Katherine stood in the wings, watching the stage crew put the final touches in place for the opening act. Her mask was in place, her dress was a peach organza affair that floated around her like a cloud, and her thick ebony hair was scooped into a high and tight ponytail making her cheekbones look dramatic.

Because her co-host, Mason Stevens, was so tall, Katherine could wear her heels and not tower over him, making her more like Katherine, the model, and less like Katherine, the television host. There was a distinctive difference. One had to deal with large in-person audiences, and the other didn't.

"Hello, Katie," Alistair whispered in her ear, appearing from nowhere and without warning.

He was simply standing behind her, not touching her or even looking at her as he, too, watched the action on the stage. From afar, they would look like mere acquaintances.

"Hello, Al," she greeted back. He knew she hated the nickname Katie, and she knew he hated Al.

"I heard a rumor that you would be here this evening." Alistair smiled at one of the cute female stagehands who waved at him. "Should I tell her I'll be going home with you this evening and not to waste her time?"

"You're sure of yourself, aren't you?" Katherine couldn't suppress a smile.

"I'm sure of us, Katherine." Katherine could hear the smile in his voice. "You look delightful and smell divine." He inhaled deeply.

"I wish I could say the same, but since you snuck up on me, it's hard to tell." Katherine's heart rate sped up at the compliment given to her in his posh English accent. She loved his accent.

"I want to kiss you, Katherine," he whispered, his breath brushing her ear and making her whole body break out in goose pimples.

At that precise moment, as if the gods were on his side, the cute stagehand brushed against him and pushed him into Katherine as he did his best to avoid direct contact with the stagehand. He knew how the game was played nowadays, and an accidental brush today would be a sexual assault next week, especially when you were a wealthy earl.

He knocked Katherine harder than she expected, and it caused her to lose her balance, but his hand was there on her waist, holding her steady as he pulled her against him while the girl apologized and then scurried off into the shadows.

"No harm done," Alistair said as he held onto Katherine, letting his hand wander to her hip.

"No, no harm done," Katherine agreed, as she brushed at her skirt while peaking up at him.

His raven black hair was long and curled around his head, he was clean-shaven, and his blue eyes were as shocking as ever.

Why did he always have to make her so weak-kneed?

"So, tonight? Same place, same time?" he asked in a low, urgent voice as he stepped away from her.

Katherine nodded, knowing she didn't have the strength to say no.

"There you two kids are!" Mason said as he threw his arms over both of their shoulders. "Planning the wedding yet?" he asked with a grin.

"Katie turns me down every time," Alistair said in a bored voice.

"Perhaps it's because you call me Katie, Al?" Katherine said in an equally bored voice.

They stared daggers at each other, which was part show and part sexual tension. It was how they always behaved around each other. The first time Katherine had seen Alistair in public around his family after their affair had started, she had been taken aback by his abrupt, almost rude behavior, but then she realized that it was a defense mechanism to shield her and himself from his prying family.

"No fighting, children," Cassandra said as she joined her husband.

"You could cut the sexual tension with a knife!" Mason whispered to Cassandra in a not-so-subtle whisper.

"That's gross, Uncle Mason!" Mave, who had also joined them, whispered back.

"But true," he insisted as he pushed the curtain aside and looked into the audience, Cassandra and Mave joining him.

Alistair reached out and grabbed Katherine's hand while they were all distracted, rubbing her palm with his thumb before trailing his fingers up the inside of her arm before stepping away.

"I hope you all break a leg tonight," Alistair said before he turned and walked away without looking back as Beth joined him, linking her arm through his as they went to find their seats.

"Everyone but Lizzy is here this evening, even Trisha," Cassandra said as she stepped away from the curtain.

Trisha Livingston was one of the wealthiest women in the city and Lizzy Stevens's best friend from college. She and Lizzy handled the production of the show every year. Without them, it wouldn't happen, and the money wouldn't be raised for the Foster's for College program.

The show was a Stevens family tradition, and Katherine always wondered why they were all so involved, but she had never had the chance to ask.

They heard the orchestra start warming up.

"Showtime!" Mason said as he took Katherine by the hand, suddenly all business. "Let's go over a few things before we start."

*****

Five hours later, Katherine was sitting on the bed in her hotel room, brushing her wet hair as her mind raced through the show that had miraculously gone off without a hitch. Mave's narration had, by far, been the funniest thing that Katherine had seen in a long while. What would have been a boring mime act had become a rollicking farce.

The woman was fast on her feet and with a comeback; at one point, she had been chased. There had even been a pie that Mason had snuck on stage for her to throw at the actor involved, but in the end, they had played nice for the audience and parted with a handshake. Of course, after they were off stage, it was a completely different matter, but the Stevens had circled the wagons, and the actor had slunk away, unable to match the united front before him.

