and so from time to time he opened his doors to those who wished an audience

[imnotrobin]

Sam spends much of his time actually drafting speeches on behalf of the president, especially considering there's a re-election to consider, but every once in a while he starts to go cross-eyed and it's time for a break. He doesn't really mean break in the sense of "temporary closing of eyes and/or inhaling of food in the White House" but, rather, means break in the sense of actually getting to see his girlfriend face to face and sleep in a real bed.

Today is one of those days.

Sam is up to his neck in spin control and he thinks the cure for what ails him is a nice little trip to the hotel. The last few times he's tried, he hasn't gotten through, but Sam thinks that's because he genuinely was just trying to avoid work and didn't actually need the break. This time, though, he's determined to make it work and he opens his office door and steps through several times with eyes closed. He runs into a very startled intern on turn three but on turn four, he steps into the hallway in front of the suite that he sometimes, occasionally, not-often-enough visits with Ainsley in tow.

"Obviously the door is a plot device from an opera," Sam says, not checking to see if Ainsley is here yet or not. Normally they time this pretty well but he wonders, just a little, if he shouldn't have warned her before coming through so she could make her way here.

Comments

[theirlawyer]

"You're such a romantic," she accuses with all the fondness in the world. Drawing closer, Ainsley leans up to kiss his cheek and hold onto his hand, peering down a row of doors. "So which one do you think will take us to the kind of food that'll tide me over?"

[imnotrobin]

Sam assesses the doors and after a moment, he settles on a set that are mahogany. They look like they might lead to the type of restaurant he's been craving and he tips his head in that direction.

"These ones? They look classic and solid."

[theirlawyer]

"Just like you," she says, patting his very nicely defined chest. "Classic and solid and dependable and more than a little attractive," she adds, feeling inclined to expand. She leans forward to try the knob, grinning when it opens to a very fancy looking steakhouse with a view of a place that seems to have three moons.

"I wonder if they take American," she deadpans.

[imnotrobin]

"Well, we're going to have to find out," Sam says, sliding his arm around her waist to walk her into the restaurant.

"If not, I'm not above washing some dishes to pay for my lady's supper. I'm not too good for that." Though, really, it's going to be the first time Sam Seaborn's monogrammed sleeves have ever gotten damp from dishwater.

[theirlawyer]

"If you're going to wash dishes, then I might as well order dessert," she jokes as she takes his elbow and approaches the host with a charming smile. "Hi there," she says, quickly finding out that while they don't take cash, they do accept credit cards because apparently there is some very advanced trade deals between here and Earth at this point in the future.

As they get to their table, there's an amazed look on Ainsley's face. "Can you imagine politics in this kind of climate? Imagine negotiating trade deals with other planets. Imagine sanctions."

[imnotrobin]

"Imagine the extradition treaties," Sam says, his mind immediately wandering to the way the law might work."We can barely get countries with the same species to cooperate, much less different species on different planets."

[theirlawyer]

"I think we need to turn our work sides off," she says with a wary laugh, "otherwise we're going to be stuck here for the next five decades working out the best way to set up this planet as a trading partner with earth and I don't know about you, Sam, but I'm a little bit starving right now."

Though, when isn't she, is more accurate.

[imnotrobin]

"Agreed," Sam says. Still, he's itching to get his hands on some legislation from this place, even if it's just trade or something, and he knows he's going to be coming back to ask questions to satisfy his own curiosity.

"I would much rather spend time with my beautiful girlfriend."

[theirlawyer]

Ainsley gives Sam a fond smile, reaching out to tug on his fingertips as they walk to the table. "Is that what I am?" she asks, mainly wanting to hear it from his own lips. "I'm your girlfriend? Actually your girlfriend," she teases, knowing very well that she is.

[imnotrobin]

"We've been exclusive since day one," Sam says. He doesn't think this should come as a shock to Ainsley, considering he's been floating the idea of buying a house in recent weeks, but maybe it does.

"Nobody for me but you."

