Paradise Falls (49 page)

“Listen,” he said, very softly. “If you want to stop, any time, you tell me. If something hurts, tell me. Understand?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re sure you want to do this?”

“Yes,” she said.

She sat up, and he steadied her with his hands on her hips as she held him in her hand and guided him between her legs. His erection was much, much bigger than his finger, and it took some pressure before her body spread open around him. She expected to make a noise but she was silent, staring into his eyes. The look on his face was priceless, etched into her mind as she relaxed her legs, breathed in and out slowly, and took him into her body. Her eyes watered a little.

“Hey,” he said, his voice so soft she could barely hear him. “You okay?”

She nodded, vigorously.

Wasn’t this supposed to hurt? The first time was supposed to hurt. This was the opposite of hurt. This was
good
. Intense, almost unbearable, but good. She was so
full
. It was hard, but she settled her weight in his lap, breathed out and released some of the tension in her belly, but it came right back. She put her hands on his stomach and turned her head to throw her hair back over her shoulder.

“Holy shit, that was sexy,” Jacob groaned.

His hands moved up her arms. Slowly, she leaned forward. The change in the angle taught her new sensations with every tiny movement. Her weight shifted to his hands and he eased her down until she was lying on top of him, legs hitched up around his sides, her head on his chest. He shifted and moved inside her as he sat up, propped up against the headboard. With a little nudge on her hip with his hands, he set her moving. She flexed her stomach, then her back, rolling her hips. Everything was new, experimental. When she felt good, she kept doing what felt good, and it made it feel even better. It was like she was on fire.

“I want you on top of me,” she whispered.

Jacob locked his arms around her and, carefully, rolled without drawing out.

It was amazing. His weight settled on top of her, pushed him in deeper. Now that that he was on top, something in him shifted a little, changed. His movements were sharper, more intense. His lips were not soft but hungry, and she felt his teeth on her throat and paid him back with her nails on his back.

Suddenly he slowed, as if he’d only just realized what he’d done.

“Oh God, are you-“

“Don’t slow down,” she pleaded, “Do it like before. Harder. Come on.”

That change came back, and she liked it. The bedsprings creaked, and the movement of his fullness inside her, the way his body ground against hers, his hot breath, it was all overwhelming. She held him tight, driven by some instinct to trap him against her, inside her as his thrusts grew frantic, matching the undulations of her body as a long, low moan escaped her lips. It was not like this before, by herself. Never like this. Not so intense, so tight, so hot, so cold at the same time. She felt it everywhere, exploding through her body in waves, and he cried out in her ear, his breath so hot as she arched back and clawed at his neck and hair.

It faded. Her feet trembled in the air, before lowering to the bed. Her arms fell to her sides and she lay spread out under him, and he was still inside her. Jacob laid on top of her, breathing. He was too heavy, but she didn’t care. He was like a living blanket and the movement of his body as he was still inside her made him tremble. If she was exhausted he was energized, holding her around the waist, softly kissing her throat.

Finally, he withdrew, shifting to lie on his side, still next to her.

He put his head on her shoulder.

“Did you like that?”

“Uh huh,” she managed.

She was naked, soaked in sweat, red everywhere and still trembling.

Totally exposed. Never safer. Safe with him.

“I love you.”

The words hit her like a bucket of cold water.

“You,” he said, “not the idea of you, not the image of you on a pedestal. I love your fire, your passion, your grace and kindness and compassion. You make me want to be a better person.”

She was quiet for a time.

“I love you, too,” she said turning to face him. She slipped her hand in his, so much bigger and rougher than her own. “You’re already a better man than you think you are.”

His grin widened, and he kissed her. Pulled her close and held her.

Eventually, of course, he fell asleep. She woke him up around noon, by rattling the box.

Jacob looked at it, as if for the first time.

“Jennifer, did you know that’s a ten pack?”

“Yes,” said Jennifer. “Yes, I did.”

9.

“This going to give me an ulcer,” said Jennifer.

