"Did you look in there?" John asked her.
Alicia looked away, shifting her gaze downward as she pondered her response. "No." She replied quietly, slowly raising her eyes to his.
It was a lie. He knew that, but decided not to push further. Instead, he nodded his head and offered a small smile. Something in that box bothered her and he would find out for himself later. Attempting to change the subject, he moved his chair closer and nudged her leg with his own.
"What did I tell you about that?"
She looked at him, confused. "What?"
"Don't cross your legs."
Smirking, she glanced around them. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not giving an interview right now."
He eyed her, licking his lips before swiveling her chair to face him and moved even closer, causing her to instinctively uncross her legs. "That's better." Positioning his leg between hers, he leaned forward, close to her ear. "When you cross your legs," he whispered, smiling when he heard her breath hitch as his fingertips grazed the inside of her thigh. "It's difficult for me to do this." Her leg twitched as his fingers continued to caress her skin, heading further upward. Turning to face him, she leaned in and placed her lips on his; gentle at first, but quickly escalating to passionate.
"Alicia, you have to let us use- What the…?"
Quickly, he moved away and discreetly wiped her lipstick off of his lips before turning to face Eli, who wore a wide-eyed look of horror. "She doesn't want to use it." He told him as he watched her jump up from her seat and reach for her belongings.
"I...need to go. Cary's...case..." She stuttered as she walked around him and out of the room. "Oh!" She rushed back in. "I almost forgot..." She said as she reached for the box.
He placed his hand on it, pulling it toward him. "Leave it with me."
"What? No." she reached for it again.
"I'll take care of it. Don't let him into your head."
"What is that?" Eli asked.
"I won't. Give it to me."
"Alicia..." His tone made her look up and into his eyes.
"John, don't." She pleaded.
"Let...me...handle it." He smiled, hoping it was enough to convey to her that he had no ill intention. Taking a deep breath, she nodded slightly, turned on her heel and left the room.
"What...?" Eli watched her go before turning back to face him. "What did I walk in on?"
"Huh? Oh. Umm..." He shrugged. "We were discussing the closeted dinosaur thing. She hates it." He told him as he opened the box, removing the envelope inside.
"Johnny…" He looked around to make sure they were still alone. "No matter what's going on with Alicia and Peter, they are still married, in case you have forgotten."
Removing the photos from the envelope, he immediately realized what had bothered her. Shaking his head, he tossed them on the table in front of Eli. "Maybe you ought to remind your precious governor of that."
She sat at her desk, poring over documents that Diane left for her to review and sign off on. Looking up at the sound of a soft knock, she was surprised to see John standing in her doorway.
"Hey." He smiled as he walked in.
"Hey…what are you…?"
"Well, you see, after we got interrupted earlier…" He sat in the chair across from her. "I was left feeling…I don't know…like maybe we should finish what we started."
Widening her eyes, she straightened in her seat and placed her hands on her desk in front of her. "John…we can't…" she looked behind him, to the hustle and bustle going on outside of her office.
Laughing lightly, he shook his head. "Relax. I'm just kidding."
Glaring at him, she smiled and sat back. "Well, good thing these walls are glass. I may not have given you enough time to tell me you were kidding if they weren't."
He raised his eyebrows and nodded, approvingly. "Is that so?" she smiled and shrugged her shoulders. He put up his hand and shook his head. "I will not let you get us off track again. The reason I'm here is because I forgot to ask if you've spoken to Peter yet about the joint interview."
"You came all the way to my office to ask me something you could have over the phone?" she eyed him suspiciously. "Yes, I did. He's available this evening."
He nodded his head. "Are you okay?" he asked her. "I mean…with doing the…interview?" he added, quickly.
He knows. "Why wouldn't I be?" she asked him.
He raised his hands, defensively. "Just…making sure." He maintained eye contact with her a bit longer before looking around them. "Now, I'm the one thankful for the glass walls." She furrowed her brows, confused. "You look cute in glasses." He noted the color rise in her cheeks as she quickly tried to remove them. "No. Don't take them off. Maybe you should wear those for the interview."
Dropping her hand into her lap again, she tilted her head and smiled at him. "Why would I do that?"
He shrugged his shoulders and stood from the chair. "I should go." He smiled and turned to leave, stopping at the door to look at her again. "For the record, you never have to worry about me trying anything here." He looked around the room again. "I respect you and what this place means to you far too much. I'll see you later." Opening the door, he stepped out and paused, turning back again. "Don't forget the glasses."
She laughed and shook her head as she watched him walk down the corridor, away from her office. Looking around the room, she sat back and let his words replay in her mind.
