Kip squeezed Tam’s hand and held her breath.

“Having been found guilty of all charges against them, I hereby sentence both defendants to serve the maximum sentence of twelve years—”

Pandemonium erupted. Bloggers rushed for the doors in a race to be the first to report on the outcome. Kip couldn’t hear what the judge was saying, but Nadia had put her head in her hands. Maybe she’d done the math. Even if they got out halfway through, with the rest to be served on probation, six years was twice what Nadia had counted on. Six years without Botox was a long time.

She had moments of feeling sorry for Nadia, but they were brief. Her childhood had been a nightmare, but she’d put together a good life. There had been no reason to gamble that life to try for something more. Nadia didn’t have to be like Tam—after all, Tam was an exceptional woman—but she could have stayed Nadia Langhorn. Now she was nobody.

Tam squeezed her hand hard. Stealing a glance at her face, Kip saw a triumphant relief. The system worked, at least in this case. Everything they’d done then and since mattered. Though it wasn’t always so, justice had been served this time.

Poor Ted and Nadia. Kip thought bitterly that if she worked at it real hard she could shed a half a tear for their fate.

252


Finally finished giving reaction interviews and able to make their escape, Tam was still stunned as they got into Kip’s Camry.

“Twelve years,” she repeated. “It’s more than I had hoped, even.”

“I admit I was worried for a moment there. But it’s okay if you’re in love with the judge. I am too, now.”

Tam’s mobile chimed. She checked the display. “It’s Hank.

This won’t take long.”

Even though she didn’t intend to gossip, it was impossible not to give Hank her impressions of the sentencing. The call took longer than she had intended. It was Friday evening, and she tried very hard not to work on Friday nights. They didn’t always get Date Night, but it was still a shared goal.

After she hung up she beamed at Kip. “It’s been a great week.”

“It has.”

Tam prodded her gently in the side. “You got your last two clients.”

Kip gave her a mega-watt smile. “I did. God bless rock and roll.”“Are you really happy?” Tam had meant it to sound like a joke, but it came out as a serious question.

“Yes, silly. How many times do I have to say it?”

“One more, I guess.” She looked happy, Tam thought. Her lovely blue eyes were full of light and joy. She smiled deeply and often. The creases of worry and stress had all but gone. Still, Tam needed to be reassured from time to time that her wife had no regrets for the unexpected turn her career had taken.

Kip took her gaze off the rush-hour traffic long enough to give Tam a serious look. “I have you. I had time for lunch with Jen the other day. And I have some really fun work that, at the moment at least, doesn’t involve numbering exhibits or filing reports for the court. Just a handful of highly strung recording artists who want to be sure their managers, agents and promoters aren’t robbing them blind.” She bounced in the driver’s seat. “I am expected to suspect everyone. They love it when I’m paranoid 253


on their behalf. I get to put on my mirror sunglasses and ask people questions, and they have to answer me or risk losing their star client. I don’t even have to read people their rights. It’s a dream come true.”

Tam laughed. “Your grandfather would approve?”

“Well, I’m not looking out for POTUS. But there are shockingly large sums of money involved and I’m trying to keep people honest. I’m still floored that Jen’s boyfriend Luke, of all people, recommended me to that first band when they were complaining during a recording session.”

Tam finally took in their surroundings. They weren’t anywhere near home and she’d been planning a memorable evening in front of the view with Kip that included, when they were exhausted by other things, watching the summer sun set over the Sound. They were skirting the edge of Lake Union, which was shimmering under the cloudless sky. “Why are we headed this way?”

“Part of our original deal was that you keep your promises, and you’ve been promising me a honeymoon for months.”

A shiver of pleasure mixed with anticipatory butterflies left Tam breathless. “This is what you and Mercedes were concocting?”

“Unlike you, I know when to ask for help. Besides, I ask for her help and that means your cell phone won’t ring for the next forty-eight hours.”

Kip took one hand off the wheel to lace her fingers around the tie that held back her ponytail. She stripped it free and then shook her hair out around her shoulders. “You’ve also been promising me a night of lovemaking on the lake for months.”

Speechless, Tam watched Kip unfasten the top two buttons of her blouse, revealing an undergarment that made Tam’s mouth water.

How had she ever thought this woman straitlaced and humorless? She was grinning at Tam now, her eyes sparkling with mischief and delight.

“I take it I have your full attention?”

Tam nodded.

254


“And your full cooperation?” She turned into the Gas Works Marina lot.

“Indeed.”

“Excellent.” She idled at the dock manager’s office. “There’s a hamper with your name on it inside.”

Tam would have leapt out of the car but Kip undid another button. Then another.

She wasn’t sure how she made her legs and arms work, but she did manage to fetch the hamper. It was large, heavy and awkward and she wondered what all Kip and Mercedes had deemed necessary for their weekend.

Back in the car it took only one look at Kip, with her blouse open to reveal the delicious round curves of her breasts and her hair down around her shoulders, to make her feel faint.

“What happened to the Kip Barrett who never broke the rules?”

Both serious and flirtatious, Kip asked, “Is there a rule against this? I’ve seen swimsuits that cover less. And besides, do you want to live in a world where there’s a rule against me driving you crazy?”

“I see your point.”

Kip parked near the Emerald Petral’s docking and Tam found the will to gather the hamper and—as instructed—an overnight bag from the trunk.

Kip, however, didn’t immediately get out of the car. Tam gestured at her to roll down the window.

“Aren’t you joining me? This weekend won’t be nearly so fun without you.”

“Yes, I....”

It was delightful to watch Kip blush. It wasn’t always easy to tell, but there was a definite red tinge to her cheeks. “What?”

“Oh hell.” Kip hurriedly buttoned up her blouse. “I thought I could do it, but I can’t.”

“I adore you,” Tam said, comparing the vision of Kip in front of her, blushing at her own boldness, overcome with shy propriety, to the incisive, unflappable witness with nerves of steel 255


she’d been during the trial. “You are exactly my kind of femme fatale.”

Blouse tidied, she gave Tam a sheepish smile and got out of the car. “Some femme fatale I am. I mean—what if someone saw me—”

Delighted and laughing, Tam backed Kip up to the car and kissed her. Thoroughly.

“We’re never going to set sail at this rate,” Kip finally murmured.

“Sweetheart, I’ve been at sea since the moment I met you.”

Kip grinned. “Good. Let’s keep it that way.” She lifted one handle of the hamper Tam had abandoned.

Tam happily took the other. It was an easy load to manage together.

256


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