Jacob dragged the zipper up her back, and gently lifted her braid over her shoulder. He cut a fine figure in his dinner jacket, with his hair slicked and tied back. He put his hands on her shoulders and rested his chin on top of her head, and she grinned at him in the mirror. Her hair was perfect, and Jacob draped the heavy necklace around her throat and clasped it behind her neck as she put in the earrings. He touched her waist.

“You look absolutely radiant.”

A small part of her almost wished she’d gone with the more revealing, backless gown, but she
did
look good. Elegant, even. Even the shoes felt less awkward, if no less pinchy. She’d have to get used to those. Jacob handed her the purse.

“There’s nothing in here,” she said.

“It’s an accessory,” said Jacob, shrugging. “I’m not even taking my wallet. No gadgets, no weapons. Security is going to be extreme. James won’t be the only politician there.”

Jennifer nodded. “I’m not sure I can do this.”

“I know, honey. I’m not, either. Just stay with me and follow my lead.”

The one thing he did take was his phone, which he slipped in the inside pocket of his coat. Then he took
another,
identical phone and put it in the pocket on the other side.

“Two phones?” said Jennifer.

“A little trick. I saw it in a movie.”

“Right.”

He was staring at her. She shifted on her feet and flicked her chin, making her braid sway, and smiled. Jacob grinned at her and leaned in for a quick kiss.

“Careful. Don’t smudge this stupid lipstick.”

“Of course not,” Jacob purred.

“You should have gotten me a corsage. I feel like we’re going to the prom.”

“We’re going to have to chaperone if we get our jobs back. You ever do that?”

She shook her head. “Not my kind of thing.”

Jacob nodded, his expression darkening. “Maybe we can work on that. Time to go. We can only be so fashionably late.”

Jennifer was unused to being the center of attention, so when she noticed all the stares in the lobby of the hotel, she grew a little queasy, and clutched her purse in both hands. It took all her willpower not to fold her shoulders in and tuck up against Jacob, but she walked tall and swish-swished the long gown around her legs, out to the front. There was a car waiting for them. Old, and huge, and sky blue. Jennifer looked it over and whistled softly.

“What’s this?”

“We’re not going to the prom. No stretch limo for us. A Rolls isn’t really my thing, but we’re just borrowing it.”

Jennifer didn’t know the driver. He wasn’t one of Jacob’s people. He was also behind a partition, so Jennifer did not see him after Jacob took her hand and lowered her into the car. He entered through the other side, sinking into the plush seat beside her. Faisal was seated opposite, on an equally plush seat facing theirs, with a briefcase on his lap. Jennifer had a feeling it wasn’t full of papers.

“Sir.”

“Faisal,” said Jacob.

“Where is this thing, anyway?”

“James Katzenberg’s personal home in the district,” said Faisal, opening the case.

He shifted a slick little submachine gun aside to pull out a folder and hand it over. Jennifer took it, and scanned the floor plan of the house.

“How did you get these?”

“Public record,” said Faisal. “The house was built in 1926. Four floors, thirty-six rooms. The ballroom on the first floor will host the event.”

Jennifer nodded.

“Security?” said Jacob.

“Guards on the perimeter. Capitol police, a protective detail of Treasury agents and James’ own personal bodyguards. At least sixty men. All guests will be wanded at the entrance, and expected to check bags and cell phones.”

“Good,” said Jennifer, wiggling the purse. “I don’t want to carry this thing all night.”

Jacob smirked at her.

“What’s the play, here?” said Jennifer. “Why are we going?”

“I only need to get either of these phones in the building. If there’s a wifi network, I’m in. If not, I have a thumb drive in the heel of my shoe. At the very least, I want a keylogger on James’ personal machine. You might have to be on your own for a while.”

“Right,” said Jennifer.

Then it hit her. Her stomach did a flip.

“Do you think Elliot will be there?”

“Almost certainly,” said Faisal. “He left Paradise Falls for the District last week.”

Jennifer pushed down the queasy feeling in her throat and hugged herself. Jacob touched her arm, and she turned and put her head on his shoulder.

“You’re going to be fine,” he said.

“I don’t ever want to see him again.”

“I’ll be right there. I won’t leave you alone with him, I promise.”

“We will arrive momentarily, sir,” said Faisal.

Jacob nodded, sat up and adjusted himself in the seat. Jennifer didn’t let go of him.

