Cream colored Egyptian cotton sheets, probably 1500 thread count. Pillows, lots of them. Paintings of boats and colonial men and women in fancy ornate frames. It's exactly what I expected it to look like, the master suite in the White House. Fitz suggested we sleep in another bedroom, but I told him no. It's the beginning of a new era; an era without hiding and hurt and deceit. An era where I can sleep with the man I love in his bedroom and still wear the white hat.
"Livy?" Fitz's voice is breathy and hot on my neck. I hum in response and snuggle in closer to him, not ready to face the woes of politics in our great nation's capital. The first 'woe' starting right here in this bed.
"You know your situation is going to need some fixing. We are going to have to hold a press conference today. Mellie is going to start talking, so you'll need to make a statement."
"Only you would bid for a job at 7 in the morning, lying naked next to the most powerful man on earth."
"I'm not 'bidding,' I'm simply stating the facts. You need me."
"You got that right." His strong masculine hands run their way down my body as he trails kisses along my jaw. "But right now, what I really need is for you to lay there, perfect and naked and ready for me."
"I have work, much of which is your fault, so," I say, but before I can swing my legs over the bed to get up, Fitz rolls over and pins me underneath him. "Fitz…"
"Tell me to stop," he whispers close to my ear as his fingers hit all of my sweet spots.
"Not fair," I gasp, arching my back towards him as he makes love to me for the fifth time in the past several hours.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Coffee?" He asks, already knowing the answer by holding out a steaming mug to me as we sit in the office.
"Thanks." I take a sip, savoring the rich smoky taste. "You're my client now, which means a few things."
"By all means, lay them on me." He sits on the couch across from me in a dark grey suit, crisp white button up, and a maroon tie. With one leg propped up and resting on the other, he looks comfortable and at ease in spite of the current state of affairs.
"This situation is going to be tough to spin, so I'm going to need a little help from my team."
"That's fine, but no more lies. We either do a clean fix or not at all."
"It's going to be messy no matter what, but I get what you're saying." I nod my head in agreement, "It's a new era."
"What?" Confusion washes over him at the phrase.
"It's just something I thought of this morning; a new era. That's what this is."
"I like that."
"Me too." The silent promise of new beginnings hangs between us as we simply enjoy the moment.
"I also have to ask you the question." I find myself blushing although I don't understand why. He and I know each other more intimately than anyone else, yet the prospect of asking Fitz the question that I've asked clients thousands of times, makes me nervous. Is it because I fear for what the answer might be or what it won't be? No point in fretting over it, so I ask. "What do you want?"
He smiles that lopsided smile that I love. "I want what you want, Liv."
I can't help the stupid look of love spreading across my face. "This isn't about what I want. You're the client."
"I want Vermont. I want jam. I want a life with you. I want you."
And suddenly it dawns on me that what was once 'the dream' isn't so much of a dream anymore, but a goal. No matter how bumpy the road is ahead, the destination is in sight and I finally allow myself to be excited about the future.
With happy tears pooling in my eyes, I say the line. "Consider it handled."