by Carly White
“Senator Johnson, so good to see you. Welcome.”
I looked up at the deep voice and my breath stopped in my throat. It was George and he looked far better in person than he did in the pictures. His large frame towered over us both and his dark eyes swept over my body, seeming to have missed nothing.
The two men shook hands, but soon the billionaire’s gaze was locked with mine. “George, I would like you to meet my speech writer, Maggie Reynolds.”
“So you wrote the speech in D.C.?”
“Yes Sir, did you like it?”
“Like it? I loved it. It had such conviction.”
He took my arm to lead me in, leaving the Senator to himself on the stairs. “That speech was what I was thinking. Our country has turned into some kind of Socialist country and it is time to get back to what we know.”
“What we know? And what is that Sir?”
“Call me George, Maggie. Our country was founded on the idea that anyone can make it. That is capitalism and there is no room for socialist thinking.”
“Well we need some safeguards that came from that line of thinking, but yes I would agree that we have fallen to the wayside on our policies.”
“How long have you been with Steve?”
“I started working for him a month out of college, so about the time he put his name in the hat. I’d been watching him for a while and I think he will be the next one.”
“I do too. It seems we have a lot in common Maggie.” He had steered my to a bar that was set up, a young man behind it waiting for his order as he ignored the rest of the party goers. “What can I get for you Maggie?”
I wondered why he kept saying my name like that. It sounded practically seductive and I tried to ignore the way his arm held me to him. He was holding me as if I were his and though my body reacted appropriately, my mind told me to get as far away from him as possible. He was even more dangerous than the Senator.
“I don’t drink Sir, but thank you anyways.”
He looked puzzled like I had just told him that I grow horns out of my head on the weekends. “I’ve never met a college student that doesn’t drink.”
“Well I am not in college anymore and it is easier to just not drink at work events.”
“This isn’t work Maggie. We are here to have a good time, celebrate the Senators bid by the Republican party. Today is a big day and I think it deserves a little champagne, don’t you think?”
“Not really, but indulge. I have to speak to a few people. Thanks for your kind words Mr. Billings.”
I was walking away and looked back to see him still watching me. The dress was definitely doing its job, but when I turned back I ran right into another older man that I didn’t recognize. His wine spilled over the front of my dress and I cursed.
“I am sorry Sir. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
He waved me off and handed me his napkin. I was mortified and started up the stairs to find a bathroom to clean myself off. I hoped that no one else saw me run into the man, but of course George was following me up the stairs.
“Here let me take you to the bathroom up here. I think soda might take it out.”
He held up the crystal glass with the clear liquid and I thanked him, wishing he had not seen my blunder. He was definitely more dangerous than the Senator and when he looked at me in such a way, I was finding it hard to remember to breathe.
Chapter 4
“I don’t think it is going to come out. You are about an eight, yes?”
I nodded, not wanting to know how he knew that or why he asked. “Come in here and I will see if there is something in that size for you.”
The idea of wearing one of his lovers clothes was somehow a little better than walking around with a large stain on my dress, but not that much more palatable. “I am sure the women you entertain are about a size 0, so I doubt it.”
“Feisty aren’t you? Well I like that. I happen to not discriminate on size.”
“I bet.”
“What? I find all women beautiful.”
He left me in the bathroom stunned and I couldn’t help but like the way he said it. While he was gone, I tried to steady my nerves, wondering why he was having such an effect on me. I knew he was a womanizer and a man that was used to getting what he wanted. I shouldn’t have liked the idea of being something he desired, but I really did.
When he came back in the bathroom, I saw him in the mirror. I was sneaking a cigarette, blowing the smoke into the exhaust. I slid back off the marble sink and smiled. He had a dress in his hand, far nicer than the one I had on and when he held it up, it looked like it would fit.
“Would you like help with it? The back has a lot of little fasteners. If I remember correctly, you will.”
I didn’t want to think about what that meant. Probably that he had taken it off of another woman, but I didn’t want to think about it. As he got closer, I felt smaller, he really was massive.
“Thank you Sir. If you could just turn around, I will change real quick.”
His eyes tell me that he didn’t want to turn around, but he did and I was thankful for that. It was strange changing in a bathroom with a man I hardly knew. What was worse was that all I could think about was some of the pictures of him shirtless I had seen on the internet. For a business mogul, he certainly hadn’t let himself get soft and even in his suit I could see the hard lines of his muscles underneath.
“Are you finished?”
I hadn’t even started yet. “Wait a minute. I haven’t even gotten this off yet.”
“Do you need help?”
I giggled a little. “So helpful, but no. I think I can handle this part.”
I pulled it up over my head and touched the white silk of the dress that he had brought to me. It was soft to the touch and I knew it would feel amazing on my skin. Looking up I saw his wide back and remembered that I was supposed to be getting dressed.
