The second boutique smelled faintly of fresh linen and expensive perfume, the kind of scent that clung to the air and made every rack of silk dresses glow under the soft, flattering lights. Andrea’s fingers brushed over a simple black slip dress, the fabric cool and impossibly smooth. She lifted it without thinking, only to freeze when her eyes caught the tiny white price tag dangling from the strap.
Her breath hitched. “Henry… this is four thousand dollars,” she whispered, cheeks heating as though the number itself had scorched her. She dropped the hanger like it had burned her skin. “I can’t. You’re not spending that kind of money on me. It’s ridiculous.”
Henry stepped up behind her, his presence steady and grounding. His hands settled lightly on her waist, his chest warm against her b
