threatened."
He saw Alicia nod, and kept on moving his eyes around the room. "Okay, coming in now is Nick Durlin, from Illinois. He's basically Reed's opposite - he's a firebrand, loves to jump on to the latest causes. Really loves getting on national television, always wants to be one of those talking heads on CNN or Fox. Massive ego."
Alicia nodded. "Okay, this is good. I can use this."
At least she didn't ask Tanner if he was sure. He appreciated that confidence, at least. "And the guy sitting in the corner over there is Tom Carp. He doesn't get out much, not super active. Tends to just go with the flow; convince him that the rest of the Party is on board with whatever you propose, and he'll fall in line."
Another nod. Unlike some Senators, who were great at giving the impression that they were listening without actually absorbing a single word, Alicia really did seem to have committed all this information to memory. "Anything else?"
"Yes, one more thing." He paused for a second, waiting for her full attention. "You haven't seen me in a three thousand dollar suit - and when you do, trust me, it will make an impression." He grinned at her, and for just a second, he thought he saw a little glint of that previous sultry fire in her eyes before she quenched it.
The other senators were now taking their places at the table, and Tanner stopped talking so that Alicia could turn back to the meeting. Sitting back, he tried to ignore the curious eyes from several of the other senators' staff members, resting on him. They recognized him, and were undoubtedly wondering what he was doing here.
"Well, it looks like everyone's here," Alicia began, leaning forward and clapping her hands together. The sound had its intended effect of turning the heads of the other senators, and they listened as she began talking, outlining the broad strokes of her education bill. Tanner settled back, letting the words wash over him, giving every outward appearance of listening closely.
Inside his head, however, he fumed, turning over the last few minutes over and over as he tried to work out where he'd gone wrong. How had his situation, his plans, gone so far astray, so quickly? He'd worked out everything, had a perfect plan.
And then Alicia somehow, inexplicably, saw right through him.
Well, no matter, he tried to tell himself. He could still turn this around. After all, he, Keegan Tanner, was known for his skill. He wasn't going to let some minor setback bring him down. There were a million different ways to kill a bill, and he only needed to find one. He might not have won the first round, but he was a long way from getting knocked out.
He narrowed his eyes slightly at Alicia Stone's back as she talked. He'd find a way to bring her down. One way or another, he'd make sure that she got her comeuppance for leading him on, flirting with him and teasing him.
Alicia Stone would be a worthy opponent, but Keegan Tanner would triumph in the end. He'd focus every waking moment on her, learn every detail about her, come to know her utterly and intimately.
And then, when she least expected it, he would destroy her.
Chapter Eight
*
"So," Freddie asked as he gazed over the lip of his pint glass at Tanner, "how's the new assignment going? Haven't talked to you for a few days, and your phone keeps going to voicemail. You and that new senator getting into it, huh?"
He waited, but Tanner didn't respond, didn't even look up. He just sat there, gazing down vacantly into his scotch glass, until Freddie reached over and physically twiddled his fingers in front of his eyes. "Yo, man, wake up. What's going on with you? You've been zoned out all evening."
"Oh, have I? Sorry." Tanner blinked, looking up and shaking his head a little. "Yeah, Alicia. She's driving me crazy, that's what."
"Yeah, I can see that you're off your game." Freddie gave Tanner another chance to respond, but the man had already zoned out again. "Come on, dude, talk to me. I've never
He saw Alicia nod, and kept on moving his eyes around the room. "Okay, coming in now is Nick Durlin, from Illinois. He's basically Reed's opposite - he's a firebrand, loves to jump on to the latest causes. Really loves getting on national television, always wants to be one of those talking heads on CNN or Fox. Massive ego."
Alicia nodded. "Okay, this is good. I can use this."
At least she didn't ask Tanner if he was sure. He appreciated that confidence, at least. "And the guy sitting in the corner over there is Tom Carp. He doesn't get out much, not super active. Tends to just go with the flow; convince him that the rest of the Party is on board with whatever you propose, and he'll fall in line."
Another nod. Unlike some Senators, who were great at giving the impression that they were listening without actually absorbing a single word, Alicia really did seem to have committed all this information to memory. "Anything else?"
"Yes, one more thing." He paused for a second, waiting for her full attention. "You haven't seen me in a three thousand dollar suit - and when you do, trust me, it will make an impression." He grinned at her, and for just a second, he thought he saw a little glint of that previous sultry fire in her eyes before she quenched it.
The other senators were now taking their places at the table, and Tanner stopped talking so that Alicia could turn back to the meeting. Sitting back, he tried to ignore the curious eyes from several of the other senators' staff members, resting on him. They recognized him, and were undoubtedly wondering what he was doing here.
"Well, it looks like everyone's here," Alicia began, leaning forward and clapping her hands together. The sound had its intended effect of turning the heads of the other senators, and they listened as she began talking, outlining the broad strokes of her education bill. Tanner settled back, letting the words wash over him, giving every outward appearance of listening closely.
Inside his head, however, he fumed, turning over the last few minutes over and over as he tried to work out where he'd gone wrong. How had his situation, his plans, gone so far astray, so quickly? He'd worked out everything, had a perfect plan.
And then Alicia somehow, inexplicably, saw right through him.
Well, no matter, he tried to tell himself. He could still turn this around. After all, he, Keegan Tanner, was known for his skill. He wasn't going to let some minor setback bring him down. There were a million different ways to kill a bill, and he only needed to find one. He might not have won the first round, but he was a long way from getting knocked out.
He narrowed his eyes slightly at Alicia Stone's back as she talked. He'd find a way to bring her down. One way or another, he'd make sure that she got her comeuppance for leading him on, flirting with him and teasing him.
Alicia Stone would be a worthy opponent, but Keegan Tanner would triumph in the end. He'd focus every waking moment on her, learn every detail about her, come to know her utterly and intimately.
And then, when she least expected it, he would destroy her.
Chapter Eight
*
"So," Freddie asked as he gazed over the lip of his pint glass at Tanner, "how's the new assignment going? Haven't talked to you for a few days, and your phone keeps going to voicemail. You and that new senator getting into it, huh?"
He waited, but Tanner didn't respond, didn't even look up. He just sat there, gazing down vacantly into his scotch glass, until Freddie reached over and physically twiddled his fingers in front of his eyes. "Yo, man, wake up. What's going on with you? You've been zoned out all evening."
"Oh, have I? Sorry." Tanner blinked, looking up and shaking his head a little. "Yeah, Alicia. She's driving me crazy, that's what."
"Yeah, I can see that you're off your game." Freddie gave Tanner another chance to respond, but the man had already zoned out again. "Come on, dude, talk to me. I've never
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