Act of Congress

by Amelia Oliver

  “Cass? You OK?”

  I hear the question whispered quietly. Looking up from the menu I’d been staring at but not reading, I see Jake watching me intently from across the table. Let me say, being the focus of that man’s stare was a heady feeling. It made me feel desired, that much was obvious, but it made me feel many other things too. All of which caused my blood to fizz in my veins.

  “Sure,” I smile brightly at him, maybe too brightly to compensate being caught in introspection. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “Mmm, I don’t know. You just had this look on your face, like sadness or something,” he says softly, ensuring that I’m the only one to hear him.

  I’ve fast learned Jake is an observant guy, so of course he’d catch the moment where I’d been thinking about leaving him, and processing a dose of the feels. A dose I had no interest in exploring too deeply.

  “Of course I’m sad,” I say with a straight face, then break into a smile, “Sad I can’t order everything on this menu. It all looks so good!”

  He smiles back, but there is something in his eyes that tells me he’s not buying it.

  “Then, we do what we’ve been doing. You order a few things, I’ll order a few things and we’ll split,” he reminds me, and he’s right. We’d been sharing food on this trip long before we’d been sharing our bodies.

  “I knew there was a reason I liked you Congressman Reid. Hey, I know! With problem solving skills like that, you should be in politics.” I add a wink and finger gun, total cornball, and Jake laughs from his chest.

  Damn, I love watching that man laugh. Seeing his face change to a more youthful and spirited version of the serious congressman he was when we first met makes me tingle all over, and I can’t stop myself from laughing with him.

  Between us, Jake and I order five appetizers and three mains with not a salad in sight. A few of the others at the table catch on to the way we’ve ordered and follow our lead doing the same. The waitress takes it all down on her tablet, laughing with us and making suggestions about the most popular dishes.

  Then she gets to Ella.

  No lie, taking down that woman’s order takes the waitress longer than it took to her to do the whole rest of the group. Hold this, add that, I want it broiled not fried, sauce on the side but no chili…for fuck’s sake, how hard can it be? I feel Jake’s eyes on me, and when I look over at him he mouths, “every damn time”, further punctuating his annoyance by rolling his eyes.

  Smoked clams, mini spicy fish tacos, salmon puffs, lobster and gruyere stuffed mushroom caps and garlic shrimp skewers wrapped in bacon; Jake and I are in foodie heaven. The plates are set out across the table between us, and we’re sampling from all the dishes we chose, giving commentary on what we think as we go. Our food-geek flag is flying proudly. Popping a piece of crab cake in my mouth with my fingers, I close my eyes in bliss. Feeling my phone vibrate in my lap, I use my napkin before opening the message.

  JR: Quit it.

  I have a feeling I know what I was doing, but honestly it wasn’t intentional, so I can’t help baiting him further.

  CA: Quit what?

  JR: Making those little moans when you put that fucking crab cake in your mouth.

  CA: It’s just so good I can’t help it. What’s the problem?

  JR: *flushed face emoji then eggplant emoji*

  CA: Oh. Sorry. *smirking emoji*

  JR: You’re not, but you will be if you keep it up.

  With that I laugh and go back to eating my crab cake, trying my best not to make a noise this time. Gliding my foot out of my wedged slide, I slowly lift my leg over to Jake’s side of the table, and run it along the soft denim on the inside of his firm thigh. Not looking his way, I continue to talk with Sebastian about tomorrow’s fishing competition, while letting my heel come to rest on the seat between Jake’s legs. Flexing my foot forward and to the right, I can feel exactly what me eating crab cakes has done to him. Barely hearing Jake mutter “Jesus…” I’m sure he’s going to push my foot away, so am surprised when I feel his warm fingers wrap around my foot and shift it harder against him. He’s rubbing my foot and my foot is rubbing his semi hard dick. I’ve started a dangerous game here and one of us needs to put a stop to it.

