Chapter 16
“Josh…no.” Donna tried to sound firm, but since the ‘no’ came out on a moan, she
doubted he was taking her protest seriously. “Josh this is my office.” She tried
again.
“I know….it’s very nice…It has big, comfortable couches.” Josh noted as he
continued to kiss her and attempted to unbutton her blouse. She slapped his
hands away, so he just concentrated on the kissing…for now. When Josh had
shared his plan for starting a family immediately, Donna had been so moved, and
then so turned on, that things had quickly escalated.
“You would never try this in your office.” Donna stated firmly.
Josh’s head lifted from where it had been hovering by her cleavage. “Of course
not! My office is next to the Oval Office….also, one of the doors doesn’t lock.” He
smirked and dove back to his original position.
“So you’re saying…Oh, yeah…that the only reason I haven’t
been…ahhh…ravaged in your office is because one of the doors doesn’t….
ohhhh…lock?”
“Basically.” Josh agreed and attempted the buttons again. He didn’t get his hands
slapped so he pursued the course with all due haste.
“Then don’t you think we should lock my doors?” Donna teased.
“Who’d come bursting into-“ Josh began but broke off when Donna abruptly left him
to do just that. “Okay, go ahead and lock them.” Josh took the opportunity to
remove his tie and unbutton the top couple buttons of his shirt, then he collapsed
on Donna’s very comfortable couch and closed his eyes.
“Have I lost your attention already?” Donna asked standing next to him. Without
even opening his eyes, his arm shot out, grabbed her wrist and sent her tumbling
down on top of him.
“You’ve never lost my attention.” He said roughly and took her mouth in a hot kiss
that sent Donna’s pulse skittering. “I don’t imagine you ever could. God, I want you
so much right now.”
“Then take me, Joshua.” Donna invited and spread open her blouse for him.
Maybe it was the forbidden aspect of making love in her office or maybe it was just
the culmination of spending the evening with their friends and co-workers talking
about joining their lives together, but there was an added dimension to their
lovemaking. Once their heartbeats went back to down to normal, they simply lay in
each other’s arms. Josh’s hand stroking down Donna’s back again and again. It felt
so wonderful that they were both tempted just to sleep there.
“Do we have to go home?” Donna murmured.
“I don’t know, but I’m never going to be able to sit on this couch again during
normal business hours.” Josh admitted.
“I’m thinking of having it retired.” Donna noted.
“Sounds about right.” Josh agreed. “I’ll buy you a new one, and we can have this
one inducted into the hall of fame for-“
“Joshua!” Donna slapped him playfully across the shoulder and got up to search
for the clothes Josh had carelessly tossed across the room.
“I’m perfectly serious.” Josh maintained. “Or maybe we could put it in my office…no,
I’d never be able to concentrate in there again. Let’s go home.”
“I’m about ready, but I’m afraid you’re going to shock the Secret Service in your
present state of undress.” Donna threw his pants at him.
“Nothing shocks the Secret Service, Donnatella. They worked for Kennedy and
Clinton. Besides, they’re just outside the door, I’m pretty sure they know what we’ve
been up to in here.” Josh reminded her.
“DON’T say that!” Donna objected. “I prefer to believe they are far, far away from
here and think that we’re planning the next joint press conference for the President
and First Lady.”
“Right. And you should close your eyes when we leave, because I heard that if you
can’t see them, they can’t see you.” Josh teased and opened the door to her office
once he was mostly dressed. “Evening, Jack.” Josh greeted his Agent.
“Evening, sir.” Jack replied. He was the quintessential Secret Service man. Try as
he might, Josh was never able to get a reaction from him.
“We were just inside planning the next joint press conference for the President and
First Lady.” Josh informed him with a wink.
“Yes, sir.” Jack answered dutifully.
“Arghhhh…!” Donna growled and walked past both men with her head held high,
but her cheekbones bright red.
Josh and Jack followed behind her and Josh was fairly certain they both enjoyed
the view. They were almost out the door when Josh decided to detour and leave a
note for Sam in the DCOS office. He was surprised when he saw the door closed
and even more surprised when he discovered Sam sleeping inside. He backed out
of the office slowly and quietly. At least now he had a very good idea about what
was bothering his Deputy.
