Page 30 of Smoke and Glitter

I catch his eyes in the mirror. "You really don't."

Sam looks down at the tie hanging crooked from his collar, gives it one more useless adjustment, then finally comes over.

I take the ends from him and start again.

"Hold still."

"I am."

"You're watching me."

"That's not moving."

I look up and find him trying not to smile.

"Do you want to go to this fundraiser looking like somebody's recently divorced uncle?"

"Fuck no."

"Then cooperate."

He lifts his chin while I work the knot into place. It puts his throat directly in front of me, which feels unnecessarily distracting for something I've done a hundred times.

I tighten the knot, smooth his collar and step back enough to check my work.

"There. Now you look like you knew what you were doing."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

I turn and gather my hair over one shoulder. "Zip me."

His fingers find the zipper at the bottom of my dress.

What should take two seconds takes considerably longer.

Sam pulls it up slowly, his knuckles brushing the center of my back as he goes. By the time he reaches my ribs, one of my hands is braced against the sink.

"Sam."

"Mm?"

"We are going to a preschool art fundraiser."

"You've mentioned it."

"I just wanted to make sure you remembered."

"I remember."

The zipper reaches the top, but he doesn't step away. His mouth touches the back of my shoulder, then again a little higher.

I meet his eyes in the mirror.

"You're going to make us late."

"We have time."