NOTE: This part is Rated R.
Part 7
Abbey found what she was looking for in the Mural Room. She made her way to the portable bar on a cart that was leftover from the afternoon's reception and smiled when she saw just the right bottle. She poured herself a shot of Bourbon.
Toby entered the room in time to see Abbey down the shot and pour another.
She noticed him approach her and glanced at him briefly. What was he doing here? Was he spying on her or more gently translated, here to make sure she was okay? "Care for a drink?"
Toby just shook his head. He really didn't want to be there. Obviously The President had feelings for Abbey and Abbey was not sure how to handle it.
"Then more for me." Abbey downed the second shot and poured a third.
"Don't?" Jed jerked away from his best friend.
"Jed, leave her alone! I think you and I have done enough damage for one night." Leo should have known better than to pull a stunt like this on Abbey.
"Leo, I'm not out to hurt her. How many times do I have to tell you that?" He tried to get pass Leo, but Leo wouldn't move.
"I know, but tonight we both did. I should have known you'd do something like this. Just as I should have known Abbey wouldn't know how to handle it." Leo stood firm, refusing to let Jed get passed him.
Jed threw his hands up in the air. He was beyond frustrated. "What do you want me to do? If I leave her alone, you and Abbey will be happy, but I'll be miserable. So you tell me, Leo, what should I do?"
CJ walked up behind them. "You know we can hear you, don't you?"
Jed spun around to face her. "I don't care!" He didn't mean to shout at CJ. She was the only one on his side or so he felt, but he was angry at Leo, at himself and at the world. He walked over to his desk and collapsed into his chair.
"Leo?" CJ wasn't sure how to handle this.
Leo shrugged. He was lost.
"Abbey, maybe you should take it easy." It had only been a few minutes, but Abbey had made a noticeable difference in the bottle, drinking like a woman possessed. He took the glass away from her.
"Hey, give that back!" When she was unsuccessful at getting the glass back, she got up and went over to the bar, grabbing the Whiskey bottle and taking a swig from it.
"Abbey..."
"Who needs glasses?" She giggled and took a long swallow.
CJ closed the door even though Leo's office was now empty as Josh, Sam and Charlie had decided it was best to leave. Putting her arm around Leo, she drew him aside. "Where's Abbey?"
"I don't know, but since Toby isn't here, I'm sure he's with her and she's fine." He looked over at Jed who was sitting in his chair just staring out the window. "I'm not sure about him though."
CJ nodded. "Talk to him." She patted Leo's shoulder. "Abbey's lucky to have you to look out for her, Leo, but don't let the sins of your brother cloud your judgment."
Leo took a deep breath and gave CJ a small nod.
CJ smiled at him and kissed his cheek before leaving the room.
He seated himself on one of the couches, thinking that right now he shouldn't be too close to Jed. He didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything.
"I think you've had enough!" Toby dragged Abbey away from the bar and took the bottle from her hand.
"Awww, Toby...." She was already feeling a little tipsy. "You know if you let me drink I can make it worth your while." She winked at him.
Toby ignored her remark and dragged her over to the couch. "Do you want me to get Leo?"
"Leo.Leo.Leo.my stupid, little brother-in-law." Abbey waved her hand as she sang. "Leo.Leo.Leo."
As Toby finally got her sitting, Abbey pulled a tube of lipstick out of her pocket and started painting her lips. "Come on, Toby. I'll be a good girl." She finished and inched closer to him. "I've heard I can be a 'very, very' good girl."
Toby was getting very uncomfortable. He tried getting her to sit up straight, but failed and before he knew it, Abbey was kissing him.
For several minutes neither one said anything. Those minutes seemed like hours. "Why are you still here?"
Leo was surprised. "What?"
Jed turned the chair around to face him. "Why are you here? Thought you'd be looking for Abbey?"
Leo could clearly hear that Jed's anger was not gone. "She'll be fine. She's with Toby."
"Right, she's safe with Toby. She's safe with anyone as long as it's not me, right?" Jed knew this was difficult for Leo, but damn it, couldn't Leo see this was difficult for him, too.
Leo should have known Jed would twist this around. "You know that's not what I meant."
Suddenly the door opened with a bang and Toby trudged inside, frowning.
Jed jumped up, not missing the lipstick marks on Toby's face. It didn't take a genius to know whom they were from and Jed felt an overwhelming jealousy take over him.
