Big Game
“You summoned me.”
Josh smiled at the sound of her voice from the doorway but he deliberately didn’t look up.
“How is it you always manage to make it sound as if I’ve conjured you from a lamp?”
He flicked his gaze up to see her leaning against the door jamb and made a disappointed sound.
“But you’re never dressed for the part.”
“In your dreams.” She replied coolly.
“In those you’re usually wearing less than that.”
She pushed away from the frame and went over to his desk.
“What have you done?” She asked patiently as she sat down on the chair opposite him. She leant back and crossed her legs.
“What makes you think I’ve done anything?” He asked with a smile as he relaxed back too.
“You always get like this when you’re up to something.” She replied.
“Like what?”
“Flirty.”
“You mean I’m not always flirty?”
“You can be.” She agreed. “But it gets much less subtle when you’re up to something.”
“I’m usually subtle?”
“Yes.”
“But not right now?”
“No.” She fixed him with her steady, cool gaze. “Which is how I know you’re up to something.”
She held his gaze for a long moment.
“Look behind you.” He relented.
Warily she turned in her chair and looked. Her double take made him grin. She snapped back to look at him. He immediately dropped the grin and faked playing it cool.
“Why are there skis in your office?” She demanded.
“Not just skis.” He replied. “You’ll notice there’s also ski boots, ski hats, ski pants, ski goggles, ski gloves and ski poles.”
She stared at him open mouthed. He shrugged and continued with faux casual.
“With Mrs Santos not needing you for a few weeks in January, I figured you’d need something to do during the day… in Davos.”
The expression on her face was so priceless that he couldn’t keep up the casualness. He grinned again.
“Oh Josh!” She exclaimed, before standing up and… going over to the ski equipment.
He quickly stood up and followed her.
She ran her hands over the skis and briefly touched the boots, the goggles. He hovered behind her enjoying her joy. She turned to face him, still looking amazed.
“You bought me skis!” She exclaimed.
“I did.” He grinned.
She hit him firmly on the arm.
“You couldn’t have done this years ago?” She demanded.
“Ow.” He said in response.
“You bought me skis!” She exclaimed again and threw herself into his arms so forcefully that he rocked back on his heels for moment, before he put his arms around her and steadied them both.
She lifted her head from his shoulder to look at him.
“I’m really going with you to Davos?” She asked happily.
“Yeah, if you want to. I’m gonna be in meetings most of the time, and there’s definitely some things you’ll want to attend, but you’ll also have plenty of time to learn to ski.”
“Josh.” She smiled as she said his name tenderly and leant in for a kiss.
—
25th January 2010
Donna tried to play it cool as the helicopter flew them over the snow covered mountains but the truth was that she was drinking in every second of this journey. This was almost as exciting as the first time they’d flown on Airforce One.
Over the years, especially since becoming Helen’s Chief of Staff, she’d become used to travelling in style but she’d never managed to become blasé about it. On the exterior she tried to look as if she was taking it her stride but her heart did flips in her chest and she was constantly amazed that this was her life now.
Josh, sat next to her, looked the part of the international diplomat but she knew that this was a big deal for him too. The President had spoken here before but this time it hadn’t been Matt who’d been specifically invited. This wasn’t a speaking engagement to Poly Sci students, this was the global elite of political and business leaders, and they wanted him here.
It was strange. They were friends with Presidents. They’d attended state functions, hosted the G8 and dealt with Kings, Queens, Presidents and Prime Ministers, but all of that was standing a few steps behind Jed and Abbey; one step behind Matt and Helen. Sitting here, on this helicopter, Donna realised that, this time, they were the visiting dignitaries.
Once upon a time, she’d sat there in her little corner of the bullpen, outside Josh’s office, dreaming of going with him when he went off abroad. Now here she was, heading to one of the most important and prestigious international events of the year, and it was both exciting and terrifying.
“I think that’s the hotel.” Josh said, breaking into her thoughts.
Donna leant across him to look out of the window on his side.
The Intercontinental Hotel looked like a giant golden beehive nestled on the side of the mountain, surrounded, what looked like completely, by snow covered spruces. Beyond it was a lake fed by a river that snaked through the valley on one side and off into the alpine peaks on the other. Below them the town lay nestled in the snowy valley. It almost didn’t look real.
Donna breathed deeply to calm herself. Josh smiled at her and took her hand.
The helicopter descended towards the helipad in front of the hotel.
—
“This is nice.” Donna commented.
“Yeah.” Josh agreed, momentarily looking up from the file he was reading to watch her move around the suite. They were in the sitting room but the suite also had a bedroom with king sized bed, a bathroom and a kitchen.
“I mean, I expected spectacular and it’s not that, but it’s nice.” Donna continued as she dropped her purse onto the couch. “It’s very modern.”
Josh laughed.
“You were expecting something a little more olde worlde?” He smiled at her.
“Frankly, yes. We’re in the Alps. I guess I thought it’d be like a wood chalet with a log fire.” She replied. “Still it beats some of the hotel rooms we’ve stayed in.” The smile she sent him back was a little twisted.
He put the file down on the coffee table and went over to her.
“I don’t know,” He said as he pulled her closer. “I have some very, very fond memories from a few of them.”
“Do you now?” She asked as she brought her arms up to rest on his shoulders.
He nodded solemnly.
“Although some of the beds were terrible.” He flattened his hands against her back and let them slider lower. “Do you think this place might have a good bed?”
“A nice modern hotel like this?” She smiled slowly. “I imagine it has wonderful beds.” The look in his eyes stole her breath. “Strong, new springs.”
“Just the right amount of bounce?” He asked, dropping his head towards hers.
“Certainly, in the interests of science, we should….”
She didn’t get to finish the sentence.
—
Donna, sat on the bed with the sheet wrapped around her, looked down at the pass in her hand and then over at the one Josh had just thrown down next to her.
“How come yours is white with a hologram and mine’s just white?” She asked.
Josh looked from the file he was reading to the pass lying on the bed. He’d made it as far as putting on some boxers and a vest.
“I don’t know.” He shrugged and then flipped ahead through the file. “Oh. White means a special guest of the event, and the hologram is access for the IGWEL.”
“The Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders?”
“Yeah.” He looked over at her.
“So my badge makes me a special guest?” She asked cheerfully.
“No.” He replied. “The white badge with the hologram means that. And a regular delegate would be a white badge with a blue stripe at the bottom, which might also have a blue dot.”
“What’s the dot?”
