Politically Incorrect

by Jeanne McDonald

  And I wouldn’t blame her one bit.

  Rather than ponder on something out of my control, I diverted my thoughts to work.

  Work was always good.

  It wasn’t long after I turned on my computer and checked my emails that a series of raps came at the door. Liam poked his head inside. “Hey, Lizzy.”

  “Liam!” I hissed, heralding him to enter. “You can’t say things like that here.”

  Liam stepped into my office and closed the door behind him. “No one’s here yet, and besides, they’re not going to think twice about me calling you Lizzy.”

  “You don’t know that for certain. A nickname suggest familiarity.”

  “Oh-kay.” He pressed the lock on my door and stalked toward me. “I’ll refrain from calling you anything but Elizabeth.”

  Like a beacon around his neck, I was drawn to the mustard yellow tie he was wearing. It was the same one he’d wrapped around my neck the night before. The bastard had the audacity to wear it into the office.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I screeched. “How could you wear that one? Today!”

  Liam glanced down to his chest. “It’s just a tie, Elizabeth.”

  “That’s not just a tie!”

  He inched closer to me. “It’s not like I tied you to my bed with it...yet.”

  I squirmed in my chair. “No, but we had sex on that tie.”

  “Technically not on it. It was on the floor this morning, which is why I wore it.”

  My instinct was to go all girly and cover my face with my hands. Instead, I stood up and met Liam on the other side of the desk. In my most stern, authoritative voice, I explained, “You can’t do shit like that. We have to be careful.”

  “It’s a tie.” He rolled his eyes with a flutter dramatic enough to make Jordyn proud. “You’re paranoid.”

  “Maybe, but I refuse to be the reason you lose this election. And if I get squirmy over a freaking tie, well, I, ah,” I paused to collect my thoughts. “I don’t want to give us away.”

  Liam braced my shoulders between his palms. “Does that mean I can’t kiss you right now?”

  “Absolutely not! No kissing in the office. No public displays of affection. Period.”

  Liam dropped his hands from my arms. His head started to bob then it turned to a nod. “You’re right. I promised to protect you, so we’ll play this safe.” He brushed his knuckles down my cheek. “I want you to always feel comfortable with me.”

  I placed my hand to his chest, calmed by the steady beat of his heart. “I am comfortable with you, but as much as you want to protect me, I need to do the same for you. This is the only way I know how.”

  Liam rested his hand over mine, the heat of his palm burned wildly against my skin. “I understand. I really do. You’re a good woman.” He leaned in close to my ear, whispering ever so softly, “Lizzy.”

  I pushed him back with a laugh. “You’re terrible.”

  “I know.” He grabbed my wrist and brought it to his lips. Every time he did that I melted.

  “You know you make it hard for me when you do that.”

  “I’d say I’m sorry, but I’d be lying.”

  I slid my hand from his, and wandered back behind my desk. “I wouldn’t have believed you anyway.”

  He gripped his chest, a feigned shocked expression plastered on his face. “You wouldn’t believe me? Me? Honest, Liam.”

  I tapped my knuckles against my desk. “You forget; I know you better now.”

  Liam drifted along my bookshelf, checking out my album collection. “Doesn’t make me a liar.”

  “Never a liar. Only a man who knows how to use his tongue.”

  Liam’s eyes gazed at me from over the album jacket he held in his hand. “Elizabeth McNeal!”

  “If I were still keeping score, I would’ve gotten a point for that one,” I teased.

  “Score one for Lizzy.”

  I snapped my fingers at him, playfully gritting my teeth. He chuckled and slid the album back in its place.

  “Did you talk to Kristin?”

  Liam extracted my Band of Horses record and held it up to me. “Great album.”

  “Liam?”

  His shoulders slunk as he shoved the record back into place. “I called this morning.”

  “I take it she’s upset.” Which I expected. She knew the damage we could cause.

  “Not really upset. Just disappointed. She feels I’m putting my career in jeopardy.”

  “She’s right, you know.”

  Liam’s slack form straightened to his full height. “I don’t see it that way.”

  “I know,” I whispered.

