Elise held the front of the dress against her.

She had tried several times to tie the long laces running down her back, but to no avail. She just couldn't tie it right.

Growing frustrated by this, she knew she would have to ask him for help.

Although she knew she shouldn't be embarrassed, she felt so exposed. She couldn't help it.

'It's just Gabriel' she breathed in and out. 'It's no big deal. It's really nothing to be embarrassed about. It's not like you're only wearing lingerie, or doing anything you shouldn't be.' She reminded herself. This made her blush.

She tried to clear her mind, and took another deep breath. Before she could dawdle anymore and make up excuses to herself, she unlocked the door and called out to him.

"G-Gabriel…? Would you mind coming in here?"

Footsteps approached the door.

"Is there something wrong?" He answered calmly.

"I think I need some help lacing this up..."

A moment of silence passed.

"Is the door unlocked?"

"Yes." She said trying to keep the nervousness from creeping into her voice.

He opened the door slowly and looked in. His expression was as stoic as it always was.

Elise bit her lip and avoided his gaze. "I can't tie it. I've tried so many times already, but I just can't get it right." She sighed all the while trying hard to remain composed.

He walked behind her chuckling softly, his fingers finding the strings, and ever so carefully lacing up the back.

"I'd imagine this would be difficult to do this without assistance... " He finished lacing the dress up and tied it.

He now walked in front of her and opened the door. "There's no embarrassment in asking me for help… Well, that is if you need it." He looked away from her and cast his gaze at the floor.

"I understand that." She said as she shyly glanced at him.

He nodded his head and quickly turned away from her, walking back to his design room.

She picked the skirt of her dress up carefully, and trailed after him.

She now stood in the familiar spot that she had always stood when Gabriel went about with his alterations. His focus was on the skirting of the dress, adjusting the length and making sure it looked right with the bodice.

Although the days when they were partners in college were now over, she still helped him with modeling and making clothes for his fashion line.

She smiled to herself as she thought about their past together, and where they were at now in their relationship.

It was quiet a difference from going from never talking much, to becoming friends, and then dating as they were now.

He glanced up at her. "What are you smiling about?"

She blushed. "Nothing really…"

"You know you can tell me if you'd like." He raised his brow looking slightly perplexed.

"I was just thinking… About us."

"Oh. What about us…?"

She laughed softly to herself. "Just about how we were in the past… We were so distant from each other. I never dreamed that we would be the way we are now."

He stood up now, putting the needle and thread aside and took her hands in his.

Elise stared at their intertwined hands and looked up at him. Her heart skipped a beat, and her eyes fixated on the stormy blue color of his.

Without thinking, she stood up on her tiptoes, meeting her lips with his.

He didn't hesitate. In fact, he kissed her back more passionately than she ever thought he would.

Elise was a bit taken back from this. They of course had kissed before, but never as passionately as they were now.

He stopped kissing her and blushed. "I'm sorry…"

She shook her head. "Don't be! I was just a little caught off guard by that. Although, I don't have a problem with it." She laughed nervously. "In fact, I really enjoyed it…"

Gabriel gave her a look of shock. "You did?"

"Yes, and I wouldn't mind if you did it again." She said with a slight smirk.

He rolled his eyes, and leaned down close to her, taking her in his arms; initiating the kiss.

She wrapped her fingers in his hair. This kiss was more passionate than before, so much so, that when Gabriel slowly pulled away from their embrace, they were both gasping for air.

Suddenly, he took her hand in his, and they ran to his room. She giggled as they made their way to the door.

Once it was open, she walked over to the bed and laid back against it. He closed it and locked the door behind him.

Elise was feeling giddy. This was it.

Her heart was racing through her chest in anticipation.

He was crossing the room towards her, until the sound of a pager went off. He paused, and took it out of his pocket.

Elise slowly sat up, feeling slightly dejected.

The sound of a thump alerted her; the pager was now on the floor and turned off.

He now sat next to her on the bed.

"W-was that important?" She said pointing to the pager.

"Not in the least bit. You're the only thing that matters right now." He pulled her into his arms and held her close once more. They remained like this for a while.

Elise finally glanced up at him, meeting his gaze. He smiled at her, and leaned in to kiss her. Soon after, somewhere between this, he had started to unlace the dress that she had so much trouble with, and she had begun to unbutton his shirt.

…

When morning came, she awoke in his arms, the sheets sprawled around them.

He was looking at her dreamily. She never knew that she could ever feel this way about someone, as she felt about him.

And for the first time, Elise truly felt as if all was right in the world- lying here with the man she never thought she'd have the chance to love.