BK 2 - Chapter 7 - Shopping
Aiden saw Kitty run out of the federal building and wondered why she was running. After she jumped in the car, he headed to the freeway.
"Did everything go okay?" He asked curiously.
"Yes, I gave it to the officer at the front desk. I told her who it belonged to and about the secret compartment. I wanted to make sure they found it so they could see what was on the card. Now, I'm ready to get out of the city."
Kitty counted her money and was disappointed. She only had fifty dollars. That was enough to get her a couple of things from the thrift store, but not as much as she needed. It never crossed her mind to ask Aiden for money.
As they drove down Highway One along the coast, Kitty felt her emotions all over the place. She had never been out of San Francisco, and it was a little scary for her going to a place she didn't know. Not to mention she didn't know how long this thing with Aiden would last. What if they got to Monterey, and he decided he didn't want her around? That caused a pain in her chest like no other.
Kitty couldn't imagine being without him, and they had only known each other for a matter of hours. He made her feel things she had only read about but never thought were true. The further they drove, the more down she felt, thinking about what it would be like not to have him with her. When Aiden took her hand in his, it startled her.
"What's wrong? Are you changing your mind about leaving the city?" He had noticed how melancholy she had become, and he worried that she was going to say she didn't want to go with him.
"No, I want to leave the city. I was thinking, what's going to happen when you decide you don't want to be with me anymore? I will be lost in Monterey because I don't know that area like San Francisco." Kitty was embarrassed when she felt tears run down her cheeks and tried to wipe them away.
Aiden was stunned to see her showing her vulnerable side. When he saw the tears, he pulled into a parking lot near a beach in Pacifica. He thought it would be a good place to stop for a few minutes so he could ease her mind.
"Look at me." Aiden turned to face her in his seat, and she turned toward him with her head down. He put his hand under her chin and raised her face so he could see her eyes. He saw tears still filling them, and his heart ached for her. From the little she'd told him about her past, he knew she wasn't familiar with anyone caring for her.
"I will always want you. The way I feel for you is something entirely new for me, and it's not something I want to give up. It's like my whole life, I've been waiting for you, and now that you're here, I don't want to be away from you." Kitty felt fresh tears running down her face, but this time from happiness.
"I've never learned to trust people completely. I always expect people to show their true colors and end up causing me pain. However, with you, I never felt that way. I'm scared about these feelings you cause inside me, but it's exciting at the same time. Thank you for not treating me like the homeless nobody that I am."
"You're not a homeless nobody. You're Kittana. Your name alone shows how unique you are." Aiden leaned over and kissed her passionately, letting all his feeling for her be felt in his kiss. He was falling in love with her, not just from the mate bond. It was because Kitty was an amazing woman.
She felt all her doubt and fear leave as Aiden continued kissing her. She didn't know what it was, but he made her feel like the luckiest woman in the world.
"Are you ready to get back on the road? I want to stop somewhere on our way down." Kitty kissed his cheek before adjusting herself in her seat.
"Yep, let's go. I want to stop at the thrift store too. I don't want to wear the same clothes every day." Aiden held her hand as they drove.
Kitty's spirits had lifted tremendously. She was happy that he felt the same way about her. When they had passed through Pacifica, Aiden turned and started going away from the ocean. Kitty looked around in confusion.
"Where are we going?" He smiled but didn't say anything.
They continued driving for a while until they reached Palo Alto. Aiden seemed to know where he was going, but Kitty looked around, still confused. Palo Alto was in the wrong direction from Monterey. He turned into a parking lot, and she saw they were at a shopping mall. She'd never been to one before because her clothes had always been hand-me-downs or bought at thrift stores. She knew she didn't have enough money to buy anything from here.
"I can't afford anything in here. Please, let's go to a thrift store. I'm sure we can find one." Kitty was pleading with him, but he continued into the parking lot and parked the car.
"I'm taking you shopping. It's time you have things that are new that no one else has worn but you. I want the best for you, and that includes indulging in what you want and not just what you need." She looked at him with her eyes wide. Other than underwear, she'd never had anything new.
"I can't ask you to buy me clothes. That's too much." He stopped her before she could say more.
"You didn't ask me. Come on, let's act like young people who aren't on the run from the mob. I'm starving too since we skipped breakfast, so let's eat, and then we'll decide what stores you want to go to." Aiden got out of the car, and Kitty slowly followed him. She felt like she had a big sign on her forehead that said she didn't belong.
Right inside the main doors of the mall, there was a place that served hamburgers. They stopped there and ate while Aiden looked over a mall map. He asked Kitty what stores she wanted to shop in, but she had no idea, so they decided to figure it out as they went.
She held tightly to Aiden's hand as they walked through the mall. She felt nervous being around so many people wearing nice things. It made her self-conscious. He pulled her into one of the larger stores and over to women's clothing.
"Okay, pick out anything you want." He stood next to her and waited.
"I don't know where to begin. There's so much here." Aiden took her hand again and led her to a rack of cashmere sweaters.
"I noticed that you like to wear sweaters. Do you like any of these?" Kitty looked at the beautiful sweaters and touched them. They were the softest material she'd ever felt. She tentatively picked one up and held it up to her. When she saw the price tag, her eyes almost popped out of her head.
