by Ivy Nelson
“Everything is great boss. Just an angry lobbyist trying to bully her way into meeting with the senator.” Bradley chuckled. When his assistant glared at him, he raised his hands and backed away from the desk.
“Sorry, I’m laughing at the lobbyist for thinking she would get past you. I swear I’m not laughing at you. You’re a force to be reckoned with Adara.”
“And don’t you forget it,” she blurted, yet there was no bite to her words. He had hired Adara not long after he became chief of staff, because they had worked together as interns when they were first starting out. He knew little about her personal life but at the office she was spunky and didn’t take shit off of anybody—Bradley included.
“Did you need something boss?” she asked, a playful grin still on her face.
“Can we review the agenda for the rest of the week? I need to squeeze a few more donor meetings into the schedule if we can.”
Adara scowled at him. “You stretch yourself too thin Bradley.”
He laughed. “It’s sweet of you to worry about me, but we’re working to send the man to the White House. We’re all going to be spread thin for the next year.”
She sighed. “I don’t want to have to train a new boss when you keel over halfway through the campaign.”
“Says the woman who gets here two hours early every day and doesn’t believe in days off,” Bradley snarked back.
She was frowning at him, but he knew his calendar was already up on her screen. His assistant was not intimidated by him, and she ran his office like a well-oiled machine. She had the knowledge and skill to run a campaign on her own someday, but she wasn’t fond of public appearances. In fact, the last time he tried to get her to go on an evening news panel there had been fear in her eyes, so he stopped pushing.
She rattled off appointments and whether she could move them. Once they narrowed down free times, he handed her a handwritten list of the people he wanted to meet. She would have the appointments scheduled before lunch.
“Mrs. Devlin will be at the luncheon you’re going to next week. If you’re mingling game is strong, you can squeeze in some face time with her there.” She clicked something else on her computer. “And don’t forget your lunch with Miss Jacobs is in thirty minutes, and your meeting with the senator is at three o’clock.”
Bradley grimaced at the mention of lunch with Peggy Jacobs, then chastised himself for having negative thoughts about his friend. He felt bad it didn’t seem like their current arrangement was working out. Adara must have sensed his displeasure because she asked him if she should reschedule.
He shook his head. It was rude to cancel a date last minute. And in a city as busy as D.C. it was downright mean. He sighed.
“I should get going. Call a car for me please.”
Ten minutes later, Bradley sat in the backseat of a black SUV heading to Acqua al 2. He was talking—more like listening—to a very chatty Peggy.
Is she still talking? He held the phone away from his ear to muffle the sound of the talkative girl on the other end. He had only called to let her know he was on his way to meet her. This is why they invented texting.
“Just be on time today, I've got a full schedule. We can talk more at lunch,” he said when she took a breath. Without waiting for a response, he ended the call, shoving the cellphone into the pocket of his dark navy dress slacks. He closed his eyes and willed himself to relax as the sunlight streaming into the car warmed his face. It was wrong to snap at her. He would apologize when he saw her.
Fifteen minutes later, he arrived at the posh Italian restaurant near the capitol. It was Bradley’s favorite place to bring clients and partners for lunch. A heaping portion of Rigatoni alla Melanzane would help take his mind off the stress of the day. He climbed out of the car and told his driver he would be ready to leave in an hour and a half. He moved toward the trendy establishment thinking of how crazy his schedule was about to become. There would be few days off over the course of the next year, but it would be worth it to say he put Sean Atleigh in the White House.
As he opened the restaurant door, a feminine voice cried out, “Hey watch it! You almost hit me in the face.” The exclamation shook Bradley out of his thoughts in time to see a beautiful redhead jump back as the door narrowly missed her cute nose.
2
♥♥♥
“My apologies Miss...” He stopped mid-sentence. It couldn’t be. This city is huge. What are the odds it’s her?
“It’s alright. Are you meeting someone?” the woman asked, her head tilted up at him in the doorway.
