Between The Lines

Chapter 62: I'm Seeing Red- not a lot of it.

Third Person:

"Sir, do we really have to do this?" she asked, her voice laced with frustration.

"Yes, Rebecca, we do," he said, unlocking the car. "Hop in."

She huffed but got into the passenger seat. The drive to the mall was tense, filled with her murmurs of protest.

"Sir, this is embarrassing. I don't need a new dress," she insisted, her cheeks turning pink.

"You do," he said firmly. "And I'm not changing my mind."

"Can't we just get coffee instead?" she pleaded, looking at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

"Nope. Dress first, then maybe coffee," he replied, giving her a teasing grin.

Rebecca crossed her arms, clearly upset. "This is ridiculous."

He laughed softly, shaking his head. "You'll survive."

As they parked at the mall and headed inside, Rebecca's protests continued. "Sir, please, let's just skip this. I don't want to be here."

"Rebecca, relax. It's just a dress," he said, exasperated.

She glared at him. "It's not just a dress. It's you making me get one."

"We're going in, and that's final," he said, opening the door and smirking at her.

As they walked into the mall, Rebecca felt a wave of self-consciousness. She noticed the stares from a group of schoolgirls who were ogling Lane, their eyes wide and full of admiration. A pang of jealousy shot through her, and thoughts of Karen and Samantha, Lane's rumoured girlfriends, immediately popped into her mind.

Without thinking, she stepped closer to him, subtly untucking her shirt. Lane noticed immediately and stopped walking, grabbing her arm.

"Rebecca, what are you doing?" he asked, his voice low and stern.

She looked up at him, feigning innocence. "Nothing, Sir."

He narrowed his eyes, pulling her closer. "I know what you're up to," he said, his tone dropping to a husky whisper. "And it's not going to work."

Before she could protest, he reached down and tucked her shirt back in, his fingers grazing her skin. The touch sent shivers down her spine, and she struggled to maintain her composure.

"Sir, people are watching," she hissed, trying to sound indignant but failing miserably.

"Let them watch," he said, his voice smooth and confident. "You're with me, remember?"

Her heart raced at his words as he finished tucking in her shirt, his hands lingering on her waist for a moment longer than necessary. "There," he said, stepping back with a satisfied smirk. "All set."

Rebecca could feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment and something else she couldn't quite name. "You're impossible," she muttered.

"Yeah, but you love it," he teased, giving her a wink.

They continued walking through the mall, Lane's arm casually draped over her shoulders. The schoolgirls were still watching, and Rebecca couldn't help but smirk at their envious looks. She felt a strange sense of pride being next to him, even if it was just for show.

As Lane and Rebecca entered the boutique, he wasted no time picking out a variety of dresses for her to try on. Rebecca couldn't help but feel a mix of dread and curiosity as she looked at the pile of dresses he handed her.

"Here, try these on," Lane said, steering her toward the fitting rooms.

"Do I have to?" she asked, eyeing the dresses warily.