The lights of the city darted past them like shooting stars as they zoomed past the brightly lit buildings on the way to their destination.

“Carrick where are we going?”

It seemed that he wasn’t the only one in the car that had control issues. Camille had been asking him that for the last forty-five minutes. Well, since she had climbed into his lap in the library and gave him a look that made him want to lock them into the bedroom and throw away the key. Visions of Camille pressed into the depths of his bed, with her body writhing with pleasure, kept dancing through his head.  The only thing preventing him from acting on his inclinations was Mal.  Mal should be with them. Making love to Camille was something he absolutely wanted to share with Mal, but his body had other ideas. Especially when she was straddling him and all their important parts were pressed against each other. He needed a distraction, so he suggested a date.

“A date…tonight?” He remembered Camille asking him after he made the proposal.  The confusion on her face forced a laugh out of him.

“Yeah a date.” He confirmed. “You know you go out with someone whose company you enjoy, eat, drink and be merry.” It was evident that he had changed lanes way to fast because now she had pushed slightly away from him and was looking puzzled. Her shift in posture also did a couple of other things, as her upper body pushed away her lower body slid closer. His cock was now locked and loaded, pressed even tighter against the heat of her pussy. It seemed too simple a task to just unbuckle a few things and slide home, deep into her hot wet warmth.

Carrick had to smother a moan at the thought.  The only power that stopped him from having her right on that sofa was Mal.  This was the beginning of a relationship for all of them and everyone should be present. He wanted to watch Mal’s eyes while Camille’s body wrapped around him for the first time. He wanted to see contrast of Mal’s deep ebony skin against Camille’s warm cocoa when they were curled against each other in the throes of deep passion. Mal was an essential element to this being right, but Carrick was only a man. Being in a quiet room with moonlight streaming in, between the thighs of one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen didn’t combine to be the optimal elements for a man to make the best decision. He just wanted to be with the man he loved when he made love to the woman he was falling so deeply for.

This was already getting complicated.

He didn’t like the look in Camille’s eye. She looked like a woman who was considering the many ways she could persuade him to stay and tryout the sofa, the floor, the bedroom. Hell, who was he kidding? They would end up taking a tour of all the horizontal surfaces of The Pride. He was no fool, there was no way he would be able to provide a defense against a woman with a goal in mind. So he said the only thing that he could. “Mal.”

“Mal?” Her increased puzzlement brought this sweet confused look to her face.  Again, Carrick had the urge to touch her lips with his own, but what was left of his sanity warned him not to. It was still cute to watch her do the math in her head.

“Date?...Mal?” He watched as her face eased as she figured out the solution to the equation.

Camille leaned forward until her forehead rested briefly on his own, “So where are you taking me?’ she answered in defeat.

***

He was being so mysterious about where he was taking her. When she had first asked, he side stepped her question and told her to put on something that was good for going out to eat at a restaurant.  So she could only guess that dinner was on the menu. Beyond offering that clue, any other time she asked he would just get a strange glint in his eye and change the topic.

They parted when they went to change their clothes. Since he had her clothes taken from her old room to his weeks ago, she had no idea where he went to get dressed.  In the following moments away from him, snippets of their conversation came to her mind making her giddy, full, and light at the same time.  By the time she finished dressing, putting the final touches on her make-up, she was nervous.
 
What if in the few minutes they had been away from each other he had changed his mind?

What if the library has some type of magical properties that only allowed them to be nice to each for short period’s time within its walls?

What if the evening is a disaster?

What if he hates my dress?

Look at what I have been reduced to.  Not too long ago when I  was a self-assured grown-up, not prone to adolescent hysterics. What was the upside to being in love with two men again? She asked herself as she looked into the bathroom mirror.

Oh yeah, being in love with two men. Camille could help the self satisfied smile that crossed her lips.

Then it passed as quickly as it came.
 
She just had to focus and get through this night without bloodshed.

This new chapter in their relationship only had a few words on the first page, it was so new.  According to their regular M.O. it was more likely that an evening spent together uninterrupted and unchaperoned would end up badly…really badly…like, Silence of the Lambs kind of bad.

Before she let herself dwell on which of them would be most likely to dine on the other’s liver, accompanied with a nice Chianti, she found herself rounding the corner to the great room; The Pride’s auditorium sized answer to regular folk’s foyers.

Again, she was filled with the need to squint at the picture he made. Men just aren’t supposed to look that good.  He was turned away from her talking earnestly into his phone. He had changed into an elegant suit, a two button smoky grey, wool number with a paisley tie that added a bit of color.  He looked every inch the elegant gentleman. The man was beautiful. Well, as much an intensely masculine man could be beautiful.

