Meredith.

Elijah was completely stunned when he realized he was staring at the woman who had been haunting his dreams for days now. The woman he'd been fantasizing about nonstop since the party.

After the party, not a single day had passed where he hadn't spent every moment of his limited free time picturing her lying underneath him, calling his name, writhing and moaning. Or her on her knees, wrapping those perfectly pouty lips around his cock.

He almost couldn't believe who she was. Eldest daughter of the Benedict Percival Fields of the New York Tribune. Now he was finally and completely convinced it was a good thing nothing had happened between them at the party. His political career could be over in a flash if he got involved with her.

Small world, huh? his inner voice whispered sarcastically as he averted his gaze, careful to pretend like he was only just now meeting Meredith for the first time.

“I'm so pleased you'll be the one showing my Meredith around. I trust you'll make sure she'll be in good hands,” Benedict Fields stated.

Eli couldn't help feeling a little ashamed. He hoped his face hadn't given away all the perverted thoughts he'd been having about Meredith just now.

“It's my pleasure to have her with us, Mr. Fields,” he said, trying to shove the thoughts out of his mind. He nodded and smiled, trying to reassure him his daughter would be in good hands.

After a few more minutes, Benedict Fields said goodbye, leaving Meredith behind for orientation with Sosie. Eli wasn't sure what to do when Sosie received an important phone call she'd been expecting, stepping out of the office and leaving him alone with Meredith.

Still trying to play it cool, he sat back on his chair and directed his attention out the window. He was trying to come to terms with the fact that Meredith would be a part of his campaign. But he was dreading the inevitable conversation they were going to have; he could tell Meredith had recognized him from the party, mask or not.

So much for that supposed anonymity, he thought.

If she asks, just play dumb and act like you don't know anything. Simple, his inner voice said.

Something told him it wouldn't be that simple though as he turned and saw Meredith staring at him. Thankfully Sosie stepped back into the office a few seconds later, ready to take Meredith around the offices for her orientation.

Eli's relief was short-lived, however. Before he knew it, Sosie was back on the phone, and Meredith was in his office once more. She shot him a questioning look, folding her arms across her chest. He decided to try and take control of the situation. “Is there something I can help you with, Miss Fields?” he asked coolly.

“It was you,” she said in a hushed whisper, eyebrow raised. She sounded completely certain.

Yep, it was me. What's it to you? said the devil in his mind.

Aloud he asked, “What do you mean?” hoping his face didn't betray his nerves. Usually around journalists he was able to lie with impunity like any good politician, but this woman was different.

Meredith narrowed her eyes and shot him a suspicious glare.

“You were the man I met at the masquerade party in New York, weren't you?” she pressed on, demanding an answer. This time she planted her hands on her hips, making him groan mentally.

Seeing Meredith in tight leggings that hugged her curves in all the right places, Eli couldn't help but check out her body. And fuck, just from looking at her he was already growing hard.

“I don't know what you're talking about, Miss Fields,” he said, trying to disarm her with a boyish smile. He was doing his best to keep his face straight until her curiosity subsided.

She opened her mouth to reply, but just then Sosie came back into the room, whisking Meredith away again. Eli couldn't help staring at her ass as she walked away. He shook his head. What was he thinking? She needed to go.

If the public were to find out he'd attended what was essentially an anonymous sex party, that would be the end of his career. It wasn't like he could tell Benedict Fields or Sosie the truth either. He'd just have to come up with an excuse to have Meredith removed from the campaign.

He didn't want to kick her off the campaign, but that was the best plan he could come up with in order to save face and keep his career intact from possible scandal.

Eli's thoughts were a jumbled mess when he heard a knock at the door. It was Henry, carrying a couple of boxes containing flyers.

“What’s up?” he asked, putting the boxes on the floor.

Taking a deep sigh, Eli slumped against the couch, earning a frown from his friend.

“Meredith Fields, daughter of Benedict Fields of the New York Tribune, will be working on the campaign,” he murmured helplessly.

Henry crumpled up his face in confusion. “So? Why the long face?”

Shooting up from his seat, Eli strode across the room and shut the door to his office. He didn't want to take any chances that anyone would overhear what he was about to say.

