When six o’ clock finally arrives, I shower and carefully slip into the elegant red dress. The fabric feels soft and luxurious against my skin, and I can only imagine what it will feel like once Gabriel gets his hands on it.
I apply some makeup, opting for an old Hollywood glamour look with liquid eyeliner and the perfect shade of crimson lipstick to match my dress. I take the time to straighten my hair so that it falls in a sleek cascade down my back. And when I’m done, I slip into a pair of strappy silver stilettos to match the silver rhinestone detailing around the waist.
As I look at myself in the mirror, I have one of those rare moments where I actually like what I see. The dress is exquisite, with a deep open back and a high slit up the thigh, showing off just the right amount of flesh. It hugs my figure and makes my curves look soft and feminine. But I know as soon as I step onto the street this feeling won’t last. That little voice will be inside my head, questioning all of the things I dislike about myself.
Before I let that feeling take over, I gather strength in the form of several deep breaths and steel my nerves. I will not let those feelings win tonight. With one last twirl in the mirror, I leave my apartment behind, heading straight for the man that I love.
Downstairs, Paul is waiting for me at the curb, and he raises his eyebrows in surprise as he greets me. During the car ride to Gabriel’s apartment, the nerves grow a little bit stronger. I like the color red because it feels bold and powerful, but tonight I need it to serve a different purpose. The purpose of making me feel like the woman Gabriel sees when he looks at me. Easier said than done.
When I arrive at his door, I smooth out the fabric one last time before I knock. A moment later the door whirs open, and my chest squeezes at the sight before me. Gabriel is draped against the frame, wearing a crisp black tux and shiny black dress shoes. His eyes sweep over me in lazy appraisal as he ambles towards me in a predatory fashion. He pulls me inside for a slow, seductive kiss, effectively disposing me of all of my wits.
“You look exquisite.” He breathes against my ear.
I murmur incoherently as his cologne lingers between us, rich and warm and enticing in every way. He reaches for my hand and leads me down into the living area, and I follow like the puppet I am. I notice that the place has been cleaned up, all the broken furniture and glass replaced, and to my surprise the place feels much homier than before. The new furniture is gray but much softer with touches of blue sprinkled throughout.
Gabriel stops at an open space in front of the floor to ceiling glass windows, the city lights twinkling below us for the perfect backdrop. He retrieves a small remote from his pocket, hitting a couple of buttons to effectively dim the lights and bring the stereo to life around us. I look up at him questioningly, but he just gives me a sly smile as he wraps his hand around my waist like a proper gentleman. The soft beats of a familiar tune come over the speakers before I recognize the song. It’s Save the Last Dance for Me by Michael Buble.
“I’m not a good dancer,” I squeak as he begins to move.
“Just follow my lead,” he reassures me with a wink. “Like you always do.”
I close my eyes for a moment, allowing all of my tension to flee as I relax into the guidance of his arms. Our bodies move in easy synergy across the floor, the beat of my pulse quickening when I drink Gabriel in. He dances like he fucks, completely and utterly ruthless in his perfection.
“When I was at the charity event without you,” he says, “enduring Anya’s endless attempts at conversation, all I could think about was you in this dress. Dancing with me, watching your beautiful curves moving against my body. You were all I thought about that night. You’re the only woman I ever think about like that anymore. I wanted to have this moment with you and nobody else.”
Tears spring to my eyes as I nod in agreement. “I love you,” I whisper, squeezing him in my arms. “So much.”
He stoops down to ghost his lips across mine. “I love you too, Victoria. And it scares the hell out of me how much.”
I smile in complete understanding as the music comes to an end, plunging the room into silence once more. Gabriel takes my hand in his and grabs my bag from the entrance, pulling out my camera. He leads me down the hallway to his room, where he proceeds to spin me around in circles until I’m dizzy with laughter.