The Perfect Candidate (43 page)

“I chose you too, remember,” Michael whispered, advancing on her slowly.  There was a wicked gleam in his eyes that she didn’
t trust- and she didn
’
t trust it because she knew exactly what it meant he was thinking about!

“Yes, but Michael, you chose me to-” she couldn’
t finish that sentence however, because Michael had captured her mouth, smothering the rest of her words beneath his lips.

“Shall I tell you why you’
ll be perfect?
”
he murmured, releasing her only once she was breathlessly. 
“
Because you
’
re brilliant, and beautiful.  You
’
re damn smart too, so I know you
’
ll keep me on my toes!  You
’
re also-
”
he nibbled at her ear
“
-sexy as hell,
”
he whispered.

“Oh really, and how’
s that going to help the country?
”
Ashley asked shakily.

“I don’
t know, but I know exactly how it will help the President!
”

33

The next few weeks passed in a blur of rallies, debates and interviews.  Ashley
’
s cheeks
ached
from smiling so much, but she didn
’
t dare give up.  Election week finally arrived!  As the end of the campaign loomed  steadily closer and closer, the different ways that Ashley and Michael were coping became readily apparent.

Michael reminded his wife of nothing so much as a little boy waiting for Christmas morning- but he was a little boy who didn
’
t know what Santa was going to leave in his stocking, a brand new bike, or a lump of coal?  Ashley, on the other hand, was almost ridiculously calm!

“We’
ve done everything that we possibly could have done,
”
she reminded Michael, on Wednesday evening, as they climbed into bed.

“There’
s
always
something extra that you could have done,
”
Michael argued, wriggling around uncomfortably. 
“
Maybe if I-
”

“Michael!” Ashley laughed.  “Enough,
please?
”
she begged. 
“
You need to get a good night
’
s sleep tonight so that you
’
re fresh for the morning,
”
she scolded.  She snuggled down under the covers and closed her eyes.

“But I’
m never going to be able to sleep tonight,
”
Michael whispered, reaching for Ashley.  His hands slid possessively over her body, moving under her nightdress they gave her nipples a teasing tweak. 
“
How about you stay up with me to keep me company?
”
he murmured suggestively.

“Michael!” Ashley wailed, (but of course, she didn’
t actually stop him when his hands began wandering over her body).  She hoped, among other things, that a bout of lovemaking might help tire Michael out so that he was able to fall asleep. 

It certainly seemed to do the trick!  Ashley knew that her poor husband had to be physically exhausted, even if his mind refused to let him rest.  Michael hardly managed to draw out of her body once they were both spent and sated before a gentle snore bubbled out of his mouth!

Ashley smiled to herself and arranged Michael as comfortably as she could manage.  She nestled up against his chest, yawned sleepily, and was soon lost in her own dreams of presidential victory.

It didn
’
t seem like she had shut her eyes for more than a minute before the alarm clock started to ring!  Ashley grumbled and pulled the blankets over her head, waiting for Michael to turn the thing off.  When he
didn
’
t
, she moved to give him a poke- only to discover that he wasn
’
t actually in bed!

Ashley rolled over onto her husband
’
s side of the mattress so that she could reach the alarm clock.  She hit the thing, and frowned when she felt that the sheets underneath her were cool to the touch.  Just how long ago had Michael got up?

“Morning sleepyhead!”

Ashley twisted around, and saw the outline of her husband as he walked into the bedroom.  It was only 4.30am, and still dark, but she could smell the coffee he was carrying.

“How long have you been awake?” she asked, yawning, and turning on the bedside lamp.

“Not long,” Michael said sheepishly.  He handed Ashley the coffee.  “I just went for a run on the treadmill.  Couldn’
t sleep,
”
he shrugged.  It was no wonder that he hadn
’
t been able to sleep.  She could see that he was practically bouncing off the walls! 
“
So,
”
Michael said. 
“
You ready to go make me a president?
”
he grinned.

Ashley smiled and nodded. 
“
Are you ready?
”
she asked, but seemed to know that it was a silly question.  Michael had never looked more ready for anything!

“I feel like my whole life has been leading up to this day,” he said, exhaling shakily.  He shot a vulnerable, almost boyish, smile at his wife.  “Do you think sounds stupid?” he asked timidly.

Ashley put down her coffee and got out of bed.  She walked up to Michael, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed a kiss against his cheek. 
“
It doesn
’
t sound stupid at all!
”
she insisted, although, she was a little bit afraid of what that might mean.  Would Michael ever be able to want her even a fraction as much as he wanted to win this election? 
“
You
’
ve invested so much of yourself into this campaign, Michael,
”
she said softly.

“Yeah…” he murmured thoughtfully.  He twined his arms around Ashley’
s waist and hugged her to him tightly. 
“
Thank you, Ash,
”
he whispered,
“
for standing by me.
”

“Michael!” Ashley gasped.  “As if there was anywhere else I’
d rather have been!
”

Michael grinned widely, and claimed her lips in a beautifully searing, breath-stealing kiss.  He hoped that Ashley remembered that sentiment!  There was so,
so
many things riding on the outcome of this day
…
and Michael was terrified by the prospect of his
marriage
being one of those things!  He didn
’
t think he could lose Ashley, not now, and not ever!

“We have to get ready,” he murmured, releasing Ashley.  He couldn’
t stand still for more than a minute.  He just wanted things to
start!

Ashley giggled at him. 
“
All right, let
’
s get ready then,
”
she smiled, but as she said that she sat down on the edge of the bed to finish her coffee first.  Michael shot her a desperate look.

“We
can
’
t
be late!
”
he urged, obviously taking exception to her
‘
time wasting
’
.

“I’
m quite sure that we
’
re not going to be!
”
Ashley laughed.

In fact, they were ready rather earlier than they needed to be, but their car wasn
’
t due to pick them up until just before six, so Michael couldn
’
t actually
leave
the house, although he clearly wanted to and was just about ready to start climbing the walls.

“Please sit down?” Ashley asked gently, and for the third time.  Michael was pacing the living room like a caged tiger.

“I
can
’
t
sit down,
”
he whined. 
“
I need to be
doing
something.
”
  He glanced down at his wristwatch. 
“
Maybe I should call and check what time the car
’
s going to get here?
”

“Michael!” Ashley cried.  She got up off the sofa, where she and Lolly had been sitting, and walked across the room to her husband.  “Please try to relax?” she begged.  She lifted her hands to his shirt collar and straightened his tie.  “Everything is going to be fine,” she said soothingly.

“You can’
t possibly know that,
”
Michael groaned, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

Ashley kissed his cheek. 
“
Well
I
believe it
’
s going to be fine,
”
she whispered, dabbing a second kiss against his lips.

Michael looked down into her eyes, and the sudden overwhelming urge to tell her exactly how he felt about her washed over him. 
“
Ashley,
”
he breathed. 
“
I lo-
”
but he was cut off by the ring of the doorbell.