It had been a long time since I had dressed up or worn this much makeup. Dimitri mentioned to me a few days ago that we had never had a real date, and then he set one up. I went to Lissa, of course, and not because she had connections. Like Lissa, I didn't care much for the designers fussing over me and had instead took her shopping. Dimitri had said to dress up, but I wasn't sure just how "dressed up" he meant. So I called Liss in a panic. And here we were. Me standing nervously in front of a mirror, Lissa trying not to laugh as I tried on various different colors of eye shadow.

"Go with a smoky eye," she told me, "to match your dress."

"I so do not know how to do that."

"Well, I do. Wipe that off your eyes."

When she was finished, she stepped back to look at her handiwork, then grinned. I turned to the mirror to see her creation and wow. It did look awesome with the dress...and my eyes...I just hoped I wasn't overdressed.

"Stop worrying! I'll text Christian, see what Dimitri's wearing."

I glared. "He better not ask him!"

...

DIMITRI POV

Looking in the mirror, I straightened my tie. I couldn't stop fidgeting. When it wasn't my tie, it was my cufflinks. I had tried to read a book, but couldn't focus. I was ready way ahead of the time I was supposed to pick up Rose. And I was unreasonably nervous. This wasn't a real first date. We already knew each other, loved each other, made love to each other. Still, I felt like one of the boys from those American 80s movies waiting to pick up his prom date.

I hoped I hadn't overdressed. I told Rose to dress up, but I didn't know what she would wear. I shied away from buying her clothes; it reminded me too much of Siberia.

I'd bought her roses, hoping she would like them. She didn't like when Lissa bought her rose jewelry. I could have gone with the tulips, but they just didn't seem like Rose. Roses were beautiful with thorns-dangerous, just like her.

I wondered if my mother knew we had never had a proper date. She would probably scold me. Though, my relationship with Rose had been anything but normal.

Christian walked in the room and grinned. He seemed to be enjoying my restlessness.

"Nice tux," he said, before looking at his phone.

...

ROSE POV

I paced around the room, Lissa grinning at me.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" I shot her a glare.

Then the doorbell rang and my hands picked at my hair before I answered the door.

And froze. I had only ever seen him this dressed up once before, at Sonya's wedding. And tonight he was wearing a tux, like Christian said. It fit his body perfectly. I realized my mouth was open.

He looked like he was in a daze, staring at me with those warm eyes. He reached up and gently brushed my cheekbone, then tipped my chin to kiss me. It was a slow, warm, heady kiss that made my blood warm. He broke away gently and brushed my forehead with his lips.

"You look especially beautiful in that dress," he almost whispered into my hair.

"And you look..." I struggled for the word and came up with, "suave". Really?

He laughed, pulling away and lifting his other hand into my sight, which held a dozen roses.

I smiled, taking them from him and kissing him again. "A dozen roses? Very romantic, Comrade."

He smiled and said, "I am. But there are only 11 roses."

I laughed, "What?"

"In Russia, an even number of flowers is reserved for funerals," he told me.

If I could do it, now would be the time to raise my eyebrow. "Russians are weird."

...

We had a nice dinner at a very fancy restaurant, then got back in the car.

"I have another surprise for you," he said softly, glancing away from the road to look at me.

"Oh?"

"Close your eyes."

I wanted to play along. I really did. But it was taking so long. I groaned, "Are we almost there?"

He laughed. "Patience, Roza. Good things come to those who wait."

It took us a little while walking in the snow with my eyes closed, Dimitri holding my hand, to get where we were going.

We finally stopped, feet crunching in the snow, and I felt his body slide behind mine, and his arms encircle me as he whispered into my hair, "Open your eyes."

DIMITRI POV

I wasn't sure if this was a great choice or a horrible choice. It was a good memory for us...better than good, (it was one of my most cherished memories) but it was not so long after that I was turned. I took a gamble, based on conversations we had had about that night before, that this would be perfect. And I was right.

She didn't say anything at first, but when she did, she smiled and said, voice warm, "Dimka". She almost never called me that. I took it as a good sign and moved around her to open the door.

I'd had a guardian friend decorate the small cabin. Fire popped in the brick fireplace and lit the room with a dull, warm glow. Rose petals swept the floor.

I touched my hand to my pocket for the fifth time that night.