  Liam glanced up at the clock. “Aaron and Scout are late.”

  My gaze wandered upward to check the time. “That’s not like them.”

  Liam unlocked the door and slid it open. He glanced around and shrugged. “I’m sure they had to deal with traffic.” He roamed back to my shelf, perusing the music again.

  It bugged me that Kristin wasn’t happy for him. A deep seated instinct rose inside me, pining to protect him. I was causing him suffering already, and about to make it worse by revealing our affair to his closest staff. Bile rose in my throat, knowing even if I wanted to put on the brakes, he’d refuse.

  “Knock, knock,” Aaron’s voice resounded at the door, his knuckles tapping against the frame.

  “About time, bro!” Liam snarked, a jovial glint sparkled in his eyes, as he slipped the record back on the shelf.

  “Sorry. It was my fault,” a frazzled Scout announced, following Aaron into the office. Her shirt was partially tucked into her slim pants and her hair in an unruly ponytail. “I had to have my triple soy latte this morning or there was going to be hell to pay around the office today.” Scout chugged on her large coffee and maneuvered to close the door.

  “No sleep?” I quipped.

  “Not with Rambo the Sex Fiend, here.” She thumbed toward Aaron.

  Hmm. Must be a family thing.

  That also meant that Aaron and Scout had finally crossed the sex boundary. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad since she’d also given into her own Baxter brother.

  Who was I kidding? She was already pissy.

  I was screwed. Not in a good way either.

  Aaron glanced around to the chairs and sofa in my office. “Speaking of which. You two haven’t…” He started making noises that I could only imagine were meant to emulate the sound of a bed squeaking. “...in here, have ya?”

  Liam rammed his fist into Aaron’s bicep. “Show some respect!”

  “What?” Aaron punched Liam back in the shoulder. “I just want to find out what surfaces are untouched so I can sit there.”

  “Wait? What?” Scout bleated. “Are you two?” She wrenched her head around to Aaron. “You knew about this and didn’t tell me?”

  Aaron lifted his hands defensively. “I wanted to, but I was sworn to secrecy.”

  Scout snarled and growled.

  “You have no idea how hard it’s been for me, babe,” Aaron whined. “He made me buy condoms.”

  “Condoms? Jesus!” Scout’s face paled. She pulled a long swig of her coffee. “I’m going to need something stronger than this today.”

  Scout’s reaction was exactly what I’d expected. It was the same reaction I would’ve had if I was on the other side of the desk. It was the same response that still tried to creep up inside of me, distorting my happiness like the clouds hugged the sun outside my window. And I didn’t, for one second, blame her for such a reaction. Her instinct was the reason I demanded her on our team. Scout would handle this professionally and with couth, but she’d also be a voice of reason.

  I geared myself for what was surely yet to come.

  I stood from my desk and waved my hand around the room. “For starters,” I glared at Aaron, “no, we haven’t had sex in this office. Nor will we.

  “And yes, Scout,” I diverted my attention to her. “Liam and I are...involved.”

  Scout
tapped the lid of her coffee. “I can’t say I’m surprised. You two have had a certain chemistry from the get go.”

  I glanced to Liam who stood in front of the couch, his hands tucked into his pockets. Aside from that tie, he was gorgeous. Black suit, crisp gray shirt, and polished shoes. Everything a well-pressed politician should be and more.

  “I wish I had your foresight. It hit me like a load of bricks,” I chuckled.

  Liam graced me with a coy wink. Aaron pursed his lips but said nothing.

  With a simple smile, Scout teased, “I’m not surprised by that, either. Business before pleasure is the McNeal creed, after all.”

  “You can say that again,” Liam retorted.

  “Hey, now! I was hired to do a job. I’m good at what I do.”

  Aaron chortled. “From the look on Liam’s face, I’d say you’re really good.”

  I cast a stern expression in Aaron’s direction. “Go ahead. Get it all out. Because once you leave this room, you’re never to say another word about Liam and me again.” I tapped my foot. “I’m waiting.”

  Aaron, as big as he was, slinked at the brass of my challenge. “I think I’m good, for now.”