“We’re Pilgrims in an unholy land,” he said.

Jennifer smirked, and let out the breathe she was holding.

“
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
, right?”

He nodded, and twirled his finger in the loose lock of hair she let hand down over the bandage on her face.

“When I was in seventh grade, we took a field trip down here, to see the museums on the National Mall. My dad chaperoned, but the kid that was supposed to go with us didn’t show up, so it was just me and him. We rode in a fancy charter bus with a TV set and a VCR.”

“High tech,” said Jennifer.

“Yeah, I know. On the way back we watched
Last Crusade
. When we got a DVD player the first thing he bought was the Indiana Jones set. We must have watched that movie together a thousand times.”

His breath caught.

“Candy hated it. She hates…she hated rats. So, I bought her one for a pet for Christmas that year. She named him Sprinkles.”

Jennifer laughed a little, but Jacob’s chest was tight as a drum. He scrubbed at one eye.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“So am I,” said Jacob.

“Here we are,” said Faisal, glancing at them in the rear view mirror.

Jennifer sat up. James’ private estate outclassed the White House in size, she thought. She’d never seen it person but James’ mansion looked bigger. Jacob let out a small whistle, and shifted on the seat to look over her shoulder. The house on the hill over Paradise Falls would probably fit in one of the rooms of this house. There was a line of cars pulling up under the portico. She could see the security everywhere, either in uniforms or dark suits that might as well have been uniforms. Faisal stopped, pulled up, stopped, as each car emptied out. Jacob scooted over and readied his invitations, written by hand on gilt calligraphy on dark paper. He handed one to Jennifer and she clasped it to her chest as an attendant opened her door.

She stepped out first, and froze, blinking. Wobbly her heels, she was not ready for a barrage of camera clashes. Jacob quickly stepped behind her and steadied her with a hand on her back. He grinned and waved.

“They have no idea who we are,” he said, softly, “just walk up the carpet.”

Jennifer nodded, put on a fake smile and walked past the cameras to the front door. There was another line of guests, stopping one at a time for the security guards to wave metal-detecting wants over their limbs.

“One does not simply walk into Mordor,” said Jennifer.

Jacob snorted. “Let’s not play this game.”

“I can go all night.”

She stepped up, handed over her purse and held out her arms. The metal detector made no sound and Jennifer whispered a silent prayer of thanks that she would not be patted down, and stepped inside. The foyer took her breath away. It was the equal in size of the auditorium at the high school, big enough to host this type of event on its own. Jacob appeared behind her as Jennifer handed a coat-check girl her purse, glad not to carry the stupid thing around all night. Jacob handed over his cell phone, but only the one, keeping the other hidden in his coat pocket. He slipped his arm through Jennifer’s and walked her inside.

“What do we do now?”

“Mingle,” said Jacob, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

She didn’t expect to know anyone, but she in fact did. A little flutter passed through her stomach when she realized she was surrounded by famous people. A couple of anchors from the Philadelphia news stations were chatting with a woman in a pantsuit, and the mayor of Pittsburgh was a few feet away, talking to a young woman. There were a few actors present, as well, and television commentators. Jacob’s head was on a swivel as he studied the surroundings, stopping briefly to scan each face, like he was cataloging them. He gave Jennifer’s arm little tug and walked to a long buffet table, and handed her a plate of hors de’oeuvres.

The cocktail weenies were spectacular. For a quarter million dollars a plate, they should be.

“Should we talk to somebody?” said Jennifer.

“We will,” said Jacob. He adjusted his jacket, unbuttoned and buttoned it, glancing inside in the process. “My cracking program hasn’t broken the encryption on the WiFi yet.”

“If you say so,” said Jennifer.

“So,” she said, “Let’s mingle?”

He nodded, but the fake smile he wore betrayed a nervous edge. He turned, moving her along with him.

A ruddy-faced man in an ill-fitting suit turned and smiled, striding confidently towards her. It took Jennifer a moment to recognize him. She expected her
other
Senator to be a bit taller. He took her hand and shook it, then Jacob’s.

“Haven’t seen you at once of these before,” he drawled in a folksy tone.