Page 23 of Kiss Kiss Bang
“And how did superintendent lead to Governor of Florida?”
“Not such a stretch, actually. The Miami-Dade school district is the fourth largest in the nation. I had a lot of responsibilities and people under me. Did you read how I ended up a candidate for governor?”
“Of course I did.” And he had. There was no one running against McGregor. He was expected to be a shoo-in. At a town hall meeting, Olivia had fought McGregor publicly over the need to increase school funding. She’d been very vocal and people started asking her to run against him. She refused. But when the primaries rolled around and there had still been no one running against him, people started writing her name in, and somehow she had become her party’s nominee.
“It’s kind of wild, right? I still can’t believe it sometimes. But what choice did I have, really? Once I saw how many people actually would vote for me, merely because of their unhappiness with McGregor, I decided to go for it. And now here I am. Giving speeches, having zero time for myself and my daughter, fundraising, breaking laptops . . .”
“For what it’s worth, I think you’re doing a great job. McGregor’s a dick and he needs a run for his money.”
“Yeah but now I’m in the same sleazy articles with him.” She took a final bite of her salad and sat back. “I was thinking, do you think it was Harry’s Hacker who took the photo in the elevator? You’ve heard about this, right? Someone keeps putting crap on the internet about McGregor. It’s actually quite funny when it isn’t you who’s the victim. I can’t help but wonder.”
He cleared his throat, almost telling her the truth, but decided against it. “No. I don’t think so. It just really doesn’t make sense. I think this person has a personal vendetta against McGregor.”
Taking a sip of her water, she nodded. “Yeah, maybe you’re right. The hacker is pretty vicious in his posts. They’re funny but they’re also damning. I hope to God I never get on the wrong side of this person.”
“But, it’s helping your campaign. You’re getting the benefit of the fallout. It’s not bad. You should thank this hacker, really.”
She put her glass down. “You know how hard it is to be a woman in a male-dominated profession? As it is, I’ve heard how I was likely sleeping with Lawrence, which is how I got the job at the school board. Then, when I married Neil—oh, no wonder she won the case. Now, she’s winning because McGregor’s an idiot who smoked pot? No. I want to win fair and square. Plus, if people suspect that I’m somehow involved with the hacker I can get in trouble for dirty campaigning. Hacking is still illegal, Joey. I want no part or connection to it.”
Shit. Maybe he needed to stop fucking with McGregor if he wanted to have a real chance with Olivia . . . not that he’d ever get caught.
After dinner, he drove her back to her house. It had been a great night. No reporters had bothered them and she seemed to be having a good time. But they’d kept a distance. Every time her arm brushed against his, he felt the zing of sparks between them and wondered what she was thinking and if she wanted him as much as he wanted her. When they arrived at her house he jogged out of the car and around to open her door. “I’m glad I wore jeans,” she said, reaching for his hand to help her out of the low-to-the-ground car. “I had a great time, Joey. Thank you.”
He reached for her hair and wrapped a lock of it around his fingers. “Invite me in, Livie.”
She looked over her shoulder toward the house. He wondered if her daughter was home. Was that what she was contemplating?
He leaned forward, caging her in with his arms against the car. Her eyes fell to his mouth and she licked her lips and before she had a moment to think he captured her bottom lip with his teeth. She came up on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck. She smelled of vanilla and was warm around his body, and just like in the elevator, things quickly escalated from a kiss to a crazy opened mouth, nail clawing, moaning mauling. “Invite me inside, darlin’.” Again, he demanded, while his mouth moved down her neck.
“Winnie and Sophie will be here soon.”
It wasn’t a no, he noted.
“I only need ten minutes to make you feel good.”
She pulled away, her brows furrowed. “That’s a bit arrogant. Also, kind of a letdown. I thought you military men had more stamina than that.”
Let down? Without a second thought he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. “Oh, my God!” She laughed, then kicked her legs and slapped his ass. “I can’t believe you did that. Put me down before someone sees you.”
“You questioned my machoness, darlin’.”
“I need more than ten minutes to have sex, Joey. I didn’t question your manliness. I just assumed you’re selfish in bed.”
Selfish?
He’d never had such an overbearing desire to bend a woman over and spank her ass. He put her on her feet once they were in front of her door. He took the keys from out of her hand and opened it. “Who said anything about sex?” Then he closed the door behind them and without hesitation pushed her back against the door and began kissing her again.
“I’m a lot of things, Livie. A lot. But never selfish in bed.” He wanted to bring her to that point where she was wild with need. He loved that about her. He’d never kissed nor been kissed with such need or passion. It was as if she wanted—no, needed—to be touched.
With one hand he deftly unzipped her jeans and pushed them down her thighs. “Touch me, Joey,” she begged, which surprised him. But it shouldn’t have because she was the kind of woman who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid of vocalizing it. And damn, wasn’t that just the biggest fucking turn-on?
He was starting to reevaluate his ten-minute time table.
He’d get her off in five.
She was that needy. He knew that the minute he slid his hand down her flat stomach and felt her soaking pussy. “Fuuck . . .” he groaned into her mouth.
They were in an awkward position, standing with her jeans still halfway on, but he made it work, and she did too—gyrating her hips and pushing down on his hand.
