All the usual disclaimers apply.  Read the first chapter for clarifications.

Enthralling Will Bailey

Donna walked into the West Wing as usual Monday morning, and it was doubtful if anyone noticed much of a difference.  She was wearing an old skirt—a long black wool wrap-around—not exactly the wardrobe of a sex pot.  Her black sweater was new, and it clung to her body, while the new bra CJ had made her buy was looking more and more like a good investment.  She didn't feel quite as inadequate as she usually did.  With her hair pulled back and a little more makeup than normal, she felt mysterious and coolly attractive.

Nevertheless, she was relatively unchanged to the casual observer.

CJ had cautioned her that trying too hard would give her away in a heartbeat.  Her seduction must be subtle.  Her first attempt at getting attention wasn't very subtle, but it was genuine and unplanned, and therefore undetectable.

Josh had beaten her in that morning, and he came flying around the corner, knocking her papers out of her hands.  Josh began to pick them up, and Donna leaned over to help.  That was when she caught him glancing quickly away from her.

"You're late, Donna."

"You're early."  She wanted to add that he was also staring at her boobs, but she didn't.  It was her fault anyway for bending over like that.

They stood there, unsure of what they were supposed to be saying.  Donna shuffled the folders until she found the one she wanted.

"McClintock.  10:30.  Be there when your watch says 10:15."

"Okay." 

She turned to walk away, careful not to put too much attitude into the swinging of her narrow hips.  Josh was not her target.  CJ had ordained that her first target be the new speechwriter, Will Bailey.  Easy prey.  Just her luck, she had a file for him.  She knocked on the door to Sam's old office.

"Come in," he said.

She did, stationing herself nonchalantly against the doorframe.

"Donna, is it?"

"That's right.  I've got a file for you, something about the way the state department wrote something into their last press release."

"Shouldn't Toby—"

"He's gone.  Josh told me you're the go-to guy," she said.  She almost cringed at how silly that sounded.  She stood there for a moment until a stroke of genius hit her.  "Do you need some coffee?"

It took him a minute to comprehend the question because he was so focused on his work.  "Actually…actually, yes, I do.  Thanks, Donna."

"No problem.  Just don't expect this service all the time."  She was shocked to hear her voice come out deeper, more seductive than usual.  She turned on her heels and went to get herself and Will coffee.  CJ stuck her head out of her door and gave her a quizzical face.  Donna smiled and walked slowly but deliberately back to Will's office.

"Thanks," he said, standing.

"You're welcome.  You looked stressed.  Maybe I should have let you get it yourself, just to get out of this office."

He took one or two sips and began to pace.  "It's just that this speech is so huge.  This one section, really dull stuff—I'm trying to think of fresh, interesting ways to say what every president has said for fifty years."

She sipped her coffee and held his gaze.  "If you need an ear, I'm not bad.  No special skills in writing, but I listen well.  Sometimes a new ear is all you need."

"Doesn't Josh need you?"

"Desperately.  But that's the state he stays in, whether anything's going on or not.  He won't miss me for a while.  Go ahead, give me a try."

Will read that section of the speech, inserting explanations here and there and pausing to look at her face every so often.  She would sip her coffee and nod approvingly, being so bold as to actually lick her lips slightly at one point.  She was surprised to see that she seemed to be distracting him a little.  It took him longer and longer to find his place to start reading again.  He was really into his work—the kind of concentration she was used to with Sam or Toby or even Josh—but she was having an effect nonetheless.  When he was done, she stood and walked to the front of his desk.

"Will, I know I'm no speech writer, but there's probably a reason every president has said nearly these same things at every inauguration:  people want and need to hear them.  It sounds great.  Don't beat yourself up."

"You might be right, Donna."  He reached across the desk and pulled a stray piece of lint from her hair, staring into her eyes until he realized what he was doing.  He stayed standing, and said, "Thanks again, Donna.  Next time I need advice, I know who to find.  I think you're right—I do need to get out, maybe take a walk.  Care to join me for lunch when I get back?"

She almost giggled.  He wasn't exactly ugly, and he was only a temporary staffer…  "Sure."  She turned, then she stopped herself.  "And Will, don't let Toby beat you up either.  I'd hate to see such an attractive face mangled."

It was all she could do not to turn and see his expression.

Josh met her in the hallway.  He said, "I've been looking for you."

"What time is it?"

"Fifteen minutes before my meeting."

"Fifteen actual minutes, or your watch says fifteen minutes?"

"Actual.  I can't find my notes."

He followed her into his office, and he watched as she straightened his desk.

"You look nice today, Donnatella."

"Was that a compliment?"

"Did it sound like one?"

She unearthed the file, handing it to him.  "Here it is, your majesty.  Your notes, in the folder they belong in."

"Thanks, even though you ended that sentence with a preposition.  Seriously, are you going to a funeral or something?"

"Or something," she replied, counting the minutes until his meeting and her own with CJ for an update.

Continued…