Fires of Autumn by Kathryn Le Veque Read Free Book Online

the others
arrive."
    "Fine,"
Dane replied shortly. He knew the layout of the administrative offices well,
but this was the first time he had been here to see the new President. Most of
the faces were different, as the staff changes from one President to the next.
He had been quite familiar with Obama’s people, as he had spent a good deal of
time here battling for one thing or another.
    They
turned a sharp comer and the oval-shaped reception area of the oval office came
into view. The aides led Senator Dane into the recently remodeled foyer, done
in dark wood and vintage wall paper. Dane began to unbutton his coat as one of
the aides disappeared into the large office to the left of the reception room
that connected with the President's office. Kurt was helping him from his
coat and Scott was concentrating on what he was going to say to Talbot when he
suddenly looked up and caught a glimpse of very pretty legs. Looking further,
the legs were attached to a female form in a black suit that could only be
described as magnificent. Gaze trailing up the torso, the head that topped the
body possessed the most beautiful face he had ever seen. Sensuous violet eyes
were gazing at him.
    "Senator
Dane?" The woman was extending a hand. Scott was so dumbfounded that he
almost forgot to shake it. "I'm Casey Cleburne, President Talbot's
personal assistant. If you'll follow me, please."
    To the
ends of the earth, doll, was Dane's first response, but he wisely bit
his tongue. Instead, he found himself trailing after her, half in a daze,
wondering why he felt as if he was sleepwalking. Like she had hypnotized him somehow.
Sure, she was beautiful. But he knew a lot of beautiful women. Certainly, now
was not the time to gape at one , and especially not the President's
secretary.
    Christ,
I'm rambling, he thought with distress. I should be focused on my meeting,
but I'm looking at a woman's rear-end and rambling about it.
    His hazy
thoughts were abruptly cut short as Casey came to a sudden halt. Scott glanced
up from her rear-end long enough to notice she was indicating a couch against
the wall underneath three recessed T.V. screens.
    "If
you'll have a seat, the President will be with you in a moment," she said.
    The
televisions were going, all three of them, but she picked up the remote and
turned them off as if she could read his mind. With all of the turmoil that was
currently going through his brain, the last thing he needed was the added
distraction of three separate news stations.
    Dane took
a seat, trying not to let his thoughts show and struggling to refocus. Kurt had
his brief case and he took it from the man, setting it on his lap and popping
open the lid. Usually, Kurt would be helping him get
organized. But a glance at his aide showed him to be focused on the lovely
woman with the glorious hair as she took a seat behind her massive desk.
    "How
are you, Casey?" Kurt asked, ever-charming. "Long time, no see."
    Casey
smiled at the dashing-looking man. "It has been a
long time," she agreed. "Still playing pool?"
    Kurt
nodded. "When I have time. How 'bout you ?"
    Dane
couldn't believe that he was focusing on their conversation instead of the task
before him. More than that, he could hardly refrain from jumping into the
dialogue. So Kurt knows her? "You two know each other?" Smooth, Dane, smooth!
    Kurt
nodded. "We met a couple of years ago. Casey worked at the Pentagon when I
was there and we used to pass each other in the hall all of the time."
    "Pentagon?"
Dane turned around, using the conversation as an excuse to look at her again.
"What did you do over there?"
    "I
was Bill Perry's secretary, sir."
    "The
Secretary of Defense?"
    "Yes,
sir."
    Dane tried
not to stare at her too obviously as he spoke. "How'd you like it over
there?"
    She
shrugged. "I like it here better. Too many military jarheads ... oh, I'm
sorry, sir. I didn't mean .... "
    He smiled,
putting up a hand to stop her. "I was never a jarhead, Ms. Cleburne,
merely