“It says ‘strategic partners’, which I assume means paid a ton of money because it seems to give access to some kind of VIP room.” He shrugged.
“So what does my badge mean?”
Josh read on and frowned.
“Josh?” Donna asked. “What does my badge mean?”
He licked his lip as he looked back over at her.
“It means, um, spouse. “ He said sheepishly.
“Spouse?” Donna echoed.
“You didn‘t read up on this?” He asked, surprised.
“I read up on Davos.” She replied. “I can tell you that Davos is a municipality in the district of Prättigau, in the canton of Graubünden, in Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 11,211. It’s located on the Landwasser River, in the Swiss Alps, between the Plessurand Albula mountain ranges. At 5,120 ft, it’s the highest city in Europe.” She paused for breath. “I can also tell you that World Economic Forum is a Swiss nonprofit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva. Once a year they host a meeting that brings together top business leaders, international political leaders, selected intellectuals, and journalists to discuss the most pressing issues facing the world.”
“Well, that’s a mine of useless information.” He commented with a smile.
“My badge really just means ‘spouse’?” She pouted.
“It could be worse.” He smiled reassuringly. “It could be orange.”
“What’s orange for?”
“Press… and that doesn’t let you go anywhere.”
—
Donna wasn’t sure she’d ever seen so many diamonds. Groups of people sat, lounged and chatted with a bewildering array of accents cutting through the air. Women with perfectly coiffed hair and nails like talons wandered by.
It was early evening and this party – in the Studio Grigio on the top floor of the Intercontinental – wasfor the IGWEL delegates. Although, at the moment, those delegates were still at the opening meeting of the forum, so right now it was just the spouses and their entourages.
Donna was only now realising that she probably should have brought one.
“It’s amazing who you can find at a jet set party in the Alps these days.”
Donna spun around at the sound of the familiar voice coming from behind her.
“Danny!” She exclaimed. “I didn’t know you guys were coming.” They exchanged a hug and cheek kisses.“Is C.J. here?”
He smiled ruefully and fiddled with his plain white badge.
“Yeah,” He said sheepishly. “But she’s got a golden ticket.”
Donna let her shoulders sag.
“So her and Josh are off talking to the important people.” She said. “While we get stuck with the entourages.”
“Yeah.” He sighed.
They stood side by side and watched the glittering party goers laughing and chatting around them for a long, silent moment.
“Wanna see how loaded we can get on the free drinks?” He broke the silence to ask cheerfully.
“A most excellent plan.” Donna agreed.
He offered his arm. She hooked hers around it with a smile and they started towards the bar.
“That magnum of Cristal is a little horrifying.” He said, referring to the bottle sat on the end of the bar.
“That’s not a magnum. It’s a jeroboam.” Donna informed him. “Three metric litres of champagne.”
“That’s obscene.”
“You think the size is obscene, you better not ask how much it costs…”
—
It was the meeting that never seemed to end.
They’d long ago finished talking about anything even vaguely substantive but Russian oligarch Bogdan Anasenko would not stop talking. Josh had very much stopped listening.
He surreptitiously glanced at his watch. 8:53. He’d told Donna that the meeting would end at 8. He hoped she was doing okay. She was usually pretty resourceful at keeping herself entertained but hestill wished that he was with her.
He glanced around the table again. For an informal meeting, the seating was pretty business-like. Across the table he spotted C.J. trying to hide a yawn and smiled in her direction. She rolled her eyes. He grimaced in solidarity.
They hadn’t noticed each other soon enough to sit together but it had been a lovely surprise to look over and see her sitting at the table.
Finally it looked as though Anasenko was finishing up. As soon as was okay to do so, Josh was on his feet and heading towards her.
“Mi amore!” She enthused as she wrapped him in a welcoming hug.
He reciprocated it with a squeeze and a kiss on the cheek.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes.” He told her as he moved back.
“Likewise.” She replied warmly. “This is your first time, right?”
“Yeah.” He said. “Some of us have been too busy running countries to come to shindigs like this.”
“Trust me.” She said, stepping close again. “If this wasn’t such a vital place to meet people, I wouldn’t be here.”
He frowned at her. She waved a hand dismissively, and reached into her bag for her phone to turn it back on.
“Is Danny here?” He asked instead of asking her to follow up on that. He’d gotten the message and would ask her more later.
“Yeah.” She smiled. “He’s over at the party already.”
“So’s Donna.” Josh said. “I wonder if they found each other.”
C.J’s phone beeped. She checked the screen, snorted a laugh and held it up for him.
// Hey babe. Found Donna. Free booze! Drinking it ALL. xx //
“That was from an hour ago.” She said ruefully.
“We’d better hurry and get over there, before they cause an international incident.” He replied offering her his arm.
—
Danny had disappeared off to the restroom, with the intention of hitting up the bar again on the way back, which left Donna alone for a few minutes. She sipped at the last of her drink and tried to look casual standing on her own. She hung at the periphery of two groups.
From one side:
“Darling, the house prices in London can only go up…”
From the other:
“Scalia is such a pig, and such a cheapskate. He knew I wanted the Caravaggio, not the Van Dyck…”
From in front of her:
“Mrs Lyman?”
It took Donna a moment to realise she was being directly addressed. The woman stood there was tiny but perfect. Her white blonde hair was curled into flawless ringlets. Her red silk gown clung to her tiny waist and obviously augmented breasts. Her diamonds were more subtle than most here.
“Yes, I’m Donna Lyman.” Donna said.
“Estela San Just. Pleasure to meet you.” The voice held an accent she couldn’t quite place and she’d venture that English wasn’t her first language.
“Likewise.” Donna smiled.
“This is your first visit to Davos?” Estela asked.
“Yes.” Donna smiled. “But it’s lovely.”
“It is cold.” She replied and Donna smiled.
“Yes, it is cold.”
“Thankfully there are many ways to warm up, yes?”
Donna fought to keep her eyes from widening as she wondered whether she was being propositioned.
“Um, yes.” She said. “I’m told the hot chocolate is something that works.” She deflected.
Estela smiled a strange smile.
“I see your husband on television.” She said.
Donna tried not to frown at the change of tack.
“He often is.” She replied.
“It is best to be honest in these situations, you agree?” Estela asked. “To avoid misunderstandings.”
“Situations?” Donna echoed.
“I wished to enquire to your arrangements with your husband?”
“Arrangements?” Donna asked, puzzled.
“For the fucking.”
