Monahan 02 Artificial Intentions (44 page)

And now I didn’t want to think any more. For a while anyway. It felt so good to be held by Jay and to feel his body next to mine.

“I’ve made some decisions,” I said, “but I need your input before they become official decisions.”

I was pretty proud of myself, thinking of someone other than myself, for once. I needed Jay to be okay with what I wanted to do.

“Sure. Fire away. I’d be glad to offer input, at no charge.”

“I think I want to stay at Phoenix. It’s a good company. And good people. I think Tommy would want me to stay.”

“I agree. It’s your company. You need to do whatever you think is necessary.”

“Why are you always so agreeable?” I smiled up at him.

“Because lately, you make it easy.” He smiled back. I knew he was teasing. “What other decisions have you made?”

“Well, if I stay at Phoenix, it’ll have to be in New York.” Jay nodded. “I want to sell Tommy’s apartment and get our own.”

“Agreed.”

“So, this living together is something you want to continue?”

“No. Not necessarily.”

My stomach sank. And here I thought everything was close to perfect. I gulped.

“No?”

“I’m okay with the way things have been the last couple of weeks,” Jay said. “But…”

I sat up from where I had been curled against his chest and turned to him.

“But what?” I asked indignantly.

“Hey, easy girl,” he teased. “Let me finish. I was going to say that I’m okay with the way things have been but it would be better if we were married.”

The long pause that followed was Kate Monahan, finally speechless.