I am working on my other story "Poisonously Rapt" alongside this one-shot, but I wasn't getting too much of a response with that other one so I thought I'd write something that will be quick reliever of Normero angst at the moment. Here's some cheesy fluff.
Norma had reluctantly agreed to accompany Alex to the White Pine Bay annual town council formal that was known to be a tedious event full of shallow small talk, influential people, expensive meals, and an overwhelming venue. Not only was the formal a large guest list, it was full of the kind of company that Alex normally fled from. But with Norma on his arm, the idea of showing her off gave him butterflies and he knew her snide comments would be amusing. She always said that most people sleepwalked through life and weren't real, and in many ways, Alex had to agree with her. Norma was the very first woman to open his eyes and mind to so many aspects of life he had assumed he could never enjoy.
The two of them were changing in Norma's room, where they had finally reached a level of comfort where Alex could simply sleep beside her and cuddle her without Norma being anxious or self-conscious of needing to "satisfy" him. He was at peace just lying by her warmth. It cleared his head but also stirred a heightened self-awareness. Tonight, however, they weren't going to do their typical lie in bed for hours on end and talking about anything and everything, followed by intimacy, rather, getting ready for a proper night out. Norma and Alex had almost forgotten what the outside world was, and it was a nice change that it had been that way. Getting out sounded nice in theory, but they had already RSVPed.
Alex was already dressed now, full tux and he was lightly combing and gelling his hair. When he was finished, he turned back to see Norma in purple lace lingerie bending down to get her satin blue dress up her legs. Alex leaned against the dresser and admired the view he was watching before him. She had a sense of cluelessness while she was absentmindedly doing monotonous tasks that he loved to study. The way she huffed out breathes in exasperation when her tights created a run, or when her earrings weren't "fitting" with her dress. No matter what she did, it was otherworldly and intoxicating to him. Alex could feel his groin tighten and his skin warm as she didn't move from the position as she tried to get her feet through the dress material correctly. It seemed he had utterly no control over when he zoned out at her effortless beauty. When he shook his head and looked back in the mirror to adjust his bowtie, he could see Norma smirking in the reflection of the mirror.
"What?" He scoffed.
She placed her hands on her hips, forcing him to admire her frame and how the dark blue bodycon dress hugged her so stunningly. Fumbling to put on her golden heels, Alex couldn't help but notice how incredibly high they were. Not high enough that she would appear taller than him, but enough that she would most likely go through hell walking around the venue for hours on end. Norma walked toward him with the heels now on, stumbling forward and into his arms. She let out a gasp, and clung to his arms. Their foreheads were touching, and Norma's cheeks flushed in embarrassment, and Alex chuckled low in his throat reassuringly to lighten the mood.
Unexpectedly, the mood changed in a moment, with Norma running her hands up and down his chest. Alex suddenly couldn't breathe, his throat tightening at the look she was giving him. She bit her lip and he had had enough. His hands wandered down to the small of her back and then lower to grab her behind. With a sharp intake of breath, Norma took in how handsome he was and couldn't handle her urge to kiss his neck. At first, she pecked it softly, but it was becoming stronger and more needy and that elicited a strangled groan from Alex. He squeezed her tighter until Norma's knees gave way and she pulled herself away from him reluctantly.
"We, uh, we've um, got to go to the thing now or we'll never arrive," Norma instructed him weakly. Alex simply nodded and affectionately took her hand as they left the room.
When they arrived, all eyes were on them, but Alex knew that all the guests were still in dismay that he had finally taken with someone on a serious level. He also had a feeling that told him they all thought he was punching above his weight with her, the two seemed very different, but really, they were both similar souls.
Walking in, Norma took his arm and squeezed gently, looking up at him. A week ago, he knew that this would have been in the name of being seen in public together so that they looked "real" but at that moment, the way she was looking up at him with so much care and assurance, he knew they had fallen into a new depth of love.
Norma was anxious to be seen at such a huge venue with all the people of the town. It was virtually every vital person of White Pine Bay, and she already had a good idea of what people thought of her. However, the way that they were looking at them now told a different story. All the women couples seemed fake and only vaguely entertained by the mundane jazz music playing, the food platters, and limitless champagne. Alex knew she hated group settings, and tightened his grasp on her hip as her eyes showed panic at the sound of whispers near by. It was obviously about them, whether it was about how nice they looked together, or if it was about their famous cases in which a dead person magically died on her property, it made her uneasy.
They had walked around for about 15 minutes. Alex had whispered in her ear endlessly that she looked beautiful, and Norma had mumbled rude commentary about some of the snobs in the room. Norma was onto her third glass of champagne and she grabbed Alex by the collar and whispered, "Looks like your biggest fan made it tonight."
