Sometimes matchmaking works better when you don't even see what's happening.

Wanda opened the front door and squealed excitedly when she saw Natasha on the other side. She grabbed the woman's hand and pulled her inside the house as she kicked the door shut. "Dad! Ms. Natasha is here!"

"He's still getting ready for his meeting?"

"Yeah, but he should be down in a minute. I'm so glad you're here!" Wanda hugged Natasha tightly and the redhead returned the embrace.

"So am I. I'm glad that I was available today." Once they separated, Natasha looked at the tv in the living room which was playing a kids show. "You like Trolls, huh?"

"Yes, I love it! The movie was really good, but the show is so much better!"

A voice from behind them said, "Wanda, you can talk Natasha's ear off after you've finished your dinner."

Wanda and Natasha turned to look at the staircase where Steve was descending. He wore a tailored black suit that made him look very handsome and a tie was around his neck, but he hadn't finished it yet.

God, he looked so good.

"Okay, dad." Wanda sighed and went over to the couch where a plate of food sat on the coffee table.

Steve approached Natasha and smiled. "Hey, thanks again for doing this."

"No problem. I'm happy to help out. What time does she need to be in bed?"

"I'd say no later than nine. She's already had her bath and washed her hair, so you don't have to worry about that. Uh, when she finishes dinner, she can have one of the ice creams in the fridge, but watch her like a hawk because she may try to sneak another one when you're not looking."

"Sounds like me when I was a kid."

"Except you probably weren't as mischievous."

"Probably not." Natasha chuckled and watched him struggle with his tie. "Need some help?"

Steve grunted and dropped his hands, letting out an annoyed sigh. "Please. I've never been good with these things."

"Oh, we can't have that. If you're going to be running an art gallery, you'll have to learn to put on a tie." Natasha's voice was full of teasing as she took hold of both ends of the tie and began fixing it for him.

It wasn't lost on Steve how intimate this moment was. He could recall how his own mother used to fix his father's ties for him when they went on dates. "That's the only drawback of this new job. Dressing up has never been my forte. I'm more comfortable in jeans and a t shirt."

"Same here. I wear an old shirt and leggings around the house most of the time." Natasha bit her lip when she noticed his eyes flicker down towards her legs for a split second before looking back up at her face. She felt her cheeks warm.

"A no frills girl, huh?"

"You better believe it and I'm still a tomboy."

"But you were wearing a dress when we had lunch a few days ago."

"It was a laundry day and I didn't have anything to wear."

"Well, I liked the way it looked on you."

Natasha's breath hitched. She was used to receiving compliments from men, but this man made her feel so good when he said things like that. "Thank you," she whispered. Maybe she was being predictable, but she wondered how it would feel if he held her with those strong arms of his.

There you go, thinking like a schoolgirl again.

Pushing that distracting idea from her mind, Natasha focused on the tie in her hands. Once it was straightened, she stepped back. "Voila."

"Thanks." Steve walked to the hall mirror to see what she'd done. It was expertly made and near perfect, so unlike his previous attempts. "You're a miracle worker. I've tried to tie this thing six times and not once could I get it right." His eyes held a question and she answered it.

"My dad taught me how to fix ties when I was a kid. There are several ways to do it, but it takes a lot of practice."

"I believe you." Steve checked his watch and made a little humming sound. "Alright, I have to go."

Wanda had been listening to their conversation surreptitiously and when she heard this, she got up from her seat and gave him a hug. "Have a good time, dad."

"You too, kiddo. Try to stay out of trouble while I'm gone, okay?"

"No promises!" The girl laughed and ran back to the couch.

Steve shook his head and he headed to the front door. After he opened it, he turned to look at Natasha. "Thanks again for the help."

"You're welcome."

He placed a soft kiss on Natasha's cheek, smiling as he pulled away. "Bye."

"See you later," Natasha replied breathlessly. She watched him leave until he got in his car and drove off. Then she realised that she had been standing with the front door wide open. Embarrassed by this behavior, she closed the door and locked it.

Damn. That kiss caught her off guard, which was a shame because she could have turned her head and their lips would've met instead. There was no hurry, though. Natasha had a feeling another opportunity would turn up soon.