The Cost of Commitment - KJ2 (23 page)

Jay didn’t need to see her face to know that the blue in Kate’s eyes had gone black with desire.

“No,” she answered in her sultriest tone, “I’m not.”

Kate reached over the center console of her BMW and took Jay’s hand in hers. “I love you, sweetheart.”

“That’s it? You’re still not going to tell me where we’re going?”

Kate laughed. “Nice try, love, and the seduction almost worked, but no, I’m not telling you anything else.”

Jay thumped against her seat, much like a child pitching a fit. “You’re no fun at all.”

“That’s not what you said last night, princess.”

“That was then,” Jay pouted, “this is now.”

“I promise you’re going to like it.”

“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”

“Don’t you trust that I know you by now, baby? I’m sure you’re going to be thrilled.”

In fact, Kate had gone to great lengths to make sure everything was in place. It seemed like forever since they had gotten away, even for a day.

Both of them were in desperate need of some unfettered fun. Jay was losing weight and her eyes were shadowed with lack of sleep. Kate was a little worried about her.

“Will I need to keep my coat on where we’re going?”

“What is this, twenty questions?”

“Well, nothing else seems to be working, so...”

“You, my curious love, are incorrigible.”

“And you, my mysterious brat, are infuriating.”

“But you still love me, right, Jay?”

“Sadly, yes. Even though you torture me continually, I still love you with all my heart.”

“Good. Then you can wait to find out the answers to your questions.”

“Argh! You are the most frustrating woman alive.”

“I’m okay with that.”

“So I see, or don’t see, as the case may be.”

“If you keep this up, I’ll tie your hands, too.”

“Why Katherine Ann, I didn’t know you were into bondage.”

Lynn Ames

“I didn’t either, so don’t tempt me.”

“You take away all my fun.”

“In case you’re interested, half-pint, we’re almost there.”

Jay calculated. It had been at least a couple of hours since they’d left the house, and, judging by the sounds, they must have been on the highway most of that time. “Yeah?”

“Yep. Just a few more minutes.”

Jay listened more closely. The sounds of traffic were increasing. And their pace had slowed.

Kate watched her lover as she cocked her head to the side inquisitively. She shook her head. “You are something else, you know that?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re sitting there trying to puzzle out where we’re going. I can see it.”

“Well, since someone hasn’t been particularly helpful—yes, I’m curious. That’s what we reporters do, you know, try to solve mysteries.”

“Oh, is that what you do? Thank you for clarifying that for me. I feel much better now.”

Jay tried to slap Kate playfully on the arm. Kate, however, had the advantage of sight and managed to evade the attempt.

“Hey, where’d you go?”

“Gotta be faster than that, princess.”

“Grrr.”

“I love it when you make animal noises. It’s so sexy.”

Jay, who was about to do it again, swallowed hard instead, unwilling to give Kate the satisfaction of making her growl a second time.

Kate simply laughed and steered the car to the left, into the private parking lot where she had arranged to meet a friend of hers.

When it was clear to Jay that the car was not going to move again, she said excitedly, “Are we here?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Yeah?”

“Yep.”

“Then why am I still wearing a blindfold?”

“Because I’m not ready to take it off you yet.” Kate came around the car and gently helped Jay out.

“Why not? The deal was that I had to wear it until we reached our destination. We’re here now, so I should get to take it off.”

“Nope.”

“When?”

“In another minute.” Kate watched as her friend approached, carrying an adorable bundle.

The Cost of Commitment

Several seconds later Jay sniffed the air. “What’s that smell?”

“Nothing wrong with her nose, I see.”

“Nope, that works fine,” Kate greeted her friend with a hug. “Hi, Deb. Thanks for doing this.”

“Doing
what
?” Jay asked, exasperated.

Kate and Deb laughed, and Deb leaned forward, bringing her into close proximity to Jay’s face. The bundle she’d been carrying reached forward and removed the blindfold.

Jay blinked and looked delightedly into the face of a very cute, very curious, chimpanzee. “W-wha?”

Kate beamed. “Jamison Parker, meet Zippy. Zippy, this is my friend Jay.”

As if he understood the conversation, the chimp stuck out his hand for Jay to shake.

Hesitantly, Jay took the proffered hand. She laughed heartily as Zippy shook it enthusiastically.

