A Christmas party. It was the first she'd been to in a very long time, and that made it both exciting and nerve-wracking, because she wanted to make a good impression of all of Steve's colleagues. She'd met most of them by now, but she hadn't spent too much time with any of them, thanks to Steve running interference. If she hadn't insisted on attending that evening's party, he might have continued to do so. But this was Christmas, and she wanted to celebrate with him in every way she could.

Plus, he looked amazing in a suit.

She'd spent all week searching for something to wear to the party, finally deciding on a red dress, the cheery color perfect for the festive season. (She'd looked for a green one initially, but she remembered that she'd worn a red dress for their first real date, so it seemed a bit more fitting.) She kept her makeup simple, going for a glowing natural look rather than caking on a lot of color -- a bit of golden shimmer to her eyes, highlight to her cheeks. It was her arm that received the most makeup, actually, with a healthy layer of concealer and foundation blended over the top of her tattoo so she didn't have to wear gloves that evening.

Smoothing a hand over the big, loose curls she'd just finished creating, the striped locks falling around her shoulders, she smiled as she caught sight of Steve in the mirror. "Well, well, don't you clean up nice," she teased him, her drawl thickening with the effect he was having on her. "I'll have to beat the ladies off with a stick tonight."