“No? What do you mean ‘no’?” Norman choked.
“I mean no, I don’t have a good explanation for you Norm. I don’t know why Ashley came to the church yesterday and went through with the ceremony,” he said, slowly and simply.
Norman blinked at him in disbelief. “Well maybe you could tell me why you went through with it?”
Michael smiled sadly. “Oh, I can tell you that,” he murmured quietly. He glanced back towards the other room. “I love her.”
Norman stared at Michael in absolute horror, looking as if he couldn’t- or didn’t want to comprehend what he was hearing. “You love her?” he choked. The words practically exploded from his mouth.
Michael held up his hands in a manner that begged Norm to keep his voice down. He glanced nervously towards the door that they had just walked through- the door that Ashley was on the other side of... she wouldn’t have heard Norm, would she?
Norm’s incredulity seemed to grow. “And she doesn’t know?” he hissed, looking from Michael to the door and back again. “You married her- you say you love her- and- and she doesn’t know?” he muttered erratically.
“No…” Michael confessed gruffly.
“I think I need to sit down,” Norm muttered, shaking his head. He sank down onto a chair. After a few minutes he spoke again, “so, this means that the marriage is real?” he said slowly. “We don’t have a problem on that front?” His mind was obviously in election campaign mode now. “Really, it will probably turn out better for your chances this way, although getting the sympathy vote would have been useful - still, that wouldn’t have necessarily made up for the lack of a First Lady.”
“Um, right?” Michael said, as he cleared his throat. “We’ll have a First Lady,” he nodded slowly, as a new, and not particularly pleasant, thought occurred to him.
Maybe that explained why Ashley had married him? She wanted to be the First Lady… He had never thought of her as particularly ambitious before… she had always seemed to be above that kind of thing, seeing him as a man and not the next President, but perhaps he had been wrong? Perhaps, like everyone else, she was only interested in him because of the position that he might soon hold?
“Well,” Norm said thoughtfully, “I suppose that’s something then?” He actually seemed to sound rather hopeful. “I take it that you- ugh- want to settle things between Miss Ken- Mrs. Reese on your own?” he added delicately.
“Yes!” Michael barked. He took a moment to compose himself. “I mean- yes,” he said more calmly. “I’ll resolve things with Ashley. All you need to know is that she is my wife and will be remaining as such.”
Norm nodded. A small knowing smile was dancing over his lips. It made Michael frown uncertainly. “Well, I’ll leave the two of you alone to- ugh-‘ resolve things’,” he chuckled. “I think there was um- another way out of this suite? Give my regards to Mrs. Reese,” he finished with a smile.
“Okay, Norm,” Michael murmured. He was eager to get back to Ashley, but Norman had... unsettled him a little. He showed the campaign manager out of the suite. There was another way out that led into the hallway. Michael had Norman leave via that door- instead of parading him through the bedroom again.
Once he was alone, Michael took a moment to compose himself before he returned to his wife. He was pleased to see that Ashley was still sitting in bed, looking just as delectable as when he had left her there.
“Has Norman gone?” she asked nervously, the second that she saw Michael. She glanced behind him to see if the campaign manager was following.
“He’s gone,” Michael nodded, shrugging off his robe as he walked purposefully towards the bed.
“What did you say to him? How did you get rid of him?” Ashley asked quickly, but Michael was rather smugly pleased (and relieved, because it meant that he could avoid answering her questions) to see that she was rather distracted by the sight of his naked, increasingly aroused, body.
“Later,” he growled, rejoining her in bed. “We can talk about it later…”
They didn’t talk about it later however, Ashley tried to bring it up as they left the hotel and again in the car, but Michael always found some way to distract her… He hadn’t asked her to explain herself again though… so she didn’t try to push him for answers.
They didn’t have a proper honeymoon arranged. As they hadn’t ever intended to get married nothing had been booked. Before things had changed, they had decided that it wouldn’t look too suspicious, as everyone knew that Michael would be incredibly busy with the campaign. While this was true, Ashley did regret it a little. She wanted to escape from the limelight for a while, and just bask in the newness of being Michael wife.
Ashley would have new duties of her own to keep her busy though, the cookie-bake off was fast approaching for a start, but before she started to think about that, she wanted to feel settled living in Michael’s house…
It was very strange- going from their very casual, laid back relationship, during which there had been occasions when Ashley hadn’t seen Michael for days, even weeks, at a time, to the intensity of actually living in the same house as him!
However, if Michael shared any of her reservations about little things- like sharing a bathroom and him seeing her without her make up on- then he didn’t show it at all. He was incredibly sweet about everything in fact… telling her that she could change anything that she didn’t like about the house- décor, furniture, anything- and that she should move over as many of the things from her old house as she liked.
“There’s not really much point in me doing that, is there?” she asked after Michael had made the suggestion, rubbing Lolly’s ears as she did so. The puppy bounced excitedly around her feet. She was looking down at the dog, so she didn’t see the flash of panic that darted across Michael’s face.
