Seduced By The Candidate (The Candidate, #1) (10 page)

“Not much to tell really,” said Brian. “I’ve heard pretty
reliable rumors that good old God fearing Senator Goulding has a past that he’d
like to remain hidden and buried. You seem like a pretty decent guy, but I
doubt that there’s a politician alive that hasn’t smoothed his way up the
ladder without greasing a few palms along the way...‘transparent campaign’ or
not.”

Goulding studied the man for a few seconds, desperately trying
to read him in an attempt to determine whether he knew more than he was letting
on, or whether or not he was merely testing the waters.

“Okay. What do you know?”

“Like I said, not a lot.
Your record
is pretty damn clean and almost as impressive as your military career.”

“So why keep looking?” said Goulding hopefully.

“Gut instinct, pure and simple. Something doesn’t smell right
here and I want to know what that something is.”

“So you’re a vigilante for truth and justice, using your pen to
expose the bad and right the wrongs?”

“Not exactly Senator Goulding, I’m more of a mercenary if I’m
honest. I’m freelance you see and I only get paid if something I write is worth
printing. I’ve got a wife and three kids to feed and the bills ain’t paying
themselves you know.”

“So it’s about the money?” said Goulding, again feeling
hopeful.

Brian paused for a minute and seemed to be wrestling with his
conscience. Finally he seemed to reach a decision.

“Look, Senator. I like you, I really do. None of this is
personal. Hell, in all likelihood, I’ll end up voting for you as a lot of what
you say makes sense. If there’s nothing to report, I’ll hold my hands up and we
can both walk away happy, but I’ve got to do my job and see if there IS
something there. It is very much about the money, like I said I’ve got a family
and shit load of bills, but I also have morals and I’m not about to do
something that will screw us both over in the future. Before you even consider
it, let alone suggest it, I won’t take a bribe and allow you to corrupt
yourself.”

“Fuck me,” laughed Goulding. “A reporter with morals and a
conscience...this really is a day of firsts. Those attributes are hard enough
to find in a politician, let alone a reporter!”

“Maybe we’re the first of a new breed, Senator,” said Brian,
returning the smile.

“Okay, Brian. I respect your honesty and I have no intention of
detaining you any longer than necessary. You’re free to go and you have my
blessing to do your worst. I’ll even have a word with Jake and make sure that
in future he leaves you alone instead of giving in to his natural instinct to
string you up by your toes!”

“Really?” said Brian casting Jake a nervous glance.

“Really,” replied Goulding.

“I hope I’m wrong, Senator.”

“Me too Brian...and call me Bill.”

* * *

As the little reporter exited the building, Goulding ran
through the events of the evening. He had made a historic speech and from a
political point of view, the campaign visit had been a glorious success...1-0.
On the other hand, he had been confronted by the three managers at Quest
Realtors and at the worst possible time in his political career...1-1. Then
there was the little reporter that he couldn’t help but like, threatening to
expose his less than glorious past and bring his story to the world’s attention
even if Quest didn’t...1-2. And there you had it. He had lost the ball game,
the series and the whole shebang in the space of just a few hours. Best of all
he had no idea how he could possible come up with a way out of this and in
doing so take it to over-time where it was anyone’s game.

Lost in his reverie, Goulding didn’t hear Jake as he walked up
behind him.

“The maggot has left the building boss,” he said in a gruff
voice and made Goulding jump.

“God damn it Jake,” exclaimed Goulding, his heart racing. “No
one your size should be that fucking quiet!”

“It’s a gift boss.”

The brief respite from his thoughts was painfully fleeting and
after only a matter of seconds, the glum, resigned look once again replaced it.

“You okay boss?” asked Jake, genuinely concerned.

“No mate. Not really, but what can you do eh?”

“You could start by telling me about it, Bill. You’ve done a
lot for me in the past and if there’s anything I can do to help you, all you
have to do is ask. Even if all I can do is
listen
, it
might take some of the weight off.”

