High Risk

by JLee Meyer

  Kate decided that from now on, they were taking a private jet. At least she could be herself with Dash. She wanted to be openly affectionate and despised some of the ugly comments that she had read recently on blogs, social Web sites, and the media. Oh, the encouraging ones far outnumbered them, but how could people be so self-righteous, so judgmental? What gave them the right?

  Most of these idiots assured her that when her fling with Dasher ended and she was married to a man, they would eventually forgive her. The idea of ever being apart from Dasher sickened her. Those people would never have the kind of love she had with Dash, because they were incapable of it. Well, that wasn’t her problem.

  Her problem was convincing Dasher that what they had was real. Dasher had to be able to trust her to be there for her. Dasher had to trust that her heart was safe in Kate’s keeping. Kate wasn’t sure she could do that, because she’d never done it before. What would it take to make Dasher believe?

  *

  “You look beautiful, Laurel. It’s really true what they say about brides, isn’t it?” Kate was admiring Laurel’s stunning dress and the joy so evident on her face. Marilyn Hoffman was fussing back and forth between Kate and Laurel, adjusting this and that.

  “It certainly is. Laurel, you look radiant. I’m so happy. Stefanie is perfect for you. Even your brother Teddy is here. Isn’t that wonderful?”

  Kate and Laurel exchanged glances. Ted was there because he and his family had gotten a free ride on a Beresford corporate jet and he was trying to social climb with Stefanie’s family. He’d sent his wife and two boys on a sightseeing trip during the wedding. Wouldn’t want to broaden their tiny little minds with a same-sex marriage.

  “Yeah, Mom, just great. Say, maybe you should go check on everyone, make sure they’re in their seats.” Laurel looked like she was on the edge with their mom.

  Kate said, “I think Daddy may talk Jerry Pate’s ear off, Mom. Maybe you could herd him away for a minute or two.”

  Shaking her head, Marilyn flipped a wrist. “Oh, your father has already arranged to sit with him and Mimi at the reception dinner. We’ve actually become friends with both of them.”

  Casting an appraising eye on Kate, something that always made Kate brace for the next comment, she said, “Kate, is something bothering you?”

  Now both her mother and Laurel studied her. Her mother asked, “Is it something to do with Dasher? Oh, my, you aren’t going to dump her, are you, dear? I do so like the Pates, and she’s completely in love with you.”

  Kate and Laurel were suddenly staring in disbelief at their mother. Kate whispered, “You approve of Dasher?”

  A sharp rap on the door and then Dasher was standing there, gorgeous in the most elegant Sonia Rykiel suit Kate had ever seen. Stef and Dasher had shopped for their clothes together and wouldn’t tell the sisters what they were wearing. After studying each of them, Dasher said, “What?”

  Laurel was first to recover. “Nothing, Dasher. Are we ready?”

  Although an eyebrow of suspicion briefly registered on Dasher’s face, she said, “The Hoffmans look stunning today, especially you, Laurel.” When her mother shifted her attention to Laurel, Dasher gave Kate a heart-stopping expression that told her she was the most beautiful creature in the universe to one Dasher Pate.

  Laurel quickly said, “Hey, Dasher, would you take Mom and seat her? Thanks.”

  Again with the eyebrow, but Dasher dutifully offered her arm to Mrs. Hoffman and Marilyn actually tittered a bit as they walked out the door. The quick backward glance from Dash told Kate and Laurel that she didn’t mind at all.

  Closing the door, Kate faced Laurel. “Okay, are you ready to marry Stefanie Beresford? For better or worse? From this day forward? No matter what the freak happens?”

  Grinning, Laurel said, “I can’t wait.”

  Tears sprang to Kate’s eyes and she rushed to hug her sister close. “I’m so happy for you, Laur. You’re perfect for each other.”

  Holding on tight for a few seconds, finally Laurel pulled back. “What about you and Dasher? I don’t know how, but Mom seems to like the idea. I guess between Dasher and her parents, and the fact that you’re deliriously happy, Mother has had a change of heart.”

  “Laurel, this is your day. Just yours. We need to go. You shouldn’t worry about my problems.”

  Shaking her gently by the shoulders, Laurel said, “Tell me in one sentence. Now.”

  Trying not to smudge her makeup with tear trails, Kate said miserably, “Dasher doesn’t trust me, Kate. She keeps waiting for me to leave. And I can’t blame her. Look at my track record.”

  “That was more than one sentence, but I get the idea. Kate, is Dasher the one? The only one? Be honest.”

  “Oh, Kate. She’s been the only one since I first met her five years ago. I just was too self-involved to recognize and accept it. But how can I convince her? Even you’re skeptical.”

  Another knock and Kate hugged her and opened the door to reveal their father, all dressed up and smiling at them.

  “Okay, ladies, time to get this show on the road.”

  Ah, Dad. Always the romantic, Kate thought.

  As they moved through the hall to the ballroom, Chaz Hockaday appeared and started taking photos. They all stopped and posed for him. Chaz and Michael were making more money these days by covering same-sex weddings than they had been sneaking around trying to capture celebrities in embarrassing situations.