  I don’t know what it is about Jake, but he makes me insatiable. When I’m not touching him, I think about touching him, and when I think about touching him, I remember the way he touches me. Hence, insatiable. It’s a cycle I can’t seem to break, and so I’ve stopped trying. I’ve always liked sex, but holy shit, sex with Jake is in a whole other category. When we’re together, our inhibitions disappear, nothing is taboo and we are left with only the raw desire we have for one another and it is explosive.

  “Jake?” Ella asks walking up behind him, then motioning to the phone in her hand. “Congressman Grant needs to speak with you about a proposed change to the wheat subsidy bill. He apologizes about the time, but says it can’t wait until tomorrow.” She smiles tightly, and Jake reaches out to take the phone.

  Have to hand it to her, this is one time I’m actually grateful for the little cock-blocker. Returning my foot to my slide, I drop my napkin to the table, excuse myself and make my way over to the restrooms at the rear of the restaurant.

  Having used the facilities, I’m coming out of the stall to see Ella standing in front of the mirror touching up her lipstick. I’m not surprised. Ever since Jake said Ella knew about us being together behind the scenes, I’d known this was coming.

  “Isn’t the food divine?” I ask as I wash my hands, making eye contact with her in the mirror.

  “I seem to have lost my appetite,” she says flatly, the hair at the back of my neck tingling and I know we’re about to get into it.

  Here’s the thing though, she’s shit out of luck. I don’t do catty and I have no time for bitchy, so what ever she wants to say, I’ll let her say, if for no other reason than professional courtesy. The moment I think we’re on dangerous ground, I’ll walk away.

  “I’m sorry Ella, are you not feeling well?” I ask, feigning ignorance while giving her the opening I can see she’s waiting for.

  Go ahead; get it off your chest.

  Turning from the mirror, she faces me, hand on her hip. “What are you playing at Cassie? I hired you to work with Jake on rebranding him professionally.”

  Putting the paper towel I used to dry my hands in the trash, I turn back to face Ella before speaking.

  “I’m not playing at anything Ella, and the rebranding strategy is working. Jake’s profile has shifted significantly and his views on the things that are important to him are much more visible. His popularity in his own district has increased, along with his presence in Washington. I mean, did Congressman Grant even know who Jake was before this trip, let alone intentionally seek him out to get his opinion on anything?”

  I’ve got her there, I can see it on her face, but none of that is her issue with me and we both know it.

  “I don’t know how the lines got crossed, but you’re playing with Jake, and he’s going to get hurt. This is not a game, Cassie. This is his career. I don’t know how you conduct yourself normally; maybe you fraternize with all your clients like this...? Well, I won’t stand idly by and watch it happen. In fact, I find the whole thing distasteful and ethically questionable.”

  Well, now we’re getting somewhere. Tell me how you really feel.

  Smoothing the front of my dress down, I take a breath, before asking, “How long have you been in love with Jake, Ella?”

  She opens her mouth and then closes it quickly, her face flushing with the rosiness of embarrassment.

  “Oh, I don’t care, it’s none of my business. Everyone here is an adult and can live their life as they please. It’s just, I’m finding it a little ironic to be challenged on my behavior being anything other than professional, when the woman doing the challenging has a personal agenda of her own.”

  She finds her voice again and it’s getting angry and defensive.

 
; “It’s my job to look after Jake’s best interests, to guide him in the right direction and prevent him from making mistakes that he’ll regret. A relationship with you Cassie…is a mistake. One he’ll regret. It’s the damage you’ll cause in the meantime I’m trying to prevent. Just do your job Cassie, that’s all I’m saying.”

  Ok, I’m done with this sanctimonious bullshit.

  “Don’t look now Ella, but I am doing my job, and I’m doing it very well.”

  Turning around before opening the restroom door to step out into the hallway, I look back over my shoulder and add, “Doing Jake though…well, that’s just a bonus.”

  With that, I let the door close behind me.

  Would you look at that? Turns out I did do a little catty after all.

