Shades of Shame (Semper Fi) (12 page)

“I prefer to call it summer reading dear, it’s about a beach after all,” Patricia chuckled.

The black limousine pulled to the curb in front of Patricia Johnson’s condo.  Leila opened the door and watched Logan walk up the sidewalk.  Leila could barely contain herself and let out of gasp as he came into the light.  He was
amazing
in his black tuxedo!  With a small swagger, he stopped on the bottom step and looked up at her, “Whoa!”  He stared at her as she turned to lock the front door and slide the key into her tiny golden purse.

“Are you going to help me down the steps or just stand there gawking?”

Logan struggled to get a hold of his senses.  Even he admitted that he’d been a lucky fool in life, he’d always been surrounded by gorgeous women.  Many of them nearly threw themselves at him at college.  They giggled and pranced around him until he felt like he’d had to become a recluse at the sail club just to get away from them.  He wasn’t an idiot, they wanted his name, his money and his looks… he wanted no part of that.  At this very moment he would toss all of those things on the step in front of him and beg Leila to come take them.  “Um… forgive me Leila!”  He rushed up to the top step and offered his hand.

Leila smiled at him; it was the reaction she’d hoped for!  She took his hand as he gracefully guided her down the steps.  He walked her to the limousine as though she was a delicate princess, his most treasured prize.

Ronald was already standing next to the open door, admiring the stunning couple. 
Gracie was going to be pissed that she missed seeing her boy look this happy! He thought.  
“Good evening, Miss Johnson!  You look simply beautiful tonight!”

Leila blushed, “Why thank you Ronald!  You are quite handsome tonight yourself!”  She laughed as Ronald smoothed the fabric of his own dark suit and flashed a picture perfect white smile.

She felt Logan’s broad hand on her waist guiding her inside the car.  It was tricky sliding into a car seat in a skin tight full length dress, so she turned her full attention towards not splitting the dress in half as she climbed inside.  Finally she was settled and Logan slid in beside her.

Although the inside of the car was quite dark, her blood suddenly froze in her veins as the voice startled her.  “Good evening, Leila!  You look absolutely breathtaking!”  Elise McNarry sat directly across from her with a charming smile on her face as usual.  Her husband David sat next to her, and was clearly struggling to maintain some semblance of courtesy.  “Isn’t she just breathtaking, David?”  Elise shot her husband the glance of death.

“Oh… uh… yes!  Leila, you look beautiful tonight,” the Senator said, seeming nervous and out of his element.  Leila smiled brightly at him; his deer in the headlights look was the frosting on her cake!  She’d been instantly shocked at his attendance in the same car as Logan, Elise and her but his paralyzing fear put her at ease.  She couldn’t help it that she was enjoying the torture he must be experiencing in his mind.

David’s obviously uncomfortable position had dissolved her momentary nervous attack.  She resolved to ignore him completely as her manner of attack for the evening.  “Thank you!  Logan didn’t mention that we would all be going together,” Leila added.  Quickly she held her knees together and placed her exquisitely manicured fingers across Logan’s thick thigh.  She needed Logan’s strong protection tonight… more than she’d imagined.  She also wanted to make it instantly clear to the Senator that she was Logan’s tonight, there would be no funny business.

Elise McNarry made a quick glance up at Patricia’s townhouse before the car pulled away.  Just as she expected, Patricia’s bedroom drapes moved ever so slightly.

White House Bound

Leila’s anxiety slowly dissipated as the evening progressed.  The reception was held in the State Dining Room, the first hour spent mingling and meeting other people, seeing them in their element.  Many of the Senators and Congressmen she recognized from dealings in the office.  Most were with their wives, and immediately she recognized those who wished they were with their girlfriends. 
Damn,
she thought. 
Where’s my little brown book when I need it?

All through the reception she’d watched the Senator and Elise interact, hold hands, and occasionally flash a conspiratorial smile at one another.  It was if they were in cahoots and running some kind of charade.  Nevertheless, this polished and practiced political couple knew just the right image to portray, and how important it was for the image to be received in the appropriate manner.

Small candles burned in centerpieces as tall as small trees throughout the East Room of the White House.  The effect was mesmerizing.  They both greeted the President and First Lady with polite deference and continued into the room.  “It’s amazing to think that Meriwether Lewis slept in that corner over there isn’t it?” Logan whispered in her ear.

