Chapter Eleven
Prince had had a game plan. He was going to pick Gabby up, they'd have a talk in the car where he'd set them both back on the path of their old, easy friendship, then he'd get to do one of his favorite things in the world; listen to her play the cello.
He had many of her recordings from when she was young. He had each and every recording he'd missed of her performances in college. When he was stressed, or working a difficult case, he'd push play and listen to her pull that bow on the strings of the instrument which was once bigger than her. The sounds she pulled from that instrument always set him at ease, helped him sort out problems he faced in his work, and settled him down for the night.
Not tonight.
When Gabby descended the stairs in a dress which made her curves even more pronounced than the curves of the instrument she played, Prince realized the game was won. He nearly toppled over as she came up to him, advancing like the queen that she was in an attack he'd never seen coming. He laid down his arms and prepared to surrender.
"What's my mission tonight?" she asked from the passenger seat in the car.
"To stay by my side." He blinked at the ferocity he heard in his own voice.
Beside him, Gabby's breath caught as she turned to him. A spark lit her light eyes and desire flushed on her cheekbones.
Prince gulped and shifted in his seat. "I don't want you to get in any trouble. If Roman Voigt is there, I'm going to have a conversation with him. That's all."
"I can't be the bad cop?"
"No."
"Can I shine my cell phone light in his eyes while you grill him?"
His mouth twitched, but he didn't give in to this little game. "You've been watching too many movies."
"I actually haven't. But I would love to see that new cop movie that just came out."
"Yeah, I've been looking forward to that one, too." He'd been so busy at work, he hadn't had time to even turn on the television, much less go to the movies. He also didn't see the trap that had just been laid.
"I'll go with you," Gabby said. "Maybe an early movie and then dinner afterwards to discuss?"
"You mean a date?"
"Yes. A date. With me. You have to admit we've done pretty well with the picking up part, and the witty banter part. Last night we did the sit down and eat thing. And we can't forget the best part when we made out a few years ago. I bet if we put it all together in one night, it would be the date to end all dates."
"Gabby, we can't date. I'm too old for you."
"There is an age gap between us." She agreed. "But there's also one between your parents. They're all still together, and very happy. I'm sorry Agent Obademi, but your argument doesn't stand. Would you like to submit another?"
Prince chuckled as he pulled up to the Governor's mansion. He put the car in park and turned to face the precocious girl beside him. Once again, he was caught off guard by the beautiful woman who sat before him.
"Gabby…" He didn't have another argument to submit.
Prince unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the passenger seat. He walked around to Gabby's side and helped her out. She came to stand just below his chin. Her head was tilted back. It would take just a small movement to taste those lips and satisfy the craving that hadn't receded for three years.
"I'm done playing games and make believe," she said. "What I feel for you is real. It always has been. I do realize that you might not feel the same way about me now, but can you give us a chance? Just one date."
He stared into those eyes he'd known for more than half his life. She'd always had intelligent, soulful, bright eyes. He couldn't remember why he wasn't spending his days gazing into them and his nights tasting her lips.
"Prince?"
Prince hadn't even blinked at the sound of his name. His focus remained on the woman within his grasp. Gabby's light eyes darkened as she looked over her shoulder. Her full lips set into a firm line, like it did when she was about to launch into a tantrum as a child. Prince turned to look and see what, or who, was about to catch her oncoming wrath.
"Prince? Is that you?"
Prince took in his ex-girlfriend, Kemi Toure. She stood before him as statuesque and regal as ever. Her chocolate skin glistened in the outdoor lighting. Her cocktail dress sheathed a boxy frame that he knew well. Memory sent a tingle of awareness to his cock, which lifted its head to take a look with its single eye. Prince and Kemi had been hot and heavy in college. He couldn't remember why they'd broken up.
"And look who you have with you." Kemi turned her attention behind him. "Little Leah, still chasing behind you. Isn't that cute."
Gabby made a strangled sound in her throat like a croak, like a frog croaking. And then he remembered why he and Kemi had broken up. He stepped in front of Gabby, unsure if he was protecting her from Kemi's brash, African tongue or protecting Kemi from Gabby's sickly sweet Southern snark. In either case, he feared the two stereotypes would clash loud enough to bring on the fire department.
"What are you doing here, Kemi?" Prince asked.
"I'm working," she said. "I'm counsel for the Governor."
Prince noted that her accent was completely gone. She spoke with a Southern drawl now instead of the thick tang of her West African roots.
