Political Ambitions
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Human Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Jude on 13-04-2013, 03:15:34</h2>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:15:34</strong>
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				"How can you sit here and honestly tell us that the banks <em>don't</em> need to be regulated after the sub prime mortgage crisis?"<br><br>Incredulity, moral outrage, and actual questions; CNN was proving to be a different beast entirely than Fox. On Rupert Murdoch's network there was practically a tiny-fonted disclaimer hanging out quietly in the corner of the screen: <em>integrity not included.</em> His advisers warned him it would be different, that it was always dangerous to go toe to toe with an actual journalist, but he felt capable enough to book the appearance against their wishes. He needed to make a point.<br><br>"Before I answer that, I have a question for you, Patricia." He used her first name and smiled with a bit of charm, looking more towards the camera than the woman conducting his interrogation. She wasn't the one he wanted to convince.<br><br>"Uh... okay?" She responded, somewhat bewildered by his calm response to a pointed question.<br><br>Marcus put on his best smile and nodded before posing his question, "Should we regulate consumers?"<br><br>She took a moment to think before answering, "...no?"<br><br>"Right, I agree with you there, of course, but... A small number of consumers were involved in the financial crisis too, just as a <em>few</em> banks were. If we follow your logic..."<br><br>"That's..."<br><br>"I know, it's tragic, but giving people the freedom to fail is a <em>necessary</em> thing. It can be hard to watch your son or daughter fall from their bicycle, but we have to let those we love learn from failure, even if -- rarely -- that means we have to carry our child back inside with a sprained ankle." A producer signaled that the segment was about to come to an end, and he interjected one last comment, "We can't ride the bike for them, and why would we even want to? American businesses are managed by <em>Americans,</em> and I trust Americans to make their own decisions. We don't need the Federal Government telling everyone what to do anymore than we need adults riding their children's tricycles."<br><br><em>Fin.</em>
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				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:16:33</strong>
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				With a quick flourish at the end of the last word, so too did the interview end, as if perfectly orchestrated. Corinne's notebook was filled to the brim with her sharp, neat handwriting detailing short critiques of the interview, observations, and her own perceptions. At her side was a laptop with tab after tab of social media pages pulled up, scrolling endlessly with viewer reactions, vulgar quips, and quibbling. She shot her glance between the backstage feed and her monitor, endlessly looking to build on the notes she would give to the politician on-screen at their post-interview briefing. This was part of her job as a body man, as they called it, and it was quite comparable to social media feeds -- never, ever ceasing.<br><br>It was hard to say she loathed Marcus, but it was even harder to say that she particularly liked him, either. If anything, her tolerance for his manufactured winning personality came from the fact that she was damn lucky to have landed a position as his PA and the pay was enough to satisfy the mountain of student debt that her political science degree produced just a few years back. His interviews only served to magnify the poster boy politician, the megawatt smile and almost sickeningly sweet charm. As much as she hated to admit it, he worked it to his advantage and skirted the line closely without coming across as a total phony.<br><br>Her eyes traced each scrolling line.<br><em>I hate this dude, but he could convince me to let him do my sister in a heartbeat @cnn</em><br><em>everyone needs to listen!! libs jsut want a nanny state!!!! #tcot</em><br><em>Who is this guy, Mitt Romney's penis personified? #nothanks @cnn</em><br><br>She cracked a grin at the last line in spite of herself, wishing she would have thought of it herself. She didn't agree with any of Marcus' policies, especially in regards to economics, and found his political style repelling. Regardless, she was an actress and her part was the liberal college grad turned Reagan sycophant after realizing his innate genius. The politicians weren't the only ones with parts to play.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:17:25</strong>
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				There were six people in the back of his limosine. Four of them focused sharply on what he had to say as usual, but the sixth seemed lost in her own little world every time the policy discussion started. She rarely offered commentary on anything beyond tactics, and sometimes it seemed like he was the only one that knew why.<br><br>"Corinne?" His words rung out and immediately her gaze shot up in surprise. They rarely spoke to each other directly, she was far from senior staff. "I looked over your transcript from college, you know, before we hired you... There were an awful lot of courses with <em>studies</em> in the title." He tilted the side of his mouth in a disarming grin, "And believe it or not, that's actually one of the reasons I made the decision to bring you on. The interview you gave where you talked about how much you admire Reagan was actually <em>not</em> a note in your favor."<br><br>"What did you think of the interview?" She probably felt as if she was surrounded by snakes ready to pounce, and that feeling wasn't unjustified. If she said something genuine, the other advisers would look at her with political-xenophobic disdain, and if she lied about her beliefs, he'd know.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:17:48</strong>
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				As if she'd been called on during a daydream, she snapped out of her thoughts and looked up to the man who'd called her out, looking a bit like a deer in the headlights. "Ah, um..."<br><br>She snatched up her notebook and flipped through the pages to the day's notes and arranged them carefully in front of her. "I...well, the responses I monitored online were typical. Liberal-leaning young people were disdainful, especially women, but you were often applauded for talking circles around the interviewer. She was caught off-guard and made to look unprepared frequently, I noticed." Her eyes scanned over the words as she recalled her observations as they were made. Corinne was technically very thorough, the type whose notes were the envy of the class in college. "Moderates will be swayed by your charisma, I predict, and you scored well with conservatives on social media with your family-based metaphors. That resonated."<br><br>"Ah," she said with some amusement, looking up from the paper, a spark lighting up her face. It was a risk, telling politicians unflattering things about themselves, but she was certain it would be one he could appreciate. "One comment you'll find funny, I think -- a person under the username pontifikate on Twitter said this, and I quote: 'Who is this guy? Mitt Romney's penis personified?' I think she means you came across as a little too disingenuous."<br><br>"I, um...I think that's it."<br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:18:02</strong>
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				"Thank you, Corinne... But I can read your social media report by email later." His posture changed, morphing his questioning into something more aggressive as he placed both dress-shoed feet on the floor and learned forward toward her, "What did you think?"
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				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:18:10</strong>
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				Her brows furrowed and as if in response to his more imposing posture, she pressed her back further into the seat, frowning slightly. "Well," she began, but trailed off in thought a moment. What was the perfect response besides total disdain? What could she say to critique the actual performance without utterly demolishing the idea of an unregulated economy? She could feel 5 sets of eyes boring into her, some more critical than others.<br><br>"It went better than expected, but then again, CNN journalists aren't renowned for their hard-hitting anything, so I wouldn't assume it was a total blowout. Coming out of MSNBC and getting a positive appearance with someone like Rachel Maddow would be a real feat, but CNN? That's kid stuff. You maintained image, but I don't think I saw or heard anything I haven't before that was particularly shocking, enlightening, or more importantly, mind-changing."
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				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:18:16</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"Kid's stuff would've been doing another appearance on Fox News, but I share your enthusiasm for risque interviews." He pondered to himself just how long he could walk the line between outing her and keeping the secret. It was fun to play with her nervousness, to watch her shrinking back in her seat and avoiding eye contact, "You are right. CNN doesn't try that hard to be imposing to guests. They're much more interested in maintaining relations. It's not the Daily Show..."<br><br>"Do you think we should do Maddow then?" He hid his smile and did his best to maintain complete seriousness, "I bet she would be interested in having me on... I would definitely get access to a different audience. What do you think?" Of course she'd think it a terrible idea. In Corinne's mind, he reasoned, Maddow would shred him. He couldn't wait to see how she justified not booking that interview without confessing her ideological bias. It was a deliciously executed trap, "You seem like a bit of a fan of her work, I could even have you make the call to book it."
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:18:21</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				One eyebrow perked on her face in an expression of suspicion. Sometimes it felt like there was something deeper being acknowledged, especially when he asked her for her opinion and valued it over his own senior advisers -- some kind of mental game, or strange fascination. Was she too obvious? Maybe it was time for a curveball.<br><br>"Yes, I suggest you do it." she took a deep breath, trying to ignore the daggers being shot at her from all directions and the distinct feeling she was about to throw up from nervousness. "My reasoning is this: you probably won't succeed, but not because it won't be a good interview. Although Maddow is still undeniably leftist, it'll be closer to fair than, say..." she made sure to grimace slightly for effect, "Al Sharpton, or the unbearable Ed Schultz." That much was not faked; as much as Corinne liked her liberal politics, there were certain correspondents she wished would just retire or die already.<br><br>"You don't want any more comparisons to Mitt Romney, so maybe you can give them a chance to see you as someone else entirely. We don't give a damn about what the left thinks, we want to finagle the independent voters and sway them away from that image entirely. Make yourself impossible to dislike, even if they disagree with your politics."
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				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:18:39</strong>
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				"I like it; you give good advice." She undoubtedly knew what the stakes were, and had probably intended to have him call her bluff. If it went badly, it could very easily mean her job. "Make the call then. I'll have Todd email you my schedule and you can take care of the details. What subject will we be inviting ourselves in to discuss, Corinne?"
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				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:18:46</strong>
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				Her mouth pressed together hard, her face turning at least a deep shade of purple as the stares became hardened. Her plans had taken, but she hadn't anticipated needing to follow through the whole way. Her mind ran the gamut of topics they could possibly touch on, and she determined it best to stay away from anything too emotional; independents weren't sitting on issues of homosexuality, anyway, so it was safe to steer clear.<br><br>"The question is, which subject makes you the most amenable? Which one can you fudge enough to make it palatable?" she pondered aloud, finally daring to look him in the eye directly. "You don't want to lie outright or flip-flop, but where can you at least feign compromise, or sympathy for the bleeding-heart liberal ideals?"
