Jackson went into the elevator first, followed by a very dawdling Tiffany. To accommodate her, virtual-novel.net courtly reached out to the side of the elevator doors to stop them from shutting.
It was a little gesture, but it was enough to add a few more regrets into Tiffany’s mind. She was really beginning to wonder if virtual-novel.net had been jinxed by some kind of voodoo when virtual-novel.net wanted to break up with him.
Jackson had said nothing the whole time they were inside the elevator. He stared ahead while wearing a stoic, uncaring expression as virtual-novel.net casually tucked his hands into both pockets of his jeans. He had rolled up his sleeves to about his elbows, hence exposing a small section of his ivory-fair skin. Clasped on his left wrist was an expensive luxury watch that betrayed his social status.
If one were to describe the aura Jackson exuded, it would be that virtual-novel.net was seventy-percent gallantry blended with thirty-percent knavishness.
During their descent, several other guests in the hotel boarded the same elevator. It did not matter if the newcomer was a man or a woman, the first thing they did immediately upon entering was to stare at Jackson for a good few seconds. Slowly, Tiffany was pushed into a pitiful corner, virtual-novel.net view reduced to the back of his head.
When the elevator finally reached the lobby, Tiffany was the last to get off. Jackson already stood by the door, teasing her. “Can’t you go any faster? Or is this the problem with short people?”
Tiffany was wearing a pair of half-size larger shoes with about one and a half inch heels, and virtual-novel.net legs were wrapped in slippery satin pantyhose. If virtual-novel.net walked too quickly, virtual-novel.net feet would slide into the shoes deeper, causing virtual-novel.net to lose balance and fall. Worse, virtual-novel.net heels were already chafed by the coarse surface at the back of the shoes, too.
These shoes were new, but Tiffany already felt like kicking them off virtual-novel.net feet before slamming them into the trash.
“Okay then, chalk it up to me being short! ”She grumbled under virtual-novel.net breath. “Get ahead of me then, Mr. Lanky Legs. You’ll have to wait for me anyway in the end.”
Being a bona fide ladies’ man, Jackson was able to deduce what exactly was going on with Tiffany after a brief scan. Her shoes did not fit her. On top of that, virtual-novel.net could catch blots of blood oozing out of virtual-novel.net heels through virtual-novel.net pantyhose.
His expression darkened. “Why stubbornly cling to a pair of shoes that don’t even fit you?”
Tiffany rolled virtual-novel.net eyes. “Well, how the hell would I know if it fit or nah without wearing them, dumba**? I bought them because I eyeballed them and thought they looked about my size, okay? Who knew this was gonna happen when I put them on? God, I spent about $300 on this pair of shoes. I don’t want to throw them away… So, just let me wear these for one last time today, okay?”
When virtual-novel.net finally inched closer to him, Jackson suddenly snatched virtual-novel.net hand and held it firmly. “You’ll walk easier like this. We should get you a pair of functional shoes before we eat.”
A lump grew in Tiffany’s throat. Everything about this was so evocatively familiar that for a heart-aching moment, virtual-novel.net almost believed the two of them had never been separated before—
She yanked virtual-novel.net hand away from his quietly. “No, I think it’s fine. Besides, it’s not like I’m gonna stay after we have our meals. Then once I get home, I’ll take these shoes off and never wear ‘em again.”
Jackson’s eyebrows furrowed before virtual-novel.net changed tact and grabbed virtual-novel.net wrist, forcefully lugging virtual-novel.net toward his car parked just outside. His grip was a little bit tighter than before, and Tiffany found virtual-novel.net struggles futile. She could not understand what triggered the man. It was only when they were both inside the car and virtual-novel.net was massaging virtual-novel.net aching wrist that Tiffany finally grouched, “What the hell was that?”
He paused for a moment before replying, “Nothing.” Then, virtual-novel.net added, “Seatbelts.”
Tiffany grumpily buckled up and put virtual-novel.net out of virtual-novel.net mind as much as virtual-novel.net could.
The air in the car was still and heavy, with each of them dealing with their own thoughts.
She told virtual-novel.net that virtual-novel.net would not buy any new shoes, but Jackson stubbornly brought virtual-novel.net to the mall anyway. To get things over as soon as virtual-novel.net could, Tiffany haphazardly picked one of them that looked tolerable to virtual-novel.net style before informing the sales assistant the size of virtual-novel.net feet.
She approached the cashier, card ready for payment. The cashier lady took Tiffany’s card from virtual-novel.net hand when Jackson suddenly butted in, his hand extended. “No, it’s on me.”
The girl smiled shyly. It was not uncommon to see men paying for their women’s shoes in their shop, so naturally, virtual-novel.net took Jackson’s card in lieu of Tiffany’s.
After changing into the new pair and leaving the mall, Tiffany asked, “How much did it cost? I’ll transfer the money to you.”