The Thorne at My Side

CHAPTER 14

Flirting on All Fronts

MAGGIE

"I'm lying here realizing that you don't know me but you might know me better than anyone else."

I reread the last line of DCFox's message out loud. It expresses exactly how I feel about him. After our sexting session, which I was primed for after Austin’s visit, I woke up scared that everything would change between us. I wasn’t sure if he’d go back to sharing the little things about his day or emotional things with me. I can get orgasms from Austin, he’s not where I turn for emotional support. That’s DCFox’s job. It felt too good to be true that DCFox could be both. Turns out the day I spent nervous that we’d ruined things was for nothing.

TalkShopGirl: I completely understand what you mean. I feel like sometimes I act as a version of myself I don't like just because I think that's what the other person expects from me.

I become quiet or I swear more often depending on who I am with. When, in reality, I'm a loud person who doesn't like to curse.

Well, maybe that's not exactly true because a well placed cuss word can have a profound impact, but there are definitely people who bring it out in me.

I hate feeling so malleable. So flexible. I do have convictions and strong values and sometimes it's too easy to set them aside if they're not the same as the person I'm with.

And, I couldn't agree more about being strangers but knowing each other deeply. I have a feeling that you are beginning to know me better than I know myself.

I slide the phone back into my nightstand and stretch my arms overhead. Today we are traveling with Senator Quinn. She has seven events in three different states and when I was leaving the office yesterday I heard Jorge confirming something back in D.C. at 7:00 pm. Travel days stress me out but I’ve learned to try and stick to as much of my routine as I can to help me manage the disruption. That means I start my day with a run but instead of going to the office at 9, I’m headed to the airport.

My feet hit the pavement on beat with the music in my headphones. I get lost in the lyrics and the feel of my steps ricocheting through my body. My mind hasn’t been this clear in months. I feel energized. Maybe my multiple orgasms in 72 hours is the magic sauce.

At a stoplight I pull out my phone to text him. The texts last night surprised me. I didn’t think he’d care about being exclusive but I’m glad it’s been established. He probably texted me to ask because he got propositioned by some beautiful woman last night. I felt his arousal in the kitchen before he left. And then greedily I brought myself to the edge with DCFox’s words before falling over into bliss. Maybe Austin is suffering from some serious blue balls. The idea makes me happy on a feminist level but also sad for him on a personal one.

MAGGIE: I’m finding it’s harder to start my day today. You?

AUSTIN: Things are plenty hard over here.

I bite my smile when his response comes in immediately. Almost like he had my text thread open at the time.

These ripples of excitement are totally new and when the light changes and I start to run again, I realize that the arrangement with Austin is something new. Something I've never done before. It is a change in my routine and maybe the novelty is energizing me as much as anything.

◆◆◆

"You're smiling a lot today," Sam says as we sit down for lunch. "And, you're never happy on travel days."

I simply shrug in response.

"And, it's been a day where we were in the air as long as we were on the ground. The worst kind of travel day, where if we didn't have Jorge telling us when exactly to get on the bus we'd surely have missed one of these flights."

"I guess I'm getting used to it." I say although that’s a lie. I'm feeling good because I had sex with Austin Thorne and then was able to walk away with no strings attached. It's the ideal set up.

"Wait," Sam pivots towards me in her seat. "Did you do the dirty again? "

I cough on a piece of kale.

"Wow, nice job." Sam turns back to her sandwich and nods like she's impressed with me. "I honestly didn't expect you to take my advice seriously but I'm so glad you did. You're a new woman."

"Well, I don't know about that but some of the stress certainly has lifted."

Not having to worry about Austin’s feelings or what his expectations are is freeing. For the first time I’m enjoying myself with a man and not worrying about the future or if he’s as invested in the relationship as I am. Eventually, the man at my side will need to be a teammate. Almost like a coworker. So it might be best if we're not madly in love.

