**********

Josh shut the door, snickering to himself. For a woman who had been threatening bodily harm to him mere hours earlier for inviting Danny, CJ certainly seemed eager to spend time with the reporter.

As he wandered into the living room, he was distracted by a quick motion on the couch. A motion that may or may not have been his best friend and a blonde Republican sex kitten springing away from each other guiltily.

�Hey!� Ainsley jumped off the couch, breathless. �I better get going. It�s getting late.�

Josh hid a smile. �Well, it�s only five, but if you need to leave...�

�I do.� Ainsley said, trying to look apologetic. �I�m sorry. But thank you very much for having me over. I had a great time, and the food was wonderful.�

�Well, the next time my assistant gets the urge to take over my kitchen, I�ll be sure to let you know.�

Ainsley smiled then, genuinely. �Please tell her I enjoyed it. It made being away from home easier.�

�That�s good,� Josh said sincerely.

She barely glanced at Sam as she left, attempting to call out from the door offhandedly, �Bye, Sam. See you at work!�

Josh grinned as he shut the door behind her. �So, Sam...�

Sam sprang up off the couch. �You know what? I hate to leave Donna with all these dishes, but I really have to go too.�

�Things to do, people to see?� Josh asked, not bothering to hide his amusement.

�Something like that.�

�Okay.� Josh gave him a knowing look, which Sam missed completely.

Sam shrugged on his coat. �Tell Donna she should take over your kitchen more often. She did a great job.�

�I helped! I nearly lost a finger peeling those carrots!�

�You did a good job. No blood in the vegetables means you did a good job,� Sam acknowledged.

Josh threw him a mock glare. �See you tomorrow.�

�Goodnight.�

Donna emerged from Josh�s bedroom just as the door closed behind Sam.

�Hey.�

�Hey,� Josh responded, smirking. �I�m supposed to tell you that your cooking was wonderful.�

�Sam and Ainsley left?"

�Oh, yeah.�

Her eyes widened. �Together?�

�They left separately, but I bet she was waiting for him in the parking lot.�

Donna grinned. �I�m not surprised. When they cleared the table after dessert they hung around in the kitchen for a suspiciously long time. Plus I think Ainsley had some whipped cream behind her ear when they came out. I can�t be sure.�

Josh shuddered. �Republicans. Never turn your back on them, Donna, they�re clever.�

She grinned. �Haven�t turned my back on one yet.�

He started towards her, returning her smile. �True, and that�s something we�ll need to discuss.�

She snickered and retreated towards the kitchen. �Just let me finish cleaning up.�

Donna began work on the kitchen methodically, scraping all the leftovers into containers and stacking them neatly in Josh�s now nearly empty fridge. Josh brought the rest of the cups and plates in from the table and together they loaded the dishwasher.

She was rinsing her hands when he leaned up against the counter beside her. �I never got any dessert,� he complained.

�You were on the phone,� Donna said reasonably.

�Donna... I wanted pie...� he whined.

�I didn�t get any either,� she pointed out. �What with you inviting Danny, there wasn�t enough for both of us.�

�It�s all gone?�

�There�s one piece left,� she sighed, opening the fridge. �Here.� She shoved the plastic container into his hands.

He opened it. �That�s it? Where�s the whipped cream?�

�There�s a little still in there, see?� Donna nudged the slice with her finger and he saw the white fluffy cream pasted along one side.

�Excellent.� He grabbed a fork and headed for the couch. The sun was almost gone, so the living room was getting dark. He reached over and turned on one of the lamps beside him.

�Hey!� She followed him into the living room. �I wanted some of that!�

He put a protective arm around the container. �You can�t have any, Ms.I-Never-Say-No-To-Republicans.�

She laughed out loud and sank down onto the couch beside him. �It was just the one time,� she mock protested, tugging the side of the container.

He tugged back. �Two.�

�Two? You absolutely cannot count...�

�I can and I will,� he said firmly, putting another bite of pie in his mouth with one hand while keeping a firm grip on the container with the other.

She stuck her finger into the container and came up with a blob of whipped cream. She waggled it in his face threateningly.

He grinned. �Well, if you�re going to feed me...� He lunged forward as if to capture her finger in his mouth but she moved it away, drawing a straight line of whipped cream up his nose to his forehead.

�Donna,� he complained.

�I want some pie, Josh.�

�You just spread it all over my face!�

�It�s not all over your face, Josh, it�s right here.� She leaned in, tracing the line of whipped cream with her finger.

His smile suddenly changed. �And you�re going to clean it off?�

She leaned in closer, her breath warming his cheek. �Yeah.� Her tongue flicked out and swiped his nose, then slowly lapped upwards, cleaning off the sweet trail.

He gave a little moan of pleasure. �Donna...�

She took advantage of his relaxed state to whip the pie container out of his hands.

�Hey!�

�You snooze, you lose,� she said playfully, shouldering him away while she grabbed a bite. �Mmm. This is soooo good.�

He pounced on her then, pinning her down on the couch. �That was a dirty trick.�

She let him take the pie container away from her and set it on the coffee table. Winding her arms around his neck she said, �I learned from the best.�

He leaned down then and did what he�d been dying to do all day. He kissed her.