  “Your call.”

  “Okay,” Scout interrupted, “I’m happy for you, you know that, but…” She took another drink of her coffee, before letting out a little gasp of satisfaction. “I guess what I’m asking is how do you want us to handle this? Would you like me to hold a press conference to address this with the public? Are we to take a poll to see how he will be perceived with someone as…” She stopped.

  “Someone as old as me,” I finished for her.

  A little sheepish, she nodded. “Well, yeah.”

  I loved Scout for her brutal honesty, but damn that hit hard below the belt.

  Liam straightened, his feet spread apart, ready for a fight. “She’s not old!”

  Aaron patted Liam on the back. “Calm down. No one’s saying she is. What Scout’s trying to convey is how the public will perceive her.”

  “Who cares? Elizabeth’s what I want. And I don’t need a poll or some know-it-all constituent telling me she’s not right for me simply because she’s older than me.”

  “Liam,” I intervened. “It’s all right.”

  He gritted his teeth. “No, it’s not, but I’ll shut up.”

  I chuckled and shook my head. He was endearing.

  “Everyone, please sit down.” I waved to the chairs and sofa.

  Scout scooted into the chair in front of me, placing her cup on my desk. She reached across the wood surface and grabbed a pen and legal pad. Aaron and Liam took a seat on the sofa, while I stood, leaning against the corner of my desk, my legs crossed in front of me. The room was silent, everyone waiting for me to speak. I clamped my eyes shut and pinched the bridge of my nose.

  “I realize this is a difficult situation. It has scandal written all over it.” I took in a deep breath. “And under normal circumstances I’d advise my client to nip things in the bud before they’re made public...well, I can’t do that in this situation. So, there will be no polls or press conference. I want this to stay as close to home as possible.”

  “But…” Scout started to protest.

  I waved my hands. “Only the people in this room along with Jordyn and Kristin are to know about us, and it will stay that way.”

  “You’re not telling Harper?” Scout questioned.

  “No. I don’t see the need.”

  “I’m confused,” Scout stated, the pen in her hand smacking against the legal pad.

  “We tell no one. Liam’s killing it in the polls, and we don’t need Keating or the media getting wind of this. We’ve based his entire campaign on his clean persona. They would run wild with this story and we’d lose our edge.”

  “So you think Harper would leak this?” Aaron questioned.

  I was appalled at such an accusation. “Absolutely not. I simply feel it’s best we not put him in a bad situation. He’s done enough for us. Let’s show him some respect.”

  That was true, after all. It was because of him we were all in that room.

  Aaron straightened up, the boyish grin now gone from his face. In its place was Aaron Baxter, Chief of Staff for Congressman William Baxter. “Sorry. I meant no disrespect. I like Harper, and you both know I want you to be happy, but can’t you wait until after the election? Wouldn’t that be safer for all of us?”

  “We discussed that option,” Liam replied. “But imagine how you’d feel if someone asked you to stay away from Scout for a few days let alone months.”

  Aaron crossed his legs, clasping his hands around his knees. “I see your point, I really do, but slinking around in the shadows is no relationship. It’ll weigh down on you both and end up leaving you vulnerable.”

  “Believe me, Aaron, I’ve considered that. You know me,” I sighed. “This is my reputation on the line as much as it is Liam’s. If I thought I could stay away from him, I’d do it.”

  Liam flinched at my words. “You’d really do that?”

  I nodded. “If I could, but I can’t. Hence this very awkward conversation.”

  “Yes, yes,” Liam muttered.

  I cringed at his pained expression. “I didn’t say that to hurt you, Liam. I’m admitting how selfish I am when it comes to you. I’m putting us on the line for my feelings. I’ve never done that before. No one has ever made me feel the way you do; to the point I’m potentially damning both our careers for my own selfish needs.”

  Liam lifted from his seat, and crossed the room to me. His hands encased my neck, as he pulled me in for a kiss. I should’ve protested him kissing me. Even behind the closed doors of the office was dangerous and off limits, but I couldn’t stop him. He pulled back too soon, leaving me breathless.

