Marinette was actually starting to have fun. The nervous jitters she usually had around Adrien were starting to calm down a little…though she was still giddy at the thought that he'd kissed her shoulder and neck!
In the other dressing room Adrien changed into the second suit. This was a very fitted cut and it's lapel was decorated with a ladybug pin. A gold cravat was tied around his collar and the black suit had pin striping down the vest. Popping back to the stage, he anxious to see what new costume Marinette was sporting.
He wasn't disappointed. Marinette facing his direction and she was wearing a glossy black halter top dress that came to the tips of her toes. Elbow length red gloves also came with this dress and they were spotted with black lady bug spots. Adrien was surprised she was still wearing the same earrings. Usually his father insisted on his model's wearing some new design from one of his jewelry affiliates. He watched her from the stage wings as she stood around waiting for him. God she is lovely, he thought to himself…until he saw her turn around.
"Meow!" Plagg said loudly from Adrien's lapel. Adrien gawked. The dress was completely backless, the bottom of the back ended just below the dimples on her back. He couldn't breath for a second. She turned around again, only this time he could see that this dress also had a slit up her thigh. Oh those legs! he thought. He backed away from the sight in attempts to get himself under control. He definitely couldn't go out there, not until he could collect himself. Plagg teased him, "What are you waiting for? So have fun with your love bug!" Adrien gave his kwami a flat expression and gestured for him to hide.
After a few minutes he was able to walk out to greet Marinette, but he was careful not to look to closely at her…he couldn't get stiff while during a photoshoot…it would be too embarrassing.
"Finally!" the photographer complained. "Now my girl, you are the predator for this set!"
"Um..what?" Marinette looked at him unsure.
"Before you were his innocent lover…your love pure" he explained, "for this dress, you are the Cat and he is the Mouse. You are here to make him yours! Feel the unbridled passion!"
"Unbridled…ok.." She repeated.
Adrien leaned close to her and whispered, "Just look at me like I look delicious."
"Well that shouldn't be hard." the words slipped out of her mouth. She would have blushed in embarrassment, but the photographer yelled, "No talking! More posing!"
Marinette tried to take his advice and did her best impression of Cat Noir when he was trying to flirt with her. She pulled him close to her by the lapels and he smiled wryly at her. She's getting better at this, he thought.
She continued posing for the camera, putting her hand behind his head and running her fingers through his hair. Absentmindedly she wished she wasn't wearing gloves so she could really feel his hair.
"Lean into him. Adrien, pull her leg toward you, like the tango pose you did with Lisette for the Fall set." The photographer said.
Adrien nodded, "Marinette, he wants you to lean your full weight forward onto me and then wrap the leg closest to the camera around my leg. Then I'll hold your thigh to keep you from slipping."
Marinette tilted her body into his and wrapped her left leg around his right. Adrien gulped and tried to focus on the ceiling. Her left leg was the one with the slit and the dress fell away from her knee leaving her thigh exposed against him. Keep it together man, he thought to himself, trying to bolster his resolve. He wrapped his hand under the mid part of her thigh.
"Hungry faces!" the photographer shouted at them. The two teens complied and looked directly into each other's eyes. Their faces were so close. Marinette's heart did a back flip. She'd never had anyone look at her like this…well maybe Cat Noir…but Adrien, he looked at her so ravenous. Like he craved her. She could feel herself getting hot under those starving eyes.
Regardless of what was going through her head, Marinette's expression stayed confident, and alluring. Adrien couldn't help but think that something about her guise seemed so familiar. The photographer continued to move around them, shooting different angles.
"Ok! To the wall!" The photographer shouted. Marinette was starting to wonder if he was always this demanding. Adrien helped her get her foot back on the ground without falling over.
The two were lead to wall of the studio and the photographer posed Adrien against it. "Now you," he said to Marinette, "You are going to trap him against the wall. You have finally cornered your mouse!"
Marinette smiled at the silly metaphor and placed her hands on the wall on either side of Adrien's neck. The photographer continued clicking the camera rapidly, occasionally shouting at Marinette to hold his lapel or to lean closer. For an unbearably long time her lips were barely out of reach of his. Something in him wanted to pull her closer.
"Ok, now kiss."
"What!?" Adrien and Marinette said in sync, turning to look at him.
"Yes! Lean back into the pose you just had, and Adrien, put your hand behind her neck and pull her toward you. You will both tilt your heads to your left."
The two teens gulped. Adrien had been made to kiss models before, but there was something different about kissing a coworker than kissing his friend. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.
Marinette couldn't believe it. She was going to kiss Adrien! She hadn't exactly expected her first kiss with him to be so planned, but she couldn't really back out now. If she did, Adrien might think she didn't want to kiss him.
The two looked into each other's eyes and Marinette turned her head to the left…and Adrien went to the right, both hitting their noses. Marinette quickly tried to correct tilting her head to the opposite side, only Adrien had the same idea. The both chuckled awkwardly. "I said left!" the photographer instructed, "We'll do the other side in a minute."
This time Adrien gently placed his hand on the back of her neck. His palm lightly brushing her cheek. He pulled her toward him and Marinette leaned into him. Their eyes closed and their lips met, and for a moment time stopped.
This is amazing Adrien thought to himself. It was unlike any other kiss he'd had. The smell of sugar and vanilla filled his senses. Her lips were so soft and they tasted like cherries. He could feel her shudder against him, seemingly melting farther into his arms. He didn't want it to end…
"Right side!" The photographer bellowed, "And no tongue! We're posing for pictures not snogging!"
The pair broke their kiss, their eyes opening to meet each other's stare. Both were so flustered the photographer had to remind them again to lean their heads the opposite direction. They followed the same routine for this side…though Adrien made sure to keep his tongue to himself.
"Perfect!" The photographer said, suddenly walking off the stage and starting to pack up. Adrien and Marinette were still tangled in each others arms. It took a moment for either to say anything. "I suppose we should go change now…" Adrien started, but he didn't make a move to let her go.
Marinette looked away, unable to hold his intense gaze, "I suppose so." Adrien let go of her and they started to the opposite sides of the stage toward their respective dressing rooms. Before Adrien made it to the stage wings he felt a hand on his shoulder.
It was Marinette, looking like she was trying to be brave. "Before I forget, I wanted to ask if you would have dinner with me tonight."
Adrien smiled, "Sure, what's your mom making?"
Marinette looked at her feet, "I meant with just me…at maybe Cafe Sairette down the street?" When Adrien didn't immediately say something she finished with, "It'd be my treat!"
She looked up to see him smiling at her. "I think I'd like that. I'll meet you out front in a few minutes." They both made their way off stage to change. Marinette thought her chest would burst. Even if nothing went right after this, this would still have be ranked as the best day of her life.