Completed:        March 2003

*~*~*~*

Carol closed CJ’s office door behind her and tossed the legal pad on the desk with a groan. It was already nine and CJ was still trying to make sense of the briefing for the following morning. If they didn’t get help soon it was going to be a late night.

Pulling the clip from her hair, Carol shook her hair loose and headed down the corridor. The bullpen was relatively empty, most of the staff having headed home, leaving just the usual scattering of interns wandering the halls, hoping to gain extra credit, as she entered and hovered by Ginger‘s desk.

Will’s door was open, the desk light filtering into the empty bullpen. He had his head down, his desk littered, not to mention the floor, with papers and boxes. The clutter had only seemed to increase since the President had hired him as a permanent member of the communications staff.

CJ had introduced Will properly to Carol the day after he’d been made Deputy Communications Director, the day she’d realized Sam wasn’t coming back. Her flirting days with Sam were over and she’d yet to get to know the new senior member of staff. Something she hoped to rectify. After all he had the same boyish good looks.

Clearing her throat, she approached the door with a smile. “Billy?” she asked, knocking lightly on the door.

He looked up and knocked a pile of folders to the floor. “It’s Will.”

She’d known that, but the memo currently circulating the office was to call him anything but. It was Josh’s idea, his way of breaking in the new member of the team. They were fast running out of sensible things to call him though and Larry’s suggestions were less than complimentary.

“Oh, I was told it was Billy, short for William,” she offered offhand, stepping further into his office and bending down. Quickly, she gathered the fallen paperwork and stood back up, but not before she’d waggled her backside. “I’m Carol.”

“I’m Will.” His eyes were drawn to the red skirt as it shimmered against her backside.

“Yes, I know,” she nodded and stacked the folders neatly on one corner of the desk. “CJ sent me to pick up the remarks for the briefing.”

“Ah,“ Will replied, glancing at the desk and back at her face. “It may take a minute.”

Carol settled herself in the visitor’s chair and watched with amusement as he riffled through the mess that was his desk. “You should ask Ginger to help you get organized.”

Will gave her a quick smile and returned to searching the mountain of paperwork. “Which one’s Ginger?” He knew he had an assistant somewhere, or rather Toby had an assistant, and that there were other women in the Bullpen, he just hadn’t managed to put faces to names.

“Ginger hair, tall, sassy,” Carol offered, crossing her legs and giving him a lengthy view of her legs. Her fingers toyed with the hem of her skirt as she leaned forward to study him more carefully.

“Ah. She told me to shove it in an anatomically incorrect place.”

There was nothing Carol could say to that. Ginger had always spoken her mind and she could only imagine what Will had done to incur Ginger’s wrath. He was going to need protecting, and she was just the person to do that. “So are you missing your room mate?”

He looked at her blankly as another stack of papers hit the floor.

“Ron, the goat.”

“He kept eating my speeches, which I guess was his way of offering his opinion. The bicycles have finally gone too so I might actually have to fill the shelves with books or something.” He finally located the folder he was looking for and held it up triumphantly.

“I can help you with that.“ So CJ might be a little miffed at sharing her for a few hours but anything was better than watching Will drown in paperwork. Besides the office was small and she rather liked the idea of being in a confined space with him.

Will stood up and promptly tripped on a cardboard box beside his desk. Grabbing the desk he tried to stay upright, tripping over his feet and landing in a heap at her feet.

Carol suppressed a grin and waited as he pulled himself together and got off of the carpet. He was an idiot but she certainly wanted him to be her idiot.

When he was standing again, smoothing down his pants, he offered her the remarks and a sheepish grin. “I really should do something about the clutter.” He wondered if Elsie would help, probably not, he decided. Besides which, she was more likely to shove a file up his ass then tell him where to put it.

“I need to get these to CJ.”

“Yeah.” he moved back behind his desk and resumed working.

Carol reached the door before she turned to look back at him. There was a moment’s indecision before she asked, “Would you like a coffee?”

Will looked up from his typing. “I’m fine. I’m sure CJ wouldn’t like me using you as errand girl.”

“I meant would you like to get a coffee with me,” she corrected. “There’s a Starbucks a few blocks from here.”

His eyes widened and he continued to stare back at her.

Suppressing a smile, Carol took a step into the Bullpen. “I shouldn’t have asked. I’ll be going now.”

He allowed her another step. “Carol . . . If you give me five minutes, I’d love too.”

That was the first step now all she had to do was get him to make the next move, or failing that she‘d do it herself. “I’ll meet you in the lobby.”

*~*~*~*

When Will finally arrived ten minutes later, Carol was standing in the middle of the lobby waiting for him.

“I’m sorry. There was more to do than I first thought, then Toby. . .“ he trailed off and let out a breath. “Shall we go?“

Carol nodded.

They left the building in silence and headed out into the cold night air.

Will wasn’t sure what to make of the dark haired woman beside him. In his experience women waited for him to make the first move, except he never did. Women weren’t really his strong suit. Not that there was anyone he could ask for help. Elsie had tried to coach him in the fine art of dating but her mockery had pretty much put pay to that. Now he was going for coffee with a woman and he couldn’t even make conversation with her.

He stole a quick glance at his companion. She was pretty, he concluded. Her hair fell in a sleek curtain down her back and she had an incredible pair of brown eyes, eyes that reminded him of a puppy.