For a moment, Bradley felt dazed, but her voice broke through the fog.
“Yes, in fact, she should be here any time.” He looked at his phone. Peggy was late. Again.
“Me too.” She smiled as she spoke, and it was the most dazzling smile Bradley had seen in a while. She ran a hand through a wild mess of red curls framing a pale face. Her skin looked so smooth it begged for his touch, and he struggled to keep from reaching out to brush at a wayward curl.
Bradley knew it was selfish, but he wanted to spend a few more minutes with this woman, see if she was who he guessed. He grinned down at her and said, “Let me buy you a drink to apologize for my clumsiness. We can chat while we wait for our lunch partners.”
“Oh, that’s unnecessary.”
“I insist,” he responded. He hoped Peggy would be even later than she already was. He kicked himself for his thoughts.
“I have a feeling you’re used to getting your way,” she said with a hint of sarcasm. Or was it annoyance? He wasn’t sure. He wondered what she would think about his taste for getting his way in the bedroom. If she was the blogger he liked so much, she would be very receptive to the idea. It made his cock twitch.
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that. D.C. is fickle that way. If we’re both going to be waiting, we should move out of the doorway. The bar is a much more comfortable place to wait.”
He winked as he pulled her out of the doorway to let an older couple pass. He didn’t let go of her arm when they were gone. Instead, he guided her past the hostess station to the bar.
“Oh, all right, you win,” she said. “I’ll have Jameson on the rocks please.” He raised an eyebrow at her drink of choice.
“A little early for whiskey isn’t it, Miss... what did you say your name was?”
“Darci, Darci Sanders. And you are?” So, it is her.
“Bradley Givens at your service ma’am,” he drawled with a dramatic bow as she settled onto a barstool. She giggled, but an odd look crossed her features. He started to ask about it but stopped himself. Flagging the bartender down, he ordered their drinks.
Her expression grew thoughtful as if she were trying to remember something.
“Givens. Are you related to Steve Givens? The former governor of Arkansas?”
“He’s my father.” His response came out stiffer than he intended.
Recognition lit up her bright green eyes as she exclaimed, “Oh! You’re Senator Atleigh’s chief of staff. I can’t imagine your father is happy about that.”
“What makes you say that?” It seemed Darci knew a little something about politics. That made him happy.
“Oh, come on. Atleigh and Givens don’t exactly see eye to eye. Isn’t your father considering a run for president? There is no way he likes you working for his potential competition.”
President? My father? Out loud he asked, “And where did you hear that awful rumor?”
Surprise flashed across her face before she recovered and said, “Oh, you know how the D.C. gossip mill is.”
“Gossip is all it is, I assure you, Miss Sanders.” He spoke with confidence, but inside a small bubble of panic formed. “I don’t want to discuss my father,” he said, hoping to steer the conversation some place more pleasant.
“Somebody has daddy issues,” she said with a raised eyebrow.
Bradley stiffened. “Watch your tongue, Miss Sanders. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The bartender came back with their drinks much to Bradley’s relief. He needed to get away from this topic. He handed her the chilled whiskey and raised his own glass. “Drink up. Let’s talk about you.”
“I can assure you, your life is much more interesting,” she said, her brilliant green eyes boring into him over her glass as she took a long sip.
“You should let me be the judge of that.” He paused, considering mentioning he recognized her from one of his favorite blogs. At first, he wasn't sure, but now that they had been speaking for a few minutes he was positive he was sharing a drink with his favorite blogger. She wasn’t shy about posting face pictures, and there was no mistaking those eyes. They were the greenest eyes he had ever seen. She wore a blue top today that made them sparkle even more.
He shook his head when he realized he’d been staring. “Sorry, I lost my train of thought,” he said, and felt lame for not being able to come up with a better response.
“Boring you, am I?” A mischievous grin spread across her face. Bradley wanted to find other ways to make her grin that way.