************************************************
“We’ve got a problem.” Sam announced unceremoniously just before lunch the
next day.
“Only one?” Josh joked.
“A fairly big one. Republican leadership-“
“I hate sentences that begin with the words Republican leadership. In fact I believe
the phrase Republican leadership is oxymoronic.” Josh interrupted, joking again.
“Someone’s in a good mood today.” Sam muttered.
“Yes, I am and there’s nothing you can do to ruin it.” Josh predicted.
Sam smiled a wicked smile. “Oh, I’m pretty sure there is.”
“Lay it on me.” Josh sat back in his chair and waited for the shoe to drop.
“Republican leadership is going to fight us over the UAE. They want us to work with
them to bring oil production back up to its’ original level and back the new Sheik.”
Sam told him.
“Back him on what?” Josh asked.
“Uhhhhh…anything he wants basically.” Sam pretended to consult his notes. “Yep,
they want us to give him whatever he wants.”
“And just why do they think we would resort to this overt blackmail?” Josh
questioned.
“Because they have a new issues director who is famous for starting all kinds of
trouble.” Sam smiled again and Josh’s stomach started to roll.
“No…” Josh shook his head slowly.
“Oh, yeah…Amy Gardner.” Sam confirmed. “How’s that mood now?”
***********************************************************
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” President Santos moaned.
“God how I wish I were.” Josh admitted with Sam still smirking beside him. “She
wants a meeting.”
“Of course she does.” Santos laughed. “I wouldn’t see her when she worked for
me, what makes her think I’ll see her now?”
“You shouldn’t.” Sam pointed out.
“You absolutely shouldn’t, sir. If anything, she sees Sam.” Josh agreed. “And then
only if we’re forced into it. Secretary Vinick is on his way to a meeting with the new
Sheik and we can’t do anything to undermine what he’s trying to accomplish.”
“Sam, I want that woman out of my line of sight at all times and I’d prefer not to hear
her name mentioned either.” President Santos decreed.
“Wouldn’t we all.” Josh added. “Thank you, Mr. President.”
Josh and Sam left the Oval and Josh tried once again to get Sam to talk to him. “I
can’t right now. I have a lunch thing that I have to prep for.” Sam apologized. Josh
knew what Sam’s lunch thing was and he knew it didn’t require any kind of
prepping, but he let it go for now.
*******************************************************************
“Sam, I’m so glad you could make it for lunch.” Donna gushed. She adored Sam
and was happy to help Josh with this little bit of playacting. “I know I could have sent
this over in an email, but I wanted to get your take on a couple of the meetings.”
“No problem, Donna. You and the First Lady have really greased the wheels for
this Bill.” Sam smiled. He was really proud of how far Donna had come since those
early days in Nashua so long ago. His friend was very lucky to have won the heart
of this fair maiden.
“I ordered some soup and sandwiches from downstairs. They should be here any
minute. Have a seat.” Donna invited him and pulled out her file on the education Bill
so as not to arouse any suspicion.
“Sounds great.” Sam told her and sat next to her at the large conference table in
her office.
“Sam, before we start with this, I just wanted to tell you, personally, that Josh
wanted to tell you about the engagement. He really did.”
“Donna…”
“No, let me finish. Things had been so…tumultuous with the California trip and we
didn’t want to detract or distract from the important things happening here…and to
be completely honest? There was something kind of…special about keeping it a
secret for awhile. So much of our lives have been public fodder lately. It was nice
having that very special news just to ourselves for a bit.”
Sam could read the sincerity in Donna’s eyes and he understood what she was
saying. It had just been, for him, one final disappointment in a week full of it. “I
understand, Donna.”
“Then you’re not mad at Josh about keeping it a secret?” Donna confirmed and
Sam shook his head ‘no’. “Good, because he values your friendship and your
professional counsel SO much.”
“I’m fine. What can I help you with on the Ed. Bill?” Sam was anxious to change the
subject away from anything personal.
“Well, to be honest…” Donna trailed off just as the door to her office opened. Sam
could only imagine two people had walk in privileges to Donna’s office and he didn’t
hear Helen Santo’s heels clicking on the floor.