Carol smiled. He kept stealing looks at her and his hands were fidgeting. He was actually very sweet. The fact that his boss was dating her boss wasn’t a bad thing either. If Will hurt her, CJ would cause Toby serious pain and in turn Toby would punish Will. He wouldn’t do it again. It was also fairly obvious that he was clueless when it came to women. Which was no different to any of the other men who worked in the West Wing except she didn‘t find the other men nearly as endearing.

“So, are you still staying at a hotel?” she asked, trying to catch his attention.

“What?” He practically jumped as he turned to look at her. “Yes, that is to say for the moment. Elsie and I are looking for an apartment.”

Growing up in a houseful of brothers she’d always wanted a sister, someone to share stories with. She sighed sadly.

“You and your sister get on okay?”

Will side stepped a tree. “Elsie’s my step sister. She knows how to bring the funny.”

“Then she’s definitely needed around here,” Carol offered dryly, pushing her purse strap back on her shoulder.

“I don’t know. I think you guys are pretty funny.” He scrunched up his face. “I meant that Josh and Toby. . .”

Carol waved her hand in dismissal. “I know what you meant.”

“I think you’re funny.”

She gave him a skeptical look.

“In a good way,” he added quickly.

Tossing her hair over one shoulder and licking her lips, Carol linked arms with his. It was satisfying to know she made him nervous, that for once she was in control.

His eyes fell to the pavement and he studied it scrupulously as they walked. He had no clue what to do next, or even if she wanted him to do anything, and she made him jumpy.

“We’re here,” Carol finally announced, pushing open the door to the coffee house and pulling him inside. “What would you like?”

“Caffe Latte.“ During Horton Wilde’s campaign he had been practically living on black coffee, now he was finally adjusting to drinking something different.

She approached the counter and waited for the sales assistant to notice her. “A Caffe Latte and a Toffee Nut Latte, please.”

“Anything else?”

Carol looked at Will expectantly.

He shook his head.

“A Blueberry muffin.” She wasn’t really hungry but at least food would give her something to do with her hands, she decided.

They waited for their drinks as Carol paid then made their way to a vacant table. Neither said a word as they sipped their drinks and stared out at the sidewalk.

“So where are you from?” Carol asked as Will continued to stare at his coffee.

“I was raised in Brussels, Germany, pretty much all over Europe and Asia,” he mumbled, his eyes never lifting to meet hers. “What about you?” he asked as an after thought.

“New Hampshire, Concord.”

They lapsed back into silence.

She waited until he went to take a sip of his beverage before asking, “So do you have a girlfriend?”

Will’s eyes shot up and he looked at her in surprise. It was more than a friendly enquiry he was sure. Her eyes were fluttering and she was studying his face expectantly.

“No.”

“Are you gay?“ Hey, she worked for CJ and if it had taught her anything it was how to be direct.

“No,“ he spluttered having chosen that moment to take another sip of latte.

“Neither am I.” She gave him a wide smile and pulled a piece off of the muffin. So he was single and straight, which was a start, now all she had to do was get him to notice her, as a woman and not just as a nameless assistant, which she thought was probably easier said than done.

He wasn’t sure but he thought she was coming onto him. Nervously, he cleared his throat. “So how long have you worked for CJ?” It was a benign question, something that couldn’t get him into trouble, although from experience that wasn’t necessary true. He gave her a small smile and prayed she would follow his lead.

*~*~*~*

“So, can I walk you home?” Will asked, opening the door for her and waiting for her to pass.

“I live in Georgetown,” she stated, pulling her scarf tightly around her neck.

It was late and he really didn’t want her walking home alone. “I’ve never been to Georgetown.” He knew vaguely where it was and the District wasn’t so big that he couldn’t make his way back to the hotel, at least he hoped he could.

Carol shrugged and took his arm. She was going to suggest they share a cab but if he wanted to walk that was fine too. After all what could be more romantic than a long walk in Springtime. Besides if she dropped back slightly she could gaze at his tight perfectly formed backside. Her ears turned pink at the thought.

They began walking down the street, the cool night air making them silent. It was a long walk and normally she would have caught a taxi, but she was enjoying the companionship and the lack of need to make conversation.

“Well. . .” Carol said, her voice carrying the slightest hesitation. They were outside her apartment building, Carol wringing her hands as she waited for Will to act.

“Well?”

“This is me. My apartment is on the first floor.”

Will glanced up at the bay window overlooking the street and back at the sidewalk. “Right. Then I should say goodnight and leave you.”

Carol shook her head lightly and smiled. “Good night, Will. Thank you for the coffee,” she offered softly, digging in the pocket of her jacket for her keys. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“At work.” She suppressed a giggle. She had always been aware of Sam’s naivety, but Will was just inept. Just perfect for her after the endless array of losers she‘d dated, someone who wouldn‘t dump her at holidays or sleep with her best friend.

“Right. Good night.” He moved to turn and walk away and Carol’s hand lightly squeezed his arm, making him look at her.

Before he could react further, she leaned in and placed a chaste kiss against his cheek. “Night,” she called, bounding up the steps and unlocking the door to the apartment building.

His fingers brushed over the skin she had kissed and his eyes widened. Confused, and more than a little happy, he turned and headed down the street, walking right into a lamp post.

Carol moved the curtains aside and watched his retreat down the street. A girlish giggle escaped her lips as she watched him hit the lamp post and bounce off. She waited until he was out of sight before closing the curtains and heading for the bedroom.

Will was definitely sweet and something about his demeanor told her he wouldn’t be forcing himself on her anytime soon. She liked him, more than that she wanted to see him again. Of course the few hours she’d spent with him tonight had made one thing clear, she was going to be the one to make the next move. All she had to do now was decide what it would be.

The End