She responded as she always did, with an honest passion that took his breath away.

�Do you think anyone suspected?� she asked, when they finally came up for air.

�It was a tight moment there when you knew where the saffron was, and that Mom had given you my presents, but...�

�Nothing that can�t be written off as devotion from an intelligent, competent, loyal, efficient...�

�Republican-loving,� he added.

�Hey!�

He grinned.

Softly, she said, �You know...�

�I know,� he said firmly. �I know.�

She stretched up and kissed him again and he took some time to savor the feel of her lips on his. Whenever a day went by that he couldn�t kiss her, a tiny part of him doubted that any of this was real.

Finally they broke apart and he pulled her back up, settling her onto the couch next to him while he fed them both pie.

�There isn�t very much whipped cream,� he observed.

�I have this feeling Sam and Ainsley are to blame for that.�

�That�s pretty inconsiderate of them.�

Donna grinned. �It�s okay. I got a can as well as the real stuff.�

�I thought you said that canned whip cream was an abomination against nature.�

�But it�s more portable and less messy.�

He grinned. �I can live with that,� he decided, right before she kissed him again.

**********

Josh wasted no time deepening the kiss, letting his hands wander over her curves until they came to rest cupping her breasts. He squeezed them lightly and she moaned, her hands flying to his hips to pull him closer.

�I think it�s time for dessert,� he murmured.

�We really should burn off some of those extra calories,� she agreed playfully. �Otherwise, we�re just going to fall asleep here.�

�Donna, believe me when I tell you I�m not about to fall asleep.� He began feathering kisses down the side of her neck, pulling her shirt to the side to get access to her collarbone.

She pulled away and grinned. �Prove it.�

He regarded her for a moment, almost incredulous, then said, �Fine.� Standing, he pulled her up too, then swept her into his arms, honeymoon style.

�Josh!� she exclaimed, surprised to find herself being carried towards the bedroom.

�I�m just burning some calories by weightlifting, over here. How much turkey did you eat, anyway?�

�Hey!� She wrapped an arm around his shoulder to steady herself. �It�s my job to make sure you eat right and get plenty of exercise. Youeeeeeeeeeee....�

�What was that last part?� he teased, watching her scramble up from where he�d tossed her onto his bed. He flipped on one of the bedside table lamps to shed more light on her prone form.

She gave him a mock glare. �Strip for me.�

�What?!�

�I was saying that it�s my job to make sure you�re healthy. I wanna see how I�m doing.� As he�d pulled off his sweater and was opening the fly of his jeans before she�d even finished speaking, she didn�t think he minded.

As he bent down to get his jeans and socks off, she took a long, lazy look at the planes of his back. For all her teasing, he was strong and trim and showed no signs of becoming otherwise. When he stood up, the beginnings of an erection forming in front of her, she licked her lips.

�Very nice, Mr. Lyman.�

�Why thank you, Ms. Moss.�

�But I think I need to examine certain areas more closely.�

�Whatever you need.�

She couldn�t help but snicker a bit. �When was the last time you said �Whatever you need� on the Hill?�

He frowned, thinking. �Not since before the election.�

�The first one or the second?�

�You�re funny.�

Crawling to the edge of the bed, she motioned him closer. His erection was at eye level now, and she leaned forward to lick at it. He groaned. Encouraged, she began to kiss up its rapidly expanding length until she reached the end. Then she wrapped her lips around the tip and sucked at him lightly. His hands sank into her hair, letting her know what he wanted, and she obliged, taking his length into her mouth as far as she could. She dragged her lips up and down him again and again, until his hips bucked towards her involuntarily.

She pulled away and stretched out on her back. �Come to bed, Josh.�

He climbed onto the bed beside her. �You know how long I�ve waited to hear you say that?� She smiled as he began unbuttoning her blouse. He buried his head between her breasts, kissing her petal soft skin as he worked off her shirt and jeans.

Her fingers caressed his hair as she relished the feel of his hands exposing her body. �It was so difficult today,� she whispered. �Being here, with you, and not being able to touch you.�

He succeeded in baring her right breast and pulled her nipple into his mouth. �I don�t think we could really do this in front of company,� he mumbled against her skin.

�Josh...� She pushed him away and he moved reluctantly, trapping her nipple between his lips and gently stretching it as he went.

When he released it, she gasped, speechless. �I know what you meant,� he said, tangling his fingers in her hair and pulling her mouth to his.

He didn�t give her another opportunity to speak, letting his tongue plunder her mouth as his free hand finished stripping off her bra and panties. Once she was naked, she closed the distance between them, clinging to him, arms and legs wrapping around him, bringing their bodies into full contact. When their mouths finally parted, seeking oxygen, he began moving his lips across her skin, seeking out the sensitive places he knew about and trying to find new ways to make her gasp his name.

Just as he found the curled hair between her legs he felt her pulling him up, urging him to abandon his prize. He frowned and climbed up her body so that he was level with her face. When he opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, though, all that came out was an incoherent moan.