  They were even scoring some straight gigs because of Jason and Greta’s recommendations. Michael was ecstatic, and even Chaz seemed very pleased with himself. Mei-Lee was his date for the wedding.

  Chaz and Michael were the only photographers allowed into the ceremony. The rest of the reporters and media were hovering outside of the hotel, mostly because of the presence of Kate and Greta Sarnoff. Jason was Stefanie’s best man.

  *

  The wedding went off smoothly, with a good amount of nose blowing and sniffling from the guests. When Kate looked beyond the couple to Dasher just as the minister was declaring them spouses for life, she saw happiness and yearning and sadness, all emotions she’d learned to recognize because of her love for Dasher. When had she become so attuned to another being that she could do that?

  She longed to erase the sadness and yearning from Dasher’s face forever. Then she focused on Laurel and Stef and knew how she could do it. And perhaps she’d be able to erase her own doubts, too.

  With startling clarity she realized that she, too, had been holding back from Dasher. What if Dasher couldn’t learn to trust her? What if she would forever, no matter what Kate did, always retain that final piece of herself that doomed Kate to always be on trial?

  Kate did have a bad track record, but what if after all she’d risked, Dasher couldn’t take the final leap of faith? Dasher’s eyes met hers and Kate gave a small smile. Perhaps it wasn’t just Dasher who had to take that risk.

  *

  Two hours later the dinner had concluded and the dancing was about to begin. Kate toasted the couple, wishing them a long life of wonderful adventures together, while thinking of Dasher the entire time. Jason toasted them and Greta, his bride-to-be, saying he could only hope to have as wonderful a relationship as Stef and Laurel.

  Stefanie and Laurel walked to the dance floor and the music began. They waltzed beautifully together, moving fluidly through the steps. For the second dance their parents joined them. About halfway through, Kate stood and strode over and held out her hand to Dasher. She knew all eyes were on them and she didn’t care. She was determined, by God, to dance with the woman she loved.

  Dasher seemed taken aback that Kate would be so bold, but within seconds the world around them faded and it seemed that only the two of them were moving together as one. As the music changed and others took the floor, Dasher said, “Thank you. That was a dance I’ll always remember.”

  Not yet, but Kate was getting there. Within the next hour the reception was filling the halls with joy. Even Ted
Hoffman had asked Stefanie to dance and looked like he was eyeballing Mei-Lee next. Kate decided not to say a word and only hoped Chaz had his camera at the ready.

  Kate searched for Dasher in the crowd and found her chatting amiably with Kate’s parents. She stood gazing at them until a touch to her elbow pulled her from her reverie. When she turned, Stefanie stood there with a serious look on her face.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Well, I’m sorry to say that the reporters are getting a bit restless. They heard about you dancing with Dasher and are practically ready to storm the doors. Twitter can be a pain at times.” Stef looked a bit harried.

  “Greta tried to distract them, but her engagement to Jason just isn’t as titillating as you dating Dasher.”

  And here was the opportunity Kate had been preparing for. “I’m sorry, Stef. I didn’t want any of my stuff to detract from this day for you and Laurel. Where’s Dasher?”

  “Right behind you. What’s up?” She whirled to see a concerned expression on Dasher’s beautiful face. Poor Dash, always solving other people’s problems. Well, it ended here.

  “Come on, we have a fire to either feed or put out, I’m not sure which. Either way, we need to talk to the reporters.”

  “Oh. Well, I guess the party’s over then. Let’s go.” From the stricken look on Dasher’s face, Kate guessed she thought this was the moment Kate would deny her feelings for her. Kate was furious.

  She kissed Stefanie’s cheek and said, “Leave it to us.”

  They marched through the lobby, Kate in the lead with Dasher’s hand firmly in hers. When she reached the reception desk she looked around and immediately found the media, who had been crowded into the foyer where the photo shoot had been held, just a short time ago. My, how things have changed, Kate thought.

  Someone shouted in recognition of Kate and she plastered a smile on her face, turned to check out Dasher, and saw trepidation in her eyes. Here goes.

  Waving hello, they walked over with flashes nearly blinding Kate and, she imagined, Dasher, too. “Hello, ladies and gentlemen, and I use the term loosely.” A friendly ripple of laughter went through the group.

  “Hey, Kate! Is your agent your date for your sister’s wedding?”

  Kate knew this was a softball question to warm her up. She understood the game. Chaz and Michael had filled her in on any missing pieces when they’d had dinner with them a few weeks earlier. She glanced around and saw Chaz, who looked nervously at a few of the more feral of his former colleagues.

  Squeezing Dasher’s hand, she didn’t look at her but answered, “She sure is.”

  “So you need a gay date for the gay wedding?” A few of the reporters snickered.

  Taking a breath she said, “I invited who I wanted to invite to the wedding.”

  There was a brief pause and she knew she’d given them an opening. At this point they were imagining a feeding frenzy.

  “So, Dasher Pate is your new toy?”

