Page 23 of Surrender to Love

With a smile plastered on my face thanks to him, I open our group text. They apparently had a whole damn conversation without me. Alex initiated it.

Alex: Don’t forget I’m not in town this weekend. No FNF for me.

Mireya: Playground weekend?

Alex: Yes, and much needed too. I’ll be back in town and reachable on Tuesday.

Mireya: You know I hate that we can’t contact you there.

Alex: I’m fine there. I’ll let you know when I touch down on Thursday. Trust me, I’m good. I stay there the whole time and never go anywhere. Don’t worry.

Giselle: She’s fine, Reya. Hell, I’m going next month. I need a break and release.

Mireya: My objection applies to you too. I hate that there’s no contact there.

Giselle: We are fine there!

Alex: Better than fine.

Mireya: I guess.

Alex: Don’t do anything new or extravagant without me.

Giselle: I was thinking about massages actually. Reya says she can make her world-famous charcuterie boards, one savory and one dessert.

Alex: Well, I’m getting a massage there, so I’ll allow that in my absence.

Giselle: Okay, bitch! Allow! LOL

As soon as I’m caught up, I jump into the thread, although I’m forty minutes behind.

Me: I’m down for the boards and the massage.

Alex: Finally. Busy morning, Miss Dean?

Me: Yes. Stayed with Shiro last night then had a two-hour meeting with my chairs.

Alex: You had fun last night.

Me: Too much I just read you’ll be having fun this weekend.

Alex: All weekend

Me: I want to be like you when I grow up.

Alex: You already are We need to do lunch before I leave though.

Me: Of course. I’ll tell Lexie to get with Dontae and get on your calendar.

Alex: Perfect.

My girls Alex and Giselle are the most sexually liberated women I know and I love it. Conventional sex roles and rules do not apply to them. Giselle owns and operates a whole high-end escort service and she and Alex both belong to this top-secret sex club in Vegas, Seduction Suites. They take trips there a few times each year. Alex calls her suite in the club her playground. When she’s there, the outside world is completely cut off. Her phones are off and she’s unreachable. I love everything about my body and my sexual appetite is great, but I’m nowhere near their level.

A ping from an IM on my laptop screen pulls me from my cell. It’s from Lexie. Dr. Tre Evans is here to see me. His visits are frequent but I’m trying not to read too much into them. He’s a visiting professor, not only new to the university but new to the city and teaching, so I give him grace. However, he stays flirting and his visits aren’t always warranted. Just last week he came to me because he was locked out of his laptop. We have an entire IT department who handles that, not me.

Giving him the benefit of the doubt, I message Lexie to allow him to enter. Seconds later, my door opens and he strolls in.

“Good morning, Dr. Morris,” he greets as he steps toward me.