Loving the Senator (Capitol Affairs #1)

LOVING THE SENATOR

Capitol Affairs Book 1

Mia Villano

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The author makes no claims to, but instead acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the word marks mentioned in this work of fiction.

Copyright © 2014 by Mia Villano

LOVING THE SENATOR by Mia Villano

Book 1 in the Capitol Affairs Series

All rights reserved. Published in the United States of America by Swoon Romance. Swoon Romance and its related logo are registered trademarks of Georgia McBride Media Group, LLC.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Published by Swoon Romance

Cover designed by Najla Qamber Designs

LOVING THE SENATOR

Mia Villano

Chapter One

“God, he is gorgeous,” I whispered to myself as the new senator took the stage. The things I thought about doing to him were sinful and possibly illegal.

As I watched him walk to the podium, I couldn’t help but admire his confidence, masculinity, and mind-blowing presence. He was sex and sin rolled into one perfect package. His good looks were just an added plus to the incredible politician and leader he was. He looked amazing, but he always did with his wavy dark hair, sensual pouty lips, dark chocolate eyes, and a five o’clock shadow perfectly placed on his face. I was so preoccupied with admiring him, I didn’t realize he was staring back at me.

At that moment, I decided I would not hold back my feelings for him. He was no longer my boss, and we were past the point of any negative press that could hurt the election. I didn’t care if he had a girlfriend, or he was seventeen years older than me. All that mattered then, was that I wanted him, and I planned on doing whatever it took to have him.

He adjusted the microphone, his eyes locked onto mine, and he winked. I felt myself get wet. It wasn’t the first time he’d had that effect on me, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. My entire body became hot and flushed as he smiled. I stood amongst the crowd, drinking my first, well-deserved glass of champagne. The icy-cold bubbly felt great going down my dry, hot throat. I watched Alex get ready to deliver his acceptance speech to a crowd shouting his name. The temperature in the room seemed to shoot up twenty degrees as he held my gaze. In a room full of people, we only noticed each other.

“Conrad, Conrad,” the crowd shouted, which brought a bigger smile to his gorgeous face.

The crowd hushed to a quiet roar as he began to speak.

“Thank you, thank you. We did it, and I’m grateful for everyone who has helped to get me here. Tonight we are winners, and together we make one hell of a team!” The crowd erupted in cheers.

“I’m honored to represent our state, the great state of Virginia. I want to thank my parents. Though with me in spirit, their values made me the man I am today. Thank you, Mom and Dad,” he said. Alex looked up at the ceiling and blew a kiss as the crowd roared even louder.

“My faith in God got me through a tough campaign. Thank you for your faith in me.” Again, the crowd cheered.

Flanked by the American and Virginian flags, Alex looked like something out of a movie. With his signature five o-clock shadow and the confidence of a man who’d been elected in a landslide victory, Alex Conrad looked as if he owned the world. Above him, balloons held by a giant net, waited for release at just the right time. Soon, we’d be swimming in a sea of blue.

When several of the campaign workers began chanting my name, I smiled and shook my head from side-to-side. He owned this night, and he deserved the recognition, not me. They couldn’t have elected a better man than Alex Conrad. At forty years old, Alex was the new, energetic, young senator everyone seemed to love.

“I want to thank the leader of our campaign team, Prudence Romaine. For the past year, she worked, went to law school, and spent her spare time getting me elected.” He seemed to chuckle with that comment.

“She comes from a long line of politicians herself, and I knew she had in it her to take this to the finish line. This was her first campaign, and she did a remarkable job. Everyone, please give her a round of applause.” The crowd erupted in cheers and my campaign workers chanted my name.

He caught my eye again; I waved as he pointed at me and smiled. His speech went on for a few minutes longer in between the cheering interruptions of the crowd. When he was finished, his campaign song came on. As the song played, and the balloons fell, he walked out into the mass of people wanting to be near him. They congratulated him with high fives and pats on the back. I watched as women swarmed around him to get closer to this magnificent man. The ballroom erupted in utter chaos as Alex tried to make his way through the crowd.

After about twenty minutes of mingling, he made his way over to me. I stood beneath a campaign sign that said it all “Alex Conrad, the Man Who Can Get it Done.”

“Prudence, come here and dance with the new senator? I owe this to you, of course,” he said. His voice sounded gravelly and strained from his speech. When I heard him say ‘
come
’ it made me ache as I imagined clothes-ripping-up-against-a-wall sex.

