More Than Rivals (18 page)

“I love you, but what are we going to do next?” she whispered.
 

 
“Go back to my place?” he asked with feigned innocence.

“You wish.” She waited a beat and laughed. “I wish, too, but I can’t tonight. Besides … I need to think.”

 
“I know. Everything’s changed now. Right?”

“For me, it has.” Her tone was pained. “I don’t think I can go out there and campaign, pretending you’re my opponent. Not anymore. I love you. I’d feel like I was lying to the world.”

“Hold on a second,” he said, pressing a finger to her lips. “We gotta think this through. I agree things have changed, but we need to go through all of our options.”

“Absolutely. Regardless of what I’m feeling, I don’t want to do anything rash.”

“So when can we talk? Can you come to my place tomorrow night?”

“And talk?” She smirked.

“Yes, talk.” He smiled and added, “Talk very fast.”

“You know I can’t spend the night?”

“I know. I understand.” He kissed her hand and gazed into her eyes. “I’ve got all the time in the world with you now.”
 

When she awoke before dawn the following morning, Lily smiled into the darkness of her room. It had become impossible not to smile—she felt fundamentally changed for the better.
 
Though they had talked again late the night before, she and Jack had kept their agreement not to discuss their futures until they could do it in person later that day. In the meantime, Lily felt like she needed counsel, both professionally and personally.
 

As Jordan took his seat for their morning meeting, she was still smiling. He looked at her with an annoyed sneer, “What’s with the Little Miss Sunshine routine?”
 

Lily chuckled. “Are you still hungover from Saturday night?”’

“A little,” he said before he took a sip of coffee. “Saturday night didn’t end until Sunday morning. But why are you so happy? Another run with Jack?”

“Yeah,” she said, smiling again. “I need to talk to you about him.”

“Oh God, you had sex with him!” Jordan exclaimed, immediately perking up.
 

“No, not yet, but …” Her voice became meek in admittance. “I’m in love with him.”

“And is it mutual?” He sat on the edge of his seat.

She nodded, suppressing a grin.

Placing his hands on his chest, he sighed. “I know this is a political nightmare, but I’m such a sap, and this is so romantic.”

“It is,” she said sweetly, her heart melting. “Terribly.”

“So much for keeping it light,” he said with a cackle.

“Knowing what I know now, I can’t believe I ever said that.”

“Don’t worry. I never really believed you. But let’s get back to the important stuff. You really haven’t slept with him?”

She shook her head.

“Have you messed around?”

“Not really.”

He furrowed his brow. “I do
not
understand you straight people sometimes.”

“Pfft.” She crumpled a piece of paper and tossed it at him, hitting his arm. “It’s not for a lack of desire. We’ve been trying to be somewhat professional and discreet.”

“So all this went down yesterday?”

“Yup.”

“Wow. Just wow. I don’t know, Lily, but to me, this feels like something has got to give. I mean, can either of you really go on with the campaign like this?”

“We’re going to talk about it tonight.”

“So what are you thinking? You’re going to drop out?”

The consequences of her feelings for Jack had been squarely put before her, and her smile vanished as she muttered, “Maybe.”

“I’ll understand whatever you decide.” Jordan grimaced and shook his head. “I know we never really had a shot at this seat, but damn … you would’ve been great in Congress.”
 

His disappointment cut at her, and she looked away. He was right. Though she always knew she most likely wouldn’t win, she still had wanted the dream. Murmuring to herself, she said, “It would’ve been nice.”

***

Later that day, Jack met Bill for lunch on the steps at Yerba Buena Gardens. As they wolfed down their burritos and talked about the Giants spring training, Jack waited for the right moment to spring the news about Lily on him. Unfortunately, there never seemed to be the perfect time. When he saw the time was ticking away on him, he simply blurted it out. “I think I’m in love with Lily.”

Bill’s mouth was full, so he couldn’t speak, but his eyes grew. The moment of silence allowed Jack to correct himself. With an awkward smile, he said, “Actually, I know I’m in love with her. I told her yesterday.”
 