When he caught sight of her, his eyes immediately softened with admiration and a little sexy thrown in for good measure. All her doubts fled in that instant. He looked at her like she was it, the whole enchilada.

Why wasn’t she in the bedroom trying to figure out how many times she could make him cum in an hour?

Malcolm.

With that thought Camille knew it was definitely time to go. She had her coat on and began to button it up as she moved to Carrick with purpose in her steps.  Besides, she had a little surprise for him when he helped her off with her coat, when they got to wherever they were going.  She couldn’t help the wicked little gleam in her eyes as she moved closer to him.

Desire deferred was his idea and I  want to see if he still wants to be on that program once he got a good look at me in the dress I’m was wearing. 

“You do know that there is another color in the spectrum other than black?” Carrick murmured as she drew up close enough for him to kiss her. He had caught a bit of what she was wearing before she closed up her coat.  Black, with black, accessorized…with more black.

Camille smiled as he pressed his lips against hers.   She wore her hair loose, so it curled in waves around her face.

Carrick continued as he opened the door and lead her to the car waiting at the bottom of the steps, opening the car door to assist her as she slid in, “I won’t shock you by suggesting purple, but maybe we could introduce you to it’s cousin, blue? If  blue is too avant garde, maybe a nice brown?”

His teasing made her giggle.  What could she say, red was what she wore when she was working and black had always been her palate cleanser, so to speak.  But if it would please him she would look into introducing some new colors into her wardrobe.

“Are you volunteering to become my personal shopper?” She asked as he seated himself in the driver’s seat.

Carrick’s eyes darkened at the idea of being in charge of taking the clothes off her back every day.  He wanted her so bad, but he settled for tucking her hand into his. He needed that small bit physical contact with her.

She gave him a long look, then glanced at their hands connected in the expanse of space between their seats and smiled a secret little smile as she looked out the window.  When they reached the private helipad on the grounds, she began pelting him with questions regarding where they were going.  He distracted her by talking about some business ideas that he was considering.  Before Camille knew it they we settled in the back of another car winding their way through the streets of Manhattan.  Carrick held her attention with business talk, so when the car stopped she expected to see the lights of a five star restaurant across the sidewalk. There were lights, even a red carpet, yet the marquee read, “Frazier High School.”

For a moment Camille had to close her eyes and open them again.  She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.  The scene looked like something out of the opening of some summer blockbuster. The press were going wild, evidently they knew someone important was in the car because they seemed to be surging against it. All along the front of the building there were couples dressed for an evening out, some were being interviewed by reporters and others were waiting their turn to enter the building.

Camille fingers clung to the edge of the door with her face was pressed against the glass.  She couldn’t take it all in.  “You crazy, crazy man.  What have you done?” She whispered into the quiet of the car while watching the chaos in front of her. It seemed that she wasn’t the only one who had a surprise up their sleeve.  Her little surprise seemed so insubstantial to his gift for the kids, for her and Malcolm. She couldn’t contain her tears of gratitude…he was too much for a woman who had settled a long time ago for too little.

“Hey, don’t cry. This was supposed to be a good thing?” Carrick slid behind her at pressed his cheek against hers while they watched the scene in front of them.

She gave a watery smile. “You did this in an hour?” It couldn’t have been much more than that since they left the library.

Carrick chuckled in her ear, making her shiver as the heat of his breath touched the tender part of her ear.  “No, not even I am that good.  I knew Malcolm wasn’t going to be back in time to help out with the kids and you were out of commission.  I also realized it was important to both of you that kids knew you both still stood behind them.  You know what they say, ‘the show must go on.’”

Camille still stared at the scene before her. “The show must go on,” she echoed.  That might be true, but in Carrick’s hands it seemed like that little high school production had turned in to something bigger, better, best. If that made any sense.  Brighter than she ever imagined-everything the kids inside deserved.  She felt she could almost bust with pride for…everyone, for the whole world.

The structure looked completely different.  Someone had performed a complete and total facelift on the old building.  All the old straggly bushes in the front were removed, the deep ruts of years of foot traffic along the front yard had been filled in, and there was beautiful plush grass in place. An awning was attached to the front facade to protect those who may have to wait at the front steps. The front steps were painstakingly replaced and restored. The school could pass for a downtown private school, with its chic looking exclusivity and Camille knew who was responsible for its transformation.

Camille let her tears fall from her eyes, “You are amazing.”

“I keep telling you that and you keep arguing me.  I am glad we finally got that settled, “He replied smugly. Looking uncomfortable with her emotion as he tried to explain. “I talked to the school’s administration and the City and it seems that there might be a place for the Caudwell Foundation at Frazier High.  I called in a few favors and it seems we decided to make this a benefit for the school to fund its necessary improvements.”