So, that’s what he did. Goulding talked and talked and talked,
and he explained everything that he had experienced and worried about to the
huge, hulking man that sat opposite him in a state of quiet, reflective
silence. When Goulding had finally finished, Jake sat starring at the ground
and Goulding wondered if he was ever going to speak.

“Shit, Bill,” Jake finally said. “You really know how to drop
yourself in it. Don’t you?”

Goulding nodded but said nothing.

“It might not be that bad. I’ve still got a few contacts in the
army that owe
me a favor or two. How about I pay them
a visit and we’ll see what we can dig up about those pricks at Quest? The
maggot can’t really write about anything if there is no longer anything to write
about. So he’s not exactly a pressing concern. Let me sort out the security
detail on Monday which would give me the rest of the week to see what I can
turn up.”

Choking back the emotion and relief, Goulding could hardly
speak. When he eventually did manage a response, his voice was cracked and
faltering.

“Really Jake,” he croaked. “You reckon you could do that?”

“Sure I can boss, but I have three conditions that are none
negotiable.”

“Er...okay.”

“One...you never, EVER pull a stunt like you did tonight. Try
crowd surfing again and I’ll fucking shoot you myself. Two...you get Charlotte
to schedule in a visit to the local army veterans center in whatever state your
visiting next. Finally, and most importantly of all...next week is on your dime
and any costs or expenses get paid out in full BEFORE I go.”
  

“But Jake...how will I be able to pay your expenses without
actually knowing what they are...It’d be like writing you a blank check.”

“Exactly,” said the big man with a sly smile. “I’m sure that
whatever you give me will cover my expenses exactly, to the very last cent.”

With that, he rose and headed for the door leaving Goulding
both incredibly relieved and with a distinct sense that he had just been
fleeced.

“I’ll do a final check and make sure the place is empty and
I’ll tell Charlotte to go home,” called Jake over his shoulder.

“Charlotte!” said Goulding with surprise. “She’s still here?”

“Yep,” said Jake, his voice almost too distant to make out.
“She wouldn’t leave until she knew you were okay.”

Goulding felt both humbled and elated at the same time.

“Tell her to come
here,
I need to make
sure she amends the schedule accordingly before she goes.
Don’t
worry
about locking up, just secure the side doors and we’ll lock the
main entrance when we leave.”

Jake was initially reluctant, but eventually he agreed. Both
men knew that he would wait in the shadows until Goulding had left and he was
one hundred percent sure that everything was okay.

“No problem,” said Jake casually. “You’re the boss.”

No sooner had Jake left, than Charlotte walked back into the
hall, her appearance illuminating the cold, empty space like a beacon of warmth
and hope.

“You wanted me Bill?” she said and Goulding detected more than
a little huffiness in her voice.

“Yes. Firstly, I owe you an apology. I shouldn’t have talked to
you like that. All through today you’ve been a wonderful relief in the face of
a mountain of endless shit and regardless of how stressed, or tired I was, you deserved
better.”

“O-kay,” she said, confused, but thrilled at his kind words.

“Secondly, I need you to amend my schedule to include a visit
to the local army veteran’s center. It’s a personal favor for a very good
friend and it’s non-negotiable.
Regardless of how hectic
things look on paper.”

“Might be tough Bill...but I think we can do that.
Anything else?”
            

“Yes, as a matter of fact there is. I want you to have a drink
with me.”

At first, the employer - sub-ordinate status of their lives
prevailed as they sat quietly, drinking in an uncomfortably, mechanized
fashion. But as the alcohol filtered into their bodies, they relaxed and began
to enjoy each other’s company. She found Goulding to be a charming, attentive
partner and he found her to be intelligent, witty and enthused with a wicked
sense of humor. Before long, her tiredness infused with the alcohol to make her
feel reckless and light-headed. For him, the alcohol they drank merely
compounded that which he had already consumed and he too began to feel
pleasantly drunk and risqué.

“What is this wine?” asked Charlotte, her voice sounding thick
and slurred.

“Sancerre,” replied Goulding. “It’s a wonderful French wine and
I’m not surprised that you like it. The ninety-eight is a wonderful vintage.”

