"DONNA!"
'Josh, I'm right here. What do you want?" She came in his office, just as she always did.
"Oh yeah, here you are. It's late, want some dinner?"
"Are you asking me to dinner?"
"Well, it's late and I haven't eaten and I thought that since you were still here and you haven't eaten…"
"How do you know that?"
"Because you're still here and you don't normally bring your supper. And.."
"Yes, I would love some dinner."
"..since I haven't eaten.. wait, what did you say?"
"I said, yes, I would love some dinner. Where would you like to take me?"
"I didn't say I would take you. I said, would you like to go with me to dinner?"
"Josh, "Donna whined. "I'm a poor assistant. And you make a lot of money. Surely you can spring for one meal for me."
Josh knew she had caught him this time. "Donna, grab your coat and let's get out of here before someone knows we're gone."
They grabbed their coats and made their way to the staff parking lot. Josh motioned for Donna to get in his car. "Come on, Donna. Go with me and I'll bring you back here after we eat. No point in trying to find two parking spaces downtown."
"Ok."
They pulled out of the lot and headed downtown.
"What are you hungry for?" Josh asked.
"Tacos," was the reply. "After talking about Mexico all day, I want tacos."
Josh laughed. "Donna, really. What would you have wanted to eat if the conversation had been about the moon all day?"
"Cheese."
"CHEESE?"
"Yeah, when I was growing up all the kids were told the moon was made of cheese. Weren't you?"
"Not really. But I guess since you grew up in Wisconsin, then it was only natural that your moon was made of cheese."
"Josh, are you making fun of my home? Besides I was born in Minnesota, not Wisconsin."
"No, Donatella Moss, I am not making fun of Wisconsin." He pulled into an empty parking space next to Los Amigos Mexican Restaurant. "I'm sure it's a great state. Now, come on. I'm starving."
The two of hem were seated near the back and given a menu. Josh had not eaten any lunch, which was not unusual, and Donna had grabbed a small salad from the café so they both were hungry.
Their server appeared. "I'm Serena. Would you care of a drink?"
"Yes, "Josh answered. "I would like a Corona on tap."
"And I would like your biggest frozen Margarita with salt."
"Donna, I know you don't drink much and it's late. Should you really…"
"Yes, Josh." She quickly interrupted him. "I'm a big girl and I know my limits." She looked back at the server. "I still want your biggest frozen Margarita with salt."
"Yes, ma'am. I'll be right back with your drinks."
Josh looked at Donna, and shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever. Now, what do you want to eat?"
They ate their meal, talking about the Mexican monetary collapse, and the fact that the US had bailed them out once again. Some of the conversation was over Donna's head, but she wasn't about to let Josh know. She was just happy he was talking to her about what he was doing and what was going on in his circle at the White House. Even though she saw a lot of the documents he handled, she didn't know a tenth of what he did on a daily basis in his unending meetings and trips to the Hill. Having this small peek into something so important as the Mexican monetary bailout thrilled her.
"You know something, Josh?"
"What?"
"Um…?"
"What, Donna?"
She paused, trying to think what she was going to say but it had left her brain.
"What was the question, Donna?"
"I forget," as she took another sip of her second margarita.
"Donna, I think it's time to go."
"NO, I haven't finished my drink."
Josh stood. "Yes, you have my dear. You have finished quite enough. Come on."
He got Donna's coat and went around to her side of the table. "Stand up, Donna."
"I'm standing."
"No, you're not. Push back your chair and I'll pull you up."
"I can get up by myself."
"Donna, come on, you're drunk."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are." Josh was finally able to get Donna standing and her coat around her shoulders. He grabbed her purse and headed out the door. Given Donna's wobbly gait, he held onto her tightly until they reached his car. He let go for just a second to get his keys out of his pocket, and reached back for her but all he got was air.
Looking down, he saw Donna sprawled on the pavement of the parking lot.
"Donna! Are you okay?"
"Sure. Why are you yelling?"