“Not in the least, Darci. Do you mind if I call you Darci?”
“Well, that is my name, Mr. Givens.”
“Bradley, please.” He wanted to learn more about this quirky blogger, so he asked, “Who are you meeting today? Some dashing fellow I suppose.”
“A client actually. You’re likely to find her more attractive than I do—not that I’m above appreciating the female form.” Darci winked as that mischievous grin appeared again. There was something else in her eyes. A wistful look. A fond memory? He wanted to find out.
“Mr. Givens! You seem distant today,” she chastised with a playful grin.
A blush crept up Bradley's neck onto his cheeks at her teasing reprimand and he grimaced. He never blushed.
Before he could respond with his own jab, a tall blonde came rushing toward the bar. She was well groomed and wore a fitted black dress and a pair of nude heels that made her legs look a mile long.
“There you are,” she said as she reached them. She seemed flustered by the site of Darci, but she offered her hand. “Peggy Jacobs. Nice to meet you. Are you a friend of Bradley’s?” Bradley rolled his eyes at the girl’s question and answered before Darci could.
“I accidentally bumped into Miss Sanders coming through the door. She’s waiting for someone as well, so I bought her a drink while we were waiting.”
“Always the gentlemen, isn’t he?” He could hear sarcasm in her sugary sweet voice. He almost rolled his eyes again but restrained himself. Instead, he put his hand on her arm, applying enough pressure to get her attention but not enough for Darci to notice.
“Come, our table should be ready.”
Turning, he said, “Darci, it was a pleasure meeting you. Perhaps I’ll be lucky enough to bump into you again.”
“Maybe we can avoid the bumping next time?” She smiled sweetly, but there was mischief in her voice. It made him smile.
Darci shifted her gaze to Peggy and said, “It was lovely to meet you. I see my client. Perfect timing.” She waved at a dark-haired woman who looked a little lost at the other end of the bar.
Bradley couldn’t help but steal a final glance at Darci as the hostess led them to their table. What a delightful woman.
• • •
Darci watched Bradley Givens walk away with the leggy woman on his arm. He had to be at least a foot taller than Darci, but in heels, his lunch companion was almost his height. She kicked herself for not asking to meet with the senator. Why did he have to be so damn charming? And handsome? His dark brown hair was too long as if he needed a haircut. It was the intensity in his blue eyes when he looked at her that must have thrown her off her game. She tossed back the last of her whiskey and headed to where the timid woman was waiting. She wore a conservative knee-length floral print dress. Over it, a pale blue cardigan. The girl looked nervous, and Darci couldn’t blame her. As she walked towards the waiting girl, she plastered on what she hoped was a warm and inviting smile.
“You must be Tessa. I’m Darci. Thanks for meeting me. You look like someone. But I can’t put my finger on who.” Tessa flashed a timid smile and accepted Darci’s extended hand.
“It’s good to meet you, Darci. I’m sorry I’m so nervous.”
Darci patted the young girl's shoulder. “It’s fine, let’s go see if our table is ready and we can enjoy a nice lunch and chat.”
Five minutes later, they were sitting behind Bradley Givens. She was staring at the back of Bradley’s head and was in his companion’s direct line of site. To Darci’s eye the pretty blonde looked glum. A waiter came and took their order. Once he left, Darci tried to get the conversation started. She had to force herself to keep her eyes from wandering over to Bradley’s table.
After she managed to wrench her eyes away she took ten seconds to gather her thoughts and then said, “First, you don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to, but the more you can give me the better I’ll be able to help you.”
Tessa nodded. “It’s hard to talk about, Miss Sanders. I never thought anything like this would happen.”
Darci understood what the girl was going through and patted her hand in reassurance.
“Nobody expects this to happen, Tessa. This was not your fault, and it’s important you keep that in mind.” She paused, letting her words sink in. When she saw some of the tension leave Tessa’s shoulders, she continued.
