Shades of Shame (Semper Fi) (6 page)

They dropped their glasses in unison as their embrace took center stage.  Her body felt electric, matching his with each kiss.  His passion for her consumed him.  He pushed her against the railing and ripped her blouse from her body.  It was new, he’d replace it.  Her perfectly formed breasts were heaving up and down, stretching the thin lacy white fabric of the bra that held them high and in perfect position.  She was everything every man ever desired.  With both hands firmly on her waist, he held her tight as he sampled her skin with his lips.   He tasted each and every inch as he worked his way down her chest.  Her nipples were hard as pebbles, and he let go of her waist long enough to free them.  He scooped them from their enclosure as though he were lifting the most fragile eggs from a nest.  The struggle for tenderness was a losing battle; he grabbed her again and pulled her into his body.

The embrace was just what she needed.  His warm and tender kiss sent chills down her spine.  Instantly she was reminded that not only does he possess a gentle and romantic side, but his smoldering ways elicit her most devilish thoughts.  But she knew it would be short lived, and quite frankly that was okay.  They had the entire night, and the morning together.

She finally pushed him away, but grabbed his hand forcefully and guided him back into the room.  She turned around, and pushed David onto the bed.  “Just sit there for a moment, Senator,” she said as she reached behind her back and unhooked her bra, allowing it to fall to the floor in front of her.  She unzipped her skirt and pushed it down, stepping out of it as she approached the bed.  He sat up straight, paying close attention to her as she stood in front of him wearing nothing but stockings and garter.  David choked back moans of desire at the sight of her.  Her outstretched arms begged him to grab her hands.  She pulled him to his feet as she dropped down to her knees in front of him.

You’re Never Alone

It had been a couple of weeks since the dinner at the McNarry’s.  Leila now had enough information about the daily workings of the office that she knew pretty much when the Senator would be there, and when he wouldn’t.  Now she waited for the moment when she would position herself to be noticed by him.

She already knew she wasn’t the Senator’s standard choice in interns, as you could clearly see.  The ones he seemed to pay particular attention to were the sublime, subservient girls who would never pose a threat to him.  He flirted with all women, Leila had noticed that the first night she’d had dinner at his home.  But now she distinguished his normal interactions from those that were of a more sensual nature.  Lindsay Smith for instance, would never be important in his life.  Leila struggled to find a way past the invisible wall he’d firmly established between her and him.  If she couldn’t be his type, she had to find another of his interests and entice him to explore it with her.  She just needed to discover his secrets.  Her attention barely sparked with the ringing of the phone, she answered, “Leila Johnson.”

“Hey Leila.  Logan here.”

Great
, she thought,
the silver spoon himself. 
“Logan.  How are you?”  It wasn’t that Logan wasn’t enticing as hell, but she was sure every sorority girl in the world was at his beck and call.  Leila had no intention of joining their ranks, she’d put him in the ‘friend’ category.

“I was wondering what you were doing this weekend.”

“Ohhh, geez… have a lot of research to do this weekend for the Senator’s upcoming trip to the second district.  Why?”

“Well, we have a regatta this weekend, and I was hoping you would like to have dinner at the Sail Club with me on Friday night.”

“I dunno, Logan.  I’ve got a lot of work, ya’ know.”  She really had no interest in Logan, or his overly lazy yacht club college friends.  Outside of being a gorgeous man, she really found no use for him.  In all honesty she’d struggled to find a use for Logan McNarry but he just wasn’t the driven type.  Regardless of what her mother thought, Leila doubted he’d ever be anything more than a trust fund baby.

“I really wish you’d come.”

“Your Mom and Dad put you up to this?  Logan, I don’t need a pity date.”

She could hear the laughter in his voice.  “I don’t have any doubts about that, Leila.  Okay, my Mom
may
have mentioned that she wished we’d hang out, but I really would love it.

“I don’t know Logan…”

She heard his uncomfortable pose on the line, “It’s just friendly dinner Leila.”

She smiled to herself.  Leila had perfected the science of making men squirm but with Logan it just didn’t hold the same appeal.  He was so damn innocent! 
How in the hell had he gotten to be this secluded in his life… looking like he does?
  One thing was for sure, he kept her on her toes.  One minute he was a shy puppy dog, the next she was swooning under his fierce gaze.

