Forever, Me

Dani Beth


~*~

She yawned. Not loudly or extravagantly. Just...yawned.

I guess I caught the *way* she did it. How the corners of her eyes
crinkled or the way the bridge of her nose sort of wrinkled.

She's quite cute when you get down to the core of her. The way she
crosses her legs when she's listening to someone intently. Or how she crosses
her arms and leans in a little just to let you know that she knows you
mean business.

At night, she likes to lie on her back on her bed, legs hanging over
the side and listen to CDs as loud as possible without pissing off the
neighbors. She also likes to dance in her seat and sing along with the
music when we're in the car and she's not driving.

Like I said, she's quite cute when you get down to the core of her.

~*~

I know he's staring at me again, and I flush in embarrassment. It's not
like we're doing anything important. Just waiting for Leo in his
office.

Yawning again, I close my eyes this time and crack my neck before
opening them again.

Smirking, I cross my legs again, and watch as he shifts in his seat,
an intent look in his eyes as he studies me.

Even though I'm on television everyday and there are reporters staring
at me every time I get up on to speak, I'm not used to be watched so
closely. The attention is different and I have to fidget under his
stare.

He does this when we're alone too. Watches me when I'm cooking or
cleaning or working on something. I'll catch him and he doesn't turn away when
I do. Just keeps on staring.

Well, it was how we finally got together. Him staring at me all night.

~*~

Looking once more in the mirror, I run hand over my now smooth face and
look down to button my shirt as I walk out of the bathroom.

I told her that'd we go out tonight. It's been a hectic week and we
both need to unwind.

And we're not afraid if anyone sees us. Haven't been since that night.
Made a pact that from then on, no secret love affair. If we decided to
date, get the truth out in the open before the papers print about the
'scandalous' affair that two Senior Staffers are having.

Putting on some cologne, the kind she likes of course, I wipe my face
once more and pick up my overcoat, grabbing my keys along the way.

~*~

With his hand on the small of my back, I walk along side him through
the restaurant when we stop, the hostess smiling, saying, "Here you
are, Mr. Seaborn, Miss Cregg," and then leaving with the menus on our
plates.

It's always like this when we go out. The people of D.C. know who we
are, but don't care anymore. Just as long as no one bugs the owner,
everyone is just fine and dandy.

We usually get the small table in the back. It just *feels* right.
Helping me with my chair, Sam places a kiss on the top of my head and goes to
his side, taking up his menu and begins to read the contents. The only
thing is, he probably knows the thing by heart. I know I do. But I look
anyway, just to see if they've added or taken anything off.

~*~

With scrunched up nose, C.J. nibbles her lip like she usually does when
reading something she's trying to figure out.

"Know what you want?" I ask, wondering if she's going to get the usual.

"I'm thinking...shrimp," she mumbles and I nod, surprised.

"Something different tonight, I see."

Sticking her tongue out over the menu at me, she quickly ducks her head
behind it as our waiter comes up to the table.

~*~

Okay, so I get sudden urges to do weird things around him. I've *never*
stuck my tongue out around my ex-boyfriends. Even when I was younger,
and they said something along the lines that he did. Usually, I'd just
roll my eyes and give a small sigh.

Sam's different. He lets me do those sort of things. And I feel
comfortable doing them around him. Not at work, of course. But at home or in the
privacy of the two of us, it's okay.

Soft music is being piped out from somewhere and it's a sweet sounding
melody. Smiling over at him as the waiter takes our menus, I grab my
glass of water and take a sip, only to ask, "What's in store for me
*this* weekend?"

~*~

Raising my eyebrows, I say, "In store for *you*?"

She nods primly and places her hands softly on the table in front of
her. "Of course. *You* said you had something in store for me this
weekend."

"My company," I tell her and take a drink of water, waiting for her
reaction.

"Oh."

Bingo.

"And a drive to the country."

This makes her happy. "Where in the country?"

"It's a surprise."

"Can you at *least* give me clue?" C.J. wonders, biting her bottom lip.

"It's in Virginia."

She rolls her eyes and sits back, arms and legs crossed. "Okay."

Smirking, I reach under and pat her knee and run my thumb over her
skin. "Is it really?"

Licking her lips, she nods, a lazy, knowing grin forming on her fine
mouth.

~*~

At the end of the meal, I tell him that I have to go to the bathroom
and pick up my purse from the ground and walk swiftly through the
people.

There are only a few people in the ladies room when I enter and I smile
politely at them. Placing my purse down, I pick through it until I find
the make-up that I was looking for. Brushing up my lipstick and
checking my eyes, I snap close my compact.

Smoothing my hair and then fluffing it and smoothing it again, I nod
to myself and pack up my things in silence.

Sitting down on the table, I spot a white, folded piece of paper.
Giving Sam a curious look-which makes him nod and point to it-I slowly open
it and smile. Two words in his script in black ink fill the paper.

Forever, me.

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