daddy issues → brad simpson | ✓

23 - i could

CHARLOTTE

Brad holds me close as we walk through the Bullring shopping centre, his arm over my shoulder. We both had a free afternoon today, so he offered to take me dress shopping for his dad's business evening which was in three days.

"Do you wanna try here?" He asks, looking up at a dress shop. The dresses were beautifully made and looked stunning on the mannequins. I didn't want to think about the price tags. "It's on me, remember."

"Doesn't mean I want to milk you dry of any money," I roll my eyes and he chuckles, guiding me through the glass double doors. Instantly we were greeted with the smell of peaches, and it was almost intoxicating.

"Hello there," a man in a black suit and tie smiles at us. His hair was combed back and laced with hair gel. "How can I help you?"

"I need a dress for a formal party," I smile as the man's eyes linger on Brad. "I was hoping there would be a dress here I could wear."

"Of course," the man smiles. "I'm Adam and I'll show you around our selection of dresses. Is there a particular colour?"

I look up at Brad and he bites his lip, "I've got a black suit, so anything that goes with a black suit."

"I see," Adam smiles as he guides us round the shop. "Maybe a light colour will look good with it? A light pink? If you see any dresses you like, point it out."

We end up spending ten minutes walking around. Some dresses I liked that Brad didn't and Brad liked the ones I didn't.

"This is impossible, you're so difficult to shop with," I whine and he rolls his eyes. "I could have done this by now and be at home."

"What about this one?" He ignores me and makes his way to a section of the store we hadn't gone to yet. My eyes track his every movements, until he stops in front of a dress and smiles.

It was a baby blue dress that would end mid-thighs. It was tight across the torso and would accentuate my curves. The skirt flowed out, not too much that it looked ridiculous but enough so that it wasn't tight against my legs.

"It's beautiful," I look over it and move towards him cautiously. I didn't want to even think about the price right now.

"How about you try it on?" Brad suggests but my hands reach out to the tag on the dress to see the price and I shake my head.

"I'm not trying on a dress that's going to cost you almost two hundred pounds," I refuse. "I'm only going to wear it once!"

"I've you already that I don't care how much it costs," he rolls his eyes. "Try it on? Please?"

I bite my lip anxiously. Brad was too stubborn to let me not try it on, and he knew that I liked the dress. I nod slowly before Brad calls over Adam and asks him to find one in my size.

Five minutes later, I'm in the dressing room putting on the blue dress. I hold it up against my chest and step out to see Brad on his phone. When he notices my presence, he stands up and walks over to me.

"Zip?" He questions and I nod. He stands behind me and his fingers lightly brush over my back, sending chills down my spine as he zips up my dress. When he's done so, his hands run down my arms and over my hands, interlocking our fingers from behind. "You look beautiful in that dress. I don't know if we should buy it though, because I'll probably rip it off you as soon as I see you in it."

My cheeks go red and I move away, "I'm still not sure if we should buy it. It's expensive."

"Adam?" Brad calls out and the professional comes around the corner into the changing section of the store.