Page 45 of Presidential Bargain
“Where the fuck is myiPod?” I roared to no one in particular. It was 6:00 a.m. and I was dressed in my running gear. It was cool this morning, so I had on a pair of compression tights beneath my running shorts and a T-shirt underneath my pullover. I was planning on a long run, and the layers would eventually be peeled away once I was warmenough.
“Georgie!” I bellowed. My voice was loud enough to wake the dead. She appeared like a sleepy angel in the doorway to the kitchen, where I was rifling through my battered leather messenger bag that my father gave me as a gift when I was first elected to the Senate. I looked at her and my cock twitched beneath the restrictive fabric of my clothing.Stop thinking, I mentallytoldit.
Georgie held up my arm band, iPod firmly in place. I did my best not to snatch it out of her hand but based on the way she jumped back, I wasn’tsuccessful.
“I’m sorry. I was adding some new music to it. More modern bands.” On any other day, I would have appreciated her gesture. Today, however, I lacked the patience to value what she had doneforme.
“Next time, ask. I’m going forarun.”
“Clearly.”
“I don’t know how longI’llbe.”
“Whatever.” Georgie’s tone was dismissive. She turned on her heel and walked back through the hall, and up the stairs. Later, while my feet pounded the pavement and The Black Keys were blasting in my ears, I realized that she still wore the blush pink nightgown I hadgivenher.
I returned home, showered, andwent to work. I had fires to put out and a debate to prep for, and I still had no idea how I was going to tell Georgie that someone had leaked a video of us having sex in Sierra Simmons’ studio. That would probably crush her more than the photos of her and Russell Atlee. We were also supposed to have dinner with my parents. I didn’t think they’d be pleased that their son had been recorded having rather intense intercourse, or that it was madepublic.
My entire staff had been waiting for me when I returned home. After my shower, I met everyone in my office. I didn’t want to make small talk. I wanted updates on what was happening. I wanted reassurance that the video was gone. I wanted fuckingresults.
“The video is gone, but there are still shots circulating. Everything lasts fucking forever on theInternet.”
“Whatever. What did SierraSimmonssay?”
“Her assistant has been fired and she’s actually suing the person for breach ofcontract.”
“Good. Has our lawsuit been filed yet?” Whoever had made the recording was in for a world of hurt. Whatever money they had made from selling the video would be long gone by the time I was throughwiththem.
“Not yet. Lawyers need a couple more hours. Have you toldGeorgie?”
I looked down at the papers in front of me. I felt slightly ashamed that I hadn’t told her yet. “No, not yet. Whereisshe?”
“No clue. The house was empty when wegothere.”
Empty? I bolted out of my chair and started calling out for Georgie, checking every floor for her, but Sean was right. She was gone. I pulled my cell phone out and tried calling her, but it just rang and rang before going to voicemail. I kept trying to call her a few more times butgaveup.
Frustrated, I returned to my office. Where could she be? I had no idea because I barely knew the woman. I should have installed a fucking tracking device on her cellphone.
“I’ll give her an hour before I release thehounds.”
She had no Secret Service protection with her, so she was completely unprotected from any asshole who might want to fuck with her. Not to mention, if she was anywhere near a television or newspaper, I was pretty sure she knew we were the talk of the town. When she returned, Georgie would be pissed, and I was going to have to do some seriousexplaining.
To distract myself, I immersed myself in work and debate prep. The scandalous nature of the video of Georgie and I meant another layer of preparation. I had to be ready for all the accusations Governor Huntley would sling. I sat down in my favorite club chair and let myself get carried away in the work of winning thiselection.
When the front door slammed, I had no idea what time it was, or even that it was now raining. I bolted from my chair, out of the office, and down the stairs. Georgie stood, dripping wet, in the foyer. My first instinct was to take her in my arms. My second instinct was to yell because she had been gone so long and hadn’t bothered to answer her phone. I decided to go with something in the middle ofthetwo.
“Where have you been?” My tone was a mixture of hostility andconcern.
“Out.” I could tell from her cold stare that I wasn’t going to get much outofher.
“Obviously. Why didn’t you answer yourphone?”
“I didn’t have itwithme.”
“What the fuck, Georgie!” I screamed, and she immediately shrunk back into the shadows of the foyer. “What if something happened to you? You have Secret Service detail for areason!”
I could tell that if I didn’t get ahold of my emotions quickly, then I would start ranting and raving and that wouldn’t help the situationatall.
“You don’t even have keys.” I stated this as a fact rather than ask her how she managed to leave and lock up thehouse.
