Loving the Candidate (Capitol Affairs #2) (21 page)

Chapter 24

The scene was different from the first time I’d watched him give a speech. This time he needed to win America over. This time it was a speech to impress, and to accept the nomination. The crowd stood on their feet, cheering and clapping. It was pandemonium in the filled-to-capacity arena.

“Thank you so much. Thank you,” he said and waited for the crowd to settle. There were at least five minutes of constant screaming.

“Thank you, Senator Baxter, for the introduction. Thank you to the great state of Virginia. I’m so proud to be representing you, my country, my state, and my party. To this great country with so much gratitude and happiness, I, Alex William Conrad, accept your nomination for president of the United States.”

I looked out and saw 75,000 people cheering for my husband. He thanked his top guys and thanked everyone who worked their butts off to get him where he was.

“Thank you to Senator Esposito, the next vice president of the United States, and a man who has had my back for years. I love you, man.” Alex pointed at Esposito.

“Thank you to the most beautiful redhead in the world and the woman who has honored me by being my wife. She is the love of my life, and the reason I’m standing up here tonight. Thank you to the next first lady, Prudence Conrad.” A camera pointed at me as I smiled and blew him a kiss. The crowd stood up, faced me and clapped, chanting my name.

“Recently, my wife, and your soon-to-be first lady, had a bit of news for me. News I have been waiting to hear for a long time. This news is … ” He stopped. He choked up in front of America.

“This news will be here in about five months … ”

The crowd went crazy. I blew him another kiss as the cameras focused on me. Tears streamed down my face; I knew it meant the world to him. Senator Esposito’s wife grabbed my hand and squeezed it.

“I love you so much, Prudence.”

Right after that, I was told to go backstage. I was to wait for him to finish his speech and they would tell me when to go out.

“Four years ago, I stood here giving the Keynote speech. My parents came from nothing, and my father worked his way into the Senate. My mother was happy being a mother and a wife. She woke up every morning with a smile on her face, doing what she loved. They taught me to work hard no matter what, and that nothing was out of reach. They dreamed of me going to the best school, and it came true. They imagined me being a lawyer, and it came true. I don’t know if they ever imagined me becoming a U.S. Senator, but I think they would be proud. They came from simple beginnings, but they taught me I could be whatever I wanted to if I wanted it bad enough. They told me to go to sleep imagining what I wanted to be and one day I would be living it. I wanted to be a cowboy. I’m still waiting for that to happen.”

The crowd started cheering and laughing. I could hear the women whistling. Alex smiled, and I knew he had the crowd right where he wanted them.

“Tonight we gather to affirm the greatness of our country. We are still traumatized by the war, by the memories of 9/11, and by thoughts that our economy will never be the same, but we have persevered and have come through stronger than we were before. What our country stands for seems to have been forgotten by the present administration. We don’t need that for another four years. We didn’t become who we are by accident or by luck. Generations before us believed that with hard work we could have anything. That is what America was built on, and what keeps us strong and the best damn country in the world.” More cheering and clapping.

“The people I meet all over don’t expect handouts. They know the true America was built on hard work and perseverance. Yes, times can be tough, but that is why we are so strong. We know how to get through the tough times and we don’t stop. We are Americans. I meet these people every day, each with a different story and a different dream. They only want a fair chance.”

“I believe in the America our parents and our grandparents once knew. An America we know is coming back. I believe in the freedom that made our country the great place it was built on. I met a man named Steven on one of my trips across the country. He was a handsome young man with big dreams and a family that loved him dearly. He told me he’d served three tours in Iraq and each time he came back, he thanked God. And each time he came back, he wanted to go back to serve his country. This last time, he lost two legs and an arm, but he is still proud of his country and still a man. He told me, ‘Alex, I would go over there if I could.’ If he could go over there with missing limbs, he would go and fight for his country again. We have an obligation to take care of our soldiers when they get back, to never turn our backs on them. To provide them with health care and services to get them back in the world to be productive citizens. Let me be clear. What makes this country work is the idea we are all one. All of us are The United States of America. In the end, that is what this election is about. The hope we all share for a better tomorrow.

