Page 19 of Presidential Bargain
“Jesus, Georgie. What the fuck?” From the closeness of his voice, I knew Jameson was behind me. He was so close I could feel the warmth of his body against my chilled skin. And then I knew that I was safe. That Russell Atlee would not return. Only then did I begin to sob. Soul-shattering sobs that sent tremors through my entire body, and continued even as Jameson’s arms carefully lifted me up and carriedmeaway.
Inoticedthe exact momentGeorgie left the clambake and I was careful to watch her as she made her way to the beach. We both needed time apart after spending such an emotionally-charged day together. I wasn’t worried until Lewis, Jenkins, and Sean all reported she hadn’t returned to theparty.
Frantically, I ran down to the beach. I called her name but there wasn’t a response. When I saw the huddled, shaking mass in the sand, I hurried toward her, confused. Was she sick? Had she come down withtheflu?
“Jesus, Georgie. What the fuck?” I crouched next to her and the moment I touched her back, she let out a horrific wail. I was terrified. What the fuck happened to her? I kneeled in the sand and slipped my arms under her body, rolling her into my embrace. The wails turned intosobbing.
“Shh. Shh. It’s okay now.” I tried to soothe her, but her body was wracked by wave after wave ofuncontrollablesobs.
I turned back toward the party just as Sean made his way down to the beach. He spotted us andjoggedover.
“What happened? Is she hurt?” he asked, his eyesscanningher.
“I have no fucking clue. I just found her like this.” Soon, Lewis and Jenkins approached, and we made a plan to get her out of the party. I tried handing her over to Sean so I could make a final appearance, but she clung tighter the minute Imoved.
“Okay, little darling. Okay.” I walked with her toward a bench at the back of the property. I tried hard to focus, to think of a way to get her out. Then I remembered the emergency kits intheSUVs.
“Lewis, grab one of the blankets from the emergency kits in the car. We’ll wrap her up and tell everyone she came down suddenly with the flu.” Lewis ran off toward the front of theproperty.
“What do you want me to do?” Jenkins asked, his face full ofconcern.
“Go with Sean and talk to the host. Make sure he’s happy with all the glad-handing I did. Make my apologies. Promise him whatever hewants.”
They both nodded and hurried away. Georgie’s sobs quieted down to whimpers. She clung to my shirt, burying her face in the crook ofmyneck.
“Don’t worry, little darling. I’ve got you.” I stood, shifting Georgie’s weight in my arms, and made my way toward the valet at the front of the house. Lewis met me halfway and placed the blanket over her. Anyone who saw us would see just the top ofGeorgie’shead.
As I passed through the grounds of the estate, there were still clusters of attendees, who occasionally looked our way with curiosity. I didn’t say anything to them. We’d send out a press release tomorrow, canceling all of Georgie’s appearances for the rest of the weekend, with the excuse that she hadtheflu.
The SUV was waiting for us when I reached the valet stand and the driver had the door open and waiting. I slid Georgie in first and climbed in behind her, pulling her back into my arms. She hadn’t said a word since I found her on thebeach.
“Are you hurt, little darling?” Iwhispered.
She shook her head inresponse.
“Okay. We’ll be home soon. And then youcanrest.”
She relaxed a bit and I stroked the honey-colored hair that was now dull and flat. I felt her body soften in my embrace, and I said a silent prayer ofrelief.
Our return to the hotel seemed to take forever. When we finally arrived, Lewis and Jenkins were there to help shield Georgie from any wandering eyes or reporters sniffing out a story. We raced through the lobby, into an elevator, and up to our room. Someone managed to open the door and I took Georgie through to mybedroom.
I sat her down on the bed and removed the blanket from around her. Her face was red and blotchy, her eyes practically swollen shut. And yet, she still looked beautiful. I left her briefly to politely ask everyone to leave us, after assuring them I’d call in a few hours with an update. I knew if I wanted Georgie to talk, it was going to have to be just the twoofus.
Before I returned to the bedroom, I poured her a double bourbon. I carried it with me but stopped at the threshold of the bedroom. Georgie was tearing at her clothes in a frantic rush to get them off. I set the glass down on the dresser and went to her, stilling her furious hands from inflicting further damage. I carefully lifted the blouse she wore over her head and she immediately covered her chest. I slid her shorts down her legs, which prompted her to cringe and whimper like a frightened animal. She stepped out of them and tried to hide her bodyfromme.
“I won’t look, I promise. Just take my hand.” I held out my hand and she took it, holding tightly. I led her to the bathroom and turned the taps on in theshower.
“Do you want me to stay or go?” I asked, helpless. If she didn’t want me to see her body, then most likely, she didn’t want anyadditionalhelp.
“You can go,” shemumbled.
“Okay. I’ll be right outside if you need me.” I left her, standing next to the shower, looking so broken and fragile that I almost stayed. I closed the door behind me and then slid down the wall, sitting on thefloor.
I heard her moving around in the bathroom, which I took as a good sign. Then she began to cry. It was an inhuman, animalistic howl. I scrambled to my feet and pushed the bathroom door open. Modesty be damned. Sheneededhelp.
I found Georgie scrubbing at her skin with a washcloth, roughly dragging it across her body, rubbing furiously. I stepped into the shower behind her, paying no attention to the fact that I was fully clothed. She didn’t notice me until I wrapped my arms around her tightly. She dropped the cloth and together, we tumbled to the cold tile floor. I held her against my body, murmuring soothing words until she calmed. Georgie held tightly to my arm, breathingheavily.
“I think it’s time to get out.” I helped her stand and left her in the shower for a moment while I grabbed some towels. My sopping wet clothes dripped all over the marble tile floor, but I hardly noticed. I wrapped Georgie in a fluffy cotton towel before handing her a second towel, which she twisted around her hair. She remained frozen to one spot in the bathroom while I peeled off my clothes. I kept my damp boxer briefs on and discarded the remaining clothes in the shower. I wrapped a towel around my waist before guiding Georgie forward with a gentle hand onherback.
