Heartstrings

Chapter 9: Double Windsor

Emma's Perspective

I stared at my reflection in the bureau mirror and sighed. I was in my robe with my hair and makeup done but I was picking at my fingers nervously - I was dreading the night.

I walked over to my dress and unzipped the cover, staring at it. Homecoming was often the night where girls wore the shortest dresses they could get away with - I was rebelling against that tradition with a tea-length dress.

It was pink with a tulle skirt, a transparent but structured bodice, and puffy off-the-shoulder straps. I took it off the hanger, de-robed, and stepped into the dress. I loved how it showed off my décolletage and waist, but was still elegant and modest. As I was pulling it on, someone rapped on my door.

- Just a second!

I finished putting the dress on, zipped it up half-way, and walked back over to my bureau.

- Okay, come in.

I made the mistake of not looking up, as I began tidying the mess on my bureau.

- Hey, Sam - can you zip me up? I can't reach.

Footsteps creaked on the floor towards me, and after a moment of silence I looked up into the mirror and saw Jake standing behind me staring at the bare skin of my back. My heart did a couple high-speed laps around planet earth as I stood there, completely frozen.

In a split second, all of my senses became acute - I could feel his breath down my back and the smell of his bergamot, neroli, and cedar cologne danced in the air with my own cherry blossom scent. He looked into my eyes through the mirror in front of us and despite the sunlight pouring into the room, his ultramarine irises had been swallowed up by his dark pupils.

- Um. Sam's in the shower. May I though?

Still speechless, I simply nodded at him.

He stepped even closer to me as he placed one hand on my waist and slowly zipped the rest of the dress up with the other. When he'd zipped it up all the way, he stilled before slowly bowing his head down until his lips were almost touching the nape of my neck. His breath on my bare skin caused chills to erupt across every inch of my body.

I saw him look at my shoulders and back, smiling at the evidence of his effect on me. I could hear my heart beating in my ears as his fingers caressed down the line of my spine. I bit down on my lip to prevent my breath from hitching - he noticed and smiled mischievously.

- Sorry. Just... you - wow. Um. Can you return the favor? I don't know how to tie this.

Jake stayed planted in his spot right behind me and held up the ends of the tie hanging around his neck.

I turned around to face him - he was so close to me. I didn't have the courage to look him in the eyes, but he took my chin and softly tilted it up until our eyes had no choice but to meet.

We stood there like that for a second as my soul recharged with energy and warmth and plenty of pent-up-passion.

Finally I broke the stare and we both laughed nervously. I tied his tie quickly.

- Uh there you go.

- Thanks.

At this point my cheeks probably put the pink in my dress to shame. Jake turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him and giving me one last cheeky wink.

"Holy hell," I thought as I sat down in my chair in the corner, "how am I going to get through tonight if he's already acting like that."