Capitol Promises (The Presidential Promises Duet )

by Rebecca Gallo

  “I can’t just put the world on hold while I get married and go on a honeymoon.”

  She pushed the plate away from her and sighed heavily. “You could if you really wanted to. You could even rule from a cabana on the beach.”

  “I don’t want to work while we’re on our honeymoon. I want to be able to focus entirely on you and on us.”

  “That sounds absolutely perfect, Jameson, but it won’t happen for at least three more years, maybe even seven.”

  It was time to change the subject. I wasn’t going to win any points with the conversation. “I thought we were going to discuss the ‘great compromise’ tonight?”

  “Oh, right. Something else you’re denying me.”

  My temperature was rising because Georgie was acting like a spoiled brat. “I’m not denying you anything, Georgie. Before you go jetting halfway around the world with Maxwell Edison, why don’t you stop and learn from the top educational professionals here? We can hold an educational summit and invite them to the White House to discuss their successes and failures. They can tell you what they need help with instead of you telling them.”

  I saw the light bulbs begin to mentally click on in her mind. She knew that I was onto something, and that this was an acceptable compromise.

  “That is a good idea, Jameson. I’ll talk to Max about it tomorrow.”

  I grunted. “I thought you were giving another tour tomorrow. Isn’t there a group coming from New Hampshire?”

  Georgie pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and worked it back and forth while she thought about her schedule. “You’re right. I forgot. I’ll call Max and push back our meeting.”

  She softened toward me, and I took the opportunity to pounce. I covered her hand with mine and then turned her stool until she faced me. “Now, let’s get back to this wedding business.”

  “Jameson, I’m really tired. Just drop it. When you’re ready, you know where to find me.”

  “You started this conversation, and now I’m going to finish it. When I say I want to marry you, I’m not lying. I do. But a wedding is not my priority right now. I know that hurts you, but I need to feel confident in my position as president before we take that step.”

  She nodded with understanding, but I saw pools of fresh tears getting ready to flow down her cheeks. I placed my finger under her chin and tilted her face so that I could look directly into those captivating emeralds. “Have faith in me, Georgie. That’s all I’m asking for.”

  “I do have faith in you, Jameson. That’s why I’m willing to wait for you. I love you.”

  “I love you too,” I whispered back. It felt like a lifetime since I last told her that and maybe she needed to hear that more often. Maybe I needed to make a conscious effort to tell her and show her how much I loved her. That was one change I could easily make.

  A quick scan of the news on my laptop later that night revealed the source of Georgie’s melancholy. The interview with Judy Mendoza aired and was getting lots of attention. Everyone was quick to criticize me and accuse me of using Georgie just to get into the White House. Nothing could be further from the truth, but of course, no one was interested in the actual truth.

  I looked over at the literal sleeping beauty next to me, and my heart broke. How many times had she asked me for the simplest of things, only to be denied? Would there ever be a time when I would hurt her so badly that she would leave me? I hoped never to find out that answer.

  Reaching out, I lightly stroked the exposed flesh of her back. She traded in t-shirts and stretch pants for pretty lingerie in silky fabrics because I favored them. She made this change for me. I was such a selfish bastard.

  The next morning, I took my time getting ready instead of rushing around our bedroom. Georgie was preparing to head down to meet the tour group from New Hampshire, and while she got ready, I made sure to brush her bare shoulder with my lips or to sweep a hand across her hip. I wanted her to leave the private residence feeling my touch and tasting my kiss. I wanted my words to echo in her mind over and over and drowned out all her fears and doubts.

  “Georgie,” I called out just as she was getting ready to leave. “I love you.”

  She smiled brightly, her cherry red lips forming a full wide grin that filled her entire face. And then she lifted her palm to her lips and blew me a kiss.

  Georgie

  “We were supposed to meet over three hours ago!” Max roared the moment he entered my office. I stared at him, shocked by not only his tone but also by his anger.

  “I apologize. I told Mallory to call your office and push back our meeting. I was scheduled to give a tour today to a group from New Hampshire. I totally forgot all about it until Jameson reminded me last night.”

  “How convenient,” he sneered in reply.

  “Giving tours is important to me. I love interacting with the visitors who come to the White House, and today was especially important since those visitors were from my home state.”

  “Every day you get a little less involved, Georgie. I thought this was what you wanted. You wanted to be an integral part of education reform in this country. Are you really willing to sacrifice that so you can conduct tours?”

  “If that’s the way you’re going to speak to me, then you can just get the fuck out of my office right now.” I hadn’t meant to drop an f-bomb, but I really wasn’t going to let him stand in my office and bully me.

  My words shocked Max because the anger drained instantly from his expression. He didn’t expect me to fight back.

  “I’m sorry.” Max walked toward me and sat down in one of the chairs in front of my desk. He leaned forward and grabbed my hands. “This divorce has been stressful, and I’m taking it out on you. That’s not fair. I know how much you want to be a part of this effort. I can see the passion in your eyes. I just don’t want you to have to sacrifice what you truly want.”

