There was solemness in Ian's words which had Elise wanting to ask him, to draw out the reason behind his words, but she knew he was still trying to hold the story from her. This was his bad habit, she thought but Ian had done it perfectly well by making her curious. And somewhere she doubt after pulling out one answer she would have the answer to all mystery shrouding around him.

Ian was no less than a rabbit hole, and Elise felt like Alice from the Wonderland, who fell to the hole after following the white rabbit to taste the mystery around him.

"You are not going to tell me the reason now, will you?" she asked to evoke a chuckle from him.

"You know me," he whispered, pulling her hands he reached out to his box, "Let's not waste time. I know ladies often took time in dolling themselves, although I doubt you would need much time as you are beautiful enough to blind my eyes."

Her cheeks blushed from his compliments, but she whispered, "You sound like you know many ladies."

To see a little green from Elise's eyes was a sight to behold, and Ian can't help to chuckle, "I do," and Elise turn her eyes to him, her lower lip curled to the upper one as she heard how boldly he was able to state his claim, "But no one could win from you. I do guess my eyes have been blinded by your beauty, and after seeing you no one could come before my eyes ever again."

"Thank you," Elise whisper, "For the dress, I didn't know you would be making one for me."

"Silly you, that's the first thing I would do for you, sweetheart, open it," Ian urged her, and with a nod Elise opened the box by pulling the end of the ribbon to loosened the tie. Placing away the lid of the box, her eyes fell on the red dress. The first thing she noted was the stone work on the collar of the dress which sparked. 

Elise trailed her finger to the dress to feel the softness of the fabric and she could only watch with her face amazed. The dress was beyond beautiful. In her entire life, she had never seen such a beautiful dress. Everything about the design was made meticulously to the smallest detail which was paid attention to in order to create the gorgeous piece.

"The one who made this dress came from the South. That is where the best fabric are made which why it took much more time than I thought it would, but seeing the dress now, spending the time was worth for it." He explained, his eyes not staying away from her smile that was wide with shyness and impressed. "Do you like it?" the question came from Ian who watch her delighted expression with a satisfied smile. 

Elise looked at him before she nodded her head with fervent. "I love it! This is very beautiful," Elise could tell how much work was poured to the dress and Ian had bought the dress specifically for her which mean a lot more to her.

"More than the dresses you have seen before?" Ian asked to see her nod, and the nod had him to smirk wider. "Then this is worth of all my hard work. We can't waste time. Let us have you wear your dress now."

The happy Elise slowly brought her head up and was about to put her chin down to complete her nod, when she caught something from his word, "Us?" she asked Ian whose smile was wicked.

"Yes, you and me, us," he repeated as if she couldn't hear the words he said earlier. She didn't need his explanation! thought Elise to herself. 

"I don't think I need help, I can wear the dress alone," normally another woman would help a lady who wear a dress, but she didn't have a person to help her now. There was Ian, but he wasn't a woman. And to change dress mean she would need to strip her current dress she wore. The thought went over the roof and she kept her expression schooled.

"Are you shy? I have seen more of things of you, remember? You don't have to be shy dressing or undressing yourself in front of me. That is what all couples do," and smoothly, Ian's hand started from one button on her upper collar to begin unbuttoning one. Elise held his hand, biting to her lips when their eyes met, and she heard him continue to sway her mind, "On the back of the dresses there are mostly laces, I don't think you could tie them alone unless your hands are made to work the other way. Still no?"

"I will take off the dress myself," saying this, Elise quickly stood up from the bed to take the dress and walk to where there was a divider. Changing her dress had never been so nervous as she did right now. Elise wondered if Ian was watching her changing, and the thought drive her wild with how every rustle of fabric echoed in her silent room. 

Not wanting to make the silence longer, Elise sped up the process of undressing her dress to see the corset which was inside the box. Wearing the corset, it took Elise a moment to notice that the corset to wear the gown was different than the corset she usually wear. For the gown, the corset need to be pulled tighter, but Elise was alone....or she wasn't.

"Um...Ian," she called his name after a moment of thinking what to do. As if in cue, she could see his shadow across the divider that had her thinking if her shadow could be seen when she changed her clothes earlier. 

"Do you need help?" He asked readily, almost as if he was waiting for this moment. He knew that she needed his help not only on the dress needed help but the corset, thought Elise. 

She looked down on her bare feet, finally remembering that's she hadn't wear the petticoat or stocking and there was only her chemise under her corset that could kept her from being naked. "Wait, I need a few moment," said Elise but before her words could complete, the other side of the divider was pushed open and Ian leaned on one side of the wall with her eyes on her legs before slowly shifting to meet her eyes.

"Good view, sweetheart," Ian whistled.