Hidden Memories (6 page)

“People come to this state from near and far for economic opportunities. To find the American dream…

“As governor, I will help Georgians realize that dream. As an experienced government administrator and a human rights advocate, I will enact change to make the dream a reality for all Georgians.

“I’ve been elected governor because of
you
. You share my vision for the future, and with your continued support, we can make the vision a reality. We can again give birth to the dream.”

Cameron’s inspiring words drew an applause that sounded like the rush of Niagara Falls.

* * * * *

As the last wave of supporters made their way to Cameron to congratulate him on winning the election, Sage sat down for the first time in hours. She looked at her watch. It was one thirty in the morning. She leaned back in the chair and felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her from her head to her toes. Her long legs were stretched out in front of her as she watched the crowd dwindle, thankful they were finally leaving.

Sage closed her eyes and sighed deeply. Ramion stood behind her, massaging the tense muscles in her neck and shoulders. She was so relieved that the unpredictable, chaotic campaign had come to an end.

“I’m glad the election is over. Maybe now I can spend some time with my baby,” Ramion said. “I’ve missed you.”

Sage looked up at Ramion with a tender smile, thinking that, in the charcoal-grey pinstriped suit that draped his well-toned body, he looked like a model. He wore the multicolored vest and matching tie she had bought for his birthday four months ago. “I’ve missed you too. How did it go today?”

“Very well,” Ramion said, nodding his head. “I discredited the state’s main witness. I think the jury is beginning to question the evidence.”

“Score one for the defense,” Sage said with a proud, approving smile.

“That’s right. But I don’t want to talk about work. I want to talk about us. No, I just want to be with you,” Ramion said, with eyes of desire that conveyed more than words could.

“I’ve been meaning to tell you, the FBI came to my office last week to question me about the explosion.”

“Do they have any clues or suspects?”

“I don’t think so.”

The music stopped, and quiet settled in the hotel ballroom.
It’s finally over,
Sage thought. In spite of her exhaustion, her mind moved to her next task. As deputy chief of staff, there was plenty of work to be done—getting the family moved into the Governor’s Mansion, preparing for the inaugural festivities and selecting candidates for key appointments.

“How cozy!” Edwinna sniped, wishing it were her neck Ramion was rubbing. Edwinna stared at Ramion, baffled that she was still so attracted to him.

Sage’s olive eyes flashed open, and she sat upright. She immediately became alert, feeling the animosity of Edwinna’s hostile eyes.

“Hello, Edwinna,” Ramion said coolly. “Enjoying the celebration?”

“With all those hip-hop kids here, it seemed like a concert, not a campaign party,” Edwinna complained. “I hope I never have to hear or see ‘Get Your Vote On’ again,” she said dramatically.

“You missed the point, Edwinna,” Sage chided. “‘Get Your Vote On’ is one of the reasons why we won. It was targeted to the hip-hop crowd.”

“That may be true,” Edwinna acknowledged. “But some of these people, well, they seem street people.” Edwinna’s face shifted into an exaggerated mask of disgust.

“Everyone isn’t as fortunate as you, Edwinna,” Ramion said. It was just such insensitive, arrogant comments that had chipped away his feelings. Most of the people Edwinna talked against weren’t that different from him. Only his determination, education and drive separated them.

“Don’t even go there, Ramion. You wouldn’t be as fortunate as you are if it weren’t for my father,” Edwinna said, putting her hand on her hip for emphasis.

“Edwinna, your father has nothing to do with this conversation,” he retorted.

“He has everything to do with where you are,” Edwinna snapped. “I guess you’ve forgotten that, now that you’re with someone from your own humble beginnings.”

“Edwinna, you don’t know anything about me,” Sage said coolly as she stood up.

“I know enough,” Edwinna said, dismissing Sage and turning toward Ramion. “I predict that next year at this time, I’ll be the one making a victory speech.”

“You know I intend to run,” Ramion said in a warning tone.

“Well, I intend to win,” Edwinna baited, swinging the gold-chain strap on her black Chanel bag.

“How many times have I heard you say that you would never go into politics? That you would hate to live under a microscope? I really can’t believe you want to be a state senator,” Ramion said.

“Obviously I changed my mind,” Edwinna said. “Just like you changed your mind…about things.” She cut her gaze toward Sage, her begrudging bitterness obvious.

Anger creeping into his voice, Ramion said, “You don’t care about the people in that district. You know nothing about how they live and what they want.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Edwinna said. “It’s how you run the campaign and how much money you’ve got behind you.” She released a nasty chuckle. “And my Daddy has plenty of it.”

Medu joined them. “So we meet again?” he said. “Congratulations on Mr. Hudson’s victory.”

“Thank you,” Sage said.

“I don’t think Sage had anything to do with it,” Edwinna said.

Medu flashed Edwinna a perplexed look. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“People voted for Cameron, not Sage,” Edwinna explained.

With a curious expression on his face, Medu asked, “Are you ready?”

Edwinna bobbed her head, although she wished she were going home with Ramion. She even thought of Ramion while in bed with Medu.

“It was a great victory party, Sage,” Medu said.

“Thanks, Medu,” Sage said, wondering how the mellow artist tolerated Edwinna’s abrasive manner. “I’m just glad it’s over.”

“Let’s go,” Edwinna said, grabbing Medu’s hand.

“Maybe she’ll change her mind when it’s time to actually declare her candidacy,” Ramion said after Edwinna and Medu left the hotel ballroom.

“I don’t think so, Ramion.” Sage’s intuition warned her that Edwinna could be dangerous. “She won’t give up easily.”

“That doesn’t change anything for me,” he said, running his hand down her arm. His voice lightened. “Are you still going to be my campaign manager?”

