Only Their Love

Fury and Fashion

ROWA's POV

I sat in the front of the absolute machine that was the black Lavante, with my arms crossed and silent. I was apoplectic with rage. I had told Ebony my truck meant a lot to me and she just replaced it with a Maserati of all things. I thought when she had asked me about cars that she was asking for conversation and maybe a bit of fun.

I also felt very self-conscious, I knew she had money, given the £10,000 she had laid down the night before. But to buy a Maserati the way she had was quite intimidating. She was wearing a £30 dress from TopShop and had slept in my old run-down cottage last night. She was most definitely slumming it with me. She must have noticed the wear and tear on my clothes too. I wrapped my arms further round myself, feeling even more self-conscious as we pulled into the underground parking and had the car taken by a valet.

She climbed down from the car elegantly, like a lady whilst I awkwardly lumbered out. She put her arms around my waist but mine stayed across my chest. i couldn't even look at her. I felt like a fool, kissing her like that outside the showroom too was such a d**k move on my part, especially when I then knew that she was in 100% control the whole time.

'Talk to me Rowa.' she said quietly and rubbed my nose with hers. This was beginning to be her move to get me to talk or relax and damn, it worked every time. I shook my head, unable to bring myself to tell her what the problem was, besides, I knew she already knew.

'Ok . I am going to say this once and I hope we never have to have this conversation again.' she said. 'My family are rich. I am rich and so it my brother. We work hard for what we earn, like you have always done Rowa. Whilst I grew up privileged, my father did not spoil me. I've always had to work in some way or another. I don't tend to spend frivolously, but from time to time, I like to spend the money I earn on whatever and whoever I choose to. There will be no strings attached to anything I buy you, my darling.'

I looked up at her, this was so strange to me and I couldn't accept that things were no strings attached. I believed her that she worked hard for what she earned. 'This is alien to me Ebony. You saw my truck, you saw my home. You see my clothes. That you just bought that car outright is mental. Completley mental. That vehicle is worth more than I have earned, spent or will earn in ten years.' She nodded and cupped my cheek.

'Maybe not love. If it makes you uncomfortable we don't have to go shopping today, we can do something else.' I shook my head, very aware that she must be very uncomfortable in the dress she was in and something was telling me to believe her. I always trusted my instincts, other than when I was younger, and when I started to trust them again they had never steered me wrong. I was like a human lie detector and I knew she was sincere. 'Can we get coffee first?' I asked. Feeling that I at least could buy that today.

'Of course.' she smiled. Ebony took my hand and the sparks shot up my arm to my chest. We walked towards the lift and were taken up to the shopping centre. We got coffee in Costa, a Cappachino with chocolate and cinnamon for me and a double flat white for Ebony. Thankfully, she didn't offer to pay, I think I would have lost it entirely if she had. We wandered from shop to shop, glancing at things none of which seemed to tempt her,

We rounded the corner and I saw there were three new shops had opened. She dragged me into the closest one and began lifting jeans, tops, shirts, dresses, a pair of boots, sandals and flats. She placed them on the counter and grabbed a coat, a light rain jacket and two bikinis. I stood in silence watching her. Again none of what she had chosen appeared to be her style. It was brightly coloured and too big for her. It took me until she was paying to realize these were all for me.

We walked out without any bags and moved on to the next shop. She hadn't said a word and neither had I. I stood like a lemon staring at her as once again, she picked up clothes. This time more casual. Leggings, sweaters, hoodies and vest tops were piled on the counter topped off with a pair of pastel yellow Vans and bright blue Converse. Again she paid and we left empty handed. I was so confused.

The next shop was a sports shop and she repeated her flitting about grabbing sports leggings of various lengths, cycling shorts, baggy t shirts, tight vests and some swimsuits. Before she finished she walked around me, cupped my breasts briefly and then pecked me on the lips and winked. She took some sports bras off the shelf and pointed to a pair of Asics and a pair of Nike running shoes on the wall and asked for them in my size.

'I don't run!' I exclaimed when I realised how expensive they were and she dismissed me waving her hand. Again she paid and we left empty handed. 'Please Ebony, stop. That's enough. I haven't said no so far and I don't know what I'll do with all of these clothes.' I argued. She put her finger to my lips.

'Three more shops for you and then I'll stop I promise.' she said. I rolled my eyes and she smiled. 'Come on!' she was giddy and I loved it, but I still felt so uneasy.

After watching her spend another fortune in two more shops on the high street, on underwear, pajamas, numerous pairs of shoes I would never be able to walk in, we arrived outside a bridal shop. We had been shopping for hours, I was grumpy and my stomach was growling at me. 'I am not going in there.' I stated. 'I am absolutely not going into that shop.' I stood with my hands on my hips and I knew I looked like a child throwing a tantrum but there was no way I was going into a bridal shop.

'Oh come on, it's the last one. And I'm not taking you in to buy a wedding dress. There are cocktail dresses, gowns and all that sort of thing in there too. I will need you to try these on though.' she said dismissively. I shook my head and turned on my heel. There was a bar at the end of the street and I needed a drink. I could hear her heels clicking on the street behind me as I walked inside.

Double Jameson and a Bramble please.' I ordered and perched myself on a stool at the bar. I pulled out my phone and replied to Millie's message checking on me and Ebony sat down beside me. The bar man sat down the drinks and two menus and took my card. 'A double Macallan.' she ordered and rubbed my back.

'Come sit with me in a booth and we will talk.' she coaxed me. I was seething. I tried so hard not to be, but I was so angry. I understood that she was being kind, that there were no strings attached to the clothes, but I had only just met her. I had plans that I had worked so hard to achieve and she was not part of that. I didn't know if I wanted her to be, I had always imagined that this journey I had planned would be one I would take alone.

We ordered food and moved with our drinks to a booth. 'Talk to me Rowa. Please. she said. I put my head in my hands and my mind raced. 'Do I tell her everything? She'll think I'm mad. F**k it I'll take the chance. The worst thing she can do is leave me alone.' My heart wrenched at the thought, but something compelled me to tell her. So I did.