Slipping it on, I was surprised at how well it fit, hugging all of my curves. It was almost see through and while I wanted to be angry about it, I couldn’t, it felt too good on my bare skin. I said I was done, pulling the dress over my shoulders and looking down at the tile as he turned back around. I could feel him moving closer, his breath on the back of my neck as I tried not to shiver. Did he realize how good that felt? He couldn’t and my eyes looked up to meet his through the mirror.
I felt his fingers play with the expose back and I shivered, the dress not hiding the hardening of my nipples. The buttons took forever and I was breathing a little faster when he was done. Our eyes met through the mirror again and I could feel his breath on my neck. George moved a little closer till his hard body pressed against mine. I closed my eyes for a moment, loving the way he felt.
When I felt his lips on my shoulder, I realized what I was doing and how I wasn’t supposed to be up there with him. Men like him were hard to say no to, but it was necessary to keep my sanity.
“Thanks George, but I should be going.”
His lips moved to my ear. “Why don’t you stay up here with me for a while?”
I turned around and I was still pinned between him and the sink. “Thanks, but I should be getting back.”
He didn’t move and that made me nervous. George was just so big and he looked so good, I didn’t want to have to repeat myself, afraid that his nearness would change my mind. I looked down and he finally moved away. “Of course Maggie. I don’t know what came over me.”
I waved him off like it meant nothing and started towards the bathroom door. “I will have this sent back to you after this evening.”
“Please, keep it. It looks far better on you. Matches that red hair beautifully.”
Nodding with red cheeks, I cursed my pale skin and hoped that he didn’t see the heat rising in my face. Getting back down the stairs, I noticed extra attention and I knew it was the dress that was thin enough to be a night gown. My nipples were hard and even through my bra, it was clear I was turned on. Having George follow me dow
n the stairs didn’t help any and then Steve caught my eye, calling me over to meet some people.
The names and faces were a blur and I caught myself trying to find George throughout the evening. He took off up the stairs with a couple women and I had to remind myself of who he was and who I was. I was just a political writer and he was poised to be the richest man in the country soon. That moment we shared would not be repeated, but it was sweet nonetheless.
“Maggie?”
“Sorry Sir. What was that?”
Senator Johnson gave me a funny look and then I straightened up and shook hands with another donor. He too liked the speech and told me that it was why he had decided to back Johnson. “Those words really went to my heart.”
“Thank you Sir. It is all Senator Johnson though. He has a vision that I think all of us believe in.”
“It’s true. I was the only resume she sent out. So there had to have been a reason for it.”
I smiled at him and nodded. “There was Senator. You are going to be a great leader. Now gentlemen, if you would excuse me I think I see someone here that I haven’t seen in years.”
I walked away and didn’t look back. I didn’t see the look of lust in Steve’s eyes, though I didn’t have to. His glare was so strong that I actually felt it from behind. He was going to be a problem, I just didn’t know yet how much of one he would really be.
Chapter 5
“Professor Kathrine, I can’t believe you are here.”
“Maggie! I should have known that D.C. speech was yours. It sounded like you, full of hope.”
I tried not to blush. She was the best teacher I had in college and she was the one that had steered me into politics. Kathy had convinced me that although writing in general could change things, politics could change the world. I had been fresh out of high school and I was looking for my niche in the world. I had thought it would be journalism, to make a difference, but Kathy was the one that made me see I could make more of a difference in politics.
“Why would you write about what happened, when you can change the future. The past is the past, but the future is going to be shaped by someone’s words.”
It had stuck with me and I couldn’t believe she was there. “I hope you liked it. Why are you here?”
She nodded towards a wealthy business man that I didn’t recognize. “Here with the boyfriend. Me and Jack have been dating for a while now.”
The name reminded me that it was Jack Finnigan. He was an old oil tycoon and it seemed that the Professor was moving up in the world as well. “You look amazing Kathy.”
“You too. Where did you get such a dress?”
I knew I was still a little red-faced from before and thinking about George only made it worse. “Well I had a red dress on earlier, but I got something on it so the host was kind enough to give me something to wear.
“Ahh George is quite the host isn’t he?”
“Yes, yes he is.”
“I was wondering why he kept looking over here. I was hoping it was because of me, but now I see that he has his eye on something else.”
I waved her off like she didn’t know what she was talking about. “He went upstairs with a couple of the bimbos, so I don’t think you are guessing right.”
Glancing to our left, she smiled when she looked back at me. “Yet there he is, looking right at you.”
I didn’t dare look, but I felt my face getting redder. Why did he have such an effect on me?
***
Montana was the next stop and we left early in the morning for the flight. The Senator was still hung over from the night before and he was not too easy to talk to. He was blurry eyed at best and I wasn’t the only one who noticed it. One of his aides was putting powder on his face to cover up the dark circles under his eyes. I felt refreshed and watching him try to wake up reminded me why I didn’t drink or at least not before a big day. If nothing else, at least he was sidetracked on trying to get in my pants. He couldn’t even look out the window without squinting his eyes at the brightness. We needed to talk about the speech that I had given him that morning, but he wasn’t ready for much more than what he was handling now.