Love can lead to mistakes. It's a distraction. And I'm sensible enough to know that the partner I need might not come with passion. That's fine. I’ll need someone attractive, at a minimum without visible nostril hair, since I'm learning how good sex is for my stress levels. And I think I do want kids someday. Although there are ways to have kids without the sex part. But I was able to get off just from DCFox’s words so unless he has a 152mm goiter coming off of his neck I think we’re good.

"Maggie, can we look at the remarks for the game tonight?" The senator calls from her cluster of seats a few rows behind Sam and me.

"Of course, be right there," I call over my shoulder and I busy myself putting my salad away. Once it's cleaned up I pick up my notebook and walk to her seat.

"You're actually not going to have to say anything during the puck drop, you’re just shaking hands with the charity recipient, Alice, and the team captain. Felix, I believe is his name. His foundation provides housing for the family members of patients and your research legislation helped with the treatment for the cancer Alice just beat. You'll be interviewed during the first period by the TV announcers and that's where our remarks are going to come into play."

"Makes sense, what is it, a three minute interview?"

"That sounds about right," I reply as I flip around the various topics in my notebook. "This could be a good opportunity to talk about your healthcare work since you’re next to a cancer survivor."

"Okay, let's ask AIM for something." The senator says casually like she isn't insulting my intelligence.

"We can have their team put something together," I say hesitantly. "You sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. And we can use the stump speech lines too, I know those by heart, but it could be good to have a fresh perspective."

"Okay, will do. Is there anything else?"

"No, I'll see you when we land."

With that I close my notebook and move back to the seat by Sam. Thankfully she’s got her nose in a pile of briefing memos that I asked her to summarize. I give her a quick smile when she looks up to tell her that I'm good, but in reality I'm spiraling.

For the last six months I have been the person to write all of the senator's blurbs and talking points. Every time she was on TV or speaking in front of a crowd it was my words coming out of her mouth. Now? Now she wants to use AIM. I guess since we loaded her speeches into their database it will still be her words, my words, but it feels wrong.

Like we're cheating.

Any sense of relaxation or calm that I felt earlier was just erased. All it took was one sentence to remind me how Austin's product could put me out of a job.

I sit down and write my points for her on-air comments tonight and then send an email to Tyler on Austin's team with the prompt. I figured I'd add in that it is a hockey game since the demographics of the audience tend to be of the famed white male variety. Let's see what his computer comes up with.

◆◆◆

"And that is why I fought so hard for this research legislation. Access to cures shouldn't rely on your connections or status, it is a right."

"Thank you Senator Quinn, well said." The announcer wraps up before going back to game analysis.

The senator walks off camera to the small group of us who came with her tonight. We're going up to the owners suite now to watch the rest of the game. I thought the senator would want to leave after her appearance but she told us in the car on the way over from the airport that after talking to the team owner, Tom O’Callahan, she wanted to stay for the whole game.

Jorge even secured her a DC Renegades jersey to wear.

"Did you see the puppies?" Sam asks as we start walking down the concourse.

"Puppies? No."

"Oh that's too bad, they were really cute. I guess they do an adoption night with a local shelter and they just got a litter of pit bull puppies. I might go back and adopt one," she looks longingly over her shoulder and steps sideways into me. "Oh sorry, yeah, do you need me? If not, I'm going to go check things out."

"You're just going to adopt a puppy on a whim? Isn't that a big decision?" I ask before she walks away.

"I'm just going to go and ask questions, I probably won't adopt one tonight."

I laugh and roll my eyes because that “probably” tells me that she will definitely be doing it if it's an option.

I catch up to the senator as we get in an elevator to the top level of the Kofee Center.

The suite is at center ice so I've got a view of the full arena. Fans line the stands and cheers erupt when a fight breaks out on the ice. I settle into a seat at the front of the box and Jorge brings over a plate of chicken fingers for us to share.

The first period ends scoreless, the second does too, but in the opening minutes of the third period the Northern Knights score and the arena goes quiet.

Somehow 20,000 DC Renegades fans all agreed to be nervous at the same time. It's a political writer's dream to get a crowd all on the same page that way. To be able to rile them up and calm them down and energize them behind a common cause.

