She shot her head up and out of the thick binder she was buried in. Claire was wearing her black rimmed glasses, adding that extra oomph to her sexy Senator look. My thighs tightened on their own at the sight as the almost overwhelming need to touch her struck again. I sighed, "Hey, I am thinking about grabbing lunch now. Can I get you anything?"
Claire pulled off her glasses, rubbing the bridge of her nose, "Please. They have a nice Cesar salad in the cafeteria. Can you get me that and a fruit plate?"
I grinned, taken aback by her healthy request. "No cheese fries, chili dog with an extra-large coke?"
Claire smiled, laughing, "Don't tempt me. They do have all of those things and a thick slab of white cake next to the yogurt." She sighed, leaning back in her chair, "I need to eat light at the office or I will pass out on the couch from all of the grease." She held her smile for a moment, looking deep into my eyes, the tension from earlier melting away completely. I tapped on the door frame, "You got it, Claire. I will be back in ten."
I turned to leave, then paused, looking over my shoulder, "I'll sneak you a doughnut."
Claire shook her head laughing harder, "Thank you, Kit."
I left the office, making sure I locked the door behind me and sent Davey a text, letting him know Claire was alone while I hit the cafeteria for lunch. I shuffled through the phone as I walked, deleting messages. Making my way purely on memory down the hall to the cafeteria. I smiled at the handful of interns and police officers I ran across, finding it odd that seeing Alan and having the warm reception from him, had given me a huge boost of confidence.
Confidence that not all of my former co-workers looked down at me as a giant fuck up or gossip fodder.
I entered the elevator with three ragged interns and a capital police officer dressed in the white shirt and black dress pants. The interns barely paid me any attention, whereas the officer smiled warmly at me, "Ma'am."
I chuckled, glancing at his name tag, "I'm no ma'am Officer Stansfield. I work for my paycheck just like you do."
The officer grinned, chuckling in agreement. He looked to be in his late thirties, fit and pristine in his bright shiny uniform. He wore the black ice cream man hat, resting his hands on his gear belt like all cops do. Officer Stansfield had the typical square appearance most male cops had, a square head, square muscular body, square haircut. Stansfield looked at the elevator buttons, noticing the only button lit up was the cafeteria and shops floor. He cocked his head at me, "Lunch time?"
I nodded, leaning against the wall of the elevator, "Yep, I have to make sure my boss eats or she will forget." I looked down at my phone, checking new messages.
"I saw you this morning with Senator Avondale. I heard she's a nice lady."
I gave Stansfield a curious look that made him laugh, "I am stationed right outside that check point you came in at. It also is my job to pay attention to everyone who crosses my path." He winked at me, "You know, observe and report."
I let out a small laugh, "Of course." I drew my attention to the interns in front of me, crabbing about their ninety hour work weeks with no breaks and shit pay. Stansfield cut the air again, "Senator Avondale never leaves her office during the day. Only seems to clock out at five or later with the change of the guard. She must be dedicated, all the other Senators escape to golf courses or lengthy lunch hours as soon as they can."
I shrugged, "Senator Avondale likes to stay busy." I looked in Stansfield’s eyes, feeling a strange sense of recognition when I peered into his dark blue eyes. A sense that forced me to ask questions, "Do I know you from somewhere Stansfield?"
Stansfield raised his shoulders, "I've been in these offices for the last six years. Rotating between the east wing here and the south entrance. It is possible we've crossed paths. I do remember seeing you around, Ms. Witmer. But in those cheap black suits the Agents wear."
The elevator doors dinged open. The interns fell out and raced towards the lunch line. I stood straighter, my back tighter as I clutched my phone. Quietly regretting leaving my gun in my desk as my hand fell to my empty hip. "How do you know my name?"
Stansfield held the door for me, "I heard Agent Coolidge call you by your name at the checkpoint." He turned and met my eyes slowly. Something passed over them that didn't relax me in the slightest. I stepped closer to the man, intending to ask my question again.
