The L Wing    Chapter Four

We reach the changing rooms - its only when I'm downing a bottle of water and glance across do I realize that Tina is about to use the showers. Okay - so that's perfectly normal. And my business suit is hanging up - so I am obviously planning to use the shower as well.

Okay - HELP ME - I do not know how I am going to control my passions for her if I see more than a couple of millimeters of her soft, edible skin.

Narration of President Bette Porter.

Tina pulls off her tee shirt and puts it in her sports bag. I cannot take my eyes off her - she is wearing a white sports bra which I pray to God she does not do in front of me.

Somehow, I break my gaze and look down to start removing my sports shoes. My head is throbbing - I am not sure if it is in out of exhaustion from the game or desire from looking at Tina. I pull my shirt off and glance across at her - she is looking at me.

Is she checking me out?

She quickly looks away blushing slightly - oh, God she is so beautiful.

"Do you watch much sport? " I ask trying to fill the silence.

"When I can - I love basketball games - cannot see enough games "

I file this away - see if I can get us invited to some ball game during a trip somewhere - find out what team Tina follows.

I stand up and remove my shorts - when I glance at Tina she has her back to me and is wrapped in a white towel. I am not sure if I am relieved or disappointed   - probably both. She walks past me and ignores the communal shower for one of the two single shower cubicles. Just as she is about to close the half door she looks at me with what I think might be lust. I finish undressing and use the giant communal shower while not taking my gaze off the single cubicle that contains the naked form of the woman I desire above all others.

She emerges after five minutes with the towel wrapped round her - I admire her legs - very nice calves. After I finish washing my hair, I join her getting dressed.

I must have taken her by surprise because she is standing beside a mirror brushing her hair - the towel is just wrapped around her waist - giving me the first view of her sexy back - it looks so slender but obviously strong. What I really want to do is walk across to her, turn her around - feast on the sight of her beautiful breasts and taste her lips.

Instead I quickly get dried and start dressing - while not looking at Tina. When I finally glance across at her she is wearing a pair of navy trousers and a black shirt. I decide that her damp curly hair is the sexiest sight I have ever seen.

Maybe squash isn't such a good idea if all I am going to do is get more out of breath looking at her body than by playing the damn game.

I am aware that we are both due at Senior Staff in 10 minutes so I concentrate on getting my hair right and looking reasonably presentable for the Chiefs of Staff at 10 and the bear-pit that is a full Cabinet meeting at 11. I am going to be in such a bad mood when I escape at 1pm

An idea hits me --- perfect!

The morning is hard work but fulfilling. I love the atmosphere of Senior Staff - Alice is in full flow about an attack on me in the New York  Times from a known enemy of mine in the Democrat party and for once its not Senator Peabody. Alice wants to know if we can sanction an assassination attempt but Tina says she will deal with at the next briefing.

There is something very satisfying about knowing that someone as talented as Tina Kennard is watching my back - though not in the way that I was watching her back - oh God - stop it Porter

I finally escape from the Cabinet meeting at 1:30 - Lara is waiting for me as I manage to dodge a dull conversation with the Secretary of Education.

I walk down the corridor with Lara.

"So? " I ask her

"She hasn't had her lunch yet - Josh says that she always has a chicken sandwich on whole meal bread which I have ordered. Do you buy your Secret Service detail lunch when they thrash you at squash?"

Lara is grinning at me.

"I am trying to make her feel welcome "

"You must be - you haven't balled her out yet "

"She hasn't done anything to merit me  yelling at her yet "

Lara says something under her breath like "that never usually stops you "

Lara is allowed to be cheeky - more than any of the others - because she is so good at her job. She is quiet and unobtrusive but she is always there and probably knows me better than anyone else. I would be lost without her.

"Did you say something Lara?"

"No - nothing Madam President "

"Yeah - so will you ring Tina and ask her to come to my office "

"Certainly "she pauses as I reach the door of my office "she's very pretty "

I must be getting old or slipping in some other way because I do not check the thought that turns into my comment.

