Persuasive Lips (8 page)

Stretching
catlike,
she
placed
her
elbows
on
the
desk
and
gazed
into
his
ey
e
s.
“All right,
F.D.
You
know
I’m
a
sucker
for
you
r
…
olives
.”
Vera
tend
e
rly
kissed
him
on
his stubbled c
h
eek.

She
arched
her
back,
thrusting
her
chest
to
attention
as
she
stood.
Vera
protected her
typewriter
with
a
vinyl
cover
and
then
strolled
o
ver
to
the
mahogany
rack
in
the corner.
She
grabbed
her
black
wool
hat
and
coat,
releasing
her
s
m
oky
French
perfumed scent while shaking it out, then r
e
turned
to her desk to retrieve her pocketbook.

They
had
a
quiet
ride
on
the
elevator
to
the
second
floor.
They
heard
only
its
low hum
as
t
h
ey
both
smiled
at
the
padded
walls,
mulling
over
the
long
day.
The
doors opened
into
an
informal
gathering
area
o
utside
the
family’s
living
qua
r
ters.
The President
motioned
f
or
his
secretary
to
exit.
She
nodded
and
sauntered
over
to
the seating area.

He rolled
his
wheelchair
to
an
ornate
teacart
where
his
valet
had
set
up
the
martini fixings.
Fr
a
n
klin
con
c
entrated
w
ith
p
r
ide
a
s
he
measured
his
secret
blend
of
gin
and vermouth into the sil
v
er shaker.

Vera
sat
down
on
a
comfortable
red
sofa
a
nd
kicked
off
her
pumps.
Re
ac
hing
over to
the
large
radio,
she
flinched
as
static
blasted
when
she
switched
it
on.
She
turn
e
d down
the
volume
and
tuned
in
a
station.
S
ettling
back
into
the
soft
couch,
Vera
caught his eye as she undid the three bottom buttons
on her
s
h
irtdress, revealing h
e
r thighs.

Beaming,
the
President
wheeled
himself
t
h
e
short
distance.
He
handed
her
one
of the two stemmed glasses entwined in the fingers of his left hand.

Vera
downed her martini.

He
raised his eyebrows. “Thirsty, darling?”

She
blushed
and
will
e
d
him
to
r
e
fill,
but
di
d
n’t
ask.
Instead
she
sm
iled
seductively and curled her long shapely legs underneath her. Vera nibbled on the olives.

Fra
n
klin
tur
n
ed
up
t
h
e
volume
on
t
h
e
radio
and
tweaked
the
dial
for
a
clearer signal.
It
was
an
upbeat
cinema
song
heavy
on
the
clarinets.
Twisting
a
l
ock
of
nut- brown
hair
around
her
finger,
Vera
sang
along
in
an
exquisite
alto
vibrato.
Franklin joined
in
the
harmony.
As
the
s
ong
ended,
he
refilled
her
glass.
She
dr
a
nk
it
a
little slower this time.

He
said,
“Oh,
‘Ging
e
r’,
what
fun.
Wish
I
c
ould’ve
whirled
you
‘round
the
dance floor.”

“
We’d
make
a
grand
team…‘Fred’…
I’d
h
ave
gone
to
Hollyw
o
od
you
know,
if
I hadn’t
married…”

“
You’d
have made it to the big-time too, Vera. But life—what will be—will be.” They both pondered in silence.

^{The
radio host announced the time was 10:30.}

The
Presi
d
ent
ogled
her
legs
as
she
slipp
e
d
her
shoes
on.
Swaying
with
feline
grace, Vera walked to the teacart and d
e
posited her lipstick-rimmed glass.

She
turned to him. “Thanks for the cheer.”

“
Vera
darling,
can
you
stay
just
a
bit
lon
ge
r?
I’ll
get
Mrs.
Ston
e
burner
to
send
up some tuna sandwiches…”

“
Not
tonight, F.D.”

He
tried
to
hide
a
gr
i
mace
as
he
stretch
e
d
his
polio-ravaged
body
to
pick
up
her coat from the couch.

She
smiled
warmly
as
she
leaned
down
a
n
d
placed
her
arms
inside
the
black
wool he held for her.

“
Well,
then,
have
one
of
the
Sec
r
et
Service
boys
see
y
ou
home.
I’ve
heard
it’s
quite slippery
out.
These
blasted
Washington
ice
storms.
Why
can’t
it
just
either
rain
or snow?”

“
No
thanks boss. I’ll make my way just fine.”

He
tugged on her sleeve and pulled her down to him.
T
h
ey shared a lingering kiss. She
wiped
the
lipstick
from
his
face
bef
o
re
donning
h
e
r
spotless
white
glo
v
es.
Vera
^{searched
through her purse.}

“
What
are you missing, darling
?
” “My eyeglasses.”

“
They’re
on your desk, Vera. Watched you put ‘em there before you pecked me.” “Thanks,
F
.
D.
I’ll
pick
‘em
up
on
the
way
out.
Can
I
get
you
anyth
i
ng?
Do
y
o
u
want
^{me
to push you to your quarters?”}

He
squirmed and straightened his p
o
sture. “No. I’m perfectly capable—”

She interrupted
him,
“Yes
you
a
r
e.
Maybe
I
can
find
a
copy
of
that
song
you
like
at the
record
shop.
Would
you
like
that?”
Stupid!
Why’d
I
have
to
go
and
say
that?
I’ve insulted
h
i
s manhood. I hope changing the subj
ec
t will cover
it quick
.

“
Absolutely.
And bill it to me personally, n
o
w.”

“
I’ll
do
no
such
thing.
I
am
a
working
gi
r
l
you
know.
I
have
a
hundred
dollar
bill
or two lying
a
round the house.”