***
I smiled as my hi-heels clicked along the floor on the way to the office. Matthew had told me to show up at work, but I doubted he was prepared for the woman I would be when I arrived. I wanted my own career in Washington and I wasn’t about to let him throw me beneath him as some slut who just slept with him to get a new position.
“Kayla,” Steven stared at me as I walked into the office, “Hi, um…it’s good to see you.”
The shock on his face was nothing compared to what was going to happen when Matthew arrived at work. I don’t know if he was just shocked that I had the guts to show up to work or if he was shocked at my business suit; but Steven could hardly close his mouth, he was so shocked.
“Good morning Steven, I need a list of Matthew’s appointments for the week. I also need to know what bills are on the docket coming up. Thank you.”
I was firm, yet kind in my conversation. I maintained eye contact and did not look away. It probably helped that I was wearing a kick-ass pants suit and had my hair expertly placed in an upsweep. I looked like one of the female Senators and that was exactly what I was going for. If Matthew wanted a partner, then I was going to look the part.
I arrived early to ensure I could miss any potential media that would want to talk to me. But also, I wanted to arrive early so I could get some work done. If I was going to be so obvious about my relationship with Matthew, then I needed to be a really damn good head of his staff, for the moment. But I didn’t intent to lead his staff for much longer.
The morning flew by and I familiarized myself with Matthew’s schedule, including his meetings and personal commitments that were on his calendar. When Matthew finished with his morning meetings and arrived at the office, he found me at the conference table in his office; working hard.
“Good afternoon Matthew, I hope your meetings went well,” I said as I glanced up.
“How are you?” Matthew asked with trepidation on his face.
“I’m great. You have an afternoon meeting with Senator Edwards. I think you should talk to him about some of the turmoil going on and confide in him. You need him to like you so take your time in the meeting.”
“Um, alright. But..”
“Oh, and you need to talk with Masson. The tension between you two has to subside if you want to stay out of the limelight when his Senate Arms Committee goes south. You don’t want everyone coming to you and asking your opinion, but you also don’t want them coming to you thinking you are going to throw him under the bus.”
“Yes, I’ll make a meeting.”
“It’s alright, I already set one up for you with him this afternoon. It’s at four o’clock so that should give you time to meet with Edwards and then get over to Masson’s office to meet with him right after.”
“Kayla, are you alright? I mean after yesterday…”
I didn’t give him time to finish his statement. Frankly, because I no longer cared at all what he had to say. I had my own plans and I was going to make sure they happened and Matthew Storm was just going to have to deal with it. I didn’t answer him.
“The President is going to need to appoint a new VP. If Masson is caught up in the investigation you are a high contender on the list for the job, but you aren’t the only one. There can be no mistakes at all now.”
“Kayla, are we going to talk about this?”
“We are talking about it. You need to get a message to the President that you’d be willing to step in at any time, but you don’t want to come out and say that. I don’t know what your conversations have been this far but stay away from the President for the time being. You need to throw yourself into your work.”
“I’m sorry,” Matthew said as he continued to look at me and wait for the explosion.
He was right to think I might explode at any moment. I was angry. I was horribly angry at him. But I had made the decision to funnel that anger into something much more productive. No woman who made it to a position of power could ever show emotions. Emotions were considered to be weak so I had to learn to control them.
“At eight o’clock come pick me up and we will go to dinner. There will be paparazzi around so dress nice and smile.”
“We are going on a date?” Matthew asked with a puzzled look on his face.
“Yes Matthew, you made this public so we are going public. Pick me up at eight, hold my hand, kiss me for the cameras. They will love it.”
His silence was exactly what I had hoped for. There wasn’t room in Washington politics for a woman who played the victim and I was certainly not going to try and push my way through as the first victim to make it. Politics required a thick skin and Matthew had just helped me develop my first layer.
The problem I had was that I still felt this electricity between us that I couldn’t stop. Even as I tried to shut down every emotion I had for Matthew, as he stood next to me, I felt the vibrations between us. I felt an urge to kiss him, just like I always felt. Even all the anger I had built up, around his little media event, couldn’t keep me from wanting him.
“Anything else?” Matthew said as he smiled down at me.
“Yes, you can help me figure out how we can get the President to pick you. I still see two other options that look better than you do for the job.”
Matthew smiled and sat down next to me. I couldn’t tell if he was smiling because I had surprised him or if he was just in total shock. But I liked the new control I had over our relationship and I wasn’t about to give that up anytime soon.
