Page 47 of Gang of Roses: Rebel

I damn near choked. Somehow, I’d ended up standing between the two most stubborn women in Magnolia.

“Come on, baby,” Rebel said, sliding her arm tighter around my waist. “We still gotta go get those matching boxers.”

“The hell we do.”

“Yes, we do.” She nodded seriously. “You said couples gotta coordinate.”

At that point, I wasn’t sure if Rebel was helping me or trying to get me killed. She grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward the next store, but I noticed that she didn’t let me go. I decided to keep her close too. Pretending she was my girlfriend had felt a little too natural. And that scared the hell out of me.

Shopping with Rebel wasn’t anywhere near as painful as I thought it’d be. Matter of fact, I was having a damn good time. She’d dragged me through half the damn mall already, claiming she only needed “a few things.” A few things had somehow turned into me carrying six shopping bags while she continued stopping every five feet to look at something else.

“One more store,” she said, pointing ahead.

I laughed. “You said that three stores ago.”

“This time I mean it.”

“That’s what addicts say.”

She shoved my shoulder with a grin before walking into a streetwear store. The second she stepped inside, I noticed something change. She looked... comfortable. Like she’d finally walked into a place that actually matched who she was.

“There she go,” I muttered.

Without hesitation, she started flipping through racks of oversized hoodies, loose cargo pants, graphic tees, and fitted caps. She wasn’t overthinking anything anymore. She was just grabbing what caught her eye.

“This feels more like me,” she said, holding up a black hoodie.

I couldn’t help but smile.

“I was wondering when the real Rain was gonna show up.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You been looking at all them little dresses like somebody was forcing you.”

“I can wear dresses.”

“I ain’t say you couldn’t.”

She rolled her eyes before disappearing into the fitting room. A couple minutes later, the curtain slid open. She stepped out wearing a black dress. Her locs fell over her shoulders, framing her face. She was so damn beautiful.

“Damn.”

She immediately looked down at herself.

“What?”

“You trying to make my job hard?”

“Yeah.”

She laughed and shook her head before turning toward the mirror.

“Do it look too big?”

“Nah.”

I walked over until I was standing beside her.