The Perfect Candidate

by Sterling, Stephanie

  “What I’m playing at?” Michael echoed icily. “Why don’t you tell me what you’re playing at, Norman? I assume it was you who organized for those reporters to be waiting to mob me without checking with me first?”

  Norman went a nasty shade of red. “What’s your point, Michael?” he growled.

  “My point,” said Michael slowly, “is that you are not in charge of this campaign.”

  Norman went an even darker shade of red, and drew himself to his full height, which was still several inches shorter than Michael. “Well, if that’s how you feel perhaps you should start looking for a new campaign manager!” he barked, and then stormed out of the room. Ashley held a hand over her mouth and didn’t dare speak.

  It took a few minutes, but a little of the tension leaked out of Michael’s shoulders, and he turned back to Ashley. “I guess this means we need to find you a ring,” he mused, running a hand through his hand.

  “But- Norman!” Ashley croaked.

  “Will calm down,” Michael sighed. “He’s a good man, a good friend, but this was just the last straw in a long line of little offenses.”

  “And if he doesn’t’t calm down?” Ashley asked doubtfully.

  “I’d rather know I have to find a new campaign manager now than later.”

  “Michael, I’m really sorry,” Ashley whispered nervously. She was afraid that some of the anger that he was obviously still feeling was directed her, but he frowned down at her in obvious confusion.

  “What are you talking about? What have you got to be sorry for?” he murmured, tugging her into his arms. “None of this is your fault,” he assured her, kissing the top of her head.

  “But if we hadn’t-”

  “I think that was more my fault than yours,” Michael chuckled. “And just so you know, I would do it all again in a heartbeat,” he assured her, smiling wickedly.

  “Even though we got caught?” Ashley asked, flushing as Michael tugged her against his body.

  “Especially because we got caught,” he laughed. “Surely I’m allowed to keep my fiancé with me a lot more than my girlfriend?” he grinned.

  “But Michael, I’m not-” Ashley started to argue, a little unbalanced by the way the lie was running away with them. It was still a lie, wasn’t it?”

  “We need to go out and get you a ring,” Michael said, ignoring the beginning of her half-hearted protest. He glanced at his watch and frowned. “I haven’t got time to go out now…” he sighed apologetically. “I need to clean up and then I’m due to meet up with some people for dinner.”

  “And I have to go back to Chicago!” Ashley reminded Michael. She got the feeling that he thought she was going to stay here with him… The way he frowned when she pointed out that she wasn’t would have confirmed it, even if he hadn’t gone on to voice his displeasure.

  “But I want you to stay here with me,” he whined, kissing her neck hungrily, before moving his mouth back to her lips.

  Ashley gave herself to the hot, drugging kiss, but she knew that it couldn’t continue. She had a flight to catch, and even if Michael had stopped thinking with his brain, she wasn’t going to let him cause any more trouble for the campaign by keeping her around.

  “Think of your approval ratings!” she gasped, breaking free of his mouth, and trying to disentangle herself from his arms.

  “My approval ratings don’t keep me warm at night,” he growled, reaching for her again. He was far too strong to be denied. Ashley lost her breath and she collided with his chest. “What are you doing to me, Ash?” he groaned, moving his hands possessively over her body.

  “Michael!” Ashley gasped, laying her hands flat against his chest. “Michael, you have to stop!”

  He finally managed to let her go. Ashley stared up at him, watching him closely. There was a hot flush coloring his cheekbones. His eyes looked faintly dazed, and he dragged a shaky hand through his gorgeously mussed hair.

  “Fuck,” he swore under his breath. “Fuck.” He didn’t say anything to Ashley until he had caught his breath. She was glad of the reprieve; she didn’t understand what was happening between them! “I’ll have my driver take you to the airport if that’s what you want?” he said at length.

  Ashley nodded her head, and couldn’t explain why she was fighting back tears. “Thank you, Michael,” she whispered quietly.

  “But I’ll be back in Chicago in a few days. The campaign trip will be over. And then we’re going to go and find you a ring,” he declared forcefully.

  17

  Letting Ashley go was so hard… and it shouldn’t have been! Michael didn’t know what was happening to him. He almost didn’t recognize himself anymore. Ashley had such a strange- such a very strange effect on him. He wanted to tell himself that it was just about the sex, but he had had her body now… and yet he still wanted her around! That just wasn’t… normal!

  Fortunately, Norm returned to take Michael’s mind off his lover. The campaign manager reminded Michael of a dog loyal that had just been kicked and beaten. It was impossible for Michael not to feel guilty. Both men muttered apologies, and then they got on with the work that was still waiting to be done in New York.

  Of course, word of Michael’s “engagement” to Ashley spread like wildfire, and that was all anyone seemed to want to talk about for the last few days of the campaign trip. Most of the time Michael was able to direct the conversation back to politics and to his Party's agenda, but it wasn’t helping him to keep Ashley out of his mind.

