"Hello, sir, I am Hale. Would you like to drink something? Tea, coffee, juice, water?"
The careful voice made Alex raise his eyes from the magazine he had picked up. He gave the attendant standing respectfully at the side a once over, before he flashed a calm smile:
"No need, thank you."
Hale's dimples deepened along with her smile when it seemed that Alex would not be very difficult. The cuteness of the action brought an increase in her charm as her eyes twinkled.
Nevertheless, she did not overstep her boundaries. She pointed to the side, at the clothes rack she had pulled over:
"Then please look here, sir. These are our latest business suits for women. Their designs pursue a high end look of elegance and confidence. With these, the temperament of your companion will be enhanced, and she will pull the attention where she will go. Which ones would you like her to try, sir?"
Alex followed the manicured hands, and looked at the array displayed before him. Hale considerately held each piece his eyes fell on for more details. He observed the clothes, then pointed at one:
"Have her change into that one. Pack up the rest to be delivered at my place later."
Hale's smile could not have looked more sincere. She might as well have been looking at her favorite uncle who had been doting on her since childhood. Just the thought of the commission was enough to send a tingle of the magnitude of an earthquake through her body.
Her body warmed up, and her face turned red. Her eyes flickered with a thought that was very unprofessional, and she almost acted on it, but she stopped when the words reached the tip of her tongue. If only Alex was alone, and if only he was not spending for someone else.
Hale suppressed a disappointed sigh. If only Alex looked less wealthy, and was less handsome, she would have felt less disappointed at the opportunity that seemed so close but was out of reach unless she wanted to gamble her fate on it.
Too bad. But since she could not grasp that great opportunity, she would seize the smaller one. She put back the choice Alex had made with the rest, bent down slightly, and asked with her voice lowered:
"Sir, since you are going for a new look for your companion, why not go all the way? We have other clothes available for different occasions, including more intimate garments that are designed for comfort, among other things."
Alex gave the woman a subtle look, then swept his eyes over the treat she was offering him. She really knew how to do her job. He recalled the only luggage Sharon had brought with her when she moved into his apartment, as well as her words earlier about how she sold anything that could be, and nodded with a calm smile:
"Bring them to her and have her choose ten sets of each type of clothing, including undergarments."
Hale's eyes lit up, and she pulled the scenery under her collar away as she stood up:
"Understood, sir. I will bring the clothes inside now. Please, don't hesitate to call me or one of my colleagues in case you change your mind and would like to drink something."
With another bow, Hale left with the rack of clothes, her joy contrasting with the envy in the gazes of her colleagues which went from her to Alex.
The latter smiled at the attention, then lowered his head back to the female fashion magazine he had picked up to pass the time by scrutinizing the techniques of the photographer and criticizing the postures of the models.
_ _ _
_ _ _
Sharon just came back from having her hair washed, with a towel on her shoulders, and was shown to a seat when one of the uniformed shop attendant arrived beside her:
"Miss, the sir you came with has made his choice. Moreover, he asked that you choose ten sets of each type of clothing, including undergarments, so please, look here."
The new arrival did not distract the others who started taking care of Sharon's hands and feet at the same time as her hair was being blown dry to style it.
She should have felt surprised, but that wealthy style finally seemed in line with the ideas she used to have about Alex being spending more time with him due to the circumstances. She looked at the ensemble he had chosen for her, before she looked at the racks that had been pushed to her side.
She didn't even think about refusing. Not that she did not want to, but she would rather drink a toast than drink a forfeit. And indeed, she was in need of clothes, especially with the new work she was about to start. She would just pay back later. She exhaled, and looked through the clothes to find the least expensive ones.
"Miss, here are the undergarments for you to choose from."
"Cough– Cough– Cough–"
More clothes were brought over at that moment, and the shock they brought went beyond the threshold of the composure she had maintained till then, shattering it like a mer piece of fragile glass. She would have choked at that moment if she had been drinking the coffee that had been served to her. Her face turned red as she looked at the bras and the panties of different styles, from the most modest to the more provocative ones.
She took the glass of water beside the coffee instead to divert her attention and soothe her throat. She could not help but feel like the employees attending to her had small smiles at the corners of their lips, finding amusement in her predicament.
She would not have been shy had she come on her own to buy those pieces of clothing. It was not embarrassing to buy clothes, even intimate ones, but now she was feeling mortified because…
"He asked me to pick among those too!?"
Hale nodded with a genial smile:
"Yes, Miss. And he didn't say anything about the price."
The slight envy Sharon caught in the saleswoman's tone did not bring her any satisfaction. It only deepened her embarrassment.
How would her underwear influence the image she was said to be representing now? Wasn't that going too far, for a boss to buy underwear for his subordinate?