Legend

New year

"Are you going to wear the pearls tonight?" Damian asked, the merest trace of concern in his voice. I shook my head and smiled.

"Nope, I have a whole lot of dress, and the pearls would just be an afterthought." I paused to arrange everything in the Merry Widow I'd chosen for the best line under the dress, and Damian grinned as he watched. "I know you're worried about them, Damian, but please remember that I am not your grandmother." I put on dainty fuchsia sandals with tall heels. "If anybody pointed a gun at me, I would feed it to them," I explained reasonably. He looked startled, then a smile lit his face.

"I did forget that history doesn't have to repeat," he said, "and I'm sorry for not considering your considerable self-defense prowess. I bought into the tragedy."

"I doubt that any woman would have wanted to be remembered just for the necklace she was wearing when she died," I said gently, adjusting the top of the stocking where it clipped into the garter.

"I can't wait to get home and take that off," he said, eyes heating and stepping toward me. I took the opportunity to tie his heavy silk bow tie. "When did you learn to tie a bow tie?"

"Saw it on YouTube, wanted to surprise you," I said, and touched perfume behind my ears and down my cleavage. I put in the diamond and pearl spray earrings and grinned at him. "You might want to cover your eyes," I warned, then pulled the gown out of the bag. I pulled what seemed like a mountain of silk over my head and did the side zipper.

"Holy shit, Alex," he blurted out, and I checked the mirror. It was strapless, with a pleated and draped bodice with a sash that looked like an obi and a heavy lined skirt that opened at the sky-high slit in the front and followed me around dramatically. "That is incredible." He circled me, not easy to do even in the Dream Closet. "The red and hot pink should clash but they're just beautiful instead. Your dark hair keeps it from overwhelming you. You look both magnificent and formidable." He studied me and shook his head. "The earrings won't do, though." He opened his safe and brought out a box. "I just happened to have these, waiting for an occasion." I opened the box with some trepidation; inside were serious statement earrings. Diamonds were set into the narrow ovals that connected the post to carved rock crystal drops. I put them on; their lack of delicate detail let them stand up to the dress and the colors caught in the crystal drops.

"Perfect," I breathed. "But Damian, it's too much."

"You always say that, and it never is," he said, kissing my shoulder. "Come on, let's show Dad and we'll be on our way."

Bruce's eyebrows nearly met his hairline when he saw my dress. "My word, Miss Alex," Alfred murmured. "You look extraordinary."

""Nobody will be looking anywhere else with you in the room," Bruce said, kissing my cheek. "You've managed to make Damian extraneous." Damian laughed.

"It'll be nice for a change. Hey, Dad, can we take the Fossil Mobile? I don't think the dress will fit in either of our cars."

"The Rolls?" his dad said mockingly. "Yes, it would be a shame to get Alex's dress all crumpled. Don't you have a wrap, Alex?" he asked, frowning.

"I have plenty, but there's valet parking at the hotel and I don't want to have to mess with a shawl," I explained.

"I could drive you," Alfred volunteered. "I too will be in the city for the new year as Nora and I are going to Times Square." We tried to demur, not wanting him to work on his personal time, but he insisted, and Nora, bouncing in, said she thought it would be fun. She'd lost her reserve and was a lot of fun.

"Alex, who did your dress? That's amazing. You look like some sort of social battle goddess, out to lay waste to the field."

"Thanks, Nora. It's made by Zuhair Murad, he's from Lebanon. I love it, it even has pockets so I don't have to carry a purse. I was worried it might be too much."