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				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:18:56</strong>
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				"You answer my question with a question?" They were now engaged in their own form of polite, debate-driven combat. She did was doing a great job of jabbing back, and the others were completely unaware of what he was up to. "Come now, what topic -- don't put it on me to strategize, Miss Strategist."<br><br>That was ultimately why he kept her around.<br><br>She was aware where the others were clueless. They needed a liberal insider if he was going to get anywhere, "Where do you think I'm strongest against her? Tell me, what issues do you think I could best <em>destroy</em> her on."
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				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:19:01</strong>
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				"I...I wasn't putting it on you," she said, genuinely flustered as suddenly the discussion turned debate. "I'm not an interviewer, I'm simply...asking you to tell me what you think you can relate to a liberal audience with feeling without going Romney."<br><br>She looked around to the senior aides, who now looked somewhat amused at her bluster and would be of no help to her now. "You're certainly not going to come out looking good debating gay marriage to a gay woman, and the economic issues are relevant, but a bit dry and lackluster..."<br><br>Her eyes shut as she dug through her previous ideas for anything that was salvageable. What would give the best interview and avoid tender subjects? "You could go for the element of surprise agreement. Instead of a charged moral debate on homosexuality and gay marriage, simply tell her that government-sanctioned marriage in of itself is an issue of big government that needs reduction. You don't have to do anything about it later, of course, but wouldn't it be shocking to shift the idea of gay marriage from some kind of passionate liberal stronghold into a realization that they, too, desire less government intervention?"<br><br>She braced herself for the inevitable ridicule. It was a wild idea, a do-or-die approach that would either shockingly resonate or get shot down for sheer absurdity to a point that the rest of them decided the subject among themselves without further consultation from her. She was almost praying for the latter.<br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:19:18</strong>
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				"Well... No one can fault you for having interesting ideas." And with that, their conversation came to a simple crushing end. He had no intention of bringing up the Rachel Maddow interview again and his other advisers certainly wouldn't press the question.<br><br>The rest of the drive would be agony for her. She'd sit there in silence as the others talk without her, leaving her in the dust. He didn't like knowing that she was probably feeling completely alone in the presence of five older men who never seemed to respect her ideas. Some of them had even openly ridiculed the notion of having a social media manager, but he was less traditional than they were by a large margin.<br><br>Marcus got where he was through bucking expectations, and he hoped to find his way into the oval office some day through similar means, but at the ripe young age of 32 he was still one term off of eligibility and several from viability.<br><br>***<br><br>"Come to my office, I want to talk to you." In a strange twisted, he opened the door for her. She looked as if she wanted to slink away. "Before it starts to rain, please?"
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				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:19:24</strong>
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				And like that, the desire to burn away into a pile of ashes and float away on the breeze was overwhelming, but she ultimately got what she wanted and spent the remainder of the trip dreaming of a day she could buck the act and go work for the next Hilary. Those dreams came to an abrupt halt, however, as the nightmare refused to end. She clutched her laptop bag to her chest as she reluctantly walked ahead of Marcus into his office, wondering silently if this was the end of her political career.<br><br>She sunk into the seat in front of his desk and stared straight into the wood, as if her eyesight alone could somehow bore a hole through it and beam her somewhere else entirely. Before he had a chance to humiliate her further or remind her of how batshit insane her idea was, she bit back the tears pricking at her eyes and beat him to the punch, opting for a big swallow of humble pie over the childish desire to defend her honor.<br><br>"If this is about the briefing...Yeah, that was really stupid. I deserved the ridicule, it is a very outlandish idea. It's not realistic, it was a momentary lapse of judgement."
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:20:33</strong>
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				"I did it on purpose." He picked up a fancy pen from his desk and began scribbling something down on a sheet of paper before him, "I was picking on you."<br><br>"I know you're liberal Corinne. You didn't hide things nearly as well as you thought you did when you applied for this job. And <em>that's</em> why I gave you grunt work that you couldn't mess up when you first signed on, <em>not</em> because <em>you're a woman,</em> which you probably assumed." He sighed, stood up, and walked over to her with the pad of paper beneath his arm, "I wanted to know if you could be trusted, because I already knew you were capable, and I wasn't about to have my re-election chances ruined by internal sabotage."<br><br>"I wanted to let you know that I'm not the one I need to impress any more, to give you a heads up that I believe you deserve." He handed her the notepad and she began to read, "I'm giving that to my campaign manager tonight."<br><br><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">Todd,<br><br>I've been impressed with Corinne's work so far. I want her promoted immediately.<br><br>Give her an important position and knock one of our top guys down to her old position (preferably one of the bastards who thought social media wasn't important, you know I like humility)<br><br>From here on out, I want you to assess her effectiveness<br><br>I'm through micromanaging you,<br><br>Mark</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br>"You're probably wondering why?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:20:59</strong>
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				For a moment, it felt like she got the wind knocked out of her, pressing her hand to her forehead and slowly running it down her cheek in disbelief. "I don't understand...why are you doing this?"
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				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:21:11</strong>
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				"I'll go ahead and set this on his desk." He took the notebook back from her and walked to the door as she sat there puzzled. As his hand came to rest on the doorknob he turned around, "This is off the record, for the record."<br><br>"The Latino gent you see hanging around my wife at our campaign dinners is <em>not</em> her bodyguard. He <em>is</em> her boyfriend." It was always amusing to see the look on people's face when he told them that. Few knew how to take it at first, "I know, he's a lot younger than she is, but I try not to judge. You see, we have one of those <em>old fashioned</em> loveless arranged marriages. It's all for show. A very... common, politico arrangement."<br><br>"Anyway, I wanted to ask you to dinner tonight, and the only way I could ethically do that is by giving up any administrative privilege," Using familiar language that she assumed he was ignorant of amused him endlessly. It was endlessly amusing to prove that he wasn't nearly as ignorant as she likely thought he was, "that I have over you. I don't want you to feel like I'm holding something over your head, giving you the option of saying no is crucial, and I figured promoting you out of my hands would help."<br><br>He opened the door then shut it again to give one final addendum before slipping out, "Oh, and... To be clear about my intentions: this isn't a platonic request. Let me know your answer when I get back."<br><br>His heart beat in double time as he traveled to Todd's office down the hall to drop off the slip of paper. It felt like forever; a gigantic, exciting forever that only lasted thirty seconds. By the time he popped back in the room he'd already shed all concerns of how his career could be affected it if the invitation backfired, "Well?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:21:17</strong>
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				Just when she was sure her job was pulverized, somehow it pulled back from the brink of death and even whipped forward in an unexpected move. He scarcely gave her time to respond before sweeping out of the room, a tactical move, and left her in silence to mull everything over at once.<br><br><em>Did I really just get a promotion because he wanted a date? Am I supposed to feel grateful or indebted? Jesus, how did I even get to this point? What the hell happened today?</em><br><br>Corinne glanced down to her hands still death-gripping the laptop bag and noticed them shaking ever so slightly. The adrenaline now burning up her veins felt unbearable, as if she'd had a gallon of coffee all at once. Was this some kind of Monica moment? <em>Is this my Clinton blowjob?</em><br><br>By the time he returned, she had not even remotely reached a conclusion, still wrestling with herself, her morals, and her potential future. Her peers as an intern had warned her of pervy old senators that would take advantage, but nobody could have prepared her for young, moderate conservatives.<br><br>When prompted, again she had a moment of throwing caution and before she could check herself, blurted out, "Is this some kind of strike back to your wife dating a Latino?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:21:27</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"No. What she decides to do with her personal life is of no concern to me." It was half true. He felt jealous at times due to his somewhat possessive nature, but his actions were hardly a response to that problem. "This is me, asking you to have dinner with me in an adult, courtship context, because I think you're attractive and interesting. This is not me asking you out because I intend to abuse my power or want to get back at my wife -- which she is in name only."<br><br>"If you need more time to think it over, you can have it. And if you say no here and now, I'm not going to hold it against you. All I ask is that you keep this to yourself for both of our sakes. I doubt you want to be known as the conservative version of Monica Lewinsky, and I hardly want my fake-marriage to be destroyed like Clinton's was."
