Maid For You 4

Chapter 10

Bonus chapter: hey guys! There is a bonus chapter that focuses solely on Nikolas and talks about his point of view that corresponds with this chapter and the last, and is available on my Patreon for anyone who is interested. It is titled "Chapter 9.5". I just thought I would let you all know in case anyone was interested. :)

https://www.patreon.com/klafroth

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Apparently, Khristin already knew my general shoe size, since Nikolas had sent me shoes before, but she measured my feet in order to get her shoes exact. It was somewhat strange to have my feet measured, but Khristin chatted with me all while her employee took notes on my feet. Once that ordeal was done and my shoes were returned to me, she began showing me the collection of shoes before us, and there were certainly plenty of gorgeous heels, flats, boots, and more that all looked great, and I picked out several pairs with her.

"I'm glad you like the shoes," Khristin told me. "Of course, you're welcome to anything else in the store that you'd like."

Anything? I thought. It was quite daunting, in all honesty, but also exciting.

"Miss Carmichael," Melanyia piped in. "We do have another appointment that we need to get going to."

"Oh, do we?" I asked, disappointed. I mean, I was thrilled about the shoes, but free clothes were free clothes! Then, we all heard a clatter from downstairs and exclamations of Russian from the employees down there; I saw Khristin's eyes widen as she muttered something in Russian.

Oh right, I thought. I'd forgotten that Russian was her first language, somehow, what with her near-perfect American sounding English. Without a word, she quickly dashed down the staircase.

I looked at Melaniya for an explanation, and with raised eyebrows she merely said, "We should go down the stairs." The employee prepping all my shoe boxes looked very excited, and she, Melaniya, and I all started to head down the glass staircase. As I began to descend, I saw a man with pale blonde hair, sunglasses, a black coat, dark jeans, and white short boots trailed by three men in suits and Ivan.

Nikolas?! I thought, stopping on the stairs. Khristin was speaking to him in Russian, and bowed deeply towards him.

"Nikolas?" I said loudly, my voice carrying through the nearly empty store. He looked over at me on the staircase—me with my mini entourage of Melaniya and the employee girl—and took off his sunglasses. He smiled.

"Hi Cassie," he called back. He nodded at Khristin and made his way towards the spiral staircase as I made my way down.

"Nikolas, I didn't expect you to come!" I said with a big smile.

"Well, my meeting...it...concluded early, and I decided to come join you," he explained.

"I'm glad you did!" I answered. I fingered his black, wool coat. It had a high collar and it looked quite nice on him. "I like your outfit," I said. "Though it's kind of different from what you normally wear, isn't it?" My eyes landed on his jeans and white boots.

"Indeed, it is," he said, smiling sheepishly. "But I do not often go out on excursions that are not official government activities." He picked up a foot. "Miss Koslov designed these shoes, though this is my first time wearing them."

"Well they look really cool," I said, nudging his boot with my own. I looked away from his shoes and up at Khristin, who stood fidgeting with the ring on her finger. Nikolas turned around too.

"Thank you, Miss Koslov, for allowing Miss Carmichael to come today and select shoes. Your shoes are the best in the country," he told her.

Khristin blushed. "Oh, but—but of course, your, your highness," she bowed again. "It is my pleasure to serve. And—and please, accept the shoes as a gift. It is an honor to have a, a friend of yours wearing them."

"Nonsense, Miss Koslov," Nikolas said, placing his hands in his coat pockets. "You will, of course, be compensated. I am not one to withhold payment when it is due."

"Thank you, Sir," she said, bobbing her head once more. All the employees, the few of them that were there, seemed to be in complete and reverent awe of Nikolas.

He looked down at me, a small smile on his lips, and he snapped his hands behind his back. "Shall we head out, Cassie?"

"Sure," I nodded. I walked up to Khristin and said, "thank you so much, Khristin. It was really great to try on all the new shoes and to get to know you better. You're super awesome!"

She smiled meekly. "Thank you, Cassie. It was nice to get to know you as well."

"I'm excited to see my shoes for the Winter Ball!"

"They will be wonderful, I assure you."

"I don't doubt it," I said.

Nikolas came up to me and walked with me out of the boutique. Ivan walked by Melaniya, and two Nikolas's security guards walked beside us—one on each side—while the third trailed behind us. When we stepped out into the cold February air, Nik gave some instructions to everyone in Russian before one of the security guards opened the door to the black SUV in front of us.

"Go ahead," Nikolas told me, allowing me to enter the vehicle first before coming in to sit in the seat beside me. We each had our own plush seat separated from each other by a foot or so.

"Wait, you're sure you don't want me to drive?" I asked with a goofy grin.

He rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Never again, Cassie." I chuckled, and the security guy shut the door and climbed into the passenger's seat next to another security man who started to drive. Nikolas explained, "I told Melaniya and Ivan that they can ride in the other vehicle, the one that you came here in, since it seems rather silly for you and I to travel separately, as you are my guest."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me," I grinned, shifting my torso to better face him. "I'm really glad you came! It'll be more fun with you here."

"I am glad that I could come as well." He too turned to better face me. "I merely want to ensure that you are treated justly by the differing fashion icons here in Kuvnisk. Sometimes, these individuals can be somewhat egotistical."

"Hmm," I said. "And here I thought you wanted to hang out with me."

He turned his head back towards the front, and a ghost of a smile played with his lips. "Perhaps that too."

"I knew it," I teased. "And I'm glad I haven't gotten on your nerves too much."

"Of course not." He said.

"You know, this whole experience, you getting me clothes and whatnot, it reminds me of 'Pretty Woman'!"

He rose an impeccable eyebrow. "Pretty Woman?"

"Yeah, it's where this rich guy and this hooker get together for a week, because he needs a date for this business thing. And while they're together, he takes her to buy all these nice clothes, and stuff."

Nikolas sighed, and rubbed his forehead."Cassie, please don't compare yourself to a hooker."