The party wasn't quite up to full swing when Marcus walked through the door and he had no difficulty spotting Theo and Marissa talking with Abby across the room. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of Abby, her gold and black dress swirling around her waist as she moved and laughed, and he covered his amazement with a cough. Adjusting his tie and cufflinks to give him time to calm down, Marcus slowly made his way to the small group.

She looks beautiful and relaxed and I am going to mess this up, I know it.

Just relax, have a drink and try not to stare at Abby Griffin, the woman you have a giant crush on.

Don't stare, don't stare, don't stare.

"Hello everyone," He said with a smile across his face, "And Happy Anniversary to Mr. and Mrs. Jaha."

Marissa grinned and tipped her glass to him while Theo laughed and clapped him on the back, "Marcus, I'm so glad you could make it! Abby has terrific news for us."

Abby took a swallow of her champagne and Marcus stared at the column of her throat as she swallowed like her movement held the answers to every question in his mind.

Fuck.

Taking a slow drink from her glass to ease the ache in her heart, Abby admired the man in front of her with his black pinstripe suit (that you picked out for him) and tousled hair. He looked like a wet dream come true (yeah, you've had that dream) and she wanted to make the room disappear around them.

Fuck.

"Abby?" Theo questioned, his eyebrow raised in silent query.

"Yes, good news!" She exclaimed, trying not to wince at her loud proclamation, "I spoke with my friend Callie who is editor in chief for The Washington City Paper where Collins works. She said that if she has anything to say about it, he will not be allowed to write anything more for the paper if it's about this election year," Abby informed them with a wide grin, "he'll be fact checking by the end of the week if he doesn't clean up his act or quit."

"Handled it nicely then Abby?" Marcus asked, the corners of his mouth twitching at her unrestrained glee.

"I didn't walk up to him and slap his lazy ass for writing two bit gossip mongering articles in my friends paper, her pride and joy, just cause his daddy owns the company so yeah, I was nice."

Theo laughed and Marissa groaned and Marcus tried to contain the urge within him to kiss her glorious mouth.

"We've got to go great our other guests but you two stay out of trouble and enjoy yourselves, I mean it," Marissa said with a tug on her husband's arm, "Consider it an Anniversary gift from you two and don't fight tonight."

"Didn't you hear we are friends now?" Abby said with a smirk.

Marissa shook her finger in her friend's face, "see that you keep it that way."

Holding up his hands to Abby, Marcus asked, "Truce?"

"Truce," She replied putting her own hands up while Marissa and Theo walked away chuckling.

Silence grew between them, heavy and sticky, as Abby fiddled with her glass and Marcus kept an eye on the other party goers. Giving him a look out of the corner of her eye, Abby could see his nerves on display but her own were giving her trouble and she didn't know how to break the agonizing quiet between them.

"I like your dress," Marcus stammered in a voice so soft she almost didn't hear him, "It's very pretty."

"Thank you Marcus," She answered, looking down at the flowing fabric and clutching the folds in her hands, "I like your suit. You look very dashing."

His grin shone brighter than the chandelier above them, "I happen to know someone with impeccable taste in men's fashion."

"Oh?" Abby asked, finding comfort in the normal back and forth between them but unable to keep the flirtatious tone out of her voice, "And who might that be?"

"A brilliant and beautiful woman whom I would very much like to ask to dance," Marcus confided, overcoming his nerves at last to wink down at her and hold out his hand.

Her heart stuttered in her chest. Her breath stuck in her throat. Her hands turned clammy and she rubbed them on her dress. She let time slip past with her eyes on his outstretched hand.

Marcus stepped closer, hoping to whoever was listening that she would say yes, "Abby, will you dance with me?"

Taking his hand, Abby nodded and relief flooded his dark eyes when she settled her small hand in his.

There were already couples dancing to the soft music playing over the speakers but Abby felt as if all eyes were on her and Marcus as they took to the floor. Her discomfort disappeared as Marcus pulled her close to him and positioned them both for the dance. He placed his hand on her upper back with her arm draped on his shoulder and they clasped their free hands in a simple hold as Marcus led her across the dance floor. Following his lead took a little practice but she soon found the rhythm between them and relaxed into him. It felt like floating and flying and falling all at once. Energy coursed through her body, blazing heat in the places where they touched and she was sure he could feel her heartbeat in the palm of her hand.

Across the room, Marissa watched the two of them dancing and hid her smile in her wine glass. Abby couldn't see Marcus' adoration and Marcus couldn't see Abby's wonder but they looked lost in each other to anyone paying attention. Pulling Theo into a dance of their own, Marissa felt her heart surge with happiness for the two stubborn fools.

