I stared at myself in the mirror, unable to say anything.

The dress was perfect. The deep neckline fell just low enough to be a little revealing whilst the short, flared skirt was just beautiful. Gem had taken my hair down from my usual ponytail and run some products through it so that it was fluffy and floated gently around my shoulders. I almost couldn’t believe that I was looking at myself, I looked more stunning.

“What do you think?” Gem asked softly.

My mouth moved soundlessly for a moment before I felt able to speak.

“It’s so beautiful,” I said. “I just… I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”

In the mirror, I saw Gem’s face light up in a smile.

“You’re welcome. Shall we get out there and show the boys?” she asked, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

I blushed and looked back at myself one last time.

“Let’s go.”

Are y’all ready? Gem asked.

Yeah, come out! Cory thought back.

I took a deep breath and stepped into the doorway, waving my hand in front of the scanner.

My heart thumped in my chest as the door lifted slowly and my eyes immediately found Cas’ face. He was staring at me, his jaw slack and his eyes wide.

“Oh, wow,” Cory said. “You look great!”

“Thank you for helping sort out the dress,” I said, unfamiliar shyness flaring to life in me.

“You’re welcome!” he said with a grin.

I could feel my cheeks flushing as I glanced back at Cas who was still staring at me.

“We should get going,” Gem said, stepping around me and grabbing Cory’s arm. “You two have dinner on the way and we’ll be back in two and a half hours to go play zero-G. Make sure your clothes are back on then!”

She raced out the door pulling Cory behind her, her laugh echoing through the corridor. The door closed again, leaving us in semi-darkness.

“What do you think?” I asked, fiddling nervously with the hem of my skirt.

Cas stepped closer, one hand coming up to gently hold my waist.

“You look so beautiful,” he said gruffly.

I looked down, feeling a smile play on my lips, before peeking up at him through my eyelashes.

“You really think so?” I asked, wanting to hear him say it again.

“You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen,” he whispered, dipping his head down to touch his lips to mine.

I reached up, deepening the kiss, my hands clutching at his shirt, pulling him closer as that familiar hunger grew in me. His chest was hot through his shirt and I fought the urge to rip his buttons open as my tongue battled his.

I could feel both of his hands slowly edging around my waist before stopping, his fingertips just touching my bare back. He pulled back slightly, his eyes searching mine.

“Does your dress not have a back?” he asked, his voice raw.

I caught my lower lip in between my teeth to hide the smile that was growing on my face and shook my head.

Cas’ mouth opened slightly and his eyes flooded with desire.

“Can I see?”

I stepped away from him, reluctantly letting go of him, and turned slowly. My auditory mods amplified the small intake of air that hissed through his lips when his eyes fell on the low back of my dress and that suddenly made the anxiety that had gone through my head when I’d seen it worthwhile.

“Wow,” he whispered.

My face burnt as I turned back towards him.

“I thought the same thing when I first saw you. I can’t remember the last time I saw you in a proper suit,” I said, lacing my arms around his neck.

His hands settled on my waist again, warm and familiar, but I wanted more.

“Probably when we went to that fancy restaurant on Nahia’l?”

I laughed softly.

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that. We didn’t realise we had to be in, like, full suits and dresses to be allowed in and had to go to the nearest shop. That dress I bought was so ugly.”

“I don’t know, I thought you looked beautiful. I could barely keep my eyes off you, Gem definitely noticed.”

I laughed again, touching my forehead against his and staring into his eyes.

“Charmer,” I said accusatorially.

He smiled, raising one shoulder in a shrug.

“I’m just telling the truth.”

“You cannot be,” I said, pulling back to narrow my eyes at him. “That thing was like a tent and it had that random line of pleather down the middle! It was hideous. And it flared out at my mid-thigh? Why would it do that?”

He laughed and pulled me back towards him.

“You looked beautiful. You always do,” he whispered with a smile.

I cocked my head to one side. He looked like he was being honest but the dress was truly one of the ugliest things I’d ever seen. Even Peggy had laughed when I walked out wearing it. The shop had only stocked two floor-length dresses in my size and Peggy had bagsied the nicer of the two the second we’d walked in.

I shook my head, unable to believe what he was saying and peeked back up at him. My thoughts were racing. I wanted to kiss him, to push him onto the bed, to tell him I loved him, and more but instead, I forced myself to swallow those impulses down.

“So, what’s the plan for tonight?” I asked.

Cas smiled, his dimples barely visible in the dimmed lighting.

“First, we have our date, then zero-G and then back here for face masks and some of those terrible movies Gem loves.”

I narrowed my eyes at him.

“You love all those cheesy romance movies too.”

“I loved some of them,” he admitted with a grin.

“Most,” I retorted, raising one of my eyebrows.

“Fine, most. Happy?”

“So happy,” I whispered, leaning in to kiss him again.

His lips were soft under mine and I melted against his body, pulling him closer before I realised that he hadn’t answered my question properly.

“Wait,” I said, pulling back. “What was the plan for the date?”

One side of his lips twitched up and he pressed another kiss against my lips. I returned it automatically before my brain caught up and I pulled away again.

“Hey, no fair!” I objected.

His smile grew as he leant down once more.

“You can’t just kiss me to get out of answering the question!” I said, although I really didn’t mind it and I knew he could tell.

“Mmm I don’t know, it seems to be working,” he muttered against my lips.

I turned my head to the side, my lips squeezed together in a grin.

“You still need to answer me.”

I watched from the corner of my eyes as he smiled and lowered his head to my neck, peppering it with kisses that made my knees weak. His tongue darted out and my hands gripped his hair, pulling him closer.

“Cas,” I breathed as his teeth grazed my skin.

My lips found their way back to his and I pushed him back towards the bed, sinking with him and straddling his hips. My hands bunched in his shirt, edging towards the buttons as his hand tangled in my hair, hungrily pulling me closer.

His other hand crept higher along my ribs, tantalisingly slow. I fought the urge to physically move his hand higher and instead took his lower lip into my mouth, gently biting down. His mouth opened in a gasp and his hips twitched under me.

The door beeped and I broke away from him, my chest heaving and my cheeks flushed.

“Is that food?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Cas said, closing his eyes and dropping his head back on the bed.

My eyes found his exposed neck and I bit my lip as I fought to resist kissing it.

“Do we have to get it?” I asked.

His eyes opened again and found mine.

“We probably should. I special ordered.”

I sunk back onto his thighs and glanced at the door.

“What did you order?”

My hunger was warring with my lust.

“Mac and cheese, potato hash, Ghnah, butter pudding, Halnlah… I know it’s not exactly the best date for but I know it’s your favourite,” he said with a tentative smile.

I chewed my lip, my eyes fixed on the door.

“What do you think?” I asked.

There was a long pause before he said, “I’m hungry but I don’t mind waiting till later, if you want to?”

I could hear the desire but also the hunger in his voice.

I really wanted that Ghnah.

I climbed reluctantly off him.

“I guess we’ll just have to continue this later,” I said, with a coy smile. “Open the door!”