Donna had picked the wrong moment to finish the last of her drink. She nearly spat it across the room.
“Excuse me?” She asked as soon as she could breathe.
“He is powerful man. They often have needs beyond confines of simple marriage, yes.” She shrugged. “Many wives have, arrangements for how far they let them go.” She smiled and shrugged again. “Better to let them… play, yes, in limits, not face messy divorce and breaking in new one.”
Donna stared at her, completely lost for words.
—
“Hey handsome.” C.J. said as she walked up to her husband at the bar. “Are you sozzled beyond all hope?”
Danny turned, placed a loose arm around her waist, leant in and gave her a quick kiss.
“Lightly toasted.” He informed her. He looked over at Josh. “Hey.” He said. “How was your first meeting in the playground of the damned?”
“I’ve had more interesting bowel movements.” Josh confided.
Danny chuckled.
“Wait for the IGWEL proper. I’m told that’s where the really interesting things happen.”
It was C.J’s turn to laugh.
“No, that would be the oligarch’s parties.” She stated with a smile. “For those, you strap in and try not to keep up.”
Danny handed her a shot of something dark purple. He turned back to the bar, picked another one up and handed it to Josh.
“What’s this?” He asked as he took it.
“Some kind of herbal schnapps.” Danny answered. “Local speciality.”
C.J. downed hers, winced and demanded another one. Josh tentatively sipped it.
“Woah!” He said. “What the hell is this?”
“Nobody knows.” Danny grinned as he knocked his back and handed C.J. another one from the bar. “Just drink it.”
Josh handed it back to him.
“I’ll just have a beer.”
“Suit yourself.” Danny replied and turned back to the bar to order one.
“Where’s Donna?” Josh asked.
Danny gestured further into the room. Josh spotted Donna talking to an unfamiliar woman.
He left C.J. and Danny at the bar and headed over towards them. He walked up behind Donna but, before he could open his mouth to announce his presence, she started talking to the woman again.
“As much as I do admire your commitment to sexual liberation, and have nothing in principle against the concept of open marriages, if they’re mutually agreed upon, my arrangement with my husband is that he’s unavailable to outside parties.”
Josh came to an abrupt halt, his eyebrows going sky high. She hadn’t finished.
“Just to be clear, that means unavailable for affairs, liaisons, trysts, attachments, assignations, flings, intrigues, and long walks in secluded areas where international relations could be construed in any way as a euphemism for sexual activity.” She ticked them off on her fingers.
The woman’s mouth quirked into a smile as her gaze shifted languidly from Donna’s to Josh’s, over her shoulder.
“Perhaps we ask him for his thoughts on the matter?” She said.
—
As Madame San Just’s gaze shifted to a point over her left shoulder and her words sunk in, Donna froze. Before she could turn to look at him, an arm suddenly snaked around her waist and gently pulled her backwards until she was pressed against a hard, warm body.
“Oh I think my wife covered it pretty well.” Josh’s voice said close to her ear.
Donna turned her head to look at him and saw a distinctly self-satisfied smirk on his face.
“Hey.” He said.
“Hey.” She breathed.
His other hand came up and cupped her face. She’d punish him for that smirk later. For now she was too arrested by the look in his eyes. He leant forward and kissed her softly but possessively.
She wanted more than that – she was publicly staking her claim – so she turned in his arms, wound her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
—
“Should we throw some ice over them?” Danny asked as he and C.J. walked up to them a few moments later.
The other woman had rolled her eyes and walked off.
Oblivious, Josh and Donna carried right on kissing.
“I was thinking more along the lines of snowballs.” C.J. replied seriously. “We are in Switzerland; a land of snow.”
“Nice touch.” Danny acknowledged with a smile.
“I don’t get paid the big bucks to think small.” She replied with a philosophical shrug.
“You earn every penny.” He said, toasting her with his drink.
They turned back to Josh and Donna, who were still kissing.
“Do you think they’ve forgotten where they are?” C.J. puzzled. “Should we poke them or something?”
“I think there’s a good chance they’re gonna do some poking of their own if we don’t do something quickly!”
C.J. cast him a pointed look for that remark and he smirked back at her. She shook her head with a fond smile and stepped forward towards their friends.
“Josh?” She said softly. “Donna?” No response.
“You’re not doing it right.” Danny said as he stepped forward.
He dipped a finger into his glass, pulled out an ice cube, leant forward and stuck it down Josh’s collar.
“Holy Mary, mother of..!” Josh exclaimed as he jumped back from Donna.
It was C.J’s turn to smirk.
“Whada’ya know, ice was the right call.” She commented.
“Big is good,” Danny grinned. “But sometimes small is all you need.”
“So you keep telling me.” C.J. replied dryly. He sent her a mock glare, causing her to grin.
“What the hell, Danny?!” Josh demanded as he tried to fish the ice out.
Donna was smiling sheepishly as she reached over, brushing his hands away from his neck, to help him.
“Sorry old friend.” Danny said. “But you seemed in danger of having sex in front of a room full of world leaders, and I think that party is actually on Sunday night.”
“And, it was too far to go downstairs to get snowballs.” C.J. added. She sipped at a large green cocktail.
Danny nodded cheerfully in agreement.
From underneath Donna’s arm (as she searched for the ice), Josh stared at them as if they’d grown extra heads.
“Josh?” A voice queried.
They all looked up and over at the newcomer.
“Mr Prime Minister!” Josh acknowledged as he disentangled himself from Donna and stood up straight. “Ah!” He exclaimed, as the ice she’d failed to find slid down his spine.
“Are you okay?” Dan Crandell, British Prime Minister, asked, sounding concerned.
“Fine.” Josh said, a little too brightly.
Donna looked away embarrassed, while C.J. and Danny looked away to hide their laughter.
—
“Haha, yeah, yeah.” Josh said dryly as they entered the suite.
“Your face though!” C.J. laughed.
“It all brought a certain chill to the special relationship!” Danny added and the couple broke into gales of – drunken – laughter.
Donna came in behind them trying to hide a smile. Josh turned to her.
“You’re taking it pretty well.” He commented.
“I’m not sure the scene after was more embarrassing than realising we’d been kissing in front of all those people.” She commented.
“And who started that?” He replied.
“It seemed like a good idea at the time!” She smiled wryly. “At least it was probably effective in scaring off any more would be advances.”
“Plus, I think she’s pretty drunk.” Danny added helpfully.
“That’s true.” Donna admitted ruefully.
“Am I the only sensible one here tonight?” Josh demanded testily.
