Chapter 48

Ruby’s POV

We arrived at the mall, and as soon as he opened the door on my side and the valet took our car away, I quickly pulled him inside. I despised shopping; I dreaded it and wanted to get it over with.

I noticed that people turned to look at us as we walked by, and several women openly admired him. They purred, waved, and winked at him. How shameless! Suddenly, Hayes wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him.

‘He wants to assure us that the rest don’t matter, just us,’ Ria interpreted, feeling his sudden closeness. I smiled and leaned into his warmth.

After moving from store to store, my energy was waning. Hayes seemed to be on a mission, eagerly selecting nearly every item that caught his eye. Each time he found something he liked, he was quick to insist that I try it on, turning our shopping spree into a sort of fashion show. I felt like his personal runway model, strutting in and out of fitting rooms, showcasing each outfit fo