Walking into the studio, she looked around and spotted Ramona a few feet away on her cell phone, smiling when she saw her. Smiling in return, she started toward her.
"Alicia, hey."
She turned to see John walking toward her and couldn't help but widen her smile. "Hey yourself. You changed." He shrugged slightly in response. She took in his all black attire and nodded. "You look good."
"Not nearly as good as you." He leaned closer. "Did you bring the glasses?"
Bursting into loud laughter, she looked around and then back to him. "I'm not wearing them for the interview." She told him before putting up her hand to stop his protest. "But, I do have them with me."
"Does that mean you'll wear them for me later?" he said, low enough so that only she would hear.
"Peter, there you are." Ramona called out.
He watched as the playful smile fell from her face, replaced by her perfected expression of indifference when Peter kissed her cheek. He watched her eyes follow him as he made his way over to Ramona.
"Hey. Don't do that." He tapped her arm lightly to get her attention.
She quickly turned to face him. "Do what?" He looked at her and gestured toward her husband. "You saw the pictures." When he didn't offer a reply, she nodded once. "I don't know how." She admitted.
"Know how to what?"
"Not let it bother me."
He looked into her eyes. "Let me help." She questioned him with her eyes. "Let me help you figure out how." She smiled before shifting her gaze downward.
"Alicia, they're ready for us." Peter called out.
Watching as she walked away, he noticed Marissa standing off to the side and walked over to her. "Did you bring Alicia?"
"Umm…that is my job."
"Did you bring her car or yours?"
"My car. Why?"
"Okay. You can go. I'll make sure she gets home."
"Are you sure? If something happens…my dad will freak."
"Everything will be fine. I promise."
Making his way over to his position next to the camera, he noticed how uncomfortable Alicia seemed on the sofa with her husband. Continuing past his seat, he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I know you don't want to be here. Try to relax and just get through this. I promise you that I will make it up to you later." Discreetly winking at her, he turned and took his seat, noting the pink tint in her cheeks and small smile on her lips as she uncrossed her legs, sitting straighter.
"You were great." He told her as they entered her apartment. "As always."
"John, if you tell me another five times, I might actually believe you." She teased.
"You need to believe me."
"What I need is a bottle of wine."
"Um...okay...sure. Let's go with that. But, maybe just a glass." He said as he followed her into her kitchen.
"Oh God, please don't tell me you're going to start clocking my alcohol intake, too." She said as she dropped her purse on the counter and proceeded to pour herself a glass of wine.
Taking his jacket off and draping it over one of the stools, he slowly walked toward her. "I don't care how much you drink. But, I would prefer you be of sound mind tonight."
She glanced at him as she drank from her glass. "Why is that?"
"Well, if I remember correctly, I promised you something earlier." Wrapping an arm around her, he lightly caressed her back through the thin material of her dress.
"I…I think I do recall you mentioning something along those lines."
"Right. And I never break my promises." He said, close to her ear before placing a trail of soft kisses from behind her ear to her collarbone. Feeling her move away from him, he pulled back and looked at her, confused. "Where are you going?"
"Nowhere. I'm just…" Gripping his shirt with one hand, she reached over and rummaged through her purse with the other. "Aha." Pulling a black case out, she held it up and smiled at him. "Did you still want me to put these on?"
Immediately, he nodded in response. "Yes. Please, yes." Biting his lip as he watched her put them on, he smiled and leaned in to kiss her. Unzipping her dress, he slowly pulled it off of her shoulders and watched as it fell from her body, pooling around her on the floor. "Keep your shoes on." he whispered in her ear.
Reaching up, she started to undo the buttons of his shirt while eagerly seeking his mouth with her own. Running his hand through her hair, he pulled her closer, deepening their kiss. Tugging his shirt off of his broad shoulders, she backed away, breathless. "I want it off. Completely." She let her gaze roam his body as he removed his shirt. "What's this?" she asked as she reached out to touch the side of his torso.
"A scar."
"From what?"
"Motorbike accident over a year ago."
"Why have I not noticed it before?"
"Probably because you've always been a bit preoccupied." He smirked.
Smiling, she nodded once in agreement. "Right. So…" she traced his scar with her finger. "Motorbike? Really?" Her finger grazed the top of his pants as she undid them. "Do you still have it?"
He flinched as she placed her hand inside of his boxers and stroked him. "That…is…a conversation for another time." Halting her assault on him, he shook his head and removed her hand. "Oh no you don't. Not yet." Grabbing a hold of her thighs, he lifted her from the ground and placed her on the counter.
"John…what…what are you doing?"
Placing several kisses on the tops of her breasts, he looked up and smiled. "I'm making it up to you." He winked at her before making his way lower.