She�d grasped him tightly with one hand, and his conscious thought fled. He heard the rip as she freed the condom from its package and groaned as she rolled it slowly, sensuously, along his length.

He let her take the lead and she rolled him onto his back so that she could climb on top of him. She wasted no time finding his erection, letting the tip brush across her folds before positioning herself above him. She sank down slowly, letting him fill her, letting him stretch her inner walls to encompass his length. Leaning forward so that she could kiss him, her hips began working with his to set a tempo for them both.

Her face was directly above his and he cupped it in his hands. He watched her expressions intently, as if they were completely divorced from the actions of her lower body, which was still rushing inexorably towards climax.

She gazed straight back at him, barely blinking, her face an open book of emotion, and he couldn�t help but lift his head to brush a kiss against her lips. Before she could deepen it, though, he was gone, letting his head fall back against the pillows and keeping her face above his, so that he could watch her as she made love to him.

Something changed when she realized he wanted to watch her instead of kiss her. Suddenly her hips began to move faster, and he had no choice but to respond. Though his own hips were trapped between her thighs, he still managed to match her pace, thrusting up into her hot, wet body as she pushed down onto his aching cock.

They rode together until they were both panting for air and glistening with a sheen of perspiration. Then, incredibly, she sped up her movements even more. Keeping up with her was hard work, but he did it, driving up into her in a fast, steady rhythm.

Suddenly she cried out, and her moans began to match their thrusts. She pushed them faster, harder, until their pace was frenzied beyond any semblance of a regular rhythm. When she finally began shouting his name, her movements didn�t stop. She rode all the way through her orgasm, slowing down only a little once it was over, and her face, still cupped above his, was an amazing sight to savor as she climaxed.

She caught her breath just enough to begin riding him again, and she did so fast and hard, until he plunged headlong into an fiercely intense orgasm, reeling from exertion and emotion. Only after his body, which had gone rigid with tension and overwhelming stimulation, finally relaxed, did she stop.

And just as he was coming down, he realized he had an armful of warm, wet, completely spent Donnatella Moss. Her lips sought his and they kissed languorously for a few moments before collapsing together into sleep.

**********

�So,� he began a while later, wrapping his arm around her waist to pull her closer.

�Mmm?�

He leaned down and whispered in her ear, �You have my presents.�

He could feel her shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter as she said, �True.�

�I want them.� He blew a little stream of air against her earlobe.

�That tickles!�

He did it again and she couldn�t stop from giggling. �Presents,� he repeated.

�One a night, Josh. That�s what your Mom said.�

�So we won�t tell her. Where are they?�

�We are going to abide by her rules,� Donna said firmly.

�She said I should share one of them with you,� he tried.

Donna frowned and looked up at him. �With me?� In her mind she ran through the list of gifts his mother had told her about when she shipped the box. Suddenly, realization dawned on her face. The quilt from the house in Connecticut. Handmade, given to his parents on their wedding day. She blushed.

�Ah ha!�

�What?�

�You know what she got me!�

�Josh...�

�Don�t bother trying to deny it,� he reached over and turned on the other side lamp, shedding more light on the room, �you�re blushing.�

�Josh, it�s nothing like that.�

�What is it? You might as well tell me now...�

�I�m not saying a word,� she declared.

He tightened his grip on her waist and blew in her ear again.

�Josh!� she laughed, squirming.

�I�m going to...oh no...� He had a sudden thought and winced.

�What?�

�She didn�t get me smiley-face boxers or anything, did she?�

�What?�

�She usually buys me clothes. That wasn�t what she was talking about me sharing with you...�

�No!� Donna said hastily. �Nothing like that.�

�She bought me clothes, though, right?�

�Josh...�

�You don�t have to answer. I know she did.�

�Fine.�

He pressed his lips against her hair. �Will you come over tomorrow night?�

�For Chanukah?�

He kissed his way down to her lips. �That too,� he said when they broke apart for air.

She smiled. �Of course.�

�And you�ll bring the gifts...�

�Gift.�

�Donna!�

�One a night, Josh.�

�Fine. Will you at least bring the gift I can share with you?�

�Josh...�

�I know you know which one it is. Don�t bother to deny it.�

She snuggled up against him and looked into his eyes. �You don�t want to save the best for last?� she teased.

He smiled down at the beautiful, amazing woman in his arms. �I want to start sharing it with you right away,� he said softly.

Her smile changed then, replaced by the emotional look she always gave him when he said something right. �Okay,� she said.

Their lips met again, softly at first, as slowly they expressed with their mouths what they couldn�t with words.

Eventually they pulled apart and just gazed at each other. Suddenly he grinned and tackled her so that she landed underneath him again.

�Now. About the rest of these presents...�

�Josh!�

He let his fingers dance along her ribs, tickling her. �I�m not going to stop until I get the rest of them out of you.�

She grabbed at his hands, laughing and squirming. �Do your best.�

He was grinning again as he leaned down to kiss her. �I intend to.