"Yes - she is very pretty "

Lara manages to stifle laughter as I go into my office - I grin.

Sure enough, Lara has produced my usual tuna sandwich and a chicken sandwich for Tina. I pick up a memo and start reading while waiting for my guest.

Someone knocks at the door and Lara opens it.

"Tina to see you Madam President "

Tina comes in - her smile is a little unsure.

"As you didn't so much beat me as hammer me I decided that I owe you lunch - chicken sandwich okay for you?"

She grins "Thank you Madam President - that is very nice of you "

"Losers penance "I lie shamelessly. I sit down on the sofa hoping that she will sit next to me - she sits opposite me which is actually better because I can look at her without looking too obviously like the tongue tied nitwit that I feel when I am near her.

"Can I ask you a question ?"

"Certainly Madam President "

"Why didn't you apply for the job as Press Secretary when I first became President ?"

"I didn't have the confidence  - I didn't think that I could do the job"

"You are a brilliant Press Secretary Tina - I totally trust you and as the President I need to have that faith in you  - you have certainly regained a lot of whatever self belief you may have lost "

I still do not know what happened to bring her back from Afghanistan and equally I don't want to pry into her life too deeply.

"As strange as it sounds given what happened since but Helena really helped me. I was dating a Senator "

"And now you are working for the President " I add - quick to point out the attractions I have over Helena.

"Can I ask you a question ?'

"Of course Tina "

"Shane said you picked me out of all the other candidates"

"I did"

"Can I ask you why ?"

Okay - how do I answer that without giving myself away. But there is a part of me that wants to give a little bit of myself away. Its insane - its probably suicidal but I want Tina to sort of know that I really like her.

"You were clearly the most intelligent candidate "

She smiles.

"You were the most articulate "

Okay - take a walk on the wildside Porter.

"And you have the prettiest smile  I've seen in a long time "

"My smile ?"

"You got the job mainly on your brains and communication skills but it's a TV age so I have to say that how you look helps"

Its amazing how relaxed I feel in Tina's company - I like all the Senior Staff and I value their time as well as their amazing personalities. But spending time with Tina is becoming something that goes beyond enjoying the company of a work colleague - I am enthralled by her.

ONE WEEK LATER - AIRFORCE ONE

Narration of Tina Kennard

One of my responsibilities is to control the devising and interpretation of the private opinion polls the White House conduct on a regular basis. Which is why I am sitting on Airforce One talking on the phone to Dana and writing down figures.

"She is going to be thrilled " Dana says "How's the President ?"

"She's fine - she had a good time in Portland "

"You might want to ask her if she would like some company " says Dana.

"Why is that ?"

"Because unless you don't she will sit on her own all the way back. Normally she likes to just sit and throw ideas around with one of us - letting off steam - bouncing around crazy notions. You are the only one with her. We all joke about how there is not a lot of difference between a bear trap and the President but she's lonely. Maybe its why President's should be married because she hasn't got much of a network of people she can really talk to. She likes you Tina - we can all see it . So spend a bit of time with her if you can "

We chat for another ten minutes and when I hang up I am thrilled to be given an opportunity to go and see her in her rooms.

This is my first trip with the President and it has been a revelation.  The public love her and she is brilliant at working a crowd. It's a fascinating contrast to how studious she is in the office that in public she is jolly and fun.

I walk  along to the Presidents suite and knock on the door.

"Come in "

The President is sitting on a comfortable chair - feet up, she is reading a report. She grins at me and puts the report in her briefcase/

"Hello Tina - you avoiding the press ?"

"Yes and no - I was wondering if you wanted any company ?"

"I would love some company - come and sit down"

I love beng in her presence - she is amazing in so many ways - smart and confident and funny. Her image is that she is slightly serious but she has a wonderful sense of humour.