Surrendering Series Box Set

“As long as I get to dance with you, I’ll be happy. You still haven’t told me about your dress.”

I shook my head slowly. “It’s bad luck to tell you about the dress before the ball.”

“Sunshine, I’m pretty sure that’s just for weddings.”

“Oh, I think it should also apply to balls. Also, because I want to savor your facial expression when you see me sweep down the staircase in it.” I got up from the couch and practiced sweeping down the stairs and did a little curtsy.

“Will there be stairs to sweep down?”

“Yes, there are. They remind me of stairs from Gone With The Wind.”

He got up and bowed. “So am I Rhett Butler or Ashley Wilkes?”

“Oh you’re Rhett. Definitely Rhett. What kind of a question is that?” Ugh, Ashley Wilkes was the worst. Plus, I knew it was an old fashioned name for a guy, but still. I couldn’t be attracted to a guy named Ashley.

“Just making sure,” he said before he took my hands and twirled me around. “Rhett was the better dancer. And he didn’t emotionally cheat on his wife.”

“Ashley kissed Scarlet, remember? So he actually cheated on her. Douchebag. He reminds me a little of my ex.” He also had a stupid name.

“That’s right. I haven’t watched that movie in a long time. I’d forgotten.” He moved his hands around my waist and we started slow dancing instead.

He finally hummed a tune I recognized.

“Is that the song by the Rembrandts that was the intro to Friends?” I couldn’t be sure because he’d slowed it down a bit.

“Maybe.” But he said it with a smile so I knew I was right.

“Well if you invite Chloe, then that means Marisol is left out and that’s not right.”

“I could invite her, too. Have a lovely lady on each arm.”

“Like a pimp.”

“You said it, not me.”

We danced for a little bit more.

“It’s not a bad idea,” I said. “Bringing the three of them. It would be a lot more fun. And I know they’re not going to turn it down. Do you want me to ask, or do you want to do the honors?”

“I’ll handle it,” he said and kissed me.

“You’re awesome.”

“I know.”

~*~*~

I got two all caps text messages the next day, one each from Marisol and Chloe. Apparently, Lucah had sent beautiful flower arrangements to each of them with a note asking them to the ball.

They were both ecstatic, even Chloe who claimed she’d never been on a date with a man, but was willing to make an exception. Sloane texted me and she was less enthused because they each wanted dresses and that was going to be hard to finish in time, with the event only a little more than two weeks away. Sloane thrived on pressure, but she bitched about it every step of the way. I had no doubt in my mind that she’d finish. I’d just have to hear her whine and complain the entire time, but I guess that was part of the fun of living with her.

I texted Lucah and told him, and he grinned over his desk at me and sent a message back.

What can I say? The ladies love me. I sighed loud enough for him to hear and texted him back.

Don’t let your head get too big or you won’t be able to hold it up.

That earned me a snarky text back and then my phone rang and there was an issue with a PowerPoint presentation and I had to go figure that out. I swear, PowerPoint was created by Satan to ruin lives.