I finally found a store worth my time and had been in there for thirty minutes grabbing everything and making Eli hold them. His arms were full and he could barely see over the items.

"Leyla, this is ridiculous." he stated.

"Are your arms tired, sweetheart?" I asked mockingly.

I could only see half of his face but I knew he wore an aggravated expression.

"Ok, ok. All we have to do is find a fitting room so I can try them on. Relax, big guy," I said and rubbed his arm before going to find the fitting rooms.

We found them and I had Eli sit outside my door while I threw on everything so he could judge them.

First was a white pantsuit with a lingerie style bodysuit underneath and heels. I opened the door to show him.

"Pants?" I asked and he looked up from his phone at me.

"No." he said then looked back down at the screen.

On to the next.

____________________________________

I tried on six different things that all received a 'no' from this man. You can always tell when he doesn't want to do things, his voice gets lower and emotionless and his face holds a blank expression.

I was finally down to only two things.

A dress and the heels I paired to go with it.

The dress was long and champagne with a split to the left that went all the way up to my hip. The straps were skinny and it felt so smooth against my skin from its satin fabric. It wasn't tight but made me seem curvier from the small waist of the dress.

"Okay how about this?" I asked as I opened the fitting room door again. I stuck my leg out of the split so he could get the full effect.

He finally looked up at me from his phone.

His eyes didn't leave my body and he leaned back against the wall.

"If you don't like it just tell me." I explained.

He looked like he wanted to say something but couldn't find the right words, so he got up and pushed me back into my fitting room. After swinging my arm around his neck and then wrapping his arm around my waist he kissed me deeply.

His arm slid from around me and both of his hands held and caressed my waist.

Our lips pulled away.

"I like it." He told me then placed another soft kiss on my lips. His response made me smile.

We'd gotten in line to check out after putting everything else back.

"I have to use the bathroom." I said quietly.

"Then go use the bathroom."

"No, I don't wanna hold up the line."

"Leyla, there's two people in front of us. Go to the bathroom."

"Okay, fine."

I handed the dress to Eli and hurried off to the bathroom.

...

"Did you see the guy that came in here?"

"Which one?"

Two middle aged women were holding a conversation while washing their hands.

"The tall and muscly one."

"Yess, oh my goodness he's so beautiful."

"The arms on that man." One woman said.

"The broad shoulders and the small waist. Honey, he is the shape of a toned capital T." The other said and they laughed together.

"And the girl he was with?"

"She's a very pretty little thing."

'Thing? Rude.'

"Eh. He could do better." The other said.

'Ruder!'

I left my stall and washed my hands without saying a word to them and I knew they noticed me and felt bad.

When I got out, Eli was holding a bag and standing in the entrance way of the store on his phone.

"What're you doing??" I asked.

"Standing here?"

"Where's the dress?"

He handed me the bag in his hand and we started walking. "I bought it."

"What? Why?"

"Why not?"

"I'll pay you back. How much was it?"

"I don't remember."

"What-...Where's the receipt then?"

"I told them to keep it."

"Eli!"

"What?"

"You know what? I'll just look at the tag." I said smugly.

"I ripped it off."

The emotion drained out of my body and I stopped walking and just stared at him. He thought it was funny and laughed.

"Why are you mad at me?" he chuckled.

"Because I want to pay you back."

"Why?"

"Because."

"I don't want you to pay me back. If it helps then think of it like a late birthday gift."

I sighed and we continued our walk out of the mall and to the car.

____________________________________

"There were two women talking about you in the bathroom earlier," I said as we got in the car.

"What? Why?" he asked.

"Because you're all handsome and tall and strong." I mocked them with my tone and he chuckled.

"They said you could do better."

Can't be wrong if I thought so, too.

"Why would they say that?" he asked.

"Because I'm just this 'cute little thing'." I mumbled so low that he couldn't hear me.

"It doesn't really matter since it's true," I shrugged as we pulled up to a red light.

"What is?"

"That you could do better. Don't tell me you lie to yourself." I snickered.

He huffed a laugh.

"Leyla, have you seen you?"

"I'd like to think so."

"I don't think you have. And you definitely haven't seen you how I've seen you. Neither have they."

I didn't know what that meant.

"You nor them have seen your face light up when you laugh. They don't know how beautiful your smile is. They've never seen you flustered which is so fucking sexy, I love making you shy." he said and looked at me with a smile. He looked back at the road and said, "They also haven't seen you in that dress. Fuuuuckkk..." he groaned the last word and thrusted his hips to readjust himself in his seat. I almost steered off the road.

"They've never held a conversation with you. They don't know how funny and charismatic you are. Did I mention the smile already because ohhh my GOD!" His head faced upwards and he rolled his eyes back. His goofiness made me laugh.

____________________________________

We arrived at Eli's house and I dropped him off. When I pulled into my driveway I realized Jesse's car was still there.

"I'm back!" I said as I entered the house.

Jesse stood against the counter facing me with his arms crossed.

"What was that?" he asked.

"What was what?"

"That man just got out of your car."

'He saw that?' I turned around and noticed our blinds were opened.

Fuck.

"Yes he did. What about it?"

"Where'd you go?"

I waved my shopping bag.

"So he just goes with you to shop?"

"Why are you asking so many questions?" I wondered as I walked to the kitchen.

"You see a stranger hop out of your little sister's car you get curious."

"I think you're being dramatic. Plus, he's not a stranger, he's my friend." I said as I went through the fridge.

"Oh, so you're friends now?"

"I can't have friends?" I asked and closed the fridge after grabbing a water.

"Jesse, ease up man." Cam told him.

"And you two are just friends?" he asked while ignoring Cam's instructions. "I don't buy it."

"Jesse." Kendall called. "Stop."

"No. She randomly becomes "friends" with the scariest guy on the street and you two expect me to let that go. No, I don't trust him." Jesse stated.

"He's not scary. He might be a bit...cold...but he wouldn't hurt a fly." I tried to explain.

'Unless you stepped in the ring with him.'

"I don't care, Leyla. I want you to stop talking to him."

"What am I, 14?! No!" I shouted.

"Yes! The motherfucker has a scar on his face and can blow cigarette smoke out of his fucking nose you think I want you hanging around him?! That's fucking Al Capone reincarnated!" he yelled. "You're gonna stop talking to him."

"Or else what?"

He had no right to tell me who and who not to be close to. He doesn't even know Eli except for when we first moved in and my party and all together he's only said four sentences to the guy. I'm not following his instructions based on a hunch and judging someone off of their appearance. I'd hate to see how he reacts when I tell him I've made out with him and we're going on a date Saturday.