mention…” She gave a sharp nod toward me.
“All ancient history.”
“You’re crazy if you think I’m next.”
“Oh, you’re still a feisty one. I remember that about you. I like feisty.” He waggled his eyebrows. “I’m good with feisty. Just give me a chance. You won’t regret it.”
“Are you for real?” She shook her head.
“Oh yes, and I’m not going away.”
While Lisa and David continued their banter, Maria Ines Ortega, Juan Carlos’s friend from college, sidled up next to me. “Hey, Nicki.”
“Hi.” Maria Ines always made me grin. She was perpetually on the make, and as a gorgeous Colombian, she was quite successful in her conquests. She had the best tales to tell. “How are you?”
“I’m great.” She nodded over to Adam, who was still stuck talking to the staffer. “Juan Carlos says Adam’s a friend of yours. He said he has a girlfriend. Is that right?”
“Yes, he does,” I said slowly. I peered over at him. “Her name is Felicity Chambers. She also works for the BBC.”
“Probably one of those horsey-looking British chicks,” said Maria Ines. Tossing her hair, she stuck out her chest. “He needs a night with me. He’s probably never been with a real woman.”
Since I’d been with Adam when I was only seventeen, I couldn’t object—not that I really wanted the conversation to go any further. I did wonder what Adam would do if Maria Ines worked her magic on him, though. Men flocked to her the way women fell over themselves for David. I considered it a test.
“Go talk to him,” I said.
“I will.”
I dreaded the next question, but it was the polite one for me to ask. “Do you want me to introduce you?”
“No, thanks.” She winked. “I can handle it.”
She left me behind and pulled up a chair between Adam and the staffer. Turning her back on the poor guy, she effectively iced him out as she began talking with Adam. It was a matter of seconds before her trademark eye-fucking commenced. I looked away. I didn’t want to see Adam’s reaction.
For the rest of the night, I drank sangria and checked my watch, hoping that I would get out of there before it all exploded in my face. Of course, home would be no better because I’d be alone with Juan Carlos and my guilt, and when he left the next day, I’d be just as confused by Adam and get a lecture from Lisa. I began to plot a Sunday afternoon trip into the office just to avoid my personal life.
Fortunately, because there was such a large group at the table, I didn’t have to say much. Juan Carlos held court just as he always did. He was a charismatic guy, and people were drawn to him. Plus, he was the most successful campaign consultant in America right now and sitting in a popular restaurant in DC. The man was going to have admirers and customers. I welcomed the conversations as a diversion from Adam, though occasionally I’d peek to see if Maria Ines was making any headway. I couldn’t tell, but close to two in the morning, I did overhear David ask for Lisa’s phone number.
She gave him a deadpan look. “After everything I’ve said to you tonight, you want to call me?”
“Of course, love. Why not?”
“Whatever.” She yawned. “Adam is a reporter. He should be able to track it down.”
“Still playing hard to get?” David said with a smile.
“Oh, I’m not playing at all. I am hard to get, especially for you.”
He leaned over and gave her the quickest peck on the cheek before he rose from his seat. She touched where his lips had landed, but rather than scolding him, she gave me a stern look. I was going to get a talking to.
Adam and David said their farewells, and curiosity got the best of me. I studied Adam’s goodbye to Maria Ines. She leered at him, and he nodded and turned away.
As he spoke to the Hill staffer, Maria Ines came over to me and said, “Either he’s in love with his girlfriend or he’s gay, because he wouldn’t flirt with me.” She glared at Adam. “He’s
“All ancient history.”
“You’re crazy if you think I’m next.”
“Oh, you’re still a feisty one. I remember that about you. I like feisty.” He waggled his eyebrows. “I’m good with feisty. Just give me a chance. You won’t regret it.”
“Are you for real?” She shook her head.
“Oh yes, and I’m not going away.”
While Lisa and David continued their banter, Maria Ines Ortega, Juan Carlos’s friend from college, sidled up next to me. “Hey, Nicki.”
“Hi.” Maria Ines always made me grin. She was perpetually on the make, and as a gorgeous Colombian, she was quite successful in her conquests. She had the best tales to tell. “How are you?”
“I’m great.” She nodded over to Adam, who was still stuck talking to the staffer. “Juan Carlos says Adam’s a friend of yours. He said he has a girlfriend. Is that right?”
“Yes, he does,” I said slowly. I peered over at him. “Her name is Felicity Chambers. She also works for the BBC.”
“Probably one of those horsey-looking British chicks,” said Maria Ines. Tossing her hair, she stuck out her chest. “He needs a night with me. He’s probably never been with a real woman.”
Since I’d been with Adam when I was only seventeen, I couldn’t object—not that I really wanted the conversation to go any further. I did wonder what Adam would do if Maria Ines worked her magic on him, though. Men flocked to her the way women fell over themselves for David. I considered it a test.
“Go talk to him,” I said.
“I will.”
I dreaded the next question, but it was the polite one for me to ask. “Do you want me to introduce you?”
“No, thanks.” She winked. “I can handle it.”
She left me behind and pulled up a chair between Adam and the staffer. Turning her back on the poor guy, she effectively iced him out as she began talking with Adam. It was a matter of seconds before her trademark eye-fucking commenced. I looked away. I didn’t want to see Adam’s reaction.
For the rest of the night, I drank sangria and checked my watch, hoping that I would get out of there before it all exploded in my face. Of course, home would be no better because I’d be alone with Juan Carlos and my guilt, and when he left the next day, I’d be just as confused by Adam and get a lecture from Lisa. I began to plot a Sunday afternoon trip into the office just to avoid my personal life.
Fortunately, because there was such a large group at the table, I didn’t have to say much. Juan Carlos held court just as he always did. He was a charismatic guy, and people were drawn to him. Plus, he was the most successful campaign consultant in America right now and sitting in a popular restaurant in DC. The man was going to have admirers and customers. I welcomed the conversations as a diversion from Adam, though occasionally I’d peek to see if Maria Ines was making any headway. I couldn’t tell, but close to two in the morning, I did overhear David ask for Lisa’s phone number.
She gave him a deadpan look. “After everything I’ve said to you tonight, you want to call me?”
“Of course, love. Why not?”
“Whatever.” She yawned. “Adam is a reporter. He should be able to track it down.”
“Still playing hard to get?” David said with a smile.
“Oh, I’m not playing at all. I am hard to get, especially for you.”
He leaned over and gave her the quickest peck on the cheek before he rose from his seat. She touched where his lips had landed, but rather than scolding him, she gave me a stern look. I was going to get a talking to.
Adam and David said their farewells, and curiosity got the best of me. I studied Adam’s goodbye to Maria Ines. She leered at him, and he nodded and turned away.
As he spoke to the Hill staffer, Maria Ines came over to me and said, “Either he’s in love with his girlfriend or he’s gay, because he wouldn’t flirt with me.” She glared at Adam. “He’s
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