Dev sat alongside her, back propped against the headboard by several large feather-filled pillows. The area around her was free of her own mess, though Lauren's had spilled over into her work area and now covered the entire bed. She held a single note pad and a pencil, which she alternately chewed and tapped against the paper restlessly.
Devlyn's hair was slightly damp from a quick shower she'd taken nearly an hour before. She wore soft, red, flannel pajamas and thick sweat socks that didn't quite manage to keep her toes from being chilled.
Although the temperature inside the White House rarely varied more than a degree or two, the rest of Washington, D.C. was in the throes of a blizzard. The relative silence of the room was periodically broken by the howling wind that scattered dry snowflakes against the tall bedroom windows.
Gremlin and Princess had taken up refuge on the sofa and were snoozing happily on opposite ends. Lauren had speculated earlier that the dogs must have had a lovers' quarrel since Princess usually slept right on top of Gremlin and the portly pug didn't seem to mind a bit.
Tap. Tap. Tap... Tap. Tap. Tap.
Lauren swung her head around and peered with obvious irritation over the top of her glasses to see Dev nervously tapping her note pad with her pencil again. The President seemed to be oblivious to her actions, and Lauren bit her lip to keep from saying something rude. She let out a slightly impatient breath and slowly turned her eyes back to her own work. Lauren had just about figured out how Adrienne Nash, intrepid explorer, could escape from her latest capture when she heard, ‘Tap. Tap. Tap... Tap. Tap. Tap.' She closed her eyes briefly, schooling herself in patience, before turning her head and glaring at Dev, who was deep in thought. "Do you mind?"
Dev's head jerked up. "Huh?"
Lauren sat up a little so she could reach back and lay her hand over Dev's, effectively putting an end to the tapping. "You're making me insane."
Bewildered, Dev just looked at her. "What are you talking about? I'm trying to think of ideas for Adrienne Nash. I'm not doing anything to you!"
Lauren groaned inwardly. Dev was used to working in the constant background noise of her endless meetings. She, on the other hand, while in attendance at most of those meetings, would slip back to the silence of her room to really get things done. "Okay. You're right. I'm sorry. That tapping was just breaking my concentration. Go back to your thinking." Lauren patted Dev's thigh and lay back down, spreading out her papers even more and jotting down an idea that suddenly came to her.
Dev glanced down at Lauren and frowned. "We need more light."
"No, we don't."
Dev balanced her notepad on her thighs. "Yes, we do. Working in low light is bad for your eyes."
Lauren set her own pen down and turned around again. "That's not true. Not unless you have to strain to see. I work at night all the time. The light is fine. I can see perfectly."
Dev snorted.
"Don't you say a damned word about my glasses, Devlyn. My vision ‘issues' have nothing to do with poor light, and before you start up again, I am not having anybody poking my eyes with needles or lasers or whatever they use," she huffed, going back to her work, now thoroughly distracted. After a moment of dead silence she added. "And that's final. No how. No way."
"Baby." Dev stuck out her tongue and petulantly kicked at the papers surrounding her feet. "God, you're messy." She picked up a paper containing nothing but Lauren's doodles and crumpled it into a tight ball. She aimed for the waste bin by the desk across the room and, in perfect free-throw style, took the shot. Which she promptly missed by several feet.
Lauren's eyes flicked up from her outline. "Dev," she whined in frustration. "What if that was important?"
"It wasn't," the President announced firmly, silently vowing to retrieve it from the floor later just in case Lauren was right. Better safe than sorry. "The bed is a pigsty." Dev's kicking grew a little more vigorous. "How can you work like this?"
Lauren was about to snap back with a smartass reply but got a good look at the maps and papers and reference books that were covering the bed. She let out a grumpy breath, cringing inwardly. Okay, so it was just the tiniest bit messy. Without a word, Lauren grabbed Dev's big toe and used it to lift the long leg. With her other hand, she scooped out the papers that were underneath.
"Hey!" Dev squawked indignantly, her eyes wide with mild outrage.
"Hush." Lauren let go of the toe, causing Dev's leg to drop back to the bed with a dull thud, bouncing once. She tugged on Dev's socked foot affectionately and went back to her papers.
"Grab my toe..." the words trailed off as Dev mumbled under her breath.
Lauren began to rhythmically wiggle her own foot as she thought. Adrienne could escape on horseback. Oh, yeah, folks would love that. The blonde woman pulled over a map, wondering if this particular island would. I'll check online tomorrow. Unconsciously, she continued to move her foot back and forth.
Dev glared down at the offending body part, trying her best to ignore the shaking bed. Lauren's foot suddenly stopped all movement and the President sighed in relief, her thoughts drifting back to her own project. Dirk the jerk. Dirk the dick. Dirk must die. He's only in the way. Why can't Lauren see that Adrienne would be so much better off with that hotty redheaded sidekick of hers? What does Lauren mean she's ‘thinking' about getting them together? What's to ‘think' about? They're perfect for each other.
