“The lawyer and I had a date on Thursday night.” Where had that come from?

“Really? Where did you go – a lecture at the law school or a porn film at the Third Avenue Theatre?”

“Stop.” She hit his arm again. “We had drinks and dinner at The Desmond.”

“Did he spring for a room or did you just neck in the back seat of his car?” It was said laughingly, but there was a tightening around Zack’s mouth as he darted a glance over at Kat.

Her face was flaming now, even in the cool breeze that had come up as the sun was setting. She hugged herself, as though chilled. Zack put his arm around her, rubbing her shoulder to warm her. Kat turned to him and whispered into his ear, “He got a room.”

Zack’s fingers dug into her shoulder but his voice remained calm, almost disinterested.

“Was he any good?”

“What kind of question is that?” Kat demanded.

His eyes on the game, Zack replied, “Well, I’m thinking it’s the first time in almost ten years that you’ve gotten any, and I was hoping he’d be good enough to have made it worth the wait.”

There was a long pause before Kat whispered in his ear again, “It was worth the wait.”

That answered his question. But her answer left so much unsaid. “It was good but it was different,” she continued. “I mean, it wasn’t like Michael, but it was good, it was really good. Except….” There was something bothering her and she really wanted Zack’s take on Sam.

Zack was staring at her now and he seemed almost angry. And a little worried.

Kat didn’t want him to think that Sam had hurt her. Quick to reassure him, she whispered, “Nothing bad. But…I can’t believe I am telling you this…but he doesn’t like to do it facing me. He likes to be, you know, behind me.” Kat ducked her head behind her fall of red hair that was fairly sparkling in the harsh glare of the stadium’s night-lights.

Zack’s voice was gruff and low. He leaned over, his eyes still on the debacle that the ninth inning had become and, sotto voce, asked, “Doggie style?”

“Yeah, sometimes, or variations on that.”

“Sounds to me like he has control issues.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because he doesn’t want to look in your face and be distracted. And he certainly isn’t going to let you be on top.”

“I cannot believe I am having this conversation with you!”

“Who else are you going to have it with? Mia, your secretary, your mom? I’m it, Kat. I’m the only person you know who you can talk to about anything to do with sex.” Zack laughed and tugged her up out of her seat. The game was over, the Valley Cats had lost again and it was time to go home.

He walked her to her door, like always, waited till it was unlocked and she was inside. But when she turned to hug him good night, he bent and brushed a kiss on her cheek. Before Kat could say a word, Zack turned and silently walked away.