Page 113 of The System

“Can we sit down?” Carina requested.

Kieran’s mind went blank, though, and she froze in place.

CHAPTER 33

“Hey, it’s okay,” Carina said when she saw Kieran’s reaction.

“Is it? It doesn’t sound okay.”

“I’m in a little more trouble than I thought I’d be at work. That’s all. Did you think it was something else?”

“Yeah, I thought you’d be breaking up with me. Are you breaking up with me?”

“No.” Carina shook her head. “But good to know that we’re together and not just dating anymore.”

“Shit. Are we not? I’m really not good at this, am I?”

Carina laughed and took Kieran’s hand. “No, we are. We are, okay? Can we sit down, though?”

“Okay. But don’t break up with me. I just found you, and that took forever.”

Carina’s heart tugged a little as they sat on the sofa.

“What level of trouble are you in?” Kieran added. “Are we talking about a little slap on the wrist where they tell you not to do something again? Is it worse?”

“Slightly worse,” she said.

“Carina, I asked you… I didn’t want you to get in trouble for helping me.”

“I’m an adult. I can make my own decisions, thank you very much, Miss Walsh. I made mine, and I stand by them. Yes, there are many, many gray areas here, and I might have crossed a line or two, but honestly, I don’t care. I’m supposed to be on the side of justice, and putting an innocent woman behind bars for the rest of her life isn’t justice.”

“That’s cute, but still so black and white.”

“Yes. But this thing with you isn’t gray; it’s full of color, Kieran. It’s got all of these possibilities I thought I’d missed out on when I never found anyone before. Even my longest relationship never felt like this in the beginning. And I know I’m only forty here, but I’m still hoping to become a DA, and I’d be the first openly gay DA in this state, along with the first female DA in this county.”

“That’s embarrassing for the county. How are we still having first women in government positions in this damn country?”

“I don’t know, but it would still mean a lot to me to earn this job after years of hard work. I’ve always thought that if I didn’t meet someone before that, I probably never would, though. Being the DA means I’m a politician, and not everyone wants to be with a politician. Actually, I should ask you. Do you want to be with a politician?”

Kieran leaned back a little and asked, “What changes from now until then?”

“Well, I’d have to run a campaign. It’s not a big-city DA job, but there are still appearances and speeches, and it would be nice to have my partner there. Not a requirement. I can always run as a single woman in public, but we’d risk someone finding out about you and calling me a liar.”

“And when you get the job?”

“Jason travels a little, but he’s in the office about as long as I am, most days. Some days, he leaves earlier, but there would be dinners and events, too, that I don’t have to go to now.”

“So, basically, you’re asking me to be your arm candy?”

Carina laughed and shimmied out of her suit jacket, letting it fall back against the arm of the sofa.

“My very pretty arm candy.”

“Yes, that’s what‘arm candy’ means, Carina,” Kieran noted.

“Fine. Very smart arm candy.” She moved until she was on top of Kieran, who laid down under her without protest. “Is that something you can see yourself doing?”

“It’s important to you,” Kieran replied as she wrapped her arms around Carina’s neck.

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