“Maggie, I trust that the speech is ready?”
“I gave it to you when we boarded the plane Sir.”
He shook his head like he was trying to clear it. “I think you put it in your pocket Sir.”
“Steve, Maggie, please just call me Steve.”
“It’s in your pocket.”
He took it out and unfolded the wrinkles. After a few minutes he smiled back. “Perfect. It sounds even better than the last one. You make me look good.”
“I just use your ideas and make it sound better. If you want to go over anything, just let me know.”
“No, it’s perfect as always. I knew that you were the right one for the job.”
“Thank you Si...I mean Steve.”
“Good, you are learning. So how did it go with George last night?”
I didn’t know who he was talking about for a minute. “Oh Mr. Billings. It went fine and he was talking about making another donation to the campaign. From what Alice was telling me, you made a tidy sum while we were there last night so I would think it was a success.”
“Yes, I think so.”
I walked back to my seat and tried to ignore the looks that some people were giving me. I had to admit that I had become close with the Senator, but it was not in the way that most of them would think. It was hard to be a woman in these kinds of situations, especially when everyone looked at me like the only reason I was there was to perform sexual favours. I had to keep reminding myself that I wasn’t there for any other reason than my writing. No matter what the others thought or how Steve looked at me.
The plane landed not long after and I was happy to get back on the ground. It was not my favorite form of travel, but I figured I would have to get used to it. I would have to get used to seeing George around as well because I noticed that it was his name on the side of the plane. Steve caught me looking at it and he smiled. “I think he must have liked you Maggie. He gave me one of his planes to use the rest of the campaign. I can’t tell you how much that is going to save us in the long run.”
“Yes, he seems to be full of surprises.”
“Can I ask what you two talked about?”
“Well you of course.” I walked away and moved to the waiting cars, making sure I took the one that the Senator was not traveling in.
Chapter 6
I was exhausted by the end of the day. There had been two stops and two speeches, with another three planned for the next day. Which meant that even though I was tired, I still had to write. It was almost two in the morning before I was finished and I was finally able to get some sleep. There was a knock on the door as I laid down and I checked through the peephole. It was the Senator and instead of opening the door, I figured there was nothing good going to come of seeing him that late at night. I crept back to the bed and after a couple more tries, he went away. The Senator was becoming harder to put off and I knew that it was going to come to a head soon. I just hoped that I would have a job by the time it was all said and done.
The next day was up early and much of a blur. By the end of it we were in California and since there was actually going to be a couple of days there, I got a hotel room with a kitchenette. While the rest of the staff took in the beaches, I was in the room trying to write a couple of speeches out. I had a friend from college that lived nearby that I planned to meet up with later, but I still had some work to get done.
Another knock at the door had me looking at the door and hoping that it wasn’t Steve coming back. The only thing good about all of the work was that we hadn’t had time to talk and when we did, I still wasn’t sure what I was going to say to him.
Going to the door with a hint of trepidation, I was relieved to see that it was someone from the hotel. When I opened the door, I saw that he had a couple covered hangars in his hand. “Miss Reynolds?”
> “Yes, can I help you?”
“Yes Ma’am, I was told to deliver these to you, with a note.”
He handed me a small envelope, as well as the two dresses. I could tell from the color coming out of one that it was my red dress and the other I wasn’t sure of. It meant that the letter was from George and I couldn’t help my heart beating a little quicker in my chest.
“Thank you.” I tipped him and went back in with the dresses. The note stayed in my hand as I sat on the bed. I knew that I shouldn’t want to read it so bad, want to see him so bad, but I couldn’t stop thinking about him. There was something about the man that drew me in, much like all of the other women I reminded myself. I should be used to men with a silver tongue, but not a man like George. There was something deeper in his dark eyes than most. It wasn’t just lust, but something else.
I opened the sleeves covering my dress and then another one. It was beautiful and gold. I had never worn something so beautiful and the label told me why. I could never afford the French designer and it was almost worth it. It was far too much, far too expensive of a gift, but the last thing I wanted to do was give it back. It could be seen as a slight and I didn’t want to do that, seem ungrateful. But I had to wonder, what strings were attached to the beautiful garment. There were always strings attached to a gift such as this.
The phone rang and it made me jump slightly, not prepared for the sound. I laughed to myself, knowing I was being silly, but it was hard to deny how the man made me feel, even the thought of him made me jumpy.
“Maggie.”
“Yes?”
“Did you get my gift?”
“Uh, yes, I just did. Thank you for bringing back my red one and the gold one, well I don’t know where I will wear such a dress, but I thank you nonetheless.”
“So I take it you did not read the note?”
“No, I will now if you want me to.”
“That won’t be necessary. It is just an invitation to another fundraiser I am having at the house. The Senator will be there and as his voice, I figured you should be as well.”