  * * *

  By the time we reach the karaoke bar, it’s fairly crowded and the place is jumping. A group of four, clearly inebriated guys are completely butchering an iconic AC/DC anthem, but they’re having a blast doing it. The booths running along two of the walls are deep burgundy vinyl against dark wood, while a long, wooden bar runs the length adjacent, with a small stage at the front. High-topped tables and stools are scattered through the center and there’s a dance floor in front of the stage. The lighting is low, with tea light candles inside cocktail glasses on all the tabletops, including in the booths.

  Even though a few of our group opted to head back to the hotel after dinner, Ella included, I quickly see we’re not all going to be able to sit together. I look over to Jake, who’s already chatting to a few of the locals, and nod towards the bar. I’m not even going to try and find a seat, getting a drink is my priority.

  I have no intention of telling him about my girls chat with Ella, but that doesn’t mean I don’t need a vodka tonic to help me process it. For a few seconds after I’d walked out of that bathroom, her comments about my professionalism stung, as did her insinuation that my sleeping with clients was a common occurrence. After that burned away, I’d been left with the gift of her comment about Jake getting personal with me being a mistake. No, not just a mistake, but also one he’ll regret. I’m not stupid; I know Jake is too good for someone like me. Except now that I’ve stopped fighting him, stopped fighting the pull between us and agreeing without words to enjoy this thing while it lasts, I’m taking it. So fuck what Ella thinks.

  Half my drink down, I’ve concluded there’s no real harm done and shake it off, recognizing that she came at me from a place of emotion. Ella was feeling vulnerable, angry that her lust for Jake had not only remained unseen by him, but that he’d given his attentions elsewhere. All in all, I’m choosing to let those things be Ella’s issues with me, and not my issues with myself. I know who I am, and I know how I work. I don’t love what she said, but my backbone is strong enough to take it. This time.

  “You’re not trying to get out of singing are you Ms. Argent?” Jake says, sliding onto the stool next to me.

  “Not at all, but I don’t see you leading the charge to the microphone either there buddy.”

  “Maybe I don’t want to show you up. While I don’t see them often, my mom’s side of the family has a long tradition of karaoke nights. My grandmother was an incredible singer.” Something passes over Jake’s face before he closes it down, but whatever it was, it makes me wish we were alone so I could kiss his softly furrowed brow.

  Seconds later, his eyes start twinkling again and can tell the moment has passed when his sexy grumble continues to tease, “Besides, what if my stage presence is so magnetic, you’re whipped into Beatles-like frenzy, and you forget yourself and throw your panties at me?”

  “Silly rabbit,” I say leaning into him. Close but not quite touching, lowering my voice to a whisper I add, “Have you already forgotten that I’m not actually wearing panties under this dress? You shouldn’t have, your fingers made me very happy before we left the hotel.”

  I watch as the very fingers I’m talking about flex on Jake’s thigh, as if muscle memory has kicked in and they’re are replaying the event. Voice deep, his eyes sear my skin as he replies, “Oh, I remember Cassie. I remember everything when it comes to you.”

  The look he gives me is so full of unspoken words it’s all I can do to not reach out, touch his face and pull him into me for a kiss. What is this guy doing to me?

  Hearing Sebastian on the mic, we both look up to see he’s on a recruiting mission, encouraging anyone from our group to take the stage. I start laughing when Jake is pulled off his stool in an ambush by several staffers, but stop laughing when the man himself snaps out one of those damn octopus arms of his, and snags me from my stool too.

  Looking back at where I’m being gracelessly dragged behind him, Jake raises his face to the ceiling and shouts, “Duet battle!”, so naturally the entire room shouts, “Duet battle!” right back.

  Bunch of crazies.

  On my way up to the stage, I catch the eye of one of Jake’s team, indicating they should capture this on their phone. If it turns out the Congressman can sing, it would make a cool post for his social media accounts. I’ll just crop it to take myself out. While I’m no stadium filler, I can hold a tune, so this should be interesting.