"They're too expensive. I can't let you buy any of these." She reluctantly put the sweater she was holding back down and tried to look for the discount rack, but Aiden stopped her.
"Didn't you hear? Today only, everything in the mall is only a dollar. What colors do you want?" She could tell he wasn't going to budge, so she pointed at the cream-colored and dark green ones. Aiden picked up one of each in her size, and Kitty shook her head.
"I never thought shopping would be so stressful," She said quietly, and he laughed.
"It's not supposed to be stressful; it's supposed to be fun. Whatever you see that you want, you'll get it because it's only a dollar." Kitty laughed at his attempt to make her loosen up. She started looking through the racks of clothes and kept her eyes off the price tags.
Aiden watched as she began to get into the spirit of shopping. It made him sad to think she'd never been able to buy whatever she wanted before. Shopping shouldn't cause her stress and worry. He loved seeing her excited over the different colors and fabrics she hadn't felt before.
When they checked out, she had more clothes than she'd ever owned over her entire lifetime. They were both carrying shopping bags, and Kitty turned to Aiden.
"Thank you. You were right; that was fun. Are you ready to go back to the car now?" He shook his head.
"Not even close. This was only the first store; we have a lot more shopping to do. Let's start next door." Aiden led her to a fancy lingerie boutique, and her face immediately turned red.
"I can't wear any of that stuff. I just need the basics." Once again, he ignored her and walked inside as she reluctantly followed behind him. A saleswoman eagerly walked over to them with a fake smile.
"Can I help you?" She asked, looking back and forth between them.
"Yes, my girlfriend lost all of her clothing in an accident. I want her to get whatever she wants. Can you help her please?" The woman looked shocked, but she quickly fixed her face.
"Of course. If you want to wait here, I'll make sure she has everything she needs." Kitty sat her bags down next to the chair Aiden sat in, and she followed the woman through the small store.
The woman insisted she needed things in silk, satin, and lace. Kitty couldn't believe the thin pieces of material could even be considered panties. They looked more like decoration than useful. She picked out several pairs of matching bras and pantie sets. The woman added a few more to the pile.
She then took Kitty over to the nighttime lingerie, and Kitty started to refuse to pick anything out, but then she changed her mind. If she and Aiden were eventually going to be intimate, she wanted to look good for him. She picked out a few pieces that made her blush bright red.
When they left the boutique, Aiden insisted they stop at several more stores to pick up more clothing. Then they stopped in a shoe store, and he had her get shoes in every style. Kitty was so overwhelmed with everything her head was spinning.
As they continued to walk around, Kitty noticed an art supply store. She loved to paint and draw but hadn't had the money to buy the supplies. She tried not to stare as they walked past the store, but Aiden noticed her looking longingly back at it.
"Do you like to paint?" He startled her with his question.
"I like to draw and paint, but it's been a while." Kitty started to walk away, but he stopped her.
"Get some supplies. I would like to see some of your artwork." Aiden started walking into the store, and she followed him.
"We can do this some other time. I don't need this stuff." Kitty's mouth was saying no, but her heart and eyes were saying yes.
"No better time than the present. Pick out whatever you want."
Kitty felt like a kid in a candy store looking at all the brand-new supplies. She touched some of the brushes and felt her heart race. Art was something she had loved to do for a long time. She put her reservations on the back burner and bought everything she wanted.
Aiden smiled as he watched Kitty's face as she looked around the store. Her eyes were lighting up with a sparkle he hadn't seen. When she was done and brought over a bag full of supplies, she sat them on the floor next to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, for once not caring if people were staring at her.
"Thank you, Aiden."
"You're welcome, sweetheart, but you don't need to thank me. Making you happy is all the thanks I need." Kitty didn't know how she got so lucky to find him, but she was glad she did.
On their way toward the exit, they passed a store with body lotions and body wash. Aiden led her inside, telling her to pick out some girly stuff. Kitty was getting used to him telling her this, so she indulged him again. She figured at least she would smell good when they slept together.
After they loaded the car with all their purchases, Kitty sat back in the passenger seat, feeling like she was going to pass out. She couldn't believe how much stuff she had bought and the money they had spent.
"How do you get used to that? I feel like I just had a five-hour workout." He laughed as he started the car.
"You'll learn to love it too. The stuff we bought is nothing compared to what I want to get you. You're never going to want for anything again." Aiden raised her hand to his lips and kissed it.
"You're too much. I have everything I'm going to need for a few years."
Kitty watched him as they pulled out of the parking lot and back toward the freeway. He had just spent a fortune on her and acted like it was an everyday occurrence. For her, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
They drove toward Monterey, listening to music, and Kitty was lost in thought. Just two days ago, she was homeless and thinking about her next pickpocket. Now she was with a man who made her feel like a queen.
She didn't know much, but she knew that she would follow Aiden to the ends of the earth. Kitty thought she might be falling in love with him but was scared to say anything to him. She knew it was too soon for that, but she couldn't deny her feelings. She started thinking of ways to seduce him and thought they better get some condoms on the way to the hotel because if she had her way, neither of them would be a virgin after tonight.
