***
Slowly I felt my body come back to life and I opened my heavy eyes. It was dark in the office and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust and for me to realize where I was.
I sat up and looked around the office to see if Matthew was there. It was obviously late in the day as the window was dark and I could see the lights of the city around.
My eyes strained to look around the room, but it was no use I had to get up and find a light in order to see anything. I swung my legs over onto the ground, but instead of feeling the firm carpet below me, I felt the bump of a body.
“Ouch,” Matthew exclaimed.
“Sorry, I can’t see a thing in here.”
“That’s how people normally sleep, in the dark.”
“What time is it?” I asked as I pulled my legs back up onto the couch.
“It’s about three o’clock,” Matthew said after he looked at his phone on the table.
“Why are you sleeping on the ground?”
Matthew got up and flipped the lamp on next to the couch then climbed next to me. He pulled my feet up onto his lap and very sweetly started to rub them. I felt utterly confused. This was the same man who had been unshakably angry at me only a few hours before. Now he sat with me on the couch and gently touched my toes, I was confused.
“I wasn’t about to leave you here alone and you were exhausted and wouldn’t wake up.”
“I didn’t sleep much last night.”
“I know, Raymond said you came home really late. I had him looking for you when you didn’t answer me. I was worried. I’m glad you got home safely, though.”
The thought of totally ignoring the fact that Gene had come back to the apartment complex with me was firmly on my mind. It really wasn’t any of Matthew’s business. We weren’t dating. He wasn’t my boyfriend. Therefore he should wield any control over who I did or didn’t sleep with. But I hated the thought of Matthew thinking I had been with another man. I felt guilty enough for what had happened with Senator Masson, I couldn’t leave another item on my conscience.
“You know that guy I came home with just lives in the same complex. He didn’t come home to my apartment with me,” I said quietly.
I couldn’t bring myself to look at Matthew as I disclosed that information though because I felt like he would see right through me and realize there was more to the story. Because there was more to what had happened the day before, so much more.
Like I felt Senator Masson had stolen Alex because of me and what had happened between us after lunch. Surely he must have had the plan to poach Alex for a long time, but I felt something changed after George had won what he wanted from me. Well, not everything he wanted; I had been able to prevent him from getting me totally.
“Kayla, we are a team. I need you and that means we need to communicate. No more George Masson and no more random guys from bars. Please.”
The tone of his voice wasn’t an angry one. Instead, it felt gentle. My heart pounded at his words and I felt like they were as close to an apology as I would ever get from Matthew.
“You don’t want me to flirt with Senator Masson anymore?” I asked.
“No, we are done with him.”
“Okay,” I sad as I grabbed Matthew’s hand and pulled myself toward him.
I laid my head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around me. Our relationship, or whatever it was, wasn’t perfect. But it was ours and I liked it.
“There’s a dinner at the White House coming up. Would you go with me?” Matthew asked.
My heart soared with happiness. Matthew Storm had finally come around and wanted me to go with him as his date to a big event. I didn’t care what anyone else thought. I didn’t care what they talked about, together we would show them that we could work together and date each other. It was the twenty-first century anyway and a new era of dating throughout the world.
“Yes,” I said as I turned and kissed him. “Of course I’ll go with you, I’d love to.”
“Great. We need to talk the other Senators into voting for Masson for the House Speaker job. There is no way I’m taking that. We can start with some of the younger Senators and then work on the more veteran ones.”
The look in his eyes was distant and I saw the wheels turning as he planned his next step. Suddenly I realized he didn’t want me to go with him as his date. He wanted me to help him complete his plan.
“Alright,” I said with much less enthusiasm.
“I’m going to make you my official assistant since Alex is gone. You have earned it. No one in this office has helped me as much as you have. Masson can have Alex, I don’t give a damn. I’m on my way to the White House and I won’t be stopped by him and his childish games.”
There was no choice for me. If I wanted to stay working in Washington, I needed to help Matthew get what he wanted. I saw the determination in his eyes; he was going to get everything and I wasn’t about to get in his way.