this way before.”
He seemed to know what she was dwelling on. “And you need to let it go. Fringe people have no influence on the voters at all. You’re letting the small stuff bother you.”
“Easy for you to say. You’re a man. The media and the internet never attack men the way they attack women. Fact.”
“False,” Jack said. “I’ve had to deal with a lot of crap, too. Let. It. Go.”
Caroline saw no reason to prolong the disagreement. He’d never give in because he also had a point. “It’s hard sometimes,” she said.
“I know.” He ran his thumb over the back of her hand, kissing her lightly on the lips. She knew he wanted to do more than that but they tried not to do too much in front of his prudish staffers. “You have to stop dwelling on things you can’t control.”
“I can’t help it. I hate that part of the game.”
“I know. I don’t like it either.” He let one arm slip around her shoulder and pulled her to him. “Tell you what, I could give you a nice back rub when we get home.”
He had more than that in mind. She could tell. “And what else?”
“I thought you were worried that my staffers were listening in.”
She’d take the odds. “What else?”
“I could tie you to the bed again.”
An intriguing proposition. “Go on.”
“I could do that thing you like with my tongue.”
“I’m listening.”
“And then leave you hanging while I went for a drive in that Jaguar convertible of mine you’ve been lusting after.”
Caroline thumped his chest with her fist. “Be nice.”
“I thought it sounded appropriately sadistic.”
“I’m not a masochist.”
“You seem to like rug burn. And padded cuffs.”
She tried not to laugh. “I’m not talking to you anymore. And since when do we have padded cuffs?”
“Since…never mind,” Jack said.
“I was going to make you a nice sandwich and go down on you at the dinner table but now I’ve changed my mind,” Caroline said.
“You forgot to add a ‘harrumph’ when you said that.”
“I thought it. Same thing.”
“Always a lady.”
She let out a short laugh. “I hope no one is eavesdropping on us.”
“I doubt it. The acoustics in this passenger cabin are abysmal.”
“It’s your plane. Buy a new one.”
“You certainly have taken a liking to my many toys.”
Caroline gave him a charming grin. “You’re my favorite toy.”
Jack laughed. “Sweetheart, you’re awful.”
“I was saving that one up. You’re not the only one with the cheesy lines.”
“My delivery is ten times better than yours.” He kissed her. “What kind of sandwich were you going to make me?”
“Whatever you want. Or whatever’s in the house,” she qualified. “I’m not running out to get you some fancy cheese or anything.”
He waggled his eyebrows at her. “I don’t want food. I’m hungry for something else.”
“Your delivery for that line sucks. What the hell are you doing with your face?”
Jack crossed his eyes. “Turning you on?”
She let him bring her into his arms for a big bear hug. “I love you,” she said softly.
“I know.”
“I like you, too.”
“Why’s that?”
“You’re fun to be around.”
“I think some of the people on this plane would beg to differ with you.”
“They don’t know you like I do.”
“You’re right,” he whispered. “They don’t. And I prefer to keep it that way.”
His true personality was a well-kept secret, and she knew him better than anyone else. “I like having part of you all to myself.”
“I like knowing that you do.”
He’d let his political guard down enough that Caroline knew she could work in a compliment. “You gave some good speeches today.”
“You were actually listening?”
“Pretending to pay attention is far more difficult than actually paying attention.”
“Feel like changing any of your own policy positions?”
He’d focused mostly on tax cuts and other popular Republican approaches to economic growth. She wouldn’t be changing anything. “Let’s not go crazy, now.”
“How can you say I gave a good speech if you don’t agree with it?”
“I am an objective observer of well-plotted prose.”
Jack laughed. “You’re really full of it. You know that?”
She tugged at his tie, continuing to rest her head on his chest. “Only sometimes.”
He stroked her hair, one of his favorite affectionate gestures. They must have looked a pair, the two of them wrapped up together at the front of the plane. “I think we’re attracting attention,” he said. “Is that okay?”
She felt comfortable enough that she was tempted to crawl onto his lap and thumb her nose at his staffers. But she couldn’t give in to her poor judgment, no matter how exhausted she was.