Leila smiled; she remembered helping him with his history homework as a child.  She’d forgotten his tendency to make historical references.  “Abraham Lincoln’s funeral was held in this room too!” she retorted.

He chuckled, “C’mon gorgeous, let’s find our seat.  You’ve already pissed off the First Lady.  If I keep you standing in the middle of the room we may find poison in your food!”

“What are you talking about?  How did I piss off the First Lady?”  Leila looked like a scared school girl for a moment, Logan relished in her momentary childlike expression.

“No one is ever supposed to look this much better than her.  Every woman here is spitting nails at the sight of you!  Don’t worry princess, I’ll test your food before you eat it!” he laughed heartily as he guided her to their assigned table.

Leila punched him hard in the back before slipping her arm through his, “You just want to eat two dinners, you big oaf!”

As the rest of the diners appeared at their table, a pattern began to emerge.  Leila and Logan both noticed it, and commented on their fellow dinner partners.  Everyone seated with them was within ten years of each other in age.  In Logan’s opinion, young Kennerly cousins, Daughters of Foreign Ambassadors, and Sons of other Senators with their dates, made for quite an enjoyable evening.  Leila thought that she would ask her Mom who was in charge of the seating arrangements tomorrow at breakfast.  She’d hoped to be seated with more accomplished politicians.  Instead, it seemed like they’d been put at the ‘kiddie table.’

On the other hand, Logan was thrilled with the other diners.  He seemed to know each of them and dinner instantly turned into a high school reunion of sorts for him.  If Leila had been offended by the seating arrangements at first, her disdain was short lived.  Quickly she understood that this small group would someday run our country.  They were smart and witty, brilliant and accomplished in their own young rights.  Leila couldn’t help but laugh along as they each told stories about their teenage antics.  Apparently Logan was well known for having the strangest and oddest of all experiences happen to him on a regular basis.  She laughed thinking of her knocking his front tooth out and his uncanny ability to always end up with the only vehicle the Senator owned that consistently left him stranded.  The young people at the table all added stories about Logan’s poor luck.  Finally Logan held up his hand, “Alright you nuts, say what you will.” his arm went around Leila’s bare shoulder, “But I was saving all my good luck so I could land this raving beauty!”

The fellow diners considered it, and then agreed that Logan must possess extraordinary good luck to have the prettiest date that night.  The general consensus was that Leila had brought her ‘A’ game this night; she was stunning.  Even the young ladies at the table accepted Leila and chatted about how lovely her dress was.  Leila began to feel comfortable with this crowd and it shocked her that she was relaxing and enjoying herself in the White House.  She’d expected an almost mind numbing night of calculations and political planning.  Instead, she was just having a good time!  As the party moved from dinner to dancing, Logan kept his thick hand on her waist.  She almost thought to ask him to remove it; he was steaming hot and she was sure there would be a handprint on the dress before the night was through.  But as he took her hand in his and led her onto the dance floor, she became lost in his sparkling green eyes.

The surroundings suited Logan perfectly
, Leila thought.  He was the only man in the room who looked as though it was possible that at some point in his life he could come in this very room in the middle of the night and play with his kids.  Not only was he comfortable in his own skin amongst these people, but he somehow seemed to master them all.  As the evening wore on, she was more and more convinced that Logan was at home here.  She was in awe of his every move and she clung to him tightly as he spun her around the floor in his strong arms.

“May I cut in?” David McNarry tapped his son on the shoulder.

Logan glanced at him with irritation; he’d been just as wrapped up in Leila as she had been with him.  Neither of them had noticed the rest of the room was watching them fall in love.  People whispered and smiled as they danced, never taking their eyes from one another.

“For a minute Dad, that’s all I can spare.” He released Leila, but kissed her gently on the cheek before relinquishing him to his father.  His mother was waving to him from the side of the room; he walked towards her in a fog.

“Would you like to dance, Mother?” he asked with a slight bow.

“That would be wonderful, Logan.  Thank you,” she stood and followed him onto the dance floor.

