Where there is smoke, there's fire. Where there's you, there's desire.

- Anonymous.

The morning rays rose above the horizon, sunlight streamed my bedroom through the gaps of the curtains lighting up the room with a warm glow. I rolled over and gazed out the window, overlooking the shine over the other buildings.

The new rays brought a new day and that new day was my engagement party day. Tonight was the night, I'd be officially introduced to the world as the fiancée of Tyler Sanders.

It was a busy day for me. I had no choice but to get up and freshen up for the day. Since the apartment was filled with silence giving me as much as comfort as it could, I enjoyed it for now. Soon, Chloe and her friend along with mom would be here and the picking and poking on me will start soon.

Mom and dad stayed at a nearby hotel even though Chloe and I offered our places. But as usual dad being a prideful man, refused. Dad and mom would be directly going to the party after mom was done helping me get ready and return to hotel to get herself ready. Same goes with Chloe. Tyler hired a limousine for my family and when he made me that offer, he strictly refused to back down. So I had no choice but to convince dad. Fortunately, mom helped me on that.

Now they would arrive at the party together and I would be arriving with Tyler. He was supposed to pick me up sharp at 7 tonight. I think by that time, I would be ready.

Since children were allowed, Chloe was bringing Luke, my 4 year old nephew to the party but not Carrie who was only 6 months. Brandon's mom was supposed to babysit her. They were all so excited for tonight, even Lydia was.

Lydia and I went out few times over the last week. I even helped her choose a dress for tonight even though I had no experience in shopping. As I said, everyone was excited and me? More like nervous. All I hoped for was, for the night go peaceful.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I padded toward the bathroom feeling the wooden floor beneath my feet. I came in front of the mirror above the sink and inspected the plain woman staring back at me with dull blue eyes. Nothing extraordinary about her. Nothing to make a person glance back at her for the second time. I could see nothing that would make Tyler's eyes darken with a emotion so foreign to me. But he did.

Desire.

The emotion floated in his eyes whenever it came upon me. I noticed it but would always shake it off for a mistaken observation. To be honest, it was hard to believe he feel that kind of emotion for me. A man with a body of Adonis, a face sculptured from the highest rank of male specimen. Dare I believe the little flicker of information I observed from Tyler?

You're so boring, Claire.

At once, I staggered back gripping the sink tightly, widening my eyes at the mirror. Did I just hear him...? I closed my eyes and rubbed the shock out of my face.

You're so stiff.

This time I wasn't that shocked but still, it made my body freeze to hear his words in my mind, accusing me.

This is all on you. I'm leaving because of you.

A year ago, the words were spoken when he stood in my doorway with his bag over his shoulder for the last time. The last time I saw his face before he disappeared from my life, hitting me with simple words that disabled my confidence in me to rise up. I still could remember the last words he threw at me as if he said it just yesterday. It wasn't the words that affected me most, it was more of the way he said it, more of the tone he used. The mocking one as if he knew what was best for me.

Spice up, baby or else no one would even think to fuck you.

And the laugh that he left on me while walking out was a true slap to me. If the words or the mocking tone wouldn't had broken me, then the laugh surely did. The remembrance of that day brought the sting in my eyes.

Sean, my ex-boyfriend. He really did a number on me. Never physically but always mentally. The only guy I ever let close to me. The only one to ever know me deeply. Sean was the only guy whom I slept with. Since, Chloe also became impressed with him upon meeting him. I thought maybe he was the one but no, it was all an act. An act to get me on a bed with him. It didn't last long. He got what he wanted and left with those words and laugh hanging around, still to torture, to remind me that no one would desire the plain boring Claire. No one. Not even Tyler. It was just my imagination. I realised that now.

I turned on the faucet and washed away all the irrational thoughts out of my mind. Taking a deep breath, I looked at myself on the mirror with hard eyes.

