C.J.'s mind went blissfully blank.
She vaguely remembered annoyance that Mark hadn't waited to play Santa. Then, a Santa with security clearance showed up.
His booming voice had asked if she'd been good. Her flip and fictional answer that she'd been bad tickled him.
He'd presented her a beautiful goldfish pin. It delighted her as she called the lid and then babbled to him about her goldfish and "a guy."
As she found herself lost in Santa's blue eyes, she sensed him inching closer.
Suddenly, she felt his hand on her neck and his lips on hers. C.J. realized Santa was a good kisser, a very good kisser.
His lips were soft, softer than the fake beard and then were delicious as they warmed with a hint of passion.
And they were familiar. . .
C.J.'s mind jolted back to life as her eyes flew open and she pulled back slightly, "Danny?"
There was wonder and hope in her voice.
He pulled off the hat and beard, "What's goin' on?"
His grin, red hair and beard attracted her like a magnet. She launched herself into his arms as her heart exploded with joy.
They held each other close and C.J. felt safe and content.
A rustle of noise in front of them reminded C.J. they were in the Press Briefing Room. She ended the embrace but kept a hand on his arm. "It's good to see you."
"You probably always got a lot of presents on Christmas morning if you treated Santa this way."
"Danny, I have things to do.", she announced regretfully.
"I need to find Libby, she's got my stuff."
"She knew too?"
"Yeah, I needed to park my laptop with somebody that I can trust."
"Come to my office. . ."
"Give me 20 minutes."
***
C.J. figured 20 minutes stretched to 30 would have been enough to settle her nerves. She was on the phone when Danny tapped on the doorjamb.
She beckoned him in noticing he was still in the lower half of the Santa costume. She thought he looked adorable in the red thermal long john top and Santa Claus suspenders.
Danny had always liked watching her work. She'd shed the ugly gray blazer that covered her chic black wool dress.
He was pleased to see she'd pinned the brooch on to the dress near her heart. He got a lift from seeing Gail still happily swimming in her bowl.
Danny saw her chew on the earpiece of her glasses. He hid a smile because he'd felt a flutter of nerves himself. At least they were in this together.
She ended the conversation and noticed he'd made himself at home by moving the visitor's chair in front of the desk to face the couch.
C.J. asked him if he wanted coffee or anything else to drink. He'd set the scene well, she had to move to the couch or she'd be talking to the back of his head.
She told him that his secret plans hadn't been cricket. She wasn't expecting him.
He laughed and launched into an explanation of where that expression had come from. That led him into recounting watching cricket in Bermuda.
As he shifted into the part about the Bermudian, he saw C.J. shift. She'd been leaning close to him with her legs crossed near his. She stiffened as his words hit home.
Danny noted the wariness in her eyes as she stood up. He hated to spoil the lighthearted air between them but he'd always been honest with her. He wouldn't deviate from that course now.
She couldn't speak as he announced, "I'm back and I'm happy about and I think you know how I feel about you."
He continued with the caution. "Don't mess me around on this story." He left to change his clothes.
She heard Carol's delighted shout of, "He's back."
C.J. felt Danny's determination as he passed Carol's desk. "I'm where you are Carol. You're where the story is."
**
The day had taken different turns for C.J., she tried to file Danny into the back of her mind.
No one was making it easy. She'd stalled Carol's questions by pleading urgent phone business and sending her on a sandwich run for the stranded Whiffenpoofs.
But once Mark, Katie and Libby stopped by the doorway to serenade the Press Secretary with a chorus of "I Saw C.J. Kissing Santa Claus", there was no peace.
C.J.'s assistant stormed into the office and shut the door while demanding details. Carol mused aloud, "I hope the Briefing Cameras were off so they didn't catch anything."
When she heard C.J. gasp, Carol hastily added, "No one would think anything of it."
She glanced at C.J.'s pale face. "You know what boss, I think I'll just make sure there's no evidence, I mean video."
She fled and C.J. followed. She had to let Leo know about Danny's suspicions. She wondered if Leo's expression would give anything away. She realized Danny had offered the head's up to give them time to circle the wagons.
**
On the way back from seeing Leo, C.J. ran into Josh.
Seeing him in the Christmas setting outside his office reminded her that three years ago he'd witnessed C.J. and Danny making dinner plans. She corrected herself mentally, not dinner plans, business dinner plans.
That brought Danny back to the forefront of her thoughts.
She sized up Josh and said, "You know Danny's back."
"I had an e-mail.", Josh replied leaving C.J. little doubt she'd been set up.
She almost missed Josh asking, "Any sparks?"
C.J. tried to swallow the small smile playing over her face and diverted Josh's attention by pulling him aside to share Danny's tip.
Josh looked stunned and skeptical. At every telling of Danny's theory, C.J. was more convinced that Danny had the story correct.
**
C.J. wasn't sure what time it was. The still falling snow and late December light were deceiving. She'd sat in on the President's interview with the Times so her deputies could get ahead of the weather.
She was transcribing notes from that session and thinking ahead to upcoming issues. Danny's scenario of Shareef's death would be a high priority.
Damn, she thought and she found her mind drifting back to the reporter again. But she wasn't thinking of his skills as a scribe. C.J. was remembering how his hands felt when they intertwined with hers and how his lips felt meeting hers.
She turned to look outside wondering if laying her face on the pane of glass would cool her off. She stood thinking it was worth a try and heard a noise outside her office. "Who's out there?"
"Just me." Carol walked in smiling. "The wandering Whiffenpoofs are on their way."
Both women sighed. C.J. grinned, "That's all I was waiting to hear before I sent you on your way."
"You're staying C.J., I don't have to go."
"It's fine."
"I don't like to think of you here alone."
"Carol, the White House isn't like being in a deserted alley. I think I'm safe."
"That's not what I meant, it's the holiday or nearly so." Carol's face brightened, "I know, Danny's still here."
"He is?" C.J. didn't know why she doubted Carol. C.J. knew he was still close by. He brought a different energy to the White House and she suddenly recognized that she'd missed that feeling around her. "Good for him, getting back into the swing of things."
"I for one am glad he's back.", Carol announced. She sneaked a look at C.J. "He's probably lost track of time, probably needs someone to have dinner with on a cold, wintry night."
C.J. pointed toward the door. "Out. Do not pass go, do not stop and talk to anyone, just head home."
But Carol saw her smile and risked butting into C.J.'s personal life a little further. "Okay. Hey, the Whiffenpoofs left you something."
"Memories of great harmonies?"
"Better, their last CD. I got one too."
"That's sweet." She looked at the song listings, "Very schmaltzy."
"In the good sense."
"Oh yeah." C.J. got a dreamy expression on her face.
Carol pressed her luck. "Perfect music for welcoming someone home or maybe for um, a last minute session with Santa."
"Go home before I send you out to shovel snow."
"Bye."
C.J. glanced at the CD's tracks. There was a song called, "We Meet Again Tonight".
She sighed and was sure Carol would see it as a sign. Maybe it was.
Of course C.J. wasn't sure Carol would approve of C.J.'s thoughts. C.J. had been battling a temptation since kissing Santa Danny earlier in the day. She'd been so lost in the kiss she regretted not giving into the urge to slip him some tongue. C.J. laughed and blushed as she let the thought and image bloom in her mind.
C.J. looked at the CD's selections and started humming, "My Cutie's Due". She decided to stroll over to Danny's desk and figured the humming would get her lips and tongue limber. It never hurt to be prepared or to dream.
###