crew chief, he would be keeping a very close eye on what was happening with Blair. A few more minutes wouldn't matter, and she rarely got the opportunity to speak with her mother.
'All right. Lets start with the good stuff. What's happening with you and Giancarlo?' To her amazement, her mother blushed.
'Ah...let's say we are exploring possibilities.'
'Well, that's an intriguing answer.' Cam laughed. 'Romanticpossibilities?'
'Yes.'
Cam's surprise was equaled only by her pleasure. Since her father had been killed nearly twenty years ago, she had not known her mother to have a serious or even casual relationship with any man.
'I like him,' Cam announced, finishing her banana and placing the peel on a crumpled piece of paper near her coffee mug. 'I think it's terrific, and I hope thisexploration brings you happiness.'
Marcea studied her daughter's face, taken aback by the calm certainty in her tone and expression. She was used to more emotional detachment in her driven offspring, and the insightful directness of her response was new. 'Thank you. And in the same token, might I ask about you and Blair?'
Cam stiffened, denial rising automatically to her lips. Instead, to her amazement, she found herself saying, 'We are exploring possibilities, too.'
'I have the feeling your exploration is a little further along than mine and Giancarlo's-and I'm not talking about the bedroom.'
'It's complicated,' Cam responded, looking away.
'Cameron, my love, romance is always complicated.' Marcea laughed and rested her palm on Cam's cheek. 'She's very much in love with you, you know.'
Cam swallowed, her voice suddenly deserting her. She reached for her mother's hand and held it lightly, staring at the strong tapering fingers that brought life to bare canvas and swatches of color. In a voice so low that Marcea had to lean forward to hear, Cam whispered, 'God, I hope so.'
She raised her eyes to her mother's, their grey depths nearly black with emotion. 'I shouldn't even think about her, but I can't stop what I feel for her.'
'Good. Because she doesn't want you to.' Marcea leaned forward and kissed Cam on the forehead. 'It will be all right. Just follow your heart.'
'I'll try,' Cam said softly.
She stayed a few more minutes while her mother brought her up to date on the latest news until finally, her need to check in with Mac became so urgent that she couldn't listen any longer. 'I'm sorry. I need to get to work.'
'Of course you do. Marcea laughed. «I'm surprised you managed to sit still this long. Go ahead.'
'I'll see you tonight,' Cam said as she hurried toward the hall.
'Wonderful.'
Marcea listened to Cam's footsteps fade away and hoped that her daughter and Blair would find their way to happiness.
*****
'Mac?'
'Good morning, Commander.' Mac's voice sounded cheerful and welcoming through the line. The blond-haired blue-eyed agent was ordinarily her communication coordinator, but when she was away he assumed the role of crew chief in her stead. He'd fulfilled that role during the months when she'd been recovering from the gunshot wound. 'Welcome aboard.'
'Thanks.' Cam stood on the rear deck of her mother's home watching the white triangles of sails cut across the blue water of the Bay far below. 'Feels good to be here.'
'After New York? Yeah.'
'Where are you?'
'I'm still at the command post in the Saint Francis. Since she's always moving, I figured I should be stationary. I've pretty much been coordinating from here,' Mac replied, giving no indication of the fact that he'd been taking calls almost twenty four hours a day from the agents on shift who were guarding Blair Powell, appraising him of her whereabouts and providing status reports.
'Sounds right,' Cam observed. 'Where is she now?'
'At Gold's Gym on Market and Noe.'
'Who's inside?'
'Stark. It's quiet.'
Cam wanted more details, but she had to admit she just wanted to know where Blair was, what she was doing. Her position gave her the power to know more about Blair's life than Blair might choose to share, and that was one of the dangers of crossing the line between protector and lover. Blair had never had a private life, not since she was twelve and her father had burst on the political scene as a very visible Governor and then later as Vice President. She was entitled to as much privacy as they could give her and still keep her safe. The fact that Cam was in love with her didn't change that.
'Okay,' Cam said brusquely, annoyed that her mind was wandering. It never wandered when she worked, but just thinking about Blair... 'Right. I'll take over-'
'Things are under control, Commander, if you want to take some down time. At least until the gallery opening tonight.'
She was about to refuse when it occurred to her that she hadn't had an entire day off in weeks. 'Thanks, Mac. We'll run through the assignments at 1700 hours.
'Roger.'
*****
As it turned out, Cam did not see Blair for the rest of the day. At 6:00 p.m., Cam waited in the living room of her mother's house to accompany the President's daughter to the opening of Marcea's latest show at the Rodman Gallery just off Union Square. She checked out the window to be certain that John Fielding had the Suburban idling at the curb in front of the house and that Felicia Davis rode in the shotgun seat beside him as planned. Turning at the sound of footsteps on the stairs from the second floor, Cam felt the breath stop in her chest.
Blair stood ten feet away at the bottom of the stairs, regarding her silently, a curious expression on her face.
Cam's heart started triple-timing as she took in the sleek black dress with its nearly imperceptible straps encircling each sculpted shoulder and the subtle cut that outlined her lithe form. A hint of diamond glinted in each ear and a delicate gold chain rested at the base of her neck. Her artist's hands were ringless, graceful and strong. Cam cleared her throat, realizing it had suddenly gotten dry.
'Good evening, Ms. Powell.'
Blair smiled, aware that they were truly alone for the first time in four days. 'Commander.'
'The car's just outside.'
'Are you to be my escort this evening?' Blair walked slowly toward her, her blue eyes dancing as they searched Cam's face.
The corner of Cam's mouth lifted in a grin. 'Unless you have someone else than mind...in which case there could be a problem.'
'No, no problem at all.' Blair ran a single figure down the pearl studs on the pleated shirt that Cam wore beneath a fitted black tuxedo jacket. 'How did you manage to get this into your emergency travel bag?'
'I didn't. I'm afraid my planning was really poor this week-I had to have an emergency fitting this afternoon.' Cam shrugged. 'Off the rack, but the best I could do.'
'Believe me,' Blair's murmured as her fingers found Cam's hand and she ran her thumb in small circles over the back of it. 'Armani in any condition suits you.'
Cam's tone was low and intimate. 'You look beautiful.'
'So do you.'
'And you have an engagement.' Cam straightened her shoulders and gestured to the door. 'Shall we go?'
'Yes, of course.' Blair's features transformed into the composed coolly, elegant lines that the world was accustomed to associating with the image of the President's daughter. As they stepped outside, she asked, 'Are you coming inside the gallery with me?'