"This is for Lydia. All this for her and no one else." I spoke out loud even though those words failed to carry an ounce of truth. When I kept on staring back at my own eyes, they softened and an image of Tyler's small smile flashed before me. Realising my wayward mind's direction, I immediately turned away from the mirror not wanting to see the dreamy look on my boring, stiff and spiceless face.

After an hour of scrubbing my body clean of thoughts about my ex, I came out refreshed and lot better than an hour ago, and made my stomach happy in the kitchen. Another hour went away with me relaxing, before the three woman burst into my apartment with hands full of packets.

I stood up from the couch to have Chloe drag me to the bedroom instantly while saying in a singsong voice glazed with an evil tint. "Dress up time! We're gonnnnna have soooooo much fun."

And I gulped.

Behind me I heard mom squealing. "And she will look like a princess!"

And this time, I cringed. Even though I loved fairytales and all. I didn't want to dress up as a princess.

There was another determined voice behind me that stated next. "And I can make sure of that perfectly."

I picked up the unfamiliar voice that might belong to Chloe's friend. I bet she was as crazed as Chloe and mom to tag along on this dress up spree.

Taking those reluctant dreading steps, I looked up at the ceiling, noting the paint flaking off and praying for myself from these three crazed woman.

Save me!

*******

The dusk was upon us rather quickly and we had no idea how much time had past already.

Grabbing the hand at my shoulder which I later discovered belong to Chloe, I checked the time. It was six-oh nine, the tick reaching the 7'o clock rather drastically. My stomach had been fluttering since the moment I saw the beautiful dress laying over my bed.

Mademoiselle Ophélie's work was to be reckoned. Her master skilled fingers did their magic on my dress. It looked like the dress someone like a celebrity would wear but for tonight, even though I hated being the centre of attention I wanted to feel like a celebrity. Not just that. I wanted to feel beautiful. I wanted to feel desirable.

That was why, I let my mom, sister and her friend do their own magic on me. When they arrived we wasted away an hour, with sharpening my nails and painting each other's nails with a girly gossip session. After that lunch time rolled around and thank god for Mom who decided to cook something protein with my somewhat grocery. I hoped she didn't see the lack of some other vegetables and protein which were too pricy for me. And hell no, I wouldn't ask Tyler for anything more. What he had done for me till now was enough for my whole lifespan.

And Chloe's friend, Amy who wasn't as crazed as I thought her to be. She was just too obsessed with perfecting her work which was in the line of salon. Hence, her work for today was my hair which she had done it in a up do messy bun at the back of my head, with a little hair accessory wrapped around it. Kudos to my mom for it.

But before that, she had done a light smokey makeup on my eyes which made my eyes enlarged and enhanced my dull blue irises. It was like I was wearing lance or something but no, it was all thanks to makeup. The right shade, the right eyeliner, the right amount of blushes on my cheeks with a little bit of gloss on my lips- everything was spot on. No wonder Amy owned a salon. She was extremely good at her work.

After that they went out of the bedroom to give me privacy to change. I walked toward the bed and picked up the rich fabric feeling like it would disappear on me. Could it be a dream? Could all this be a dream? I wish not. I was perfectly content with the way my life was going. I deserved a happy fairytale of my own. Every girl deserved a fairytale.

The sudden knock on my door made me turn my head toward it. "Claire, are you done yet?" My sister shouted from the other side. "Ah, I hate to break it to you sister but mom and I really need to get going if we even want to reach the party on time."

"Wait, give me a minute. I'll just hurry!" I frantically tried to find the zipper of the dress.

Instantly, Chloe opened the door with a annoying face."No, no, Claire! Don't hurry! This is not a normal dress." And then with a very faint impression of a certain french designer, Chloe tipped her head and said with an awful french accent. "Wear it with care, oui?"

And I bursted out laughing. She was chuckling as well then she looked at her watch and her eyes widened. She looked up at me with alarm. "Claire, you're nearly done. It's just the dress, shoe, earnings and you're done but we're not. We'll be leaving now, oka--"

I raised my hand to stop her from turning away. "--but you won't see how I look--"

She impatiently turned me around to the dress that now lay in my bed. "You will look perfect. I know it. And it's alright we'll just see you on the party with everyone." Then she again looked at her watch and moaned at me. "Claire, I'm your sister. I'm suppose to look good too, right?"

