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Donna walks into Josh’s apartment, shivering violently from the cold, and stops in her tracks when she sees the mess he’s managed to make in 12 hours since she saw him last. There are papers strewn everywhere, a coffee cup and a couple Red Bull cans on the table, and chinese takeout containers littering the kitchen island. She huffs and takes off her coat and boots, lining them up by the door, and bypasses the mess to go to the bedroom to change. He’s nowhere to be found and she didn’t see his keys anywhere, so she’s assuming he’s still at the office.
After they got back from vacation a few days ago, she thought that he’d be a little less Josh-like and start taking better care of himself. That lasted a whole 10 hours until they got to the office the following morning and all hell had broken loose on the VP. She hasn’t had much chance to catch up on it all since she’s now running her own staff, but she’s heard bits and pieces. She knows this is a big job for him and that he feels the need to prove himself to Santos and the country, but this is ridiculous.
Once she’s changed into comfier clothes, she takes a look around the apartment again and puts her hands on her hips. She loves Josh and she knows he loves her, but she can’t live like this. She can’t live with this and though he asked her to stay with him, something’s gotta change or she’s getting her own place.
She’s not his assistant anymore and she’s not his mother. He’s a grown man and she thinks it’s high time that he learns to do a little better, so she’s pulling out the big guns. She goes to the fridge for some water and calls his cell.
“Hey, stranger.”
“Hey, yourself,” she responds, heading back into the bedroom without picking up the mess he’s left. “It’s almost 9. I thought we had a deal?”
He sighs and she can picture him running his hand over his face so clearly. “I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t expect this shit show immediately once we got home.”
“Speaking of shit shows, you should see your apartment.”
He winces. “I meant to clean that up.”
“Mhmm,” she says skeptically. “The President-elect left the office an hour ago, Josh. I know because my boss left with him. There’s nothing more you can do tonight.”
“You’re already home?”
“I’m in your bed and in that super soft gray Wesleyan shirt you love so much,” she replies, toying with the hem of his tee. “I haven’t seen you all day. I miss you.” She makes her voice extra low and pouty, knowing the effect it has on him and she isn’t disappointed.
He blows out a breath. “Is there anything under that shirt?”
She grins. “You’ll have to come home and find out.”
“Give me 20 minutes,” he says and she can hear him gathering various items from his desk.
“I don’t know,” she says, yawning. “I might be asleep by then.”
“10 minutes.”
“You might make it in time,” she teases. “If you leave right now.”
“I’m out the door.”
“I’ll see you soon, then,” she replies and hangs up the phone.
She waits patiently, flicking through an errant memo on his side of the bed on farm subsidies. She smirks when the front door opens after only 9 minutes. He must’ve sped through the back way to bypass the main drag. She doesn’t say anything, just puts the memo back on his bedside table as he comes ambling through the bedroom door looking like he ran here with how rumpled he is.
“Hi,” he says, already loosening his tie as he walks over to her. He leans down to kiss her quickly before going into the closet and stripping his suit off. “How was your day?”
“Fine,” she calls, leaning back on the pillows and bringing a knee up toward her chest. “We just looked at more houses all day. I can’t wait for the admin stuff to be done so we can really get going.”
“They thinkin’ Blair House?”
“I think so.”
Josh comes out in just his boxers, no undershirt, and she bites her lip. He’s still got a nice healthy glow from their trip last week and a shot of lust shoots to her core. He smirks at her, reading her mind, and he climbs over her, his hand sliding up her bare thigh.
“Hi,” he whispers again, kissing her more thoroughly this time.
“Hi.”
“I missed you today.”
“Yeah?”
He nods and slips his hand under her shirt, humming satisfactorily when he feels her bare breasts. “Very much.”
Donna wraps her arms around his shoulders and scratches at his back while running her bare toes up his calf. “What did you miss about me the most?”
He trails kisses across her cheek before leaning back and grinning at her. “Well, your hair is pretty great,” he notes and she hums in agreement as she brings her hands up and into his. “These, too,” he says and palms her breasts. She rolls her eyes when he pulls at the collar to peek down her shirt. “We’ve become very close recently, haven’t we, guys?”
