You Shouldn't Have Tempted Me

Adam was sitting on the bed, lounging against the headboard with his phone in hand, scrolling through news articles as he waited for Elle to re-emerge from the closet.

"Okay, what about these?" She asked, holding up two dresses. One a dark green that almost looked like emerald against her skin and the other a pale blue.

"I think a lighter colour would be best." Adam offered honestly.

"You're right." She said, turning back into the closet to go get new options.

This was how Adam had spent the better part of the past half hour. He could understand Elle's concerns. Of course it would be nervewrecking to meet a partner's parents for the first time. Any person would put an effort into making a good first impression, as Elle was. At first Adam had thought it was cute as he watched the Elle who usually couldn't care less about her appearance turn her closet upside down, but that had been thirty minutes ago.

With a sigh Adam put his phone aside, got up from the bed, and joined Elle in the walk-in closet.

"What about this one?" Elle asked as he joined her, holding up a flowing dress that shifted between multiple pastel colours.

"It's beautiful, but don't you think it's a bit too high fashion for a simple dinner?"

"A simple dinner." Elle repeated the words sarcastically. There was nothing simple about it.

When she had asked Adam what his parent's were like earlier Adam had simply replied 'There's nothing you need to worry about, they're pretty normal.'

"You know you're not being much help." Elle grumbled.

"Fine, fine." Adam chuckled. He ran his finger across the rack of dresses until one finally caught his attention.

"What about this one?" He asked, pulling out a dress and leading Elle to a mirror where he held it up against her. It was a short, pastel grey, dress with a lace upperbody and a full a-line skirt.

"It looks beautiful with your black hair." He murmured against her bare shoulder.

"Fine." Elle said with a faint blush. "I'll go get changed now."

Of course after getting into the dress came about the issue of her hair. She played with it back and forth, tying it up, leaving it out, putting it in a bun, and yet she couldn't settle on what looked best.

"Do you think it's better to look sophisticated or youthful?" Elle asked out loud.

In the time it took Elle to play around with her hair, Adam had finished getting ready himself. Upon her question Adam walked over to where she sat at the vanity.

"It doesn't matter as long as you look like yourself." Adam said reassuringly. "I'm telling you now, with a detail as small as the way you style your hair, my dad won't notice and my mom won't care so just wear it however is most comfortable."

"I can do whatever I like best?"

"Yes."

"Then I want you to do it for me." Elle said innocently, with a smile on her face that melted Adam's heart.

Adam obediantly took over. Elle revelled in the feeling of his strong fingers running through her hair as he tied it up in a messy ponytail, leaving stray strands falling down to frame her face.

"It looks beautiful. Thank you." Elle said, getting up from the vanity.

"Ah, ah." Adam said, pushing her shoulders down, forcing her back into her seat. "I have one more thing."

"What is it?"

But Adam didn't reply and simply left the room with a determined stride. Elle stared after him questioningly. He returned a moment later with a velvet jewellery box in hand.

"What's this?"

"See for yourself." Adam said, handing the box to her.

Elle gently pried open the box, letting out a gasp as she revealed a studded diamond necklace.

"Adam, it's beautiful." Elle murmured, running her fingers over the intricate string of stones that shone against the black velvet like stars in the night sky.

"I bought it a little while ago. I've been waiting for an occassion to give it to you." Adam confessed as he gently pried the necklace out of the box and draped it around Elle's neck.

"Tonight seemed deserving enough." He said as he closed the clasp, bending over to press a kiss against the back of her neck.

Shivers went down Elle's spine as she felt his lips press softly against her. She looked in the mirror at their reflections. Her, doe-eyed and flushed and him with his dark eyes tracking even her slightest movements through the mirror.

Elle couldn't quite recall who had kissed who first, or which one of them had led the other to the other side of the bedroom where Elle was now perched on top of a dresser so Adam could get a better reach of her lips.

"We're going to be late." Elle gasped, clinging to him tighter despite her words.

"Then you shouldn't have tempted me." Adam replied, his voice a low and rough.

~~~

Mrs. Hayes had spent her afternoon back and forth between the kitchen and the dinning room, eagerly preparing to finally have dinner with her son after many weeks of not seeing him.

"Isn't this a bit too much food?" Mr. Hayes asked, eyeing the luxurious spread on the table.

"Adam mentioned he'd be bringing someone with him." She justified, though they both knew she would have prepared just as much food regardless of the extra person. "Besides, it's his first meal at home since the new year began."

Just then, as if on cue, the doorbell rang.

"Ah, here he is."

Mrs. Hayes rushed to the front door while Mr. Hayes followed behind her leisurely. The grin Mrs. Hayes wore slipped when she opened the door. Adam stood there, looking as handsome as ever, and beside him was Elle who was dressed very prettily in a modest grey dress.

"You have mentioned you were going to bring someone with you but I wasn't expecting it to be Elle." Mrs. Hayes said, regaining her composure and welcoming them both into the house.

"Hello Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Hayes." Elle greeted politely.

"Who is this?" Adam's father asked.

"You remember Elle. She was the model that starred in our jewellery event last year. Adam introduced us to her back then."

"Ahh, that's right. How are you Elle?"

"I'm doing well, sir."

"Come along, we can all talk at the table. The food will be getting cold." Mrs. Hayes herded everyone over to the table, where for the second time today, she would receive shocking news.