“Yes, mother,” Felicity answered without even glancing in Braden’s direction. The skinny older man said nothing. I almost didn’t see him standing there for a moment. He blended in so well with the white tent wall.

“And you must be the fabulous Gabrielle Ginsberg,” Mr. Teeth, who I suspected was Cole Stephenson, the lecherous politician, went on, while speaking directly to my boobs. Fabulous?

“Gabrielle,” Braden said, pulling me closer to him, “these are the Masons and this is…”

“Cole Stephenson at your service,” Mr. Teeth said, nodding like a bobble-head doll and giving me a cheesy smile and the two-handed finger point that announced he was a wild and crazy guy. “And this is the kingmaker’s daughter.” He grinned like he had just said something witty.

Mrs. Mason, in contrast, was looking at me like she wanted to kick me. Or damn me to Hell. Felicity was looking at me too, but I couldn’t really interpret her expression. At least it didn’t seem to involve wrath. Actually, she might have been admiring my necklace. I suspected that the blank expression on her face was as close as she came to expressing approval, or joy, or happiness, or anything. Mr. Mason said nothing and did nothing. I got the feeling he said and did nothing a lot. Maybe he really was a hologram.

“Ginsberg?” Mrs. Mason said in a way that made it sound like she was saying, ‘root rot,’ or ‘genital warts’. “I don’t believe I’m familiar with that name.”

“Well, there was a famous poet, Allen Ginsberg, and there’s a Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. No relation.”

“Gabrielle’s father is a real mover and shaker in the Big Apple,” Cole put in and winked at me. I cringed. He reminded me of a used car salesman — who moonlighted as a pornographer. “We’re lucky to have someone with her obvious sophistication joining our little circle of country bumpkins.” His gaze was traveling up and down my body like he was a starving dog eyeing up a side of beef. Even though he was creeping me out, I almost laughed out loud when he called me sophisticated and the Pierces bumpkins.

“New York, hmm.” Apparently Mrs. Mason didn’t approve of New Yorkers. “I’m sure she’s very sophisticated.” I was pretty sure that she had just called me a tramp. I didn’t want to contemplate what else she might be thinking, as it would probably have been offensive on so many different levels.

I saw Beth gesturing to us in the background and I nudged Braden and let him know.

“Oh sorry to run!” he said, not looking sorry at all. “But my sister needs us.” He pulled me off quickly and we headed for the stage. When we got there Beth let Braden know that she was going to need some extra help for the upcoming auction. He hesitated.

“I don’t know if I want to leave you alone with these people,” he said to me.

“I don’t blame you, Braden,” Beth said, glancing at Cole and cringing herself. I think Cole made a lot of people cringe. “Gabrielle, you could help me out by bringing these lists up to the house and putting them on the desk in the library. If you don’t mind, that is. It’s just busy work, but it would get you out of here, and it really would be doing me a favor. They have important information on them and I don’t want them to get lost.”

“Sure, no problem.” I took the papers from her and set out for the house. When I got there I found it bustling with various catering, decorating and entertainment people. I dropped the papers off and headed back toward the tent.

Halfway there I was cornered by Cole Stephenson. “So, Gabrielle, this thing with Braden’s not serious is it? I mean he’s a bit of a ladies’ man you know?” I couldn’t believe this guy’s nerve.

“Well now he’s one lady’s man,” I said as I tried to walk around him.

“Well, if it doesn’t work out, I’d like a shot at you.” A shot at me? “You know, there are some people who think I might make it to the White House someday; so you could say I’m looking for my First Lady.” He gave me a toothy grin. Or perhaps I should say he gave my boobs a toothy grin. I felt like I needed to bathe.

“As enticing as that sounds, I’m afraid I’m not interested.” Once again I tried to do an end run around him but he was quick with evasive maneuvers. We looked like we were doing some kind of strange dance.