“That couldn’t possibly be true.” C.J. replied, throwing herself dramatically down onto the couch.
—
Josh poured the last of the whiskey from the bottle into his and C.J’s glasses.
He held it up to look at it and frowned. It was a very good bottle of whiskey.
“Where’d we get this bottle?” He asked.
C.J. took the glass he’d pushed back towards her and lounged back in her chair.
“I do believe Danny liberated it from the party.”
She looked fondly over at her husband, who was sat on the chair opposite, snoring lightly.
Josh put the empty bottle back onto the table and picked up his glass. He settled back onto the couch. Donna, curled next to him with her head on his lap, stirred a little at the movement but didn’t wake.
“What did you mean when you said earlier that you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t have to be?” He asked.
C.J. sighed.
“Maybe you haven’t been here long enough yet to see it.” She said. She looked away thoughtfully. “There’s something rotten here Josh. It’s easy to laugh at; it should be laughed at…” She lounged back further, throwing her legs over the arm of the chair. She was very drunk. She gazed at the ceiling. “It’s a boys club, and there’s a lot of money, and it’s all about status.”
“You’ve just described at least half the institutions in the world.” Josh pointed out.
He laughed, but the truth was that her assessment was making him uncomfortable. Even drunk, C.J. was one of the most astute people that he knew.
She turned her head to look at him.
“And, in my observation, that’s largely what’s wrong with the world.” She said seriously.
—
Donna drifted with difficulty up through layers of sleep and alcohol. Lying on her back, she let her head flop to the left and tried opening her eyes. The light was very bright this morning. As her eyes adjusted, she saw Josh lying on his side – dressed already and above the covers – watching and smiling at her. She groaned.
“You look chipper.” She said hoarsely.
“That’s ‘cause I didn’t drink all the alcohol in the world last night.” He replied cheerfully.
She groaned again, closed her eyes and let her head roll back upright.
“Did I do that?” She asked.
He chuckled and it made her head thump.
“Don’t do that.” She grumbled. She half turned towards him again and tentatively opened her eyes. “What time is it? Don’t you have a meeting this morning?”
“It’s 10:15.” He said. “I have brunch with EU representatives at eleven.”
She gave a groan in reply.
“C.J. sent you a message.”
“She’s up already?” Donna asked, surprised.
“She has the constitution of an ox.” He replied. “She’s the one who told me that.” He defended quickly.
“What was the message?”
“There’s some group of business leaders meeting this afternoon. She thought you might like to go with her.”
Donna nodded, then stopped because it also made her head hurt.
“What time?” She asked.
“One. She sent up details. They’re on the nightstand.”
“Okay.”
Things went quiet. Donna could feel him still looking at her. Then she felt him move closer and a questing hand reached for her under the covers, heading south.
“Don’t start something you have no time to finish.” She said. The hand stopped.
She turned her head again and opened one eye to look at him. He was still smiling at her. The hand had come to rest on her hip.
He leant in towards her and she brought a hand up to cover her mouth. She opened her other eye.
“Hungover morning breath.” She said.
He gently but firmly moved her hand away and moved in to kiss her anyway. She sighed heavily as he half lay on her and pushed her down into the pillows to kiss her slowly and languidly. She lifted her tired and leaden arms to drape them around his neck, across this back.
They did that for a while before Donna pulled away and turned to look blearily at the clock on the nightstand. 10:27. She dropped her head back onto the pillow and shut her eyes.
“Time. Time.” She told him. It came out less like the urgent reminder than she’d intended. It was more of a breathy sigh.
He chuckled again, and she felt a firm hand stroke down her body from breast to knee. She arched up off the bed and sighed contentedly. Then she felt him lean forward and press a last soft kiss to her mouth before he finally tore himself away. She pulled the covers more tightly around herself to replace his warmth.
She could hear him moving around the room but she kept her eyes closed against the light.
“Don’t forget to get up for the meeting.” He instructed her from somewhere close by. “I’ve ordered you coffee at twelve. “
She was already drifting off again but she made an agreeing sort of a noise. The gentle kiss to her temple was the last thing she was aware of before sleep claimed her again.
—
Donna wandered into the foyer, where she was due to be meeting C.J. so they could drive over to the Congress Centre together, but C.J. was nowhere in sight.
She checked at the desk that their car was ready and the polite receptionist informed her, in only lightly accented English, that it was and would be brought in front whenever they were ready.
A man who had been standing near the desk caught her gaze as she turned away.
“Off to the Centre?” He asked.
“Yes.” She replied politely.
“For the IGWEL?” He asked.
“No, afraid not.” She replied.
His gaze flicked down to her pass. She actually sensed the change in how he looked at her. She realised that he must have only caught a flash of her pass earlier. Now he’d seen that there was no hologram. He blatantly sized her up and down. She had a distinct feeling that she was being found wanting. He gave her a dismissive look.
She checked out his pass: blue stripe, no dot.
Just then C.J. exited the lift, spotted her and strode over with her usual confident, sexy sway.
“Donna, my dear, glad to see you up.” They shared a quick hug. “I was worried you might be still in bed after the excitement of last night. I thought I might have to coax out from under the sheets. It’s a good thing you’re such an adorable drunk.”
From the corner of her eye, Donna saw the man watching them. His eyes had gone to C.J’s pass – with a hologram – then flicked back to Donna. She could see him drawing the wrong conclusion by the lascivious look which appeared on his face.
Donna also noticed that he seemed to be gearing himself up to come over and try to talk to C.J., so she decided to preempt it and hurried C.J. out of the building.
—
The French Finance Minister kept giving him knowing looks from across the table.
He’d already been told a few times before the meeting that his wife was beautiful. On every occasion, he’d agreed and changed the conversation to the nuclear test ban treaty. Thankfully they’d all taken the hint and they’d gotten down to business, casually discussing trade agreements between the EU and the U.S. over fruit, pastries and coffee.
It was just the French Finance Minister who still kept giving him those looks. He resolutely ignored them and stuck to the topic at hand.
—
Donna was momentarily alone in the room full of sharp suited women. C.J. had walked in with her, but she’d been pulled away almost immediately without having had a chance to introduce Donna to anyone.
They were in one of the smaller conference rooms in the Davos Congress Centre. Of course, small was relative and even this room had an amazing viewing of the mountains.
Donna decided to take things into her own hands and walked up to another women who seemed to also be on the edge of the group.
“Hi.” She opened.