And political campaigns are kind of like sporting events but there are fewer rules and the race takes too long.

The thought makes me yawn. It has been a long day. The energy burst from my run has definitely worn off over the course of seven campaign stops and now a late night sporting event.

"We're going to head down to the locker room at the end of the game. Tom says it's a must see." The senator wiggles her eyebrows and I roll my eyes with a smile.

Halfway through the third period the Renegades get a power play and they score just before it expires. A few minutes later, Felix Fournier somehow loops the puck from behind the net over the goalie's shoulder to put them ahead. The entire arena is on their feet for the final three minutes.

They're quiet but the tone is optimistic this time. I don't know how I can tell the difference but I can.

Time runs out and the Renegades bring home the win. We gather up our things in the suite and head down the elevator to the basement of the arena. Upstairs, the suite and the hallways were carpeted and filled with artwork and photographs of the achievements of the teams over the years.

Down here the walls are made of cinderblock and the floors are concrete. There are golf carts driving back and forth with employees wearing matching polos saying things into walkie talkies.

I've been backstage at speeches and conferences before but something about the cold simplicity of the space strikes me as odd when these guys were just under flashing lights and skating to the sounds of thousands of people cheering for an hour.

We're directed to an area that is between the locker room and the player's parking lot. The senator and Jorge go but I opt to stay in the hallway. I don't really want to see half naked athletes right now, I'm too tired to fully appreciate the splendor.

"Are you following me, Collins?"

I snap my head up at the sound of Austin Thorne’s voice. He's standing in front of me wearing jeans and a cream crewneck sweater under a blue wool blazer. He's got a DC Renegades scarf wrapped around his neck. I drink him in and get caught on the way his burnt wood eyes twinkle behind his dark frame glasses.

Goosebumps explode on my arms with him this close as I’m remembering the way he slid his glasses off and set them on the table before we fucked. Or how he removed them before going down on me in epic fashion. Mentally I’m begging him to slide them off again now. Or, even better, I’ll take them off for him.

"What are you doing here?" I ask because I cannot think of anything else to say. He is the last person I expected to see. He laughs and the sound vibrates through me .

"I'm waiting for my buddy. He and I are going out to celebrate the win."

"He's on the team?"

Again Austin laughs and it's a breathy sound that makes the backs of my knees tingle.

"He is, he's the captain."

"Felix? The senator was here for the puck drop."

"I know, I saw."

"Oh."

We're quiet for a beat before he shifts to one side and leans his elbow against the wall. One foot kicks up over the other and it is such an outrageously planned but casual pose that even my stiff limbs react. The air around us changes and I feel a buzz of energy. A spark of competition lights again because how dare he try to use the prop-one-arm-above-my-head move?

I mimic him and cross my arms and throw a shoulder into the wall. Except I'm a little too far away and I have to readjust my footing after a harder landing than I’d planned.

"Did that hurt?" He asks.

"No," I reply even though, yeah it did a little bit.

He just smiles knowingly and asks, "How was the rest of your day after the hard start?"

"Fine," I reply quickly.

"And what do you have to say about the senator using our language for her interview?"

My jaw tightens so hard I'm afraid my molars might crack.

"I appreciate that she had the option." B ut I didn't need the reminder, thank you very much , is what I don't say.

"Of course, choice is everything."

"It is."

"So can I choose to set up our next sex date?" He asks as he leans his head down a little closer to me.

"Yes, but I'll need a heads up."

"Oh, the head's up Maggie," and his eyes flick down to his pants where things do look a little fuller. I realize that with my arms crossed I've pushed my boobs together and even though I'm seething with anger around Austin I think I might be smiling a little bit too.

"You're obnoxious." I say as I stand up and look over my shoulder to see the senator walking with a player.

Before I can step away Austin places his fingertips, splayed wide, on my stomach and I freeze at the contact.

"I'll be at your place in the morning."

I sneak one last look at Austin before we turn the corner for the car and trip over my own feet when I catch him looking at me.