Leo, who had jumped up as quickly as Jed, approached Toby and saw the lipstick as well.
"Before you two jump to any conclusions, let me just say she attacked me." Toby backed up a few steps as The President approached. He didn't like the look on his face.
"That's supposed to make me feel better?" Jed bellowed out.
Leo shot him a look before turning back to Toby. "Where is she now?"
"I don't know. We were in the Mural Room, but she.uh.ran out when I wouldn't.uh.respond.She's drinking, quite heavily I might add."
"Damn it!" Leo started pacing the Oval.
Jed felt incredibly guilty. She was drinking because she couldn't handle it, couldn't handle his feelings for her. What had he done?
Abbey poured herself yet another drink. She would regret this in the morning, but who the hell cared right now? She waited, knowing it wouldn't be long before The President showed up. Getting in The President's bedroom had proven too much of a challenge, but one of the guest bedrooms was another matter. And now that she had made sure The President knew where to find her, it wouldn't be long. She kicked off her shoes and took off her jacket. She started opening her blouse. No turning back now.
"OK, we'll just split up and go look for her." Leo noticed the agent that was approaching and waited in case he had news about Abbey.
Jed took the note from the agent and opened it. He was more than surprised to see Abbey's handwriting, but even more so at what she wrote. "Two rooms down from your bedroom. See ya there. Alone! Abbey." He closed it and nodded to the agent, then looked at Toby. "I know where Abbey is."
Leo spun around. "That was from her?"
"Yes and she wants to see me.alone." He studied Leo and could tell Leo didn't like this at all. "Don't worry, Leo. I'll be nice."
Leo simply nodded. "She's been drinking." For some reason it was all he could think to say.
Jed went to Leo and patted his shoulder. "I know and I won't take advantage of that." He said it with a soft voice to make it clear that any anger he had had was gone.
Leo nodded once again and watched as Jed left the room.
Toby had never felt awkward so many times in one evening. "So, should we call it a night?"
Jed wasn't sure what was waiting for him, but he mentally prepared himself. He would not take advantage of a woman who had been drinking. That was not his style. He walked up the stairs slowly, but as he got closer to the bedroom Abbey was in, his heart started beating faster anyway. He took a deep breath and opened the door. "Abbey?" No answer. He took a few steps into the room and closed the door behind him. There was no one there.
"Hi there."
Jed turned and gasped. Abbey was standing in the bathroom doorway wearing nothing but her bra and panties. He couldn't stop staring at her. Her long legs, her hips, her delicate waist, her breasts and her face.
Abbey smiled. His reaction was more than she had hoped for. "So you like what you see."
As Abbey walked towards him, he could see that she was a little more than just tipsy and he realized he hadn't imagined her speech being slurred. "Abbey..." He warned.
She was now standing right in front of him "What? Don't act all high and mighty with me." She took both of his hands and placed them on her breasts.
Jed swallowed. He was feeling incredibly hot. He felt Abbey's breasts react under his palms.
"Hmm, nice isn't it?" Abbey winked at him.
"Abbey, you're making this very hard for me." Jed could barely say that sentence out loud, but he knew this had to stop.
Abbey smiled as one of her hands found its way to his groin and she clearly heard him moan at her touch. "Very hard indeed."
Jed was totally starting to loose it. This had to stop! He freed himself from Abbey and walked away from her.
Abbey sighed and challenged. "You're gonna play hard to get now?" She started giggling. "No pun intended."
"I'm going to walk out that door," said Jed. "We'll talk when you're feeling better."
Abbey waved her arm at him. "You used Leo to get me here, now you're not going to enjoy me? What did you tell him? That you'd go slow, that you wouldn't hurt me. That's what Lane used to tell him and he fell for it then, too. He's pretty stupid sometimes where I'm concerned. Only it's a good kind of stupid, because he has my best interest at heart. He wants me to be happy. He's thinking of me, no matter what kind of mess he causes. Who were you thinking of? I'll answer for you. Yourself! So come back and act on it, Mr. High and Mighty.gets everything he wants President.don't run like you don't want it.I can be a really good lay."
Jed closed his eyes with his back still towards her. "Abbey, I think you should get some rest."
"I'm not that drunk. Come on, Jed, this is what you want, so come and get it." Abbey removed her bra and tossed it at him.