Stansfield’s radio crackled with static and broken voices. He broke from my gaze, stepping out of the elevator, "Damn radios. Can never get a good signal anywhere in here." He walked out. Mumbling into his radio, pushing through the lunch crowd and out into a hallway. I went to follow him. My gut telling me all sorts of things I didn't like about Stansfield and his eerie questions and knowledge of my name. I knew most capital officers and Agents barely paid any attention at checkpoints, especially if they were standing off to the side. The job was monotonous and a constant struggle to stay awake, let alone memorize every face and name issued from well over sixty feet away.
I was stopped by my phone vibrating in my hand. Davey letting me know he was back at the office with Claire and to get him the same thing she ordered for lunch. I scanned the cafeteria, my gut relentless in its telling me something was not right about what I just experienced in the elevator.
Looking around the cafeteria, I couldn't find Stansfield and only spotted two other white shirts, neither of them Stansfield.
After a minute more of scanning, I sent Davey a text to look up Officer Stansfield in my computer since Claire had access to all employees, their files and photos. I had to check out Stansfield before I saw him again, something about him and the way he was too easy with names and knowing Claire's exact movements, bothered me.
I held my phone in my hand, squeezing out the frustration on the case.
"Kit, the lines over there, or did you forget?"
I spun around to come face to face with a grinning Alan. He pointed towards the stream of suits and dresses picking at the lunch selections like bored vultures. I half smiled, "Yes, of course the line is over there. I just forgot how busy it gets around this time. Pigs to the trough."
Alan laughed, "More like picky seagulls on a fishing boat. These people expect far too much from a cafeteria." He ran his hand down his pale orange tie, "Since we are both here, you want to sit together?"
I internally groaned, Alan was extremely nice and I had a hard time wanting to be a jerk to him, so I opted for half-truths, "I can't. I barely escaped for lunch and Clai...Senator Avondale asked me to grab her something. I have to get back to the office ASAP." I gave him a, ‘you know how it is look.’
Alan nodded, "I completely understand. Can I at least stand in line with you then walk you back to the office?" He paused, "I've missed you Kit." The tone in his voice was not of a pining ex-boyfriend, it was one of a genuine friend who was left like many others when I pulled my disappearing act. I let out a breath, "I think that would be great, Alan."
Alan's grin grew brighter as he led me to the line.
We chatted about his life while I dug for two Cesar salads, telling me about his long term girlfriend, a Navy doctor he met at the Bethesda hospital. Alan continued to tell me about transferring to the office detail so he could take night classes and work towards his PHD in Bioterrorism.
I smirked, listening to him fill me in on his life, Alan was not at all interested in me, he just wanted to find his friend again. I would have to point this out to Claire or at least try to get Alan to show her that there was nothing more.
Alan took one of the bags containing Davey and Claire's lunch from me as we walked back to her office. For whatever reason, we took the long way back, giving us a few more minutes to talk.
"So, Kit. What's new with you? Any lucky guy catch your eye? How do you like being an admin assistant over the grind of an agent?"
I held the brown paper back that my chicken wrap and two sprinkle doughnuts hid in, "No lucky guys for me. I just recently kind of opened myself up to the idea of being with anyone." I paused, an ins
tant smile hit my face as I thought of Claire, "Well, there is someone I am kind of seeing. They're amazing, intelligent, brilliant, caring. The biggest heart I have ever seen." I bit my lip to stop from gushing further.
Alan looked down at me, "It looks to me like you're in love, Kit. You have that same sparkle in your eye I had when I met Amy at the Army Navy game." He patted my arm, squeezing it softly, "Kit, I want you to know I am not trying to hit on you nor was I trying to earlier. Even though we weren't a love match when we dated, I still cared about you. Still do." Alan's smile dropped, "I tried to call you after I heard about Montreal and you leaving the team."
I looked away from his green eyes and down at the marble floor. "Things were hard, Alan, I lost myself for a while."
