Chapter One: Buttons

“Mr. Chasez, why are you standing alone,” Adria asked as she took his arm. “It’s a party.”

“I thought I was invited so I could write a check.” Fuck! What a dumbass thing to say. Especially if she was an Obama staffer.

Instead of being offended, she laughed. “Well, there is that. But does that mean you can’t have a little fun? Make a few new acquaintances?”

“I’m not so good at this sort of thing.”

She gazed up at him. “Then why did you come?”

“I—I believe in the cause.”

“See? We already have that in common.”

She was flirting with him. JC could scarcely believe it. This exotic beauty was actually flirting with him.

“Forgive my manners. Nonna raised me better. I’m Adria Natalucci.”

Italian. That explained the dark, dark brown eyes, black hair and olive skin.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Ms. Natalucci,” JC said.

“Oh, please! It’s Adria.”

“Adria. Call me JC.”

“Thank you. I will.” She looked around. “Anyone you want to meet?”

“Not really. I’m no activist.”

Her hand ran down his arm until she could link fingers with him. “Then you can be my escort for the evening. I do have to circulate as much as I would rather take you off and get to know you better.”

Something about the way she said it sent a shiver down JC’s spine.

“If I want to escape, I’ll squeeze your hand and you can think of something to get me away.”

He had the distinct impression he was being bulldozed – What a way to go!

The evening was spent in Adria’s company. JC found himself jealously guarding her against any comers. The amazing part was Adria didn’t seem to mind. Her smile for him was especially intimate. The others seemed to accept them as a couple.

At one point, Barak Obama’s representative stood at the podium for a speech. Adria stood in front of JC, tugging his arms around her, leaning back against him.

“Mind?” she asked quietly. “My feet are killing me.”

“It’s cool, honey,” JC answered, tucking her closer so her head could rest against his cheek.

“This is the ‘open your wallet’ part,” Adria whispered. “When he’s done you can write a check and we can get out of here.”

“Can’t I just write a check and skip the speech?” he whispered in her ear.

She tipped her head to the side to smile up at him. “I wish!”

“I’ll take you for a nice quiet dinner and you can slip your shoes off,” he promised.

“Mmm... That does sounds wonderful.”

They waited until the speaker was winding down before they made their escape. JC left a check with the staffer at the door as Adria tugged him out the banquet hall door. She giggled like a naughty teenager as she kicked her high heels off in the carpeted hallway.

“Finally!” She did a little dance of freedom, making JC laugh.

“Honey, you might need those to get to the car.”

“I refuse!”

“Then how am I gonna get you outta here?” he asked.

She caught her heels up in one hand and grabbed his hand in the other. She walked backwards towards a bank of elevators. “We don’t,” she said huskily.

“We don’t?” JC’s throat went dry at her tone.

“We have two options. One: we can hope no one is in the war room. That’s risky. Someone could walk in... Two: you can get us a room...”

She was saying...

“I want you,” Adria was leaving no question in his mind as to what she expected. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him. It was no little peck. No tentative kiss.

“Dinner?”

“Not what I’m hungry for at the moment.”

“Adria...”

“JC.” Her frank gaze made her desires clear.

“I—I’ll see what’s available.”

Her smile was brilliant as they rode down to the lobby.

He wondered at her game when she left his side as he ordered a suite for the night. Still when he was handed his key card, she reappeared carrying a small bag from the gift shop. What in the hell?..

Once back in the elevator, she opened the bag to reveal its contents – a box of condoms.

JC laughed.

“I didn’t know if you had any.”

“A couple. For emergencies.”

Pulling his head down, she drew him into a full kiss. “This is an emergency, but I’m thinking we might need more than a couple.”

“Adria, you’re making me hard just talking about it,” he complained mildly, his smile belying his centure.

The elevators slid open.

“Then let’s take care of that uncomfortable condition.” She snatched up his key card and led him by the hand to their door. “Oh...” Adria took in the suite – it was opulent if the seating area was anything to go by. The carpet underfoot was like walking on a cloud. The dark wood furniture was richly upholstered... “All we need is a bed and a shower,” she murmured.

JC came up behind, wrapping his arms around her waist. He brushed his lips against her ear as he spoke. “My baby is first class. She should have first class accommodations.”

The feel of his warm breath against her skin made her shiver. He seemed to be willing to seduce her. This was supposed to be a quick, fun, fantasy fuck and he had seduction in mind? Okay, she was willing to endure the full JC Chasez treatment... “I wanted to just get you alone so we could rip our clothes off.”

He chuckled at what she has envisioned for them.

“But since we both have to leave in what we’ve got on I guess that wouldn’t be the most prudent plan of action.”

“Maybe next time.”

Next time? That’s right; he knew little more than her name and political party affiliation. She would just let him believe there could be a ‘next time.’

He stepped back to unzip her dress. “Go hang up your dress then. We don’t want to wrinkle it.”

Finding the bedroom, Adria slipped out of her dress and hung it in the closet.

JC followed, pulling off his tie. What greeted him were two very attractive shapely globes of flesh as Adria bent to remove her thigh high stockings. It appeared all she had left to lose was her skimpy pale pink thong and bra. Doggie style. That position would definitely have to be on the roster. To feel that perfect silky ass...

