by Chloe Morgan
“You did this?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I had some of my men come in here and clean up what the cleaning crew couldn’t.”
“But how? It looks…”
“Like it used to? I told them to make it look that way. The darkness of your office suits you, especially since I always catch you staring out that window.”
I stared at the man in silence, not knowing what to say. That wasn’t his job, and surely that wasn’t the job of his team. To come in here and clean down some office on their hands and knees. And yet, he had ordered it. And yet, they had done it.
I stood from my seat and smiled before Kennedy came slipping past him.
“I know, I know, you dismissed me for the day. But I watched the entire thing on C-SPAN. Ms. Fielding, you were marvelous,” Kennedy said.
I smiled. “I really appreciate it. Thank you.”
“My phone has been ringing off the hook ever since it aired. Apparently, people are a fan of you sticking it to Rep. White with information and statistics. There are radio shows and talk shows in the area wanting to have you on regarding your proposal!”
“Wait, really?” I asked.
“Yes, really. I’ve already booked two radio shows. But I wanted to wait until I came in tomorrow to speak with you about the talk shows. Because I know those can get a little more hairy than a radio show.”
My eyes flickered over to Ace, and I saw pride beaming in his stare. My body came alive, and my heart felt lighter and fuller than it had in years. Well, it seemed as if I’d get some media backing on this proposal after all. I’d managed to get it noticed, and on C-SPAN of all places!
I had been hoping for it, but I knew it was close to impossible to gain people’s attention on that kind of platform. Usually, reps had their aides leak things to the press. But having my proposal discovered organically like this?
It showed exactly where our nation’s priorities stood.
I smiled over at Ace, and he gave me a nod before winking at me. Heat flooded me as I sat back down in my chair, my knees growing weak. As Kennedy continued to talk at me, my eyes found his. The world faded away, and the only thing I felt was appreciation for his support. For his words of encouragement.
I planned to show him how grateful I was that tonight.
I saw Stash pop up beside Ace before whispering something in his ear. I trained my attention back onto my aide, but I saw something roll across Ace’s face. He gave me a small wave before stepping out of my office, and the two men began speaking quietly to one another.
What had just happened?
Kennedy looked back over her shoulder, pausing midsentence. And when her eyes connected with Stash, I saw a look pass between the two of them. Officer Kinsey waved to me before he walked off, and I saw Kennedy blushing as she looked back at me.
I quirked an eyebrow. “Is there something you want to tell me?”
Kennedy grinned. “I could ask you the same thing.”
My jaw fell open. “So, there is something going on between you and Officer Kinsey.”
“Probably not as much as there is going on between you and Officer Mills.”
I giggled. “Is it that obvious?”
“About as obvious as the look Stash just gave me, yes.”
“Is his name really ‘Stash’?” I asked, whispering.
She laughed. “Yes. It really is.”
“Huh. Interesting.”
“Just to let you know, anyone who’s got eyes can see the way Officer Mills looks at you. He makes it very obvious. His eyes are never not on you. You’re much better at covering it up. Though, I see how you look at him sometimes, too.”
“Well, he never takes his eyes off me because he’s employed to protect me.”
Kennedy gave me a look, and I rolled my eyes.
“Kennedy, I don’t have time for a relationship. You know this,” I said.
“Ms. Fielding, you told me the reason why you picked me as your aide was because I wasn’t afraid to speak my mind,” she said.
“I’m about to regret that, aren’t I?”
“Maybe. Maybe not. My point is, a relationship isn’t something you ever ‘have time for.’ When you come across the right person, it quickly becomes a necessity. Like breathing, or the need for food. You mean to tell me you don’t make time for breathing and food?”
“Not going to lie, I push it off if it gets in the way of my schedule,” I said, grinning.
“And then you end up on the floor, half-dead because you didn’t give yourself what you needed,” she said.
“Is this your way of telling me I don’t eat enough during the day?”
“No, Ms. Fielding. This is my way of telling you not to deny yourself what you know you need. Because if you can’t take care of yourself, then you certainly can’t take care of the children of this country.”
And as Kennedy quickly made her way out of my office, her words wrapped around my head with their vice grip.
Was it possible she was right?
Chapter 15
Andrew
“When I told you to invite the security team so we could celebrate the success of this proposal, this isn’t quite what I had in mind,” Dawn said.
“Oh, come on. You can’t tell me you don’t like putt-putt golf,” I said.
“It’s a family fun center, Ace. We don’t have a family.”
“My security team is family. Stash is practically a child in an adult man’s body. Just trust me, this place is great. They’ve got the best cheeseburgers around, as well as a bar full of microbrew.”
“It’s a family place, Ace.”
“And they close it down on Friday nights to anyone under twenty-one. Which means brews, burgers, and all the games we want to play,” I said, grinning.
I enjoyed her shocked expression as I parked my work SUV in the parking lot.
“You know, I really was expecting some upscale bistro. Or even a sports bar, once you told me you were inviting your guys,” she said.
“What? You don’t think we like to get out and have fun?” I asked.
“I thought a sports bar was fun for guys like you!”
“Well, joke’s on you, then. Huh?”
