He grabbed her hand and started directing her down the two flights of stairs, through the kitchen, and out onto the back patio. There was only one light on near the cabana overlooking the stairs that led down to the ocean. Otherwise everything was pitch-black and silent.

“Where are we going?” she whispered into the stillness.

“I want to take you in the pool . . . I mean take you to the pool.”

Liz glanced back up to the quiet house. All of the lights were out in all of the windows, but that didn’t mean that no one would look down and see what they were doing.

“Everyone’s asleep,” he repeated. He started guiding her out into the clear blue water. Even with the superheated temperatures, the pool was still cool to the touch, and it took Liz a minute to get used to the water.

Brady turned so that he was walking backward. His hands were on her waist, pulling her deeper into the water. When he was shoulder deep, he scooped her up into his arms and paddled them over to a secluded step on the other side of the pool.

She took a seat on the lowest step and then scooted up to the highest step so her body was in only a few inches of water. She leaned her head back on the top step and sighed. “This is a dream, right? Everything is too surreal, too amazing, too all-consuming, Brady.”

“I want it to always be like that,” he said, running his hands up and down her bare thighs.

“I never thought life could be this good until you.”

“I thought that life was just work before you.”

“Even when you were with other people?”

His eyes found hers in the darkness. “Everyone else worked around my work, but I don’t do that with you. I still have my work priorities, but you’re part of that. I’d rather drive the five hours to D.C. with you than get back an hour early to sit in a meeting. I’d rather have you help me with my speeches and have your beautiful face to return to when I’m finished than anything else. I want you to be happy and have your own life, but I want it to coincide with mine.”

“It will,” she said.

His hands found the strings on her bikini bottoms and untied them. “It was hard to see before that the campaign, the politics, all the work was worthwhile only if I had someone to share it with.”

Liz ran her fingers back through his hair and then pulled him forward for a kiss. Their bodies melded as the words filled her heart with joy at finally finding its match. Brady kept their lips pressed tight together and undid his trunks to release himself from the confines of his shorts.

He pushed himself up into her in one swift motion. She was already so warmed up from what had occurred earlier that her body tightened around him instantly. She wanted this. All of this. Everything he would give her.

His body. His heart. His soul.

As they got closer, Brady thrust harder and harder inside of her. She felt the steps dig into her skin, but she lost all sense. The pain didn’t matter, the tangled mess of her hair didn’t matter, the water lapping around her body didn’t matter. It was just the here and now.

They finished together in a wave of emotion. Her body ached all over from every jolt against the steps, but at the same time she felt euphoric. She and Brady were completely in sync. All was right with the world.

And then they heard voices.

Brady yanked Liz off of the step and farther into the darkness. She worked quickly to tie her suit back in place and she felt Brady straightening himself out behind her. They remained completely still as they waited to see who was coming up from the beach at this hour. If they had been caught having sex, it would have been pretty embarrassing.

Liz recognized Savannah first, and then saw Lucas appear. Brady moved behind her, but she put her hand out to stop him. She put a finger to her lips and shook her head. Brady looked at her curiously but stayed hidden. Liz was pretty sure that Brady didn’t know the extent of what had happened between Savannah and Lucas, and she didn’t want them to think anyone had seen them.

Lucas stopped on the last step and grabbed her arm. They spoke for a few minutes and Savannah continually grew angrier with him. A second later he grabbed her around the waist and placed a rough kiss on her lips.

Savannah pushed Lucas back forcefully. A loud crack rang out into the night air as she slapped him across the face. Liz gasped softly just as Savannah stomped away from him. Lucas followed close at her heels, but the rest of their interaction was lost to Liz and Brady.

“I’m going to beat the shit out of him,” Brady said, shaking his head.

Liz laughed. “I don’t think that’s probably the best thing for Savannah.”

“You knew about this?” he accused.

“I knew that she liked him, and was torn about bringing Easton.”

“Correction. I should call Chris, get him down here, and then we can both beat the shit out of him.”

“We were in their position not too long ago, Congressman Maxwell,” she joked, poking him in the ribs. “They’ll figure it out themselves without big-brother interference.”

“I’m glad she trusts you with this stuff.” He grabbed her and pulled her in close again.

“She was one of my closest friends before we became a couple.”

“It’s just nice knowing how much my family likes you,” he said, trailing kisses down to her ear, “because I’m never letting you go.”

Chapter 23

BONFIRE

The first weekend in August, Liz was invited to Charlottesville for Justin’s bonfire birthday party. After spending the past two months doing nothing but writing articles as Dear Congress, posts for Justin’s blog, and following Brady around the campaign as though it were her job, she was excited to spend the weekend with her friends.

“What are you doing?” Brady asked. He had just walked into the bedroom and she had an empty suitcase sitting on the bed. They were back in D.C. for the week, but she knew that he always had weekend plans now that the campaign was in full swing.

“I’m going to Charlottesville for Justin’s birthday, remember?”

“I thought that was next weekend.”

“Nope. His birthday is the first.”

“Hmm . . .” he said, taking a seat on the bed.

“Hmm?”

“Well, that changes things.”

“And what does that change?” She rearranged the pile of clothes sitting next to her suitcase. She was only going for two days but she had no idea what to pack.