“This was a set up?” Sam looked from Donna to Josh, who was holding their
lunches on a tray.
“I invited you for lunch and conversation.” Donna hedged. “We’re having lunch and
conversation.”
“Uh-huh.” Sam started to get up from the table.
“We’re worried about you, Samuel.” Josh told his friend. “Let’s eat some lunch and
talk while we have the opportunity.”
“I really don’t feel like talking.” Sam clipped his answer.
“Then have some lunch and listen to me complain about Josh for awhile.” Donna
offered. “He actually suggested going to the courthouse over lunch to get married.
Can you believe that?”
Donna just started passing out lunch items and drinks on either side of her and
eventually both men sat down to eat.
“Actually, that sounds just like Josh. He’d want to get you legally bound to him
before he screwed something up and you changed your mind.”
“That’s just ridiculous.” Donna stated.
“Thank you, Donna.” Josh sneered at Sam while he said it.
“Sure. I mean look at how many times he’s screwed up already and I still agreed to
marry him.” Donna pointed out.
“Hey!” Josh protested and Sam laughed. It was the first real laugh he’d had in days.
“You’re damn lucky to have her and you know it.” Sam commented.
“I am and I do.” Josh acknowledged. “And I’m lucky to have you as a friend and a
Deputy and I know that too.”
Sam was choked up by Josh’s quiet admission. He was choked up by everything.
“Molly was- is- having an affair.”
Josh and Donna let the stunned silence just hang there.
“I’m looking for a place to move to, but with things so crazy at work…”
“Sam, I’m so sorry.” Donna put her hand on Sam’s arm and he covered it with his
own.
“Thanks, but it’s my own damn fault.” Sam shrugged.
“Bullshit.” Josh replied hotly.
“Josh!” Donna turned to admonish him.
“It IS bullshit.” Josh repeated. “How is it his fault that SHE was unfaithful?”
“I’m not saying it IS his fault, I’m simply saying that swearing may not be the best
response right now.” Donna countered.
“I’m his best friend AND a guy. I think I know best what he needs right now.” Josh
shot back.
“Right because you’re so emotionally connected to people around you.” Donna
said sarcastically.
“I’m getting better at it!” Josh nearly yelled and Sam whistled.
“Enough.” He begged. “I just meant that I moved her out here with me on relatively
short notice and rarely came home once we were here. What did I expect?”
“Um…loyalty? Honesty? Trust?” Josh suggested.
“At the very least.” Donna concurred. “I’m sure the move and the adjustment were
both difficult, but so is a long term commitment, and she made that commitment to
you.”
“And I made one to her too. I put my job before our relationship and now I’m paying
the price for it.” Sam noted. “I’m not saying she’s blameless here. She still had
choices. I’m just saying that my role in this was substantial.” Sam looked over at
Josh. “Don’t make the same mistakes I did.”
“I won’t. But I still say she’s a bitch and doesn’t deserve you. You’re lucky you
found out about this little character flaw before the wedding.” Josh said around a
mouthful of sandwich.
“Nice.” Donna motioned for him to finish chewing before he spoke further. “What
can we do, Sam?”
“Hey, I’ve got a Secret Service detail. They could take care of the whole thing.”
Josh offered, only half joking.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Sam promised, smirking. “Right now, I’m trying to
concentrate on work. Just going back and forth with Amy is going to be require my
fill attention.”
“Amy?” Donna repeated spooning up some soup. Sam shot Josh a look and saw by
his friend’s frozen expression that Josh hadn’t shared that piece of happy news yet.
“Amy Gardner?”
“Uh, yeah, about that…” Josh began. “Amy has already found another job, baby,
isn’t that great?”
“Where?” Donna asked with dread.
“Working for the Republican Senate leadership.” Sam replied hoping to distract
Donna. She turned a weary look on her fiancé.
“Will we never be rid of that witch?” Donna asked him.
“I’d just like to point out that I didn’t get her either of these last two jobs.” Josh held
his hands up in mock surrender.
“Still.” Donna shook her head and took another spoonful of soup. “I thought she
was gone for good this time.”
“Not without garlic, a crucifix, and a wooden stake.” Sam muttered and there was a
moment of silence before all three of them burst out laughing.