She glanced back at him to notice two things: he still had way too many clothes on and his suit slacks couldn’t camouflage the bulge straining the zipper. Well, she remembered the earlier days of *NSYNC when nearly every picture of him revealed a similar condition. Straightening and going to him, she said, “I take it you’re in no hurry.”

“Nope. Hadn’t made any plans tonight.” But he hadn’t asked of her plans. “You?”

Adria reached down to stroke him firmly. “Getting to know this big guy intimately is my only plan.”

He bit back a groan. How did he get so damn lucky? “Honey, you do that much longer and I’ll have to have my pants laundered.”

Removing her hand, she pushed his jacket from his shoulders and let it hit the floor. “That would be a shame – in more ways than one.” Bending she retrieved his jacket then hung it next to her dress. Turning back to him, she found he still was not undressing. “JC, don’t you want me?”

He was shocked by the question. “Oh, hell yeah!”

“Did you want me to watch you strip?”

“No...”

Adria watched as a lovely rose color crept up his neck to stain those high cheekbones of his. “JC?”

“You’re so damned gorgeous, honey. Next to you I... Well, you’re filet mignon and I’m... I’m ground beef.”

“Oh, hell!” He thought he didn’t stack up? He was her fantasy come true! This was much more complicated than a mere fuck was supposed to be. She hadn’t expected she would have to prop up his male ego! With a sultry smile, she went to him. “I’m telling you loosen up my buttons, baby... Uh-huh... But you keep fronting... Uh... Saying what you going do to me... Uh-huh...” As she sang the Pussycat Dolls’ hit, she began unbuttoning his shirt. With each button released, she pressed a kiss on his flesh.

“Baby...” He couldn’t get any harder, JC decided. Putting a hand beneath her chin, he tipped her face up for a soft kiss of thanks. “You’re so beautiful and so giving, Adria.” He caressed her downy cheek. “I can take it from here. Why don’t you take your hair down?”

“If I do I wanna see some skin, Chasez.” She waggled a nagging finger at him teasingly.

“Yes, ma’am!” Grinning, he went to the closet to shrug out of his shirt and hang it.

Adria watched the muscles play along his back as she removed the pins from her hair, carelessly tossing them on the nightstand beside the bag of condoms and her small purse. He was beautifully put together – as she suspected he would be. Broad shoulders. Lean at the hip. He wasn’t bulky with muscles like some of the guys she’d known who worked out. They were lumpy freaks in her eyes. JC was whipcord lean, sinewy, not an ounce of fat on him. Strong muscular legs – a good thing in a lover.

JC finished hanging his slacks up. Down to his sport shorts. He turned just in time to see her shake her head, sending her midnight hair tumbling over her shoulders. Damn, it was long and thick and gorgeous. He’d always had a weakness for longhaired brunets.

“Much more even,” she announced as she moved to turn the satin brocade comforter back. “Ooh!” Satin sheets...

“Nothing’s too good for us,” JC told her as he moved behind her, nuzzling her hair aside so his mouth had access to her neck and ear. His big hands caressed her hips. “I want to learn every inch of you, honey. Every sweet, soft inch of you.” His voice was more a low throaty purr.

He was good; she’d give him that! She was wet and he hadn’t even kissed, really kissed her yet.

“What do you like?” he whispered, his teeth gently tugging at her earlobe.

Adria was ready to tear off their remaining garments and mount him like the stallion he was. “I’m not into whips, chains or pain. Other than that I’m pretty much open,” she managed breathlessly – Oh, he was good!

“Want me to go down you? Would you like that, baby?”

If he continued in that husky tone with his lips playing along the sensitive cord at the side of her neck, she was going to melt into a puddle of goo. “Yes,” she whispered.

“Then I’ll do it for you.” Sliding his fingers beneath the elastic of her thong, he tugged down until the skimpy thing fell to her feet. “I want to do that for you.”

“JC, kiss me already!” Adria commanded breathlessly. She couldn’t remember ever wanting anything more in her life. She turned to enforce her demand when the Blackberry in her purse began to hum. With a hiss of frustration, she jerked the offending thing out to answer it. “Natalucci.” Her voice was less than steady.

“Where are you, A?” came the concerned voice of her coworker Frank.

JC smiled, unperturbed by the interruption. He removed his shorts.

Oh My God! Adria saw the size of what the man had been hiding. “I—umm—I ran into a friend.”

“With benefits,” he murmured as he reached to pop open the front clasp of her bra. Nice-sized boobs – not big knockers, not flat. A happy, gorgeous medium with rose brown peaks.

“Listen, Frank. I’m fine. I’ll probably hang out here tonight.”

Wiggling his eyebrows naughtily, JC added, “You don’t exactly hang.”

She slapped at the hands attempting to grope her. "Good night, Frank. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Ringing off she put the damn thing on silent.

“We’re naked – and we haven’t even played tonsil hockey!” she accused. The seductive tone he'd set had been shattered by Frank's little reality check.

“C’mere.” JC scooped her up and laid them on the cool sheets. He lowered his head until their lips were a mere inch apart. “Let the games begin.”