He reached under her arms and pulled her up. Once standing, he got her in the passenger side of his car and fastened her seat belt. He went around the car and got in the driver's side. He looked over and saw that she had already passed out with her head tilted toward the window.
"Oh hell, she can't go home like this. And she can't drive for sure."
The only decision he could make was for him to take her to his apartment for the night and let her sleep it off. He would worry about tomorrow morning tomorrow.
Josh parked in the only parking spot open near his apartment. It was half a block to his stoop but he would just have to figure out a way to get her out of the car and down the street.
He opened the passenger door, careful not to let Donna fall out.
He had to try and wake her up. "Donna. Donna!"
Stirring slightly, she replied, "Yes?"
"I need for you to help me. Can you walk a few steps?"
"Sure. Where do you want me to go?"
"First, get out of the car."
"Okay."
Josh guided her and got her out without a fall. He then held onto her down the sidewalk. So far, so good.
"Now Donna, you have to go up some steps. When I tell you to raise your leg, please do so."
"Okay," but it was just a mumble.
"Raise your leg, Donna."
She did as Josh requested. But then she raised the same leg again.
"No, Donna, raise the other leg."
She raised the other leg. They had made it up one step. Only five more to go.
Josh didn't know how long it took for them to make it up the front stairs, but there was a number of missteps before they finally got to his front door. This time he had the key in his hand and kept hold of Donna at the same time.
Finally inside, he steered her to the couch. Before sitting her down, he took off her coat. Then, he gently let go and she sat down of her own accord.
Breathing a bit easier, he shut the front door and sat down in the living room to gaze at her.
Donna was sitting on the sofa looking around, trying to guess where she was. The trip from the car to the sofa had stimulated her senses to the point that she was more conscious than she had been since they had left the restaurant.
"Where am I?"
"You're at my place, "Josh replied. "And you're not going anywhere."
"I can't stay here."
"Yes, you can. And you are. You're in no shape to drive home and I'm in no shape to take you there. You can sleep in my bed and I'll be here on the sofa."
Donna attempted to stand, then thought better of it and sat back down. "Okay, so I'm not going anywhere. What time is it, Josh?"
"Midnight. And we need to be at work by seven. So we need to go to sleep soon. My alarm goes off at six."
"What about me? I need to change clothes, take a shower, I can't wear the same clothes to work. Everyone will ask questions. They will know I didn't go home. Just like they all know when you and Sam didn't go home the night before."
"Well Donna, I don't give a damn if my love life is fodder for the West Wing gossip factory and you shouldn't either."
Donna stopped in the middle of her next thought formation and revisited Josh's last comment. "What did you just say? About a love life? What does that have to do with us?"
Josh stood up and joined her on the couch. "I said, I don't give a damn if my love life is fodder for the West Wing gossip factory and you shouldn't either."
Donna was having trouble digesting what Josh was saying.
Finally she replied. "Josh, are you saying that I am a part of your love life?"
"Donna, Donatella, I don't know for sure. But what I do know for sure is that I am enthralled by you and have been from the first day I met you in New Hampshire. Your spark, your lust for life brings something in my life that was never there until I met you. I don't know if you are the one for me, but I want to find out. I know you think we have a problem with me being your boss and stuff, but I don't see it as problem. And if it ever becomes a problem in Leo's eyes, we'll find a way around it. Somehow. Can we just explore it? Together? That's what I'm asking."
Donna smiled. This was much more than she had ever hoped to hear from the man she had already fallen in love with on that first day in New Hampshire. She thought he didn't know she was alive. That she was just some person's errand boy to order around.
"Yes, Josh. Together. That's all I want as well. To explore us together."
They both leaned in at the same time, lips locking and exploring virgin territory. Finally, they both went to bed, eagerly taking off their restricting garments, and exploring each other bodies as well. It didn't matter whether sleep was on the schedule for the night. All that mattered was the two of them getting to know each other for the first time. The first of what each hoped would be many times.
THE END