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				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:21:35</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"Seems like you both just have a penchant for Latinos, then," she remarked dryly, but in truth, she was intrigued. She pressed her fist to her mouth a second in thought, withdrawing for a moment to contemplate deeply. He had far more on the line than she did, and now that she'd been revealed, and then promoted in spite of it -- or even because of it, what could it hurt to probe deeper and get behind the scenes of a famous conservative politician? If anything fell apart and there was devastating fallout, she always had the makings for a tell-all, if nothing else. <em>He's attractive enough -- why not?</em><br><br>"Alright, I'll do it," she announced definitively, though her pulse was practically humming. "In an adult, courtship context, as you've so eloquently put it. I'll let you show me a good time and promise not to ruin you." A small, crooked grin illuminated her face for a brief moment, but suddenly she felt unbearably shy and anxious all at once.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:30:19</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"So long as there are no more Latino jabs... The phrase <em>a thing for</em> seems a bit insulting to me." He frowned deeply and crossed his arms, somehow off put by that little quip in a way he couldn't quite vocalize. "Well, we can't go anywhere public for dinner. That's a scandal waiting to happen. I'm not honestly sure how my <em>wife</em> manages her <em>affairs</em>... I don't ask questions and she keeps things out of sight and out of political mind."<br><br>"Would you feel comfortable at my home? I can have something prepared, and the dining area is big enough that it may as well be a restaurant -- you'll probably get a good chuckle out of the hypocrisy of it all. Me constantly pretending to be an 'average Joe' for the voters while owning a half million dollar home in the nation's political capital that I paid cash for once getting elected to office..." He grinned in self-mockery, knowing that she, the most of all of his staff, would appreciate the irony.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:37:44</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"Um...yeah, I guess that's fair," she said awkwardly; how often was it that the white guy got uncomfortable over racial jabs? It was bizarre to say the least, much like the rest of their interaction leading up to that moment. Nothing was starting out in any kind of typical fashion, and her mother would surely die if she ever heard of what was going on, even if it really wasn't anything at all at the moment.<br><br>"A good chuckle? Hardly. Everyone in your position across the aisle owns a half a million dollar home, if not more. Is anyone really convinced a guy like you lives in a 1-story colonial? It's practically a prerequisite to so much as have a shot at getting into Washington, isn't it?" she shrugged casually; now that he acknowledged her as the interloper she was, there was no more pretense, though it still felt wrong somehow to be speaking so candidly, especially with her employer. She resolved to tone it down until she could make sense of everything.<br><br>A strange question occurred to her. "How should I dress? I mean...okay, well, this is kind of embarrassing, but I always joke with my friends that guys like you dine in three-piece suits all the time, even casually, and that you wear a tie to bed. In truth, I'm sure it's like...jeans and a t-shirt or something."
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 03:54:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"We're dishonest because we have to be, the truth isn't very palatable to the common man. You should probably get to know me a bit more before this, hmm...?" After spending months in her presence reveling in the distorting of truth, this was the first time she'd ever gotten a human glimpse at his real opinions. No doubt, she thought him morally bankrupt to the core, and maybe that was even true. "I believe in god, but I only attend church to satisfy that bulletpoint on the checklist of electibility. I don't really give <em>a fuck</em> about abortion or gay marria -- well, anything. And Barack Obama is a Centrist, not a Socialist."<br><br>"Political discourse is a goddamn mockery in this country, but like any other tradition, you just have to play along. We bow our head and sing the national anthem at every baseball game out of habit, not love for our country." He rubbed his hand over his forehead and let out a sigh while staring at the ground. Sometimes it was good to vent. "And I express my love for this country in advancing policies that I think are good for it and its people; just like the Democrats do. And I'd be more willing to reach across the aisle, as that trite cliche goes, if my base wouldn't crucify me for it."<br><br>"So that's where we're at." He shot her a small grin and peeked up at her from staring at the floor, "Everybody plays the game to get somewhere so they can make a difference. As for what you wear, I don't much care about that either, because we both know that whatever it is, I'm hoping to get you out of it ultimately anyway -- I leave it up to you to decide how hard you're going to make that on me, and trust me, just because I have aspirations doesn't mean I can't accept when they're impossible."<br><br>"I've been slowly acclimating myself to disappointment, after all... Every man and woman of my profession thinks they'll be President some day, yet there's one seat open there and a hundred senators. Most of us spend more time writing concession speeches than picking out drapes in the oval office."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 04:07:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Watching the man blow out a political rant was a lot like watching a large balloon slowly deflate. All the air came rushing out, and by the end, he seemed deflated, but far more relaxed. Her eyebrows must have been permanently attached to her hairline for as high as they were raised, for a multitude of reasons.<br><br>"Well, then. I hope you feel better," she offered, unsure what to make of it all.<br><br>The strangeness of their relationship escalated at breakneck speeds, leaving a trail of awkwardness and uncertainty in its wake. Just an hour ago she regarded him as a strange, unreachable figure from whom she collected a paycheck and occasionally offered useful facts when she wasn't scheduling appearances, giving the occasional mock debate, fetching coffee, or any of the other large range of menial duties she attended to on a daily basis -- but now what?<br><br>She tipped her head slightly, thinking about his frank response to her wardrobe inquiry. "I think you're awfully presumptuous. For all you know, I could show up and find out that you're as utterly revolting as you come across on TV." It was bold, sure, but if she was out of his reach as he said and his own blatant sexual interest wasn't enough of a hint, then she could afford a bit of frankness. "I hope you decide to leave that persona in the office, otherwise it'll be a short night with no more golden opportunities for you to let me know that I'm welcome to your penis at my leisure." She smirked, but internally she was mortified out of habit, still unable to totally divorce him from her thoughts as a strictly professional boss.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 04:21:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I don't recall saying you're welcome to anything at your leisure -- certainly not now that you've put it that way." He returned to his seat, slowly sinking back into that comfortable, known place, "Did I give you the impression that I want something from you and I'm acting to get it, only hoping you'll be nice enough to hand it over? I guess that's the sad state of gender relations today, isn't it? And you probably wonder if I've given the promotion and the rest of these revelations to make <em>you</em> feel obligated."<br><br>"Well let me be clear -- as your favorite president is so fond of saying -- neither of us are obligated to anything but secrecy and basic human decency." He leaned forward in his chair to make his point, giving her a healthy amount of eye contact, "There won't be any alcohol, blackmail, <em>and</em> I won't be throwing myself at you, hoping you'll be nice enough to let me in your pants. <em>I have more dignity than that.</em> If you're picturing me as mentally identical to Mr. Clinton, a scummy college professor, or any man around your age or in your wealth bracket, you probably haven't had enough time to reflect on this situation."<br><br>Mark tended to talk rather physically. As he went on, he spun his hand in place, seemingly unrolling an invisible scroll containing his words. "While money doesn't bring with it morality, prowess, or merit -- which I'm sure you'd agree with me on -- it definitely brings with it a sense of self-worth; ironically so."<br><br>"I value your contributions to my campaign, and I promise that if this doesn't work out, it'll have no effect on your employment or promotion prospects. That's why I gave that responsibility to Todd; it was a means of reassurance."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 04:28:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Just a friendly tip that you might start the basic human decency with scaling back the 'I don't care what you wear cause I wanna get you out of it' routine. If you intend to make me feel like you're interested in me as a human being and aren't just looking for a quick William Jefferson under the table, then that's the ticket."<br><br>Now she was leaning back into her seat, her arms crossed against her torso. She didn't mean to be standoffish, but his technique, so to speak, was hard to pin down. One minute he was a piece of his interview personality and the next, he was overly formal and rigid. She was beginning to have doubts as to how good of an idea this actually was. She tried to relax her posture; this was certainly not an ideal way to start dating someone, even casually, so de-escalation was key.<br><br>"Not that I don't appreciate honesty, but you've seen my transcript, so you should know what kind of crazy feminist propaganda I've been brainwashed with."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 04:36:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Noted." Honesty was addicting. He wanted to keep going, to explain his motivations for being interested in her and everything he wanted out of her. How it wasn't possible for him to separate the dichotomy she'd made, despite her belief that it was one or the other.<br><br>"But," It proved to be too much. His mouth practically opened itself, "I always thought that 'interested in me as a human being and not for sex' thing was a bit... How do I put it... <em>Bullshitty</em>." Once he started talking, he couldn't stop at times. It was easy enough to moderate himself on camera, but now? "Most people only fuck people. That's a 'person' trait -- the ability to be fucked. Unless you approve of bestiality, and I don't think you do. I hope?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 04:42:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Wow."<br><br>She pushed her seat back slightly to stand, searching for the right way to handle such a weird person. "Glad to see you're serious about that, I feel really respected right now. Is how you get all the ladies, or am I especially lucky?"<br><br>Corinne bit her lip for a moment, pondering her next words. "On second thought, don't answer that. I shudder to think of what else you might feel the need to say without a speech prompt to keep you on the rails, so I think I should just go."<br><br>She turned to leave, but paused, glancing back. "Um...but how does 7 work for you?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 04:45:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I guess my sense of humor is out of tune..." He remained seated, and began scribbling on another piece of paper again. "Generational maybe? I don't know."<br><br>"7 is fine. Do I need to send a driver, or...?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 04:47:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She couldn't help but grin; at last, it felt like she had the upper hand of the conversation, if not for a brief and shining moment. "Believe it or not, the plebes are able to transport themselves from place to place without the assistance of chauffeurs. I manage your addresses, I occasionally sort your mail -- I know where you live. I'll be there by 7."