Fires of Autumn (23 page)

“Good
morning, Special Agent Sheridan,” she said as she took her seat.

Colt
glanced up from his computer. “Good morning,” he replied, winking at her
because no one could see them.

She
grinned and sat down, booting up her computer and picking up the dead flower
petals from the two enormous bouquets of flowers that still sat on her desk. 
She tossed them in the trash and tidied up a bit, putting the flowers behind
her and starting the coffee Machine.

Even
though it was just the two of them in the small office space, neither one of
them said a word as they went to work. People wandered in and out to see Casey
all of the time, so Colt kept focused on his work, every so often glancing over
to see who she was talking to or what she was doing. It was very difficult not
to strike up a conversation with her but he didn’t want anything to be
overheard or, worse, the rumors she feared so much to get started.  So he was
content to watch her on occasion, hearing her voice on the phone and knowing
she was only a few feet away from him.  It was the best thing he could ask for.

Around
mid-morning, Lisanne came over Casey’s intercom.  “Casey?”

Casey was
busy with some of the President’s personal investment statements from boxes she
had brought out of storage the week before, but she hit the intercom button.
“Yes?”

“Senator
Dane is here to see you. Can I send him back?”

Startled,
Casey instinctively looked at Colt, who was gazing steady at her.  “Uh…,” Casey
stammered. “Sure.”

The
intercom went dead and Casey put the papers aside, going to stand in the
doorway of Colt’s office.  He was still looking at her, a twinkle in his eye.

“What do I
do?” she hissed.

He fought
off a grin.  “I don’t know, but it’s going to be interesting to watch.”

She
puckered her lips angrily at him, although it was without force. “You’re a lot
of help.”

His grin
broke through. “What do you want me to do?”

She shook
her head. “Nothing,” she said, turning away. “I’ll figure it out.”

He stood
up and went to his office door, watching as she sat down. “I love you,” he
whispered. “Maybe that will help.”

She broke
into a reluctant smile, forcing it from her lips when she heard footsteps
approach from the hall.  Colt went back to his desk and sat down just about the
time Scott Dane came through the door to Casey’s office.

He was
dressed in an expensive suit and expensive overcoat, his salt-and-pepper hair
carefully combed.  He smelled heavily of expensive aftershave as he came in to
the office, smiling at Casey.

“Good
morning,” he said. “Sorry to barge in on you like this.”

Casey
forced a smile, folding her hands neatly on the desk top. “No problem,
Senator,” she said. “It’s always nice to see you.”

Scott’s
smile grew; he had been carefully planning this moment since he sent the
flowers last week, planning what he was going to say, what he was going to
wear, how he was going to behave.  He hadn’t asked a woman out in almost twenty
years, so he was nervous but hoped it didn’t show. He’s asked his
twelve-year-old son for advice but that had been a mistake; he wasn’t sure
bubble gum lip gloss and candy were going to work, not with a woman of Casey’s
star magnitude. He’d have to make his own way.

“Thanks,”
he said. “I was just on my way to the capitol building and thought I’d stop
by.”

Casey
smiled pleasantly. “How can be of assistance?”

Scott
could see, at least peripherally, that they were alone. “Is the President in?”

Casey
shook her head. “No,” she replied. “He’s flying in to Andrews at noon. Do you
need to meet with him?”

“No,”
Scott replied. “Wasn’t he in New Mexico?”

“Yes.”

“You
didn’t go with him?”

“I did,”
Casey nodded. “But a family emergency brought me back early.”

“Oh,”
Scott looked concerned. “I hope everything is okay.”

She
nodded. “It’s fine,” she replied. “My son was in a skateboard accident, but
he’s going to be fine.  Now, what can I do for you today?”

“I’m sorry
to hear that. How old is your son?”

Casey
could see that he wanted to talk, which irked her a little. She really didn’t
want to chat with the man, nice though he might be.

“He’s
eight,” she replied. “Boys are tough, you know. They just bounce back. Anyway,
I’m sure you’re really busy this morning, Senator, so how can I help you?”

Scott
could see she wasn’t up to a big conversation, which disappointed him.  He
opened his mouth to speak but noticed his flowers on the back of her desk near
the window.  He also noticed a second arrangement of big red roses, wilting. 
His disappointment grew.

“Well,” he
scratched his neck in a somewhat nervous gesture. “I… well, I apologize if this
is inappropriate. I’m certainly not trying to be.  But, well, I offered to take
you out to dinner when I sent those flowers and your very nice Thank-You note
didn’t say anything about the dinner offer. I was just stopping by to see if we
could make arrangements.”

Casey was
starting to feel sorry for him. It had obviously taken a good deal of courage
to ask her and she appreciated that. She hated to shoot him down but there
wasn’t an alternative.  She certainly wasn’t going to go out with him.

“The
flowers and the dinner invitation are very sweet,” she said, standing up and
coming out from behind her desk, “but I wanted to decline in person. I don’t
feel that something like that is appropriate in writing, so I’m glad you came
by.  As flattered as I am, I’m afraid I can’t.”

“Oh,”
Scott tried not to look too disappointed. “Okay… well, uh, I hope it’s not
something I said.”

She
smiled. “Of course not,” she said quietly. “I’m seeing someone.”

Realization
dawned and although he was still very disappointed, Scott felt much relief at
the fact that there was a solid reason behind her declination.  It wasn’t
because she didn’t find him an attractive prospect. His ego was intact.

“Oh,” he
said again, finally understanding everything. “In that case, I’m really sorry
if I made you uncomfortable. That wasn’t my intention. I had no idea you were
seeing anyone.”