Rolling my eyes, I pushed her toward the door and said with a smile. "Fine, go. I'll be just fine."

She gratefully smiled and walked toward the main door with my mom and Amy at tow waving me but then I called out. "Lock the door when you leave!"

"Okay!" Her voice shouted from the front door. They already moved away from my sight and I turned yet again to the dress with a clear intention to just drag it on me in hurry when Chloe's voice shouted out with a big slam of the door. "Care! Oui?!"

With a snicker, I put the dress on me then carefully tried to zip at the back collar but I halted when I felt air on my back skin. I curled my arms and felt the huge amount of skin which were unhidden by an excuse of a bow Ophélie made for me. Hell, it wasn't even a bow to begin with. I felt the four inch wide elastic cloth wrap around the middle of my back. The skin just above the curve of my bottom was bare and I could do nothing about it now.

Ophélie really didn't change much of the dress. Sighing, I endured the almost backless dress and slipped my feet on to the heels that was sitting by the dresser.

Moving to the right, I opened the jewellery box and picked up the small pair of black stone earnings along with that beautiful engagement ring of mine. Then my eyes fell on the woman in the mirror. For the second time that day, I gazed so intently upon myself. That wasn't me. That was someone else. Someone so elegant but sexy. Was that really me?

Since I was in shocked haze by seeing myself fully changed on the mirror, I failed to hear the jingle of keys and the sound of the front door opening then the dominating footsteps on my wooden floor before my bedroom door was ripped open emitting a startled cry from me.

I abruptly turned around, spying the intruder with wild eyes and gasped out, when I realised who was staring back at me with panic filled grey eyes.

"Adonis..."

Tyler immediately filled out the doorway while frantically looking around the room and when his eyes set upon me, he asked. "What?"

Sweet lord.

This man..who was standing there was an honest-to-god good looking man. I couldn't find any fault in his physical appearance even if I took out the magnifying glass. He was dressed in a black tuxedo with styled leaned back hair. And I realised he was still curiously staring at my face while his eyes flickered around the room once or twice.

I shook my head and stuttered out. "What...? What are you--you doing here?"

He took a step forward then back, then tipped his eyes toward the kitchen as if looking for something. Did he lose something here? Wait, what was he even doing here at---; I glanced at the clock and it showed seven-oh-six. He was six minutes late. I sharply turned toward him, taking a step of my own forward and asked him with a stabled voice. "What are you doing inside? Did you use that damn key again?"

He had been using that key whenever he visited me. I had no privacy anymore. I told him clearly to ring the doorbell or knock and use that key only in emergency. Now, what was the emergency for him?

His eyes turned to me showing the true panic that I had ignored at first. "Are you okay? Everything is fine?"

This made me worry. I nodded at him so that the panic would go away. I didn't want to worry him any more than he already was. "I'm fine, Tyler. Everything is okay. Why?"

The name Tyler, nowadays just rolled off of my tongue as if I'd known that name forever now. He started lifting his hand toward his hair as if to swipe them in it but then I raised my hand even though I was on the middle of the room and he was away still on the door way. He realised his styled hair and dropped his hand, breathing deep while his intense eyes collided with mine with such force that unconsciously I took a step back.

"I rang the bell as you said but you didn't answer. I knocked twice but you didn't answer. What did you expect me to do? Just stand there?" He growled out with darken eyes. This time I was sure, it was in anger and not desire. "I was fucking worried that something happened to you."

I flinched as the intensity of those words hit me. There was really nothing to worry about. I was a foolish to not be aware of my surroundings. I replied lightly and truthfully. "I wasn't paying attention. There's nothing to worry about anyway."