She laughed, and the sound wrapped around me like the wings of an angel.
“Come on, just give it a shot. And if your team hates it, we’ll go somewhere else. Okay?” I asked.
“Fine, fine. I’ll give it a shot. But do they have something other than cheeseburgers?” Dawn asked.
“Don’t tell me you don’t eat cheeseburgers.”
She shrugged. “I was thinking more along the lines of a nice pasta dish.”
“Get out of this vehicle and get in there, you difficult woman.”
She laughed as she unbuckled her belt and slid out of the seat.
The second we walked into the place, her team took off for the register. Kennedy ran alongside Stash, two peas in a fucking pod. A couple of the other aides that helped Dawn along the way were ecstatic at the idea of drunken laser tag. I grinned over at her as we approached the register, putting in our order for food and paying right there on the spot.
I bought everyone an unlimited amount of games on the assumption they’d be paying for their own drinks.
Everyone was running around like massive children, laughing and drinking and picking at their food whenever they needed a refuel. Stash and Kennedy were outside playing putt-putt golf. One of the other aides was hitting balls in the batting cage. I dragged Dawn over to the Skee-Ball machines, and the two of us destroyed one another with points and tickets that spat out for us.
“Let me guess, we can trade these tickets in for adult prizes? Like condoms and edible underwear?” she asked.
I quirked an eyebrow. “Try money off your drinks and food.”
She threw her head back with laughter, and watching her light up was more than worth it.
“I have to admit, Ace. You were right. Everyone seems to be having a great time,” she said.
“Oh, you don’t want to do that to yourself. I’m the putt-putt golf champion of my family.”
“Really? Because I’ve never been beaten in a game.”
“You are so on. I’m going to be the first.”
“And if you’re not?” I asked.
She grinned. “If you defeat me in putt-putt golf, then you get to take the night wherever you wish.”
I swallowed a growl as I followed her outside. But I never should have underestimated her. Within the first six holes, she was already whooping my ass. And she did it with a big-ass smile on her face. She sank hole-in-ones as quickly as I exchanged magazines in my guns. And the bigger the gap grew in our points, the more I wondered if she really was beatable at the game.
“You know, we never did outline what I’d get if I won,” Dawn said, smiling brightly.
And as she leaned against her golf club, my heart stopped in my chest. I knew, then and there—underneath the bright lights of the putt-putt golf course—that I was in love with this woman. There’d never be another woman that affected me the way she did. That made me proud the way she did. That made me question my life the way she did. That challenged me the way she did.
This week I’d spent at her side had been the most amazing week of my life. And I’d fucking been on the job, too.
I could only imagine what it would be like to be with her when I wasn’t working.
“If you win, you get your way with the night tonight,” I said.
“Now, that sounds like a winning plan to me,” Dawn said, giggling.
She lined herself up and sank yet another hole-in-one. And she garnered herself a score I knew I’d never be able to catch up to. She jumped into the air, her fist up above her head with pride. I planned on telling her exactly how I felt as soon as this threat against her was dealt with. As soon as she was safe, I’d tell her I loved her. I’d tell her there wasn’t anyone else for me. Dawn was mine, and I was ready to let everyone know about us.
And I wouldn’t take no as an answer from her.
Because I knew she felt the same way. No matter how much she wanted to fight it.
Chapter 16
Dawn
I had to admit, the fun center definitely lived up to its name. I could hear Kennedy and Stash laughing across the back patio of the center as they buzzed around on go-carts. I saw the other two aides who had helped me—Matthew and Brandon—coming out of the laser tag building only to go back in and play another round. All of us would briefly meet up at the bar, where we’d exchange our tickets and talk about all the fun we were having.
Then, we’d nibble on our food and be back off playing yet another round of whatever it was that struck our fancy.
Both teams were all smiles, and I felt great about myself. I grinned whenever I saw Stash and Kennedy sneak off for some privacy, finding themselves a darkened booth in the corner. I was honestly ready to take a page out of their book. I was aching for some private time with Ace. Especially since I’d whooped his ass in putt-putt golf by multiple points.
I polished off my last beer and went to find Ace. And I found him on the basketball court off to the side, shooting free throws as if they were nothing to him.
“Hey, you!” I exclaimed.
He dribbled the ball and looked over at me, and I could have sworn there was a loving glimmer in his eye.
“Hey there. Everything okay?” Ace asked.
“I’m ready to call it a night if you are. I’m getting a bit tired.”
He passed me the ball. “Want to shoot some hoops first?”
“This I’m very terrible at. And I’ll freely admit it.”
He chuckled as I threw the ball back at him, watching it bounce a few times before he caught it.
“Yes. I can see that,” he said.
“Ha. Ha. Ha.”
“Come on. I’ll get you back to the safe house. My team will make sure yours gets home safely. I’ve already given them orders to make sure of it.”
“I really appreciate it. Thank you,” I said.
“Anytime, Dawn. And I mean that.”
There was something in his voice that resonated with me. A sincerity and a truth behind it that made the hairs on my neck stand on end. I walked around, letting the aides know that Ace’s team would see them to their homes once they were done, and then I settled whatever tab I still had running.
