Page 33 of Presidential Bargain
Jameson and I burst out laughing before we separated and went in oppositedirections.
With the luckGeorgie andI were having, we didn’t need nude photos out there scandalizing the country. Instead of nudity, Sierra put us in jeans. Georgie appeared wearing the thinnest of white, cotton tank tops. I could easily make out the outline of her full breasts and the shadow of her dusky pink nipples. I fought the urge to pull one into my wateringmouth.
We stood in the middle of a stark white set. There was nothing except the two of us. Sierra posed us, twisting our bodies to her whim. I didn’t mind because I finally had my hands back where they belonged. In between shots, I murmured my apologies in Georgie’s ear, making sure to include a nibble or a playful nip. Georgie’s giggle returned like music to my ears, as did her vibrant smile, a comfort to my wearyheart.
“Jesus, do you two ever quit,” Sierra commented after I grabbed Georgie by the waist and planted a loud, wet kiss on her pale,glossylips.
I had to admit there were moments when I was completely oblivious to my surroundings whenever Georgie was in the same room. I was guilty of tunnel-vision and this was definitely one of those moments. I’d placed a wedge between us and I was doing my best to make amends. If that happened during the photoshoot, sobeit.
“Okay, kids. We need to get you changed. This next setup is going to be very glam, very presidential, veryMad Men, because you both just have that look. You know what I mean? Of course you do. Anyway, this will take a little bit longer to set up. Georgie, off you go to hair and makeup. Jameson,youtoo.”
I followed two assistants behind a folding screen where a makeshift dressing room had been set up for me. There was a selection of suits and dress shirts, but I already knew what I wanted. I picked up a midnight blue suit and held it out to the stylist. Then I reached for a light blue dress shirt and a navy blue tie that had a small white pattern printed on it. It didn’t take me long to get dressed and to have them part my hair and slickitback.
I emerged from behind the screen and Sierra ushered me to the set she and her assistants had created. She took a series of shots that were of just me while we waited for Georgie toemerge.
“Tell me about your relationship with Georgie,” Sierraasked.
I forgot that she was also supposed to write a piece to go along with the photospread.
I sat back in the chair and sighed. “It’s totally unlike any other relationship I’vebeenin.”
“Why is that?” That was a loadedquestion.
“I’ve dated women who only wanted to be arm candy, who wanted to use me for connections, or who just wanted my family’s money. That’s not Georgie. Georgie would perceive all of those women to be weak. She genuinely wants to be involved in this campaign. She wants to make a difference in our country, just like I do. We share the same vision for the future of our country. And she pushes me too. She makes me look at an issue from all sides, just notmyown.”
Sierra jotted down notes as I spoke. “Tell me something about Georgie that no one elseknows.”
I chuckled at the first thought that entered my mind. “She has the palate of a toddler.” Then I thought a little harder. “She has sacrificed so much. Her father invested in a Ponzi scheme and lost everything during the recession. Suddenly, the girl who had everything had nothing. When her parents were killed by a drunk driver, she sold most of her family’s possessions to pay for their funeral, but she refused to get rid of her family home. She’s gone without many of life’s luxuries in order to keep what matters mosttoher.”
“Describe what it was like for you to hear that your fiancée had been sexuallyassaulted.”
I tugged at the collar of my shirt. I didn’t want to talk about this all the time because I knew Georgie wouldn’t want to make a big deal out of it. She’d want all the attention to be put on the women who suffered far worse. “Honestly, I felt like I failed as a man. It happened at an event I attended. I was there and I didn’t know. How could I not know? Fuck, we have Secret Service detail, and eventheydidn’t know! When we found her and when she finally told me, I was angry with myself because as a man, she is my priority and I failed toprotecther.”
“Oh,Jameson!”
Sierra and I both looked over at Georgie, who was standing on the edge of the set. Tears pooled in her eyes and before I knew it, she rushed straight into my arms. I held her tightly, smoothing a hand down her back. Then she planted her lips firmly on mine and kissed mefiercely.
“Come on, you guys!” Sierramoaned.
Georgie broke the kiss and giggled, my favorite sound. We broke apart and I could finally admire what she had on. She looked fucking gorgeous in a red cocktail dress with an incredibly full skirt. The layers of fabric cinched at the waist, giving Georgie a stunning hourglass shape. The bodice of the dress had delicate straps that rested just below her shoulders and a delicious V that revealed a hint of her perfect breasts. Together, we made quite the patriotic wetdream.
Sierra began to work again, directing her assistants and us. She instructed Georgie to sit on a white upholstered chair and for me to rest on the arm. Georgie leaned toward me, resting an arm on my leg, and I placed my arm around her, my hand on her bare shoulder. This would be our official engagement photo. I could envision this image, framed, sitting on my parents’mantle.
“Georgie, look up at Jameson. Big smile. Jameson, look down at Georgie. I want big, cheesy smiles. You’re not serious politicians in a presidential campaign. You’re just a boy and a girl right now. Georgie and Jameson. Show me thosepeople.”
I was struck by what Sierra said. Who were Georgie and Jameson, the girl and the boy? The circumstances of our relationship meant that we would never really be just two normal people. But wasn’t it worth trying? To occasionally be the boy crazy forthegirl?
“I have a very important question to ask you,” I whispered, fluttering my fingers along her delicatecheekbone.
Her eyes sparked with delight. This was a familiar game. “What’sthat?”
“What’s your favoritedessert?”
Georgie’s eyes widened with surprise. She wasn’t expecting this question. She bit her lower lip, deep in thought. I placed a finger on her lip, pulling it free. She smiled shyly up at me. “Tiramisu.”
Immediately, I thought back to the dinner we shared, when I sat in her kitchen and convinced her to agree to pretend to be my fiancée because polls said the American people didn’t trust a bachelor to be the next president. Every moment we’d shared since then flickered through my mind. Our relationship had changed drastically in such a short amount of time. That night, when we negotiated the details of the agreement, I could have never anticipated the woman looking up at me right now, with her too-big green eyes, would start affecting me so profoundly. Falling for her wasn’t a part of the bargain, and now I felt like we needed torenegotiate.
“That’s a wrap, kids!”Sierrashouted, breaking the trance that seemed to have transfixed both me and Jameson. There were moments when we were alone that I fell completely under hisspell.
