Gift for FilmsareFriends from the Lizzington Facebook group :)
Disclaimed
"I am not going to a mall. A mall is not my speed at all, Lizzie, you should know that."
That's what he'd said.
She smiled, fingering the material of a pretty dress in a high end boutique at the mall. The sales lady had their number straight away. They'd wandered in together, his arm possessively around her waist, a long suffering expression on his face.
That's not what he'd done.
He hadn't had a choice really. She was tired of safe houses and his idea of fun had been classical music and dancing on the terrace.
Well. To tell the truth, it hadn't been far off her idea of fun either. A few glasses of wine, a sunset, some hot blooded music. And Raymond Reddington between her legs.
Who was Tom again?
'No," he said definitively, pulling her hand away from the fabric. "Not your color, not the right cut and certainly not the right fabric."
She rolled her eyes. "Okay, Mr Expert, what would you pick?"
He pursed his lips, scanning the racks. Spotting something almost immediately, he made his way to the far wall, selecting a charming, soft yellow, chiffon, tea length dress.
"Here, go try this on."
"Where would I wear that? She laughed. "Got any garden parties that you're taking me to?"
He lifted his chin haughtily, a twinkle in his eye "I might. Just try it on"
He'd followed her into the change room, throwing a look to the sales lady that plainly said 'I dare you to stop me.'
She turned around, not realizing he'd followed her until his arms were around her.
"Oh my god, what are you doing? You'll get us kicked out," she said, her words muffled by his lips on hers.
"I think she knows what side her bread's buttered on," he murmured, nibbling her earlobe, pushing her up against the wall.
"Are you gonna help me with this dress then?"
"Oh, I'll help," he grinned, reaching for the zipper of her jeans.
"Why do I get the feeling you're not interested in seeing me in this?" She inquired breathlessly
"I am though. Just as interested as I am in seeing you out of it."
He had her standing in her bra and panties now. Achingly slow, he moved his lips along her collarbone, kissing her silky skin, delighting in the hot flush that was spreading across her face and chest.
He stepped back, leaving her gasping as if she'd had ice water thrown over her.
"Don't tease me, Lizzie. I want to see the dress," he said cheekily.
She narrowed her eyes and humphed, pulling the dress over her head, and turning around so that he could do up the zipper.
Forty five minutes later he strutted out with three large shopping bags and a very dazed Lizzie on his arm.
"What shall we try next?" He asked brightly
She shot him a look. "You sure came round."
"Well I'm here now, and there's fun to be had in anything if you look hard enough. Donut?"
"What?"
"Do you want a donut, Lizzie?" He said, pointing to a donut shop they were walking past.
"Alright, sure."
He procured them each a sugary, cinnamon donut, biting enthusiastically into his and eyeing hers covetously after polishing his own off.
She nibbled delicately until the last bite. He squirmed in his seat, watching her lips as she ate, her pink tongue licking sugar from the corners of mouth. He couldn't help himself.
"Here," he said, leaning forward, taking her chin in his hand and licking the last little dusting of sugar from her lips.
"Oh," her lips had parted slightly, her face suffused with sudden desire.
He took the opportunity, moving in closer and slipping his tongue into her mouth, deepening the kiss. She moaned into his mouth, her sweetened breath intoxicating, her soft hands finding his face, stroking his cheek.
"Mmm, Lizzie...maybe we should go home," he suggested hopefully, his hands now threaded through her hair, aware that they were attracting a few stares from the occasional old biddy.
She raised an eyebrow, pulling away slightly to look at him. "You can't always get your way, Raymond," she said breathily. "I want to do some more shopping."
She smiled saucily at his groan. "Shoes. I need new shoes."
"You don't," he protested mulishly.
She stood and danced away from him, making a beeline for the nearest shoe store. He sighed theatrically. Well, he had said he could find fun in anything, hadn't he?
She was already trying a pair of ankle boots on when he caught up to her.
"Lizzie! They don't go with anything you've bought today. Let me," he said, scanning the shelves with a trained eye. He selected a pair of white pumps he'd said went with the yellow dress. She'd acquiesced graciously - graciously for her.
She'd fallen away from his side, walking past a jewellery store but he'd quickly scooped her up again, pulling her away from the window.
I am not putting any jewellery from a mall around your neck. I draw the line there," he said looking scandalized. "If you want something pretty, we'll go to Paris, sweetheart. I've a dear friend there, a very talented designer.
She looked miffed. "I was just looking, and anyway, I don't wear much jewellery."
He smirked. "That's going to change."
"Ha!, what happened to 'you're perfect just as you are?' she teased. "You were pretty happy with with what I was wearing last night."
He grabbed her around her middle, tickling her lightly. "Using pillow talk against me, are we?" he growled playfully into her ear. "And as I recall, you were wearing nothing last night. But you know," he said, his voice growing low and sultry, "I think I could have done all the things I did to you last night regardless of how many ropes of diamonds you had draped around you."
"Mmm, you make a good case for diamonds."
He chuckled. "You're learning to trust my tastes Lizzie. I like it."
He spied a lingerie store. Visions of the woman on his arm in bra, panties, suspenders and nothing else assaulted him. Scarlet, he decided, heading to the store, Lizzie in tow. Definitely scarlet.
This time around he had been the one to leave dazed. She'd put on quite a show in there, teasing him with glimpses of satin and lace. She'd made him sit in the boyfriend chair. He'd not been impressed with that. But she'd been playing a game of cat and mouse. See how many glimpses he could catch of her behind the change room curtain. She'd twitch the curtains aside briefly, leaving privacy to chance, given she had no way of knowing if she'd find Red alone.
He was hot and bothered. He wanted her home now. At the rate they were going, she wouldn't get the chance to try her new lingerie before he'd take her.
She giggled suddenly, the source of her mirth not apparent to him.
"Something funny?"
"Oh, I had an idea, that's all. But I'm gonna need you to trust me. I want it to be a surprise. Can I meet you back here in half an hour?"
He frowned. "I don't know if that's a good idea."
"Trust me, Red."
He quirked an eyebrow, gripping both of her shoulders gently, rubbing his hands down her arms.
"Alright, I'll be just here. I wouldn't be late if I were you. I'll send an army to find you."
She laughed. He wasn't sure himself if he was joking.
Twenty seven minutes later, by the hands on his Rolex, she came, half jogging back, a nondescript shopping bag in her hands and a big grin on her face.
"Three minutes to go, well done." He said, bending to kiss her on the nose. "Is there anything else you need while we're here or can we go home now?"
"Nope, I'm good."
"What's in the bag."
"It's a surprise."
"A surprise for me?"
"Maybe," she gave him a sidelong look, a smile hovering at her mouth.
He'd meant to ravish her as soon as they were inside the door, lingerie or no. Meant to, but the bag she was holding so closely had piqued his curiosity and he found himself uncharacteristically impatient to know. This was what Lizzie did to him. His second chance at a life. She made him feel young and hopeful again, like a boy at Christmas.
He waited.
She seized the subject of his curiosity, pulling a build-a-bear from the shopping bag and presented it to him gleefully.
It was dressed in a three piece suit.
"Look! It's a Reddybear!" She announced, dissolving into a fit of giggles.
He attempted a reproving look. Damn the woman, she didn't do much for his dignity. He felt the corners of his mouth tugging into an unwilling smile.
He advanced on her, playfully threatening. "I'll show you Reddybear," he said, and he picked her up like a caveman, enjoying her shrieks of delight, and carried her into the bedroom, bear and all.