“Hey there, I hope I didn’t offend you! I just meant that you’re one little girl who shouldn’t go to waste. With your connections and money,” he glanced at my necklace, “and my political savvy, the sky’s the limit, babe.”

“I’m very happy with Braden.”

“For now, but he doesn’t always appreciate beautiful women like I do. I would treat you like a princess. Just keep it in mind.” I wouldn’t be able to forget it if I tried. I would probably have nightmares about it. Then out of nowhere a very unlikely cavalry arrived.

“Ms. Ginsberg. I wonder if you can help me. I have a legal question,” Felicity Mason said. Great. I hated giving out free legal advice at parties, but at that moment, I would have drafted her will in crayon on a cocktail napkin to get away from Cole.

“Sure! Call me Gabrielle. Let’s walk and talk.” We escaped from the Big Bad Wolf. When we were several feet away I asked her what I could help her with.

“Nothing. I just wanted to help you get away from him. He’s an asshole.”

“Ah, so it’s not just me who thinks so.”

“No. Everybody thinks so, but only some people say so. He’s got his uses for some.”

“I see.” I didn’t really, but I didn’t know what else to say.

“You should watch out for him, and he’s not the only one. Marla’s not as stupid as she seems and my…”

“Gabrielle, over here!” I heard Braden call out as we approached the tent. I thanked Felicity for her help and I walked up to Braden and tucked myself up close to him.

“I ran into Cole.”

“What did he want?”

“He wanted to tell me that you’re a ladies’ man and so if it doesn’t work out he wanted a shot at me because he might be in the market for a future First Lady.”

“I’ll kill him.”

“He’s not worth it. He’s a complete fool, Braden. It’s kind of scary that people elected him.”

“I think that there are about ten people who live in his district, and nine of them are related to him.”

“That would explain it, although I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that it was a close race.”

I had a few more close encounters of the annoying kind with Mrs. Mason as the night wore on. I kept feeling like someone was watching me, someone other than the security people. On more than one occasion I caught her sneering at me like I had just popped out of a cake with tassels on my tits. Seriously! What had I ever done to this woman?

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Dinner was a big hit and the auction went even better than expected, raising plenty of money for the foundation. I had even dug into my trust fund a little and purchased a weekend getaway to the Finger Lakes in July that included a stay at a Bed and Breakfast and tickets to the wine festival.

“So, want to share a bed and some wine with me in the Finger Lakes?” I asked Braden.

“Absolutely. Right now, though, I’d like to take a trip with you to the pool house. I was thinking that maybe you might like to have a little rendezvous with me there and we could see if I could get you big-girl excited.”

“In the pool house?” I giggled like a schoolgirl.

“There’s a massage table there that I’d like to introduce you to.” He smiled a very sexy smile and my tummy completely flipped over.

“But there are people wandering around all over the place and it’s so close to here.”

“So, we’ll have to be quiet and quick. I won’t go Vinnie Virillo on you though. I promise.”

“Okay!” I smiled in anticipation and he took my hand as we slipped out the side of the tent. It was a bit after eight o’clock and just starting to get a little darker but we could still see very clearly. We passed people coming and going and I heard laughter and conversation from various directions.

When we got to the pool house Braden gave a surreptitious look around and quickly found the key and unlocked the door. It was kind of dark inside but there was enough light coming through the windows so that I could see well when my eyes adjusted. I followed him into a small room occupied by a massage table and shelves stacked with towels and various bottles of scented oils and creams.

He pulled me into his arms and started kissing me eagerly, doing all of those wonderful things he did with his tongue. I’m telling you, that tongue could win awards. I moaned quietly as his hands ran all over my body. Those hands were pretty talented too. He broke the kiss and whispered in my ear.

“Take your panties off.”

“I’m not wearing any. I like the way this dress feels against my bare skin.” At first he looked a little stunned. Then I saw his gaze heat up and a cocky grin formed on his beautiful lips.

