Her eyes

Chapter 18

Layla was clutching her stomach laughing so hard her eyes squinting and teary. I laughed along with her, the story wasn't that funny to me more traumatic but her laughter was infectious.

By the time I parked the car she was calming down.
"I haven't laughed like that in ages." She said wiping at her eyes "you'd make a great story teller, even I was disgusted from those descriptions."

"I'm glad I could make you laugh at my expense. They truly make me shiver, I believe someone could rob me with a moth in their hand instead of a gun and I would sign over everything I owned." I stated with a slight frown on my face gazing out towards the street.

"Good god, you truly are deathly afraid... maybe we should start some exposure therapy so that doesn't happen." She sounded like she was actually thinking of googling pictures of those wretched creatures.

I instantly reached for my car door, "Okay, enough about moths we have dress shopping to do."

I went over to her side and opened the door, I liked the fact that she now waited for me to open her door instead of reaching for it herself.

"There's a lot of stores where should we start?" She asked looking around unsure.

"I texted my mom earlier she said we should go to Jack's&Rose first." I intertwined our fingers and started for that store.

"I like her." She said suddenly.

I looked down at her, "like who? Rose?" I asked confused.

She giggled "No, your mum."

"Yeah? Well don't let her hear you say that, that's just going to give her more leeway to start ordering you around." I chuckled.

Layla muttered a low "I wouldn't mind" that got lost over the sound of the bell above the the door as I pushed it open.

When we entered I placed my hand on the small of Layla's back to guide her towards the racks of hundreds of dresses.

After Layla had been browsing for a few moments. A store attendant approached us.

"Hi, do you guys need some help?" She said with a bright smile.

"Yeah, actually do you have any dresses appropriate for a gala?" I asked.

"Yes! Right this way." We followed her to the back of the store and there was a whole wall filled with dresses of all different kinds. "Do you have anything particular in mind?" She added.

Layla replied "No not really, but I'm sure we'll find something."

"Okay well I'll be up front if you need any assistance."

"Great, thanks." I muttered, busy looking at Layla as she flipped through the dresses, barely looking at them her main focus hunting down the price tag.

"What are you looking for?" I asked her.

She cleared her throat, "I'm looking at the sizes."

"They usually only showcase one or two sizes, the rest they keep in the back so we'll have to ask for them." I replied searching her face carefully.

"Oh..." she trailed of sounding disappointed.

"Just so you know there's no budget to this, you could even buy several dresses if you wanted them." I added, my voice gentle.

Layla trailed her fingers over a silk dress. "I'll pay you back, when I have the money." She said her voice low I detected a little embarrassment behind her words.

"Hey," I brushed my hand against hers so she would look at me. When she graced me with a view of her breathtaking brown eyes. I added "don't worry about it, I'm practically forcing you to go it's only right I pay."

She held eye contact for a few seconds before saying "I wanted to go too," before giving one nod in acknowledgement to what I'd said.

I decided to change the subject, I grabbed a dress that had an eerily similar color to that nightmare moth and pointed it out to her. She laughed softly and when I faced her again her eyes were twinkling in the artificial light of the store. The smile on her face made my breath hitch.

"Come on, let's try to find something worthy of you." I suggested.