  At least everyone was buying the story! The Vance Campaign was naturally claiming that the timing of the Reese-Kendall engagement had been planned in an attempt to have an impact on approval ratings, but no one was suggesting that the relationship itself wasn’t one hundred percent genuine.

  Perhaps that was that problem, Michael mused, as he flew back to Chicago. Perhaps he was starting to believe the lie too?

  He shifted uneasily in his seat and loosened his tie. It was hard to keep track of exactly what his real relationship with Ashley was though! How much of what they did together was an act and how much of it was genuine? It certainly felt real when she was in his arms.

  Michael rubbed a hand across his eyes. He was too tired to think straight. It would all look clearer after a good night’s sleep- a good night’s sleep in his own bed. The thought alone was heavenly! Now, to make it truly perfect he just needed.

  “Stop it!” he growled at himself.

  “Hmm? What? Where?” Norm grunted, waking himself up. He had been dozing in the seat next to Michael, and quickly settled back down again to sleep when Michael didn’t say anything else.

  He didn’t have real feelings for Ashley… did he? Michael groaned. She was a sexy, intelligent woman, who he got on with and just happened to lust after around the clock… what did that say?

  “Fuck,” Michael swore, careful to keep his voice lowered this time.

  This was a nightmare. He was trying to become the next President of the United States of America. He couldn’t afford distractions… however luscious and lovely they might be.

  It was all well and good telling himself that… but the trouble was the whole country thought he was engaged to Ashley now. There was no way to undo what was already done. Michael just had to figure out a better coping mechanism for being around her all the time, that was all.

  Unfortunately, that coping mechanism didn’t occur to him before they landed in Chicago, where it turned out Ashley was waiting to meet them. She looked a little flushed and uncertain when she saw Michael, and was greeted only with a chaste peck on the cheek.

  “I’m sorry,” she murmured apologetically. “I didn’t know whether I should come or not… and then I thought that, well- if you were my real fiancé I would be here,” she whispered. “So I came. Are you mad?”

  “Mad?” Michael frowned, following her out of the airport to the car that was waiting outside. “Why would I be mad?”

  Ashley gave her shoulders an uncertain little shrug. “You jus
t- you seem different,” she confessed, climbing into the back seat of the car with Michael, while Norm jumped in the front.

  “Different?” Michael frowned, aware that he was trying to create a distance between them that hadn’t been there before. It was torture, and he already hated it, but he was not… he was not about to fall in love with this woman, which was what he feared was happening to him.

  “Yes, different…” Ashley mused. “You seem… distant.”

  “I’m just tired,” he murmured, yawning as if he was trying to prove it. “We haven’t stopped for days. Isn’t that right, Norm?” he called, but was answered only with a gentle snore from the front of the car. “See?” he chuckled.

  Ashley smiled, but she was looking a little wary again. Michael had to fight the urge to drag her into his arms and soothe away whatever it was that she was worrying about. “You and Norm,” she said at length. “You ugh- made up then?”

  Michael snorted. “We did.”

  Ashley nodded, and then she fell silent again. Michael didn’t push her to make conversation. He was exhausted, and he was still trying to figure out exactly how he felt about his speech writer “fiancé”. He was unnerved to find that simply being with her brought him pleasure.

  He leant back in his seat, and watched her through half-closed eyes. She took his breath away every time he saw her. He didn’t understand how she had been working for him for several months and he had never before realized that she was gorgeous. He must have been blind, or stupid, or both! It was a miracle no one else had snapped her up.

  They dropped Norman off at his house first, and then Michael surprised himself by asking if Ashley was coming home with him. It seemed that he really wasn’t able to control himself when she was near.

  “I will, if you want me to come with you?” she said shyly. “I was rather under the impression that you wanted to be on your own.”

  “No!” Michael barked, and before he had stopped to think she was in his arms. “How can you say that?” he whispered, stroking his fingers over her face. Instead of answering, Ashley inclined her head slightly and brushed her lips against his mouth.

  The shivers always caught Ashley by surprise. She would have thought that they would have stopped by now, either that or she would be used to it, but they hadn’t and she wasn’t… every time Michael kissed her it felt like the first time. She wrapped her arms around his neck and nestled against him, but he pulled back before she had had her fill.

  “Easy,” he whispered, glancing towards the front of the car where the driver was sitting.

  Ashley flushed guiltily. “Sorry,” she murmured, sidling across the seat away from him. Michael followed her.

  “Don’t be sorry,” he murmured kissing the tip of her nose. He glanced out of the window. “We’re almost home.”

  “Home?” Ashley frowned, also looking out of the window; she wasn’t anywhere near her neighborhood.

  “You are coming home with me, aren’t’t you?” Michael asked, casting a hungry glance in her direction.

  Ashley squirmed guiltily on her seat. “Do you really think that’s a good idea?” she asked, chewing her bottom lip. “I mean- if anyone finds out-?”