“You know it, honey,” she said, grinning. “And we’re going to win. Edwinna is just going to make it ugly. But after this election, I can’t imagine an uglier campaign.” Sage drank the last of her white wine. “I’m exhausted.”

“So where do you want to stay tonight? Your place or mine?”

“I’m too tired to walk to the car and drive anywhere.”

Ramion kissed her on the forehead. “Why don’t we stay here? I’ll rent us a room.”

“Wonderful idea. I’ll go say good night to Cam and meet you in the lobby.”

* * * * *

Ramion kissed Sage like a thirsty man drinking water, drowning in the scent of her, the feel of her, and the taste of her soft, brown, smooth skin. She kissed him back with equal hunger, pressing her nakedness against his hard muscled body. Their bodies twisted into a smoldering tangle of hungry flesh that neither wanted to unravel.

Ramion wrapped his hands around Sage’s huge breasts; his hungry mouth covered her nipples. He sucked and moaned and buried his face in her breasts, his thumb flicking over her nipples, creating ricocheting bullets of heat and working their bodies into a frenzy. He massaged the soft skin of her thighs and buttocks, and Sage’s pliant body shivered with his touch. Ramion eased himself above her, his throbbing sex at heaven’s door.

“Ramion,” she breathed, her eyes closed, her back arched, waiting for him to enter her.

Ramion kissed her on the lips, the sides of her neck and shoulders, his sex touching and teasing her to ecstasy.

Sage writhed with expectation. “Ramion,” she moaned.

“Open your eyes,” Ramion whispered. He stared into her eyes as his fingers stroked the insides of her thighs.

Sage shivered and writhed, anxious for Ramion to be inside.

“I love you,” Ramion said and thrust himself into her.

Sage closed her eyes and felt herself glide away like a cloud floating in the sky. Rocking and arching against him, her legs locked around his back. They rose together, higher and higher, until at last they touched heaven and then fell asleep before returning to earth.

* * * * *

When Sage woke the next morning, Ramion was not in bed beside her. She called out his name, but there was no answer. Her clothes were lying haphazardly on the chair across the room. Her black dress lay tangled along with her pantyhose on the floor. Her suede shoes weren’t far away. She didn’t have a change of clothes, toothbrush, comb or curling iron. She didn’t have to work today, but she didn’t want to leave the hotel in the same clothes she’d come in.

Sage leaned back against the pillows and picked up the telephone. She started to check her messages, but changed her mind and returned the receiver to the cradle. She didn’t feel like dealing with work. Instead, she pressed the Power button on the TV remote and scanned the stations for the local news. She listened to CNN’s report on the election.

She looked around the hotel room, decorated with expensive French pine furniture, for a note from Ramion. She checked on the nightstands, the armoire, the desk and the rose-colored sofa and chair, but came up empty.

Sitting upright against the pillows on the king-sized bed, she half listened to the television. She closed her eyes. Her body, she realized, still tingled with passion. Her thoughts spiraled back to the first time she saw Ramion at the United Negro College Fund telethon.

* * * * *

He sat on the other side of the table, taking phone calls from donators, while she sat across from him. She caught him staring at her several times. Smiling self-consciously, she hoped the cameras didn’t catch them smiling and flirting with each other. After the telethon, Ramion introduced himself and they talked briefly, mostly about the college fund.

“It’s a great cause,” Sage said. “I’m glad to be a part of it.”

“I do it every year,” Ramion said. “UNCF helped get me through college.”

“Oh, where did you go?” Sage asked politely, noticing the expensive cut of his suit, his polished manner and his intoxicating smile.

“Howard University.”

“Really? I’m from that area. Baltimore.”

The conversation ended abruptly as they were interrupted by the volunteer chairman. Before walking away, Ramion tucked his business card into her hand.

Later that evening, when Tawny teased her about flirting on television with a “fine, fine brother”, Sage admitted she couldn’t help herself.

But Sage didn’t call him. She believed that the man should make the first move, and she was afraid of the feelings he had evoked in their brief conversation.

She stared at his home number written on the back of his business card, but she wouldn’t pick up the phone.
If he’s interested,
she decided,
he’ll call me.

* * * * *

Sage heard Ramion’s key in the door, rousing her from her stroll down memory lane. “Good morning, honey.”

Ramion entered the hotel room carrying a Macy’s shopping bag. Before Sage could ask about it, Ramion kissed her and said, “You slept late.”

“You wore me out last night,” Sage said with a coy smile.

“I thought it was the election,” he rejoined.

Sage smiled at him. “Something for me in that bag?”

“I knew you wouldn’t want to put on yesterday’s clothes.” He handed her the shopping bag.

Sage got out the bed, eager for a peek. There were several smaller bags inside. She pulled out a red pantsuit and black blouse from one bag and a bra and matching panties from another.

“They’re all beautiful. You’ve got taste, baby.”

His eyes traveling from Sage’s large breasts to her long, shapely legs, he said, “You got that right.”

When she opened a third bag, she found a pair of flat red shoes and black stockings.

“Umm, you thought of everything,” Sage said. “I love it, and would you believe I’ve been looking at this suit? Thank you so much.” She gave Ramion a soft kiss on the cheek. “Order me some breakfast while I get dressed, okay?”

“I’m starving too,” Ramion said. “Did you see Drew’s editorial?”

“No, I haven’t looked at the paper.”

“He wrote a very interesting analysis of the election.”

“I’ll take a look after I get dressed.”

* * * * *

Sage was a blur of red when she came out the bathroom. The single-breasted jacket hung past her hips, matching the pleated, cuffed pants. Her size 36D breasts threatened to spill out of the snug-fitting black blouse.

“You look delicious,” Ramion said with a smile that not only created tremors in Sage, but also displayed the cleft in Ramion’s chin. “Delectable,” Ramion said, admiring her as she walked toward him.