Page 64 of Miracles and Marriage
“I’ll remember that, not the histrionics about the mess we made. I’ll call you when I’m finished at the White House.”
“Don’t bother. I’ll be busy.”
She pulled her arm free and twisted the lock and threw open the door, almost running down the hall.
Cal watched until she disappeared into the ladies’ room.
“That went well,” he murmured as he headed out.
He ran his fingers through his hair. He’d acted like a love-struck teenager, unable to finesse the feelings he had when around Zoe. There was no excuse, except she had been more than willing. He could remember the sounds she’d made urging him on. The sweet touch of her hands on his skin. Her mouth kissing him like there was no tomorrow.
Blast it, he didn’t need this fresh memory. He had a debriefing to attend.
Chapter Nine
Zoe washed her face, dried it with paper towels and finger combed her hair. She looked at herself in the mirror. She’d tell people she was feverish if anyone saw her between here and her car. Trying to act calm, she walked from the rest room to her office, gathered her purse and jacket and fled. The few people she passed in the hallway were too intent on their own concerns to speculate about her.
She drove to her apartment. It was midafternoon on a Thursday. She never left work early unless she was seriously incapacitated. What did she do now?
The flush of pleasure that swept through her when she remembered Cal impatiently sweeping the folders off his desk caught her by surprise. Okay, analyze it. She liked it. She more than liked it.
And she was amazed he’d ever do such a thing. It didn’t fit with her image of the hard-edged security man.
But then it hadn’t fit her own image. She wasn’t the kind of woman to have wild sex on an office desk. She couldn’t believe it.
She took a quick shower, changed into warm slacks and a sweater and began cleaning her apartment. Good therapy, plus she wanted it to look nice if Cal came by after his debriefing.
By seven she had to concede he wasn’t coming.
It was after ten and Zoe was in bed when the phone rang. She knew who was calling.
“Hello?”
“We just finished. It’s too late to come over and I’m beat. Want to go to the beach this weekend?” Cal said.
She could hear the background noise of the street.
“You’ve been there for a long time.”
“It’s not my crisis, Protection, Inc. got involved peripherally. But once the president heard of the situation, he called in some experts. I had to go over everything more than once. They don’t like it, but that doesn’t change the facts.”
“About?”
He sighed.
“I’m so tired I forgot. Let’s say a minor glitch in Brussels and leave it at that.”
“How about we go to your place in Richmond, this weekend. That would be more practical.”
“And you are a practical woman, right?”
“Yes.”
“Think of me before you go to sleep,” he said and hung up.
As if she’d think of anything else.
Emily called Zoe the next morning right after she arrived at work.
