Executive Orders

CH 19 | A Fond Welcome

After arranging for a car to deliver Harrison back to OPA, Olivia went straight to work, a previously scheduled after-hours meeting with several media personnel attached to some of the more influential members of the Senate in the press room for an informal briefing.

Overall, it seemed the consensus seemed to be that with the president having not formally announced his re-election, elements within both the House and the Senate were in a state of agitation.

One purpose of her public meeting was to pave the way for the series of private ones that was, if she were right - would follow. And it turned out that she was.

In the space of the next few hours, several of them called and arranged to stop by her office for more private conversations. From them she learned a few troubling details. Factions were being formed and reformed and alliances were understandably - fluid - as Olivia was to tell Fitz later.

Olivia added a final paragraph to the paperwork she'd been working on, then slipped that and some other papers into a folder on her desk and sat back, momentarily closing her eyes. She thought over what she'd just written, which included a directive for her inner White House staff to initiate a backtracking of Sally's comings and goings as well as a closer scrutiny of her itinerary from this point forward. She couldn't wait to discuss this with Fitz.

That thought brought a smile to her face. With both of them having to deal with increasingly heavy workloads, at least they'd managed to set aside a little time for them to share dinner, because after one too many good-nights over the phone,they'd both come to the conclusion that if they wanted to spend any time together, they'd have to make it happen.

She was just putting away the last folder when a quiet knock at the the door interrupted her thoughts. Olivia called out permission to enter and was surprised to see Tom at the door.

Her heart thumped unpleasantly in her chest; it was unusual for the agent to be far from Fitz's side, even inside the White House.

"What's happened?" she demanded.

Tom was quick to reassure her. "Nothing, ma'am - my apologies - it wasn't my intention to scare you - and I'm sure that the president hadn't meant to either."

"Fitz sent you?" Tom's words sent relief washing through her.

"Yes, ma'am." Tom let a rare smile show. "It was just to let you know that he had a slight change in plans."

He smiled again. "I think he means for it to be a surprise."

They left her office, Tom leading her to one of the lesser used elevators. What surprised her next was that the elevator went past the second floor of the Resident quarters and continued on to the third floor guest quarters.

He stepped out with with her, but stopped and took up a guard position just outside the elevator doors. "The president requested me to tell you that he's waiting for you in the Guest Resident Sitting Room."

"I know the way." Which she did from her previous stay; Olivia smiled at him before she turned and headed down the hall. She knocked once before she opened the door and stepped inside, dropping her jacket and briefcase on the chaise next to the door before turning back to admire the view of Fitz, where he crouched in front of the exquisitely carved marble fireplace coaxing its flames into being.

A very appreciative warmth went through her as her gaze traveled over the sight of Fitz's back muscles working beneath his shirt as he used a poker to manipulating the logs into a position to feed the growing flames.

Then Fitz turned turned towards her, his gaze dazzling her as he read her gaze.

As he came to his feet in one long smooth and graceful motion, she couldn't help but appreciate what else captivated her gaze. Fitz's tie was loose - his jacket had been settled on the back of one of the chairs, she noticed obliquely - his shirt sleeves were rolled back to expose his forearms with their curves and carving of chiseled muscle and without realizing it, a soft "hmm" of wordless appreciation escaped her lips as she was reminded once more - that this remarkable, incredible sexy, incredibly sensuous man loved her.