Katherine caught her reflection in the mirror across from her and grimaced. Without her makeup and hair styled, she looked plain.

When the knock on her door came, it startled her even though she was expecting it.

Taking a deep breath, she stood and laid her hairbrush on the dresser with a shaking hand. She knew it was Alistair and what was about to happen. She shouldn't have washed her makeup off, but she always did. Perhaps it was her way of testing his sincerity. If it was, he had passed every time.

"Who is it?" Katherine asked through the door.

"It's Alistair, Katherine." She could hear the amusement in his voice.

Slowly she opened the door and caught her breath once more at the beauty of the man. He had lost his bow tie, his top buttons were undone, his suit jacket was over his arm, and his sleeves were rolled up, showing his muscular forearms.

Katherine lost herself as she rested her head against the open door and dreamily sighed while she took in his mussed hair and bright blue laughing eyes. Alistair was always happy and laughing. It was one of the things she loved most about him.

"Are you going to invite me in, beautiful?" Alistair asked, his voice husky.

Katherine blushed at the compliment.

"I'm glad to see that," he said as he reached up and stroked her red cheek.

They both froze at the simple connection, their eyes locking as the electricity between them spiked.

"I missed you," Alistair whispered.

"I missed you too," Katherine whispered back, and then they were in each other's arms, making up for the year apart. When they kissed, it was as if time didn't exist. They could have been together only yesterday.

*******

When Katherine awoke in the small hours of the morning, she found Alistair sitting in a chair, watching her sleep.

"What's wrong? Why are you watching me sleep? It's creepy, Alistair," Katherine pushed herself up in bed, wrapping the sheet around herself.

"I want you to marry me, Katherine," Alistair blurted out, ignoring her.

Katherine's heart skipped a beat as it always did when he proposed.

"We've been over this, Alistair. I don't want to get married, at least not yet." Katherine shook her head and bowed it so he couldn't see her.

"When then, Katherine? It's been nine years since we started this. Whatever this is, that's between us." He stood up and moved to sit beside her on the bed. "You say it's your career, but I don't think that's it anymore." He pushed the hair she was using to shield her face over her shoulder. "Do you love me?"

Katherine looked up at him with tears streaming down her cheeks. "I do." She nodded. Words of love and affection between them had never been a problem. He had told her early on that he loved her, and she had no trouble returning the words.

"Then what is it, Katherine?" His voice was soft.

She wanted to scream at him that he didn't get it, that when he won her and got to know her, he wouldn't really want her. He only knew part of her, not all of her. He didn't know the insecure, shy, and timid part of her.

Katherine wiped her cheeks. "I must go home. My mother is sick, and she needs me."

"I'm sorry to hear that, but it sounds like one more excuse, not the truth. Wouldn't she want to see you married and happy?"

Katherine couldn't take his intense stare and wiggled out of bed, reaching for her robe.

"She would, but my father wouldn't," she said without thinking and then cursed herself for letting it slip.

Alistair kept silent, willing her to continue, and she did, but not in the way he thought she would.

"In fact, this is probably the last time we will see each other. Once I go home, my father will want me to stay, and after my mother..." she couldn't finish the sentence. "Once I'm there, with no ally to help me escape. I'll be stuck."

"Are you saying your father holds you there against your will?" Alistair asked with disbelief.

Katherine knew he wouldn't believe her. He had a happy family and couldn't imagine anything else. It was hard to explain that her father was the master of guilt and held her against her will mentally, not physically. She was weak where he was concerned and always had been.

"Not physically." Katherine shrugged.

"I'm not going to pretend that I understand, but I have a simple solution." Alistair stood and walked towards her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Marry me, then when the time comes, I'll come and get you as your husband."

Katherine closed her eyes. It would be the answer to a prayer, but she couldn't do that to Alistair.

"I can't use you like that, Alistair. I have never wanted to use you! Don't you understand that?" She pushed his hands off her shoulders.

"If you love me and I love you, how is it using?" He shook his head in confusion.

"Please," she fell on the chair behind her, covering her face with her hands in despair.

She was suitable for a private affair, but she would never measure up to being the wife of an English earl, but it was his normal, and there was no way he would understand her fear of failure where he was concerned.

"Fine, make me a promise then." Alistair knelt in front of her and took her hands in his. "When the time comes, you will do everything in your power to find me, and we will talk about this one last time, and I do mean last time."

Katherine  met his eyes. Maybe she could get her head on straight by then. Perhaps she could find him and say yes. It was a promise she was willing to make, sure that it would hurt her more if she didn't keep the promise than it would hurt him.

She nodded, and he stood, pulling her into his arms.

"A kiss to seal the deal," he demanded, and Katherine complied.