Maggie stood in the middle of her bedroom and peered into the full-length mirror. She fluffed her long blonde hair and blew the side-swept fringe from her eyes, smiling as she gave her outfit a final once over. The mismatched collection of garments clashed and fit together perfectly all at the same time.
Her shoulders were draped in the pink bolero she'd worn on her first date with Travis at an Italian restaurant three years ago. The way he'd looked at her that night from across the table had made her so nervous, it surprised and thrilled her when he called again the next morning to ask her on a second date.
She smoothed her palms over her pale blue floral dress, happy with the way the strapless style highlighted her slender figure. Maggie remembered the way it had tangled about her knees on the dance floor at her birthday party two years ago, right before Travis brought tears to her eyes by asking the DJ to stop the music so he could propose to her in front of her family and friends.
The silver stilettos she'd slipped her feet into were once the finishing touch to the killer black dress from their engagement party, and a pair of pink thigh-high stockings completed her ensemble, a sentimental favourite of his that originally accompanied matching lingerie on their wedding night.
Anticipation swirled in her belly as she contemplated the evening ahead. She'd left her teaching job early this afternoon to give herself time to prepare for tonight and couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he first set eyes on her.
She wandered down the hallway and stepped into the kitchen, where peeling wallpaper and garish orange curtains decorated the space. The retro dining table that came with the house sat in front of the window, the afternoon sun bouncing off its lime green top.
Maggie pulled a bottle of milk from the refrigerator, unscrewed the cap and set it on the table beside the bowl of fruit loops she'd poured earlier. She'd offered to make dinner for Travis to celebrate their one year anniversary and chose the first meal she'd ever prepared for him; a simple breakfast after they'd spent the most amazing night together. Maggie knew it wouldn't satisfy him after a long day at work, but cooking had never really been her forte so she'd order his favourite takeout later when they were done...celebrating.
She let out a quiet laugh and leaned against the bench to survey the room. A musty smell filled the air and the floorboards creaked underfoot. The kitchen appliances barely had any life left in them and one of the cupboard handles had come off in her hand just this morning. Despite all this, she couldn't remember a time in her life when she'd been happier. Although they'd taken on a huge project with the house, their shared vision and combined efforts would see it turned into a home in no time. She smiled and drew her lower lip between her teeth. Well, that was the plan, anyway.
The squeaking front door signalled his arrival. Maggie jumped at the sound and pushed off the bench, her heart pounding as her blue eyes scanned the room. She'd chosen her clothing carefully but hadn't put any thought into how to show it off for maximum impact.
His footsteps down the hall prompted a spur of the moment decision. She leaned back on the dining table in the hope a suggestive pose would send an irresistible invitation. The heel of her hand clipped the cereal bowl though and sent fruit loops skittering across the table. Maggie cursed under her breath and scrambled to stop the bowl from falling. In her haste she toppled the open milk bottle over and the colourful cereal floated to the table's edge and slid to the floor. "Oh, crap. Crap." She bent to clean up the mess.
"That's the best welcome home I've had in a while."
Maggie closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh despite having just ruined her plans for a slow seduction. Of course he'd choose that moment to walk into the room.
"Just...bend a little further," he said.
She peered at him from under the arc of her arm, laughing openly now. "You're sick."
"I'm not the one flashing a pink thong at a poor defenceless man."
She straightened and turned to face him, smiling while she took in his rumpled appearance. He was anything but defenceless. Stubble lined his jaw and his coffee coloured hair was all tousled and gorgeous. He'd rolled the sleeves of his white shirt up on his forearms. The top two buttons were undone and his tie loosened. His blue eyes were warm when they met hers.
He'd started his twelve hour shift as a detective with the city police at six this morning. His days often left him exhausted. She always found herself wanting to help him relax as soon as he walked in the door.
"This thong?" She lifted the hem of her dress to give him the front view.
He grinned and strolled toward her. "Yeah. That one."