Alex had just started his first glass to catch up with her tipsy and hilarious state to loosen up while answering relationship question with nosy acquaintances. He chocked and his champagne went down the wrong way when he saw who Norma was eyeing. Rebecca Hamilton was standing only a few feet away with a fellow bank member. It appeared as though she was forcing laughter out as the poor guy tried to have a fairly serious conversation. He was very average looking, and it evident that he was bored by her company as he was zoned out. Alex followed his eyes to his stunning wife beside him. A firey anger bubbled in his throat as Norma was completely unaware of the man's purposeful gaze.
"Norma," Alex said smoothly, trying to casually catch her attention as she was admiring a woman's dress from across the room. Her head snapped back at him immediately and she grinned widely at him.
"Hm?"
"Nothing, I just wanted…"
Before he could make up a topic of conversation, Rebecca had spotted and approached the couple. Norma tried to hide her grimace at the sound of her irritatingly perky tone. The man trailed behind her and adjusted his tie not taking his eyes off of Norma. Alex took her hand instinctively as her watched the man's clear interest in Norma intensify as he got closer. As a guy, he could pick up on the classic signs of interest, but of course the man was interested in her. She was drop dead gorgeous but she also his and far more complex than this man could ever get the privilege to understand.
Rebecca's dress was a shade of red that was way too bright, and she was wearing heavy makeup. Alex looked back at Norma and appreciated her natural glow. He knew she also had makeup on, but her incredible featured shone through and surpassed any other woman.
"Hi Alex, hello Norma," she greeted with a fake kindness. "This is Ted Clarks." Norma let go over Alex's arm and outstretched her hand to take Ted's.
"H-Hi Norma, it's very nice to meet you," Ted stammered hopelessly. Alex rolled his eyes and monitored his awkward demeanor. Alex almost lost it when he looked her up and down. Did he not know they were married? There was no way Norma couldn't tell how hot and bothered he was getting.
"Hi, it's lovely to meet you Ted."
Apparently he had no clue because when Ted looked down at her left ring finger for what he was hoping would be a discreet check, his eyes widened at the ring and his eyes snapped to Alex with a guilty expression. Moving in between Norma and this man he was starting to be increasingly bothered by, Alex shook his hand.
Realizing the uncomfortable mood of the situation, Ted shoved his hands in his pockets and walked away from the three of them and headed toward the nearest refreshment table. Rebecca looked flustered and embarrassed that he had left her on her own, likely because she wanted to make Alex jealous, but there was no fooling anyone. Ted had more of a sudden interest in Norma and now that she was off limits, he was quick to clear the scene before being punched by the sheriff. Inwardly, Norma felt triumphant that she won over Rebecca's date, and that her protective husband scared him shitless.
"Well it was nice to see you both. I think Ted went to get us some refreshments," Rebecca lied, walking over to Ted.
Norma spun into a fit of laughter and Alex joined at her infectious giggles. They set down their champagne glasses and as if they could read each other's minds, they left the venue before dinner was even served in the main dining room. This was not their scene and there was no need for pretending to care anymore. It was already pitch black out and Norma and Alex wandered aimlessly into the night, down the street toward the parking lot in fits of laughter, more than Alex had probably ever experienced in a very long time. Norma took off her heels in defeat, leaning on Alex's side for support. She was still tipsy and he steadied her with an arm around her waist once again. Alex looked down at her bare feet on the concrete and shook his head in dismay. How did she make everything look so amusing? She began to hum into his neck, some tune he couldn't discern. He sighed in bliss, closing his eyes. Eventually he looked up at the sky and watched as it began to open up and started to pour down heavily.
Norma squealed and ran further down the lot to try and find her car. "Where the hell did we park?!" She screamed further ahead. He couldn't stop smiling as his expensive tux began to soak and saw her run ahead. Alex panted as he finally caught up with her. She was leaning up against the car with her heels in one hand, and the car keys in the other. Her hair was half undone from the once neat pin up it was originally in and he mascara was smeared across her cheeks. To Alex, she looked devastatingly beautiful. He didn't care that they weren't sheltered from what now was a thunderstorm.
Leaned up against the car, Norma pretended to look as though she were about to spread herself across the car to model for Alex. He knew she thought she looked horrifying at that moment and it was all a joke, but he couldn't have cared less and wished it were acceptable to take her right there. Alex shook his head at her and dreamily took her in. He took her head in his hands and kissed her feather lightly. Norma opened her legs for him and wrapped them around his body. They could hardly see one another, so they knew that it was safe just for this chaste blip of time to enjoy one another.
Alex whispered in her ear as though he were worried someone would hear. "I want you to beg. I'm yours but I want to hear that you're mine," he purred in a new tone of lust Norma had never heard. Her heart bruised her ribs at what he did next.