  Ouch. “Cut to the chase, boys and girls. What do you want to know?” She’d played the game so often that she was sick of it. She was through playing.

  One of the more aggressive of the group, and a man that Chaz had warned her about, was the first to spit it out. In a taunting tone, he asked, “Are you planning to marry Dasher Pate?”

  There it was. Kate took a breath and laid it on the line. Looking straight into Dasher’s eyes, she said, “I don’t know. She hasn’t asked.”

  Shouting broke out after that, with everyone’s attention on Dasher to find out more. When Dasher finally was able to calm them down, she opened her mouth, only to find that Kate had slipped away from the group. She furtively looked around and caught a glimpse of Kate’s pale peach gown as she disappeared into the Elysium elevator at the end of the bank of elevators. Evidently no one else had seen her escape.

  “Dasher! Are you planning to ask Kate Hoffman to marry you?” The same question rebounded throughout the group.

  Holding up her hands, Dasher quieted them. When she had their attention she said, “Excuse me.”

  She glanced at Chaz, who quickly turned his camera toward the group and took a full-flash photo, making them all turn away and protest for a second while Dasher aimed straight for the Elysium elevator. She hid behind the potted plants while they were trying to figure out what had just happened and were texting their news to the various news outlets.

  Someone spotted her just as the elevator arrived, and before the door closed he slid into the car with her. It was the same jerk who’d asked Kate about marrying Dasher. Dasher quietly touched a blue button on the panel and endured the brief ride. The intruder was aggressively demanding answers to his questions when the elevator arrived on the Elysium floor, where Dash and Kate’s room was located.

  One of the young students she knew to be a varsity basketball player at Cal was guarding the door. The man ignored her and tried to step out of the car with Dasher, but the guard stopped him with one hand and held him in the car.

  Dasher nodded her thanks to the young woman, who tilted her head in the direction Kate had gone. Dasher watched the elevator doors close on the protesting reporter and the guard. Chuckling at the expression of fury and maybe a touch of trepidation on his face, she went to find Kate.

  Letting herself into the darkened room, she saw Kate standing at the window, looking out at the City by the Bay. She walked over and slid her arms around Kate, pulling her into an embrace.

  Kate resisted at first, then allowed the contact. They stood quietly for a few minutes. Dasher said, “You might have just thrown your career away down there. Not at first, but over time.”

  Listlessly, Kate replied, “The rumors have been circulating since you became my agent. What’s new?” She had hoped that Dasher would get the hint. She didn’t know what else to do. Dasher had to take the risk to love her. Kate couldn’t make her.

  Dasher’s mouth was beside her ear and she kissed it gently. “Kate, will you marry me? Will you spend the rest of your life with me? Will you be my girl?”

  There it was. All the missing pieces of Kate tumbled into place and at last she was whole. She turned in Dasher’s arms and gazed into the deep gray eyes with flashes of blue in them. She was home.

  “Yes. Forever, yes. What took you so long?”

  Shyly smiling, Dasher said, “I thought it was your risk to take. I didn’t realize I had to take a chance, too.”

  “So, do we get to set a date?” Kate kissed Dasher’s chin and nibbled on her lower lip. Then she slipped her arms around Dasher’s neck and pulled her closer to better suck the very soft skin just under her ear.

  Dasher growled, “Any time, anywhere, any place. But…”

  Kate pulled back to look at her. “But what?”

  Dasher reached around to the back of her dress and unzipped it. “We’ll set the date tomorrow. Tonight is just you and me, and nothing in between.”

  Stepping away from Dasher, Kate let her dress drop to the floor and was thrilled with the reaction. Then she shed what undergarments she was wearing and turned toward the bedroom. Glancing over her shoulder, she said, “You’d better not be wearing those clothes when you come to bed. Now.”

  Hearing buttons pop and material rip as she left the room made her grin. She threw back the covers of the bed and patted the space beside her. “Here, right where you belong.”

  Dasher was beside her in a heartbeat. Then on top of her. “I love you, Kate. I’ve been in love with you since we first met.”

  “I know. Now, I know. I’m in love with you, too, Dash. I always will be.”

  Then Dasher was inside her, flooding all of her senses with that delicious sensation she’d come to crave. The one only Dasher could give her.

  When Kate came to her senses, she looked deeply into Dasher’s eyes and saw what she’d hoped to see, and when Dasher thundered to a climax it was Kate’s name she called, again and again. Kate knew she was the only one.

  Their intimacy held the passion of new love and
the certainty of their future together. Kate never knew a bond that strong could exist between two people.

  As they lay in each other’s arms afterward, Kate thought about what she might have given up for the chance to be with Dasher. She smiled and tucked in closer to Dash.

  She’d made the right choice this time. For all the right reasons.

  About the Author

  JLee Meyer utilizes her background in psychology and speech pathology in her work as an international communication consultant. Spending time in airports, planes, and hotel rooms allows her the opportunity to pursue two of her favorite passions: reading and writing lesbian fiction.

  JLee and her life partner celebrate their lives together in Northern California.

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