Whatever it was, she hated how things felt between them now, and she wanted to at least find a place of peace between them. She imagined that would be easier said than done with the way she'd handled things. She'd give her the side-eye, too, if she was on the receiving end of being walked out on twice.

Funny, when she'd first embarked on the diva experience, she'd only considered how she'd felt and wanted to feel. She'd never considered she might actually hurt someone in the process.

She'd gone off of the fact that most men, in her eyes, at least, didn't want anything more than new pussy and a quick romp in the sheets. But Liam was different, apparently. And it was clear she'd hurt him, at least a little bit. That didn't give her a good feeling.

“Ah, what a beauty. I consider it an honor to fit you. You're a voluptuous goddess, Jackie. The things you will do to the right dress,” the tailor, Claudio, announced, sweeping in, his Italian accent lilting at the edges of his words. A distinguished and industrious looking man full of life, he reminded her of a well-kept grandfather who still had his pick of the ladies.

“Come closer. Let me take your measurements. We're going to dress you like the princess you so obviously are.”

Jackie flushed. She was in love with this place, already.

~

Not expecting Liam to wait around while she was fitted, she decided to have a look around the store after Claudio finished, utilizing the smidge of extra time she had on her hands.

There were tons of lavish accessories she could pair with the drop-dead gorgeous dress he fitted her for, and the bad angel was nudging her on to take at least some advantage of her future step-creep's credit line.

Might as well make sure she was looking good for the photo opp. It was going to be connected to VitaGourmet, anyway. She'd be a fool not to milk that sort of marketing opportunity for all it was worth. If she stood out in the press photo, and she was determined to, she could launch a social media brand off of it, and turn the attention toward her and her mother before the press had a chance to decide their line of snacks had anything to do with him.

Yeah. She'd need to contact a reporter or two and get the first story out about how they'd come to be. And make sure it was known that Gary Cross came along well after they acquired their clients at the mall. Fingering several, luxurious cocktail dresses, she pulled the one that caught her eye most off of the rack and held it out, whistling at the price tag: 1000.00

Brows rising, she had to fight her way past the pride trying to convince her to put it down. She wouldn't. If she was going to be subjected to press conferences and parties, she was going to look like money doing it. And it wasn't on her dime, so... no worries paying the rent after buying this little number. Sleek and wonderfully trimmed, its emerald green was deep enough to be mistaken for black in dark light.

Exactly her sort of classy. Yeah. If it looked as good on her as it did on the hanger, this one was going in the cart, too. Nipping her lip, she smiled to herself and headed off toward the dressing rooms, taking a glance behind her when she slipped into the door of the first compartment and promptly stripped down to her skivvies to slip it on.

Tilting her head this way and that in the mirror, she gave herself an assessing look. Not bad. She wouldn't know how it really looked until she got someone to button the back for her, though. Turning herself around, she reveled in the feel of the luxuriously, woven cotton. The tailoring was impeccable, down to the eyelet edging.

Gorgeous.

She'd turn heads in this number.

Nodding to herself, she poked her head out of the door, hoping to find an attendant to button up the back and stopping short when her eyes met Liam's. Averting his gaze immediately away, he turned his back to her, like he might be invading her privacy.

“I'm heading out in a few. Just making sure you're alright. If you need a ride, I can drop you somewhere.”

Somewhere. He hadn't said home. The earlier version of Liam would have wanted to see her home.

“Um, sure. If... it's not too much of a bother, do you think you can button up the back of this dress for me first? I want to see how it falls when its hanging like its meant to.”

Perilous, she knew, but she was being sincere. She wasn't going to buy this number if the top had a strange cut once everything was bound up according to its original design. Clearing his throat, Liam was a moment before answering.

“Uh, yeah.”

“You'd have to, um, turn around to do that.”

“Right.”

Jackie almost giggled at how uncomfortable he looked. It wasn't funny, of course. It was just... a very different version of Liam than she was accustomed to seeing. Waving him over like he was a shy pup, Jackie slipped back into the dressing room, presenting her back to him when he stepped halfway into it.

He didn't say a word, but whatever ice they'd developed between them thawed almost instantly when a familiar zag of electricity ignited her skin feeling his fingertips grazing her back as he fumbled with her buttons.

“Sorry.”

“Don't be.”

Falling quiet, he buttoned the rest of the trail up her back before stepping away, and Jackie tugged his arm before he could leave entirely.

“Wait. How does it look?”

Her stomach did a flip at the strange expression taking over his face, like he was experiencing some mild form of torture and poorly attempting to veil it. She felt it, too, but she was trying to be friendly and work her way past it. In time everything would balance out and fall into place, right? They'd eventually get past the impossible sexual tension, right? And one day be like brother and sister...

Suppressing a frown, she forced herself to smile pleasantly.

“Well, I like it. Can you unbutton me. I'm gonna take it.”

Clearing his throat, Liam stepped back into the dressing room, his jaw clenching visibly before she turned around and presented the row of buttons that would slowly unveil her tawny skin beneath the dress. He started slowly, still not saying a word, but something had markedly changed in the air, and Jackie's skin prickled feeling it.

When his fingertips brushed her skin again, she tilted her head, her eyes slipping closed as she tried with all of her might to be a good girl. When his fingertips brushed her again, she realized his hands had now slipped over her shoulders, and when he turned her, she lifted her eyes to him slowly, breathless.

“I've gotta go.”

He said it firmly, and by all appearances, it looked like he meant it, but his hands were still on her shoulders, and he didn't seem to be having an easy time disconnecting himself.

Stomach flipping, Jackie's alarms blared in her internal ear when she realized that she was edging closer to him, that her body was taking control well before her mind had even caught up with it.

“Jackie, I don't want to play games with you...”

“Then don't.”

Her voice had apparently taken the lead, too, speaking before her mind had a chance to approve the script.

“Jackie..."

“Kiss me.”

What was she doing? Heart beating rapidly, “sane Jackie” sat back watching aghast, unsure what to expect of the alter ego taking over her body. The diva. She'd gained autonomy. Jackie was thrilled and horrified in the same turn. There really was no turning back now. Not after this. This... was the green light.

Liam was a moment before answering her, but when he did, his kiss was soft and searching, a kiss that had his heart firmly at its center, radiating their orbit.

He was in love with her. She realized it in a burst of butterflies that broke free from the cage of her repression and flew freely in her belly. This wasn't the kiss of someone who was simply lusting after her. This was the kiss of someone who wanted to claim her for his own.