Read Online Seduced By The Candidate (The Candidate, #1) by Beth Klein - Free Book Online
Authors: Beth Klein
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floor would open up and swallow her immediately. Another part recalled the
look in Goulding’s eyes as she had turned away. It had been full of fun, but
also something else, perhaps a look of wanton yearning. Surely not, but she
couldn’t be sure. It could have meant anything.
* * *
Having wrapped up the visit to the community center, the party
moved on to its final destination for the day; a visit with the local
Evangelist movement and an evening meal in his honor. Goulding was tired and
his perfectly cultivated demeanor was becoming more and more tested with the
constant demands of his expectant audience. Still, this was the real reason for
this whole visit and he had no intention of going through the enforced
hardships of the Memphian Industries office complex and the Elvis Presley
community center to fall at the final hurdle.
As any Republican knows, win the Evangelists and you’ve won
ninety percent of the battle. It was unprecedented for an organization so
hugely averse to sex before marriage to nail its colors to the flag of a young,
unmarried Presidential candidate and yet they had. His sincere approach, strong
values and charismatic appeal had won them over.
This was very much John Lyndsey’s finest achievement. Everyone
else had told him that it couldn’t be done. John had merely said that it would
be hard, but nothing was impossible. They had spent many long hours discussing
the situation and strategizing about how it could be turned to their advantage
and all of their diligent planning had eventually paid off.
Baring an outrageous stroke of bad luck, or revelations that no
one, no matter how good they were could swing in his favor, they were his and
tonight’s speech would merely serve to cement the deal. Bill Goulding would be
the first single President of modern times and he had no intention of achieving
it quietly, with a closely fought out and tentative campaign. He intended to do
it with no small amount of panache and acclaim.
He would wow and amaze his adoring followers and leave them
with absolutely no doubt that he was not only the right person to represent
them, but that he was the right man to lead the most powerful nation in the
world. Bill Goulding was good for America and after tonight, even the swing
nations would have no doubt of that fact.
Television cameras would convey his message not only to the
country, but thanks to modern broadcasting it would reach every corner of the
globe. By tomorrow morning he would grace the front page of every major
newspaper on the planet. The thought sent shivers down his spine and for the
first time that day he smiled, completely unprompted by camera crews.
Jake Armstrong never took his eyes off Goulding as they filed
into the big hall and the formal handshakes and grateful acknowledgements began
in earnest. He was also tired and his head throbbed from the hours spent in
unbroken focus and concentration, but he knew that this would be his biggest
test. A huge, open hall with several exits, even more
windows, and hundreds of people milling around, desperate to get close enough
to shake Goulding’s hand.
Or plunge a knife into his chest.
Or pull out a gun and open fire.
He shook the weariness from his head. The possibilities for a
covert attack were seemingly endless and he only had himself to rely on if
things turned nasty. This was an unacceptable risk in his opinion and he would
never have allowed such a rash choice of venue had he been in charge of the
detail at the time it was organized.
One thing was for sure, he would never permit Goulding to be
placed in such un-protected surrounds again. If he could just get through
tonight, he could breathe easy once again. Focus, commitment and proximity were
all he could fall back on tonight and he would make sure that he was never more
than a few meters away from Goulding while he was here, in case he needed to…
What was the best word? Intervene.
Jake thought for a
look in Goulding’s eyes as she had turned away. It had been full of fun, but
also something else, perhaps a look of wanton yearning. Surely not, but she
couldn’t be sure. It could have meant anything.
* * *
Having wrapped up the visit to the community center, the party
moved on to its final destination for the day; a visit with the local
Evangelist movement and an evening meal in his honor. Goulding was tired and
his perfectly cultivated demeanor was becoming more and more tested with the
constant demands of his expectant audience. Still, this was the real reason for
this whole visit and he had no intention of going through the enforced
hardships of the Memphian Industries office complex and the Elvis Presley
community center to fall at the final hurdle.
As any Republican knows, win the Evangelists and you’ve won
ninety percent of the battle. It was unprecedented for an organization so
hugely averse to sex before marriage to nail its colors to the flag of a young,
unmarried Presidential candidate and yet they had. His sincere approach, strong
values and charismatic appeal had won them over.
This was very much John Lyndsey’s finest achievement. Everyone
else had told him that it couldn’t be done. John had merely said that it would
be hard, but nothing was impossible. They had spent many long hours discussing
the situation and strategizing about how it could be turned to their advantage
and all of their diligent planning had eventually paid off.
Baring an outrageous stroke of bad luck, or revelations that no
one, no matter how good they were could swing in his favor, they were his and
tonight’s speech would merely serve to cement the deal. Bill Goulding would be
the first single President of modern times and he had no intention of achieving
it quietly, with a closely fought out and tentative campaign. He intended to do
it with no small amount of panache and acclaim.
He would wow and amaze his adoring followers and leave them
with absolutely no doubt that he was not only the right person to represent
them, but that he was the right man to lead the most powerful nation in the
world. Bill Goulding was good for America and after tonight, even the swing
nations would have no doubt of that fact.
Television cameras would convey his message not only to the
country, but thanks to modern broadcasting it would reach every corner of the
globe. By tomorrow morning he would grace the front page of every major
newspaper on the planet. The thought sent shivers down his spine and for the
first time that day he smiled, completely unprompted by camera crews.
Jake Armstrong never took his eyes off Goulding as they filed
into the big hall and the formal handshakes and grateful acknowledgements began
in earnest. He was also tired and his head throbbed from the hours spent in
unbroken focus and concentration, but he knew that this would be his biggest
test. A huge, open hall with several exits, even more
windows, and hundreds of people milling around, desperate to get close enough
to shake Goulding’s hand.
Or plunge a knife into his chest.
Or pull out a gun and open fire.
He shook the weariness from his head. The possibilities for a
covert attack were seemingly endless and he only had himself to rely on if
things turned nasty. This was an unacceptable risk in his opinion and he would
never have allowed such a rash choice of venue had he been in charge of the
detail at the time it was organized.
One thing was for sure, he would never permit Goulding to be
placed in such un-protected surrounds again. If he could just get through
tonight, he could breathe easy once again. Focus, commitment and proximity were
all he could fall back on tonight and he would make sure that he was never more
than a few meters away from Goulding while he was here, in case he needed to…
What was the best word? Intervene.
Jake thought for a
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