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 04:58:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Where most people spent hours agonizing about their date before its occurrence, Marcus occupied himself by worrying about the latest public opinion polling results given to him by his pollster at exactly 5:01 pm. Things weren't looking good for the Republicans -- again. There would be more talk about modernizing their platform, embracing center-left social causes, and going after new demographics, but in the end nothing would happen. Everyone was too afraid of alienating the evangelical vote, even though they didn't have anywhere to go other than the Republican Party.<br><br><em>Gay hate is a losing long-term strategy. When are we going to abandon ship on this one...?</em><br><br>He heard the doorbell ring and made his way to it, leaving his suit coat behind. Normally the help would've answered, but he sent them all away save the cook -- a woman he knew he could trust. His fist wrapped around the knob and he pulled open the unlocked mahogany door, "Come on in."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 05:02:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Where they had parted on a strange note, it seemed the slate was washed clean by the time Corinne arrived at the house that made her 1-bedroom apartment look like a peasant-owned matchbox. The setting was a little intimidating, she had to admit, and whatever bravery she found before seemed to have vanished. In their time apart, it seemed she fell back into the role as a humble underling and not an equal on an <em>adult date</em>.<br><br>"Uh, hi," she stammered, and complied, stepping into the entryway of his conspicuously deserted home. "Jesus. I'm sorry, it's one thing to look at the place from the sidewalk, but...wow. This is even crazier than I thought..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 05:08:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"<strong>How dare you take our lord's name in vain.</strong>" He spoke with serious gravity. There was a pause before he interjected, "Just kidding. Come, I'll show you the kitchen."<br><br>***<br><br>It was just as he promised: good food, a lack of coercion, no alcohol in sight, and a relative degree of comfort, "It's so much easier to put your foot in your mouth day to day... I think that's why politicians make so many gaffes. You get used to practicing these speeches and conversations over and over again. Mock debates, mock interviews... You focus so much effort on anticipating everything that your opponents are going to say before they do it. The messaging, the buzzwords... And then... Sometimes, you don't get any of those crutches to lean on. And all the sudden... You realize you've forgotten how to talk to other people without practicing first."<br><br>"I didn't practice before talking to you earlier, so sorry if I don't remember how to talk to a woman properly." A genuinely smile twisted his lips into an expression of humility, "I haven't dated in 13 years. We married pretty early on, and we did it for money and prestige. I didn't think this was something I needed -- I found out recently that I was wrong."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 05:13:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The evening was surprisingly comfortable, practically a 180 from their earlier encounter, and she found she quickly shook the discomfort of the power balance that remained ever implanted in the back of her mind when she let go more and more. She leaned her chin into her palm, lips pursed in thought at his admittance.<br><br>"It's nice to see you as...well, a human, I guess. I have to admit, it's still kind of...odd sometimes to remember who you are and that we work together, but when you get going on a subject, you drop the bullshit."<br><br>Her index finger on her free hand tapped the smooth, warm table top in a faint, rhythmic fashion. "What made you change your mind, anyway? I didn't think a person just up and decided one day they wanted to date one of their employees."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 05:20:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Apparently, they do." He watched her finger tap the table, wondering what that was a sign of. Nervousness? Inquisitiveness? No one could say but her and he wasn't about to ask. "I didn't plan this out. I just felt like it... I came to the decision during the car ride. It was a longer process than that though."<br><br>He ran his hand over his hairless chin. As he often did, he missed the beard he was allowed in his earlier days, before he got seriously political, "I've always felt a bit of an emptiness. I watched my <em>wife</em> fill the void in <em>her</em> life with a series of men, originally with disdain, I assure you. It seemed beneath what we were trying to do. She's always wanted the status of being a power-political wife and... Well, you know what my ambitions are well enough."<br><br>"When you... Neglect a need for long enough, it manifests in strange ways. Everybody needs someone to be frank with, someone to be just another person with... It's depressingly... <em>Princess Jasmine.</em>"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 05:28:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				At mention of the car ride, she sank her face into her open hand, sighing heavily. "Don't remind me of that," she dryly remarked. "It still physically pains me. If your aides didn't hate me enough before, certainly this...promotion will get me double the rancor."<br><br>She folded both hands in front of her now, eyeing the navy blue polish perfectly applied to each. "While we're on the subject of being frank, can I just say that your wife is a horrific bitch? I worked with her once -- you were giving a speech in god-forsaken Owensboro, Kentucky, and she would not stop whining about the heat and the lack of Perrier. I had just started, and she kept referring to me as <em>Maria</em>, but I was so terrified that I didn't know what to do or say. I wound up just cleaning out her used water bottles and filling them with tap water to get her off my ass."<br><br>Corinne laughed to herself, a mischievous grin overtaking. "I have a confession. I spit in every water bottle I gave her after that. I was so scared she'd find out that I tried to rehearse how it would play out so I wouldn't cry in front of her."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 05:37:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"She's quite dumb." Another feelgood admission that could eventually get him into trouble, but he was beyond the point of caring, "And <em>extremely</em> dated. She comes from old money. Doesn't think it's a woman's place to work, and that's partially why she's been so mean to you probably. The woman believes every Conservative Christian idea you can imagine. She's big on 'protecting our borders' and is also currently fucking an illegal immigrant that barely speaks English."<br><br>"Did I mention she's also against abortion and birth control, yet she's had two and she's on the pill to prevent a the third time being the charm?" He never spoke ill of her to anyone, not with the kind of arrangement they had, but it didn't hurt to double down to someone who already had so much blackmail material, "The Green Day song -- walking contradiction? That's her. I don't know how she manages to live with herself and believe the things she does. Her entire family is that way though... They have a talent for living with inconsistency."<br><br>"I'd rather not talk about her a bunch though. We've never lived together the entire time we've been married, believe it or not. She just isn't that important in my life."<br><br>"Tell me about yourself...? I had to resist the urge to look over your employment file before tonight. I don't even know how old you are... I'm glad I did now, though. It felt like a breach of privacy."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 06:03:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I appreciate the courtesy. Most men don't have the good fortune to employ their dates."<br><br>At the shift of focus, she straightened up in her seat, leaning on her elbows. "Well, for starters, I'm 26. Corinne is my white name. Carina Lucia Cesar Delgado Salazar isn't really politics-friendly, at least not on 'our side'. I'm a first-generation immigrant kid; my parents hail from Coyoacán in Mexico City, but left because they didn't like the crime. Unlike your wife's fuck buddy, we managed the immigration system and got in legally. I used to want to be a nurse, but couldn't ignore the siren song of politics, I guess." She shrugged, as if this was inevitable.<br><br>"When I'm not laboring away for your noble campaign, I volunteer at an animal shelter sometimes. I like riding my bike around DC, and I've recently discovered that I really like learning Portuguese and have a major love for North African food."<br><br>She idly smoothed down the soft jersey fabric of her deep purple shirt-dress, uncovering more modestly interesting tidbits about herself. "I haven't dated since taking this job because as it happens, it's quite demanding. I don't miss it much, but my parents won't stop asking me if I've found a nice man to introduce them to. Oh, and I own a dog. A sheltie named Cesar Chavez." She smirked at the final detail, wondering if he'd find the name as funny as she did.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 06:16:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"<em>Very</em> liberal through and through." Marcus smirked to himself, totally unsurprised by everything she'd said, almost as if he had read his dossier on her after all, "Don't worry, I don't think that's a bad thing necessarily. The world needs all types to go 'round. I've never really told you my political philosophy before, have I...? Don't worry, I'll keep it brief."<br><br>"Right now, there are a large number of laws on the books. Some of them are good, some of them are bad. And liberals and conservatives? We all must play our part." For him, their role was practically religious. There was a sacrosanct feeling to his philosophy, as if things ended up exactly as they were intended to be when everyone acted according to their own moral compass, "Every aspect of our society must be represented. Going to congress is like doing battle... You fight for the interests you represent and make sure their concerns are adequately heard. Liberals hate us because we speak for business and the rich, but someone has to. Just as someone has to speak for immigrants and the poor..."<br><br>"I go in swinging for my people and take for them what I can, just as, well... Bernie Sanders does for his constituency. Everyone gets a piece of the pie that varies with time. And now, is a hard time to be a Republican." Neither person sitting at the dinner table in a large, empty room could bring a smile to their face. Work was hard, and doubly unrewarding for her no doubt, "Even more so when you're not really one, I bet."<br><br>"This is really personal, and kind of a depressing question, but I have to ask despite how much of a downer it is... Is it hard to get yourself out of the bed some days to work for a candidate you don't really approve of?" Every now and then he was perceptive. Every now and then he picked up on other people's vulnerabilities, "If so... I am sorry, honestly, I am. The least I can do is promise you that there's a good reference in it for you at the end of the road."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 06:31:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Normally the turn towards work would have set her in the mindset of a mere accessory in the political machine, but in such an informal, honest setting, it was hard to peel away from his admissions, even in spite of her disagreements. She was surprised that he managed to add in his own touch of warmth at the end after he very clearly hit the nail on the head.