Her smile
broadened. “That’s okay,” she said. “I’m really flattered by your offer.  If I
wasn’t already involved, I’m sure it would have been a different answer.”

Scott
wriggled his eyebrows. “Then I’ve never wanted to get rid of someone so badly
in my entire life.”

Casey
laughed softly. “I don’t know,” she said warningly. “He’d be pretty difficult to
get rid of.”

Scott
grinned, aware that there was no longer any reason for him to be there and
starting to feel a bit awkward.  He began to back out of her office.

“Well,” he
said. “I guess you can’t blame a guy for trying.”

“Of course
not. Thank you for the consideration. I’m truly flattered.”

He just
grinned, still backing away. “Good luck, then.”

“Thank
you.”

“If it
doesn’t work out, you’ll let me know?”

She
giggled. “Sure. But don’t hold your breath.”

His grin
broadened and, with a short and embarrassed wave, left her office completely
and disappeared down the hall.  Casey stood there a moment, watching him go,
until he disappeared around the corner.  When she turned around, Colt was
standing behind her. Their eyes met and he smiled.

“That was
very classy, Ms. Cleburne,” he said softly. “You are a woman of tact and
kindness.”

She
crossed her arms, gazing up at him. “I just didn’t want to hurt his feelings.”

Colt shook
his head. “I don’t think you did,” he said. “Thank God I didn’t get that speech
from you when I asked you out. I would have crawled into a corner and cried.”

She
grinned, turning back for her desk. “I’m almost finished here,” she said. “Can
you take me to the hospital in a little while?”

“Yes,” he
nodded, heading back for his desk. “I’ll be ready to go in a minute.”

Casey sat
back down and starting filing her papers away.  Colt was still standing up
behind his desk, looking at the computer screen.

“Can you
come here a moment?” he asked.

Casey
looked up from her files. “What do you need?”

“I want to
show you something.”

Casey put
her files away and stood up, going over to his desk. “What is it?”

He was
still looking at the computer screen. “Come around here and I’ll show you.”

Obediently,
she rounded the desk and went to stand next to him.  The moment she did, he
threw her into a bear hug and kissed her deeply.  Shocked, Casey tried to pull
away from him for about two seconds before giving in to his power and lust. 
Tongues tasted and plundered.  Then, she put her hands on his chest and tried
to push him away.

“Colt,”
she hissed. “Stop it. Let me go.”

“Why?” his
lips were on her cheek, her earlobe. “No one’s around.”

“Someone
could walk in at any moment,” she insisted, pushing at his chest as he nuzzled
her neck. “Please, Colt. Let go.”

He kissed
her one last time before doing as she asked.  Casey stepped away from him,
straightening her skirt and wiping at her mussed lipstick.  She frowned at him
as he grinned.

“You
know,” she said, “for a man whose life depends on caution, you seem kind of
reckless about this.”

His smile
didn’t waver. “That’s because I know the limits,” he said. “No one is near your
office. No one is even close.  A five second kiss isn’t going to hurt anything
unless, of course, you don’t want me to do it.”

Her
expression turned both soft and petulant, an odd combination. “I always want
you to do it,” she whispered. “I’m just scared to death we’ll get caught.”

He grinned
and opened his desk drawer, pulling out his wallet, keys, cell phone and his
radio. 

“We’re not
going to get caught,” he muttered, putting stuff in his pockets and collecting
his Ipad.  He began to focus on the task at hand. “I will be at Andrews until
Air Force One lands.  After that, the President will be at the Hyatt Regency
for a luncheon and photo op with the National Association of Farm Workers.”

Casey was
nodding before he finished his sentence. She knew the President’s schedule
intimately, as did Colt.

“I know,”
she said. “I sent him an email to let him know I’d be with Brody this
afternoon, so he’ll be winging this one without me. He’s supposed to be home
tonight, or at least there’s nothing scheduled, and then tomorrow he’s going to
be talking to returning troops at Andrews.”

Colt was
nodding as she spoke, pulling on his suit coat.  He fumbled with the collar but
Casey came to the rescue and straightened it.  “I know his schedule,” he
replied. “He’s going to be in the office the rest of the week.”

Casey
nodded, turning around so she could go collect her purse.   Colt came out of
his office, putting his wallet in his pocket and checking his smart phone to
check the status of the President’s flight.

“I will
meet you over in front of the parking structure,” he told her. “I’ll see you
over there in a few minutes, okay?”

She
nodded, gazing up at him. “I’ll be there. Just let me shut my computer off.”

Colt
winked at her and bugged out of the office.  As he was heading down the
corridor that led to the lobby, Scott Dane suddenly appeared from the lobby,
heading back in the direction of the President’s office. He nodded at Colt as
he passed him and, as much as Colt wanted to turn around and follow him, he
maintained his course and headed out of the west wing.  He did, however, slip
around the side once he got outside to look in the windows to see where the man
had gone.

He saw him
talking to Casey.

CHAPTER NINE

Colt was
waiting for Casey in front of the parking structure when she crossed the
street, arms heavy with purses and briefcases.  He unlocked the door as she
approached, taking her briefcase from her when she opened the door and handed
it in.  He put it in the backseat as she climbed in and closed the door. As she
settled in, he pulled away from the curb.

“Are you
going to be home tonight?” he asked as they pulled up to the red light.

She popped
in her seatbelt.  “One way or the other,” she replied.  “I’m really hoping I
can bring Brody home this afternoon.  Hopefully I’ll be hanging out with all of
my boys tonight.”

He looked
over at her. “All of them?”

She smiled
at him. “Aren’t you coming over? You stood me up last night.”

He
suppressed a grin. “Am I invited?”