Jed felt something land on his shoulder. Without looking around, he grabbed it and discovered it was Abbey's bra. This had to stop and it had to stop now! He was starting to lose it and he knew if he did, he would betray everything-- Abbey's trust, his own trust in himself and Leo's. He shielded his eyes with one hand as he started walking to the door.
"Where ya going?" Abbey hurried up to him and grabbed him by the arms. "Turn around and look at me!"
He was in hell. In hell and heaven at the same time. "No." He opened the door, threw the bra behind him, walked out and closed the door.
Abbey stared at the door. "Bastard." She walked over to the table to get her bottle for another drink.
Outside, Jed still had not managed to let go of the doorknob. He tried controlling his breathing and erasing the image of Abbey in her underwear from his mind, not that it did any good. He wasn't getting any sleep tonight. He would be spending it in the shower. Hearing footsteps, he turned just as Leo came into view. "Didn't trust me, eh?"
Leo was relieved at the attempted humor, knowing Jed didn't mind him coming there. The man was clearly not having an easy time, but Leo wasn't sure why that was. "Well, I wanted to check on Abbey."
Jed sighed heavily. "She's drunk and half naked."
Leo was not surprised to find that Jed was in the hall, refusing to take advantage of an intoxicated, vulnerable woman. His best friend was the most honorable man he knew which made Leo feel guilty, guilty that he couldn't be one hundred percent behind Jed's efforts to win Abbey's heart. It was hard, because this was a guilt that might never be assuaged as Leo couldn't forget a night in the past, a night when he and Abbey had lived through something that would remain a secret and would jade his feelings about things from now on.
"I was a good boy although Abbey really made it difficult for me." He finally let go of the doorknob and walked over to a chair to take some weight off his legs.
Leo followed suit as he could imagine just what Abbey had been doing in there. "Now what?"
"We'll let her sleep it off." Jed stared at the floor. This was not how he had imagined the night would end. He knew Abbey would be pissed, but this, this was more than he had bargained for. "Leo, you better call Jenny. Tell her Abbey won't be by to pick up the girls tonight." Jed hesitated. "And tell her you won't be home."
"I mean..." Leo tried, but Jed cut him off.
Jed turned his head to Leo and nodded. "Just call Jenny, Leo. I know what you meant and I'm way ahead of you. I know what to do now. I finally know what to do."
TBC...........
Part 7
Abbey found what she was looking for in the Mural Room. She made her way to the portable bar on a cart that was leftover from the afternoon's reception and smiled when she saw just the right bottle. She poured herself a shot of Bourbon.
Toby entered the room in time to see Abbey down the shot and pour another.
She noticed him approach her and glanced at him briefly. What was he doing here? Was he spying on her or more gently translated, here to make sure she was okay? "Care for a drink?"
Toby just shook his head. He really didn't want to be there. Obviously The President had feelings for Abbey and Abbey was not sure how to handle it.
"Then more for me." Abbey downed the second shot and poured a third.
"Don't?" Jed jerked away from his best friend.
"Jed, leave her alone! I think you and I have done enough damage for one night." Leo should have known better than to pull a stunt like this on Abbey.
"Leo, I'm not out to hurt her. How many times do I have to tell you that?" He tried to get pass Leo, but Leo wouldn't move.
"I know, but tonight we both did. I should have known you'd do something like this. Just as I should have known Abbey wouldn't know how to handle it." Leo stood firm, refusing to let Jed get passed him.
Jed threw his hands up in the air. He was beyond frustrated. "What do you want me to do? If I leave her alone, you and Abbey will be happy, but I'll be miserable. So you tell me, Leo, what should I do?"
CJ walked up behind them. "You know we can hear you, don't you?"
Jed spun around to face her. "I don't care!" He didn't mean to shout at CJ. She was the only one on his side or so he felt, but he was angry at Leo, at himself and at the world. He walked over to his desk and collapsed into his chair.
"Leo?" CJ wasn't sure how to handle this.
Leo shrugged. He was lost.
"Abbey, maybe you should take it easy." It had only been a few minutes, but Abbey had made a noticeable difference in the bottle, drinking like a woman possessed. He took the glass away from her.
"Hey, give that back!" When she was unsuccessful at getting the glass back, she got up and went over to the bar, grabbing the Whiskey bottle and taking a swig from it.
"Abbey..."
"Who needs glasses?" She giggled and took a long swallow.
CJ closed the door even though Leo's office was now empty as Josh, Sam and Charlie had decided it was best to leave. Putting her arm around Leo, she drew him aside. "Where's Abbey?"