“Damn,” Bill said, as he swallowed his food. “That’s great, but I’m not sure what to say.”

“I’m not sure there’s anything appropriate
to
say. This is a weird situation.”

Bill nodded in quiet thought for a moment, but soon smiled. “But you’re happy—for a few months now in fact.”

“I have been. When I’m with her, I can’t be anything but happy.”

“So she’s the one?” Bill grinned.

“Yup. She is,” Jack declared, knowing it to his core.

“Have you—”

“Not yet.” Jack chuckled.

“I’m impressed with her restraint,” Bill said with a snicker. “I know it’s not because of you.”

“You’re right about that.”

“Amazing. You’ve fallen in love with your opponent.”

“It’s true.”

“So what about the campaign? Is she going to remain your opponent? Is one of you going to drop out?”

“I’ve thought about it a lot, and we’re supposed to talk tonight, but I think we should just lay low and stay the course. I know things are different now, but as long as we continue to be discreet, why should we change anything we’re doing? In just a few months, Kingsley is going to win the primary.”
 

“I don’t know, Jack. It seems more dangerous now. What if you slip up? What if you say or do something wrong and people start to notice. Or what if someone sees you together, and it doesn’t look so innocent—like her leaving your house at three in the morning?”
 

“We’ll make up a story or something. I’m not saying there isn’t any risk in staying in, but I think it’s worth it compared to the guaranteed problems if one or both of us getting out.”

***

At Jack’s house that night Lily sat hand-in-hand with him on his office sofa. She grimaced as they began their discussion. “So I’ve thought about this a lot and—”

“And I know what you’re thinking,” he said, pointing a finger at her.

“What’s that, Mr. Mind-Reader?” She laughed.

“You’re thinking you want to drop out of the race, and I stay in.”

“Well, I don’t
want
to drop out, but don’t you think it makes sense for one of us to?”
 

“No, actually, I don’t. It’s already March. We’re so close to the end.”

“But the primary isn’t until June.”

“The beginning of June. So that’s really a little over two months before all of this is over. We should just chance it.”

“I don’t know. I’d feel like such a liar.”

He kissed her forehead. “I love you, and I understand. I feel differently now too. You mean everything to me.”

“And I love you. So how can we just carry on?”

“Because that’s just us. The rest of the world doesn’t see anything different, and dynamics of the campaign haven’t changed. It’s not like we now have to personally attack each other in the campaign. We can just continue along with our positive messages and ignore each other.”

“But there’s so much risk. What if we make a mistake?”
 

“Come on. It will cause more questions and more unnecessary issues between us if one of us drops out than if we take our chances. We may need to be more cautious now, but I think it’s a safer bet for us professionally and personally. I don’t want this campaign to come between us when it’s not necessary. Kingsley is going to win. We all know that.”

“But…”

“Listen, this morning I checked our latest polling. Kingsley is ahead of us all by fifteen points. Then it’s Yancey, and then you and I are essentially tied with the rest of everyone falling in behind.”
 

“So you think it’s that easy? We just keep going like we have been?”

“It’s worked so far though …” He skewed his mouth as if he’d tasted something sour. “We should probably limit times like this.”

“Like this? Like when you and me alone in your house together?” She laughed.

“Yeah, that.” He touched her hair. “Unfortunately.”

“Well, this is only my second time here, but maybe should I go home now?” She said, toying with him.

“Not yet.” He smirked. “Are we done talking?”

“Yes. I see what you’re saying. I’m willing to go along,” she said. Intellectually, Lily grasped his reasoning, and it made sense. Her gut told her that things wouldn’t be that easy. “Let’s just pray that it works.”

“And the day after the primary, we can go out to dinner in public.”

“I’d like that.” She smiled and kissed his cheek. When she pulled away, she gave him a taunting look. “We don’t have much more time tonight. Are you going to take me to bed or not?”
 

A sexy smile crossed his face. “This would be one of the reasons why I love you. You get straight to the point.” He leaned over and kissed her neck and then along her jaw line. “I’m at your service.”