Seeing my flinch, some anger left his eyes but still, his voice was hard when he spoke. "Nothing to worry? You live alone---" He stated waving his hand around the place. "--in this godforsaken building where there's no guard outside. Anything could happen."

He was right but I had been living here for long so there's nothing to worry for me and now if I sat here to justify with him on that matter then we both would be more than fashionably late for our own engagement party.

"I agree. You're right." I replied calmly.

The surprise was very visible in his grey eyes. "You agree?" He asked me, curiously leaning against the doorway with crossed arms when all the anger left his body.

For a moment, I considered pointing out his over reaction to this whole -not answering the door and living in a unsecured building- matter but it would be very late. So I just nodded but he rolled his eyes making me think perhaps he also knew me well enough now to detect the lie.

Nonetheless ignoring the matter, he straightened out and lended his hand to me. "We should get go--" He started saying but when his eyes finally took in my outfit. "--ing." He finished leaving his word hanging.

He didn't only look at my outfit. As if realising for the first time since entering my room that I dressed up, his eyes flickered to my hair then travelled down the neck passing through the bodice, lingering on the gap around my collar bone and bodice, then fell on my hips then his eyes completely took a different reaction when it gazed intently upon the split that hinted my leg and thigh whenever I moved. It didn't show much but it surely would make the onlookers curious, as per say by Chloe.

I heard his indrawn breath, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly as his mouth parted. My eyes followed his every reaction even though my own body came alive tingling when his eyes were upon it. My traitorous body lightened with a need so foreign to me that it frightened me instantly. The damn eyes of mine glanced down, hiding the emotion that might be swimming in there.

"You--you loo--look..I mean.." His husky voice croaked out. My head tipped up, meeting the strange gleam in his eyes. He cleared his throat. "You look breathtaking."

I blinked, once, twice. Before I could get my jumbled mind on set, Tyler rotated his body toward the other side while speaking with a deep voice. "We should get going. Come."

Rubbing my sudden clammy hands, I turned toward the mirror to check my appearance one last time when his husky voice reached me. "Claire, your back...."

Immediately pink covered my cheeks at the thought of him seeing my backless dress. The four inch wide cloth barely hid anything from his inspection. The bare skin on my back warmed up as his intense gaze fell on it. I whirled around at once, keeping my back attached to the dresser to hide it from him but then his eyes fell on the mirror which had the clear view of my open dress. Wait..? Open?

I was sure I would be red from top to bottom when I realised I didn't zip my dress at the top. That was why the collar was loose on my neck. I raised my hand to my neck aware of those grey eyes fastened on my movement.

Clearing my throat, I glanced at him from beneath my lashes trying to touch the zipper without touching my hairstyle. "I forgot to zip it. I'll do it no--"

"I'll help." He cut me off with his deep voice.

Help? As in zip me up and to do that he needed to touch me, right? Oh God! If his hands touched me, I bet I would turn into a puddle.

I shook my head. "No, I can do--"

"Turn around." He commanded, taking the remaining steps toward me and I did. His eyes compelled me to do just that.

My eyes were on my ring which I had been twisting over my finger, keeping my hands on the dresser and trying to be in control of my body. My fingers faltered slightly when I felt the warmth of his fingers on my neck, taking hold of the collar of my dress and when neither he zipped it up nor he withdrew his hands, I stopped breathing. His rough but warm fingers feathered over the skin where the wide cloth couldn't hide it.

A shiver went down my body at his feather like touch. "Beautiful." He whispered, near my ear. I could feel his breath on my neck and suddenly, warm lips skimmed the skin on my neck. With his lips pressed on my neck, I gripped the dresser tightly. A moan like sound tried to come out from me but I held it in.

Vaguely, I felt a vibration through the pressed up pocket of his pants and immediately, we both froze.

His head rose up from behind my neck and our eyes met on the mirror, the realisation of what he did very clear in his eyes. We both watched ourselves on the mirror quietly trying to think of something to say, even though the air around us still sizzled with desire.

This time I was definitely sure even if no one desired me before, Tyler surely did now.