As the evening wore on, Abby found herself spending more and more time with Marcus. She sat with him at dinner, teasing him about starting another food fight and even when she ventured off on her own, he'd find his way back to her with a story or to hand her another drink.

Is he as drawn to me as I am to him now that we aren't blinded by our own prejudices and stubborn pride? Abby wondered. Her care for him couldn't be denied, at least to herself, and she wondered about Callie's words to her earlier that day.

We work together; I have to keep hold of my professionalism.
You need to jump on this man before you lose your mind.

"Abby, can we talk?"

Marcus' hushed voice cut through her inner dialogue and Abby jumped a little at the interruption. Nodding her answer, a lump in her throat, Abby followed him out of the room and through the corridors to a tiny room next to the coat closet. With her heart pounding close to panic in her chest, Abby entered the room while Marcus closed the door behind him. Looking around the space, Abby found that bookshelves covered every wall from floor to ceiling and the room offered a couple of cozy chairs and lamps for furniture. She walked over to one of the bookshelves, pretending to read titles to calm her racing heart. If the pounding grew any faster, she felt certain it would leap from her chest.

Now that he had her alone, Marcus could feel the anxiety of his question sneak into his brain and paralyze his tongue.

How do I tell someone I used to despise that I now desire them? Why does this matter so much?

"Marcus?" Abby asked as the seconds ticked by and he stared out at her, worried lines on his forehead and his lips pressed tight, without saying a word.

Turning away to stare at one of the overstuffed chairs decorating the room, Marcus smiled, "I thought this would be easy, like talking to you in New York but I find myself at a loss of words."

She nodded, "It's been different being back and not fighting or arguing over everything. I like it though."

"Yeah, me as well."

"Marcus," she asked, her voice small even in the tight quarters, "have you ever heard the phrase, it is not love that is the opposite of hate, but indifference?"

He gulped in air, a strangled "yes" leaving his mouth before his brain could think better of it.

Her nerves gathered taut, Abby pressed on and walked closer to where Marcus stood like a statue in front of her, "I don't know if I love you yet, but I know I can't hate you anymore and now, I don't think I could ever be indifferent to you."

Her body stood in front of his, shaking with the strength to tell him the truth in her heart. Seeing her strength bolstered his courage and Marcus held out his arms in welcome.

"Abby, I've wanted to hold you ever since you accidentally smeared ice cream on your nose."

"I've wanted to hold you ever since you chased a teenage girl around a park simply because it made her happy."

She stepped into the circle of his arms and he drew her close. Marcus sighed at the sensation of Abby leaning against him and her head pressed into his chest to listen to his heart. Giving over to her desires, Abby closed her eyes and counted his heartbeats as her own fell into the same rhythm. He smelled like leather and spice mixed with whiskey and Abby breathed deep to hold him in memory forever.

"Abby," Marcus said in a voice rough with emotion and she marveled at the vibration echoing within her.

"Yes?"

She held her breath.

"Can I kiss you?"

Exhale.

"Yes."

Kissing Marcus felt like floating and flying and falling all at once.

Kissing Abby felt like a dream and a wish and Marcus couldn't hold more than a few thoughts in his brain as her lips pressed against his and her tongue darted out to lick the seam of his mouth.

Kissing Abby.
Good job.
Shut up.

They broke apart to breathe again. Marcus didn't want to hide his happiness and lifted Abby up, twirling her once around the small room. Setting her down, he kissed her again with every passionate fiber of his being and his head spun as her hands grasped at his shoulders and pulled him close.

"They are probably wondering where we are," Abby said a little breathlessly when they broke apart to catch their breath.

"Most likely," Marcus replied, his own breathing harsh and staggered, "Theo hasn't done his speech yet and he's going to want to point at me again like I'm a prized pet."

Straightening his tie, Abby giggled, "He just wants to make sure you are included. I need to be out there so he can point and praise me just the same. Does my dress look alright?"

"You look beautiful," he replied in all honesty.

"We had better keep this between us until after the election or Theo will have both our heads," Abby said with a groan.

Thinking of the ramifications of their confessions to each other, the kiss, the need for more, Abby felt panic setting into her skin. She didn't want to ruin the election but she couldn't deny the feelings she held for Marcus. Marcus watched her face fall and pulled her back into his arms.

"Stop thinking about how everything might go terribly wrong. We can be discreet and it won't be forever. It is horrible timing but I am not sorry I said something."

"You mean, you are not sorry I said something," Abby corrected with a grin.

"That's exactly what I meant."