“Bend over and grab the edge of the table,” he ordered in a low thick voice. I did what he asked and he pushed my skirt up around my waist, pulled my h*ps back a little and then smacked me hard on the ass. Ooh! I felt his fingers glide across my entrance and then backtrack to start massaging the back door if you know what I mean.

“Braden?” I asked a little nervously.

“Don’t worry. Not tonight. Just testing the waters,” he said, sounding amused. His fingers slid forward again. “You’re so wet,” he said, stroking me broadly up and down. He traced a path up to my now throbbing clit. “And swollen.” Then two fingers slid up inside me. “And ready. That’s my baby.” I heard him unzip and felt him position himself behind me and then he grabbed my h*ps and thrust into me deeply as I gasped and arched my back. One hand slid inside the bodice of my dress and cupped my breast, pinching my nipple kind of hard. He was being a little rougher but I didn’t mind. The other returned to stroke my cl*trelentlessly, never taking away the pressure. Then he began his hip roll and I entered a state of complete sexual euphoria. The feeling was so good and so intense I almost couldn’t stand it. Or stand for that matter. My legs were starting to shake and I hoped that they didn’t give out. He kissed my neck and bit my earlobe as I whimpered and tried to swallow my moans. After several minutes of blowing my mind he started talking.

“You feel so good, baby,” he whispered in my ear and I immediately felt myself start climbing. “So hot and so wet.” My muscles tensed up. “Oh, that’s right, baby. So tight. I love it when you grab my c**k like that,” he ground out and I was right on the edge. “Gabrielle, this is the sweetest pu**y I’ve ever had.” Okay, that was it! Folks, we had a winner! I cried out (I couldn’t help it!) and my muscles clenched hard, pulsing rhythmically as my body trembled. He stayed with me until I rode out the final waves and then his hands returned to my h*ps and he grabbed on and slammed into me hard and fast until I felt him freeze and hold me tight against him. He let out a low groan and a ragged breath. “Oh Fuck!”

Hot damn! That was some good sexing! We stood still for a few minutes just catching our breath and then he turned me around and kissed me deeply and tenderly.

“There’s a bathroom over there if you need it,” he said quietly as he zipped up. I looked up and immediately became alert. “What is it?”

“I thought I saw something by the window but it was probably nothing.”

“Are you sure?”

“Pretty sure. If someone were there people would notice and wonder why he was peeping in the window of the pool house, right?”

“You’re probably right. We had better get back though.”

“Thank you for the rendezvous.” I smiled. “It was fun.”

“Believe me, Gabrielle. You don’t have to thank me.”

I popped into the bathroom and tidied up. When I came back out he had an almost proud look on his face.

“Feeling kind of possessive huh?”

“I guess it’s a male thing.”

“Consider my girl parts to be officially your territory.”

When we went back to the tent the band had taken the stage and people were dancing to old songs. I saw Beth, Drew and, Cameron, sitting off to the side. Beth waved us over and we went and sat down with them. Drew was looking smug; Beth was looking happy and Cam was looking… well, drunk, to be perfectly honest.

“Mom’s calling me over, I’ll be right back,” Beth said, getting up and rushing off.

“So, Gabrielle, what do you think of the pool house?” Drew asked with a knowing smile. Braden and I both looked at him with surprise.

“What, are you stalking us?” he asked. “You need to get some more hobbies.”

“And you two need to learn how to sneak off better. You guys just casually strolled off with half the party watching. Here’s a hint big brother, nobody thought you were planning to go swimming.”

“Were you selling tickets for a place at the window?”

“No, but I should have thought of that!” Drew laughed.

“I thought I really did see somebody by one of the windows,” Cam slurred. “But I’ve been seeing a lot of weird shit since I had that last rum punch.”

“Are you okay, Cam?” I asked with a bit of concern. Cameron was looking a little green.

“Me? Oh, yes.” He sat up straighter. “I’ve just been having a few… dozen cocktails.”