ked Kate how she was doing with her art, and she was pleased to talk about her studio and the pieces she was working on.
"We saw that you had an exhibition at the Ballantine Gallery before you went to San Francisco. Will you do more?"
"I hope so," Kate said. "I'm going to finish this series of paintings from Africa and then I might finish my MA. I'll play it by ear. It depends on so much – what my father decides, what happens with Liam."
"Whatever you decide will be great, my dear," Mrs. O said, always the supporter.
It was getting late so we said our goodbyes and left the O'Rileys after ten, driving through the streets of Manhattan to our place on 8th Avenue.
"That was fun," Kate said and took my hand, squeezing it. "There's so much love for you in that family, Drake. You're lucky to have had them."
"I know," I said and kissed her knuckles. "I survived and thrived because of them and my friendship with Ken and the boys. Mersey really helped me make it through the years after my father died."
"Speaking of which, I can't wait to come and listen to you play on Tuesday night."
"I'll love to have you there, watching us play."
She smiled. "I always get a little giddy when I see you up on the stage."
"You do, do you, Mrs. Morgan? Giddy?"
She narrowed her eyes. "Like I'm a groupie and you're my rock star crush. I'd do anything you wanted when I see you standing on the stage with the guitar strapped around your shoulder."
"Anything?"
"Anything," she replied with a knowing grin.
"This sounds like a role-playing scenario I'd love to play out. How about if I wear that white shirt you like so much and my leather pants. You show up dressed in that little black dress I really like – the one that's really sexy and shows a lot of cleavage? I'll pick you up and we can get it on in a limo then I can bring you home and tie you up and torture you with pleasure."
I wagged my eyebrows at her suggestively and she laughed.
"You don't know how much that appeals to me."
"Oh, but I do. And that's exactly what's going to happen on Tuesday night."
We drove up to the parking garage where I kept the rental car, both of us smiling and imagining it.
After we parked, I took her hand and we walked to the 8th Avenue apartment, enjoying the sounds of the city at night time, the traffic still busy even at that time of night, people out walking along the streets. When we arrived back in the apartment, Karen was sitting in front of the television, a magazine in her hand.
"How was everything?" Kate asked after taking off her shoes.
Karen stood up and stretched. "She went down for the night at nine. I know you said eight but she was wide awake and so we read a lot of books until she started to pull at her ear. She went down without a fuss once she got her bottle."
"That's the sign," I said and hung up my jacket. "She always tugs at her ear when she's tired."
"Thanks so much for agreeing to sit for us on Tuesday when Drake plays with his band," Kate said. "We'll need you for about three hours from nine until midnight, if that's okay."
"Absolutely," Karen said. "Like I said, I have nothing scheduled this week so I'm totally free."
"I'll make sure she's already down for the night so you can come and watch a movie or whatever you want," Kate replied.
"Sounds good," Karen said and we said our goodbyes.
When the door was closed, I wasted no time. All the talk about Tuesday night had me aroused and so I pushed Kate against the wall beside the door, my hands splayed against the wall on either side of her.
"And now, Katherine, I think I need you on your knees."
She smiled slowly, and the look in her eyes told me everything I needed to know.