Power Desired (D.C. Power Games Book 1) Page 7

  A frantic knock on his office door sent his thoughts scattering. “Come in,” he called as he continued placing papers in his briefcase. The door opened, and Sandra came in looking worried.

  “What’s wrong, Sandra?”

  “I hate to ask, but can you possibly go on Jake Holt tonight? My kid just got taken to the ER, and I already sent my staff home for the day. I asked Adara, and it freaked her out so bad I thought she might faint.”

  “Of course, Sandra, what time do I need to be there? Adara has a thing about cameras. I’m not sure I understand it myself. Go, be with your kid, and let me know if I can do anything.”

  “Thanks, Bradley. You’ll be appearing on a panel with two other people. You’ll need to be at the studio in about forty-five minutes.” He took the folder Sandra was holding.

  “Go. I’ve got this.”

  “Thanks again. I’ll call on my way to the hospital and tell them you’re taking my place.”

  She closed his door, and Bradley opened the folder. Jake Holt was a popular news anchor in this area, and he liked to bring in people with clashing personalities to argue about current events on his evening segment. It would be interesting to see who he would be up against tonight. The piece of paper in the folder indicated an extensive list of potential topics, including Senator Atleigh’s latest piece of legislation and his presidential campaign.

  A half hour later, he arrived at the studio, where he was directed to a green room. As he cracked the seal on a bottle of water, the door opened. The water bottle froze halfway to his lips.

  “Darci?”

  She looked just as shocked to see him.

  “Bradley, hello,” she said when she recovered from her initial shock. “I knew someone from the senator’s office would be on the panel tonight, I just didn’t think it would be you.”

  She crossed the room to where the bottled water sat and reached for one. As she leaned past him, he inhaled her scent. Hints of lemon and ginger hit his nostrils. It was a smell he could get used to.

  As she stepped away from him with her bottle of water, he resisted the urge to trail his finger down her neck.

  “My press secretary was supposed to be here, but she had a family emergency, so I’m filling in,” he said, trying to push her delectable aroma out of his mind. It didn’t do any good though. Her scent wasn’t the only thing he was enjoying.

  Tonight, she wore a fitted black pencil skirt that hugged her hips and backside in the most inviting way. The conservative gray button-up blouse was showing only a hint of cleavage, but to Bradley’s eye, her breasts were about the right size to fit in his hand. There was no denying it, he wanted this woman. And with Peggy no longer in the picture, he was having a tough time remembering why he couldn’t pursue her.

  “Well, I hope you won’t take anything that happens tonight personally, Mr. Givens.” She took a long drink from her bottle, her lips pulling water into her throat. He wanted to pull the bottle aside and replace it with his lips.

  “Not at all, Darci. We’re both professionals,” he said as he continued to watch her. “Would you like to have dinner with me after we’re done here? You never answered my text.” Her breath caught, and she sputtered on her water.

  “Dinner?”

  “Yes, you know, that thing where you share a meal with someone you find attractive?” The blush that crept up her cheeks amused him.

  “I’m not sure that’s such a great idea,” she said after a pause.

  As Bradley was about to respond, the green room door opened, and a producer entered.

  “We’ll be ready for the panel in about five minutes if the two of you would follow me.” They fell into step behind the producer and followed him onto the set. The news anchors had finished the local news, and the weather girl was giving a rundown of the weekend weather. Jake Holt’s news hour would be coming up next.

  “You’ll have dinner with me,” Bradley whispered in Darci’s ear as someone pointed to the chair he should sit in. He walked away not waiting for her response. She was scowling at him as she settled into her chair on the other end of the curved desk. Jake Holt arrived on the set a moment later, and a third panelist, an older man Bradley didn’t recognize, sat next to him. He winked at Darci as someone announced they were thirty seconds to being live.

  Jake Holt kicked off his show and introduced the panel members, then launched into the first topic.