  The moment the first few bars of “Islands in the Stream” leave the speakers, the noise level in the room goes off tap and I know that even if Jake & I are bad, the whole crowd will be singing along anyway. The Kenny & Dolly duet is a karaoke classic, and I can’t stop the giant grin on my face as I look over at Jake, only to see him smiling just as big back at me.

  Turns out singing is indeed another of his many talents, and we play up the lyrics with exaggerated movements and actions for the crowd. Somewhere during the song, Jake and I start to sing to one another, stop hamming it up so much for the crowd. It’s organic not intentional, but it happens. That feeling I keep having when I look at Jake is back, and it’s getting harder and harder to deny that it’s there.

  The moment the song ends, the crowd gives us a standing ovation and it snaps me back into the room. Both Jake and I give bows, and even over the shouts of “Encore!”, I hear Jake clearly when he says, “Hotel, Cassie. Now.”

  I couldn’t agree more.

  Chapter 13

  Cassie

  The entire cab ride back to the hotel, we sit close together, our bodies leaning in to the other as if we need the touch to stay grounded in the present. Jake’s hand is on my leg, his fingers running in light circles on the inside of my knee, but wandering no higher. The longer the pattern continues the wetter I become, imagining his thick fingers making their way higher up my trembling thigh to where I’m desperate for them to be. Right before cab leaves the street to pull into the well lit driveway of the hotel, Jake leans over to kiss my temple, his lips staying on my skin a few seconds longer and I hear him inhale deeply, breathing me in, before pulling away.

  Without even trying, this man is breaking me down, and I have to remind myself that we only have a few more days together before this ends. Why now, after all these years of being dormant my heart decides to get involved is beyond me, but I know that if I don’t at least try to keep myself a little protected, leaving Jake and heading back to LA is going to hurt. Probably more than I’m willing to admit.

  Walking through the near empty lobby of the hotel, we don’t speak. I’m assuming we’re either headed to my room or Jake’s, but I’ll follow his lead given he’s not spoken since we left the Karaoke bar. Getting out of the elevator, we move into the hallway where our rooms are located, and as we near Jake’s door, he slows and takes out his room key. I look to him for a sign as to what he wants me to do, am I coming in or should I keep walking, and I hate that I’m a needy chick here, not being able to read his signals and too scared to ask. My question is answered as Jake’s door opens in front of him and he pulls me inside so fast I nearly loose my footing. Jake’s strong hands keep me steady as he uses the momentum of my entry to spin me around, my back now flush with the just closed door.

  Jake is everywhere, his bod
y pressing into me, we’re front to front as he takes my wrists and lifts them above my head, pushing them against the door in an unspoken order for me to keep them there. His lips and teeth are on my neck, along my collarbone and across the top of my cleavage, and I’m squirming as his hands reach the bottom of my dress. Bunching it firmly in both of his fists, he lifts it straight up my body in one fluid motion, peeling it of me and throwing it onto the floor behind him.

  “You make me crazy Cassie,” he growls, his face and lips against my ear and the vibrations of his voice send a jolt right to my clit, the fire in my body burning brighter.

  Falling to his knees in front of me, his fingertips trailing along my skin, Jake presses his face to my sex and again, breathes me in. Kissing, nipping, licking and sucking, he doesn’t miss a single inch of my aching pussy, before taking one of my legs behind the knee and throwing it over his shoulder. Open to further exploration of his talented mouth, Jake suckles and laps at me, my core weeping under his onslaught. At this point, there is no way I can leave my hands above my head, I need to be touching him, my hands fisting in his soft hair.

  “Jake, I need to touch you, please?” I ask, beginning to lower my hands.

  I halt as his eyes look up into mine from below and without removing his mouth from its feast, his eyes zero in on my breasts, my dark nipples tight and peaked. Taking a guess, I drop my hands to cover them, firmly squeezing the globes before plucking and rolling each nipple between my fingers. Jake groans into my core and I feel it right through my body. Everything within me tightens as the thigh I’m leaning on goes taught, preparing for the release I feel is about to peak.