  “We’re engaged,” Michael shrugged, smiling broadly. “What can anyone possibly say about you coming over to have dinner at my place?” he asked innocently.

  Ashley giggled. “Nothing, nothing at all,” she smiled. She allowed herself to wrap her arms around his waist and lean her head on his shoulder. Michael eased his own arm around her, and held her close. It was such a nice feeling, being pressed up against his body like this, sort of comfortable and easy.

  The remainder of the journey passed in silence. Ashley got the feeling that Michael was a good deal more tired than he let on. He could hardly keep his eyes open. She reached up and brushed a few stray strands of hair off his face, and kissed his cheek.

  “You want me to really fix you dinner when we get you home?” she giggled, thinking that he wasn’t going to be fit for much more that dinner and bed- and not in the way that she wanted!

  “Mrs. Martin is sure to have left me something to heat up,” Michael yawned, covering his mouth with the back of his hand.

  “Mrs. Martin?” Ashley murmured, while assuring herself that what she was feeling at the mention of another woman’s name on Michael’s lips was not jealously. “She’s your-?”

  “My housekeeper,” Michael nodded, sighing with satisfaction when they turned off the main road and into his drive. “God, it’s good to be home,” he said with feeling, helping Ashley out of the car once it had stopped.

  “Wow,” Ashley murmured, looking over the house. “This is amazing,” she said with feeling.

  Michael beamed. “I’m glad you like it.”

  Ashley felt her heart trip in her chest. Did he mean that? Did it matter to him if she liked his house or not? Well, obviously it mattered… but did it mean anything else? Pushing all such silly thoughts aside, Ashley shook her head and followed Michael inside, where she continued to be similarly impressed.

  Ashley followed Michael through to the kitchen, watching him chuckle when he looked in the fridge and found a casserole waiting for him.

  “I swear Mrs. Martin forgets that I’m not her son sometimes,” he said, looking amused, but not disappointed with his spoils. He set about heating it up, while Ashley dryly observed that all grown men liked to be mothered on occasion. Michael held up his hands in mock surrender. “Guilty as charged,” he grinned. “Not that you can blame us,” he argued.

  Ashley chose not to argue. “Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked, looking around for glasses or plates.

  “No, no, you sit yourself down,” Michael said. “Can I get you a drink? A glass of wine perhaps?”

  Ashley nodded her thanks. Michael pored her glass of red wine and then helped himself to a beer from the fridge. He set out some plates and cutlery, but then starting yawning so badly that Ashley was afraid that he might fall asleep on his feet.

  “Sit down!” she giggled, getting up to check on the casserole. She couldn’t deny that it smelled delicious.

  “But you’re my guest,” Michael argued, although he did actually take a seat on one of the kitchen stools. “I should be looking after your needs,” he murmured, unable to keep a devilish twinkle completely from glinting in his eyes.

  “You just let me take care of a few of your needs, Mr. Reese,” Ashley said primly, but she flashed him a dazzling smile.

  “A few? That sounds promising.”

  Ashley laughed. “I don’t think you’re in a fit state to do much more than eat and then collapse into bed!”

  “Just so long as you collapse into bed with me,” Michael murmured, kissing Ashley’s neck. He had got up from his stool to help her look for the ladle that she was searching for. He pressed it into her hands and then wrapped his arms around her waist and demanded a kiss in payment for his help.

  “You’re dinner’s going to burn,” Ashley gasped, swaying unsteadily on her feet when he released her.

  “I’m not hungry,” he argued. “Not for food-” but than his stomach gave a loud rumble of protest and Ashley giggled.

  “Sit down,” she commanded, fetching the casserole and dishing it up. There was more than enough for two portions, so she served herself a small plate full too, before carrying both plates to the table.

  She felt like a little wife, cooking Michael his dinner at home after he had had a long hard day at work… There was nothing sexual about it, nothing really even romantic, but it still left a lovely glowing warmth burning in the center of Ashley’s chest. She liked the cozy atmosphere, and the friendly intimacy.

  They chatted about the campaign over the meal, about how Michael’s trip had gone and what was still left to do.

  “I still need to buy you an engagement ring,” Michael mused. “I thought about having Norm sort it out, but-” he ground to a halt, as though he had something that he shouldn’t have. He cleared his throat
self-consciously. “Well, you should pick it out. You have to wear it and Norm has dreadful taste.”

  Ashley’s lips twitched. “Of course,” she murmured, trying to temper her sudden delight. “We could go together?” she suggested mildly, unable to hide her smile when Michael nodded his head.

  They finished what was left of their meal and then Ashley insisted on stacking away their dirty plates in the dishwasher. Michael offered to help her, but he was sure that he didn’t actually have the energy to do anything apart from crawl straight into bed. Of course, he still wanted Ashley to crawl into bed with him… just because he was too exhausted to do anything to her at the moment didn’t mean that he wouldn’t be ready have her again when he woke up the following morning.