He ran a hand through his hair and I felt his gaze slide over me as he bit his lower lip. I couldn’t believe he wanted
me
to be his first dance as Senator.

“I’d love to dance with you, Senator. You didn’t have to thank me up there. I didn’t do this. You did it; look around at this crowd. Everyone adores you,” I smiled. Alex took my champagne glass, swallowed the last of it, and set it on the table, never taking his eyes off me.

He held out his hand, and I nervously grabbed it. My heart raced when he pulled me closer. His hands were so strong and soft, and I caught a glimpse of his very expensive Cartier watch peeking out of his sleeve. I noticed his crisp white shirt, opened at the neck with his tie hanging loosely. He chose a crimson red tie for the evening and it looked incredible against his black Gucci suit. I spotted a few wisps of black hair on his muscular chest sticking out tempting me. His arms came around me and his hands rested on the curve of my back.

The band started to play one of my favorite old songs, “Unforgettable” as we danced closer. I wanted to melt into him forever.

“I love this song,” he whispered in my ear. The wisp of his breath made me tingle.

“Me too.”

To be that close to him was something I only dreamt about. It was only a dance, but to me it was so much more. I wanted it to be more.

“Thank you for your help with the election, Prudence. I meant what I said up there. You worried me at first, and I was leery of letting you take on such a big job, but you proved you were a Romaine right off. Your grandfather would be proud of you.”

His hot minty breath was warm on my neck. His skin was hot against mine, and it brought back thoughts of what the two of us could be doing together if we had been alone. Since the first time I met him, I’ve thought of him, dreamt of him, and longed to see him again. Now, seven years later, I danced in his arms celebrating a new chapter in both of our lives.

“I enjoyed every crazy minute of it, Senator Conrad,” I said.

Alex’s campaign had been exhausting, and I ran it well, yet relieved it was over. Guided by my wonderful Aunt Toby, this was my first as a manager. He took a chance when he agreed to let me be in charge, and it paid off for both of us in a significant way.

His on again-off again girlfriend Jade stood close by watching our every move. I saw her out of the corner of my eye, glaring at us over her exotic neon-blue drink.

Jade Crenshaw, a tall, overly tanned brunette with big brown eyes and legs that went on forever, was his date for the evening. Once a model, and now a professional interior designer, she loved the spotlight and never seemed to be far away from her man. She stared at us with her over- injected, glossy lips in a perfect pout, clearly upset.

“Your girlfriend is giving you the evil eye,” I said.

I kept my cheek pressed to him, inhaling his exotic scent; leathery, expensive cologne that fit him perfectly.

I’d come to know him and his quirks from the time I’d spent around him. He liked black coffee, cold pizza, and cherry seltzer water. He loved vintage Fiats, fine Italian leather boots, and collected old luggage. At forty-years-old, his body looked toned and perfectly muscular, like someone half his age. He was everything I ever wanted in a man, and I was determined to make him mine.

It didn’t get any better than Alex Conrad, and he had no idea how I wanted him in my bed and in me. While I had him to myself for a moment, I waited for the opportunity to let him know.

“She’s mad at me tonight,” he said.

“Were you a bad boy, Senator?” I asked. I tried to sound playful, hoping he would get the hint.

“I guess, and I will pay for it later. On the most important night of my life, she wants to make me miserable. She hasn’t said a single word to me all night. Not ‘I’m proud of you.’ Nothing.” He sounded upset.

How could she be so careless with a man like Alex Conrad? She clearly didn’t deserve him. I swallowed hard. He held me tighter, and I let out a soft moan.
Go for it
. I closed my eyes tight, and did.

“She should be making this
your
night. I would love to make this your night, Senator. If things get to be too much with Jade, you know where to find me. I plan on heading home and taking a hot relaxing bath, slipping into something comfortable, and curling up in my bed with a good law book. I would love for you to join me.”

“Is that a fact, Miss Romaine?” His breath hissed out, as his lips brushed my ear. An uncontrollable wave of arousal pulsed through me.

“That’s a fact, Senator Conrad.”

“You have some effect on me, Prudence.”

There’s no mistaking his rock-hardness, pressed up against me. It was pure heaven.

I said nothing.

He had no idea how wet I was getting. On top of that, my nipples came alive inside my bra begging for his touch. But we were still in public and couldn’t get carried away. I stepped out of his hold and cleared my throat.

“Who would have guessed the little girl I met at sixteen would change my life so completely seven years later?”

“You have changed my life as well. If it weren’t for you, and my grandmother, there’s no telling what my life may have become.”