“You’re ridiculous.”
Josh just gives her a cheeky smile, his dimples out in full force as he leans in to kiss her again. “But this mouth.” He gives her a longer kiss. “Definitely missed this the most.”
“That’s better,” she murmurs, drawing her fingernail up his spine and smiling when he shivers. “How was your day? What’s with Baker?”
Josh groans and collapses on top of her, snuggling into her neck. “I don’t wanna hear the words Baker or vice president for the rest of the week.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Can we just trade off tomorrow? I’ll go house and school shopping with Helen and you can deal with the politics?”
She chuckles and tightens her hold around his shoulders. “Sure, but, I gotta say, I think Amy is right on choosing Gels—“
“Okay,” Josh interrupts, leaning off of her. “That whole turning me on thing you had going is gone now.”
Donna just laughs again and shrugs her shoulders. “I hardly ever think she’s right, but you could make even bigger history than you already have, Josh. Instead of putting another white man next to your Latino president, you could put a woman instead. A very smart woman, by the way. She would do a great job.”
Josh lets out a big exhale as he rolls onto his side, his head propped up on his elbow. “Are you gonna fight me on this, too? ‘Cause I already went 12 rounds today.”
“No,” she replies, scooching down until she’s eye level with him. “I am gonna go back to doing that turning you on thing though.”
He grins when she rolls him onto his back, his hands spreading her thighs so she’s straddling him. “I like your initiative,” he murmurs, craning his neck to kiss her as he massages her ass. “You wanna be VP?”
“I’d be good.” She kisses down his jaw to nibble his earlobe. “My first order of business would be making you clean up that mess in the kitchen.”
Josh moans softly when she grinds down on top of him and he runs his fingertips up her belly and around her nipples, making her clench her thighs. He slips his hands inside her underwear and thrusts up into her so she can feel what she’s doing to him.
“Later,” he breathes. “I’m a little busy.”
She’s about to protest, but he grinds into just the right place and she forgets her argument as he rolls over on top of her.
* * *
Josh wakes up cold the next morning and he frowns, reaching behind him for Donna. His hands come up empty, so he rolls over to find a piece of paper on her pillow. He blinks and has to squint to make out her illegible scrawl.
East Side emergency. I reset your alarm - President-elect’s direct order. Come find me when you get in. xoxo D
He’s sure she meant President-elect and not President- erect, but he groans when he sees it’s already 7:30. He takes a speed shower and drives to the office, stopping for coffee on the way. He’s late already, there’s no reason why he can’t add an extra 10 minutes for some double-shot espresso from Starbucks.
Once he gets to the OEOB, he drops his bag at his office before making his way to Donna’s with the coffee he’s bought her. He sees a donut box sitting on Otto’s desk so he snags one, scarfing it down quickly before Donna sees, and he knocks on her door.
“Hey, lazy bones,” she says, a cheshire smile on her lips. “Is that for me?”
He hands her the coffee cup. “How did I not wake up when you left?”
Her grin grows wider. “You were pretty tuckered out, loverboy.”
Josh hums and he crowds her against her desk. “It’s not much fun waking up alone after a night like that, you know.”
“Poor baby,” she murmurs, pulling him by his tie so she can kiss him. She frowns as she pulls back and kisses him again, questioningly this time. “You had a donut, didn’t you?”
He schools his face into pure innocence. “No.”
“You are such a liar,” she accuses, shaking her head and pushing at his shoulders. “You know, I bought fruit and yogurt. It’s right there in the kitchen. That room you’ve been using as a landfill?”
He rolls his head around his shoulders. “Come on, Donna. It was one little donut. I’ll have a salad for lunch.”
“Oh, I think you’ll do a little better than that,” she states primly, sitting in her chair and sipping on her coffee. “‘Cause I’m not kissing you again until you get it together.”
He frowns. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, the mess in the apartment, Josh. I’m sure those day old chinese cartons are still on the island collecting bugs and dust because I’m not cleaning up after you. You’re a grown man and this is a grown-up relationship and since my years of nagging hasn’t worked, I’m gonna switch up my tactics now that I have a little more leverage.”
