Chapter nine
Donovan
Theselastfewdays on the road have been great for my campaign. I’ve had a great response from the crowds. I think my mother is right. We’re going to win this race. I’m sure it would please her to no end to hear me say that. Everything seems to be falling into place.
Kasey and I have been texting throughout the week and it’s now Friday, the day before our date. I’d be lying if I said I don’t plan on having her in my bed tomorrow night. Of course, we’ll take it slow if that’s what she needs from me, but if I’m reading her right, we’re on the same page. I was more suggestive in my texts than usual, but that’s only because I wanted to see how she reacted. I would have backed off immediately had she not been responsive. I wanted to see the goddess from Club Noir come out to play, and she did not disappoint. She gave as good as she got. Fuck, I can’t wait until tomorrow.
I don’t think she knows it was me watching her dance the other night. I still can’t get those images out of my mind. Seeing her try to seduce me without knowing it was me was so fucking hot. She has no idea of the sensuality she has inside her. I can’t wait to see more. Our conversation after the interview on Tuesday has me wanting to know even more about her. How often have I found a woman I want in my bed desperately and want to get to know more just as much? No one comes to mind.
We’ve been texting all week. Not all veered into the sexual lane that we found ourselves in the first few times. Some were just the typical how is your day going, how is the story coming along, and how is the campaigning. Not to say we didn’t try to turn each other on a few times. We definitely did, and it had me fucking my fist more than once.
We were able to talk only once. My schedule had me getting back to whatever hotel we were staying at late most nights. We spoke on Wednesday night when I called her to let her know I read the piece she wrote. I could tell she was nervous about my reaction considering this new direction we’ve taken. I thought it was great. Very insightful. She conveyed my passion for politics and my love for my family in a way that made me sound light-hearted, but serious about my career. She included little anecdotes about Jackson and me growing up together and the trouble my mother had to deal with when we were kids. I appreciated that. It made me sound less like a trust fund brat and more like an actual human being. She is definitely a talented writer. I can tell she takes her craft seriously and I was thrilled with how the story turned out.
I’m sitting at my desk in the campaign office finishing some last-minute speech approvals and sorting through some mail when Sean walks in.
“Great job this week, Donovan,” he says.
“Thanks, and thank you for all the hard work this week. I know it’s a brutal schedule.”
“It’s the job,” he says as he walks in and has a seat.
“We’ve been getting great responses from the interviews. Kasey Albright’s especially. She painted you as a caring brother and doting son. Voters eat that shit up,” he tells me with a smile.
I can’t help but be proud of my girl. She’s an excellent reporter with a great career ahead of her.
“Sean, about Kasey. I should let you know that after the interview on Tuesday we got to talking. I asked her to dinner and we have a date tomorrow. I’m telling you this, and only you, because you run my PR. If anyone catches wind of this, I don’t want you caught off guard.”
The look on his face tells me he isn’t thrilled with this bit of information.
“Seriously, Donovan? What are you thinking, man? First, she’s a reporter who just did a story on you. People will think you’re sleeping with her for good press, or worse, people will think that she slept with you to get a story and you fell for it.”
“That’s not what happened at all, and you damn well know I’m not that kind of man.” My jaw clenches, and if he can’t feel the anger radiating off me, then he’s seriously lost touch with his survival skills. I’m about to blow up in his face for suggesting that about me or Kasey.
“Sure, I know that, but the public can, and probably will, jump to those conclusions. I’m not trying to piss you off, but I have to make you aware of what public perception could be.” He’s saving himself from my rage, but just barely.
“Second, do you think this is the best time for you to start something? You’re on the campaign trail and it’s just ramping up. In a couple of weeks, you won’t be home more than a day or two every few weeks or so. The voters don’t want to have someone talking to them while looking at his watch, waiting to get home. They’ll pick up on that and it will scream distraction and insincerity.”
I know in my head that he’s right. This probably couldn’t be a worse time to start a relationship, but it won’t stop me. I can tell Kasey is a once in a lifetime, and I’d be a fool to not take the shot.
“I get it, Sean, but I’m telling you now, nothing you say is going to stop me. My career has been my life for as long as I’ve known I was going to run for office one day. One has nothing to do with the other right now. I’ll keep this under wraps. I wanted to give you the courtesy of a heads-up. That’s all. Anything further is not up for discussion.” I feel my blood pressure going back down with the contrite look he’s wearing on his face. At least he knows he fucked up.
“Thank you for letting me know. I’ll tell you if I hear talk of it and we’ll go from there.” He stands and nods before heading out the door.
I get back to work. It’s late, and I’m sure Kasey is sleeping. Fuck it; I need to hear her voice after that conversation. She picks up on the second ring.
“Hello.” I smile at the sleepy quality in her voice and I know she only picked up because she saw it was me.
“Hi, beautiful. Did I wake you?” I ask.
“No, I was just lying in bed thinking about this amazing guy I have a date with tomorrow.”
“Amazing guy? Is this your way of canceling on me tomorrow?” I joke.
Her throaty laugh comes through the line, making me wish I could see her smile.
“Oh please, don’t tell me you need more of an ego boost,” she says. Cheeky little minx.
“Nope. I’m well aware of how amazing I am. My mom tells me every day.”
That earns me another laugh.
“Well, you can tell her she’s right. What are you doing right now? Still at the office?”
“Yeah, just finishing up a few things, then I’m headed home. I wouldn’t mind heading somewhere else, though. Maybe to the apartment of a sexy woman who is nice and warm in a big bed waiting for me.”
“Mmm, sexy, huh?” She purrs.
“Now who needs the ego boost? You know I think you’re damn sexy.” Another laugh escapes her. It feels good to make this woman laugh. It will feel just as good to make this woman do other things in the bed she’s lying in.
“I can’t wait to see you tomorrow,” she tells me.
“Me neither, gorgeous. I’ll let you go to sleep. I’m about done here. See you tomorrow. Sweet dreams.”
“See you tomorrow, Donovan.”
We hang up and I can’t keep the shit-eating grin off my face.
Tomorrow.
I decide to take my mail home and deal with it there. I want to be in my own home, not my office. I’ve sent Aiden home for the night, so it’s just me, a glass of scotch, and a pile of mail. As I’m sorting through everything, I come across an 8x11 envelope with no return address. I open it and remove a stack of pictures. Same ones I gave Jackson a few days ago, but now there are more. Goddammit. I was hoping this was a one-off. I immediately pick up my phone and call my brother. Of course he doesn’t answer, probably at his club enjoying the fruits of his labor. I roll my eyes at that thought. I send him a text to call as soon as he gets it. My next call is to Aiden.
“Yes, sir?” He answers on the first ring.