Then, Ace escorted me to his SUV.
The ride was silent. There was tension between me and Ace. There was good tension, yes. But there was unspoken tension as well. I had things I wanted to say to him. Things I’d never said to any other man in my life. I peeked over at him and found that stoic stare of his focused beyond the windshield.
“Take a left,” I said.
He looked over at me before he put on his blinker.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said.
I directed him to a street up on a small hill that overlooked the National Mall. And when I told him to park, he turned off the lights of the car. I unbuckled my seat belt and turned toward him, watching him as his eyes connected with mine.
“Is everything okay?” Ace asked.
“I wanted you to know that I appreciated your support today,” I said.
“You don’t ever have to thank me for that.”
“But I want to. I owe the back half of my performance and my speech to you and your efforts to comfort me.”
“That’s bullshit. You don’t owe anything you did today to anyone but yourself.”
“Ace—”
“No, Dawn. I’m serious,” he said as he cocked his body toward mine. “You’re an amazing woman. A smart woman. A steadfast woman. And anyone that doesn’t vote with you on this is a heartless moron. You know that as well as I do.”
His words warmed my soul, and I leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. My lips fell against the stubble on his face, and I let it linger a little longer than I should have. The second I tried pulling away, Ace unclipped his seat belt. His arm wrapped around me as he scooted his seat back, causing me to squeal as he pulled me into his lap.
“Ace,” I said breathlessly.
“I’ve wanted you against me all damn day,” he growled.
He captured my mouth, and I melted into him. His hands explored my curves, sliding over my ass cheeks as my skirt rolled up my thighs. My knees planted into the leather of his seat. He leaned it all the way down, my body pressing hard against his. And with our efforts shrouded by his tinted windows, I grew bolder than ever before.
I sat up on his pelvis, then slowly began to shed my clothes.
My suit coat fell off to the side, and I untucked my blouse. Ace’s hands traveled underneath the fabric of it, cupping my clothed breasts. I fell back down to his lips, crashing mine against his in a flurry of desire and lust. My heart fluttered wildly in my chest as he pulled my tits out, stroking them with his thumbs and tugging at them, teasing them, until my panties were filled with warm wetness for him.
“Ace,” I whimpered.
“My god, the things you do to me, woman,” he groaned.
And when he ran his hand through my hair, pulling it out of my traditional bun, I reached down and began fiddling with his belt buckle, with the buttons of his jeans.
Anything to get me closer to being filled with him.
Chapter 17
Andrew
I felt so confused in all the best ways. Making out in my damn car made me feel like a giddy little teenager again. And yet, the idea of someone seeing Dawn in such a vulnerable state made me more protective than ever. I rolled her skirt all the way up over her ass cheeks. I slipped my hands beneath her panties, grabbing and massaging her excess. I felt her hand dip beyond my pants as I lifted my hips, shoving them down so my cock could spill out.
And not once did our lips ever part.
Her curves made me warm, and her gyrations made me growl. She fit me like a glove, and as I slid my cock deep into her warmed confi
nes, it solidified everything for me. My love for her. My lust for her. My deep-seated need to be with her and around her. My SUV rocked on its chassis as she slid up and down my girth, drenching me with her juices as her tits bounced against me.
“Ace. Yes. Don’t ever stop,” she panted.
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that,” I grunted.
I fisted her knotted hair and crashed our lips together. The tinted windows fogged, streaking themselves with our salacious condensation. I slammed up into her, feeling her juices spraying over my pelvis, coating my clothes and filling my work vehicle with the effervescent sound of her moans. I wrapped my arms around her. I held her close to me as her pussy wrapped around my cock. I kissed her neck, then nibbled against her shoulder. I cupped her tits and massaged them as she moved around, swiveling her hips and pressing her hands into my chest.
“Do what you want with me,” I groaned.
She bounced up and down my length, jiggling those ass cheeks against my clothed balls. It was all too much, watching her head fall back in pleasure and watching her skin flush. Her pussy vibrated around me, quivering with a need for release. I slipped my hand beneath her panties and pressed between her pussy folds, my tongue growing jealous of my fingertips.
And the second I pressed down onto her clit, she lost control.
“Oh, that’s it. Right there, Ace. Fuck. Shit. Don’t stop. Oh, yeah. Harder. That’s it, baby. That’s it, Ace. Baby. Yes. Baby. Oh, fuck. Yes. Yes. Yes, Ace! Don’t stop!”
My hips snapped against her at lightning speed. Her words wrapped around my throat, choking off my ability to breathe. I gasped for air as her pussy pulled me deeper, as her legs clenched around me. She bottomed out against my hips and released, her juices pouring from her body in rivers. She soaked my clothes as it dribbled off onto the leather of my seats, literally coating where I sat.
“Oh, yes,” she whimpered.
I coughed and grunted, my speechlessness a new experience. The world rolled over on itself, spiraling and weaving and bursting with light. I leaned up and wrapped myself around her, burying my face into her tits. I pulled her back down to the seat with a crash, feeling her fall weak against me, her curves snuggling into the slats of my muscles with a perfection I’d never known before.