“Tonight, I say to you America, this election is a chance to get America back to the nation we once knew. If you feel like we do about what must be done, then I have no doubt the people will speak and we will have a greater tomorrow. In November we must say, ‘enough is enough’.”

The crowd chanted Alex’s slogan, “We are America” over and over.

“I believe we can make this country what it was founded on. We are on our way. If we do what we know is right, I have no doubt the people will make the right decisions. Let’s win this thing.

“Thank you. Thank you.”

The crowd cheered and chanted, CONRAD, CONRAD, as his campaign song played in the background. With tears in my eyes, I watched my husband seal his fate and the fate of our country.

“Prude, go on out to him,” said Mark. My stomach jumped in my throat as I walked out and hugged Alex. The crowd stood and started screaming louder when they saw me. He grabbed me in his arms and kissed me on the lips. I whispered in his ear, “That was white-hot perfect.”

He smiled at me and the look in his eyes told me he knew he’d nailed it. I knew he nailed it and everyone in the crowd knew it too. We held on to each other’s waist while our song played and everyone clapped and cheered for him. The crowd began singing it, too, and pretty soon the whole place sang Alex’s song. I stood next to the man destined to rule the greatest country in the world. I stood next to the man who had won America over. He was right where he should be.

His eyes filled with tears and he kissed me again.

“You are my life, and this song brought us here,” he whispered. The warmth and smell of my husband made me wet. I wanted him more than ever.

Senator Esposito and Olivia came out with their family. We hugged and together stood there before America. It was a surreal moment, and I could not help but look at Alex every second and watch him. We walked backstage as the crowd continued to scream his name.

“Fuck, that was awesome,” said Mark, hugging Alex. “Buddy, you did it. I can’t believe it, but they loved it.”

“You know what? I think I did. Holy shit, they loved it, didn’t they?” Alex asked

“You nailed it, baby. I knew you would,” I said.

“You did it, big guy. Your fate is sealed. We are on our way,” said Mark, fist pumping Alex. The backstage was more insane than the crowd. Everyone was screaming and high-fiving Alex on the speech.

“You are one hell of an ugly-ass speech writer,” said Alex hugging Mark.

“Kiss my ass, Conrad.” He laughed and hugged him back.

Champagne popped, and everyone toasted Alex’s marvelous speech. He was sent onstage again. Everyone shouted and screamed again for him as he entered the arena once more. Through the thundering voice of Sammy Hagar singing about what dreams were made of, Alex took the stage to wave at the people.

Once backstage again, he was bombarded by people. They wanted to congratulate him, to shake his hand, and to speak to him. I was tired and wanted to be alone with my husband. The exhaustion of the night and my pregnancy hit me out of the blue. I saw him from a distance. He looked for me through the crowd.

“Where is my Prudence, Mark?” I saw him ask. I tried to wave over the crowd of people. As I tried to get his attention, Mark saw me.

“There she is, Alex. I’ll get her.” Mark pushed his way over to me and grabbed my hand. “He wants you, Prudence.”

Alex had given the speech of his life and he wanted me. I was beyond the luckiest woman in the world. Finally, he saw me and reached for me. Mark pushed me to him. Alex whispered something to Mark, and Mark slapped him on the back, agreeing with him. Alex’s fingers laced with mine, and I was finally next to his mouthwatering body. He kissed me on the lips in front of everyone.

“Hi, baby,” he said. People were still grabbing at him, reaching for him to get closer to him and say something. He pulled me closer to him and whispered in my ear.

“I love you so fucking much,”

“I love you more.”

“Not a chance.” He winked.

We made our way through the crowd and Mark whisked us out a door into a waiting darkened SUV. It was deafening quiet in there and Alex lowered the partition to the driver.

“Drive, please. I will tell you when to stop.”

“Yes, Senator.” The partition went back up. I waited for Mark to get in, but he didn’t. We had a party to attend, and all I wanted to do was go to bed.

