Sometime later, Brad tapped me on the shoulder. “Honey, I’m done with your hair. You need to be awake for the makeup part.”
“Huh? Okay.” I straightened a bit in my chair, and gasped when I saw my reflection. My hair was a towering mass of curls. Somehow, instead of being overwhelming, it was light and airy looking and utterly beautiful. There was no way he had achieved this master piece without magic. The curls were piled on top of my head, spiraling upward from where they laid on my scalp. They formed a light airy cage, that sparkled in the light. How in the hell did he get it to sparkle like that? I leaned toward the mirror, leaving a trail of glowing light behind. “What the hell, Brad! First, that’s awesome! Second, how did you do that?”
He smiled. “Gnome magic. Now, let me do your face.” He spun me away from the mirror to start lightly applying something. I felt awkward for a few minutes, as he leaned in close. Finally, I just closed my eyes. That didn’t last long, because he sighed and said, “Honey, I need you to open your eyes. It’s going to flub the makeup if you don’t. I know it’s weird, but you just have to get through it.”
Damn it. I opened my eyes again, and sat still, staring straight ahead while he did whatever it was he was doing. Eventually, he said, “Okay, now you can close your eyes. I’ve got these little pad things here that are going to go under your eyes to catch the fallout, so everything else isn’t ruined, and I’m going to do your eyeshadow. You are going to look fabulous!”
I closed my eyes while he wiped and prodded. Then, he had to apply the eyeliner, which was weird. He had me look up while he lifted my top lash gently so he could pencil the liner in on something he called the waterline. He did it to both eyes, then told me to close my eyes again. I was curious what was taking him so long. On the rare occasions I did my makeup, it never took me more than ten minutes or so. There seemed to be too many layers, and too many products.
It felt like it had been an eternity when he finally moved away and said, “Okay, open your eyes.” He waited for me to follow his directions before he spun my chair back towards the mirror. My jaw dropped open. I don’t know who that person in the mirror was, but it wasn’t me. Her eyes were bigger and greener. The cheekbones higher and more defined, and her lips were kissably plump. Mine were never thin, but they weren’t plump like that either.
I cleared my throat. “What kind of magic did you use? This has to be more than makeup.”
“Nope, Honey. That’s all you, augmented by mundane makeup, expertly applied, if I may say so myself.” His eyes ran over my face quickly, checking for any imperfections. “Are you ready to try on the dress?”
I swallowed hard. Was I? “I guess.” There was a distinct tremble in my voice.
“Oh, Honey, you’re gonna love it! Close your eyes.” I did as he asked, then I heard a rustling in the room. A minute or so later, he said, “Open your eyes!” I did, and he exclaimed “Ta Da!” while waving something very sparkly.
He finally held it still. It didn’t look like much, but I could tell there was a shiny fabric, like silk, as well as what appeared to be sewn-in matching gemstones. The dress was a deep purple, with what was sure to be a low-cut bodice. “I don’t know if I can wear something that low cut.”
“You will look great! I’ll step out of the room, and if you want, I can get one of the guys to help you with the zipper.”
“Yes, please. Whichever one is free will be fine.”
“Alright. Mind the hair and makeup! Pull the dress up instead of going over your head.”
“Oh. Okay.” He left the room while I eyed the dress. I wasn’t sure how to get my sweatshirt off without messing up my hair either. After a little experimentation, I figured out that I could pull the shirt down instead of over my head as well. I was just adjusting the top of the dress when there was a quiet knock on the door. “Come in.”
David came in, carefully closing the door behind himself. “Brad said you needed help with the dress.” He trailed off as I turned toward him, holding the top of the dress up.
“Yes, I need someone to zip me up.” I couldn’t help but stare at his cut chest. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, only a pair of loose sweatpants.
When I finally pulled my eyes up to his face, his mouth was open. He cleared his throat. “Sugar… you look amazing. I really want to kiss you, but I’m afraid to mess up your makeup or hair.”
I could feel my face going up in flames. I looked at the ground by his feet. He put a finger under my chin, tilting my head up so my worried gaze met his. “Sugar, I will love you, dressed up or in sweats, makeup or no makeup. You look amazing, but you do every other day, too.” He lightly kissed me on the lips. “Now, turn around, so we can get this dress zipped up.”
I turned around, and his knuckles brushed my back lightly as he pulled the zipper up slowly. The dress only came to mid back. There must have been an enchantment on the dress, though, because it was completely supportive even without a bra. I started to bounce on my toes to test it, then I remembered that David was there. I settled back on my heels.
His palms skimmed over my exposed shoulders, and his