"I don't know, but since Toby isn't here, I'm sure he's with her and she's fine." He looked over at Jed who was sitting in his chair just staring out the window. "I'm not sure about him though."
CJ nodded. "Talk to him." She patted Leo's shoulder. "Abbey's lucky to have you to look out for her, Leo, but don't let the sins of your brother cloud your judgment."
Leo took a deep breath and gave CJ a small nod.
CJ smiled at him and kissed his cheek before leaving the room.
He seated himself on one of the couches, thinking that right now he shouldn't be too close to Jed. He didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything.
"I think you've had enough!" Toby dragged Abbey away from the bar and took the bottle from her hand.
"Awww, Toby...." She was already feeling a little tipsy. "You know if you let me drink I can make it worth your while." She winked at him.
Toby ignored her remark and dragged her over to the couch. "Do you want me to get Leo?"
"Leo.Leo.Leo.my stupid, little brother-in-law." Abbey waved her hand as she sang. "Leo.Leo.Leo."
As Toby finally got her sitting, Abbey pulled a tube of lipstick out of her pocket and started painting her lips. "Come on, Toby. I'll be a good girl." She finished and inched closer to him. "I've heard I can be a 'very, very' good girl."
Toby was getting very uncomfortable. He tried getting her to sit up straight, but failed and before he knew it, Abbey was kissing him.
For several minutes neither one said anything. Those minutes seemed like hours. "Why are you still here?"
Leo was surprised. "What?"
Jed turned the chair around to face him. "Why are you here? Thought you'd be looking for Abbey?"
Leo could clearly hear that Jed's anger was not gone. "She'll be fine. She's with Toby."
"Right, she's safe with Toby. She's safe with anyone as long as it's not me, right?" Jed knew this was difficult for Leo, but damn it, couldn't Leo see this was difficult for him, too.
Leo should have known Jed would twist this around. "You know that's not what I meant."
Suddenly the door opened with a bang and Toby trudged inside, frowning.
Jed jumped up, not missing the lipstick marks on Toby's face. It didn't take a genius to know whom they were from and Jed felt an overwhelming jealousy take over him.
Leo, who had jumped up as quickly as Jed, approached Toby and saw the lipstick as well.
"Before you two jump to any conclusions, let me just say she attacked me." Toby backed up a few steps as The President approached. He didn't like the look on his face.
"That's supposed to make me feel better?" Jed bellowed out.
Leo shot him a look before turning back to Toby. "Where is she now?"
"I don't know. We were in the Mural Room, but she.uh.ran out when I wouldn't.uh.respond.She's drinking, quite heavily I might add."
"Damn it!" Leo started pacing the Oval.
Jed felt incredibly guilty. She was drinking because she couldn't handle it, couldn't handle his feelings for her. What had he done?
Abbey poured herself yet another drink. She would regret this in the morning, but who the hell cared right now? She waited, knowing it wouldn't be long before The President showed up. Getting in The President's bedroom had proven too much of a challenge, but one of the guest bedrooms was another matter. And now that she had made sure The President knew where to find her, it wouldn't be long. She kicked off her shoes and took off her jacket. She started opening her blouse. No turning back now.
"OK, we'll just split up and go look for her." Leo noticed the agent that was approaching and waited in case he had news about Abbey.
Jed took the note from the agent and opened it. He was more than surprised to see Abbey's handwriting, but even more so at what she wrote. "Two rooms down from your bedroom. See ya there. Alone! Abbey." He closed it and nodded to the agent, then looked at Toby. "I know where Abbey is."
Leo spun around. "That was from her?"
"Yes and she wants to see me.alone." He studied Leo and could tell Leo didn't like this at all. "Don't worry, Leo. I'll be nice."
Leo simply nodded. "She's been drinking." For some reason it was all he could think to say.
Jed went to Leo and patted his shoulder. "I know and I won't take advantage of that." He said it with a soft voice to make it clear that any anger he had had was gone.
Leo nodded once again and watched as Jed left the room.
Toby had never felt awkward so many times in one evening. "So, should we call it a night?"
Jed wasn't sure what was waiting for him, but he mentally prepared himself. He would not take advantage of a woman who had been drinking. That was not his style. He walked up the stairs slowly, but as he got closer to the bedroom Abbey was in, his heart started beating faster anyway. He took a deep breath and opened the door. "Abbey?" No answer. He took a few steps into the room and closed the door behind him. There was no one there.