Don't worry, Adrienne. I'll straighten out this mess. Dev smirked. So to speak.
The bed began to shake again with what was now a full-fledged bouncing of Lauren's entire leg. Dev was jolted out of her plans, and she fixed her gaze on the source of her annoyance, watching in dismay as it continued to bounce, and bounce, and bounce, and bounce. "Stop shaking the bed!" she blurted out when her patience had dwindled to nothing.
"Sure, honey," Lauren answered absently, patting Dev's calf. She was so fully caught up in her newest idea that she didn't bother to turn her head as she spoke.
Dev rolled her eyes when the movement stopped for all of two seconds then continued, albeit at a less forceful pace. Trying to get more comfortable, she scooted down further in the bed, inadvertently bumping Lauren's elbow and causing the younger woman to draw a black line right across the notes she'd just completed. "Oh, sorry," Dev said quietly. But she didn't move her foot. "Can you-"
"Yes?!" Lauren scooted over, putting at least two feet between her and Dev to give the President more room. "Better?" she mumbled.
"A little."
A few minutes more and Lauren heard the ‘Tap. Tap. Tap... Tap. Tap. Tap.' again.
"Arghhhh!" The blonde women dropped her head, letting her forehead hit the bed. She ground her teeth together.
‘Tap. Tap. Tap... Tap. Tap. Tap.' Pause. ‘Tap. Tap. Tap... Tap. Tap. Tap.'
Lauren hastily sat up and scrambled to the head of the bed to join Dev. She reached out and plucked the pencil from Dev's fingers, tossing it across the room with a quick flick of her wrist.
Dev stared at her in mute shock as the pencil bounced off Lauren's computer screen and fell to the floor.
Lauren smiled sweetly. "That's much better. Thank you."
"You," Dev gestured angrily with hands, "you... you just can't do that!"
Lauren nodded her head wildly, her lips forming a tight, white line. "Oh... oh, yes I can, Madam President!"
"Fine." Blue eyes narrowed. "If that's the way you feel."
Lauren threw her chest out and crossed her arms over it. "Oh, yeah," she growled. "It's the way I feel."
A slightly predatory grin flashed across Dev's face, and Lauren's eyes widened at the sight. Casually, Dev swung her feet over the edge of the tall bed and pushed off, landing on the floor.
Lauren's brows drew together. "Devlyn, where-"
Dev reached down and grabbed the comforter. She raised the edge of the thick, soft cloth and brought it back down in a lighting-fast move that sent most of Lauren's papers sailing straight into the air. For a split second, they floated around
Lauren's head and legs, then drifted down to the comforter like large, rectangular pieces of snow. "That," Dev smoothed the comforter back into place, "is the way I feel." Take that, messy... messy... err... foot shaker!
"Ooooo!" Lauren's face turned bright red, and she launched herself at her lover, wrapping her arms around Dev and swinging her back onto the bed with a loud grunt. "I can't believe... uuff... you... did that!"
Dev instantly rolled over, pinning Lauren down with her body weight. "Believe it!"
Lauren's nostrils flared. "Get off me!"
"No! You're making me crazy!"
"Me? Ha!" Lauren began pushing against Dev, trying to dislodge her. "You're the one driving me crazy!" the writer choked out forcefully, her face turning even redder.
The veins in Dev's throat, and one in her forehead, began to bulge as she pushed back against Lauren with all her might, refusing to release her captive. "I'm not letting you up! You'll just make more mess and bounce, and bounce, and bounce," Dev bounced against Lauren to emphasize her words, causing the headboard to slam against the wall with her every movement.
Lauren exhaled explosively, and perspiration beaded her upper lip as she threw her entire body into her escape attempt.
"And then you'll nag," Dev grunted, fully realizing for the first time just how much strength Lauren's compact body contained as the shorter woman nearly wriggled free.
"Nag? I think not, Queen Nag!" Lauren was finally able to sneak her arms out from between their bodies, but her wrists were quickly caught by Dev, who held them over her head and pressed them into the soft pillows. "Dammit! Get off me so I can kill you!"
"Never! Never! Never!"
Their eyes locked, and they held each other's defiant gazes for all of two seconds before they both burst into helpless laughter. Dev let go of Lauren's wrists, and this time it was their giggles that shook the bed.
Lauren let out a deep breath, shifting slightly so that Dev wasn't pressing so firmly against her rib cage. She wrapped her arms loosely around her partner, feeling soft, dark hair slide between her fingers. "I think we've both officially lost our minds. The pressure has finally caused us to snap." But she was smiling the entire time she spoke and truly couldn't think of a nicer spot on earth than right where she was.
"Uh huh," Dev agreed. She leaned forward and brushed her lips against the soft ones only a few inches away, parting them easily with her tongue and deepening the kiss.
Lauren moaned softly and pulled a leg out from under Dev, immediately wrapping it around Dev's legs, holding the older woman in place. They were both breathing heavily and perspiring from their roughhousing and the unexpectedly intense kiss they'd just shared.
