The guys of SME looked awful guilty looking as I approached Portia from the side listening to her complain with only half an ear as I saw them whispering about something before glancing around the room. Something told me that they were up to something, and just from the way that Spied kept glancing over at Tommy Q, I was really starting to worry just a little about his intentions. I followed Vincent's stare to find myself looking into Tom's beautiful blue eyes as he watched me move around the room before Portia suddenly grabbed me by the arm and pulled me forcefully into an empty room as she pulled two brilliant, splendid dress creations from behind her back. One was red and strapless with a nipped waist and full skirt that would undoubtedly swing against my ankles as I walked. The waist had a sequined rose artfully sewn onto the left side of the waistline with small, delicate red beaded pearls that came off the bloom like vines trailing down one side of the skirt to the hem. It was absolutely brilliant and must have taken a long time to make because it was most definitely hand sewn. The other dress was gold and looked as if it would undoubtedly fit my body like a glove with a slit that went from the waist all the way to my thigh, and while it was eye catching, there was just something very sophisticated and sexy about that beautiful red dress—something that yelled 'look at me,' and for the first time I actually saw that dress the way Sadie saw all clothes. I just had to have it.
"Do I have to pick one?" I asked Portia subtly as Portia grinned when she saw the appreciative gleam in my eye.
"Actually no. You get to wear both. One is for the cocktail party tonight and the other is for the auction tomorrow night. The only decision you have to make is which one you want to wear when. You just have to remember that whichever you pick for the auction is also the dress you'll wear out to 'The Gold Medallion'" Portia said quickly reiterating the fancy restaurant that Darius had selected for the auction dates. Once a man was selected, then they were to escort the women to the romantic locale—complete with flowing fountains and beautiful chandeliers—to dine and dance until at least the strike of midnight. I looked from each dress and almost sighed with the dilemma but something told me to save the red dress for the auction and to go for the gold tonight. Maybe it was those little demons I had riding on my shoulders because I knew that if I wore that dress then unimaginable things could happen and I wasn't sure if I was ready for that yet. Or maybe it was because I was. Oh, what was I thinking! Now, after everything that had happened, I just hoped I could manage to stay focused on my music for the rest of the afternoon. Lord knows, I needed to lose myself in it.