After breakfast, AJ had insisted they go shopping again. He wanted to buy Stormy something but he wouldn’t tell her what it was. In fact, when they reached the mall, he pushed her towards one of the clothing stores after giving her his credit card and instructions to stay there until he came to get her.

"You’re being extremely mysterious."

"Uh huh! Now scram!" he said giving her a kiss.

"Why can’t I at least be with you in the store? I promise not to look," pleaded Stormy as she placed her hand on his chest.

"NO!" insisted AJ standing his ground.

"Fine! I’m going to look for a bathing suit," she said snobbishly turning her nose in the air.

As she started to prance away from him, AJ grabbed her and pulled her back to him saying, "Make sure it’s a skimpy one."

"You are so bad," laughed Stormy as he wagged his eyebrows at her suggestively.

AJ gave her another kiss and watched as she disappeared into the crowd with Marcus in tow. He had gotten his bodyguard to meet them there to keep an eye on her. There was no way he was going to take any chances that this rival family who was after her brother might grab her. When he was sure she was in the store and had had time to start shopping, he made his way in the opposite direction to get the gift. They had seen it the last time they’d been there and she’d really liked it. After this morning and her pronouncement of her feelings, he wanted to buy it for her.

Twenty minutes later, his purchase safely tucked in his pocket, AJ was headed back to find Stormy. He had an idea of how he wanted to give the gift to her and he prayed she’d be as excited as he was. The feelings he was experiencing with Stormy were such a welcome relief after all the turmoil that his life had been in with the end of the tour and the broken engagement. Anyone watching him would have said he was giddy like a schoolboy.

Spotting her going through a rack of bathing suits, he joined her, putting his arms around her waist. "Hey, baby! Miss me?"

Stormy practically jumped out of her skin dropping what she had in her hands. "Damnit! You scared me!"

"I’m sorry!" said AJ apologetically as he turned her to him. "I shouldn’t have done that!"

"It’s okay. I just need to get use to being safe again. You weren’t gone long. I thought you went to buy something."

"I did!"

"So where is it?" questioned Stormy as she ran her hands over his arms.

"It’s somewhere," teased AJ with an air of mystery. Stormy gave him a pout and he laughed. "You’ll get it soon enough. What did you find?"

"A couple suits," she said as Marcus handed her what she had dropped. Holding them up for AJ’s inspection, "Which one do you like?"

AJ looked at both of them critically. "I’d have to see them on you to decide."

"Now?" she questioned.

"Well, we could buy them and you could model them for me at home…if you want."

"How much more shopping are we gonna do?"

"How much more do you want to do?"

"Honestly, I’d rather go home. I’m kinda tired."

"Then, let’s go pay for these two bathing suits and head home, beautiful," smiled AJ.

Stormy took the bathing suits to the counter with AJ behind her and paid for them. Then he took her hand, laced his fingers with hers, and they headed together back to AJ’s car.