Alex hit a button and the beautiful voice of Andrea Bocelli broke the silence in the limo. Before I could say a word, Alex’s mouth covered mine. His full wet lips consumed my mouth, my neck, and he hungrily worked his way down to my breasts.

He buried his face between my breasts, inhaling my perfume. I reached up and stroked his hair, damp from sweat. His scent intoxicated me. He unzipped the back of my dress and searched for my bra clasp. Neither of us said a word. His hands were everywhere, scorching me with his touch. My body burned for him. I wanted his skin next to my skin. I unbuttoned his dress shirt, and he pulled my dress up over my thighs. I let it fall off my shoulders to expose my breasts and pressed myself against his dewy body.

He searched my mouth with his tongue and I felt him between my legs as I straddled him. He was rock hard. I wrapped my arms around his neck. He unbuttoned his pants to free his erection, which was begging to be released, and then caressed my butt and back. He pulled my thong to the side and slipped his fingers inside me with no effort. We didn’t take our eyes off each other. I sat down on him, bracing myself against the tinted glass of the back window. The car jerked in the stop-and-go traffic.

The horns of yellow cabs honked outside all around us. His mouth found my nipples and he let his tongue dance across each one. My breasts were swollen and sore and the feelings were so intense. I lifted myself up and down on him. He sank deep inside me and it felt so good it hurt me to my core. The sound of our love and Bocelli echoed in the car with each stroke. I came hard and loud, saying his name, letting the rush take over my entire body. My thighs shook as I gripped him harder. His eyes were focused on me as I watched him come and felt his essence, warm and wet, as I pushed harder. I wanted all of him inside me. I collapsed against him, sweaty and out of breath. My hair stuck to my face as I buried my face in his neck.

Finally he spoke. “You are my life.”

I didn’t say anything. I was too exhausted to speak. I held him close to me and he already knew how I felt.

***

The days sped by like a runaway train. We were either flying or taking the bus to another state and another city. We ate in diners, truck stops, and barbeque spots. We traveled to cities I’d never heard of, met more people than I knew existed. It was nonstop activity, from the convention until the election. I was so tired and getting so big, but the excitement of that first campaign kept me going. We stopped in to see Doctor Flinch when we made it home. That had to be the most important stop we’d made. My pregnancy was going well with no complications or difficulties. Near my five-month mark, we’d decided we wanted to know the sex of the baby. We flew into Washington DC at midnight for my nine o’clock appointment the next morning. We actually were able to stay at our house for the night. It was heavenly, crawling into our own bed. I loved the warmth of our fireplace, Beckett, and all of our things. We both took a long hot shower and since I could no longer see anything past my waist, Alex took this opportunity to wash me. I loved when he did that. He pampered me from head to toe. My big stomach got in the way and the baby moved around like crazy. I had one certain craving while I was pregnant and it had to be on hand around the clock for me. Watermelon. We would send poor Mark to search for it at every store. It was all I wanted. That night I ate an entire watermelon as I sat in my kitchen.

The next morning the doctor confirmed what I knew already in my heart.

”Okay you two. It looks like this first baby is going to be a little Alex.”

I squealed. I didn’t care what we were having as long as it was healthy. I would be the best mother in the world. A miniature Alex would be the most amazing thing. The happiness came out instantly on Alex’s face.

“Wow. I don’t know what to say.”

“Well, Mr. and Mrs. Conrad, if things go as planned you’ll become president and have a new baby all in the same month.”

“Let’s hope it goes that smoothly, Doctor Flinch. I may not be president.”

“I have no worries. You’re what America needs, Alex. You and Prudence are the new faces we all need to run this country. You are going to get elected.”

“I hope you’re right, Doctor. Thank you for taking such great care of my girl here. She won’t listen to me and stay home. She wants to be out there with me campaigning. You know how stubborn she is.” He smiled.

“You have a feisty one, Mr. Conrad. She is going to make a wonderful first lady and an amazing mother.”

Chapter 25