  “I’m not sacrificing anything, Max. I’m capable of balancing my duties with being a part of this effort to change public education.”

  “Of course, you are. I didn’t mean to imply that you aren’t,” Max quickly backtracked.

  “Well, I do have another bit of unpleasant news.” I pursed my lips and bit the inside of my cheek. “Jameson vetoed the trip to Finland.”

  Max sat back in the chair, crossing one leg over the other, and sighed heavily. “Of course, he did. Typical asshole politician.”

  “Hey! That asshole nominated you. Jameson was one of the few senators who actually tried to get reform passed, and now that he’s president that is still a priority. So watch what you say because he can easily find someone to replace you.”

  “I keep putting my foot in my mouth today. I’m sorry.”

  “He did suggest an alternative because he knows this is important to me and he knows these changes need to happen now. Instead of traveling to Finland, we should invite educational leaders from across the country to the White House. We need to listen to them and let them tell us what they need.”

  “That’s a fair alternative,” Max agreed with a nod of his head. “But it will take months to plan.”

  “So let’s work on putting it together, and then we’ll revisit Finland. You’ve already been there, and we’ve already met with the director general. We both could present what we’ve learned and our initial suggestions.”

  “Okay. You win.” Max lifted his hands in mock surrender, and I smiled.

  “I always do.”

  Max and I spent the next few hours planning. Despite his tendencies to strong-arm me, we made a decent team. Our approach was to divide and conquer; I volunteered to coordinate a number of the items we identified and to work with the White House staff on securing space. Max would work on setting up the programming—who would present and what topics would be discussed.

  “Good evening, Mallory,” Jameson’s voice carried into my office, and both Max and I looked at the door that opened moments later. The smile that Jameson had on his face disappeared the moment his eyes landed
on Max.

  “I’m sorry, Georgie. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Jameson said, coming into the room fully. His stride was confident as he approached my desk to greet me with a firm kiss. He leaned across me, extending his hand in Max’s direction. “It’s good to see you, Secretary Edison.”

  “Likewise, Mr. President.”

  “We were just finishing up,” I told him. “Max and I were working on planning the meeting you suggested.”

  “I look forward to hearing all about it. Do you mind if I wait while you finish up?” he asked, pointing at the overstuffed sofa on the opposite end of my office.

  “Go ahead.” I watched Jameson as he made his way over to the couch, his eyes continually flicking back toward me and Max. I cleared my throat and turned my attention back to Max. “I’ll have Mallory begin working on this list tomorrow.”

  “Sure.” Max seemed distracted by Jameson’s presence. He looked over at where Jameson sat and then back down at the notes in his lap.

  “If you’ll send me a guest list, then I’ll have Mallory work on the invitations as well.”

  “Guest list?”

  “Yes. I need a list of leaders from each state and from other organizations, like NEA and American Federation of Teachers. Perhaps even some of the professional organizations for the content areas.”

  “Sure. I’ll have my staff compile a list.” Max started to gather his belongings hastily and then he stood. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  I nodded and smiled even though his behavior was odd. Why would he react so strangely to Jameson?

  As soon as the door closed, Jameson said, “Finally. I thought he would never leave.”

  I shook my head and rolled my eyes at the childish behavior of both men. “How was your day?”

  “Frustrating.”

  “Why?” I loved when Jameson confided in me and told me about the politics of his job.

  “Because I came to finally live out one of my personal fantasies, only to have my hopes dashed.”

  “And what is that fantasy?” He was clearly trying to distract me, and I was going to let him.

  Jameson stood slowly, walked towards my office door and locked it with a flick of his fingers. Then he set his gaze on me and stalked back towards me with a devilish gleam in his eyes. He loosened his tie and pulled it free from the collar of his shirt before he removed his suit jacket, which he tossed on the back of the armchair. His large hands made their way to his belt, where he made quick work of unfastening the metal buckle before he deftly pulled the leather strap through the loops and tossed it to the floor. I licked my lips as he neared; he was so close to me now that I could smell the spiciness of his cologne. This was like some kind of private presidential striptease.

  “The one where I pleasure the first lady in her office,” he purred.

  “Oh,” I replied lamely.

  Jameson stood right in front of me now. He used his foot to spread my legs apart before he knelt between them, his hands firm on my thighs. He pushed my skirt up until it bunched around my waist and bent forward to run his nose along the inside of my thigh. He inhaled deeply and moaned. “I love the way you smell.”

  His hot mouth covered me unexpectedly as he sucked me through the lace fabric of my panties. I threw my head back and groaned; my hands buried themselves instinctively in his hair, grasping the strands tightly. This was definitely going to be a wild ride.

  Jameson pulled his mouth away, replacing it with clever fingers that had every inch of me memorized. He slid them easily underneath the elastic band of my panties and then he groaned appreciatively.

  “Mmm, Georgie. You’re dripping wet.” He ran his fingers through my folds, coating them before pushing them deep inside me. “This is mine. It only belongs to me.”

  His touch and the heat of his mouth against my skin had me shaking with need. I lightly circled my hips in my chair, pushing his thick fingers deeper inside me.