“Carrick if this is just a school benefit, why in the world are there so many people out there? That is a ton of media.  It like these people think that Janet Jackson is going to show up.” She waited a beat as it seemed to dawn on her who she was speaking to and turned to Carrick in all seriousness, “Janet Jackson is not going to show up, is she?

Carrick looked a little smug to Camille’s eyes, “I could give her a call and see if she is in town.” Carrick pulled out his phone like Ms. Jackson was on speed dial.” Camille snatched the phone out of his hand, scared that he would actually do it. “I had my assistant invite anyone who is in my good graces and wanted to stay there, and those who may want to enjoy the benefit of my good graces.”  His eyes purely gleamed. “The place should be packed and the cover to get in is insane.”

It was all a little too much for her.  A few months ago Malcolm and she were thinking up intricate strategies and inducements to get people to show up in the audience for free. Tonight it looked like they would be lucky to have standing room only. She had to ask. “How much are you charging a ticket?”

“One thousand dollars a head.” He was definitely looking smug.

Camille couldn’t help but think that he should.  He earned it.

She looked at him like he had lost his mind. “Carrick, you are charging that kind of money for people to see a bunch of high school kid perform?” She looked around like she believed that the people would be disappearing any minute, once they figured out the absurdity of the entrance fee.”

Carrick still looked pretty proud of himself. “ Parents get in free, but you can’t imagine the price people will pay to stand in the same room with me.  Most of these people could care less about the play.  They just want to pay for the privilege of having some type of access to me and tonight it will cost them one thousand bucks a head.”

She didn’t know whether to kiss him or brain him.  On one hand, the school will most assuredly have the funds it needs to pump some real money into its programs, but for that kind of money these people would be expecting a production that was Broadway caliber.  Neither Malcolm nor she had been to a rehearsal in weeks.  For all she knew the janitor was putting the kids through their paces.  This could be one hell of nightmare, a colossal catastrophe.

He read her face while she tried to find the delicate balance of words to express that she would have to strangle him if she put her kids in the position of looking like a bunch fools in front the financial high society of New York, and God knew who else.

He cut her short before she could open her mouth. “Let’s go in.”

Camille looked panicked; everything was going way too fast. “Go where?”

The familiar Carrick showed up for a moment, the one who liked to look at her like she was an idiot.  “Inside,” he said extra slow. “I heard there is a production of Carmen inside that is the hottest ticket in town.”

Carrick’s eye brow rose at a sharp angle when Camille didn’t move a muscle.

“I heard the kids inside are pretty good, but not so good that you can see them through a brick wall.”

Camille tried to reason with him. “I can’t go in there with you. The press would have a field day.  Everyone knows that you are with Malcolm.  If I walk in with you, the press here will make the press around Princess Diana look like a polite inquiry-not to mention we would be on the cover of every media outfit in the world. No. You go in and I have the car swing me around the back and let me out.” Camille was adamant in her refusal to budge. They had barely agreed to figure out a relationship.  There was no way they were ready to go public. She punctuated her words by sitting back firm and crossing her arms against her chest.  The universal language for you and what army is gonna make me move.

In ultimate Carrick form and fashion he didn’t bother to address her concerns.  He carefully got a firm grip on her uninjured arm and pulled.  As if by magic the door opened and Camille was thrust in to a world of blazing, flashing lights and rapid fire questions.

 “Mr. Caudwell, are you buying the school?”

 “Is Caudwell industries supporting inner city arts programs?”

 “Where is your companion, Mr. Chambers?”

 “Who is your date tonight?”

 “What do you hope to accomplish tonight?”

 “What designer are you wearing?”

 Carrick didn’t stop to answer any questions until they reached the top of the outside stairs.  Camille could only watch her step and huddle into him as the crowed crushed against them to shove microphones in their faces and ask questions. She had done red carpets before, but she always played the part of the anonymous beauty that was always five steps behind the talent.  Never did she allow herself to be a part of the spotlight, the glare of the harsh lights had never been directed on her.  For a moment she got a real glimpse into Carrick’s life.  She instantly had a better understanding of the calmness that Malcolm brought to Carrick’s life.

 At the top, Carrick turned with an arm around Camille. “I just wanted to thank you all for coming and joining Caudwell Industries and its Foundation in celebrating the efforts and talents of these bright young people.  It’s for a good cause so I expect extravagant praise in your papers regarding what you see tonight.” The men and women of the press laughed nervously.  Carrick’s lightly humorous tone was under laid with the message that there would be hell to pay for anyone who dared write a negative word about the evening. “I also wanted to introduce you to Ms. Camille Montgomery who worked with these children to bring about these, what I am sure will be, amazing performances. “ Carrick looked supremely confident.  Camille was just trying to hold on and keep her eyes open against the constant deluge of camera flashes.  “So let’s enjoy an evening at the theater.”  Carrick carefully turned Camille so that they could go inside.