“Hello.” The woman replied with a distinctly posh British accent. “Laura Whist.” She reached out a hand.
“Donna Lyman.” She replied as she shook her hand.
“Is this your first time?” Laura asked.
“Is it that obvious?” Donna smiled conspiratorially.
Laura smiled back.
“Only a slight ‘what the hell have I wandered into’ air about you.”
“What is it you do, Laura?”
“I’m COO of The Feltman Group. We’re an NGO working to bring healthcare to developing countries.”
Donna nodded, impressed.
“And yourself?” Laura asked.
It was at that point that her gaze dropped to Donna’s pass and something in her demeanour changed. It was subtle but Donna felt a distinct chill.
She lifted her chin.
“I’m Chief of Staff to the First Lady of the United States.” She stated.
Laura’s eyes widened slightly and her mouth fell open a little.
“Oh.” She said. Then she smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry, your pass, it’s a silly Davos thing…”
“I’m here with my husband.” Donna smiled.
“Josh and Donna.” Laura blurted suddenly. “I thought you looked familiar. Oh my god.”
Donna raised an eyebrow at her.
“You’re internet famous.” Laura stated with a slight laugh.
“Oh, that.” Donna replied, embarrassed.
“Don’t worry about it. There are much worse things to be, believe me. Come on, let’s get us some coffee and I’ll introduce you to some people…”
—
“Donna?” Josh called as he came into the suite. He dumped his backpack, then shed his coat and his suit jacket over a chair. He started loosening his tie and undoing a couple of buttons on his shirt.
“In here.” She called back and he followed her voice to the bathroom.
He paused in the doorway, arrested by the sight of her in the huge tub, surrounded by mountains of bubbles. She had her eyes closed and was humming a nonsense tune.
A slow smile crept across his face.
“Good day?” He asked as he lounged against the door.
She lazily turned to look at him; propping her arms on the side of the tub and resting her head on them.
“A very good day.” She replied. “I made some interesting contacts. Amy especially’s going to be pleased with some of the groups I think we’ll be able to work with.”
“Well, you know how happy I am when Amy’s happy.” He dead panned.
Donna gave a twisted smile.
“And you?” She asked. “Productive meetings?”
“Usual stuff. Nothing dramatic.” He sagged against the door. “This doesn’t seem like a place for actually making any concrete decisions.”
Donna nodded sagely.
“It’s for making contacts.” She agreed, then sighed. “It’s all about status. You wouldn’t believe some of the condescending looks I get when people see my pass.”
Joss perked back up at that. He stood up straighter.
“It’s like I go down 100 points in their estimation, just because of that thing.” She said sadly.
“I hadn’t noticed that.” He mused.
“That’s because you have the pass everyone dreams of having.” He met her gaze. “You haven’t noticed everyone sucking up to you?”
“I thought they were being all polite and European.” He replied.
Donna shook her head.
“They do it to C.J. too.” She said. “That thing, my love, is gold dust, the brass ring, an all access pass.”
He looked away thoughtfully for a moment. Then his gaze flicked back up to her and the slow smile reappeared.
“All access?” He asked, optimistically. Donna realised that the topic had changed. “Does that include… bath tubs?”
Donna smiled.
“I think we can squeeze you in.” She said. “Let me just check,” She used her hand to mime
looking at a list. “Why yes, your name is on the guest list.”
He walked towards her, shedding clothes as he approached. She watched him with an appreciative smile.
“Where do we have to be tonight?” He asked.
“Bogdan Anasenko is having a party at the Postli Club, but it’s not due to start till ten.” She told him as she moved back to allow him to get into the bath.
He grimaced at the thought of a night with Boring Bogdan, but then sighed as he sank into the warm, lightly scented water next to her. He let his head fall back and closed his eyes. He opened them again and looked around, surprised.
“There’s room for at least one more person in here!” He exclaimed.
“Oh no,” Donna said quickly. “I thought we established last night that I’m not sharing you with anyone. There’s only two names on this guest list.”
—
The burliest of the doormen checked Josh and Donna’s passes before letting them into the building.
Another doorman appeared to take their coats.
Thumping music sounded from inside the venue and Josh frowned.
“Are we sure this is the place?” He asked.
“Hottest ticket in town.” She told him. “Anasenko’s big in gas…”
“So I’ve experienced.” Josh cut in. “Or hot air at least.”
Donna smiled and then carried on.
“He made his money in the voucher-privatisations of Soviet-era factories and infrastructure in the 90’s. Since then he’s expanded his reach globally. They say that most of his money is right here in Switzerland for tax reasons, but he’s got property and assets all around the world. He’s rich on the kind of scale that’s somewhat unimaginable unless you start drawing metaphorical diagrams.”
“Does anybody actually do that?” Josh asked, mocking her gently.
“Do you never surf the internet?” She returned.
“I pay people to do it for me.” He replied, offhand.
“This I believe.” She smiled. “Shall we go in?”
“If we have to.” He agreed reluctantly.
“This is supposed to be fun, Josh.” She reminded him.
They rounded the corner and stepped into the club. They both froze in the doorway, staring wide eyed at the scene before them.
“Dorothy,” Josh stated. “We’re not in Kansas anymore.”
“I’ve never agreed with you more, Toto.” She replied. “Bacchanal is the word that comes to mind.”
“Only to you.” He said. “I was thinking more,” He winced. “High class titty bar.”
“Well, look, it’s Hansel and Gretel!”
They both turned at the sound of C.J’s voice to see her and Danny approaching.
“What ho, my sweet innocents.” She continued. “Welcome to either hell or paradise, I haven’t decided which.”
“Is this normal?” Donna leant forward to ask.
“For Davos?” Danny asked. “This is quite subtle.”
He turned to gesture expansively at the bare breasted waitresses and the ice sculptures of angels with flash-pot blue flames licking at them. Huge bubbles, a foot across, were suddenly released into the air from somewhere in the rafters.
“Oh, that’s nice.” C.J. smiled as one drifted between them.
She reached out and flicked it. It realised pink smoke as it popped.
“Blackcurrant.” Donna commented. “The bubble smells of blackcurrant.” She looked at Josh, her eyes still wide. He shrugged, somewhat at a loss for words.
A waitress appeared in front of them with a tray made of ice. She was bare chested but she wore what looked like a welding glove to hold the tray.
“Champagne?” She offered.
C.J. and Danny enthusiastically took glasses. Donna reluctantly did the same. Josh diverted his eyes as he took the last glass.