“I’ll send a car for you at seven.  See you then!” he said, hanging up before she could confirm.

Once again Leila was ready long before seven; she sipped a strong vodka tonic while she waited on Ronald.  The last three days she’d turned and twisted this idea around in her head, and while the thought of Logan as a sex toy was great, she knew he was not her future.  No, she needed a more mature man than that; a man with a drive as strong as hers.  Let’s face it, she wouldn’t throw Logan out of bed, but she wouldn’t count on him to provide a future.  A friendship with Logan may not prove fruitful politically but it would always be entertaining.

Leila found it amusing that sending a car and driver might have impressed most women, but she was not most women.  She was sure
most
women would leave their morals at home for an opportunity to rub elbows with Logan.  For Leila, it was an opportunity to get on his father’s radar.  She hadn’t been successful in getting the Senator’s attention at the office, but in his own home he wouldn’t fail to notice her.  At the very least she was hoping for an opportunity to spy around a bit, perhaps find a way into the Senator’s personal interests.

Ronald tapped on the storm door a moment later; Leila pushed it open and saw the dark skinned man’s face flash a disapproving glance at her apparel.  “Ma’am, Logan’s Sail Club is a great deal less formal.  I’m thinking you’d be more comfortable in jeans.”

Leila shot him a look of irritation then glanced down at her black dress and heels.  “Give me just a few minutes, Ronald!”  She ran up the stairs and flung the dress across her bed.  It didn’t surprise her that Logan and his friends were much more casual.  She yanked on her favorite jeans and a pink polo shirt.  Her leather flip flops had seen better days but she slid them on her feet anyways.  After one last inspection in the full length mirror in her room, she climbed back downstairs and posed at the bottom of the steps for Ronald.  “Is this better?”

The man laughed, “Perfect!”

Logan met her at the front door of his family’s Georgetown townhouse.  “I didn’t expect you to be late!  Is everything okay?  You don’t strike me as someone who fancies tardiness.”

Leila couldn’t hide her irritation; she reached out and punched him in the stomach as hard as she could.  “I wouldn’t have been late if I hadn’t had to change!”

“Ouch!  Why are you always injuring me, woman?  Okay, I guess I should have told you casual.  I thought we’d just grab some wine and head over to the boat, if that’s okay with you.  Gracie has already prepared a picnic basket for us.  Does that sound okay?”

“Sure.  That’d be fine, but I thought we were going to your Sail Club?” she questioned.

“Oh we are, but it’s more like a cook out.  Beer, hamburgers, that kind of thing.  I didn’t want to share you with all of those crusty sailors, so I asked Gracie to make us something a bit more tasteful.  There will be fireworks later though and there is no better place to watch fireworks than from the water!”

“Whoa Logan!  I um…don’t really do boats.”

He towered over her; his sheer size was enough to intimidate weaker women.  It was actually the first time she thought about it,
really
thought about it. 
Logan naked, on a bed.
  Leila flushed with her thoughts, he wasn’t her type but she was willing to try him on.  She couldn’t believe she was sitting there contemplating having sex with him.

“Hey!” Logan perked, “no one’s here.  We could just stay here if you want?”

“Where is everyone?”  Now he had her attention; she would like an evening to explore the McNarry house at her leisure.

“Well, Gracie only came in to fix our dinner today, with Mom in Boston with your Mom for the weekend, and Dad…well he’s wherever he goes when Mom isn’t watching... Ronald is sitting in the kitchen waiting to drive us to the Sail Club.  My guess is that it wouldn’t break his heart to go home instead.  The Cubs are playing tonight…”

“What do you mean wherever your dad goes when your mom isn’t watching?” Leila asked with sudden interest.

“You work in his office.  You’d probably know better than I would.” Logan shrugged; it was obvious to Leila that she would get little information from him.  Either he didn’t care, or was too humiliated by his father’s indiscretions to mention them.

So that left them all alone. 
Interesting
, she thought.  She didn’t mind using Logan to get closer to his dad; she just needed to play her cards carefully.  She had to keep him guessing, keep him intrigued.  “So, we’re all alone then?”

“Yeah.  Is that okay?”