“You told me you worry about losing your scholarship. Why is that?” Darci suspected she already knew the answer but wanted to hear it from Tessa.
The girl explained she first reported the assault to her boss, the Dean of Student Affairs. She had been working in his office for the last two years. Instead of calling the police, the university official had asked her to think about her own future and how such an accusation could affect her. Darci fought to keep the anger hidden. She didn’t want Tessa thinking she was mad at her.
“It was like he didn’t believe me. He tried to tell me a trial would be hard on me and it might be impossible to prove rape and then people would say I was a liar.”
Darci stopped the girl there. “I believe you, Tessa. Second, what your boss did is unethical. I can and will help you, but first, we need to go to the police. Can you identify your attacker?” Tessa nodded and looked around the restaurant as if her rapist might be nearby. Darci patted her hand again. “It’s OK. Let’s enjoy our lunch, then we'll go back to my office and talk in private.”
“Thank you, Miss Sanders. For believing me. For helping.” The girl's voice wavered, and tears pooled in her eyes. It ripped at Darci's heart.
“Call me Darci. You deserve justice for what happened to you. It won’t heal the scars, but it can ease the pain.”
Their food arrived, and Darci changed the topic asking the girl simple questions about her life. As the meal progressed Tessa became more relaxed and seemed to enjoy their conversation.
After they finished their meal, Darci paid the bill and told Tessa they would meet back at her office. On the way out, she stopped by Bradley’s table.
“Thank you again for the drink, Mr. Givens. Miss Jacobs, it was a pleasure meeting you.” She pulled a card out of her purse and handed it to Bradley. “I’ve been trying to arrange a face-to-face meeting with Senator Atleigh. Can you help me?”
He accepted the card and tucked it inside his dark navy suit jacket without looking at it. “I’ll see what I can do Miss Sanders.”
Back in her office, she walked the girl through the process of reporting her attack to the police. Her best friend Michael Silas was a detective for the Metropolitan Police Department, and she knew from experience he would make Tessa as comfortable as possible.
When she told Tessa she was going to connect her with him, her nerves resurfaced. “Do you think I could talk to him in private? I don’t know if I can get the details out with someone else sitting here.”
Darci didn’t hesitate to reassure the girl
that she would step out and give her some privacy. She got Michael on the phone, then stepped into the reception area to chat with her assistant, Kimberly. A half hour later, she put Tessa in a cab on her way to file an official report at Michael’s precinct. Darci would have to buy him coffee. She promised Tessa she would check on her that evening. She called Michael again as soon as the girl was gone.
“Thank you so much, Michael.”
“You’re welcome sweetheart. I didn’t think you normally took that kind of client.” She smiled. He knew her well and knew the reasons she wouldn’t want to handle a rape case.
“It was a situation where I didn’t have an option.”
They made small talk for a bit but Darci’s mind kept coming back to Bradley. She was obviously starving for male attention she decided. Maybe it was time for a change.
“Are you going to Exposure this weekend?” she asked.
“I hadn’t decided yet. Why?”
“I’m thinking about it. I know I haven’t been in a long time.”
“It would be good for you, Darci. We miss you.” Darci heard someone shout his name in the background. “Hey, I gotta run but call me if you decide to go.”
They said goodbye and Darci settled in at her desk, she pulled up Senator Atleigh’s website and found the staff profile for Bradley Givens.
She should have been harassing the other senators on her list, but he intrigued her. Who was Peggy to him? How long had he been in D.C.? It was a long shot, but she hoped he would call her about meeting with his boss because then she would get to see him again.
Darci kicked herself. She could never pursue someone who worked for Sean Atleigh. He was running for president, and he stood for everything Darci was fighting against at the ACSL. If Bradley was working for him, that meant he held the same beliefs as Senator Atleigh. That alone should have made him repulsive, but Darci couldn’t tear her gaze away from the piercing blue eyes staring at her from the screen of her computer. Yep, it was definitely time to go back to Exposure.