Gold Fire – Chapter 1 – Book 3 in Ed’s Gold Lust Series

“You’re as attractive to me as the first day I saw you.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better. I was firing a shotgun at you while you ran off screaming into the woods.”

“I did not scream.”

“It sounded like screaming.”

“I was hollering at Digger to start the pickup. And I meant afterward when I first spoke with you at your cabin. I’ll never forget how those leotards molded to you.”

“Wrong day to try on a new mail order outfit a size too small. I would have blushed at the way you ogled me if I hadn’t been so angry at you.”

“You forced me to look up at you standing on the porch. I couldn’t avoid noticing a beautiful shape and a face I wished I could wake up with every day.”

“You stared.”

“Gave you back the gold we pulled from your stream and answered all the questions you growled at me. That’s all. Nothing more.”

Maida turned to face him. “I liked how you stared.”

Nolen leaned down and kissed her lips until she slipped away. “I can’t wait to have this baby,” she sighed. “Eight weeks after that and I can return to jogging. I want to be able to look down and see my feet again.”

“I guess it’s time to tell you. Plus-size women turn me on.”

Maida softly punched Nolen’s bicep. “You’re wicked.” She cuddled her cheek against his chest. “Most of all I want the waves of nausea to stop. Every time they return I worry I’m going to lose the baby.” She twisted a strand of her shoulder-length hair around her finger.

“Let’s go inside.” Nolen answered. “I’ll say goodnight to the crowd and we’ll slip upstairs to our room. You can rest while I massage your back.”

“No. Stay and network with the locals. You need their votes. But I appreciate how you always reassure me that I’m not ugly.”

“Votes are not as important as doing what the doctor ordered since you’ve been sick so often. Anyway, running for senator is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. I can’t spell diplomatic and I’m not a good horse trader.”

“You mean you won’t sell your vote. That’s why I encouraged you to run for office.”

Maida stopped speaking when the ceiling lights brightened. Turning toward the doorway the couple saw Shirley May Hobalero. Tall, thin and sparkling from numerous diamond rings, bracelets and dangling earrings, she glided toward them in a shimmering white gown, disclosing the tantalizing contours of her mature curves.

Maida kissed Nolen on the cheek. “I knew it wouldn’t last. The world of politics has tracked us down again.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Shirley May said. “The Senate minority leader is across the street in his limo. Nolen, he wants to speak with you privately.”

“Oooh,” Maida exclaimed, raising her eyebrows. “Honey, you’ve become important. Were you expecting a visit?”

“I thought he’d call, not drop by, especially here in California. He’s more concerned than I thought.”

Maida smiled at the campaign strategist. “By any chance did you let the minority leader know about tonight’s gathering?”

“He’s been an acquaintance of my family since his first term in Washington, D.C. When I spoke with his staff a week ago I mentioned the discomfort the minority leader must have endured since his party lost control of the Senate.”

“Did you also give them my schedule for this week?” Nolen asked.

“I assumed they could gather the information off the campaign website if I tweaked their interest.”

“Shirley May, do you like playing high stakes poker?”

She inspected her reflection in the dark window and straightened a diamond butterfly decorating her black hair. “It’s boring compared to national politics. Now slip out the side door and down the stairs to the street without being seen. The minority leader doesn’t want any reporters or party opponents observing you two together.”

“He said that?” Nolen asked.

“He didn’t have to.”

Maida entwined her arm with the taller woman’s arm. “I have a baby pressing down hard. Help me to the bathroom, would you? It’s time to let Nolen work on his new career.”

When Nolen slid into the back seat of the black limousine, a distinguished, white-haired man stretched his hand forward and beamed a smile. “Lawerance Laroo,” he drawled in a slow southern accent. “Ah happened to be in San Francisco when ah heard about tonight’s function and flew down to meet you. You’re going to make a fine senator and serve the nation well.”

“Thank you. But I haven’t been elected yet.” Why, Nolen wondered, are senior politicians never bald? This guy’s hair implants look almost natural.

“M’ah friends call me Law. My opponents call me ‘the law’.” The senator from Mississippi chuckled at his own joke. “Son, when ah learned Shirley May volunteered to help your campaign—”

“Leading the charge is more like it,” Nolen said.

“Ah knew then and there you’d win. She’s not suffered the losing side of a California election for eighteen years.”

“Yes, I’m lucky she asked me to run for office.”

Senator Laroo cracked open the window beside him then lit a cigar. “M’ah staff tells me you’re a direct person. So ah won’t waste oxygen lathering you up before getting to the point.”

“Which is?”

“Running as an Independent may help you win a seat, but Independents have near zero impact in the Senate. Often, at the end of six years, they look back and count only one victory on an issue of concern for their state. You’d like to do better than that, ah expect?”

“I’m not going to D.C. for a vacation.”

“There’s a way we can help each other. Several key votes are coming up next year. If you join m’ah party and vote in support of the positions ah lay out for the country, ah’ll guarantee assistance when you bring a bill to committee. You’ll have m’ah advice, significantly increasing the chance that your arguments will win the necessary votes. Your bills will never suffer getting locked up in committee. You’ll influence the Senate your freshman year.”

“Why are you being gracious to a guy who just stepped into politics? Shouldn’t you be helping your party’s candidate?”

“We’re doing everything we can to defeat you. But you’re blond and rugged looking on TV. Worse … people believe what the hell you say. Our man has cheeks like sails and appears too slick when interviewed.”

“You’ve released twice as many TV ads as my PR staff. That should help.”

“You’re a damn legend in this state. Our millions can’t bury the fact you fought to retain the gold vein you found while saving your wife from a drug cartel.” The senator shook his head. “Voters love seeing the common man succeed. As ah do. That’s why ah’ve always supported up and coming talent.”

Nolen nodded. “Shirley May warned me that on Capital Hill some of the best snake charmers in the world would entice me to cast my vote with them.”

“Never charmed a snake but ah have treed a few raccoons.”

“She’s taught me how to count votes before making a commitment. We’ve assessed the likely winners and losers in the upcoming state elections.”

“That woman’s been messin’ around in politics for years. Don’t know why she doesn’t focus on babies, homes and family like normal women. Ah think her granddaddy, the judge, taught her too much.”

Nolen laughed. “At best your party will only seat forty-nine senators. But you must have fifty votes to achieve a tie and let the vice-president break it by voting for the president’s party. Which puts me in position to choose whether the Democrats or Republicans will control next year’s Senate.”

The minority leader frowned. “My aides were correct. You’re as direct as a starving alligator chasing the last fish in the pond. Yup, there are some tough fights in this election. But my party is jamming money into states where the loyal opposition appears weakest. Best to join m’ah team as soon as you can. Should Shirley May’s count be wrong by one seat, you’ll soon be eating bitter crumbs. Just like ah have for the last four years.”

Nolen peered through the tinted-glass side window, considering his answer before speaking. “The president needs his party in charge of the Senate again. That would make it far easier for him to accomplish his policy goals. Such success would garner a lot of favors from the White House for you and for Mississippi.”

Senator Laroo glanced sideways at Nolen. “For you too. Which would make many Californians happy that they supported a rookie.”

Nolen rubbed his chin. “Let me see if I understand your offer. For my crucial vote to give you substantial power, I get nothing concrete. Just ‘assistance’ and ‘advice’. Wouldn’t everybody on Capital Hill consider me a bumpkin if I accepted such an offer?”

“Not a’tall. Shrewd is what they’d say.”

“They’d say it with real conviction if I actually received something of value for switching to your party so you get that fiftieth vote and later voting for you to become the next majority leader.”

“Now who’s the snake charmer?”

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End of sample section.