“What do you mean?” he asked. There was some sort of strain in his voice that made Ashley look up at him.
She shot him a puzzled glance. “Well, with any luck we won’t be here for much longer,” she smiled warmly. “You’ll be President and we’ll have a brand new home, isn’t that right, Lolly!” she cooed at the puppy.
“Remus,” Michael muttered the correction, as he breathed out heavily. “I might not get elected, Ash,” he pointed out.
Ashley stopped playing with the dog (much to Lolly’s disappointment) and gave Michael her full attention. “What are you talking about? Of course you will! You’re by far the best candidate!” she exclaimed sincerely.
Michael wrapped his arms around Ashley’s little waist and tugged her against his chest. “Well now, you have to say that, don’t you, Mrs. Reese?” he teased, kissing the tip of her nose, which she wrinkled.
“But it is true, Michael!” she urged firmly. “I won’t have come to work for you in the first place if I didn’t believe that!” she pointed out.
“No,” he said thoughtfully. “I suppose you wouldn’t have, would you?” he murmured, before he tried to kiss her again, but Ashley (for once) slipped out of his grasp.
“What- what about me though, Michael?” she whispered, wringing her hands uncertainly. When her husband only frowned in confusion she explained. “Do you think that I’ll- that I’ll make an okay First Lady?” she asked anxiously. “I mean- I’m only a speech writer, I don’t really know anything about being the wife of a President!” she said, a little touch of fear creeping into her voice.
Michael, however, was beaming at her. “I think you’ll make a perfect First Lady,” he said, still grinning broadly.
Ashley leant her head on one side and raised an eyebrow at him. “Why?” she demanded sceptically, folding her arms under her breasts.
“I chose you too, remember,” Michael whispered, advancing on her slowly. There was a wicked gleam in his eyes that she didn’t trust- and she didn’t trust it because she knew exactly what it meant he was thinking about!
“Yes, but Michael, you chose me to-” she couldn’t finish that sentence however, because Michael had captur
ed her mouth, smothering the rest of her words beneath his lips.
“Shall I tell you why you’ll be perfect?” he murmured, releasing her only once she was breathlessly. “Because you’re brilliant, and beautiful. You’re damn smart too, so I know you’ll keep me on my toes! You’re also-” he nibbled at her ear “-sexy as hell,” he whispered.
“Oh really, and how’s that going to help the country?” Ashley asked shakily.
“I don’t know, but I know exactly how it will help the President!”
33
The next few weeks passed in a blur of rallies, debates and interviews. Ashley’s cheeks ached from smiling so much, but she didn’t dare give up. Election week finally arrived! As the end of the campaign loomed steadily closer and closer, the different ways that Ashley and Michael were coping became readily apparent.
Michael reminded his wife of nothing so much as a little boy waiting for Christmas morning- but he was a little boy who didn’t know what Santa was going to leave in his stocking, a brand new bike, or a lump of coal? Ashley, on the other hand, was almost ridiculously calm!
“We’ve done everything that we possibly could have done,” she reminded Michael, on Wednesday evening, as they climbed into bed.
“There’s always something extra that you could have done,” Michael argued, wriggling around uncomfortably. “Maybe if I-”
“Michael!” Ashley laughed. “Enough, please?” she begged. “You need to get a good night’s sleep tonight so that you’re fresh for the morning,” she scolded. She snuggled down under the covers and closed her eyes.
“But I’m never going to be able to sleep tonight,” Michael whispered, reaching for Ashley. His hands slid possessively over her body, moving under her nightdress they gave her nipples a teasing tweak. “How about you stay up with me to keep me company?” he murmured suggestively.
“Michael!” Ashley wailed, (but of course, she didn’t actually stop him when his hands began wandering over her body). She hoped, among other things, that a bout of lovemaking might help tire Michael out so that he was able to fall asleep.
It certainly seemed to do the trick! Ashley knew that her poor husband had to be physically exhausted, even if his mind refused to let him rest. Michael hardly managed to draw out of her body once they were both spent and sated before a gentle snore bubbled out of his mouth!
Ashley smiled to herself and arranged Michael as comfortably as she could manage. She nestled up against his chest, yawned sleepily, and was soon lost in her own dreams of presidential victory.
It didn’t seem like she had shut her eyes for more than a minute before the alarm clock started to ring! Ashley grumbled and pulled the blankets over her head, waiting for Michael to turn the thing off. When he didn’t, she moved to give him a poke- only to discover that he wasn’t actually in bed!
Ashley rolled over onto her husband’s side of the mattress so that she could reach the alarm clock. She hit the thing, and frowned when she felt that the sheets underneath her were cool to the touch. Just how long ago had Michael got up?
“Morning sleepyhead!”
Ashley twisted around, and saw the outline of her husband as he walked into the bedroom. It was only 4.30am, and still dark, but she could smell the coffee he was carrying.
