Madam President (52 page)

Liza snorted softly and left the President to her call.

But before the brunette could give her access codes, David entered her suite without knocking. "Dev-"

"Go away!" She grabbed a throw pillow from the bed and threw it at him with deadly accuracy. "I'm calling my girlfriend." The words sounded strange and thrilling to Dev's ears, and she smiled for the first time all day.

David grinned indulgently. Being in love suited Dev. "Liza said you aren't gonna make her take one of those hideous dogs." He threw the pillow back, hitting Dev right in the head, earning a glare as the President used a hand to straighten the shock of hair that was now covering her eyes.

"Go away!" she hissed. "I only have a few minutes, and I'm already nearly two hours late. Although Lauren probably gave up on this call ages ago."

"Awwwww..." David stuck out his lower lip. "Do you want to be alone so you can lie on the bed and coo and ‘ahhh' like a love-struck teenager?"

"No," Dev defended. "I'm going to sit up straight and do my best to look irresistible. Michael made sure this place had video link capability before we booked it. I hate being stuck without it."

David rolled his eyes, then took on a more serious expression. "Listen, Dev, I know how much you want to talk to Lauren, but we're due at the Governor's mansion in fifteen minutes, and it's a thirty-five minute drive."

Dev glared at her friend and began manually entering her security access codes and dialing Lauren's number. She
was
calling Lauren. She needed to hear her voice. To see her smile. For once, the rest of the world could just wait. "Tell me, David, what is the Governor of Georgia gonna do to me if I'm late? Throw a rotten peach at me?"

David opened his mouth to speak, and Dev held up her hand, forestalling any further comment. "If you don't give me five minutes alone, to speak with Lauren in peace, I'm going to march across this room and snap your scrawny neck."

"Scrawny!"

"David," Dev groaned. "Out! Or you're getting two of Grem's puppies!"

David's eyes went round, and he threw his hands up in defeat. "No need to be cruel. I'll just call the Governor and let him know we're running a little behind schedule." He didn't wait for an answer; instead, he hightailed it out of the room just as the sound of the ringing phone in Lauren's room filled the suite.

*
 
*
 
*

Lauren's head jerked up at the sound of the phone. "Jesus," she gasped, surprised by the interruption in her viewing pleasure.

Angela Pickard smiled broadly. "You're doing wonderfully. I just know you are," she encouraged in a singsong voice. "And now it's time to move forward. Chapter Four: Multiple Orgasms - Making The Dream a Reality."

The writer jumped off the bed and began hunting for the remote control. Not finding it immediately, she headed for her videodisc player. She opened the entertainment center door and pressed the ‘off' button just as her phone rang for the second time. Nothing happened. She pressed it again. Still nothing. "Shit!" Lauren jammed her finger down hard on the button. She heard a light clicking sound as the button broke off and fell into the machine itself. Lauren blinked at the hole in the front of the machine then began cursing like a sailor called home early from leave. Her eyes frantically searched the machine for a volume control button, but she realized belatedly that the only volume control was on the remote.

Lauren screamed in frustration. The phone rang a third time.

"I'm coming!" Lauren called out uselessly as she tore at the covers of the bed looking for the remote.

Another ring.

"Coming!"

"Oh, yes, baby!" Francine threw her head back in ecstasy as the video's host, Angela, slid her hands up the brunette's naked body and began messaging ample breasts.

"I meant me. I can hear that
you're
coming," Lauren growled. She jammed the ‘off' button again, grunting with abject frustration when nothing happened, and the phone rang a fifth time. She tried to lift out the disc player to yank the plug, but it was bolted to the cabinet, and she couldn't fit her hand behind it to reach the cord. Not wanting to miss Dev's call, Lauren finally began calling out her access codes as she darted to the side of the cabinet and tried to reach behind it for the power cord. With any other phone she could just answer. But not in the White House.

The phone dutifully processed Lauren's numbers and instantly said, in a clear, warm voice, "Video conference requested."

Lauren stretched out to reach the plug, but her fingertips could only graze its edge.

"Yes! Oh, Angela! Yes, give it to me! I want it!" Francine screamed.

Lauren's eyes widened when she heard the words. She pushed away from the cherry wood cabinet and desperately instructed the phone, "No. No video conference. Audio only. No! No! NO!" But it was too late, and Dev began to materialize in front of her.

Lauren whirled around, and her jaw dropped at the vivid, three-dimensional image of the two women, now both naked, kissing deeply, and touching each other intimately. For a moment she just stared, mouth agape, until the phone snapped her out of her haze.

Angela pulled away from her partner and looked directly at Lauren. "I recommend direct stimulation."

"Oh, yes," Francine purred happily.

"Uh, Lauren?"

The blonde spun around at the very familiar voice and found herself looking right into confused, blue eyes. "Hi, Devlyn," she squeaked, giving the President a weak wave.

A well-shaped eyebrow crawled up Dev's forehead and stayed there. "I know we've been taking things slowly-"

"Again! Again! Again!" Francine screamed at the top of her lungs, while Angela calmly described exactly what she was doing to earn such an enthusiastic response from her lover.