 A moment before they stepped into the building, with flashing camera’s at their backs, Camille had a horrific thought and stopped dead in her tracks. “Carrick, I might know some of the people,” giving him a meaningful look, “men, inside.” 

 Carrick barely stopped a beat and again began to almost drag her behind him, “I would hope so.  You aren’t nearly as successful as you think you are if you don’t know at least half the men in this room. Now, they all going to know that you are with me.”

 “Carrick, stop! Your reputation…”she tried to remind him.

 He cut her off, “was ruined years ago.  Shall we?”

 Camille was dumbfounded.  No more warnings were coming out of her.  She just decided to let him lead and she would follow. 

She followed him right into Storm Weston?

“Hey Camille, you’re looking good.” He greeted her with a smile and light kiss on each cheek, then zeroed in on his friend.

 “Carr, look I know a few years back, when I took off with your jet I owed you one, but this is ridiculous.  First I had pay four gees to get in and now I have the honor of pulling this three ring circus together because you decide to be late?

 Carrick was busy looking around at the madness around him. “Storm I have one word for you, “commercial.” You better be glad I didn’t ask for to sign over the kid-she’s too good for you anyways.” Then something seemed to occur to Carrick and he looked at Storm, “Four?”

 Storm just shook his head and lead them down the hall to a closed off classroom, ignoring all the people trying to catch their attention, “Yeah, Bella wouldn’t stay with the nanny.  She is somewhere around her playing keep away with the nanny and giving some poor kid, who she to a shine to, hell. You know Carr, even all-you-can eat buffets give a discount for three year olds, I had to pay full price for Bella.

 Carrick smirked as he walked into the room next to his fried, while still holding Camille’s hand. “Still having those cash flow problems, buddy?  Having problems keeping your wife in the cotton drawers.”

 Storm just gave him a dirty look. “You know you really are an ass.”

 Carrick just gave him a fake innocent smile and mouthed, “commercial.”

 “Look, this is how everything stands right now, your Broadway director is full flagrant Prima Dona form.  My wife is in a room using her considerable skills as a medical doctor to keep him from jumping off the ledge he’s been threatening to take a swan dive off of for the last hour. The kids are excited and scared to death.  Jake and Julie are taking care of costumes.  By the way, being a plastic surgeon also means that you can do some pretty sick things with a needle and thread.”

 Carrick looked at Storm with a question in his eyes.

 “One of the leads ripped the dress that she was supposed to wear in the first act, Mr. Dolce & Gabbana saved the day. “ Storm answered with a wry look.

 Carrick was about to ask another question when a strange expression crossed his face. Camille, who was trying to follow the lightning fast exchanged between the friends, grabbed his arm thinking that he was somehow ill.  Instead, Carrick grabbed her hand and quickly turned them around.

 Framed by the ridiculously small doorway was the best sight in the world. Malcolm was leaning there like he had all the time in the world. “I leave the man for a few weeks and I come back to world domination.”

 A look passed Carrick and Malcolm that was so charged that Camille was almost embarrassed to still be in the room with them.  Storm must have felt it too because he cleared his throat.  Neither man acknowledged that there was anybody else in the room as they continued to stare at each other.  Almost as if it hadn’t happened, Carrick seemed to remember where he was and squeezed Camille’s hand softly before he let go and walked toward the door.
 
 Camille watched as Mal took silent note of Carrick’s and her’s previously linked hands.

Storm seemed to know that this was also his cue to exit and passed Mal, pausing to give him quick fist bump. Then Carrick stood in front of Mal and seemed to pause for an eternity.  Slowly, Carrick’s palm rose to cradle the side of Mal’s face. Mal’s took the moment to lean into Carrick’s and press his nose and mouth into its rough surface.  The moment was so powerful that Camille could barely breathe.

 Then the moment passed as quickly as it began.  Carrick moved past Mal out of the door calling loudly to Storm. “I need a drink.”

 Camille could hear Storm try to muffle a swear, “Carrick you are in a High School, we can’t serve alcoholic beverages.”

 Carrick answered, “That goes to show how much you know, it is exactly the fact that we are in an American High School that I know that there is some liquor to be found.  You check that side of lockers and I check this side.”

 Camille couldn’t hear what Storm said in response, as the door closed behind Malcolm, but she couldn’t but shake her head at their antics. Then suddenly she realized that she was in a room, alone, with the man she has loved for forever. She felt shy.

 “Hey you.” She called to him softly.

 Malcolm smiled, but still stayed in position at the doorway.  “You look perfect. If I come in this room, there will be nothing stopping me from taking you in my arms and kissing you breathless.” The promise of his actions was evident in his eyes.

 “Well, I guess you better come in then.”