But there was no way he was selling these. They were private images taken without permission. He didn't care if they were two public figures, in that moment they were just a couple in love who wanted to share an intimate moment. Donatello thought about his own partner. She was at home unwell, undergoing treatment for breast cancer. He knew about the Bidens' own loss. About their Cancer Initiative, about the Cancer Moonshot. He was so grateful to them for trying to work on treatments, on a cure, on patient advocacy, for putting huge sums of money into research, and for giving their precious time to highlight the work done, and the work still needed. He would gift these pictures to the couple. He was a little sad to realize that some of his best work would never see the light of day but he figured he'd offer the photos as a thank-you for all of their work; at least his talent wouldn't be completely wasted.
'I'll do it', the President spoke up, making his way to the makeshift dressing room. The designer had called for help, needing a second pair of hands to assist in clothing the First Lady. Joe had practically jumped from his seat and was around the curtained-off area before any other person could offer. He stopped suddenly, almost causing David to run into him. 'Avert your eyes man, my wife is practically naked', Joe called back to his lead agent. 'Joe!', Jill said, laughing. 'David, don't mind him', she called, her voice full of fun, knowing that Joe was only half joking.
She delighted in the proximity of his masculinity, feeling a shudder run along her spine as his hands touched her body, naked but for her underwear, as he helped to pull the trousers of the suit up. He held her eyes as he fastened the button, running his fingers inside the waistband for a moment, letting her know what he would like to do. A promise for later. 'Are you cold ma'am?' the designer asked kindly, mistaking her shudder of delight for a shiver. She could see Joe's smug smile as she rested her hands on his shoulders for a moment, communicating with their eyes.
Knowing that she had just deflected attention from a critically important meeting. Still taking the focus while they allowed the Ukrainian delegation to get out of the country, to find their way home through Lord knows what obstacles made her feel powerful. In control. Knowing that she had shielded Joe and President Zelensky, their delegations, the meeting with the Pope; it was all heady stuff. They weren't out of the woods yet. Jill still needed to keep the focus on herself.
'Joe we need to keep moving honey, we can't keep people waiting', she said, teasing him but with a serious undertone. She slipped her hands around his neck, lacing her fingers together and pulling him towards her. She kissed his cheek, 'are they getting on ok?', she asked quietly. He pulled her close, the nearby agents and staff discreetly looking elsewhere while the couple exchanged their kisses. Joe nuzzled her neck, 'yeah all good, we just need to give him time to get back now, it'll be a few hours', he whispered, his voice muffled against her skin. She nodded. 'Honey I need to get back to the shoot', she said loudly, causing people to return to their positions, ready for action. Joe gallantly offered her his arm. 'You look sensational babe', he said, eliciting some deep sighs from many of the ladies on the crew, secretly hoping to bag a man that would pay them such attention and compliments as President Biden paid his wife.
Donatello hung around, shooting more photos, letting his practiced eye pick out angles and frames of the couple that caught his attention but the focus had moved to some TV shots. They had changed location, were now in one of the modern galleries of the museum. The First Lady was dressed in a light purple trouser suit. She looked fabulous, her hand resting casually on her husband's leg as she settled onto the high stool where they sat side by side. Donatello dropped his camera from his face for a moment to study the couple in reality. They seemed to be a little stiffer, more posed, perhaps it was down to the presence of the TV cameras he thought.
Jill felt Joe stiffen as Dr. Massetto came into the room. The genealogist had been around earlier. Jill had spied her dropping in and out while the shoot was going on but when Joe wasn't around the other woman seemed not to linger for long. I'll be keeping you in my sights lady, she thought to herself, deliberately placing her palm on her husband's leg, daring the genealogist, anyone really to mess with her husband or their relationship. She would fight to the death for him and their family.