“That sounds like fun.” She laughed. “And mutually beneficial.”

“Definitely.”

She pulled away and gave him a small smile before she lifted her sweater over her head, revealing a delicate bra of silver lace. She was really tired of being the only person who ever saw her nice lingerie. Jack responded just as she hoped. “Gorgeous.”

Leaning over to give him a kiss, she tugged at the bottom of his t-shirt. “Your turn.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said and tugged off his t-shirt as only men do.

When he was half-naked before her, she smiled. “Yes, I remember you like this in the pool. This I like.”

He eyed her breasts. “I bet I like you more right now.”

“I doubt that.” She gave him a quick peck, which he turned into a long kiss. He wrapped his arms around her, and she relished in feeling his warm skin against her own. While their tongues played, his hands soon undid the clasp of her bra. She pulled away so she could shimmy it off her body.
 

Jack’s eyes didn’t move from her breasts as she tossed the bra to the side. “You’re so beautiful,” he said with wonder in his voice.

“Thanks, handsome,” she said as she lovingly stroked his cheek. She scooted over and straddled his legs, kneeling on the sofa cushion. Lily always liked that position because she could look a man in the eye and have a little more control. While she wanted to have her way with the fine male specimen in front of her, she also wanted him to pay attention to her what she was about to say. Gazing at him, she wove her fingers into his hair, and her expression was warm. “I love you.”

Closing his eyes for a brief moment, Jack shook his head as if he was in disbelief. When he opened them, he tightened his arms around her and smiled almost apologetically. “Babe, you don’t even know … I adore you.”

Lily took a deep breath, relishing the moment. “Oh, sweetheart…”

His eyes twinkled, but quickly darted down to her chest. When he looked up again, his expression sought permission, which she granted with a smile. She rose on her knees, guiding his mouth to her breasts. While he licked and kissed one while tweaking and tugging at the other, she felt the dueling sensations throughout her body. Urging him on, she played with his hair as he lavished her with attention and compliments, making her want even more of him. She snuck her hand between his legs and found him hard as if he’d been waiting for her.

As she touched him through his jeans, a human growl came from his chest. He leaned back from her breasts and smiled. “Time to take you to bed.”
 

“Okay, but you were doing just fine right here,” she said with a grin.

“I hope to do better.” He chuckled.

“Considering what you did to me at Point Reyes, I don’t doubt your abilities.”

“Let’s pick up where we left off then.”

An hour later, they lay in each other’s arms, neither willing to let go. She stroked the hair on his chest, “Unfortunately, I have to drive home.”

“Please,” he said and kissed her forehead. “A little while longer. I’ll make it worth your while.”

 
“After this evening, I know you would, but I can’t spend the night.” She winced. “It’s the downside of having a kid and living with my parents.”

“I know,” he said, furrowing his brow. “I just wish we had more time together.”

“I think nights like this are going to be rare for a while.”

He frowned and nodded, but a smile slowly spread across his face. “But we don’t necessarily need to be at one of our houses.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, next weekend for example … we’re both back in Eureka.” He moved so he was on top of her and could look down. “We might stay at the same hotel, and no one will ever know if I happen to wander into the wrong room.”

“That is naughty and risky,” she said with a chuckle.

“I bet we get away with it.”

“Why do you say that? Ever since we started seeing each other, you’ve had this air of confidence like everything is going to work out, regardless of the risk. Don’t you ever have any self-doubt?”

“Sure.” He brushed his nose against hers. “But I don’t doubt us.”

“But why not?” Lily realized she could be a worry-wart at times, but their risky behavior warranted it.
 

He gave her his cocky grin. “Because I’ve got a strong feeling things between us are supposed to work out.”

One day in May, Jack looked out his office window and squinted at the sun. He was surprised it was still high in the sky that late in the day, and the thought made him happy. The solstice wasn’t far away, which meant June was coming up, and June 6 was the end of the primary. He and Lily were close to coming out of their mess unscathed.