"We're fussing and nagging like an old married couple," Dev murmured, placing another small kiss at the corner of Lauren's mouth before pulling back slightly, and loving the intimate way their bodies were now twined together.
Lauren nodded. She cocked her head to the side speculatively as she truly considered Dev's words. "We do sound married, don't we?"
Dev laughed. "Oh, yeah." The writer's body felt hot against her skin and, unable to resist, she nuzzled the smooth, hot skin of Lauren's throat.
Lauren gasped as attentive lips and teeth found a sensitive spot along her jugular. "So why don't we then?"
"Why don't we what?" Dev's lips tenderly began working their way around Lauren's throat, and the blonde arched against the touch.
"Get married." The words were out before she could stop them or think about what she was saying.
Dev's lips halted mid kiss, and her body went deadly still. Her eyes slid closed for several heartbeats as her mind raced. Then she pulled back slowly and opened them. "Did you just propose?"
Lauren blinked. Oh, my God. That's exactly what I did! I didn't mean to do that, did I? A bolt of sheer panic raced through her, but she was surrounded by the reassuring weight of her lover, who grounded her in more ways than one. And with every breath came the reassuring scent her mind would forever tell her was Dev. Her anxiety passed almost as quickly as it had appeared, replaced instead by an unyielding certainty she hadn't even known herself capable of. Even if she hadn't intended to say it, deep in her heart it was what she wanted. "I..." She licked her lips, unable to gauge Dev's response by the look on her face. "I guess so." Lauren steeled herself for... she wasn't sure what. "Yes, yes I did." Firmer this time.
Dev couldn't help but smile. Part of her wanted to choke Lauren for completely ruining all those weeks of planning. All the worry and fear she had put herself through were for nothing! But a bigger part of her was thrilled senseless. So senseless, in fact that for just a moment she forgot to answer Lauren's question until she felt the increased thudding of Lauren's rapid heartbeat against her own chest. "Yes." She smiled and quirked a brow.
Lauren studied Dev's face carefully; her own tentative smile appeared, and she released a slightly shuddering breath. But Dev had taken so long to answer she wasn't sure they were even talking about the same thing anymore. "Yes, what?" Lauren held her breath, her heart skipping a beat at the sudden twinkle in Dev's eyes.
Dev shot her a mildly exasperated look. "Whaddya think? Yes, I'll marry you, ya goof."
Lauren was speechless. "Wow," she finally breathed, hugging Dev with all her might. "This is so great." Lauren buried her face in Dev's hair. "I love you so much."
Dev tightened her hold on Lauren. "I love you too, sweetheart."
Pale brows drew tightly together. "Can we even get married here?" God, Lauri, you might have checked before you asked.
Dev smiled at the sudden worry that colored Lauren's voice. She propped herself down on one elbow and traced the writer's cheeks, then fair eyebrows. "Every state, including DC, will recognize another state's marriage. But not every state will perform the ceremony." Dev's eyes conveyed true regret. "Tennessee won't. I'm sorry, honey."
Lauren shrugged. It hadn't crossed her mind to go back there anyway. "But I bet Ohio does, right?" she asked innocently, batting fair lashes and waiting for the response she knew she'd get.
A brilliant smile broke out across Dev's face, causing tiny creases around her eyes.
Oh, yeah. That was the right thing to say.
"It sure as hell does!" Dev blurted happily, rolling off Lauren and onto her back. "My folks will be thrilled." She turned her head and regarded her companion lovingly. "I'm thrilled," she whispered, her voice cracking.
Lauren rolled onto her side to face Dev. Her smile mirrored the dark-haired woman's. "Me too, darlin'." She slipped off her glasses, and, without turning her head, reached behind her and set them on the nightstand.
"You just don't want to be part of the spectacle of a White House wedding," Dev teased.
Lauren chuckled softly and rolled on top of Dev, settling heavily there. "I just want to make you happy." A slender brow quirked. "And if we happen to be able to piss off the Press in the process..." Lauren could feel Dev's silent laughter.
"No wonder I love you. You're evil. Who could resist that?"
"Uh huh," Lauren agreed, leaning forward and tasting the soft skin just below Dev's throat. She reached up and unbuttoned the top button of the President's pajamas so her lips could drift lower. "Really evil," she agreed softly, unable to resist opening a second button, and releasing more of Dev's shower-clean scent.
Dev sighed softly and pushed her hands underneath Lauren's thin T-shirt, trailing them up her naked back.
The smaller woman murmured her approval at Dev's gentle touch. A third, then fourth button was slowly undone as Lauren worked her way lower still, exposing more warm, slightly salty skin to her lips and tongue. When the last button was freed she reached up and pushed the flannel shirt open and nuzzled the silky underside of Dev's left breast. "Mmmm... God, Devlyn," she groaned, her tongue darted out, tracing a hot path from the underside of Dev's breast to the center breastbone, "you are so soft."
Madam President Page 52