  “Bradley, I want to start with you. We’ve been following the tragic story of Marlie Dixon’s murder, and just this morning, your boss, Senator Sean Atleigh had this to say.” A clip of the senator’s impromptu press conference played. When the clip ended, Jake asked, “Would you agree that Senator Atleigh’s remarks could be construed as victim-blaming?”

  Clearing his throat, Bradley responded, “Jake, I think what’s important to focus on is that the senator was trying to bring attention to the case because he wants to see the killer brought to justice. It’s fair to say he can be indelicate at times but as I’m sure you saw this afternoon, the senator released a statement clarifying his remarks.”

  “A lot of women disagree with you.” Turning to Darci, Jake said, “Miss Sanders, do you believe the community of which Senator Atleigh spoke condones violence against women?”

  “Absolutely not, Jake. And you’ll notice Mr. Givens failed to answer your question. What Marlie Dixon chose to do in her personal life should have no bearing on whether she lived or died. The fact is, someone attacked and brutally murdered an innocent woman. A woman who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for victims of domestic violence. A woman who left behind family and friends who loved her very much. Senator Atleigh should be ashamed for even implying her death had anything to do with the choices she made in her personal life.”

  Bradley admired the passion in Darci’s voice as she spoke of her friend. He knew they were close. Seeing her defend Marlie Dixon made him feel nauseous that it was his boss that caused this conversation to happen on national television. He hated having to defend his actions, but Atleigh was good to him. He wasn’t going to hang him out to dry now. His eyes connected with her and then the camera.

  “I admire the passion with which you speak on behalf of Mrs. Dixon, and I agree that she is not to blame for her own murder. However, is it not true that someone affiliated with the same group as Marlie was arrested for domestic abuse just two years ago?”

  Darci started to respond, but Jake cut her off. “So, you’re saying you believe S&M groups do condone violence against women?”

  “Not exactly, Jake. I’m saying that there are bad apples in every group, and if bringing attention to that helps apprehend the individual who killed Marlie Dixon and could kill others then that has to be OK.” Bradley could see anger flash in Darci’s eyes.

  “First, the man arrested for domestic abuse was a rare case. In fact, he was banned from the community long before he was ever arrested. That’s because the BDSM community does not condone violence against anyone and especially not against women. The community believes so strongly in consent that they will self-police. Not only do they not want abuse happening at their events, but they also don't want conversations like this becoming the norm. Second, I don’t see how smearing the good name of Marlie Dixon does anything at all to help apprehend her killer, and you should be ashamed of yourself for even suggesting such a thing.”

  Jake cut in then. “I hate to cut you both off, but we do need to take a break. We’ll bring you both back later in the hour.” As the producers counted out for commercial, Jake turned to the third member of the panel and said, “I apologize you didn’t get a chance to speak during that segment. I didn’t mean to eat up all the time on one question.” The older gentleman waved him off.

  “It’s fine, I’m sure your audience will find this more interesting, anyway.”

  Darci and Bradley were dismissed, and they both headed back to the green room. Bradley could feel Darci’s ire radiating from her as she walked through the door.

  “D
arci, I’m sorry. I know I sounded like a dick out there.”

  “Do you think?” she asked. “I can’t believe you would even try to defend Atleigh’s statement and I can’t believe you would fucking bring up a two-year-old incident that had nothing to do with the issue.”

  “Oh, come on, Darci, you know I was just doing my job.”

  “Well, your job sucks, and maybe you should find a new one.” She stomped across the greenroom to pick up her bag and Bradley followed her.

  “Stop following me damn it.”

  “No.”

  His one-word answer caused her to turn and gape at him.

  “No?”

  “No.”

  He quirked an eyebrow up and moved closer to her until they nearly touched. He had backed them up against a wall. With his forehead pressed against hers he said, “I’m sorry. I really want to kiss you right now.” Her eyes widened, and her nostrils flared.

  “I swear to god if you do, I’ll knee you in the nuts.”

