For the second time in two days, Delia stared at her reflection. Jake had texted that he would be a few minutes late because his visitor had stayed longer than expected. She grimaced at the dowdy girl glaring back at her. She had thought she should be even more invisible since she was to accompany Jake. And nothing screams invisible more than a plain dress.

Apart from the tunic dress she had worn before, the only plain formal dress she owned was a long black princess dress with an open back. The only spark of color in her whole ensemble was Stella's silver hair clip. She had applied minimal makeup, and her hair was loose.

She couldn't do much with her hair, honestly, except keep it loose. Messy ponytails were not the trend for formal attire. At least she didn't think they were.

Delia shrugged and left the bedroom before her reflection convinced her to stay home. She should stay home. It was safer.

She checked her purse and then her phone. Since Stella had left, there had been no word from her. Her sister had seen her messages but had not responded. The one time she had tried to call, she had been abruptly cut off. She tucked the phone back in the purse securely, and then, with one final glance around the apartment, she left.

Delia knocked softly on Jake's door. She might as well wait in his apartment rather than stay around hers and overthink everything. The door swung open, and she stepped back at the sight of Jake's half-dressed form.

"Delia! Thank heavens you are here."

She blinked at his frazzled expression, suppressing a giggle at the skewed glasses on the bridge of his nose. "I dropped one of my contacts, and then, in the process of trying to find it, I dropped the other one."

"Where? In the bathroom?" Delia frowned as he motioned for her to come inside.

"Yes, I would greatly appreciate your help."

Delia cautiously stepped around him, careful not to touch his bare chest. Why wasn't he dressed? She quickly found the bathroom and groaned inwardly. It had to be a fluffy rug.

"On the rug?" she asked, kneeling, already knowing the answer.

"Unfortunately."

"Look, why don't you finish dressing, and I will search, okay?"

"Are you sure? I mean, I guess I could just go with my glasses-"

"Jake, please." She hadn't meant to plead, but the sooner he removed his chiseled chest from her line of sight, the better.

She sighed in relief when he nodded and left the bathroom. After a minute of careful searching, she found both contacts in the rug.

"Found them!" Delia called out, then stood and grabbed the little container of cleaning fluid to drop them in.

"You are a lifesaver, Delia," Jake exclaimed, returning with a half-buttoned shirt.

"Oh for fuck's sake," she muttered, starting to button his shirt. The soft vibration of his chuckle did not go unnoticed. "At this rate, we might as well just stay home."

"I would, but I don't think the gallery would think too highly of it if their star artist doesn't pitch."

Delia rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She looked up and frowned at his expression.
"What?"

"Nothing," he smiled. "Thank you for the help."

"Yeah, well, just finish up so we can go already."

Delia all but sprinted out of the bathroom and the apartment, opting to wait in the hallway. Her heart was beating way too fast, and the air inside the building was not enough for her constricted lungs.

Jake emerged a few minutes later, devastatingly handsome in a blue suit, holding a beautiful blue floral silk wrap.

"What is this?" she asked as he wrapped it around her shoulders.

"A gift, as a thank-you," he smiled, smoothing the silky fabric over her shoulders.

"Jake, I can't. This must have cost a fortune."

"Yes, you can. You have selfishly offered to accompany me to two events and to go studio shopping. It was the least I could do. Besides, now we match."

"I—"

"Just say thank you, Delia. Come on, let's go."

Jake gently ushered her toward the elevator, his hand resting on her back just beneath the opening of her dress.

"Thank you," she mumbled. The wrap was exquisite, something she would never buy for herself. It also posed a dilemma. She was about to stick out like a sore thumb next to him, something she desperately wanted to avoid.

*

Delia was relieved and disappointed at once that their designated car was not a limousine but a black sedan. The smaller car's proximity made her acutely aware of him beside her. She inhaled his intoxicating cologne as her eyes darted to his hands resting on his thighs.

He had beautiful hands. Hands that could create immersive, spectacular visual experiences. She bit her lip as she wondered what those hands would feel like on her naked skin. Would they ignite a fire with a single touch, or would they engulf all her senses in ecstasy?

"Delia?"

Her head snapped up.

"We have arrived."

"Oh."

Delia stayed in the car for a few moments to regain her composure, fanning her inflamed cheeks. She inhaled deeply, then accepted Jake's waiting hand. Instantly, she was blinded by flashing lights, and a crowd surrounded them.

Jake's hand tightened around hers as she fell behind him. She blinked, trying to focus. Jake was talking, and everyone was talking, but she couldn't hear anything. She kept her head bowed, keeping pace with Jake as they made their way inside the gallery.

Her heart pounded. This event was far more exuberant and crowded than the last one she had attended. Stella would have been better suited for this.

"Are you okay?" Jake asked, releasing her hand. Delia looked up and found they were behind a large pillar, in the shadows near the back wall of the room.

She nodded.

"I'm sorry. I had no idea it was going to be like this. Fuck, I could strangle Sarah."

Delia smiled. This was the first time she had heard Jake swear.

"Who is Sarah?"

"Mrs. Cartridge."

"Oh."

"Look, I swear I didn't know, Delia. I usually don't mind stuff like this. It comes with the job, you know. But this is even too much for me."

"It's okay, I mean. This is for you, right? And your art? I can endure it for a few hours," Delia tried to reassure. "I know I'm not Stella, and this is way beyond my comfort zone, but I will be okay."

"Are you sure? I could get the driver to take you back home."

"You want me to go?"

Jake's jaw clenched. "No. I want you to stay."

"Then I will stay."

Something flashed in his eyes that Delia couldn't quite decipher. He reached for her hand again.

"Ready?"

Delia nodded.

*