“But,” he argues, gesturing with his hand, “you can’t take kisses away from me! I just got them, that’s not fair.”
She shrugs, seemingly unbothered. “Shoulda thought of that before you took that donut from Otto’s desk.”
“Donna!” he exclaims, frantic now. “So I got a little messy this week. We’re in transition! I’m about to be Chief of Staff! I’m busy. I can’t not kiss my girlfriend.”
“Think of it as a challenge. You love to win and your reward will be me,” she says, smiling up at him. “Because no kisses also means no sex.”
“Okay,” he laughs, completely indignant now. “No. Nope. You can’t withhold the sex, not after last night. I’m pretty sure my soul is still floating somewhere above my body,” he says, flicking his fingers above his head.
Donna chuckles and starts typing up an email. “You’re a smart boy, Josh. You’ll figure it out.”
“Donna—“
“Don’t you have work to do?”
He stares at her, his mouth open in disbelief. “You’re not even gonna kiss me goodbye?”
“Nope, you can try again tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
She looks up at him. “The donut, Josh.”
He shakes his head incredulously. “You’re bluffing.”
“I’m really not.”
“But last night—“
“Was incredibly amazing sex that I absolutely want to do again,” she agrees, nodding her head. “But if abstinence will help you get back on track, then…” she shrugs.
“What the hell just happened,” he mutters, mostly to himself and Donna grins.
“You’ll catch up, honey.”
He huffs and squares his shoulders. “Fine. I’ll play your little game, Donnatella.”
“Wise choice,” she says, looking up at him through her lashes. ”I’ll see you later, handsome.”
Josh acts like he’s about to protest, then thinks better of it before spinning on his heel and leaving her office without another word.
* * *
Donna finds her day flying by. She’s got most of her staff picked out and she and Helen are finding their rhythm. She’s been out of the office for most of the day as she helps with house viewing and other home-life bullet points for the soon to be First Family. They have to look at schools still which will probably take the rest of the week, so she didn’t have time to see Josh except when he brought her coffee.
By the time she gets to the apartment, it’s already 9:30 and she smirks to herself when she gets inside. It’s spotless. There are vacuum marks on the floor, the shirts hanging from the cardio machine are gone, the table is nice and organized, and there isn’t a single container in the kitchen. Josh waltzes out of the bedroom with a smug smile on his face.
“Well?”
“Very nice,” she applauds, setting her bag on the desk by the door. “Did Sam help you vacuum?”
Josh scoffs, but Donna gives him a look. “He did the kitchen,” he mumbles and she laughs. “I did everything else, though.”
She walks around, pretending to inspect everything, and nods her head satisfactorily as she kicks off her heels. “Do you want the leftover chicken I made yesterday?”
“I actually already made dinner,” he says proudly and skips ahead of her to the kitchen. “It’s nothing fancy, but…”
Donna has to bite her lip and fist her cardigan to stop herself from kissing him when she sees the pot of pasta and bowl of salad on the counter. He’s so incredibly irritating, but then he does stuff like make her dinner or whisk her away on a last minute vacation and she forgets what she found so annoying in the first place.
“You’re very sweet,” she murmurs and he puffs his chest out.
“Some would even say kissable.”
She hums and pats his chest before bringing the dishes over to the kitchen table. “I don’t kiss men who’ve had jelly donuts.”
“Babe, come on,” he whines and he grabs her waist. “Just a little one. No tongue.”
She giggles and tries to twist out of his arms, but he holds on. “Josh, dinner’s getting cold.”
“So are my lips!”
“I think you’re being a little over dramatic. You did get 2 kisses this morning.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t know they’d be my only ones for the day. I would’ve done it better.”
“You shoulda thought of that before you ate that donut,” she says and pats his cheek before stepping out of his hold. “You can try again tomorrow. I have total faith in you.”
He grumbles and follows her to the table. “But I cleaned the apartment.”
“Yes and you did a good job.”
“So, then my offenses should be taken off the docket. It’s grounds for acquittal.”
She chuckles and dishes some pasta onto her plate. “Are you a lawyer or something?” she teases as she takes a bite and moans. “This is so good, honey.”
Josh only stares at her as she eats, his plate still empty. “You’re really not gonna kiss me.”
