She had almost made it to the door when Dylan?s soft voice halted her steps.
“Why were you jealous?”
“That?s a good question,” Cat replied, barely aware she was speaking aloud. “I?ve thought about it a lot during these past couple days, and I don?t think I can come up with an answer that would satisfy even me.”
The silence behind her gained weight, oppressive as only such silences could ever be. Her heart beating so fast and so hard that she was sure it would pound itself right out of her chest, Cat gathered every scrap of courage she ever possessed, and gave voice to the one question she wanted?needed?answered.
“Dylan,” she began softly, so softly that Dylan, even with her exceptional hearing, had to strain to hear her, “do you love me?”
Silence reigned again, for just a moment. “Excuse me?”
Whirling, Cat pinned Dylan in place with a gaze that was open, honest, and deadly serious. “I need to know. Do you love me?”
“Yes.”
It was amazing, Cat mused, how that one simple word could restore hope to a heart gone cold. Still, the smile that might have been expected stayed from her lips. “I think?I think that maybe part of my?jealousy?came from not?knowing?that.” The silence was still thick, and Cat found herself turning her head away yet again. “I know it sounds like I?m dumping all of this on you, but I?m not. Not really. I guess I was just?scared?.”
Not sensing any movement, Cat was startled at the sudden feel of long, strong arms wrapping themselves around her and the press of a tight, lean body against to hers. Emotionally drained, she could do nothing but melt into the enveloping warmth, her hands coming up to tangle in the fabric of Dylan?s shirt as if holding onto a lifeline. “I?m sorry,” she whispered, voice muffled against the fabric covering her lover?s chest. “I?m so sorry.”
“It?s okay,” Dylan murmured, brushing her hand against Cat?s back in soothing circles. “It?s okay. I?m here. It?s okay.” After a moment, she pulled away slightly and gently tipped the younger woman?s chin up so that their eyes met. “I love you, Catherine. I?m sorry that it?s taken me this long to tell you how I feel. I?m so?.”
“No,” Cat replied, touching a finger against Dylan?s full lips, “please, don?t apologize for my insecurities. My heart knew your answer before I even asked the question. I know you love me, and I knew it then. I just?.”
“Cat, if this photo shoot bothers you so much, I?ll call Horace and tell him to shove it. I don?t want you hurting like this.”
“Dylan, I can?t ask that of you, and I won?t. This is a part of who you are, a part of who you?ve always been. I absolutely hate the way you were coerced into it, and I hate being a part of that, but I also realize that it bothers me a lot more than it bothers you.” She smiled. “I trust you. I think?I think I just need to learn how to trust myself.”
Dylan was silent for such a long time that Cat began to fear that she?d misspoken. Finally, the tall woman?s expression cleared and she looked down at her partner intently. “If you don?t have any plans for the morning, why not come to the shoot with me?”
“Oh,” Cat demurred, “I?m not sure I?.”
“Please. I think it would really help you to see what goes on during these things. I think you?ve built an image up in your mind that nothing but experience is gonna erase. I don?t want that image coming between us, Cat.”
Cat looked up at her pensively.
“Please.”
Taking in the naked plea in those arresting eyes, Cat can do nothing but not her acceptance. The kiss she received in thanks drove any further apprehension from her mind.
The photography studio was large and well-appointed, and Cat found her nerves settling just a little as they walked in and were greeted by Cory, the photographer?s assistant. Cory was a well dressed, reed thin young man with a thick mop of curly red hair and a bubbly, welcoming personality. Leading them over to a nattily upholstered couch in the rather large sitting room off to one side, he slipped a bottle of juice into Dylan?s hand and a steaming cup of coffee into Cat?s. “Now you just wait right here and I?ll get Wendy. She?s putting the finishing touches on the layout.”
Dylan and Cat exchanged amused looks as he hurried off, babbling to himself. Quaffing her juice in several large gulps, Dylan stood to throw the bottle away just as the chimes above the door sounded. Straightening, she grinned as the immaculately dressed and almost criminally handsome Marquis Jackson strode through the door, followed by his equally exquisite wife Marcelle.
