( but what about kissing as part of dating, elizabeth? )

Keep them away from my mother, mostly. ( ivan mutters, this time under his breath. his mother might start making overtures about commitment and marriage and like hell ivan wants any of that. it puts ideas into the heads of his dates and makes dating married women sound more and more appealing as time goes on. ) Dinner. Sometimes someone she or I will know throws a dance, and then there's the parties after that.

( shaking his head, he waves her concern away. )

You don't have to if you don't want to. Wear a dress, that is.