  “Now who’s condoning violence?” he asked, as the corner of his mouth slanted upward. “Come on gorgeous, I’m sorry. I can’t stop doing my job. If it makes you feel any better, I’ll probably have an Inbox full of hate mail by tomorrow morning.” Just to annoy her, he pressed a kiss to her cheek, so he could watch her glare at him. She ducked under his arm and backed away from him.

  “We still have another segment to do. And no, I will not have dinner with you.” She stormed out of the green room, slamming the door after her. A grin spread across Bradley’s face. He shouldn’t be so happy over a woman who had threatened his genitals, but he was.

  • • •

  Darci calmed down enough to make it through the next segment without incident. She couldn’t believe he’d had the nerve to say he wanted to kiss her after the awful things he had to say on the air. When the show was over, she managed to slip out of the building and into a cab without him catching up with her.

  Her phone lit up as she rode home. It was Bradley apologizing again. She ignored it and cursed herself for finding him attractive. It was infuriating to know that he lived the same lifestyle as she did but could still stick up for the likes of Sean Atleigh. She resisted the urge to delete his number from her phone and forget he ever existed. She needed the meeting with Senator Atleigh, and he was her ticket for that. Tomorrow she would send him tickets for the benefit via messenger, and she would conduct any further business with him through e-mail or through their respective assistants.

  When she got home, she stripped off her work clothes and slipped into comfortable pajamas. As she laid in bed, Bradley’s scent as he towered over her in the green room came rushing back to her. The feel of his lips brushing against her cheek made her groan. She needed to get laid.

  Reaching into her nightstand, she pulled out a slim silver vibrator. Maybe she couldn’t date him, but there was nothing wrong with letting him fuel a fantasy or two. She slipped her hand between her legs and was surprised at her own wetness. It usually took some time to get herself going.

  Darci had a healthy sexual appetite. And even when she wasn’t seeing anyone, she didn’t go without orgasms. She turned the small dial on the vibrator and pressed it against herself. As the vibrations coursed through her, she let herself melt into the pillows. The memory of Bradley’s masculine scent was back, and she pressed the vibe harder onto her clit.

  A moan escaped her lips as she felt the pressure build. This might be the fastest she had ever reached climax. Her free hand drifted over her breasts, and she found her nipples hard and sensitive. In her mind, she was staring into dark blue eyes, and her moans grew louder as the orgasm washed over her.

  Holy shit, she would have to masturbate to thoughts of Bradley more often. Darci drifted off to sleep, with the tension gone from her shoulders and a smile playing on her lips.

  Chapter Eleven

  “Damn it, Darci. What part of don’t start a fight on national television did you not understand?”

  Jim stood in front of her desk the next morning looking very unhappy.

  Still, she grinned at him. “Technically, I’m not the one who started it. Bradley Givens is the one who decided to hit below the belt, and you know it.”

  He sighed. “I know. It still doesn’t look good for us to have you blasting people like that.”

  “Can I get back to work now? It's a busy day Jim. I need to check on our newest client, Tessa and I want to stop Atleigh’s bill from getting a vote. I’ve got three more senate offices to call and yell at today,” she said with a smirk.

  He chuckled. “Always looking for a fight, aren’t you girl?”

  “You know me, Jim. There's always a battle to be fought somewhere.”

  “Well, I'm here if you need me. Don’t get in over your head. These D.C. people are animals.”

  “Hey, watch it. I was raised here,” she said with a huff, feigning offense.

  “Yeah, and you're one tough animal.” He winked as he left for his own office, and Darci chuckled as she watched him disappear.

  A moment later, Kimberly poked her head in.

  “You know you’re Internet famous right? Your blog is probably about to blow up.” Darci looked puzzled.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Go look at YouTube. Or Facebook. Your little spar with Givens is all over the place. You’ve gone viral.” The assistant bounced up and down as if this were the best thing in the world.