“How long have you been awake?” she asked, yawning, and turning on the bedside lamp.
“Not long,” Michael said sheepishly. He handed Ashley the coffee. “I just went for a run on the treadmill. Couldn’t sleep,” he shrugged. It was no wonder that he hadn’t been able to sleep. She could see that he was practically bouncing off the walls! “So,” Michael said. “You ready to go make me a president?” he grinned.
Ashley smiled and nodded. “Are you ready?” she asked, but seemed to know that it was a silly question. Michael had never looked more ready for anything!
“I feel like my whole life has been leading up to this day,” he said, exhaling shakily. He shot a vulnerable, almost boyish, smile at his wife. “Do you think sounds stupid?” he asked timidly.
Ashley put down her coffee and got out of bed. She walked up to Michael, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed a kiss against his cheek. “It doesn’t sound stupid at all!” she insisted, although, she was a little bit afraid of what that might mean. Would Michael ever be able to want her even a fraction as much as he wanted to win this election? “You’ve invested so much of yourself into this campaign, Michael,” she said softly.
“Yeah…” he murmured thoughtfully. He twined his arms around Ashley’s waist and hugged her to him tightly. “Thank you, Ash,” he whispered, “for standing by me.”
“Michael!” Ashley gasped. “As if there was anywhere else I’d rather have been!”
Michael grinned widely, and claimed her lips in a beautifully searing, breath-stealing kiss. He hoped that Ashley remembered that sentiment! There was so, so many things riding on the outcome of this day… and Michael was terrified by the prospect of his marriage being one of those things! He didn’t think he could lose Ashley, not now, and not ever!
“We have to get ready,” he murmured, releasing Ashley. He couldn’t stand still for more than a minute. He just wanted things to start!
Ashley giggled at him. “All right, let’s get ready then,” she smiled, but as she said that she sat down on the edge of the bed to finish her coffee first. Michael shot her a desperate look.
“We can’t be late!” he urged, obviously taking exception to her ‘time wasting’.
“I’m quite sure that we’re not going to be!” Ashley laughed.
In fact, they were ready rather earlier than they needed to be, but their car wasn’t due to pick them up until just before six, so Michael couldn’t actually leave the house, although he clearly wanted to and was just about ready to start climbing the walls.
“Please sit down?” Ashley asked gently, and for the third time. Michael was pacing the living room like a caged tiger.
“I can’t sit down,” he whined. “I need to be doing something.” He glanced down at his wristwatch. “Maybe I should call and check what time the car’s going to get here?”
“Michael!” Ashley cried. She got up off the sofa, where she and Lolly had been sitting, and walked across the room to her husband. “Please try to relax?” she begged. She lifted her hands to his shirt collar and straightened his tie. “Everything is going to be fine,” she said soothingly.
“You can’t possibly know that,” Michael groaned, shifting his weight from foot to foot.
Ashley kissed his cheek. “Well I believe it’s going to be fine,” she whispered, dabbing a second kiss against his lips.
Michael looked down into her eyes, and the sudden overwhelming urge to tell her exactly how he felt about her washed over him. “Ashley,” he breathed. “I lo-” but he was cut off by the ring of the doorbell.
Norm was at the front door. He had got a lift over to the Reese’s house in the car that had come to pick Michael and Ashley up. He drove with them to the polling booths, anxiously giving last minute advice. Ashley was amused to see that the campaign manager was almost as nervous as her husband! She couldn’t believe that she was the calmest member of their little party! She was sure it wouldn’t last the whole day… but for the moment at least, she was serene and relaxed.
A large mass of reporters and camera crews were already there, waiting for Michael, when he, Ashley and Norm, arrived just a few minutes after six to cast their votes. Ashley smiled and chatted for a few minutes after voting, laughing when one reporter asked her to tell them who she had voted for on her ballot. She still felt amazingly in control, and beamed with pride as she watched Michael give a little impromptu interview.
“Well, that’s three votes I know I’ve got at least,” Michael joked, when the three of them hopped back into the car.
He seemed calmer now, Ashley guessed that what he had said before they left home was true- he needed to do something- he needed to keep himself active.
Unhappily, the time h
ad come for Ashley to part ways with her husband. Michael was going to head up to the northeast, to attend a string of rallies that morning, while she was staying in Chicago to make a few television appearances, before heading west that afternoon, trying to fire up the voters who still had a little time on their hands before the booths closed in their states.
“I’ll try and give a call around lunchtime, and let you know how things are going?” Michael suggested, kissing Ashley soundly (and completely ignoring the presence of Norman), as the car stopped to drop him off at the airport.
“Don’t worry about that!” she said. “Just concentrate on the job you’ve got to do today, Mr. Reese,” she smiled, straightening his tie one last time before letting him leave.
She waved goodbye to Michael (and Norm, who she hadn’t forgotten was watching, and who was going to stay with Michael all day), and then the car drove away from the airport and took her to her first interview of the day.
The Perfect Candidate Page 20