<br><br>"Well...yes, that's pretty astute. Because there isn't a large group of young people clamoring for the Republican wagon, I had less competition in trying to get a job for...well, <em>you</em>. I was courted by a few senators who really wanted the "I'm not a bigot" hire, but you seemed the least deplorable. At least I can say you haven't promoted the pray-away-the-gay ideology or green-lighted measures to shut down Planned Parenthood. As far as I'm aware, you also haven't been found soliciting young men on Craigslist, and Jon Stewart has minimal material from your overall campaign. I think that means I've been doing my job alright -- at least I'd like to think it's an indicator."<br><br>Again, she began to silently tap her index finger against the table as she spoke. "As much as I dread getting up some days, I guess what doesn't kill you makes you better-equipped to advise the Democrats later on down the road, right?" A sly grin punctuated the half-teasing, half-truthful statement. "Even in spite of that, I don't envy you a bit. I prefer to run the show behind the scenes; I'm not fit to do what you do, and I guess few of us are, which is why you're doing it and not us. It's hard enough to fake a job -- well, not the whole job, you know what I mean -- much less an entire public life that you never get away from."<br><br>"So if we're going to be on the subject of work, then you may as well tell me why you're so keen on harboring a fraud in your camp. Don't you ever wonder about sabotage? I control a lot of little things that add up, or at least have a hand in them. If anyone figured out I'm secretly blue, it would tank your reputation on the right -- you know as well as I do they hate anyone too accommodating or moderate."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 06:42:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"You could tank my campaign. Sure. Easier than ever now," he said without the slightest bit of concern. She didn't worry him, then again few things did. "All you'd have to do is go to the press with a truthful account of today's strange dealings. My fellow Republicans would come to my defense, you'd be defamed, but in the end that would be the beginning of my descent into an inevitable Newt Gingrich style resignation. And any time I would try to rise like a phoenix from the ashes -- or more aptly, Jesus on the third day -- retold stories of this day would kick me right back down into the political grave; but I'm not afraid of that."<br><br>"Enough Americans wouldn't like you that your mere recruitment to a campaign would be an albatross around its neck. You'd get no reference from me, and therefore you'd remain an unknown quantity to be avoided due to your perceived propensity for drama." He took no joy in explaining it, but she'd asked, "It'd be a career ender for us both. And I know you care about your career or you wouldn't have done the grunt work you did for so long to get the promotion you received today -- the one you were owed. This isn't a 'flirting with the boss, have a pat up the ladder' quid pro quo. You earned it. I wouldn't insult a woman of your social media savvy and natural skill -- you are definitely a twenty-first century political operative. I know you can't be converted to our side. I know you'll never agree with the kind of policies I endorse, but we need each other in spite of our differences."<br><br>"Maybe... it's a metaphor for this date?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 06:52:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"All true. All things I've considered, both in the line of tanking your political career and in what that would mean for me. With any luck, I'd salvage my career somewhat and go write for the Huffington Post. I guess that wouldn't be awful, I'm a fan of Arianna, but I prefer to be in the line of fire rather than writing about it. Maybe someday I'll settle for penning a lengthy novel of how I infiltrated the enemy lines and boosted a young, successful Republican politician to fame in my foolish youth." Despite the unhappy turn the questioning took, she managed a half-smile. "This isn't really the kind of thing you talk about on a first date, we should stop."<br><br>In a short span of silence, she took a second to assess the direction of things. They may have touched on a subject that was all too real for the both of them, but she still found herself enjoying the company, fascinated to have been given a glimpse at the man behind the curtain, so to speak. "Nah, forget all that. I have all intentions of continuing to do my job and then some. I may not have been able to get in with the geniuses that carried Obama's campaign, but I'm happy to even be riding the wake of the trail they blazed, even if it's for the wrong team. Policies aside, I am heartened that you're modernizing the Grand Old Party."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 07:03:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I'd modernize our policies some if it was up to me too." As if she didn't have enough to ruin him completely, this was the final linchpin. And still he didn't care. "We lag behind the Democrats for a reason... But we have to lag, not linger long enough to be completely forgotten. Our purpose is to keep this nation productive, fiscally sound, and business friendly. To keep some of our traditions alive and give business a chance to prosper without being backed into a regulatory corner in the name of good intentions gone awry. <em>Not</em> to fight battles about what consenting adults want to do with their own body -- or bodies, as it were. We exist to protect traditions and practices from the past that are worthy of our vigilance. Unfortunately, far too many of my colleagues want protect <em>all</em> of the past indiscriminately. A lot of us are guilty of moral hypocrisy too."<br><br>"My wife isn't rare. You know about the closed gay senators that fought gay marriage, but there's definitely more where that came from. My colleagues wouldn't approve of my sexuality. They'd hate my lifestyle. And my sham of a marriage would be a literal nightmare to them; a disgrace of one of god's covenants."<br><br>"I talk business and fiscal policy because I don't want to get into the rest. That's why the evangelicals hate me, but they'll vote for me anyway because I'm 'from' in a southern state. If only the others realized that we don't need to cater to backward, small-minded assholes to get their votes."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 07:13:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Well, color me impressed," she said with an approving nod. "Maybe we disagree on less than I previously knew. Y'know, for as involved as I am with your political career, it feels weird, like I'm learning about a whole different person. I wish I would've known this stuff sooner -- might've made getting out of bed a little easier." She offered a gently teasing smile to soften the blow.<br><br>"The financial front is the final conservative frontier. I am a firm believer in taxation and reasonable regulation, but you're right; the most common criticism I come across over social media websites is that they can't vote GOP because they or their friends or a family member is gay. Young people may not be converting to atheists en masse, but they're less religious than their predecessors. They're worried about their job prospects once they finish school; it's practically the only thing anyone can talk about in terms of their future at that age -- the outrage machine is dead or at the very least dying. I'd love to usher it out completely."<br><br>She adjusted herself in her seat, recrossing her legs beneath her. "I came into the job during a time when the GOP decided to court the Latino crowd more heavily -- and I'm a cog in that machine. You may not have been looking for a spokeswoman for race when you hired me, but you can bet that I fit snugly into the narrative. I'm not happy about it, but I guess I can give credit to the party of washed-up white men for recognizing that they've got room for other demographics. There may be hope yet!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 07:22:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Most of our ideas are race neutral -- there are only a few sticking points... And they won't last. We'll change with the times, we just need an influential figure to lead us that way -- or a series of massive losses to cause a reformation." He looked at her pointedly with a small smile, "Guess which I'd prefer."<br><br>"I like your dress." The rapid subject change was not without purpose. He'd grown tired of talking politics and it seemed there was only one way to turn things away from its dreary presence, "You've got good taste. I've always admired that even though it's irrelevant to your current job -- I knew better than to say something before now. I'm not afraid of being sued, it was more out of professional respect."<br><br>"Since we're done eating... How about a tour?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 07:26:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				At his reference, she glanced down at her attire and smiled a little broader. "Thanks. I see my fears of being under or over-dressed were unfounded."<br><br>She rose from her seat and took a small step away, glancing at her surroundings. "A tour would be nice. I'd like to see how the <em>one percent</em> lives," she quipped, though it was unsure whether or not it was ironic jest or serious.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 07:37:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				They wandered around the home, stopping occasionally to pause for a remark or two on the rooms. "I like to call this room Ronald Reagan's guilty conscience -- notice how it's empty? That's because he was basically the second coming of Jesus Christ." There was no small amount of self-awareness and mockery as they traveled around. He made quips about how wasteful the home was, how easily he could've bought something a quarter its size and still not filled it out. Self-defense was completely thrown to the wind as he openly torpedoed his own lifestyle, "I like to think that this room is where I learned how to cope with being a disingenuous windbag, because where else would I do it than by fireside?"<br><br>When they arrived at the end of the tour, he moved closer to her than he'd been the whole night. There was a look of determination in his eyes as he moved close to her, taking her hands in his, "Kiss...? I figured I'd ask -- I know your kind thinks that consent is <em>awfully sexy.</em>"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 07:44:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				As he remarked on the contents of each room, she laughed at his surprisingly astute, self-effacing jokes, and offered her own exaggerated responses in kind. She gasped at the gilded touches here and there and fanned herself when they encountered an especially expensive-looking piece of art or furniture. "All of this excess is going to make a poor peasant woman like myself faint! Multiple bathrooms? Goodness, where I come from, we dig pit latrines and there are no Brita filters for our disease-ridden water, either."<br><br>At the conclusion, his sudden proximity was unmistakable, even in spite of her relative lack of a romantic life. She turned her gaze to him, and felt genuinely pleased about the proposition. The night was largely a success and had greatly exceeded her own dismal expectations. She could only speculate how this would change their working relationship from then on. "That's very conscientious -- Your kind <em>can</em> learn! Yes, I'd like that a lot."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 07:51:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I'm capable."<br><br>He moved slow enough at first in bringing his hands to the sides of her dress and leaning in. She wouldn't understand why he knew so much about consent and emphasized it in his actions, not then and there anyway, but seemed to appreciate it none the less.<br><br>The kiss was easy as his lips slid against hers, his lower falling into the groove between hers, massaging into a light, pleasant sensation. It didn't take long for him to pull back, and from there he knew it was time to have <em>the talk</em>, "There's something you should know me about me." He didn't draw back. The near proximity was what he'd wanted all night. "Before we delve into the possibilities of a relationship any further. I have some peculiar, and... <em>necessary</em>, interests."