"Hi there."
Jed turned and gasped. Abbey was standing in the bathroom doorway wearing nothing but her bra and panties. He couldn't stop staring at her. Her long legs, her hips, her delicate waist, her breasts and her face.
Abbey smiled. His reaction was more than she had hoped for. "So you like what you see."
As Abbey walked towards him, he could see that she was a little more than just tipsy and he realized he hadn't imagined her speech being slurred. "Abbey..." He warned.
She was now standing right in front of him "What? Don't act all high and mighty with me." She took both of his hands and placed them on her breasts.
Jed swallowed. He was feeling incredibly hot. He felt Abbey's breasts react under his palms.
"Hmm, nice isn't it?" Abbey winked at him.
"Abbey, you're making this very hard for me." Jed could barely say that sentence out loud, but he knew this had to stop.
Abbey smiled as one of her hands found its way to his groin and she clearly heard him moan at her touch. "Very hard indeed."
Jed was totally starting to loose it. This had to stop! He freed himself from Abbey and walked away from her.
Abbey sighed and challenged. "You're gonna play hard to get now?" She started giggling. "No pun intended."
"I'm going to walk out that door," said Jed. "We'll talk when you're feeling better."
Abbey waved her arm at him. "You used Leo to get me here, now you're not going to enjoy me? What did you tell him? That you'd go slow, that you wouldn't hurt me. That's what Lane used to tell him and he fell for it then, too. He's pretty stupid sometimes where I'm concerned. Only it's a good kind of stupid, because he has my best interest at heart. He wants me to be happy. He's thinking of me, no matter what kind of mess he causes. Who were you thinking of? I'll answer for you. Yourself! So come back and act on it, Mr. High and Mighty.gets everything he wants President.don't run like you don't want it.I can be a really good lay."
Jed closed his eyes with his back still towards her. "Abbey, I think you should get some rest."
"I'm not that drunk. Come on, Jed, this is what you want, so come and get it." Abbey removed her bra and tossed it at him.
Jed felt something land on his shoulder. Without looking around, he grabbed it and discovered it was Abbey's bra. This had to stop and it had to stop now! He was starting to lose it and he knew if he did, he would betray everything-- Abbey's trust, his own trust in himself and Leo's. He shielded his eyes with one hand as he started walking to the door.
"Where ya going?" Abbey hurried up to him and grabbed him by the arms. "Turn around and look at me!"
He was in hell. In hell and heaven at the same time. "No." He opened the door, threw the bra behind him, walked out and closed the door.
Abbey stared at the door. "Bastard." She walked over to the table to get her bottle for another drink.
Outside, Jed still had not managed to let go of the doorknob. He tried controlling his breathing and erasing the image of Abbey in her underwear from his mind, not that it did any good. He wasn't getting any sleep tonight. He would be spending it in the shower. Hearing footsteps, he turned just as Leo came into view. "Didn't trust me, eh?"
Leo was relieved at the attempted humor, knowing Jed didn't mind him coming there. The man was clearly not having an easy time, but Leo wasn't sure why that was. "Well, I wanted to check on Abbey."
Jed sighed heavily. "She's drunk and half naked."
Leo was not surprised to find that Jed was in the hall, refusing to take advantage of an intoxicated, vulnerable woman. His best friend was the most honorable man he knew which made Leo feel guilty, guilty that he couldn't be one hundred percent behind Jed's efforts to win Abbey's heart. It was hard, because this was a guilt that might never be assuaged as Leo couldn't forget a night in the past, a night when he and Abbey had lived through something that would remain a secret and would jade his feelings about things from now on.
"I was a good boy although Abbey really made it difficult for me." He finally let go of the doorknob and walked over to a chair to take some weight off his legs.
Leo followed suit as he could imagine just what Abbey had been doing in there. "Now what?"
"We'll let her sleep it off." Jed stared at the floor. This was not how he had imagined the night would end. He knew Abbey would be pissed, but this, this was more than he had bargained for. "Leo, you better call Jenny. Tell her Abbey won't be by to pick up the girls tonight." Jed hesitated. "And tell her you won't be home."
"I mean..." Leo tried, but Jed cut him off.
Jed turned his head to Leo and nodded. "Just call Jenny, Leo. I know what you meant and I'm way ahead of you. I know what to do now. I finally know what to do."
TBC...........