The waitress left as quickly as she’d arrived.
“Now,” C.J. gathered them in close. “No matter how tempting it seems, don’t even try to keep up with the drinks they’ll keep bringing, because they will not stop.”
“As learnt from painful experience.” Danny agreed, wincing hard.
“Mr Lyman?” A Russian accented voice asked from behind them.
“Yes.” Josh replied as they all turned to the heavily built man in a dinner suit. He looked unnervingly like the henchman of a Bond villain.
“Mr Anasenko wishes to speak to you.”
Josh was aware that Donna was looking at him with concern, but he wasn’t worried about being summoned by the oligarch via this servile leviathan. He was more worried about being bored by Bogdan for hours whilst the others were out having fun.
Reluctantly he nodded his agreement – he should be polite at least to their host – but, as he started moving, Donna reached out to grab his hand, stopping him. She smiled at him and he leant in to kiss her briefly. He squeezed her hand before he let go
He followed the humongous minion through the crowd across the club.
—
“Mr Lyman.” Anasenko greeted Josh expansively, pulling him into a bear hug and releasing him again a moment later.
He waved away the mountainous lackey who’d brought Josh into this plush back room and turned to a table where there was a bottle of expensive vodka and several glasses.
Josh winced as he watched him fill two glasses to the brim.
—
Donna stood looking in the direction that Josh had disappeared.
“Don’t worry.” Danny said. “He’ll be fine.”
“Of course he will.” C.J. added. “They like to look tough,” She said. “But they’re business men.”
She offered Donna a fresh glass of champagne. She took it but she didn’t look reassured.
“Something’s going on.” She said, frowning.
—
Josh took the glass of vodka and looked at it warily. He cautiously sipped at it. It was kind of alright. A shock to the system, but not completely deadly.
He watched Anasenko knock his glass back in one and winced again. He turned to look at Josh, glancing pointedly at the still full glass. Josh remembered C.J’s warning about not trying to keep up. He looked at Anasenko, and downed the contents of the glass. It burnt like fire but he managed to not cough or gag. He smiled tightly.
Anasenko smiled back, took the glass and started filling it again.
Josh blew out a quiet breath. What the hell had he walked into?
—
C.J. had dragged them all out onto the dance floor and Donna smiled as she watched Danny trying to dance to the thumping dance music. She wasn’t surprised that C.J. could.
She couldn’t get info it herself though. There was something bugging her. She kept looking through the crowd for any sign of Josh returning.
—
“It was quite a show you and your wife gave us last night.” Anasenko said as he gestured Josh into a seat and put another full glass in front of him.
Josh’s spine stiffened.
“She is a very beautiful woman.” Anasenko carried on as he sat down opposite him.
“Yes, she is.” Josh replied, taking the glass, meeting the other man’s eye and knocking it back.
He wasn’t sure what the end game was, but he’d now realised he was involved in some kind of power play here. That he did understand. Suddenly he was taking Boring Bogdan a lot more seriously.
Anasenko moved to fill his glass again, but Josh stopped him by putting a hand over the top.
“I understand that it may be a cultural faux pas,” He said. “But I think I’ve reached my limit.”
Anasenko smiled and chuckled. He put the bottle down.
“Why did you want to see me Mr Anasenko?” Josh asked.
The other man toyed with his own glass, then looked up at him steadily.
“One million US dollars,” He said. “For one night with your wife.”
Josh burst out laughing but then realised that Anasenko was looking at him seriously.
“No.” He told him, with a smile.
“Five million.” Anasenko said smoothly.
“No.” Josh replied, the smile gone.
“Ten.” Anasenko came back immediately.
Josh laughed incredulously.
“No.” He said, enunciating it clearly.
Anasenko looked at him thoughtfully.
“I’ve always thought,” He began. “The measure of a man’s integrity is, not his power or his wealth, but in how he views and deals with women.”
He picked up the bottle and poured Josh another measure. He made no move to stop him this time, he just raised his eyebrows in a question
“If a man treats a women as his property, then he is not to be trusted.”
“This was a test?” Josh asked, his lips curling into a smile.
“You’d be surprised how many men say yes at one million.” Anasenko looked away and grimaced in disgust, but then he looked back at Josh and smiled. “You never even considered it.”
“She’s her own person.” Josh replied. “She’s not my mine to sell.”
Anasenko smiled more broadly at him.
“What’s this really about?” Josh asked. He lounged back in his chair and picked up the glass.
Anasenko leant forward.
“I have evidence that Russian troops committed a war crime in the Sudan.” He said.
“Russia doesn’t have troops in Sudan.” Josh said. “They’ve supplied them weapons but…” He raised the glass to his lips but he stopped when he saw how serious Anasenko looked. He lowered the glass back to the table. “If you have evidence you should take it to the U.N.”
“I can’t do that.” Anasenko said. “I can’t compromise my position. Not even my money will protect me.”
Josh nodded thoughtfully. He reached forward, picked up the vodka again and drank it.
—
“What did he really want?” Donna asked when they were back in their hotel room.
In public, in front of C.J. and Danny, he’d played it cool and said that he’d just wanted to meet him and talk shop, the usual currying of influence. Anasenko had trusted him with this information. He could be putting his life, let alone his position, in danger if anyone found out he had evidence of this.
Josh had always intended to tell Donna, but they weren’t at home or in the White House, he had to be careful.
“He offered me ten million dollars to sleep with you.” He told her.
She looked shocked and opened her mouth to say something. He quickly put his hand to his mouth and subtly, wordlessly, gave her a ‘shush’ gesture. She paused and frowned slightly. Then she put her hands on her hips indignantly.
“You told him no I hope.” She stated.
He crossed the room to the stereo system and put on the radio. He was aware of her watching him as he did it.
“I told him it was too much.” He replied to her. He couldn’t help but smile as he said it.
Behind him, she snorted a laugh.
He flipped through a couple of stations till he settled on something he liked. He turned up the volume.
When he turned back she was standing exactly where she had been before.
“Dance with me.” He said.
She smoothly came over and stepped into his arms. They danced in silence for a minute, cheek to cheek.
“He claims to have evidence of a Russian war crime.” He said very softly next to her ear.
She stiffened slightly, but didn’t miss a beat.
“Do you believe him?” She asked just as quietly.
“I think so.” He replied.
“How do we handle it?” She asked.
“I think I’m gonna need a diplomatic pouch.” He said. “And an excuse for a secure line.”