[theirlawyer]

"And here I thought you were married to your job, and by extension, Toby," she dryly jokes, giving him a fond smile as she leans forward to rest her hand on top of his. "Speaking of, does he know about us? I would've thought I'd have heard much more sighing if he did. Or maybe my office genuinely is too far away."

[imnotrobin]

Sam shakes his head. "No, I figured I would let you take the lead on telling anyone. I know it doesn't matter, as I'm not your boss and you're not mine and in no way have you been hired because of your relationship to me - other than the fact that you thoroughly embarrassed me on national television and the administration thought that was a good thing - but I didn't want you to think I was undermining you in any way by mentioning we were involved. That being said, if you want to tell people, I am perfectly happy to tell people."

[theirlawyer]

Ainsley gives him a warm smile for being considerate of their relationship, tapping her nails a little on the table as she leans forward and rests her forearms there. "Sam, I want to start telling people. I can tell Leo," she says, because after the embarrassment of other events, this should be a walk in the park. "You can tell Toby, and we'll just arrange for Josh to find us in a compromising position."

[imnotrobin]

"The more compromising the better, for Josh, since he's going to lose his mind when he realizes we're together."

Sam takes a special pleasure in torturing Josh Lyman and he's really glad that Ainsley can share in that with him. Besides, it's about time he gets one up on Josh. He's overdue.

[theirlawyer]

"I vote we have a camera installed, because I really, really want to see what his face looks like when he finds us. Preferably right on his desk," Ainsley airs her want, seeing as she thinks it'd be most worth it if she got recorded evidence of Josh's face after finding that out. "God help him when he realizes it's not just a fling, either."

[imnotrobin]

"He'll want to know the exact breakdown of when it happened, step by step, so he can see where he failed to pick up on it," Sam agrees. "And we're going to have so much fun lording it over him."

[theirlawyer]

Ainsley's favorite hobby probably is getting one up on Democrats, especially the ones she works with, so the joy of getting to stick it to Josh Lyman is pretty much a birthday gift presented to her early. "Do you want to place bets on whether he tries to talk you out of it, before I infect you with my small government ways?"

[imnotrobin]

"Oh, I'm not taking that bet," Sam says. "Either way, I lose. Besides, I wouldn't leave you anyway. I have confidence that I'll convince you that my side is better eventually."

[theirlawyer]

Ainsley grins and thinks of how Sam will deal with Josh finding out. "I think, after the lifetime of close calls and embarrassing events, I'm going to just let the President find out about this through the grapevine," she says, not wanting another Pink Squirrel moment. "Unless you feel strongly about it?" she offers, just in case Sam had wanted to tell him personally.

[imnotrobin]

Sam's mouth curls up in a slow, soft smile and he shakes his head.

"No, I think it's pretty much fitting that he finds out through the White House rumor mill. It's just the kind of thing he might think he orchestrated."

[theirlawyer]

"There's no way that he could think that," she insists, dubious even though that little doubt is starting to creep into her mind. "I mean, he couldn't. He didn't..." She gives Sam a wary look. "He hasn't been giving you hints and nudging you towards me, has he?"

[imnotrobin]

"That would be a no," Sam assures her. "I came out of my own volition, I absolutely promise. I always like a woman who can put me in my place."

[theirlawyer]

"Isn't it handy that I did that to you within the first fifteen minutes of meeting you?" She isn't even bragging at this point so much as she's stating something factual. "Your buddy was so convinced that I was this meek little Republican who'd falter in the face of your handsome face," she accuses. "It made the victory that much sweeter."

[imnotrobin]

Sam sighs a little bit and gives Ainsley a sort of sheepish smile. "Well, there's that. I guess I deserved it."

He leans in and touches her hand a little, curling his fingers around hers. "And do I deserve this, too?"

[theirlawyer]

Ainsley smiles and takes hold of his hand, grinning as her heart speeds up a little. "Sam, you deserve everything you want," she promises, staring at him with adoration. "I haven't really had a serious relationship like this. I sort of stopped considering I would ever get one. Until you."