Spying Dylan, Marquis beamed and moved to engulf her in a massive hug which Dylan returned in full measure. Cat looked on, astonished at seeing her lover so dwarfed. They were both of a height, but Jackson was much broader across the shoulders and chest, making Dylan look almost petite within the enshrouding shelter of his massive arms. Finally pulling away, he grinned at her, white teeth flashing brilliantly against the ebony of his skin. “Damn, girl! You?re looking fine! Where?ve you been, lately?”
“Around,” Dylan replied, turning to the young woman standing at Marquis? side. “Marcelle, it?s good to see you again.”
Laughing lightly, genuinely, Marcelle stepped into Dylan?s fond embrace and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. “He?s right,” she said. “You look wonderful.”
“So do you. You been keeping him in line?”
“Oh,” Marcelle smirked, “he knows what side his bread?s buttered on.”
The three shared a laugh. Dylan then turned to Cat and held out a hand. Coming to her feet, Cat crossed the room and smiled at the newcomers. Marquis Jackson she recognized easily?who wouldn?t? He was to men?s basketball what Dylan was to women?s. The best player ever. When he turned his smile on her, she had, she admitted silently, a bit of a fan geek moment, though it was nothing compared to the feeling that came over her when she heard Dylan?s casually spoken words.
“Marquis, Marcelle, I?d like you to meet Catherine Hodges, my partner.”
“Oh ho!” Marcelle quipped, turning to Cat with a wide, knowing grin. “So you?re the reason she?s been behaving herself, huh?”
Cat found herself blushing deeply as the beautiful woman bent forward and gave her a hug. “You take good care of her, alright?” Marcelle whispered in her ear. “She means a lot to us.”
“I will,” Cat replied, dazed. “I promise.”
Her sense of unreality trebled as Marquis stepped over and hugged her tightly, the scent of his cologne tingling pleasantly in her nose. “I?ve seen you on TV,” he said, finally pulling away. “You?re pretty damn good!”
Tongue tied, she could only blink at him, wondering if pinching herself to assure herself this wasn?t a dream was proper protocol in such a situation.
Dylan?s arm around her shoulder thankfully brought her back to planet Earth before she could embarrass herself any further. She felt herself being led back to the couch, and she lowered herself, a bit unsteadily, then offered a smile to Marcelle who eased in beside her.
“First time at one of these shindigs?”
“Yes,” Cat replied, quite pleased at her ability to actually utter those words aloud. A few feet away, Dylan and Marquis were deep in conversation about something. Basketball, probably.
“They?re not too bad, once you get used to having the one you love prowl around half naked like some porn star for all the world to see.”
Reality came back to Cat in a flash, and she looked over at Marcelle, stunned. “You feel that way too?”
“Not as much anymore,” the young woman replied. “But at first, yeah, it was pretty bad.”
“Bad how?”
“You know, the usual.” She shrugged. “Jealousy, mostly.”
“Been there, definitely done that! What made it better for you?”
Marcelle lifted an elegant hand. “Watching what goes on behind the scenes. It?s work, plain and simple. They know it, I know it, and after this, you?ll know it too.”
“I hope you?re right,” Cat grumbled, slumping back against the couch.
“You?ll see.”
At that moment, Cory stepped back into the room, trailed by a young, attractive, blonde-haired, woman who was even shorter than Cat herself. Stopping before Dylan and Marquis, she greeted them with a friendly grin, then murmured something to them both. Nodding, they left the room behind the ever-efficient Cory. The young woman then turned her bright grin on Cat and Marcelle, approaching them with a quick, no-nonsense step. “Mrs. Jackson, it?s a pleasure to see you again.”
“Hey, Wendy,” Marcelle returned with a grin. “You?re gonna take care of him, right? He?s just getting over a pulled hamstring.”
“I promise to have him back in one piece.”
“I like the way you think, girl.”
When the young photographer turned to Cat, her grin became a little shy. “Ms. Hodges. It?s an honor to meet you, Ma?am.”