He felt her hair move against his cheek as she nodded slightly. She turned her head and kissed him.
—
They started the next morning with noisy sex.
Afterwards, naked in each other’s arms, Josh ‘remembered’ that he meant to call Sam for a sit report on a House bill that was up for a vote in a few days.
He lay with his head on her chest, her stroking his back, as he calmly went through pleasantries with Sam. He moved on to the bill and, just as he was about ring off, asked him to get a call set up to the Sit Room with Glenn. He was after an update about troop deployment in Palestine.
Later that day the Secret Service – who had been a more subtle than usual presence for the past few days because of the hyper security that already existed in most of Davos to protect all the delegates from the protestors and the press – upped their security measures and swept their hotel suite throughly. Josh ducked out of forum meetings for a short while to make his call.
Glenn didn’t like it. He reported that they had no intelligence about any such thing happening. He really didn’t like Josh being in the middle of this. Josh told him that he really didn’t care what Glenn liked. This was the situation. He had someone making a serious allegation to him personally and it needed checking out.
Rank having been pulled, Glenn reluctantly agreed to having someone physically courier documents to Josh in a diplomatic pouch via their embassy in Bern, which would need to be sent straight back.
—
Meanwhile, Donna and C.J. had agreed the previous night to going skiing. C.J. was particularly excited. Despite having been here a few times before, Danny wasn’t keen on the idea and so she’d never had an enthusiastic person to go with.
Thanks to Josh, Donna had her own set of equipment but they spent a while fussing around the shops in the town getting C.J. kitted out.
If there was anything wrong, Donna didn’t show it.
Emerging out onto the slopes, they were shocked to find them empty. The instructor informed them that, during the forum, people didn’t much come to the resort to ski. Everything today was working just for them. They were special guests, so every courtesy was extended. Apart from the instructor, the only people on the slopes with them were Donna’s secret service detail.
On pristine pistes, the two women finally learnt to ski.
They fell down a lot.
—
“Donna?” Josh called as he came into the hotel suite.
“In here.” She called back from the bathroom.
He dumped his coat and went straight to her.
As he walked in she was walking from the bathroom to the bed. She was wearing just a t-shirt and panties. That wasn’t what stopped him abruptly in his tracks. He stopped as he noticed her limping.
“How’d it go?” He asked.
She climbed onto the bed and settled against the headboard.
“I was about to ask you the same thing.” She smiled.
He came over and sat down next to her. He reached out to touch her leg and she flinched involuntarily. As he looked up at her, she bit her lip.
“I loved skiing.” She said with a sad smile. “I’m not sure my leg did.”
Josh screwed up his face as he looked away.
“How’d it go?” She asked, firmly changing the subject.
“We’ll get the pouch tonight.” He said, looking at her leg.
“Was it clean?” She asked.
He laid his head down near her knee and reached out to stroke her leg very gently.
“Yes.” He said.
He leant forward and, on one of her scars, he kissed her thigh. She brought a hand up to stroke his hair.
—
Already dressed in his dinner suit, Josh lounged on the bed with his hands behind his head. He glanced over at the clock.
“Donnatella!” He called. “Time is marching on here.” He looked towards the closed bathroom door. “What’re you doing in there?”
“Keep your pants on!” She yelled back. “I’m nearly done.”
He relaxed back again and sighed heavily.
“We’re gonna be late.” He said.
The door clicked open.
“I said keep your pants on.”
A retort was on the tip of his tongue, but then he turned to look at her and it disappeared clean out of his head.
Stood in the doorway, she smiled a little shyly. Her dress was strapless, black velvet, and it clung to every curve down to her knees, where it flared out into a spray of black net. Her hair was pulled up and held with a silver comb, a few strands curled around her face. Diamonds glistened around her neck, at her wrist and at her ears.
Josh sat up, on his elbows, as he watched her walk further into the room.
“Wow.” He said appreciatively.
“Worth the wait?” She asked.
He took a deep breath and stood up. He went over to her and slid an arm around her waist, pulling her closer.
“Mind my lipstick.” She said.
He paused, smiled and then leant forward to kiss her lips very lightly. She smiled again as she reached forward to brush lipstick off his lips with her thumb, their eyes not leaving each other’s.
After an intense moment, his gaze flicked down to her neck.
“This is nice. They look real.” He said as he moved his hand up to run it lightly over the heavily diamond encrusted necklace. His fingers strayed a little across her skin.
“Pro-tip you learn as Chief of Staff to the First Lady.” She smiled and brushed at the shoulder of his jacket. “Turns out the wife of a powerful man attending an important event, can borrow the most amazing things for the night, especially diamonds in Switzerland.”
His eyes widened a little and went back to the necklace as he realised that she was actually wearing thousands of dollars worth of diamonds right now. Then he laughed as something occurred to him.
“You’ve found a way to acquire things, wear them once and take them back without being a criminal?” He smiled.
“Still a girl on a budget, Josh.” She tapped his shoulder. “Come on, aren’t we in danger of being late?”
—
They walked arm in arm into the ballroom. Josh accepted a glass of champagne from the, thankfully fully covered, server who appeared with a perfectly normal silver tray. Donna politely turned it down.
She tapped Josh’s arm and without words pointed out that she’d spotted C.J. and Danny about halfway down the room talking to the Namibian President.
They only made it a few feet in that direction before people started approaching them.
Between the two of them, still arm in arm, they expertly worked the room, charming everyone. Some of the men directed most of their attention initially to Josh, treating Donna as a pretty decoration on his arm, but, between both him and her, they ensured that those people were left in no doubt that Donna could keep up with any discussion. It took them the best part of an hour to get as far as C.J. and Danny.
“Aren’t you two popular this evening?” C.J. smiled as she leant in to kiss Donna on the cheek.
She turned and did the same to Josh, as Danny greeted Donna.
“How’s your leg?” She asked Donna.
“I’m on a certain quantity of painkillers right now.” She admitted discretely, grimacing a little.
“We won’t be staying late tonight I’m afraid.” Josh said, tightening his grip on her arm and smiling at her. She smiled back and rubbed his hand.
C.J. inclined her head at them as she only then noticed that Josh was, very discretely, taking Donna’s weight as she minimised how much she was putting on her leg.
“How was your lunch?” Donna asked Danny.
“Like returning to Earth after a year on the Moon.” He smiled.
Josh looked at them, his face a question.
“Danny jumped the fence today.” Donna told him as she sipped at the glass of orange juice that she’d acquired earlier.