  Darci groaned as she opened her browser. Not exactly what she was hoping for but maybe this would slow down Atleigh's momentum. She told Kimberly to get ready to field calls from reporters and gave her a stock answer to give them.

  “If they get too pushy just tell them I’m not in right now. I’ll call the ones back that I think will be most favorable for us.”

  She dug into her to-do list for the day and tried to ignore the phone that was constantly ringing in reception. At lunchtime, she rescued her poor assistant by sending her to get them both food on her dime. A little while after she returned, Kimberly spoke over the intercom.

  “Hey boss, I’ve got Bradley Givens on the line. Thought you might want to take this one.”

  Darci sighed. She didn’t want to. Not after their heated exchange last night. But she knew she had to, so she told her to put the call through.

  “Darci. I’m so sorry,” Bradley said in greeting. “I did not mean for this to go viral.”

  “Does anyone ever mean to go viral?” she asked.

  “Fair point. But I’m still sorry. And I’m sorry for my behavior in the green room. I know better than to pressure someone into going on a date with me and I did it anyway.”

  The sincerity and contrition she could hear in his voice melted her just a little and she smiled.

  “I appreciate the apology. How bad is the press for you guys over there?”

  They discussed their mutual dilemma for a few more minutes before Bradley got called away.

  As their call was wrapping up, he said, “I swear I’m not just looking for an excuse, but do you want to meet for lunch sometime to discuss this in more detail? I know you’re not interested in helping me, but I feel like I should do something to help you if I can.”

  “I’ll think about it and have my assistant set something up,” she promised.

  Darci left work at 6:30, stopping to let her boss know she was going home. Jim was usually the last to leave at night. She stepped out into the cool evening and walked to the metro to catch a train home. Most of her afternoon had been spent thinking about Bradley, despite the fact that she tried to banish him from her thoughts. Kimberly had scheduled lunch with him in two weeks which fueled her obsession with him more.

  Determined to put him out of her mind, she had messaged her friends Stephanie and Elise to see if they wanted to hang out tonight. The plan was to ask if they could set her up with someone to help take her mind off Bradley. As long as he worked for Atleigh, he was the enemy. She had to stop having inappropriate thoughts about the man.


  The trip home was short, only four stops to her neighborhood. As the train flew towards her destination, she wondered if she should have accepted Bradley's lunch invitation more readily. Dinner and drinks with Stephanie and Elise would be fun. She hadn’t seen them in a couple of weeks, but she still couldn’t get Bradley out of her head.

  While she walked the three blocks home from the station, she messaged both women to confirm their plans for the night. In her apartment, she kicked off her heels and wandered into the kitchen for a glass of water. A quick shower, and a change of clothes, and she was ready for a night out. She kept it casual. It was cool out, so she wore a pair of dark skinny jeans tucked into a pair of brown leather boots, and a pale pink top with a brown leather jacket on top. It was casual but stylish, typical of Darci's wardrobe.

  Bradley stayed on her mind while she was getting ready and during her walk back to the metro. Waiting on the platform for her train, she sent him a text.

  Do you go to Exposure often?

  Adding a winky face for good measure, she put her phone back in her purse.

  Two minutes later she boarded her train. There were no seats available, so she grabbed the bar above her and braced herself for the lurching take-off. A young woman caught her eye and recognition hit her. “You took my coat last week,” she said with a smile.

  The girl looked up, seeming confused for a moment. Then she must have recognized Darci because she said, “Sure enough. Small world, isn’t it?” The mystery woman got off at the next stop, and Darci waved. She still looked so familiar. Everyone looked like someone, Darci just wished she could remember who this someone looked like.

  Five minutes later she got off at her stop and made the four-block walk to the bar. Elise and Stephanie were climbing out of a cab as she walked up. She shouted hello and waved as they paid their driver and ran to meet her. There was giggling, and chatter as the girls greeted one another and exchanged hugs.

  “Darci, I'm so glad you suggested this. It has been way too long since I've done anything fun,” Stephanie said.