Chapter 54

I stood there, still feeling the weight of his intense dark gaze as the crowd moved out of the ballroom, except for the winners who hustled up to claim their dates and a few others who clustered around the men, asking for autographs or posing for photos. I'll give the guys this - all fifteen of them put up with the fawning attention, dispensing hugs and autographs with grace. Likewise, I kept up my obligatory smile, accepting checks and air kisses and thanking those who came up to talk to the organizer.

Finally, the women hustled their "dates" out the door and the only one left was Dermott McMahon, who lingered behind the cashier's table with Dani and Ari and their men. I raised my eyebrow at Dani as I approached. "These two don't keep you occupied?"

Ari broke first. She's just too bloody sweet to lie worth a damn. "We bought him for you, Jess."

"What?" I stopped in my tracks. "What have you two done this time?" Even after being friends for nearly fifty years, they still managed to