“Cat, please,” she replied, charmed.
To Cat?s surprise, the photographer blushed, just slightly. “Ah, yes, well?I?ve set up a couple of chairs a little closer to the action, if you ladies would like to follow me?”
As Wendy moved away, Marcelle stood and tipped a wink to Cat. “Looks like D isn?t the only one with a fan club, hmm?”
It was Cat?s turn to blush.
Laughing, Marcelle led the way to the two director?s style chairs that were set up to the left of the shooting area, which displayed a plain white backdrop, a professional lighting setup, a tripod, and several cameras.
As she settled herself in, Cat looked to Marcelle, who was giving the area a casual once over. “Marquis and Dylan seem like good friends. Have you guys known each other long?”
“Since college. Marquis and I were high school sweethearts, and we both went to UCLA on scholarship. Marquis, of course, for basketball.”
“And you?”
Marcelle smiled. “Pre-law.”
“Impressive. I?ve always been interested in law.”
“Well, I passed the bar, but I?m not practicing.”
“Why?”
“I like traveling with Marquis too much, and he likes having me there, so?.” She shrugged. “When he retires, I?ll set up a nice little estate law practice somewhere and work to my heart?s content.”
Before Cat could ask anymore questions, the door to the back room opened and Marquis stepped out. Cat?s jaw dropped as if unhinged and she felt her eyes actually press from their sockets. He strode confidently across the room, more god than man, his ebony skin oiled to a high sheen, his muscles rippling and cut to diamond perfection. He was naked save for white high-top Nikes and a black g-string that would have left absolutely nothing to the imagination?had there been anything to look at.
“It?s called ?tucking?.”
Marcelle?s amused voice cut through Cat?s haze and she found herself, once again, blushing furiously. “I?um?I?.”
Marcelle?s laughter was rich and full as she reached over and gave Cat?s shoulder a friendly smack. “Breathe, my friend. It?s alright.”
Any breath Cat might have taken whooshed right out of her as the door opened again and Dylan stepped through. “Blessed Mary,” she gasped, her eyes wide and round as saucers.
Like Marquis, every inch of Dylan?s magnificent form was oiled to a high, wet gloss. Her engorged muscles, shot through with plump veins, were chiseled, standing out in bas relief against the flawless silk of her skin. Her hair, wet and drawn off of her face, trailed down her back in a shining, fat ebony braid, throwing her striking features into high, gorgeous definition. And like her photo mate, she was also naked, save for black high top Nikes, a flesh-colored g-string. A pair of small pasties had been added in deference to her gender.
“They make a beautiful couple, don?t they.”
Marcelle could have been speaking Martian for all Cat understood of her words. Her body was too busy trying to coerce her into doing something that was illegal in thirty seven states. At least in public. And when Cory entered the frey, water bottle in hand, and started spritzing “fake sweat” on them both, she considered chucking it all and dragging Dylan off somewhere a little more private.
Like the middle of Times Square.
On New Year?s Eve.
At this point, even the parking lot would do in a pinch.
Or that nice roomy couch just a few short steps away.
Mmm.
“Earth to Cat.” A dark, perfectly manicured hand waved itself before her dazed eyes. “Earth to Cat, come in, Cat. Yoo hoo. You in there?”
Blinking, Cat forced herself out of a fantasy that was growing more lurid by the second. “Hmm?”
A warm hand on her shoulder completed the break, and she found herself looking up into the concerned eyes of her partner.
“You ok?”
“Mm? Me? Juuuuust fine.”
Snorting softly, Dylan rolled her eyes, and gave Cat?s shoulder a fond squeeze before stepping away. “Keep an eye on her, will ya?” she asked Marcelle as she moved to stand beside Marquis.
“And off of your beautiful bod? Not a chance!”
“Hey!” Cat snapped, grinning. “You just keep your eyes on that gorgeous god of a husband you?ve got there, missy. I?ll keep my eyes on Dylan, thank you very much.”
The room broke up into relieved laughter, and with that, the session started.