"It's been a long time." Kemi eyed him. "We should catch up while you're back in town. My condo isn't too far." She let the suggestion hang, but her words, and her offer, were unmistakable. She wanted to catch up between the sheets.
"How would your husband feel about that?" came a sickly, sweet voice from behind Prince's back.
Kemi rolled her eyes to focus on Gabby. "I'm not married."
"Ah," nodded Gabby. "So, your career keeps you warm at night."
"No, but I'm sure Prince can help with that after your parents pay him for this babysitting job."
Prince turned to Gabby. "Hey, Gabs. Why don't you go and get set up for your performance?"
His eyes pleaded with her to be the adult. He didn't think she'd rise to the occasion. But he found himself surprised as she patted his chest and smiled. His cock had taken a peek at Kemi, but stood to full attention under Gabby's brief touch.
"Sure," Gabby said. Then she tilted her face up.
Prince gulped as her lips aimed at his mouth. He stood there frozen, knowing he should move, but he didn't. He was shocked by how much he wanted to finally know the taste of her. He held his breath and waited for impact.
At the last possible second, Gabby veered off her course and her lips landed on his cheek. Prince let out a shaky, disappointed breath. Gabby smiled at him, her light eyes twinkling. Would this woman never stop surprising him as she lit up his scoreboard?
"It was nice seeing you again, Kimberly," she said sweetly.
"You too, Gabriel," Kemi singsonged in a falsetto at Gabby's retreating back. "So, you're dating children now?"
"She's a grown woman." Prince said a little too forcefully. "And we're just friends."
"I remember when we were friends. What happened?"
Prince shrugged. "You left to pursue your career. Is it keeping you warm at night?"
"Not as warm as you used to," she said.
"You're the governor's legal counsel? How can you stomach his policies?"
Kemi snorted. "I know the alternative. My family's from a country teeming with terrorists. I saw firsthand what happens when radicals move in. I don't want to see the same happen to this country that I've worked hard to become a citizen of."
Prince shook his head. "The guy's a chauvinist."
She laughed. "So's my father. But he protected me. He made sure I had the best. And look at me now."
She held her hands up as though she were presenting a prize, but the prize was her. Kemi was a long way from the girl who would dress in her tribal colors. She was now in an Italian-branded cocktail dress. Her hair was no longer braided, but straightened into a bobbed cut popular in France.
"You're working for FBI Hate Crimes now?" she continued when he said nothing. "Have you lost your belief in the First Amendment trying to legislate hate?"
"Hate speech comes at a cost to others. Racism, sexism, homophobia all have victims and those people need protection."
Kemi shook her head. "You can't eliminate hate by making a law."
"The point of civil legislation is to promote the common good by prohibiting actions that are harmful to the public order."
"I get it. I can't yell fire in a movie theater," said Kemi. "It would be dangerous. But you can't make a law requiring me to love my neighbor."
"No, but I can arrest you if you harm that neighbor with a word or a deed"
She held up a manicured finger. "Deed, okay. But word? No. You're impinging on my free speech."
"If your hate speech incites violence, you have contravened the law."
"Does it stop at a hate crime?" she asked. "What about all the other sins: greed, envy, lust? Is hate worse than jealousy. Is jealousy worse than pride? I don't have to hate someone to commit a crime."
He hated to admit that she had a point.
"What if I only hate one person," she said. "And that person happens to be gay. But I don't have a problem with other people who are gay. Do I get charged with a hate crime then? And who determines the groups? I hate cheerleaders. If I get in a cheer off with another squad will I get sent to jail?"
"No, I think cheerleading competitions are safe," Prince chuckled. "The law may be imperfect. But if you break it, you have to face the consequences."
"Why are you really here?" She eyed him suspiciously. "I know you're not involved with that kid. Do you believe the governor has broken a law?"
Prince looked around them. The trickle of arriving guests had ceased, and they stood outside alone. "No, but his words are encouraging violence."
"You say violence. I say protest and civil disobedience. The Civil Rights Movement wouldn't have happened without racism being a factor in people's lives. There are problems in this state and the people are again agitated. They want their state back."
He had been enjoying their civic banter. But those words turned Prince's blood to mud. Kemi's prettiness faded.
"You do understand that if this discord was going on when you were trying to get into this country," he said gently, "you would have been denied entry?"
Her jaw tensed. "Well, my family are not terrorists. We followed the rules, and we didn't jump the lines."
"And now that you're on this side of the line, you don't have a problem closing the gate?"
She sighed. "I'm not the bad guy here." Then she smiled, so seductively. "Give me a chance to remind you. Go out with me."