Xypher couldn't breathe at the gentleness of her fleeting touch that set file to his entire being. It wasn't designed to hurt or to control. It was nothing more than a friendly touch any human might give to another.
He'd never been touched like that.
Awed by her kindness, he followed her into a store. Not that he was following per se. He never followed anyone. She only led because he didn't know where they were going.
As they entered the store, he paused at the sight of a mannequin with a corset, short skirt, and striped leggings.
"Is something wrong?" Simone asked.
"I know a demon who dresses like this."
Her face lost color. "A demon?" she whispered.
Xypher nodded. "She travels with Acheron as his companion. Simi."
"Simi Parthenopaeus?"
Xypher was shocked by the exuberance of the clerk's voice. Short with jet-black hair, she stood on the opposite side of a glass counter filled with jewelry and goblets.
Simone frowned at the woman. "You know Simi?"
The dark-haired woman's smile widened. "Oh, yeah, we all know Simi and her sister. They clean us out every time they're in town. We love them. Are you a friend of theirs?"
Xypher bit back a snort. Friend . . . there was a word no one had ever applied to him before. But he couldn't exactly tell the woman that off an army of demons and save the world. "Yeah, we're friends."
"Oh, honey, then welcome to Roadkill. Any friend of the Parthenopaeuses is a friend of ours. What can I do for you?"
"We need to get him some clothes," Simone said. She pointed to a leather jacket high up on the wall. "Can we see that?"
The woman stepped out from around the counter to get it down.
She handed it to Xypher who shrugged it on. It was all he could do not to moan at how good the warm leather felt on his skin after being cold for all these days. The jacket was heavy, but he welcomed the weight of it.
It felt really, really good.
Simone smiled as she came up to him and adjusted it. Her hands brushed against his neck, making him instantly hard. "Very nice. Looks good on you. You like it?"
He didn't even know how to respond. "It's okay," he said, knowing that was incorrect. It was so much more than just okay. He wanted to hug her for the gift.
Simone stepped back as a strange wave of desire went through her and she didn't know why. Okay, maybe she did. Xypher looked hot in the black motorcycle jacket that was painted with an anarchy symbol on the left shoulder and the Misfits face on the back. She wanted to stroke the leather and feel the hard body underneath. He looked so dangerous and feral.
Which he really was.
It was all she could do not to purr.
"How many shirts you want?" Jesse asked.
Simone blinked before she stepped back, grateful for Jesse's interference. "At least a dozen."
"A dozen what?" The sales clerk stared at her.
Simone blushed as she realized the woman didn't know Jesse was standing beside her. "Sorry, I was thinking out loud."
"All, I thought you were speaking in code." The woman's gaze slid down Xypher's abdomen. "'Cause I'm sure he has a deadly dozen concealed."
Simone had no idea why, but a flash of jealousy went through her. How ridiculous was that? Yet when she collected the woman, her tone was clipped by that stupid, unexpected emotion. "Eight, actually."
The clerk was impressed. "Really?"
She nodded.
"Damn, you're one lucky woman. Mine's only got a single, but I love him anyway."
Simone laughed.
Xypher didn't. "What are you two talking about?"
Simone patted Xypher on the arm. "Nothing, sweetie. Let's get you a couple of sweaters and some shirts and pants."
Jesse rolled his eyes. "They're ogling you, dude. Talking about your assets and the fact that you're nauseatingly lipped, which I would have been had I not bit the dust at seventeen." He puffed out his chest, trying to make himself look more muscular. "I'm forever trapped in my tall, gangly phase."
Xypher didn't comment on his appearance, he was more perturbed by the women. "Are they supposed to do that?" he whispered to Jesse.
"Only if you're lucky ... or if you're going to be." Jesse made strange clicking noises at him.
The clerk grimaced. "Are they supposed to do what?"
Simone cleared her throat. "Get his clothes. Yes, honey, they are." She leaned closer to him. "Ignore Jesse before they throw us in a padded room." She then gave Jesse a pointed stare.
"She's just jealous I can go into the dressing rooms and not be seen," Simone mouthed the words "you are such a perv!"
"No I'm not. Perverted would be spying on you when you're bathing or changing clothes." He shuddered, "That's like spying on your sister. Gag me and leave me dead."
"I wish," Simone muttered under her breath.
Xypher was actually amused by their exchange. It took a couple of seconds for him to realize what the emotion he felt even was.
Amused. He'd never experienced it before, but it was good. His chest was light and his stomach tickled. There was no anger or intent to harm in their tones. They were merely bantering playfully and enjoying each other.
He liked watching them.
Simone gave Jesse another warning stare before he seriously got her in trouble. Though she loved him, she hated when he did this. She didn't like to ignore him, but she didn't want anyone to think her insane, either.
Turning away from Jesse so as not to encourage him, Simone followed the woman toward the back, then paused as she saw the shoes in the middle of the store on shelves attached to the walls. Most were pretty funky, including a pair of clear stilettos with nine-inch heels. But one pair of black biker boots with skulls and crossbones for buckles caught her eve.
A slow smile curved her lips as she knew the one person who could do them justice. "Xypher?"
"Yes?"
She pointed to the boots. "Would you wear those?"
The grin that question caused was absolutely wicked. And for once, it wasn't mocking. It was a look of pure pleasure and it warmed her all the way through. Damn, that man was gorgeous.
Clearing her throat, she called the clerk back to where they stood. "We'll take a pair of those."
The clerk laughed. "I just love it whenever friends of Simi come in. You guys shop like demons."
Simone cast a sideways glance at Xypher, who passed a guilty look to her. The woman was half right.
Before long, they'd picked out clothes, underwear, and accessories for Mr. Fine But Obnoxious.
Simone had to bite back a whimper when she handed over her credit card. Even though she had a lot of money, it wasn't like her to spend it shopping, especially for a temporary guest. But she couldn't have him walking around for three weeks naked, either. Then again, he would be hot, but they'd both get arrested.
At least that was her thought until she caught an unguarded expression of joy on Xypher's face as he stroked the sleeve of his new jacket. It was obvious he'd never been given anything like it before.
Yeah, that made it worth it.
Smiling, she glanced toward the wall behind the clerk's head. A rack of scarves hung there. Her smile widened at one in particular. "Excuse me," she said to the clerk, "let me get that scarf behind the counter, too."
The clerk picked up the black one with a white skull and crossbones on it. "This one?"
"Yes, please."
As soon as it was rung up, Simone took it from the counter, pulled the tag off, and wrapped it around Xypher's neck.
"What are you doing?" The suspicion in his eyes actually burned her. "It'll keep your neck warm outside."
Xypher didn't speak as she tucked the ends of the scarf in his jacket, then zipped it closed. It was such a tender gesture of caring that it brought a foreign ache to his chest. He didn't like the sensation of it. "I'm not a child."