Worst first dates. The script. Grilled cheese on the roof.

She had swayed to three songs because she couldn't stop looking at it. Had let her eyes hopscotch down its basket weave texture. Left, right, left, right, always down.

Now she finds herself wondering what it would feel like between her teeth.

What it would feel like for him to put it there.

"Pam?"

She jumps. "What?" It's brushing the back of her hand, and she thinks maybe he should wear a tie tack once in a while.

He turns her chair slightly toward him, still leaning over conspiratorially. He grins. "This won't work if you keep spacing out."

She closes her eyes, shakes her head clear. "Right. Sorry. Umbrella." Can a tie be hazel? Because that's what color it is. The same as -

"Right. So we just have to hope he zooms in on the coat rack." He's looking behind them, and its right there, so she softly rubs the fabric between her fingers. Wool. Nice.

She looks up to find him looking at her, bemused. He glances down at her finger and thumb, which slip guiltily back onto her armrest.

"Sorry. I, um, I was just thinking...I've never learned to tie a necktie." Pretty good. She shrugs. "Not that I'd ever need to..." She can still feel the fibers on her fingertips.

"I'll teach you."

"Yeah?"

"Sure. It's easy."

"Okay."

He's loosening it and looking around. "Let's see. It might be easier with a mirror. Tell you what, follow me."

She follows him into the hall. He stops in front of an unoccupied suite of offices. The window beside the door is dark - as good as a mirror. "Okay, face the window."

Then he's reaching around either side of her neck, under her hair, raising her collar. His fingers brush her neck, and a chill slides down her arms. He slides the tie up under her hair, laying it flat against her shirt. He steps out of her way and crosses his arms.

"Okay, now make the thin end a little shorter. That's it. Pinch the top of that side between your fingers. Now take the wide end over the top..."

She's watching herself in the window, trying to reconcile where her hands are with where they look like they are, and she makes a hopeless mess of it.

He chuckles. "Here." He moves around behind her, and reaches around her shoulders. His fingers hook around her ungainly knot, loosening it. When the tie hangs free again, he steps closer and puts his head down beside hers. His left hand closes around hers, raising it up to the tie. His voice is low in her ear.

"Pinch the top." His fingers close over hers. His right hand guides hers to the other side. "Okay, bring this over the front. Now reach under here and bring it under." His wrist rests on her chest briefly while he shows her how to snag the tie end. "Okay, bring it over the front again, this time over your left fingers. That's it. Now reach under again...and bring it up behind the knot." His fingers push the tie up through, against her throat. "Now just tuck that down through where your left fingers are."

She does and suddenly it looks like a tie. She grins. "Cool."

He smiles. "Then just hold the thin end like this, and nudge the knot up." He does it for her, his knuckles brushing the skin under her chin. He straightens up and grips her shoulders with long, warm hands. "Alright, your turn. You're flyin' solo this time."

He coaches her through the steps again, squeezing her shoulders when she gets a step right. His thumbs press the muscles on either side of her spine. Concentrate.

"You've got it!" He grins at her in the window when she manages the knot on her own. "See? Easy."

"Thanks."

He shrugs. "Course, if you want a challenge..." He cocks his left eyebrow. No, his right. Focus.

"Challenge?"

"Yup." He reaches around and undoes the knot again. He holds the tie up, draped over two fingers, looks at her in the window. "Put it back on me."

She hopes he can't see her hand trembling as she takes it from him.

She turns to face him. He laces his fingers together in front of him, his thumbs twirling around each other. He raises his chin to give her access.

Okay. Buttons. She drapes the tie over her arm and undoes the small buttons on his collar. Then she reaches up to the back of his neck, puts her fingertips under his collar, and slides them around to the front, raising it. She feels him shiver a bit.

She puts the tie up around his neck, then turns to face the same direction he does, miming the motions to herself.

"Hey, no cheating! You have to face me."

So she turns back and takes hold of either side. She has to rest the backs of her hands on his chest for a moment before she can remember the first step. His breath rises and falls under her and she can see his throat through his open top button.

Suddenly his thumbs are poking her navel. "You're stalling."

She steps closer, trapping his thumbs there. She begins the motions, trying not to notice how his adam's apple bobs when he swallows, or how warm his fingers are through her shirt. Before she tightens the knot, she closes his top button. Invisible stubble scrapes her knuckles. He clears his throat.

She slides the knot up, then smoothes the tie down his chest and stomach. When she reaches the end, she tugs it lightly and grins up at him. He's blushing.

"Challenge met?"

He raises his eyebrows and nods approvingly. "Yes. You're a worthy pupil."

"Thank you." She touches the fabric softly one more time, then gestures toward their office. "Shall we?"

"After you." His hand rests lightly on her back until she's through the door.

She spends the afternoon playing hopscotch again.

She hopes he doesn't wear it tonight. It'll throw off her game.