“I told you—“
“Yeah, the donut, I know.” He stands and goes to the fridge for a beer. Donna gives him a look. “What?”
“Nothing,” she shrugs. “I didn’t say anything.”
“Can I not have beer either?”
“You can have whatever you want. I’m not your mother.”
“Yeah, but if I eat donuts, I’m apparently not allowed to kiss you and I was given no warning on this new rule. So. Before I consume anything else, I just wanna make sure it’s not gonna, I don’t know, take away hugging next.”
“Josh, I just want to help you think a little more about what you put in your body and how you take care of yourself.”
“It’s sexless manipulation.”
She shrugs and shoves more pasta in her mouth. “It’s not sexless if you do it correctly.”
“I didn’t know I was doing it incorrectly!”
He sits back down, sans beer, and Donna takes pity on him when he gives her his crazy eyes. “Josh, I want this to work,” she murmurs. “And I know you’ve never lived with a woman before and this is still new to both of us, but I don’t want bad habits to start on either of our ends.” She rubs his forearm. “I don’t want to be the annoying girlfriend who tells you what to do or what to eat. I guess I just…” she looks down, growing shy, but he lifts her chin. “I want you to factor me into your decisions. Even if it’s just a stupid little thought like ‘will Donna still kiss me if I eat this jelly donut’.”
He smiles at her and brushes her cheek before dropping his hand from her face. “It’s hard to stay annoyed when you say stuff like that, you know.”
Donna smirks. “You’ll get used to it.”
He leans forward automatically and she looks at him before turning her head slightly and pointing to her cheek. He grumbles good-naturedly, but obliges, giving her a sweet peck before leaning back and finally putting food on his plate. “I do, by the way.”
“What?”
“Factor you in.”
She looks up at him, a soft look on her face. “Really?”
“Yeah, really. Why do you think I ask you a thousand questions every night? I have a running list in my head of things I want your opinion on.”
“I always thought you just needed a warm body to talk out loud to.”
He looks over at her incredulously. “Donna, I need you.”
She blinks, her eyes starting to get watery, and before she can stop herself she grabs his face and kisses him firmly on the mouth. He smiles against her and brings a hand to the back of her head to keep her close, kissing her back in equal measure until she pulls back.
“It’s hard to stay annoyed when you say stuff like that,” she says, parroting his words from earlier, and his grin widens.
“You’ll get used to it,” he whispers, tucking her hair behind her ear and sitting back in his seat to finish eating.
“You’re still not getting any sex tonight,” she says, trying to be stern, but she can’t wipe the goofy grin off her face.
Josh shrugs. “I’ll serve my penance.”
“And that kiss didn’t count.”
He smirks. “Of course it didn't.”
She nods, satisfied. “You were smart putting the beer back. I was about to take away your cuddle privileges.”
He drops his fork and points at her accusingly. “Okay, see, this is what I’m talking about. I can’t play the game if I don’t know the rules!”
Donna laughs and squeezes his thigh. “You’re a quick study.”
He watches her as she finishes the pasta and salad before she gets up to put her plate in the dishwasher. “Hey,” he says, snagging her arm when she walks past him again. He looks up at her and she brushes his hair back with her palm. “I’m really glad you’re here. And I know I’m a messy pain in the ass, but I want this to work, too and you deserve someone who has their shit together, so… that’s what I’m gonna do.” He rests the back of his head against her stomach. “Plus, you know,” he cocks his head, “I wanna have lots of sex with you.”
She pinches his ear. “You were doing so well.”
“I mean, lots of sex— copious, unlimited amounts of sex. I’m talkin’ anytime, anywhere. I’m your man.”
Donna whacks him up the side of the head before making her way down the hall to the bathroom. “Why don’t you do some dishes, cowboy. Earn your keep.”
“It’s my apartment.”
She turns around and gives him a heavy look. “I meant with me.”
Donna walks away, smirking when he groans, and she hears him bang his head against the table before the chair slides back. He doesn’t follow her to the bedroom and she smiles when she hears the sink running. Maybe he is trainable after all.
