You Belong To Me

Chapter Silk

'Do you feel me?'
Silk

The town off the port was very deep. One could tell that it stretched much farther away from the short however all the shopping was conveniently pressed against the water making it easy for people to come ashore to dine, shop, drink, and even enjoy a bit of beach space before they boarded their vessels to be off again. Gloria and Candace complained about the distance of the fabric shop from the boat but they walked on easily enough, arms linked and their laughter sounding over the entourage. They dragged Ali inside away from Trey who held her flowers for her absently while him and Reggie synchronized their shiny gold pocket watches.

She realized that Theo had slipped into the store behind her and Ali wasn't sure if he was protecting her, making sure she didn't attempt to run away, or looking to see if there was something he might purchase in her name. She didn't know if she should have been offended, pleased, or neutral so she decided to go with the latter until she collected enough data. Eva commented that some white silk was not as stark as Emma's pants and halter top. The fabric was nice though. Ali wanted to murmur that silk wasn't synthetic fabric therefore it cannot be dyed stark white. She didn't though. Aristocrats did not like it be corrected...

Candace came over with some red lace and asked Ali if the feel was as rich as the color or if Candace herself just liked the pattern and couldn't tell due to bias. Gloria said it looked as though it felt a little stiff. Ali said it was very soft actually, and the pattern was unique. Gloria began perusing through other lace patterns and distracted the poor girl from her first favorite. She was suggesting a satin lined dress with a new lace option petticoat in a orange red sort of color. Ali fingered get first choice where it had been abandoned on a display case. Ali touched the color options and imagined what color she didn't already have. Ali wanted to be with Trey. She moved around feeling different shades and pulled a deep, milky gold. The color made her skin look rubbed in paprika red. She smirked and moved along. She had never selected colors for herself or anyone else a day in her life. She couldn't imagine shopping, she decided. It was too much information, too many options, and potentially tempting.

She remembered to be the nodding and grinning and gushing companion when the women required her opinion. She was not a very good shopper, she discovered at the third store. Gloria had approached at the bonnet shop and asked if she had picked anything out for herself. Ali replied that she hadn't and Gloria reminded her that she should buy something to make the men believe that their time hadn't been wasted. Ali was not put off. She sat a fan of white feathers more than a foot long back in its display box after giving it a few waves over her chest. Cooling...

Trey watched her through the glass. Her figure was most distracting in her high waist trousers and he was sure her small peak of flesh showing between the bottom of her shirt and the top of her pants was there just to torment him. It could have easily been one piece. He made a mental note, eyeing the way her naked back flexed when she reached and her lovely hair sat over her shoulder, to have the modiste make her several of the two piece yacht outfits for when she was at home. They were most becoming.

He sneered at her back through the smoke of his pipe and made the comment to Reggie that it was hot out.

Reggie's reply made him tear his distracted eyes away from Ali. "Yeah, you look hot."

Robert burst out laughing and Trey fixed him with a cold look.. The two of them weren't exactly close but they were good friends. What they had in common was Reggie but the gentleman had never been anything Trey couldn't abide like rude or nosy or loud. Reggie gestured to the glass with his pipe. "Trousers cousin? Who's idea was that?"

"Mine."

"Well in that case let me be the first to thank you," Reggie stuck out his hand as though he expected Trey to shake it. Instead Trey took a quick step toward him and Reggie quickly ducked behind a laughing Robert. Trey looked furious. His eyebrows weren't raised but his chin was up and his forehead was creased.