“So son, it looks as if you and Leila are really hitting it off tonight?”  Logan didn’t’ know if it was a question or a statement.  Elise scanned his face for his reaction.  She was relieved when he smiled down at her.

“She’s amazing Mother,” he said, his eyes following Leila with his father on the other side of the room.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

“I meant it when I said you look lovely tonight Leila,” David whispered as he whisked her around the room.

“Thank you Senator,” Leila said coldly.  She was having such a magical night and
their
type of interaction didn’t seem to have a place here.  He had no right to push his way in between her and Logan.  Not to mention that the possessive look in his eyes was downright disgusting.  Leila glanced around nervously to see if anyone else noticed his nearly abrupt behavior with her.  He was acting like he owned her, like a piece of meat, certainly not like his son’s girlfriend!

“As a matter of fact, if you’d like to meet me at my ‘Den of Sin’ tonight, I could help peel you out of that dress,” David breathed heavily and smiled over at Elise dancing with Logan.

Leila was astounded by his sloppiness; did he think he was above scandal?  That she wouldn’t tell his wife exactly what he’d been up to?  Her attitude towards Senator McNarry was taking a serious downhill nose dive.  “As a matter of
fact
Senator I’ve already promised Logan that I would go to the ‘after party’ at the Ritz Carlton Hotel with him tonight.  He’s reserved a room in case we drink too much,” she added for emphasis.

“Do you really think you can say no to me that easily?” David hissed.

Leila pulled back and met his stern gaze, “Why Senator, you wouldn’t want me to disappoint your son would you?”  Her tone was threatening.  Even if his relationship with Elise was failed and unimportant to the Senator, she was positive that Logan would be devastated to know that his father wanted her for his own whims.  It would break Logan’s heart.  She wouldn’t consider telling Logan if you threatened her with a burning stake, but the Senator didn’t need to know that.

With that David burst into loud laughter, “Oh no, no, no!  I wouldn’t dream of ruining Logan’s evening!  The
chosen one
must be catered to!  Good God Leila, you sound just like my wife!”

“I will accept that as the high compliment it is,” Leila responded with sarcastic sincerity as the song ended.

David pecked her lightly on the cheek, “Indeed it is the highest of all compliments, my dear Leila.  Remember that.”  He moved across the room to join Elise; Logan was instantly back at Leila’s side.  It didn’t take him long to make her forget the nastiness in his father’s voice.

As the evening slowed Leila found herself nearly breathless.  Logan’s green eyes had barely left her all night.  She’d always found it easy to note every single detail regarding the people around her, but tonight Leila was slow to recognize that her own blue eyes hadn’t strayed from Logan either.  At his side she was an extension of him now, she felt melded to him as though they were one, and that the entire room accepted them as such.  A woman like Leila was incapable of understanding this concept; it confused her.  Yet at the same time, she felt more excited, more alive than she’d ever felt in her life.  She was already so wholly addicted to Logan, and how she felt at his side that she forgot herself.  She forgot her desperate need to prove herself in this town, she forgot to examine all the details, and she forgot who she was entirely in his presence.

Logan leaned low over her; his eyes sparkled as he looked at her, “Would you like to head over to the Ritz Carlton now?  I mean, if that’s what you want to do?”

Leila wanted nothing other than to be with Logan.  Wherever he wanted to go was fine with her.  “Sure, let’s say goodbye to your parents and everyone first.”

“Ugh, okay.”  Logan’s gigantic hand clasped hers and pulled her across the large room to his parents table.  “Mom, Dad, we’re going to head on out now.  Thank you for inviting us.  We had a wonderful time.”

David McNarry glanced up at his son.  The boy was massively large, and it strained his neck to look up at him.  That’s when David saw it; his son’s eyes glowed with a deep green tint that he’d never seen before.  The entire shape of his eyes had changed somehow.  His face had softened, and something had been added to his repertoire:  it was love.  David pursed his lips.  His son was in love for the first time and he’d chosen a woman who would rip his very soul from him.  His first instinct was to tell them
no, absolutely not.  Under no circumstances could he take this woman to bed. 
But Elise interrupted his thought, “You two were just the belles of the ball tonight!  I think every single person here has told me how lovely you look together!  Oh wait, look whose coming over!”  Elise quieted and David quickly rose to his feet.