“He’s not a contender at all, Senator Stern won’t work. Masson is our biggest worry, the Constitution is on his side, even with the investigation.”
“Then make the Constitution be on our side,” I said simply.
Matthew started to laugh and I did too. It was crazy how politics worked and how easily things could change, but the Constitution was on Senator Masson’s side; he was the next in line for the Presidency and would be the likely choice for VP. But the President had the power to make the decision.
Matthew leaned in and kissed me with such passion that I literally almost fell off my chair. But his hands grabbed a hold of my ass and picked me up on the conference table. I felt the cold wood of the table under my ass and instantly got wet with excitement for Matthew. I wanted him. I hated that I wanted Matthew, but I couldn’t stop myself.
Our lips touched each other and the electricity between us surged. I couldn’t explain why I was still so attracted to him or why my body hadn’t stopped wanting him, but there was no stopping my desire.
His hands quickly unbuttoned my suit and had me fully naked within a minute. My flesh sat naked on his table as he looked at me and admired every curve. His hands moved slowly and felt from my ankle up my thighs as he spread them wide and moved his tongue to play with me.
I love his tongue.
My hand held onto his hair and pulled on in it an effort to exert some control over the situation. But I certainly didn’t have any control of myself or I wouldn’t have had my legs spread open and Matthew’s tongue on my body.
Control had left me and instead I was there with a primal need to have Matthew’s body and mine together. It was more than just wanting to feel the pleasure of the moment, I wanted to be lost with Matthew. I wanted to feel my body release all control and have Matthew be the person responsible for it. I hated that I still wanted him, but I loved wanting him at the same time.
His tongue continued to make my body shake with pleasure and soon I found myself pulling him up so I could unzip him. My hand moved inside his pants and I pulled out his throbbing hardness and briefly played with it before he thrust inside of me.
Roughly and firmly he stroked his body with mine and I felt the power that Matthew had. Not just the power to build my career or destroy it, Matthew had the power to totally destroy me if I let him. But I was stronger than Matthew or anyone else could ever imagine, no one could destroy me. I had to stay focused, I had to keep my eye on the future I wanted for myself and not let Matthew’s plans ruin everything.
I wrapped my legs around Matthew’s waist and tightened my thighs to prevent him from thrusting fully into me. His frustration built up and I watched his face as he tried to decide how he could convince me to loosen my grip and let him thrust hard into me again.
“There’s a dinner, with the President in two days, come with me,” Matthew said as he stopped to kiss my legs.
He pulled one leg up to his shoulder and gently let his lips move around it. His lips kissed my calve and then went down toward my thigh. I couldn’t help but let go and enjoy the moment. The utter pleasure that Matthew could deliver to my body was like nothing I had ever experienced with another man.
I wanted Matthew, I didn’t care that he was a jerk, not in that moment. In that moment I just wanted Matthew to bring my body pleasure.
“As your date or your assistant?” I asked through my deep breaths.
“My date.”
“Hire a new assistant,” I said firmly. “I don’t want to work for you anymore.”
“No.”
I tightened my thighs again. That wasn’t the answer I wanted to hear. I couldn’t be his assistant anymore; it held no future for me at all. As his assistant I would always be talked about and looked down on. I needed something more. I needed a position that set me up as his equal and not as someone less than him.
“Yes,” I said firmly. “I want to be your chief of staff. Hire a new assistant.”
Matthew smiled at the revelation that I didn’t want to leave him, but instead I wanted to be more involved in his political future. Phillip and Alex had both left him and instead of moving me into their positions, Matthew had made me some sort of glorified secretary to him. That wasn’t at all what I wanted. I needed more power if I was going to continue to work with Matthew and I needed more legitimacy if I was going to put my face out there as his girlfriend.
People were already talking about me, why not give them something to really talk about. I’d move into his chief of staff position and then I could make the political name for myself that I wanted to. Especially if we were able to get Matthew into the White House; then everyone would have to pay attention to my work.
“Ok,” Matthew said as he grabbed both of my legs and spread them wide.
His thrusts came quick and hard after that and I did my best not to scream out in pleasure since we were still at work. But my body shook as the delight of his thrusts hit just the right spot.
I grabbed him and pulled him down on top of me as we kissed passionately. I knew at that moment that Matthew and I were meant for each other. Whatever we planned for the future, it was going to have to include both of us. Together we could be a power couple in Washington; we could show everyone that we were a power not to be reckoned with.