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 07:56:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The joy of physical contact had been lost on her, save for the rare drunk makeout session on the last election night, but the short, sweet kiss they shared was enough to bring it back in a sudden, giddy rush. There was a dual awareness of the pleasure of a fine first date success and the constant, almost out-of-body feeling to continually recognize that she had just allowed her boss, a recognized politician, not only treat her to a date -- an actual, honest-to-goodness <em>date</em> -- but also make physical contact in what was decidedly a very date-like way.<br><br>When he pulled away, she flushed with obvious delight that was soon dampened slightly by what seemed to be an ominous followup. "This certainly seems sudden...I mean, we talked, we ate, and now we kissed. It's a bit premature, but I suppose knowing 'the necessities' would be alright...?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 08:07:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Before I tell you, no jokes. This isn't something I'm understanding about." Rejection wasn't the worst thing in the world. He'd gotten used to it. Such was the real reason he didn't date. His wife was much easier to accommodate, that was probably why she was a serial monogamist and he was alone. "I'm never really sure how to explain this to people. It's hard, to be honest. I know I'm strange."<br><br>"Vanilla sex... bores me." Without a word he swept her close in a hug. It was easier to speak if he couldn't see her face and she couldn't see his, "I'm not looking for a typical relationship. My needs are a bit more extensive. I'm into <em>bondage, dominance, and submission.</em> And I honestly <em>hate</em> equal sex. You might say my need to be in control has bled outward from my career, but this really came first."<br><br>"I like your personality, your style... The way you carry yourself -- it calls to me. You're a challenging woman." He felt a surge of energy at being able to admit that finally, and could only hope she'd understand. "That's why I was amused earlier today when you made it sound like I could only be interested in who you are <em>or</em> sex, because in truth, they're inextricably linked for me. Sex is much more mental and personally involving for people with tastes like mine."<br><br>"I needed to tell you as soon as possible, because... If you're not already interested in power exchange or experimenting, this probably shouldn't go any further. And if this can't be taken anywhere else, I need you to know that fine with that too, and that we can end this on a positive note." His desires rattled around inside of his mind, as they often had that evening. She seemed so perfect for his brand of possessive play, but that didn't mean it was perfect for her. "Consent, honesty, and communication are integral in BDSM -- if you think I'm strange for a Republican, you probably have my sexuality to thank for that."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 08:37:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It seemed that atypical exchanges were the theme of their barely-budded relationship, and this was no exception. She was caught off-guard by the sudden hug, and though the proximity was physically nice, she couldn't help but feel like his inexperience and perhaps a touch of insecurity were showing. She allowed the touch regardless, but remained silently cautious when he allowed her turn to speak.<br><br>"So...basically, you're just into kinky sex...?"<br><br>It wasn't anything too alien to her; she had her days in college of experimentation that lead down a few of the lesser-traveled paths, so the proclivity didn't frighten her away. Still, there seemed to be something more to what he was getting at than simply liking handcuffs or spanking.<br><br>"Cause that's really...not...a problem..." <em>Boss boss boss boss this is your boss</em> "I wouldn't have pegged you for the type, but..." <em>This is your boss this is your boss this is your boss</em> "I guess I can't be too surprised, what with all the closet gay scandals and visits to lesbian bondage sex clubs." <em>Your boss wants to have kinky sex with you are you getting this at all? Your BOSS wants to have KINKY SEX with YOU--</em>&nbsp; "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious," <em>BOSS BOSS BOSS HELLO?</em> "but I also want to make sure, like...that you're not already going stage 4 clinger on me here. You're making it sound like I have to commit to being WITH you, kind of seriously, after a couple of hours of getting to know one another. Just...well...I'm cool with fucking you in novel ways, or I will be once I get over the fact that this is totally wrong and kind of porn-ish at the same time and you're this famous person and I work for you...But I don't know if I'm cool with...you know, super-serious stuff, at least right now. If that's what you're suggesting, that is."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 08:43:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"No." And like that, he was all business. "I'm not 'clingy.' I'm also not sure how you got that impression given that I was ready to accept that this isn't going to work out if you're not willing to adhere to... <em>That.</em> I'm not interested in anything too excessively committed, if that's what you're asking -- but I do demand exclusivity of my relationships. I just thought you should know what a relationship with me would entail."<br><br>She didn't seem to be getting the picture, but some people needed to be shown it instead. They still didn't really know if they were compatible sexually, but was that really so different than normal coupling? It's just that most people found out there were inconsistencies in the non-sexual relationship first, "I'm not sure if you really get what I'm into, it's not just kinky sex. But it's also not something that's easy to explain. Questions would help." The distance between them opened up again and he waited to hear what she had to say.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 08:49:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"All I'm saying is that it's a lot to ask of most people on a first date. Geeze, you're a little thin-skinned sometimes. I get it, you're not clingy."<br><br>When the distance increased, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, pushing the hair out of her face and planting one hand on her hip as she contemplated. "I guess you're going to have to be specific. I can't agree to something so vague. Questions? Well, for starters, <em>what is it that I'm agreeing to, exactly?</em> That would be a fine start. If we fuck and it's good and you want sexual exclusivity? Yeah, sure, I'm not much of one to sleep around casually anyway, it's too messy. But what else? What else are you asking of me? Feet? Whips? Pegging?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 17:11:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Pegging and feet are on the wrong end of the spectrum, and whips are more... advanced." She seemed to both get it and not get it at once, but that wasn't a bad sign in and of itself. "I'm looking for someone who likes to take direction... What things blossom into from there is a bit of a slow waltz, and I'm not about to spoil the art of it by heightening the tempo at a breakneck pace."<br><br>"This is one of those 'show don't tell' situations. Good sex of the kind I like is similar to reading a book, spoilers dampen the experience. Sometimes you just have to trust the author that he's going to lead you somewhere that you like." He was slowly beginning to feel in his element, it seemed that with time the awkwardness would vanish entirely. "And you can always stop reading it whenever you want."<br><br>"I can easily give you a small taste...?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>13-04-2013, 18:32:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"You are probably the strangest person I've ever met," she remarked with some exasperation. "Never to the point on anything, are you?"<br><br>She laced her fingers together in front of her and looked down at their entanglement for a moment. "Taking directions, that's about all you needed to say." For a moment, the idea of this arrangement being some manifestation of his desire to abuse some boss-secretary type situation flashed through her mind, but he'd offered her a multitude of outs, should she want to leave at any time. What was the harm in breaking her streak of celibacy, especially now that it came preloaded with a promotion and no strings?<br><br>"Yeah, alright. What the hell, I'm adventurous. Is this mysterious book one that requires a safe word?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>14-04-2013, 03:50:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"<em>Good</em>, you know what a safe word is." Her knowledge would save them both a lot of time and awkwardness out of the gate. Things were looking up. "Choosing one is a decision for a much later day -- if and when we escalate things that far." And with that, he was back on his game. Through some sudden miracle, he was finally looking like the man with the camera pointed at him earlier in the day, "Looks like it's your turn to be clingy."<br><br>"For now, the standard method of 'please stop' will work just fine. Relationships like these are an ever-evolving affair. They're all about gradual escalation." Marcus began walking as he spoke, slowly leading her back around to one of the few furnished rooms in his home, "Ultimately, everything comes back around to trust. That takes time to develop, and while it does... You take things slow." They arrived at a large, black leather couch just in time for his miniature BDSM sermon to end and he look a seat on one end in a prominent position with his hands resting on his knees, "Have a seat whereever you like."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>14-04-2013, 04:22:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				There was a joke to be made somewhere about him going Patrick Bateman in the moments he lead her back into the house, but somehow they didn't seem quite right anymore. The tone and demeanor of the night had subtly shifted to something else, something that wasn't so easy to pinpoint. When invited to take a seat, she chose the obvious position and took a seat next to him at a comfortable distance that left just enough space between them to keep things slow without making it awkward.<br><br>"I like slow. Slow works for me." It wasn't quite the affair she'd imagined in the past. Most people got gently inebriated and wound up making out on their IKEA furniture until one thing led to another, but this, like everything else, bucked convention entirely. It left a sense of vulnerability in its wake; she was treading out of common territory and into a place of his making. Only he knew what he had in mind, and the seed of doubt that had been planted was threatening to sprout; was this really such a good idea on a first date? The intrigue inevitably outweighed it.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>14-04-2013, 04:29:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I like to keep my own pace." He looked over to her with a discerning eye, "And now I'm going to be forward. A fair warning."<br><br>"I'd like for you to take a leap of faith." His eyes scanned her form; she was damn near perfect to fulfill his needs. Younger, softer, but just as willful; it wasn't fun otherwise. "I want you to take instruction... To let me guide you. Give me a bit of control and I'll give you a few things in return."<br><br>"What do you say?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>14-04-2013, 04:34:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She chewed the inside of her cheek in thought, trying to recall how one typically handled these situations. Her words came out slightly rushed, an obvious sign of nervousness. "Um...I don't know how premature this is, but just so we have all of our bases covered, I am on birth control...no thanks to Obamacare..." she offered a small grin that said <em>don't kill me</em>, "Sorry. Anyway, I've been tested often in the past, all signs point to clean. And...I think that's it. Just...y'know...so you don't have to worry about it."<br><br>In her lap, her fingers fidgeted with one another, but in spite of her obvious anxiousness, there was an air of excitement that also accompanied her jittery demeanor. "Take instruction. I do that well enough. I can work with that." She nodded slightly, as if to reassure not just him, but herself.