s eyes. She was still nervous and shy, but she was thrilled about it all too.

 

“Go ahead, just one more,” he urged.

 

Camille bit down on her lip and nodded. “The black one please, Joanne,” she said, leaning in towards Dorothy’s assistant. Devin smiled, he was right… Camille was having fun.

 

She parted the curtains and disappeared again, while Joanne handed the black dress over to her. Devin took another long sip of the champagne and settled in for the show. Who would have ever imagined it, he thought to himself, Devin Rock in a premier boutique, shopping for dresses for a girl who wasn’t even officially his girlfriend. And he was actually having fun! He could do this all day. He could watch Camille all day.

 

In a few minutes, she stepped out through the curtains again. And this time, Devin knew that this dress was created for her.

 

The dress was in black lace that reached her knees with a shimmering black layer underneath that only reached mid-thigh. The neck plunged to a V, pronouncing Camille’s breasts. Joanne had picked out high stilettos in turquoise to clash with the dress and was now suggesting a matching turquoise clutch.

 

Camille came out looking at Devin, she was watching his reaction as he drunk her in.

 

“You could go with blue tones in your makeup too. For your eyeshadow and a pale lip,” Joanne suggested, but neither of them paid her any attention. They were both looking at each other. Camille could see it in Devin’s eyes that he wanted to rip that dress off her. He wanted to pin her against the wall, right there in the middle of the boutique, and fuck her.

 

“Thank you, Joanne, we’ll take this one,” Camille said, breaking their eye contact as she turned to the assistant and smiled. Joanne smiled, nodded, and walked away.

 

“I should get out of this,” Camille spoke to Devin in a whisper.

 

“Yes, you probably should before I rip it off you. You look beautiful, Camille.” He got up from his chair to walk to her. Camille placed her hands on his chest, and they kissed again. This time it was a hungrier kiss. They had both seen the look in each other’s eyes. It was evidence of their raging attraction for each other. The dress was just a symbol.

 

She tore away from him, and he pulled her back again, and now he was kissing her neck, and she threw her head back. He placed his fingers on the lacey straps on her shoulders, and he was just about to tug them away when they heard Joanne clear her throat. They both whipped around to look at her, and she had turned her head away.

 

“Mrs. Patterson was wondering if we could also interest you in some jewelry?” Joanne asked.

 

“No, thank you,” Camille replied while Devin chimed in with a, “Yes.”

 

“I’ll have a look around for what might suit the dress best,” Joanne said before dropping her head and walking away. Camille turned with widened eyes to Devin, who smiled back at her.

 

“I really don’t need jewelry,” Camille said, pulling away from him slightly.

 

“Let’s just have a look and see if we can find something for you,” he said, and Camille shook her head.

 

“No, Devin, this dress is expensive enough.”

 

He placed a finger on her lips. “Go get changed, and we’ll go look at a few earrings. Something in turquoise to go with your shoes and purse.”

 

She gulped, looked at him, and then turned to go back into the changing rooms. Devin was having just as much fun as she was.

 

***

 

“These are in turquoise and clear quartz,” Joanne said, looping the earrings into Camille’s ears. She then held a small mirror up for her to see while Devin stood behind her.

 

“I think they’re perfect,” he said, and Joanne nodded. Camille touched them as they dangled from her ears, and then she turned to look at him directly. Devin smiled at her, drinking in her matching blue eyes and the shape of her mouth that he so desperately wanted to kiss.

 

“Yes, they would have been perfect. But I was thinking diamonds,” he added, and while Camille gasped, Joanne nodded again.

 

“We can find something in diamonds too. Something in the same teardrop shape,” she replied, walking away.

 

Camille shook her head and took a few steps towards him. “Devin, diamonds!” She laughed.

 

“You deserve it. It’s your special night.” He touched her small shoulders, and she tried to suppress a smile.

 

They were standing in front of a glass case full of bracelets and rings. A solitaire diamond ring was displaced at the center of the flagship engagement ring display. Both their eyes fell on it at the same time, and Camille turned her head away, blushing.