Leila smiled, recognizing the game for what it was.  At least that’s what her cynical and suspicious mind kept tell her. 
He genuinely looked like he didn’t realize they’d be alone.  Charming. 
 “Then you’ll need to be on your best behavior, Mister McNarry,” she said with a provocative tease.  “Perhaps a drink in the den would be nice,” Leila said.

“Certainly.  Head on in and make yourself comfortable.  What’s your poison?  Beer?  Wine?”

“Vodka tonic!” Leila laughed flirtingly.

“A woman after my own heart!” Logan smiled and headed for the bar in the family room.

She wandered into the Senator’s den, admiring all the family photos lined up on the mantle.  Mostly pictures of the Senator on various hunting trips with other powerful men.  The manly look of the room left little comfort for women, but that was perfectly fine for Leila.  She appreciated the leather couch and chair, the massive fireplace, the strong thick furniture that screamed testosterone.  This room was built for rugged men.  She heard Logan behind her.  She didn’t turn her head, but she knew he was watching her.

“Do you mind if I get comfortable?” she asked, kicking her flip flops off and sinking her feet into the thick carpet.

“Not at all.  Ice?”

“Yes please.”  Leila crawled up on the couch and pulled her feet up, grabbing a huge pillow off the end and wrapping her arms around it.  She took the drink from Logan and watched him walk across the room. 
Yes, he was certainly worth looking at
.

They chatted for the better part of two hours, imbibing drink after drink while nibbling their way through Gracie’s picnic basket.  Leila periodically shifted her legs, just to see if he was interested and may perhaps make some sort of move.  The distance between them on the couch had all but disappeared, and Leila felt comfortable next to him like this.  During her college years she’d watched her roommate enjoy time with her boyfriend.  At the time, she hadn’t understood why anyone would lounge around on the sofa doing absolutely nothing for an entire evening.  The old adage, don’t knock it until you try it, flashed into her mind.  She was truly enjoying her time ‘doing nothing’ with Logan.  Her own epiphany made her smile.

She tried to consider Logan as nothing more than a childhood friend, but no matter how she tried to see him in that light she couldn’t get the image of his perfectly shaped chest out of her head.  And Logan had been the perfect gentleman through it all. 
Frustrating
, she thought.  She realized she would have to take this bull by the horn, so to speak.

“Do you mind if I ask you a personal question, Logan?”

“Not at all.”

“Do you find me attractive?”

She knew the answer, but his inability to act on any of her hints and innuendos was beginning to make her wonder if he were gay or straight.  The last thing she wanted to do was have to go home to her battery operated boyfriend when such a delicious man sat right in front of her, especially if he was available and willing.  The only reason she could think of was that he was gay.

“Uh… of course I do!” Logan said, his eyes getting bigger by the moment.

“Then kiss me, fool,” Leila said, leaning into him.

Without hesitation Logan wrapped his arms around her.  At the first penetration of his tongue Leila had her answer, he was far, far, far from gay; he was just way inexperienced.  His tongue prodded her throat as though there was something he was trying to prove.  He pulled her to him so abruptly that she thought he was going to break her in half.  Most women would have pushed him away, he was too clumsy!  But not Leila, the harder he kissed her, the harder she kissed back.  His hands ran up and down her back, squeezing and kneading her flesh through her dress.  She even grabbed his hand and pulled it to her breast, which was heaving heavily into him with every breath.  She made effort to display her lust, and he enjoyed every second of it like a teenager.  His hands slid under the hem of her shirt, then made an attempt to push her jeans down at the waist. 
Silly boy
, Leila thought as she reached down and unbuttoned her jeans.  For God’s sake, has he
ever
been with a woman?  His rough and inexperienced fingers sought out her sex.  Their embrace had gotten bolder as he kissed and sucked his way down to her chest.  The thought of that awkward Bobby Whetzell popped into her head; maybe she should have let Logan watch after all!  It was about time she took over… this was getting embarrassing.

Her hands scrambled for the growing bulge that pressed against her side.  She wanted to feel it in her hands, to caress it, show him what a woman’s hands felt like on his body.  Now her own excitement grew the bulge she felt was unusually large.  As a matter of fact, large wasn’t the word she was searching for… it was huge!  All of a sudden he pulled back.  “Wait!  I’ve got to get something.”