“That’s enough, Zip. Let’s leave her arm intact, okay?”

The chimp let go of Jay’s hand and put his arms out instead for a hug.

“Aw.” Jay reached out her arms and the chimpanzee jumped into them. “You are just the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Ahem.” Kate cleared her throat.

“You, my dear, are gloriously gorgeous. He,” she indicated the chimp she still held, “is adorable.”

“Glad we cleared that up,” Deb chuckled. “I agree.”

“Oh—I...”

“Jamison Parker, this is Deb Nellissen. Deb, meet the love of my life, Jay.”

“You have the most endearing blush. Kate is right.”

Jay looked from Kate to Deb and back again, confused.

Kate smiled. “I was just describing you, sweetheart, and explaining the many reasons why I fell in love with you, when I wouldn’t even give her,” she jabbed her thumb in the other woman’s direction, “the time of day.”

“I’m lost. What am I missing here?”

“Deb and I met a few years ago,” Kate explained, “when I was doing a special report on evolution, and whether we humans were any smarter than the apes from which we descended.”

Deb picked up the story. “Even though I badgered her incessantly, she wouldn’t succumb to my considerable charms. Can you imagine?”

“Hey, I let you be my friend.”

Deb slugged her in the arm affectionately. “That was big of you.”

“I know.”

Lynn Ames

“Anyway, honey. When Deb saw on the news that I had a fantastically perfect-looking fiancée, she called to congratulate me.”

“And to commiserate.”

“Not to mention get the inside scoop.”

“Well, there was that, too.”

“So I talked her into putting this little jaunt together for us, knowing how much you love zoos and animals.”

Jay looked around her. “Oh my God. We’re at the Bronx Zoo!”

“Very good, Sherlock.”

“I thought you said she was smart.”

“Normally, she’s pretty quick on the uptake. You’ll have to excuse her; she’s been blindfolded for the last several hours and it seems to have dulled all her senses.”

“Grrr.”

“And I thought the animals here were bad.” Deb shrank back in mock fear.

“Jay, Deb is a handler here. She has kindly moved heaven and earth in order to give us a behind-the-scenes tour of the zoo.”

Seeing the light in Jay’s eyes was more reward than anything Kate could have asked for. She nodded a silent thanks to her friend, who smiled knowingly.

“Let’s get going. We’ve got a lot to see before the gates open to the general public.”

Jay turned to Kate. “Is that why we had to leave so early in the morning?”

“Yep. It would be too hard to do this with all those screaming kids around.”

“Although, at this time of year,” Deb put in, “it’s not so bad.” She shrugged. “Only the really hardy types come out in November. Which is a shame, since there’s still so much to see.”

Kate thrust her hands in her pockets. “As days in late fall go in New York, it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.”

“Okay, Mr. Rogers. Let’s go.”

They spent the better part of the morning peeking into all manner of enclaves—watching the big cats being fed, observing the polar bears at play, and petting the giraffes, who obligingly licked them with their long, black tongues.

When they were done, Jay turned to their hostess. “Deb, I can’t thank you enough for this. It’s like a little girl’s dream come true. I’ve always been fascinated by all kinds of animals, but I never thought I’d be able to get so close. This was very special.”

The Cost of Commitment

“The pleasure was all mine, believe me. Seeing Kate happy is a treat, and it’s easy to understand why now, having met you. You are both very lucky ladies, and I am insanely jealous.”

“Eat your heart out, doll.” Kate winked at her, giving her a fierce hug and a kiss on the cheek. In her ear, she murmured, “Thanks, friend. I owe you. That was just what the doctor ordered.”

“Happy to help, gorgeous. Take good care of that one. She’s a keeper.”

“Don’t I know it.”

“Hey, are you going to unhand my girlfriend sometime today?” Jay tapped her toe in mock impatience.

The two friends laughed and disentangled themselves. Then Deb swept Jay up in a hug as well.

“Oof.”

“Didn’t want you to feel left out,” Deb said. More softly she added,

“Be good to my friend. She’s one of a kind and I’m rather fond of her.”

“I’m a little partial to her myself, so don’t worry about that.”

Kate broke in. “Hey, are you going to unhand my girlfriend sometime today?”

They all laughed.