 

“That’s a beautiful ring, isn’t it?” he asked, and Camille didn’t respond. She obviously didn’t want him to know that she had been looking at it as well. It was too beautiful and too big not to notice.

 

“That one? Yeah, it’s lovely,” Camille finally said, avoiding Devin’s gaze.

 

He could feel his emotions running high. Here was a ring alongside a woman he was in love with… could he ask her to marry him? He had never felt this way about anyone before. She made him feel good and had given him strength, and he wanted to protect her. Isn’t that what marriage was supposed to be?

 

“Do you want to try it on?” he asked, and Camille took a few steps away from him. That excited look from her face had drained, and she almost looked scared now.

 

“Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to marry me,” he said, and she licked her lips and nodded. “At least, not yet.” Camille was frozen to the spot again.

 

“Camille…” He walked up to her to hold her in his arms again. “I don’t mean to scare you. I thought we were just having a little fun and I wondered if you wanted to just try it on. It was an innocent suggestion,” he explained, and Camille nodded again.

 

“Of course. Yeah, no, I didn’t take it a different way,” she said and slipped away from him and walked over to the glass case, staring at the ring directly now. Devin dug his hands into the pockets of his jeans and watched her as she stood looking at the ring nervously.

 

What could possibly go wrong if he asked her to marry him right there? He was in love with her, that much was certain. He couldn’t think of a life with anybody else. It might be too soon, but what about their relationship was regular anyway?

 

“Yeah, I’ll try it on,” Camille said, suddenly turning to him and interrupting his thoughts. She looked determined; she looked like she was saying yes. Devin knew, just from her face, that if he asked right there, she would say yes.

 

“There we go.” Joanne appeared by their side again, and this time she opened a blue velvet box with a pair of diamond earrings. They were long, fat, and teardrop shaped, and Joanne took them out of the box to help Camille put them on.

 

Camille dragged her gaze away from Devin to wear them and then she looked at herself in the mirror again.

 

“They look great. They’ll go well with the dress,” Devin said, walking towards her. When she looked at him, her cheeks were red again. She had been clearly thinking about the ring and didn’t care about the earrings anymore. Devin smiled and placed his hands on her small hand on the counter.

 

“Thank you, Joanne, we’ll take the earrings, the bag, and the shoes,” he said and turned to the assistant, who smiled and walked away. Camille and Devin stood in silence. Camille continued to look at herself in the mirror while Devin looked at her reflection as well.

 

It was true, she made him happy, she was beautiful… and if he wasn’t wrong, she felt the same way about him. But why didn’t he ask her to marry him? Why did he let the moment pass? It was probably because, at the back of his mind, he knew what the truth was - that they could never live a normal life together, not the kind of normal life that Camille was used to.

 

His life was made up of unpredictable moments. He was constantly in harm’s way, and marrying someone would put her life in constant danger as well. And what if they had kids? He couldn’t do that to his own family.

 

But Camille would have said yes, he could see it in her eyes.

 

“Here’s your bill, Sir.” Joanne appeared again, and Devin reached for his pocket to pull out his wallet, and then handed her his card. Camille was following his every movement with her wide, frosty blue eyes.

 

“What happened back there, Devin?” She broke their silence, and he tried to smile.

 

“Just an awkward few moments,” he told her and reached for her shoulder. Camille smiled and then proceeded to take the earrings off.

 

“Don’t worry Devin, I don’t expect you to pop the question just because you made a small accidental suggestion.” She placed the earrings back in their box, then smiled, and he believed that she was smiling genuinely. What she said made him feel a little relieved, because as much as he would have wanted to make her his wife, a married life with him would be impossible for an innocent young girl like Camille. He would only be torturing her by asking her to marry him.

 

“Should we go get dinner then?” he asked, changing the subject.

 

Camille smiled as she looked at him and nodded. “I’m starving, and I’m suddenly craving a burrito,” she said, walking ahead of him just as Joanne came back with all their packed bags and his card.

 

Devin laughed as he carried the bags for Camille. “Burritos it is then.”

 

They both walked out of Dorothy’s Boutique with happy smiles on their faces. That moment had passed, and they had achieved what they had come here for - to find the perfect outfit for Camille so that she would be the center of attention at the art show.