  “You’re not selfish. I am. I’ve brought us to this point and if anything were to happen, it’s all on me. You understand?”

  There he was again. Liam, my protector.

  “We’re being selfish together.”

  Liam kissed the tip of my nose. “Together.”

  “Wow,” Scout sniffled. I tilted my head to see her wiping a tear from her eye. “That was beautiful. There’s no going back from that. So, we do our best to keep things under wraps. No smoochie smoochie or anything that could be misconstrued as possible flirting. You’ll have to maintain your typical relationship, which pretty much means keeping each other on edge. Do you think you can handle that?”

  Liam wiggled his brows. “I think we can handle that. We’ll consider it foreplay.”

  I smacked Liam’s chest. “Oh, you’re bad.”

  “Score one for Liam?” he ribbed.

  I laughed at the lighthearted countenance he sported. “If we must.”

  Aaron shifted forward, planting his feet on the floor. He clapped his hands together, his face drawn into a grimace. “Okay, I hate being the Negative Nancy here, but what do we do if the media catches wind of the two of you?”

  My momentary happy bubble burst. A solemn visage darkened Liam’s face.

  “We’ll cross that bridge if we come to it,” I declared.

  Scout glanced down at her watch. “Okay, one last thing before I head off to my conference call. I really think we need to make an announcement clarifying that Liam and Kristin are only good friends. If anything does come out about the two of you, it will keep Liam from coming off as a cheater.”

  I rubbed my hands together. “Too risky. Neither have claimed they’re in a relationship, so if we make an awkward announcement like that now, the media will smell blood in the water. We don’t want to give them a reason to snoop.”

  Scout brushed back her hair. “You’re the boss, but I must stress I think not publically announcing them as only friends is a bad idea.”

  “Noted,” I stated with finality.

  “Okay, well my conference call starts in twenty minutes. I need to head out of here.”

  “I think we’re done, anyway. I cannot stress this enough, please keep
this between us. That’s all I ask.”

  Scout bounced up out of her chair and swiped up her coffee. “You got it, boss.” She patted me on the shoulder and strolled to the door. “And for what it’s worth, it’s good to see you happy.”

  She turned the knob and exited the room.

  Now that the door was open, Liam took a step away from me. While I hated any distance between us, I appreciated him abiding by our agreement.

  “I agree with Scout. It’s nice to see you really smile, Elizabeth,” Aaron noted.

  “Thanks,” I muttered, a little embarrassed.

  “Now stop it. Everyone will know something’s up.” Aaron barked out a laugh.

  I rolled my eyes and waved him off. “Don’t you have work to do? Get out of my office.”

  Aaron rose from the couch. “Yeah. Actually, Liam, we need to head to the Hill.”

  Liam groaned. “I’ll be so glad when we pass this damn thing.”

  “You and me both,” Aaron growled.

  Liam turned to me. “I’ll see you tonight?”

  I dropped my head and lowered my voice. “Your place again?”

  He grinned. “Eight o’clock.”

  “Okay.”

  Once the two men left my office, the smell of Liam’s cologne lingered in the air. I closed my eyes and breathed in deep. I hated knowing this could end in disaster. My only solace was knowing I’d put together the greatest political team money could buy, and if things did head south, they’d hit the ground running.

  William Baxter: You like Bilbo Baggins?

  “Bilbo Baggins?” I mouthed, staring at my cell phone, scratching my head.

  Life had become a whirlwind of work and Liam. Every waking hour we had free from work we spent together. While we texted off and on throughout the day, we kept things clean ─ one could never be too cautious ─ yet there was always an undertone to the conversation that left me tingling all over.

  In this particular text, however, we’d been talking about food. He’d mentioned he was starving and I replied the same. Next thing I knew, he was asking if I liked a hobbit. Talk about coming out of left field.

  I puckered my lips from side to side. I wasn’t much of a Lord of the Rings fan, but Jordyn was. She’d forced more midnight showings on me than I cared to count. So, if I were to choose a hobbit, I’d probably pick Bilbo. At least he seemed prepared for anything. However, I preferred the dwarfs. They knew how to get the job done.