For the Record (Record #3)(58)

“I’ve never been more sure. I don’t want to control you or your decisions. If you don’t want to move in with me yet, please tell me, but know that I want nothing more than to have you with me all the time,” Brady said, his voice laced with power and seduction that came with a life built for politics.

“Okay,” she whispered without another moment of hesitation. “I’ll move in with you.”

Chapter 19

ROAD TRIP

When they returned from New York City, Brady hired someone to move Liz up to D.C. A box of clothes and some toiletries were sent to his house in Raleigh for when they were in North Carolina, but otherwise her life now officially belonged with Brady.

He had wanted to have her car shipped up to D.C. for her, but she thought that was ridiculous. It was only a five-hour drive and she had done it before by herself. She badgered Brady enough about how stupid it was to ship her car no matter the cost that he finally gave up. It was a mini victory.

When the time came and she had the backseat full of stuff that she didn’t trust the moving company with, she offered to drive Brady to the airport.

He gave her a reproachful look. “You think I’m letting you drive the five hours without me?”

Liz’s mouth dropped open. “Do you drive anywhere?”

“I remember driving you to my lake house and back.”

“That’s different. This isn’t necessary.”

“Will I get to spend the five hours in the car with you?” he asked.

“Well, yeah . . .”

“Then it’s necessary.”

“Brady, you don’t have time. Heather is going to flip. You have that rally to get ready for this weekend. It’s the kickoff for the campaign. Aren’t you supposed to be in meetings?” Liz asked.

She did not want to be blamed for this. Even if Liz hadn’t heard from Heather since Brady bitched the other woman out, Liz could still feel her disapproval across state lines.

“What did I tell you about worrying about Heather? Leave her to me. You’ll see enough of her once the campaign starts. No use worrying what she thinks now,” Brady told her. “Now hand over the keys so we can get going.”

“Ex-excuse me?” Liz stuttered, clutching the keys to her chest.

“I’m driving.”

“Um . . . no.”

Brady put his hand out. “I always drive.”

“You always drive your cars. You’ll have to take shotgun and be happy with it.” She slid into the front seat without listening to another complaint from him.

She knew that she was pushing his buttons a little in the process, but when he sat in the passenger seat she felt immense satisfaction. He would comply if she were adamant enough. Not that she had any intention of getting rid of the dominant side of her boyfriend, but she didn’t mind ordering him around a bit.

The drive to D.C. was all sorts of awesome for Liz, who found out that Brady actually liked late-nineties boy bands and Disney music, which came up randomly on her iPod.

“What? I have a younger sister,” he argued.

Liz just giggled and sang along to the ★NSYNC song that came on next.

He wasn’t in the car long enough anymore to listen to audiobooks, he told her, but he used to listen to them all the time before he got into Congress. He said it was harder to concentrate on them when he was flying. She only had the last Harry Potter audiobook tucked away in her car, but she found no complaints from him when she switched over to that for the second half of the ride.

The only thing that interrupted their impromptu road trip was a call from Heather. Brady silenced the radio.

“Do you have to answer that?” Liz asked, glancing over at his cell phone in the car.

“She can’t be that mad that I’m going to be three hours late, can she?”

“Are we talking about the same Heather?”

“It’ll be fine. Just don’t drive us off the road.”

“If she asks, you make sure to tell her that I told you to fly,” Liz told him.

Brady just laughed and answered the phone. “Hey.”

“Hey! Hey?” Heather shrieked through the phone loud enough for Liz to hear. Brady shrugged and put it on speaker. “Hey is all you have to say?”

“How can I help you?” Liz snickered into her hand and Brady pressed a finger to his mouth.

“You were supposed to be here thirty minutes ago, Brady. We have the rally on Friday. Alex wants to talk strategy. There is a lot going on. More important things than moving your girlfriend when you’ve already hired a moving company. Where are you?” she demanded.

“I’m on my way to D.C.”

“You’re talking to me from the airplane?”

“Car actually.”

Heather breathed out heavily. Liz could almost picture her closing her eyes and pinching her brows. “You’re driving back to D.C.?”

“I’d consider myself more of a passenger. Liz is driving.”

“I’m just glad you don’t have to be in Congress today. You’re acting like a teenager. Are you forgetting all of your responsibilities for this girl?”

Liz blushed at the statement. She felt ashamed at stealing so much of his time. She didn’t want to take him away from everything that was important to him. But the venom in his eyes stilled her thoughts.