Matthew’s phone rang and I let him go so he could answer it. I watched his face as it went quickly into concern. As I got dressed, I continue to watch Matthew and looked for a clue to what was going on. He gave me nothing, only a slight look of concern that appeared not to fade at all during his conversation.
“The embassy in Iraq was bombed, there were casualties. I’m going to meet with the President right now.”
“We are going,” I added as I swept my hair back up into a bun.
“Kayla, it’s going to get dirty. I’m not going to get moved into the VP position without some dirt. If you come with me, you need to understand this.”
I knew very well just how ugly Matthew was willing to get to make his way into the White House. I wasn’t afraid of ugly anymore. I wanted the power and I was going to help Matthew get where he needed to be. I certainly could handle hearing him sling some dirt about the Senate Arms Committee and any other groups that he wanted to throw out there to make himself look better. That was politics.
“I’m coming,” I said firmly as I gathered my things. “I’m not afraid of dirt anymore.”
Matthew looked at me and a flash of admiration came across his face. At that moment I knew that he didn’t see me as someone he could use anymore; he saw me as someone he could partner with.
The ride over to the White House was a quiet one. Things were weird between Matthew and me, that was for sure. I despised what he had done at the airport, but I wasn’t going to let him stay in control of things. Then we had slept together so any anger I had toward him was all but disappeared by the time we arrived to the White House.
We went through security and then made our way to the oval office to sit down with the President. I didn’t know what I should do, I wanted to be there but I didn’t think it was best for me to actually go into the oval office unless I was invited.
My heart pounded as we walked down the hallways. It was different than when we were at the White House for the dance. This was serious business. People had died earlier in the day at the Embassy bombing, there would be no fun and games at the White House on that day.
“I’ll stay out here,” I said to Matthew as we approached the door.
I had wanted to come to the White House so I could stay involved, but I didn’t have the skills necessary to understand all the international issues that were going on. There were political experts that would give their feedback as to what should be done next; nothing I could say or do would contribute to the situation at all.
I probably shouldn’t have gone with Matthew to the White House, but I was happy I had. Even sitting outside of the oval office was more than I had thought I would ever get to do.
When I came to Washington D.C., I thought it would take me years to get into the position I was in at that moment. Of course, I didn’t think that I would end up falling for my boss and sleeping with him.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was only in the position I was in because I had slept with Matthew. My mind kept thinking about what things would be like for me if I hadn’t slept with Matthew. But it was over with now. Things were the way they were and I needed to move forward.
My hands shook as I sat outside the oval office. I couldn’t tell who all was in the office when Matthew had gone in there, but I thought I had seen Senator Masson.
No matter what political things were going on, everyone was willing to come together in an emergency. I liked that they could set aside their individual issues at least for a short period of time while they stabilized a dangerous situation.
The secretary watched me as I strained to try and hear what was going on in the room. But there was no way to hear anything, the walls were built for privacy; that was for sure.
The meeting only lasted about 30 minutes and when Matthew came out of the office, he motioned for me to follow him. Senator Masson was right behind him and Matthew looked angry. His steps were quick and he continued out the front door without even looking back at me.
“What’s wrong?” I asked as we waited for our car to pull up.
“Not here.”
“Alright, then tell me about the bombing. What do we know so far?”
“Local militants, not much we can do. Sounds like we had six casualties and six injuries. They have the situation under control, but the media has some other issues they have raised already.”
“Like what?” I asked as we got into the back seat of the SUV.
“Apparently the Secretary of State had a warning about the attacks and he didn’t follow up on it. The media is going to eat it up.”
I sat quietly as I tried to understand everything that was going on. I wanted to know more about the situation, but I didn’t want to look stupid. Obviously something hadn’t gone as Matthew had planned in the meeting. I really just wanted to know what part of it that was and how we needed to react so we could move forward.
“We are going back to the office,” Matthew said as he grabbed my had and squeezed it.
The moment felt so genuine and real that it took me by surprise. I was confused by Matthew; utterly and completely confused by him. One minute he was throwing my whole political career out into the wind and the next he was bringing me with him to the White House. He was not worried about me at all, but then he touched my hand like he actually cared about me.
I didn’t expect a clear definition between the good Matthew and the evil version of him. But I really did want more clarity about which Matthew was the real one.
Which version of Matthew was the one I had met in Illinois? If I could get that version of him all of the time there would be no stopping me. Unfortunately, I didn’t think the Matthew I had met in Illinois even existed anymore.