  “Do you want more of this, Georgie?”

  “Mmmhmm,” I moaned. I imagined what this must look like—the president on his knees with two fingers buried deep inside the first lady. It was a pretty fucking hot fantasy.

  Jameson slowly withdrew his fingers, and my closed eyes popped open. But then I saw his hands working furiously to unbutton and unzip. Jameson was panting heavily with his own need, and I knew we both wanted the same thing.

  “Crawl up on the desk, little darling,” Jameson commanded.

  I looked at my desk, with its messy stacks of paper, and considered what would happen to it all once I hopped on top of it.

  “Fuck, Georgie. This is what you do,” Jameson said, before using his arm to swipe everything right off the desk and onto the floor. “Now get on the damn desk!”

  I obeyed his command and leaned back onto the hard surface. Jameson held his thick, hard cock in his hands, stroking the shaft while his thumb grazed my clit as he brushed aside the edge of my panties. He fit his large body between my thighs, spreading my legs even wider, before notching the head of his cock against me.

  “Is this what you fantasized about?” I asked breathlessly.

  “No, it’s not,” he said before he plunged into me. “It’s so much better.”

  Jameson

  Proud could not accurately convey how I felt about Georgie. I was in awe of her. This event she planned, with Max Edison, for the educational leaders of the country was running smoothly. She was truly in her element, and I could finally see who she wanted to become; I just didn’t like that Max was a part of it.

  “This is a pretty amazing event,” Lena Taylor, the president of the NEA and Georgie’s second choice, said as she approached me.

  “I can’t take any credit for this. It’s all her.” I pointed at the podium where Georgie was speaking. There was a distinct twinkle in her eye that had never been there before. It was the thrill of success and accomplishment. “Thank you for being here today.”

  “It’s my honor. Georgie is quite the revolutionary.”

  Scheduled to last another day, the education summit was packed full of some of the country’s top educational leaders and experts, and they shared one common goal: make our schools better.

  Georgie finished speaking, and I headed toward the edge of the stage so I could congratulate her. She was beaming when we made eye contact, and then she surprised me by throwing her arms around my neck and hugging me tightly.

  “Oh my God, Jameson, this is amazing!” she squealed. She let go and then turned back to look at the packed conference room. “Look at all these people!”

  “I’m so proud of you,” I told her, squeezing her waist and pulling her back toward me. “You did all this. Congratulations.”

  “Thank you, Jameson.”

  “I just wish that I could stick around to see all this.”

  Her face fell. “Oh. I know. I appreciate you being here, though.”

  “I’ll try to stop by tomorrow.” I kissed her cheek lightly and turned to leave.

  I locked eyes on Lewis and Jenkins, who were lurking in the back of the room, and made a detour in their direction.

  “Keep an eye on her, okay?” I told them, looking back at Georgie, who was in the middle of a group of governors. She had them eating out of the palm of her hand, and by the end of this conference, they would probably agree to whatever she demanded.

  “On her, sir, or on him?” Lewis nodded toward the opposite side of the room, where Max Edison was holding court amongst a group of people I didn’t know. I had no input over the guest list; I only asked that Secret Service receive a copy before invitations were sent. I assumed that everyone here was cleared.

  “Both of them.”

  They nodded, and I knew Georgie was relatively safe. She was attached to them just as much as they were to her.

  I returned to my office and continued to plan the trip that I intentionally didn’t mention. This was a difficult trip that spanned three continents. The goals for this trip were complex and required a lot of legwork befo
re we could even leave. So many people were involved, my head spun trying to remember everyone’s individual roles. I was relying heavily on my diplomats for one portion of the trip because one goal included the recognition of human rights violations.

  As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I was privy to information about events happening in the world. When I was elected president, the pressure for me to act on certain events grew exponentially. I tried to find a way to diplomatically ignore these calls until I felt properly equipped to handle the job. After more than a year into my first term, I was now ready to handle the more complex issues.

  The trip itself was forming fairly easily; the hardest part was going to be telling Georgie she had to stay home.

  “Sir,” Lauren said, coming in to my office. She handed me a stack of information I had asked her to gather. I quickly scanned through the folders, but found something missing.

  “Lauren, you’re supposed to keep tabs on items from the press and the internet that are related to the first lady. That file is missing.”

  “I know, sir. There was nothing this week.”

  “And what about the past few months? That file has been missing for a while.”

  “I’m aware of that. She hasn’t really been in the news, and when she is, it’s all positive.”

  I was highly suspicious of this. I was easily criticized as the president, and I knew that from previous administrations, the first lady was routinely criticized for her fashion choices or for her misuse of taxpayer dollars.

  I didn’t have time to search for this information myself, so I had to trust Lauren that whatever was being said about Georgie wasn’t hateful and inflammatory.

  “I also wanted to talk to you about going on this trip, instead of Bart.”

  I looked up from the file I was reading. Lauren was shifting from side to side, biting her lip nervously. This was an interesting request.

  “Bart is my press secretary. Why would he stay back?”