“So?  Figure it out yet?”

Cate smiled at Jon’s words in her ear and at the feel of his hand sliding a little further up her thigh.  They had been in the car for ten minutes, crawling through what Cate assumed was midtown traffic.  Wherever they were headed couldn’t be far, or Jon would be much more impatient at the slow progress they were making.

“No.  You keep distracting me.” 

Jon chuckled and nuzzled at Cate’s ear.  “Oh.  I’m sorry.”

“No you’re not.”

“You’re right.  I’m not.”  Jon grinned and dropped his lips to Cate’s neck, sucking lightly at her warm skin.  “Whoops.  Sorry again.”

Cate sighed happily.  “Yeah, sure.”

With another wicked chuckle Jon pulled away, smiling at his wife.  She looked so sexy in the dim light, calmly facing straight ahead, the black and gray silk scarf over her eyes and the gentle smirk on her full crimson lips.  He could jump her right now.  Hell, they’d probably have time for foreplay and an orgasm a slow as traffic was moving.

Jon reluctantly shook the naughty thought from his mind.  “Okay, I’ll give you another clue.  We’re going someplace to indulge your fetish.  Actually… a couple of your fetishes.”  Jon smirked as Cate turned her face toward him, obviously surprised by his words.

“What?  My fetish?  Baby, all my fetishes involve parts of your anatomy.”

Jon laughed at her bluntness.  “Well, yeah.  Most of them, but not all of them.”

“You’re taking me to see baseball players in tight pants?”  Cate grinned.  “Outstanding.  Merry Christmas indeed.”

“Har-dee-har-har.”  Jon couldn’t resist leaning forward to taste her lips as he teased her.  “It ain’t baseball season yet.  And I know for a fact you have other fetishes.  You’ll see.”

“Not ‘til you take off this blindfold, I won’t.”

“Soon, Baby.  We’re almost there.”  Jon slipped his arm around Cate’s waist and pulled her closer to him.  She purred in response, snuggling against him and tipping her head to rest on his shoulder.

Cate and Jon spent the next ten minutes of gridlock murmuring and giggling, cuddled together in the back seat of their hired car.  Finally the sedan drifted to a stop and the driver announced they had arrived at their destination.

“Okay, you can look now.”  Jon disengaged himself from their embrace and gently slipped the blindfold off Cate’s head.  He smiled, watching her blink rapidly as her vision adjusted to the dim light.  Ducking her head, Cate looked past Jon, out the window of the Town Car.

“What…  Kenneth Cole?”  Cate’s eyes widened as she stared up at the ornate façade of the Fifth Avenue flagship store.  “Jon, we were just here last night.”  Confused, she turned her wide-eyed gaze to her husband and saw him grinning.

“It’s your favorite store, right?  And I saw you eyeing that silver purse at the benefit last night.”  Jon grinned cheekily. 

“Yes, but… It’s eleven at night.  They’re closed.” Cate protested weakly, hesitating as she looked from Jon to the storefront, then back to Jon.

“Oh, come on.  That bag’s in the window.  Come see.”  Jon chortled and pushed open the door, stepping out onto the curb before ducking to offer his hand to Cate.  “You coming?”

Taking his proffered hand, Cate shook her head slowly as she tried to decipher the puzzle of Jon’s earlier clue and their current location.  Maybe they were just getting out here and going to another place.  Somewhere in Rockefeller Center, perhaps?  Cate carefully stepped out onto the curb and stood while Jon thanked the driver and closed the door.

Cate’s hypothesis was immediately disproven when Jon gave her a wink and a dazzling smile, then took her hand and led her toward the store’s main entrance.  He chuckled at her little squeak of surprise when a well-dressed man swung open the door as they approached, inviting them inside.

“Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Bongiovi.”  Just inside the store’s entrance, at the base of the stairs, stood a tall, thin, exotic-looking brunette woman dressed head-to-toe in black.  Her greeting was delivered in a proper English accent.  “Welcome to Kenneth Cole.”

“Good evening,” Jon grinned in response.  He turned to look at Cate and almost laughed aloud at her surprised expression.  “Thank you.”

“I am Mena, the Personal Services Manager.  It is my pleasure to be at your service this evening.”  The woman stepped forward and offered her hand to Cate.

The movement shook Cate from her shock.  She smiled and accepted Mena’s handshake.  “Nice to meet you.  And thank you.”  Cate glanced quizzically at Jon.  “Um, please forgive me, but what service will you be providing this evening?”

Mena nodded slightly and smiled.  “As your personal services aide, I will gladly assist you in making your selections from our collection.  You are welcome to browse the retail floor, but at your husband’s request I have put together a personalized wardrobe consisting of pieces from our retail line as well as from our couture collection and design vaults.  I hope you will find the selection satisfactory.”

Cate’s lips parted with her little gasp of surprise, then the corners of her mouth curled into a delighted smile.   She turned to look at Jon, her eyes glowing with excitement.  “You… you set up a personal shopping appointment… for me?”

Jon chuckled and raised Cate’s hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on her fingers.  “I knew this was something you’d never do for yourself, so yeah.”  He grinned saucily.  “But not just for you.”  Jon glanced sideways at Mena.  “Right?”