A yawn wracks through her and she stretches before washing her face and rummaging around the closet for some pajamas. Her feet hurt from being in heels all day and when she’s finally in Josh’s baggy clothing, she crawls into bed and hugs her pillow, her eyes closing instantly. She ignores him when he comes in, her eyes staying closed, but she grins when she feels him slide in next to her. He gently rolls her to her other side so he can cozy up behind her and tangle their legs together as he burrows into her neck.
“So much better than beer,” he murmurs and she smiles.
“I’m glad you think so.”
He kisses her t-shirt clad shoulder and lets out a big sigh, holding her tighter for a beat. “Donna?”
“Hm?”
He slides his fingers over her skin, drawing restless patterns. “This is gonna last, right?”
“What’s gonna last?”
“This,” he murmurs. “Us. You and me.”
She snuggles deeper into him and grabs his hand, lacing their fingers and resting them under her chin. “If I have anything to say about it, yes.”
He nods against her. “Good.” He rests his forehead against her hair and breathes her in. “And just so you know, I plan on never going a day without kissing you. You can keep bartering with sex if you want, but I need your lips on mine at least once every day.”
“I think I can work with that.” Donna smiles and kisses the back of his hand. “But cuddle privileges are still on the line.”
“And you’re not gonna tell me explicit terms,” he states rather than questions.
“This is much more fun.”
He grumbles behind her, but lets the topic drop. “Did you get your staff picks?”
“Most of them. I have a couple I wanna run by you tomorrow though before I pull the trigger.”
“I’ll be back and forth all day, just have your assistant get at Otto.” Donna laughs quietly. “What?”
“It’s just— I used to be your assistant and now we’re here and I have my own assistant. It’s weird.”
“What’s weirder is that sometimes I forget that you were my assistant,” he says. “This is already so normal to me, it’s weird that we weren’t always like this.”
“That's because you’ve had no boundaries since day 1. I mean, you literally dropped your stained pants right in front of me while we were in your office later that night.”
He chuckles in her ear. “You were a cute blonde who just told me you didn’t have a boyfriend. I couldn’t help it. I had a perfect opportunity.”
“Pervert,” she teases and he bites her shoulder playfully.
“You weren’t so subtle either, my friend.”
“What do you mean?” she asks, affronted. “I was the picture of professionalism.”
“A certain red bikini is seared into my brain.”
“I was in Florida for the first time,” she argues. “Pardon me for wanting a little swim and sun time. Not all of us are maniacs, Joshua.”
“I think I actually swallowed my tongue when I saw you with CJ and Carol.”
“It looked like you were broken. I don’t think you blinked for a solid 90 seconds.”
He stretches and his pelvis knocks into her backside, making her tingle when she feels a hardness pressing against her, but she stays strong. He drops her hand and runs his fingers up and down her side, his face still buried in her shoulder.
“You’ve short circuited my brain a lot over the years.”
”I know,” Donna smirks. “That’s why I always got ready for my dates at work.”
Josh pinches her hip. “All those balls and galas and fundraisers we’ve been to… you were always so beautiful.”
“As opposed to now?” she asks amusedly, running her hand over his arm.
“Especially now,” he murmurs, resting his lips on her shoulder, but not really kissing her. “I knew back then that I’d do anything for you. All you had to do was look at me and I was a goner.”
Donna turns around in his arms. “You’re laying it on pretty thick tonight,” she notes.
“I wanna make it as hard as possible for you to not kiss me.”
She grins and catches sight of the alarm clock blinking 12:02am. “You’re out on bail as of 2 minutes ago,” she murmurs, sliding her leg between his as he looks back at the clock. His eyes are bright when he turns back to her and she doesn’t have to say another word before his lips are on hers. She feels his palm sliding toward her ass and she blocks his momentum. “Sex ban is still in effect for another 8 hours.”
Josh just smiles and rolls her onto her back, his lips still pressing against hers. “This is all I need,” he murmurs, his hand moving to her face to brush over her cheek. “Every day, Donna.”
“You promise?”
He pulls back so he can see her face, her eyes vulnerable at the heavy question, but his dimples only deepen as he nods his head. “I promise.”
“Good,” she breathes, pulling him to her again. “Show me some more.”