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>14-04-2013, 04:39:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I'm clean." He said plainly then added, "You're very cute when you feel vulnerable."<br><br>"Stand up from the couch... Slip off your heels. Come to me, and sit in my lap. Facing me, straddle. You can put your hands on my shoulders through my shirt -- don't play with my tie, I <em>hate</em> that." His eyes would follow her each step of the way, waiting, eagerly wanting to see things play out exactly as told.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>14-04-2013, 04:46:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She flushed in an embarrassed fashion and shook her head almost incredulously, but still managed to stand after a beat of hesitation and stepped down out of her sensibly low heels. A doubting voice still chanted at her that this was a horrible idea, but it was easy enough to ignore.<br><br>Before she could lower herself into his lap, she stood at the edge of his knees, looking down at them as if they would bite. She'd done casual flings in the past, and there was always the moment of really breaching the barrier of physical contact, and it was never not without a sense of timidity. She couldn't bear to make eye contact, it felt like too much intensity at once, and instead delicately slid one leg on either side of his and carefully lowered herself into his lap with a small attempt to retain what little modesty was left in such a position. It was a futile, but somehow pulling her dress down as she sat felt like it saved a shred of dignity.<br><br>As requested, she placed two loosely-balled fists against his shoulders and resisted the urge to fidget more as the nervousness swelled. At last, she managed eye contact. "Now what?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>14-04-2013, 04:53:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Now, you're mine." Their lips met in a kiss which became the steady background beat to their always-evolving touch as he slowly breached wall after wall. Hands on her hips, up her sides, touching her back through her dress; he wasn't shy to seize whereever he wanted, though the more obvious erogenous zones were avoided entirely.<br><br>He enjoyed the sensation of her tongue in his mouth, her ass against his lap, and her willpower fading from his touch. By the time he broke the kiss it was time for a question, "How do you feel about foul language...? I've got a very explicit vocabulary in moments like these, and therefore I need to know how much you'd like for me to hold back for now."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>14-04-2013, 04:58:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				With each touch of the lips, it became progressively easier to relax and let her worries slip away. He was certainly bold in action, far more so than she, but he still seemed to show a respectable amount of restraint in his touch that was curious in comparison to most in his position.<br><br>"Foul language," she repeated back to him, looking slightly perplexed at the mention. "I mean, I'm no delicate flower, but it might be good to hold some of it back the first time we see each other naked, right? We're really just dipping our toes in the water here."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>14-04-2013, 05:02:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Don't take this as a sinister proclamation, it isn't, but tonight probably isn't going to go quite as you expect." It wasn't clear just which expectation his remark was built on, but hopefully she was OK with mystery for the time being, "Our motto is safe, sane, and consensual."<br><br>"Get up from my lap... And take off your dress for me." He added a physical flourish in, a flick of his hand, to highlight how quickly she should act, "Then bring me my suit coat from the recliner in the corner. I have need of it."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>14-04-2013, 05:08:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Sanity is awfully subjective," she remarked, but at his prompt, scooted quickly from his proximity and took a few steps from him, though why she felt the need for that distance in order to strip she could not say.<br><br><em>The grand reveal</em> came with much self-consciousness, the belt coming unbuckled from her waist and the airy dress lifting off with little fanfare. True to her own sensibilities, her lingerie was kept simple, neither garment embellished or coquettish. Both came in a youthful shade of blue and the choice of thong came more from the practicality of no lines than it did of any expectation of having him actually see it. With a nervous gait, she padded barefoot to the place he specified and picked up the starched garment, dutifully returning it to his arms in a matter of seconds.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>14-04-2013, 16:46:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Thank you." That would be the last time that night he'd utter such words. Gratitude did not come naturally to him in such states, "Now get on your knees."<br><br>He placed the dress jacket behind him and slipped each arm into its embrace dark embrace. Auto-pilot took over as he adjusted the cuffs of his white dress shirt within the jacket's arms, and smoothed out the charcoal black fabric of his dress pants and new layer of upper clothing. After the moment of alignment, everything felt as it should.<br><br>"You have a splendid body." His gaze seemed more consuming than admiring. She was his to observe and judge in that moment, it was an experience that he'd sorely missed, "I usually like to leave marks... But it doesn't feel appropriate tonight. While I have your attention in such a candid way, I'll tell you the sort of things that've been on my mind that I couldn't say earlier -- I was pretending to be a gentleman then."<br><br>"I want to bend you over my knees and smack your ass until the pain accentuates your skin with blossoming patches of red. To see you squirm the next day during a meeting, knowing you can't find a comfortable 'place' to sit. To run my finger along the crotch of your panties until they're good and damp, then shove them in your mouth to muffle your cries." He leaned back on the couch with one arm draped over its siderest, lounging comfortably as he continued on, "Give yourself to me, and I <em>will</em> know you intimately. We'll take our time as I learn which nerve endings are your favorite, how you like to be touched, and what positions you most want to be held in while I fuck you."<br><br>"Now take off your lingerie and get on your knees before me, legs spread. If you comply quickly and eagerly, I'll even touch you."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>15-04-2013, 03:00:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				With each new confession, her eyes grew wider. She'd been with demanding men before, the take-charge kind, but it had always escalated to that point; Marcus wanted to start a full level higher than that. His confessions were far more intense than anticipated, promising things she'd taken months to even vaguely touch upon with previous partners. He wanted her to hold her breath and take a plunge, and though the sensible thing would have been to take a step back and tread forward into this dangerous territory slowly, it was hard to ignore the tempting thrill at the same time.<br><br>"You have certainly had time to think about what you want out of me," she murmured as she unclasped her bra with a little fiddling. It was unnerving, the language he chose, but the details could be ironed out later. Her panties came floating down between her legs easily, and she stepped from them with some small grace. It was strange, almost out-of-body to find herself complying, but she did - with nothing else to say to express the inner tumult and intrigue, she sank to her knees, heart beating fast.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>15-04-2013, 03:10:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Very little of what I've confessed will happen tonight." He leaned forward, literally looking down upon her, "My suit coat won't leave my shoulders again this evening. Tonight... Is about exploration and learning for both of us. I've got much to discover about your body before I'm ready to take you to my bed."<br><br>As his eyes glanced down her form, he hoped she would take well to his curious set of expectations and desires. She seemed curious enough, but that didn't mean that they were compatible. Exchanges of words couldn't predict such things. Only time would tell.<br><br>"Join me on the couch; my lap will do."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>15-04-2013, 03:27:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"What a hatchet job." Todd offered the newspaper to Marcus, but he shook his head violently instead of taking it, "You can't just <em>not</em> read it. You need to--"<br><br>"Already read it; I have a smartphone, you know." There were times he thought about firing Todd and replacing him with Rinne, but they had enough eyes on them already. As much as he hated to admit it, their affair was contaminating his actions, but not in the way he'd expected months ago when setting that fateful paper on Todd's desk, "Sometimes I wonder how you can do your job effectively with such a technophobic outlook."<br><br>"I use what I have to... No more, no less. Relying too much on technology makes you incompetent when you can't count on it." The defensiveness was evident in his tone, but what more had Marcus expected from a grey-haired white man who helped out the Romney campaign? "Besides, you're changing the subject on me again. What do you want to do about this? We can't just sit back and let them smear us like this."<br><br>"It's not a subject change. You don't understand my point because you're too out of touch." He sighed, shook his head, and wished Rinne was around for a multitude of reasons, "No one important watches MSNBC. Most independents don't pay attention to any passive news sources."<br><br>"If you let your opponents define you--"<br><br>"<strong>You sound like a roundtable participant in a speculative newscycle circlejerk.</strong>" He couldn't help but let his frustrations manifest in his voice. And there was an edge there that clearly wounded Todd's thin-skinned ego, "I am not interested in hearing old-fashioned words of wisdom from Barry Goldwater or even Tip O'Neil. The times change, we live in a post-google world. I can't agonize about every fucking interview that didn't break the way I wanted it to."<br><br>In the silence that followed, gears began to turn in his head. Maybe there was no option other than axing Todd. The risk was starting to seem worth it.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>23-04-2013, 03:53:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"This is some goddamn bullshit."<br><br>Rinne leaned on the front of her desk and glared down at the screen that illuminated the scathing words on the newspaper website. She surprised even herself with how indignant she'd become over the less-than-flattering article written about Marcus, a move that would have seemed unfathomable months ago. As things heated up between them, her disdain for his campaign platform died away and gave rise to an enthusiasm that certainly wouldn't have existed without their torrid affair.<br><br>"Sorry, what was that?" a voice called out behind her. She spun to face them -- another intolerable coworker who was hot on her case; she was starting to feel like her relationship with their collective candidate was becoming more and more transparent. Her former superiors looked at her suspiciously enough when she scored the promotion, but her unforeseen surge in interest was enough to trip a few wires.<br><br>"Oh, uh. It's...I mean, did you read the MSNBC account? Not surprising from that bunch of hacks, but still..."<br><br>The man eyed her, his dislike of her quite evident on his face, and spun to walk away without another word. She made a face at the back of his head and quickly started pecking out a text to Marcus. She felt like a high school teenager sending him messages sometimes, but it was so hard to contain her giddiness.<br><br><span style="font-family: courier;" class="bbc_font">Just read the MSNBC recap. To be expected, but no less full of shit. Ever think you'd hear me say that? Pretty sure Frederick or Gregory or whoever the fuck he is working here hates me. Already orchestrated the designers to put out a few pretty attacks on Facebook/Twitter to counter the story and have our writers putting together something witty. Got it covered, boss.