Mena nodded again, her accommodating smile still in place.  “Yes, Mr. Bongiovi.  I have also put together a selection of items from our men’s line for you.  As you requested, it includes the range of our collection – jeans, casual wear, suits, and outerwear.  In fact, there are several one-of-a-kind items that Mr. Cole asked me to include for your consideration.”

Jon watched Cate’s reaction, chuckling softly as he saw her look from Mena to him, then back to Mena.  He could almost see the wheels turning in her head as she processed what their personal shopper had just said.  Jon grinned broadly when Cate’s swirling blue eyes widened and her face lit up in a dazzling smile. 

“The paper dolls… to dress you up… my fetish…” Cate’s voice was soft and husky with excitement. 

Jon nodded.  “Yeah, Baby.  How many times have you said you want to dress me up in all these great clothes?  Well, now’s your chance.”  He reached up to tap the tip of her nose with a gentle finger as his blue eyes sparkled merrily.  “You can put ‘em on me, take ‘em off me, however you like.  But first you’re gonna pick out some things for yourself.  Whatever you want.  Anything, everything.  It’s Christmas.”

Jon saw the beginnings of happy tears sparkling in Cate’s eyes.  He leaned down to drop a gentle kiss on her trembling lips, his heart swelling with love and pride that he had done something special for his wife.  “Shall we get started?” he asked gently.

Cate nodded, holding his gaze for a moment, then looked to Mena.  Clearing her throat and regaining her composure, she gave Mena a smile.  “I’m ready.”

“Very good, Mrs. Bongiovi. If you will both follow me, please.”  Mena turned and moved toward a set of elevator doors recessed behind the staircase.  Ushering them into the car, she smiled as the doors slid closed.  “We have the private salon set up for you on the third floor.  Refreshments are compliments of Mr. Cole.  He asked me to wish you both a very Happy Christmas and to thank you for your friendship.”

Jon chuckled.  “Please give him our thanks and our best.  Ken’s a good man.  We’re honored to call him a friend.”

“Yes sir, he is quite remarkable,” Mena agreed as the elevator dinged to a stop and the doors slid open.  She gestured for Jon and Cate to precede her out of the elevator car, then moved past them once they had exited. 

Jon squeezed Cate’s hand as he watched her take in their surroundings.  The private salon was elegant and modern, decorated in rich browns, reds, and black.  Walnut-paneled walls were accented by a dark red plush rug over a dark hardwood floor, and black leather chairs flanked a low chrome and glass table.  At the far end of the salon red velvet curtains framed the entrance to a large dressing room. 

“Wow,” Cate breathed, her eyes wide with excitement.  “This isn’t exactly what I’m used to in a changing room.”  She giggled softly.  “No crappy fluorescent lighting or dingy carpet in this place.”

Mena chuckled huskily at her observation.  “Certainly not, Mrs. Bongiovi.  Only the best for our clients.”  She held out her hands.  "Please, may I take your coats?"


Cate and Jon quickly shrugged out of their coats and scarves, handing the garments to Mena.  As she carried them over to a small closet and carefully arranged them on hangers Jon slipped an arm around Cate's waist and gave her a little squeeze.  "This is gonna be fun," he murmured in her ear before placing a kiss against her hair.


"I think so," Cate agreed softly.  A little shiver ran down her spine at the thought of watching Jon perform a private fashion show, just for her.


Mena returned to find her clients standing close together, clearly enjoying a private discussion.  She waited a moment for them to turn their attention to her, before smiling and waving a hand at one of the black leather chairs.  “Mr. Bongiovi, if you would like to have a seat I will show your lovely wife the items I have selected for her.  And please help yourself to the refreshments.  Mrs. Bongiovi, would you care for a glass of champagne before we begin?”

Cate shook her head.  “No thank you.  Please, let’s get started.  I don’t want to keep you here all night.  It was so kind of you to be here so late.”

Mena nodded and smiled in reply.  “I thank you for the sentiment, but I am happy to be here.  Please don’t feel you must hurry.”  She gave a sideways glance toward Jon.  “Take as long as you like, the night is yours.”

Jon chuckled inwardly at Mena’s comment.  She obviously understood exactly what he had planned for later.  Jon knew there was a reason Ken had asked Mena to personally accommodate his request; she was professional, loyal, and discrete.  He would be sure to reward her handsomely for her attention and discretion.

“Have fun, Baby.”  Jon gently kissed Cate’s cheek as he released her hand.  “Can’t wait to see what you try on.  I’ll wait out here for the fashion show.  He playfully swatted at Cate’s behind as she turned to follow Mena toward the dressing room.

“Okay, Baby.  I want your opinion,” Cate called back over her shoulder.  “And if something makes my butt look big you better tell me.”

“Not a chance,” Jon muttered playfully as he turned to lower himself into one of the chairs.  Stretching his feet out in front of him, he slumped against the soft leather and reached for a glass of champagne.  He sighed softly as he savored the Dom Perignon bubbles on his tongue, then he grinned.  Damn, I done good, he thought.  But the best is yet to come…