“She was the girl who was with me in the private booth that night at the party. She gave me a fucking lap dance,” he explained in exasperation, looking more frustrated than ever.

Henry fell silent, baffled.

“The blonde? Her? Here?”

“Yeah. Un-fucking-believable, right?” he said, shaking his head.

“What are you going to do?” Henry asked.

“I knew I shouldn't have gone to that party. I just...” Eli trailed off as images of a drunk yet incredibly sexy Meredith Fields flooded his mind. “I have to find a way to get her reassigned or something. I can't trust a journalist to stay quiet about a scoop like this, right?”

Instead of agreeing, Henry just gave him a thoughtful look..

“What?” Eli asked, annoyed.

“Nothing. It’s just… you know, if you like her…”

Eli scoffed. He couldn't believe Henry would even say that. Besides, he knew next to nothing about her. He'd have to get to know her to know if he liked her or not. But at the same time, he couldn't deny he was physically attracted to Meredith Fields. Very much so.

“It's not a matter of liking her or not. I can't afford to get involved with a journalist. You know the other parties are already running oppo on me,” he explained patiently, reminding himself that unlike him, Henry was not a career politician. “I can't give them any reasons to pry into my private life further.”

“Okay, okay, I get it, geez,” Henry said, shaking his head. “Anyway, I'll see you later. I've got an appointment.”

“What appointment?” Eli asked curiously.

“Psych.”

“A psych appointment?” he repeated, earning a scowl from Henry.

“Hey. Stop being so loud. That’s just between us, you know."

“Alright, go on. But there’s nothing to be embarrassed of,” Eli stated.

Henry just grunted and left, leaving the office door open behind him. Elijah hovered in the doorway, watching Sosie and Meredith interacting with other staffers.

When Sosie turned to look at him, Eli found himself averting his gaze. She approached him with a curious look on her face.

“What's on your mind?” Sosie asked.

“Miss Fields is very young. She's too inexperienced,” he replied, fighting the urge to take back what he'd just said.

Sosie snorted.

“Her father is Benedict Fields. She may be young, yes, but I don't think she's inexperienced. It would be stupid to replace her,” she stated confidently.

And as much as he wanted to argue with her, he couldn't. She was right, of course.

“But we need to,” he said, not sure how to explain things to Sosie and hoping she wouldn't pry the truth out of him.

“Why?” she said, giving him a suspicious glare.

“She knows something about me that could mean the end of my campaign,” he mumbled, hoping that was enough for Sosie to go on. “And I'm not sure she'll stay quiet about it.”

Sosie looked confused, but remained silent. When she'd recovered her composure, she went through a list of things she thought might mean the end of the campaign. Thankfully none of them were close to the truth, but he didn't appreciate her digging either.

“No! Stop guessing,” he said, feeling irritable.

Having Meredith Fields around would mean battling constant temptation. He was starting to wonder if he would be able to focus on the campaign, knowing she would be in the same building with him.

Fuck.

“Is this something I need to know about?” Sosie asked abruptly, narrowing her eyes at him. “I can't protect your campaign if you don't tell me the truth, Eli.”

He sighed and shook his head.

“No. But get rid of her,” he said.

It was Sosie's turn to sigh heavily and shake her head.

“I can't, Elijah. I can't tell the biggest publishing magnate in the country that his daughter isn't good enough. No matter what excuse I use, you know as well as I do that's how he's going to take it. Benedict Fields is a very powerful man. Whatever your secret is, do you think it's worth having the New York Tribune go after you?”

Eli fell silent.

She was right.

Pissing off Meredith's father would also mean the death of his political career, just in a different way. By all accounts Benedict Fields was an intensely private man, but two things were certain. He loved his wife and daughters above all else in the world, and he was certainly no pushover.

Eli's hands balled into fists. He felt like he'd been back into a corner with no way out. There was absolutely nothing he could do about Meredith. He'd have to settle for denying everything about that night.

If only he could deny his attraction to her as well.

“No,” he responded to Sosie grudgingly.

Turning on her heels, his campaign manager gave him a pointed look before walking back to the other trainees. Eli gave Sosie a curt nod before scowling at Meredith, who was still staring at him and frowning. Cursing under his breath, he retreated within his office and shut the door.