When they were in the car, Jay took Kate’s hand. “I can’t believe you pulled that off—an intimate look inside the Bronx Zoo.”

“Yep.” Kate was inordinately proud of herself.

Jay narrowed her eyes. “On our first date you finagled a private dinner inside a historic landmark, then you get a reporter to redirect the questioning in a press conference where I’m about to get shish kebabed, now it’s a private tour of a famous zoo. All as a result of women who can’t say no to you. How many other people are lusting after you that I don’t know about yet, falling all over themselves to do favors for you?”

“You have nothing to worry about, Jamison.”

“I know.” Jay leaned her head on Kate’s shoulder. “After all, I was the beneficiary in each case.”

“Sweetheart?” Kate turned to face Jay, a quick look of concern causing her brow to furrow, “You don’t still worry about...” She flashed back to the terrible phone conversation six months earlier during which Jay, believing a fabricated tabloid report accusing Kate of being a philanderer, had angrily told Kate she never wanted to see her again.

Jay stopped her by putting fingers to her lips. “Shh. No, love, I feel very secure in our relationship. I’m working on feeling equally secure about myself. I look at these other women and I still find myself asking every now and again why it is you chose me.”

“That’s easy, Jay. You are everything I could ever want in a partner.

You’re kind, caring, compassionate, warm, fun, passionate, insightful,
Lynn Ames

interested, interesting, highly intelligent—and it’s all wrapped up in an incredibly sexy, beautiful package.”

Jay laughed. “Is that all?”

“No, but I didn’t want you to get a swelled head.”

“No danger there, love.”

“I know. That’s one of the other things that makes you the right one.”

Jay twined their fingers together. “I’m so glad you think so. I love you, Kate.”

“I love you, too, Jay.”

“What’s the word, Spinmeister?”

Kate and Peter had just sat down to lunch at one of Peter’s favorite out-of-the-way haunts. She liked to tease him about his penchant for cloak-and-dagger. It was as if, she had told him on more than one occasion, he wanted to go through life as a shadow.

“Hard to say. If Redfield feels the slightest bit of sadness over Sampson’s departure, he’s certainly not showing it.”

“No. Bill tolerated Brian, but I always got the feeling he thought he could do a better job. He was just biding his time.”

“And now his time has come.”

“Exactly. Is he making any changes?” Peter speared a french fry off Kate’s plate, earning him a fork to the back of the hand.

“You know the fries are sacred, Technowiz.”

“I know. That’s why I want them.”

“Try that again and I’ll cut off a finger.”

“Nothing like the punishment fitting the crime. I’m beginning to think you’ve been spending too much time with our ‘lock ’em up and throw away the key’ legislators. What happened to compassion, rehabilitation?”

“I’m all for that when it’s deserved. In your case, however, you clearly know you’re doing something wrong and your actions are quite deliberate. In such a case, I’m all for sending a message that willful disregard of the laws will be frowned upon and perpetrators will be dealt with harshly.”

Peter held up his hands. “Ye gods. You even sound like one of them.

You’re scaring me.”

“Yeah? Good, that was my intent. Now keep your filthy paws off of my plate.”

Eyes gleaming, Peter reached across and snagged another fry, studiously ignoring Kate’s growl. “That’s just to show you that I’m not the least bit afraid of you. Now, can we get back to the topic at hand?”

The Cost of Commitment

“Yes, but only if you get your own damn fries,” she muttered.

“Anyway, Redfield’s not doing anything terribly bold, but he is clearly sending the message that he’s in charge and it’s a new day.”

“How’s he treating you?”

“You know, it’s funny. He’s pretty much left me alone. I’ve seen him come down pretty hard on some other folks, but it’s almost as if he’s ignoring me. Like I’m a necessary evil.”

“From his perspective that’s true. The governor made your employment a condition of his promotion, didn’t he?”

“I guess you could look at it that way.”

“So he knows that, even if he wants to, he can’t do anything about you. He doesn’t want to antagonize you too much because you clearly have friends in high places. It’s too early for him to defy a direct order.

He has to build up a track record first.”

“Speaking of my friends in high places, something pretty bizarre happened the other day. I was scheduled to have dinner with the governor. At around 4:00 I got a phone call from his private appointments secretary, who sounded really nervous. She told me that something had come up and the governor regretted that he was going to have to cancel our dinner.”