Josh frowned harder, none the wiser.
“I had lunch with an old friend from the Washington Post.” Danny explained.
Josh made a face that showed he now understood.
“You made it outside the barrier?” He raised his glass to lips. “And they let you back in?” He was smiling as he drank.
Danny acknowledged the friendly insult with an appropriately hard look. Josh grinned.
“The view really is pretty different from the outside.” Danny said.
“Less Cristal and canapés?” C.J. joked.
“There are a lot more protesters this year.” Danny told them.
“The protesters do have a point.” Donna said. “We’ve witnessed an obscene amount of showing off of wealth in the past couple of days.”
“Says the woman wearing an obscene amount of diamonds right now.” Josh commented without thinking.
Donna put her hands to her throat, aghast.
“I’m turning into part of this!” She exclaimed softly. “Oh my god, I suck.”
Josh smiled at her apologetically. She’d been so happy about the diamonds and he could see that he’d well and truly burst her bubble.
He wanted to whisk her away and make it right, but it was that moment when Bogdan Anasenko walked up to join their group.
“Mr Lyman.” He reached out his hand with a big, friendly smile.
“Mr Anasenko.” Josh smiled politely and shook his hand. “This is my wife, Donna.” He introduced and they shook hands. “C.J. Cregg.” They shook hands. “And Danny Concannon.” They shook hands.
“Pleasure to meet you.” Anasenko said. “I was wondering if I might have the honour of dancing with Mrs Lyman?” He addressed it to her.
Josh quirked his lips. He looked at Donna too. She flicked her gaze to him for a moment, then back to Anasenko.
“It would be my pleasure.” She replied.
Josh let go of her arm and she took Anasenko’s instead. He led her to the dance floor. Josh calmly watched them.
C.J. sidled up closer to him.
“Donna’s dancing with another man and you’re not freaking out.” She said. “Are you growing as a person?” She smiled.
“I’m screaming internally.” Josh replied, as he flashed her a quick smile.
He turned back to watch Donna and Anasenko.
—
Anasenko smiled at her as they reached a clear spot on the dance floor. She smiled politely back at him. It was busy out here, but not packed.
He took his left hand out of his pocket and took her right hand with it. Donna didn’t react, even though she felt the flash drive pressing against her palm.
They started dancing.
“Is it true you offered my husband ten million dollars?” She asked.
Anasenko laughed.
“He never even thought about it before he turned me down.” He replied looking at her seriously. She smiled genuinely.
“You should have offered him bagels.” She said wryly. “I’m pretty sure he’d sell me for a couple of dozen of those.”
Anasenko laughed, and they danced.
—
Josh took a deep breath and winced as he watched them. They seemed to be laughing far too much for his liking.
He impatiently waited for the music to pause and, as soon as it did, he was heading in their direction.
They were standing, hands still touching, and smiling at each other, so Josh pointedly tapped Anasenko on the shoulder. He moved back as soon as he saw who it was.
Donna curled her right hand into a light fist and dropped it to her side as they let go hands.
“Thank you Mrs Lyman, Mr Lyman.” Anasenko said sincerely.
“Your welcome.” Donna said. Josh just nodded.
Anasenko walked away and Josh stepped in front Donna and held up his hands. She stepped closer, taking his right hand and then his left. He met her eyes as he felt the flash drive against his palm.
He immediately looked away again.
“You guys were laughing a lot.” He said, his tone vaguely accusatory, as they started dancing.
“He offered me twenty bucks to sleep with you.” She replied.
He looked back at her with raised eyebrows and laughed.
“I said he should just try getting you drunk again.” She continued, deadpan. “You’re pretty easy.”
He pulled her closer with a smile and they danced cheek to cheek for a minute.
“How’s your leg?” He asked.
“Killing me.” She confided, through gritted teeth.
“Okay.” He said softly. “Time to get out of here.”
He moved back and their eyes met. She stumbled and slipped. He immediately caught her. She let go of his left hand and he briefly stuck it into his pocket, then brought it back out to hold her again.
C.J. and Danny rushed over. Donna assured them that she was fine and Josh took control, insisting that was enough for her for the night. He fended off well wishers on the way out.
—
Josh helped out Donna of the car in front of the hotel. She winced genuinely as her feet touched the ground. He put his arm around her to help her into the building.
“Not far to go.” He reassured her.
As they passed the concierge desk they were met by a man and informed that there was courier for Josh with important documents. He instructed them to bring it up to the suite.
They got into the elevator and, after the doors had closed, Josh went down on his knees and helped her remove her shoes.
She sagged with her hands on his shoulders, let her head fall forwards and gave a deep sigh of relief. He looked up at her, smiling.
“Seriously, that’s all it takes to get you to make that noise?” He asked. “I’ve been doing it the hard way!”
She hit him on the arm, but she was smiling.
“Josh!” She said,
He stood up and threw an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close and supporting her at the same time.
—
They’d only just entered the suite – Donna had headed to the bedroom, Josh had paused to read messages – when there was knock on the door.
Josh answered it to find a man carrying a heavy looking bag. He invited him in. From inside the bag the man offered him a thick envelope with prominent US State Department seals.
“This’ll only take a minute.” He told him. “And I’ll need you to take it back right away.”
Josh opened the envelope and pulled out a single piece of paper. He read it, then put it on a table, grabbed a pen, wrote something on it and dropped it back in. He turned away slightly as he took the flash drive from his pocket, and coolly dropped it into the envelope.
He re-sealed it and handed it back to the man.
“Straight back to Bern.” He smiled.
The man nodded and left.
Josh closed the door, then turned to rest against it. He closed his eyes and blew out a long breath.
—
Josh walked into the bedroom.
“I’m not sure I’m cut out for this life of intrigue and deception.” He said. “I guess I’ll just have to stick to my boring life of international diplomacy and running a country.”
His grin faded when he saw Donna standing by the dresser looking sadly at her borrowed diamond necklace, now back in its box.
“Hey.” He said as he went to her and put his arms around her from behind. “I’m sorry I ruined it for you.”
She wrapped her arms around his arms.
“You didn’t ruin it.” She said. “I got carried away.”
He bent forward and kissed her shoulder, then dotted kisses along her collarbone, towards her neck. She let her head fall to side to give him better access.
“Your neck doesn’t need diamonds to be beautiful.” He said as he kissed her throat.
“You’re worth more than twenty bucks.” She replied.
“I am easy though.” He said. “But only for you.”