</span>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>23-04-2013, 22:28:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span style="font-family: courier;" class="bbc_font">We have a bigger problem.</span><br><br>"Who're you messaging?" He glanced up at Todd, wishing to be rid of his presence. The man was becoming nothing but a nuisance. "It's her again, isn't it. You text her <em>more than your wife.</em>"<br><br>"She's much more vital to the campaign than my wife is, that's for certain." It was a clever deflection, but Mark had a feeling it wasn't going to work this time. "She's doing a damn fine job. I'm glad to see her promotion is working out."<br><br>"Why are you still managing her directly...?" There was an undeniable look of skepticism on Todd's face. Neither of them were going to like where the conversation was going at this rate. "When you promoted her, you said she'd be my responsibility."<br><br>"Well, I didn't... Anticipate, how useful she'd be."<br><br>"You're fucking her."<br><br><em>Shit.</em> "... <em>excuse</em> me?"<br><br>"I'm not stupid, so don't treat me like I am. Maybe a little old fashioned, but not stupid." Todd let out a sigh and shook his head, "I know your marriage is a sham. I know that wife's bodyguard does more than <em>guard</em> her body. And I know Corinne isn't just your coworker -- but I also don't care."<br><br>"I--"<br><br>"Shut up, Marcus. Just listen." The lecture was getting tiring, but for once he found himself in a powerless place. Compliance was the only option. "Don't deny it. Don't confirm it. I don't want to know the truth. I've worked with Gingrich for Christ's sake -- I know the drill. Just know this:" Todd glared at Marcus, making his serious tone well known, "You'd better not get caught if you want to keep your career in politics."<br><br><span style="font-family: courier;" class="bbc_font">Two bigger problems.</span>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>24-04-2013, 02:24:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The messages were simple, but foreboding. Their short, intense dive into a dark world of sex and politics was thrilling, but quickly brought danger with it. It seemed once two people in politics touched sexual parts, they were transparent to everyone else around them. She felt it like a scarlet letter on her conservative blouses, the kind she liked to unbutton to show the tops of her breasts when it was just her and Marcus left in the office. <em>No, now's not the time for that.</em><br><br><span style="font-family: courier;" class="bbc_font">Debrief later?</span><br><br>The message was simple, cryptic to outsiders. She always felt paranoid should their phones ever be searched, even though at that point her career would probably be on the decline anyway. Sometimes things got salacious, but she installed just about every app known to man that promised to virtually shred her messages in order to ensure their destruction -- but only after reading them one more time alone in the bathroom on a quick break when work allowed it.<br><br>Corinne sunk down in her plush office chair and tapped her coral-painted fingers against the desk. She glanced up, catching the eye of another woman across the office who seemed to be staring. They both quickly looked away in embarrassment, but she found herself stealing another look, unwittingly fascinated even for a brief second. Suddenly snapping out of whatever compelled her, she shot her eyes down to the screen of her phone again and tapped out a quick message, only thinly hiding her intentions behind the veil of business as usual.<br><br><span style="font-family: courier;" class="bbc_font">I've got a lull today. We should go out and have a conference over lunch.</span>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>25-04-2013, 00:45:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<span style="font-family: courier;" class="bbc_font">Already have lunch plans.</span><br><br>There was only one course of action available to them now. Todd couldn't stay on, he'd pushed the wrong buttons and needed to be expunged immediately to contain the mess. "You're fired." Marcus restrained his internal sadness at seeing him go, but there was no other way.<br><br>"What?!"<br><br>"You heard me." Marcus said with a large degree of confidence, "<em>I'm firing you.</em>"<br><br>"Because I had the balls to--"<br><br>"<em>No,</em> because you accused me of having an inappropriate relationship with the woman who's doing your job better than you ever could, out of something that I can only imagine is jealousy." Although they certainly were having an affair, his words would strike a chord anyway. It was true and Todd didn't know any better. "There's nothing inappropriate going on between me and Corinne. And it's very sexist of you to think that the reason we regularly bypass you in the chain of command is that we have a sexual relationship."<br><br>"And what you said about my wife is <em>highly</em> inappropriate. You probably thought you were justified in spouting off like that, but you couldn't be more wrong about your charges. I'm deeply disappointed in you. I don't really have any choice but to fire you -- at least Corinne will be ready to take your position. I talk to her so much because I've been grooming her for this awhile, but I was going to give you a chance to resign before campaign season starts..."<br><br>His eyes shot back down to his cellphone and he began to text. It was a much needed diversion from Todd's betrayed glance.<br><br><span style="font-family: courier;" class="bbc_font">I'll have my assistant email you the location. We're having dinner with an unknown third party. I can give you much in the way of details.</span>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>25-04-2013, 00:58:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A pang of disappointment hit her in the gut, unreasonably so. She'd been grappling with the idea of seeing a man she could scarcely be seen with in public, one with whom a serious relationship would always take a back seat to a sham marriage and public persona, but it still didn't kill the allure of playing with fire anyway. They were still deep in the honeymoon stage of a new relationship and the rush of emotions had certainly gone to her head.<br><br>Even if they couldn't sneak a visit disguised as business in together over midday, the prospect of dinner was thrilling enough. Any occasion they had to dress up was one that almost always ended well. She glanced up from her phone and the sheepish gazer across the room shot her a quick, embarrassed smile - caught again. She quickly returned it, her face strangely flushed, and pecked out another covertly flirtatious text.<br><br><span style="font-family: courier;" class="bbc_font">Looking forward to it, sir.</span>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>08-05-2013, 04:24:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>She's switching the meeting location. A power play... And an effective one at that.</em><br><br>Marcus passed on the instructions to his driver and texted Corinne the directions as they came to him.<br><br>Things were really spiraling out of control in a way that left the weight squarely on his shoulders in an increasingly untenable situation. If his campaign was to be salvaged, drastic measures would have to be taken. Making matters worse, his mystery blackmailer seemed like the shrewd type difficult. He secretly feared that no amount of money would be too much with everything on the line. It could even take more resources than <em>they</em> had. In the end, how bad things would get was just a question of just how much had been learned.<br><br>There were so many dark secrets he and his backers kept. For Marcus' part, Corinne was the least of them. He'd kept her in the dark with regard to the rest of his woes to protect her from the potential fallout, though telling her often crossed his mind at the end of their late night sessions. She'd become his only outlet. In the end, Corinne was all he really had that meant anything to him. Sometimes it felt like she was the only choice he'd made for himself in the past ten years.<br><br>The money wasn't his, the power would be temporary, and public disgrace was inevitable. It was just a matter of when, how, and what debts he'd owe at the end of it. If the election went their way, his service would come to an unceremonious end. Otherwise, it would be his life that ended.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>08-05-2013, 04:31:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Corinne had been within a few minutes of their intended restaurant, smiling to herself as she hummed to the radio when her phone sounded. There had been a sudden change of plans, which caused her to raise an eyebrow, but she made a quick left to alter her course to the new destination. It wasn't a new thing, however; plans changed, and whoever they were meeting might have been important, had dietary restrictions not accommodated by the original restaurant, or any host of other politically-motivated reasons that they should need to inconvenience themselves on such short notice. Such was the way of their chosen profession.<br><br>Upon arrival, she offered him a tempered smile. It was difficult to contain her affections at times, the desire to embrace tugging at her limbs like a phantom puppeteer. Instead, she clasped her hands in front of her to keep them occupied. "Good to see you, what's with the sudden change?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jude</strong> on <strong>08-05-2013, 05:23:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"The person we're meeting decided to change things at the last minute. She has a table reserved in the corner. We've been instructed to take a seat and wait." Before long, Marcus found himself walking through the mostly empty restaurant to a round table in a far corner. He pulled out a chair for him and Corinne, then waved off the waiter, "We're still waiting on someone, thanks."<br><br>The second they were out of earshot he continued explaining, "I'm not sure what this is about exactly. I didn't burden you with details since I have none and I didn't want you to be stewing in the same uncertainty I've been for the past day. I have a feeling this isn't going to be a very enjoyable experience. I think we've been found out."<br><br>"I don't know what they know. I assume it's something, they requested your presence in addition to mine. With any luck we'll know everything by the end of this meeting... Then we'll find out what they want, and we'll take care of things as quietly, quickly, and painlessly as possible." He gave her a small, reassuring smile, "You've trusted me so far, I ask you to trust me just a bit further." With that he nodded and picked up the menu, obscuring his face, "Lets be quiet while we wait. I have a feeling we're being watched."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Political Ambitions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noelle</strong> on <strong>08-05-2013, 05:30:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marc's body language betrayed him before his words could. His tension was infectious and right away she felt her hands ball into fists as he briefed her on the situation. She wasn't ready to be found out, not yet -- they had scarcely discussed the outcome, preferring instead to revel in the dangerous excitement of their coupling, and all of a sudden it seemed to be upon them if he was to be believed. Corinne nodded now and then at his words, her expression dire. "I understand," she said simply, then mimicked his actions with a menu of her own.<br><br>"I think being quiet is the wrong idea. If you're being watched, then it would be prudent to act as if nothing is wrong," she remarked, then set the laminated sheets flat on the table, pointed to something on it, and began to laugh at nothing in particular. It amazed even her at how quickly she thought to feign humor. After a minute, she dug out her tablet and began to gesture to his schedule, blathering nothing important at all about his upcoming appearances and what to expect, even throwing in a jab about liberal talk show hosts for good measure.
			</dd>
		</dl>
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