Page 19 of Dark Awakening: New World

JASMINE

Jasmine didn't need to be a mind reader to recognize the embarrassment in Ell-rom's expression, and her heart went out to him. She should have thought about buying him shoes, and she would do that at the first opportunity.

Once he fell asleep again, which would no doubt happen after his therapy session, she would go online and order him shoes.

They could be delivered as early as tomorrow.

First, though, she needed to get the address, and second, she needed to measure his foot to know what size to order.

Using the credit card Kian had given her to buy things for Ell-rom didn't feel right. Even though she knew Kian would be okay with it, she still couldn't use her own cards because he had told her not to.

In a way, she was only slightly better off than Ell-rom.

Everything she owned had been collected from her apartment and put in storage, and her car was supposedly in the clan's private parking level. She hadn't gone to check, but she had no reason to doubt that it had been done. Jasmine had some money in her savings account, but it wasn't enough to keep making payments on her car and also put a deposit on a new place. Rents had gone up so much that if she had to fend for herself, she wouldn't be able to afford to live on her own, not even in a tiny studio apartment like the one she'd been renting for the past five years. She would have to share a place with a couple of roommates, and who wanted to do that at her age?

Kian had promised her an allowance until she started working for Perfect Match, but Jasmine didn't know if he'd made good on his promise, and if he had, how she could access the money. Maybe he would deduct what she bought with his card from that?

"It's probably better if you walk barefoot for now," Bridget said. "Just make sure you wash your feet before getting back into bed." She patted him on the back.

"Yes, definitely." He was still looking down. "I wouldn't want to dirty the bed."

"You have very nice feet," Jasmine said, hoping to defuse the tense moment. "People don't appreciate the beauty of feet enough."

Bridget's lips twitched. "I have to admit that I have a weakness for shoes. Stilettos, in particular." She waggled her brows. "And before you say anything about the lack of practicality of such footwear for a physician, let me remind you that as an immortal, I don't get calluses."

Ell-rom's expression changed from embarrassed to confused. "The translator did not know the Kra-ell word for the kind of shoes you mentioned."

Jasmine opened the door. "Let's start walking, and I will give you a crash course on the different styles of shoes that are popular on Earth and why."

As they headed out of the room, Ell-rom's grip on the walker was tight, his knuckles white with the effort, but he pressed on, one shaky step at a time.

Jasmine kept a watchful eye on Ell-rom. "Ready to hear about the different kinds of shoes?"

"How many are there?"

She laughed. "A lot, but I will only mention a few. The ones Bridget likes have a very tall and thin heel. They make a short female look taller, and since they elongate the legs, they make them look shapelier. They are considered sexy."

Ell-rom frowned. "They sound very uncomfortable and impractical. I can't reconcile a no-nonsense female like Bridget with that sort of footwear."

Jasmine laughed. "Didn't you hear her explanation? She doesn't get calluses."

"But she can feel pain. Why put herself through this?"

"Not everything we wear is practical and comfortable. People are willing to suffer in constrictive clothing to look desirable."

He shook his head. "I don't understand this."

"You will, once you learn a little more about human culture." She shook her head. "Looking at it through an outsider's eyes, the picture is not flattering. But enough about that. Let's get back to shoes. Males are lucky to be spared the fashion torture females endure, and I can get you very comfortable shoes with rubber soles that are not slippery. After I measure your feet, I can order them for you." She stopped and looked at him. "In fact, we can do it together. We can shop online."

"What's that?"

"I'll show you when we get back to your room." She cast him a warm smile. "I'm so excited about introducing you to my world. You are like a blank page that needs to be filled."

He grimaced. "I don't even know what that means."

"Right." She needed to remember to stop using idioms.

They didn't translate well.