“Sincere?” noted Charlotte. “I guess I look for the same thing
in my men as I do in my wine!”
 

As she giggled and Goulding smiled at her
misinterpretation of the name.
Charlotte leaned forward to grip her
third glass of wine and completely misjudged the distance, slipped forward and
threatening to spill out of her chair completely. With reactions that were
completely at odds with his drunken state, Goulding shot out his arms and
caught her in a half slump - half embrace. For a second they sat in a state of
frozen anticipation and then Goulding’s chair folded beneath him and they were
both pitched to the floor in a heap of arms and legs, giggling uncontrollably
like a bunch of school kids.

When Goulding managed to quiet his laughter, open his eyes and
look up, he saw that Charlotte lay across his chest and she was looking deep
into his eyes, all humor forgotten. A lock of her hair had fallen loose of the
ponytail and she looked impossibly pretty and scared at the same time. Without
thinking, he reached up, tucked the hair back behind her ear and cupped the
back of her head with his hand. Finding no resistance, he drew her gently
forward until their lips were practically touching and he could feel her warm
rapid breath on his skin.

She was shaking beneath his touch and although her lips were
parted slightly in anticipation of his kiss. He was reluctant to take it
further and yet again run the gauntlet of political disgrace. Realizing that
Goulding was no longer intent on kissing her, Charlotte raised herself to meet
him. Her desire was impromptu and so unlike her, but she wanted his kiss more
than anything right now.

When their lips met, it was gentle and exquisite. He had never
felt lips as soft and inviting as hers and she had never before felt such intoxicating
emotions as she did in that instant. She had been kissed before, but never like
this and never with the pent up desire to explore every aspect of the man that
lay beneath her. She savored every minute of their embrace and when his tongue
flicked out to explore her mouth, she met it with her own.

His hands were in her hair, tracing the line of her ear, then
stroking her neck and gently cupping the swell of her breasts through the
material of her suit jacket.

Pleasure like she had not known welled up inside the dim
recesses of her body. A part of her mind screamed at her for being
unprofessional with her employer, but a bigger part wanted it. Her virgin
doubts lingered, unsure of how to proceed further. She did not know what to do,
or how to do it, but she knew that she craved it. Her mind buried those
feelings of doubt and instinct took over.

“God that feels good,” she thought and moaned out loud. Even
through the jacket, she could feel the warmth of his hand and wanted nothing
more than to feel his hands on her naked skin. To delight in the capable touch
of a man who’s every move excited and aroused her. Part of her mind was
screaming at her to stop, that she was moving too fast. Did she really want to
give away her virginity on the floor of a hall? The other, drunk part of her
mind encouraged her to give in and enjoy the moment.

 
As if he was reading her
mind, Goulding moved his hands between them to the buttons that fastened her
jacket, his eagerness making him fumble at first, before he managed to pop open
the first one. Suddenly, she braced one hand on the floor to lever herself up.
Her other hand was on his wrist and he panicked, thinking that somehow he had
misread the situation.

“What is it Charlotte? Do you want me to stop?”

“Oh God, please don’t let him stop,” she thought. This was all
new to her and she didn’t want to disappoint him in any way. Yet she couldn’t
help but hesitate. Her sudden desires frightened her and the wine she’d drunk
did not help her screaming libido.

“No. No, I want this more than anything in the world, it’s
just that I’ve never...I haven’t...
”

Charlotte flushed with embarrassment and suddenly Goulding
realized what she was saying.

“Charlotte, are you a...virgin? How? How on earth is that
possible? You’re... you’re beautiful, stunning,
gorgeous
!”

She silenced his incredulity with another kiss. She slid off
him and sat next to him as she undid the last two buttons, shrugging off the
jacket. She was very nervous and her hands trembled as she placed them on his
chest as she leaned against him.

“You would be my first Bill. I have dated a bit but never felt
anything like this. They were young and tried to rush through things. I never
let them get far because I didn’t feel for them as they hoped. No one else ever
came close until you...just...just be gentle.”