Alan grabbed my elbow gently as we stopped right outside Claire's office, "Look Kit, I don't give two craps about what happened in Montreal or why you left. Even the BS jokes about you becoming a secretary for the Senator." He smiled, "All I care is that you're okay now and I can let the rumors and gossip be just that. You look happy, healthy and it's just really damn good to see you back around this town. At least now I know if things get crazy here, I'll have one competent person to rely on. Former agent or not." Alan stood in front of me, "I will give you my number. Call me if you need anything and maybe one night you can bring that someone on a double date with Amy and I."
I felt my eyes turn glassy, my throat tighten at the pure honesty and kindness from this man. He really didn't care about what was in the past and who I was in this building and with his co-workers. I took the bags of food from him, smiling. I went to step around him when as a last thought, I hugged Alan. A friendly hug, nothing more.
Alan patted my back like my dad did every time I hugged him. I leaned back to say thanks and a see you later when Alan held up his hand and held onto my elbow, "Wait, you have a giant dust bunny in your hair." He smiled, reaching out to pluck the thick grey dust ball from the side of my hair. I smiled, opening my mouth to thank him.
"Ms. Witmer. Nice of you to finally return." Her Senator voice was loud, firm and commanded all of my attention.
Alan and I both stepped away from each other, turning to look at Claire with her arms folded and alternating death glares between Alan and I.
Alan stuttered to say anything, knowing how it may have looked. I shook my head at him, speaking for the both of us, "Apologies Senator Avondale. It was busy in the cafeteria and Alan, Agent Coolidge was helping me carry your lunch." I swung the bag lightly to show that was exactly the truth, "He's leaving now."
Alan took the cue, whispered a ma'am at Claire and disappeared back down the hall. The look in Claire's eyes could have lit the sun on fire, her jaw twitching made me swallow hard.
She was pissed off.
Claire continued to stare hard at me for a moment more, before turning on her heel to walk back into the office, blowing past Davey sitting at my desk with building diagrams laid out in front of him. His wide eye look questioning me silently when Claire huffed by him, me closed behind, rushing to catch up to her. It was almost comical.
Almost.
I hurried into her office, setting the bags of food down on a chair, "Claire, it's not what you think. He is just a friend."
She spun from the large window she stopped in front of, "Ms. Witmer, you've been gone for over twenty five minutes. That is unacceptable behavior considering the current situations." Her voice was tense, loud, and poorly hiding her emotions. One obviously being jealousy.
I sucked in a deep breath, "We got caught up talking..."
Claire took off her glasses, tossing them onto the desk, "Friend or not. I cannot have you distracted here!" She glared at me.
Davey walked in with pages in his hands, "Kit, I got those other diagrams from Ted."
Claire cut him off, sputtering angrily in Czech. Whatever she said made Davey freeze, utter something back in Czech and quickly leave the room, closing the door behind him. I heard it click and the magnetic key lock click into place. I was now locked in the room with an angry, jealous blonde.
Claire sought out my eyes, "I need to know if this will become a habit. Spending excessive amounts of time "chatting" with old friends, co-workers." Her shitty, pissy tone pissed me off. I mirrored her, folding my arms across my chest. "No Claire. It won't. I think you should know by now my work ethic." I matched her tone, making Claire flinch.
I paused, angry and not willing to ignore the evident, "Are you jealous? Jealous of Alan?" I moved closer to the desk, watching her pupils dilate, "Is this what all this Ms. Witmer bullshit is about, Claire? Are you jealous of a guy I dated three years ago and dumped because he was boring? Jealous that he was plucking a piece of dust from my hair after telling me endlessly about his amazing Navy doctor girlfriend? One he has been dating and deeply in love with for the last year?"
I walked around the corner of the desk, now standing in front of the still prim Senator. I clenched my jaw, looking in her eyes to make sure I had her attention. "I'll ask again, Claire. Are you jealous?" I spoke slowly and deliberately, irritated that after all we have already been through, it would be the simple idea in her head of what she thought she saw that would set us back.
I held her eyes waiting for a response.
Kit stood in front of me. Nose to nose, calling me out on my jealousy. An emotion I thought I would never entertain in my life. Since it had never been an issue in all of my decades of life. Until now. Until I saw the one woman, one person I loved more than anything else, and find flattery from another. From a man she once dated.
