His Duchess [Completed]

Chapter 22- Irresistible [E]

Cici sat at her desk finalizing the check list for Annie's surprise birthday party.
CHECK LIST:
1. DJ (give him a list of songs to play)✔️
2. Balloon center pieces ✔️
3. Order 3-layer birthday cake and choose design.✔️
4. Go over buffet menu with the hotel banquet coordinator✔️
5. Belly Dancer (Aziza)✔️
6. Lit up dance floor/and strobe lighting✔️
7. Confetti✔️
8. Slide show (pictures need to be imported onto thumb drive)✔️
9. Photo Booth✔️
10. Fortune teller (tent set-up) ✔️
11. Photographer✔️
12. Confirm Performances by Selena Gomez (Birthday), 50 Cent (In Da Club) ✔️
13. Invite Family, friends & celebrities✔️

Cici exhaled loudly, leaning back in her chair.

"Finally done..." She said to herself. It turns out to be a lot more work than she thought especially when most of it was done by her.

Charlotte and Sheila's mother, Becky, were busy with the bridal shower arrangements. And Shelia had been on her own with Michael and the wedding.

So much for Michael's idea of using Annie and me to get out of his duties as the groom, Cici snorted. Serves the pervert...

Rubbing her temples, her phone started ringing, straightening up Cici pressed the speaker button. "Yup," She answered.

"Is that anyway to greet your father?" Her father's voice boomed into her office. Cici cringed inwardly. 

"Hi daddy! Sorry...I was a little preoccupied with the birthday planning!" Hoping he'd drop the subject of her rather curt and abrupt greeting.  "What can I do for you Mr. T?" She smiled drumming her fingers on her desk while addressing his so formally.

"Well," amusement evident in his tone, "I wanted to inform you your sister came into my office earlier and pleaded to come back to work." Cici frowned and leaned closer to her phone listening intently. "I said yes, but under certain conditions." That's her father always with an ultimatum. "I told her she is not to over work herself and she couldn't help you, your mother or Shelia with the bridal shower party and the wedding details..." He finished.

"Perfect thinking dad, we could still be incognito and she wouldn't suspect a thing..."

"Of course. This should keep her away from all the planning and it will still end up a surprise. You're welcome." Cici could imagine the satisfied smirk her father had on his face at this very moment.

"Thanks dad! You're the best!" She replied back enthusiastically.

*********

"Not in public Julien!" Annie panicked as she pushed him away when he tried stealing another kiss from her. He was an insatiable man. All throughout the time in the restaurant he held and kissed her at every opportunity.

"You are irresistible." He declared in a husky voice as they stood behind their parked cars. By the time they finished lunch and talked, several hours passed. Time flew by and they didn't even realize it because they were so occupied with each other.

Looking around she spotted a few cameras in the corners looking down upon the parking lot. Glancing back to Julien, she found him patting his pant pocket retrieving his vibrating cellular phone.

Julien ended the call without answering, giving her a smirk. "Exchange numbers and e-mails with me so I am able to contact you."

It didn't sound like a request nor a demand, Annie felt as if it was a expectation.

However, she had been waiting for him to ask her for a while now. Handing his phone to her, Annie dialed her number, her cellular phone going off in her handbag. Julien's eyes lit up as she continued to input her contact information.