Samba

by Speranza

Josh bursts into CJ's office, takes her by the hand, and twirls her in some weird parody of the samba just because she's baited some idiot congressman into saying something idiotic. It's not like it's that hard or anything, and besides: that's what she does. Claudia Jean: Communications Ninja.

So it's just another day at the office, but it all goes wrong when, at the end of their goofy dance, Josh yanks her hard against his chest. For a second they are nose to nose, and then their mouths touch, and then they're kissing, and that—wait--

"Okay, this is wrong," CJ says breathlessly, breaking it off.

Josh's brown eyes are wide and panicked. "Yeah, this is bad. This is like, I don't know, like an incest thing or something."

CJ puts a few inches between them, her hands gripping his shoulders. "We got excited, that's all. It doesn't mean anything."

"It was a comfort thing," Josh says, and she can see he's testing it, like maybe he wants Joey Lucas to put a poll in the field. "Or celebrating," he amends. "We were celebrating, right? Celebrating and comforting each other, in celebration."

Except that doesn't sound so bad. "Okay," CJ says, and then: "Wait. So what's wrong with--?" and then she's kissing Josh, and he tastes spicy and good and his tongue is in her mouth. He pushes her back against the desk and she laughs and says, breathlessly, "Actually, I always did mean to take you for a test drive."

He kisses her again, hungrily, hands are skimming up her sides, and then he suddenly breaks it off and says, in a cracking voice, "Okay, pressure--I don't think I can handle that kind of pressure."

She frowns. "I thought you were good under pressure."

"I am!" Josh says, his voice going high, "but does there have to be so damn much of it?"

She puts her arms around him. He closes his eyes. "Okay, fine," she says, biting her lip against a smile. "You keep your dick to yourself."

"I will!" Josh says, but he's hugging her back, and his cheek is warm against hers.

"There's a bottle of scotch in my desk," CJ says.

"Bring it!" he says, and a moment later, he murmurs into her hair. "You know, I love you beyond reason, Claudia Jean. You are my favorite tall, tall woman in the world."

She hits him, tears pricking her eyes. "I love you too, Sparky," and then she leans up to press a soft, grateful kiss to his mouth, this man who's been here for her for so long. Electricity flashes between them as she strokes her fingers down his jaw.

"Oh, what the hell," Josh says. "I'll man up," and then he pulls her to the couch.

The End

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