The jealousy tore through me like a firestorm, tacking itself on top of the handful of other emotions I was still keeping bottled up from the Tennessee to this morning.
I knew as Kit left to get lunch, I had failed to indulge in rational thought. Choosing to over indulge in the gut reaction of my heart as I watched the Agent get a little too close to Kit at the entrance. Eventually I had cooled down and wanted to talk to her about it, then I stepped out of my office, wondering what was taking Kit so long, stepping out to the view of him holding her intimately and running a hand through her hair.
And for the first time in my entire life, I let my emotions take the wheel. Anger took hold of me and I tried to use it to overcompensate and hide the rampant jealousy coursing through my veins.
I stared at the woman, my jaw twitching as I fought to find the words to say to her. I couldn't walk away, I had to stand my ground. My heart pounded with a plethora of emotions, all spinning together to create a mass of emotional energy racing through my entire body, forcing my hands to curl up into tight fists.
Kit shook her head, looking off to the left and out the window. The bright afternoon light pouring through adding an extra energy to the entire situation. "If you don't want to admit it, because you can't. I understand, I will return to my desk and be Ms. Witmer until you decide whatever it is you need to." She took a step back from me, her eyes carrying sadness and her own brand of anger at the turmoil brewing between us.
All because I was jealous and was too proud, and too ignorant of the foreign feeling I was experiencing. She wouldn't look at me, "Your lunch is in the bag on the chair, Senator Avondale. I will be at my desk if you need anything." Her tone drew a sharp edge down my heart and tugged at the loose string holding everything together in my mind, my body and my heart.
Kit took one step away, my hand shot out, wrapping around her wrist and pulling her forcefully towards me. Her face conveyed the action was unwelcome, but I didn't care as my other hand grabbed her waist. Using it as a fulcrum to launch myself at Kit, my lips united with hers with force. Pushing her back into the edge of the desk, my body quick to press against hers, my hand left her wrist, moving to grip her other hip and pin her against the desk. I kissed Kit hard, feeling her hips jut into mine involuntarily.
I lifted Kit up, setting her on the edge of the desk, only removing my hands to tug at the buttons on her shirt. It only took Kit a second to realize what I wanted, an
d needed in this moment. I wanted and needed to prove to her why I would be jealous of any man or woman who dared to touch her or flirt with her in my presence.
Kit was mine and mine alone.
I moved quickly, freeing the buttons and pulling back the cream colored fabric. I pressed hot, wet kisses down Kit's neck and across her collarbone. Moaning lightly as I felt her hands on my hips, pulling me deeper in-between her legs. I could barely hear her frantic breaths, only feeling her fingers dig into my sides, almost piercing the thin cotton of the shirt. I slid my hands around the bare skin of her stomach, up to the edge of her beige bra, shoving the material up and out of my way, freeing her breasts to be covered swiftly by my palms. Her nipples reacted to the pad of my thumb as I ran over them, continuing to kiss every inch of skin I could before taking one in my mouth.
Kit inhaled thickly, her chest arching into my mouth. As my tongue circled a taut bud, Kit's hands moved into my hair, threading through the edges of my ponytail, holding onto my scalp tightly.
I released her nipple slowly, enjoying the sounds I was procuring from the woman. My head was yanked up to meet her eyes. She looked in them for a split second, dark hazel eyes full of desire, passion and love. It was then I knew all of my jealousy was a wasted expended energy, there would be no one but me, and I could see it clearly reflected in her eyes.
Kit jerked me forward, reuniting our lips in a deep, pulsating kiss that threw throbbing aches to the center of my body. Hands drifted to the top of her dress pants, undoing them before moving to her hips to pull her off the desk so I could push the fabric further down her thighs. Kit responded, sliding forward, her own hands leaving my hair to fall directly to the top of my pants.
We moved together, fast and determined to remove the pesky cloth barriers out of the way. When I pushed my hand past the waistband of her conservative underwear, fingers gliding easily over the length of the redhead, I closed my eyes at how aroused Kit was. I had never been with anyone and had them so reactive to my touch.
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