Lauren covered her face with her hands. "Sweet Jesus, just take me know," she mumbled into her palms. "Please. Right now. This very second."

Dev continued undaunted. "But, sweetheart, was it really necessary to start without me? I'm hurt," she teased, recognizing the slightly distorted scene before her as a video playing in the background. A very interesting video. Who knew Lauren was so naughty?

"Oh, Angela! Another one?" Francine squealed delightedly at the prospect. "But I can't." A pause. "Ohhhhhh... I can! I can!"

Dev's second eyebrow joined its twin. "Hurt, but impressed. Very impressed."

Lauren opened her fingers and peeked out at Devlyn, who was wearing a bemused grin. She dragged her fingers up into her hair, forming an interesting, Mohawk-like hairstyle. "I can't make it stop, Devlyn!"

"You lost the clicker again, didn't you?" Dev asked knowingly.

"Again, Angela? No, I can't." She was nearly sobbing.

"Francine, love, you can, baby. I know you can."

"Yes!" Francine screamed again. "I can!"

Lauren could only whimper and pray a lightning bolt would miraculously strike her directly in the forehead and put a stop to this wretched, endless torture.

Dev shook her head and chuckled. The color of her friend's face was a sight to behold, the vivid, red tint making Lauren's pale eyebrows appear nearly white. "Did you try the night stand?"

Gray eyes scanned it. "Not there."

"The bed?"

A shake of the head. "Already tried that."

Both women suddenly glanced down when they heard the pitter-patter of tiny, scampering feet. "The puglies!" they shouted in unison. And, sure enough, a remote/chew toy was lying on the floor, under the bed.

Lauren retrieved it with a mumbled prayer of thanks. And, with a quick press of the button, Angela and Francine disappeared.

Dev smirked at her blushing friend.
God, she's pretty.
"So, Lauren-"

"Don't ask."

"But-"

"If you love me, you'll drop it."

Devlyn began to pout. "Pleeeeeeeeease." She batted long eyelashes.

Throwing her hands in the air, Lauren looked up beseechingly and spoke to a cream-colored, plaster ceiling. "What exactly did I do to deserve this?"
 
 

Friday, September 3
^rd

"Grandma! Grandpa!" Ashley screeched. The little girl flung herself at Frank Marlowe, winding her arms and legs around him like a vine that had attached itself to a tall tree. He leaned down and scrubbed his soft beard against Ashley's cheeks, laughing as she squirmed and giggled with delight

His gaze dropped to Chris and Aaron. "Hi, boys." The white-haired man continued to torment his granddaughter as he spoke to his grandsons. "We've missed you. You're growing like da-"

A sharp glance from Janet silenced him.

"Like weeds," he finished sheepishly.

"We missed you too!" Aaron chimed in from his position in his grandmother's embrace.

Christopher nodded his head wildly, agreeing with his brother Aaron as he waited impatiently for an open spot with a grandparent.

Janet Marlowe extended her free arm, and Chris joined his brother.

Letting go of Ashley, Frank looked up and smiled at Lauren, who was standing quietly in the wings, enjoying the family reunion. "Nice to see you again, Lauren," he drawled slowly, his eyes twinkling at the young woman.

"Same here." She turned to Janet.
I will not think about the book she sent. I will not!
"Did you have a nice flight?" She began nervously tugging at her glasses.

Janet just rolled her eyes. "Well, come here! I talked to Dev on the phone before this horrible bombing mess. You can't pretend you're not a couple anymore," she announced firmly. She shot Lauren a look when the writer started to protest. "And that means I get a hug."

Lauren laughed and happily joined Christopher and Aaron in giving Janet a good squeeze.

Amy and Emma hovered in the background, and the nanny directed the porters carrying the Marlowes' luggage to take it to the Lincoln bedroom. "Well, now," Frank boomed, once everyone had said hello, "Devil's going to be sorry she missed this, but how's about we get McDonald's for lunch?"

The children cheered, and Emma laughed and picked up the phone, already knowing what everyone's orders would be. They were the only household in America that had a hotline to the local McDonald's.

Janet looked around the room, slowly shaking her head. She still couldn't believe her little girl was President. Sometimes it was truly incomprehensible. She watched fondly as the boys tugged their grandpa by the hand back to their room to show him their latest drawings. Ashley was hot on Frank's heels, exacting his promise to go to her room next and see the Barbie that grandma had sent her, and the new hairdo, much improved, she'd graced her with.

The room quickly emptied, leaving just Lauren and Janet. The younger woman stood by somewhat awkwardly. Dev wasn't due back to the White House for several more days, and Lauren was dying to use this time to get to know her parents better. Dev loved them, and she knew it would be important to the President that she establish at least some sort of relationship with them. She rocked back and forth on her heels, suddenly a little nervous. She hadn't exactly had raving success with her own parents. "Well, I guess I'll leave you-"