"What happened to your meeting today? " Abbey asked, as she lifted Jed's hands from where they had cupped over her rear.

"The exact thing that you knew was going to happen when you mentioned that massage oil." He began to nuzzle her neck. Abbey pushed at his chest trying to break contact with his lips.

"I merely mentioned a purchase that I made."

"Merely mentioned it, did you?" His hands began to make their way up under her tank top. "And did you just happen to mention in passing that you wanted to play with me below the belt."

"Well," she grinned. "That might have slipped in there. But, I just meant to keep you from setting up any more meetings. I didn't expect you to come rushing home this morning. God, Jed, you'd think I never give you any."

"I can never get enough of you, baby." He wiggled his eyebrows at her in a way that made Abbey smile. " Sometimes I think you do descend from those Salem witches and you cast a spell on me that makes me want you…and want you…and want you." The words were spoken as he nibbled along her jaw and ended with a little nip to her earlobe.

"Jed, you know they weren't really…witches," Abbey groaned out the last word as Jed's hands found their way up under her tank top to cup over her bare breasts.

"Well, you did something to put me under your spell, woman." He flicked a thumb over her nipple and felt her fingernails dig into his arms in response. "But, speaking of witches, where is that massage oil?"

"Jed, we can't." Slowly the reason came back to Abbey and she began to push his hands off her breasts.

"Of course we can."

"Did you bring Zoey home with you?"

"Yes."

"So right now we have a house full of kids who are expecting us to be down any second for breakfast. For a brilliant man you really do let a certain part of your anatomy rule your better judgement." She began to walk away and Jed couldn't help the sigh of disappointment as he watched the sway of her hips and rear in those skimpy little panties. God she has a great ass, he thought, and not for the first time. It took a supreme amount of willpower not to pounce her and take her from behind, but she was right as usual. They did have a bunch of kids waiting downstairs for them.

"It's the spell, you tempting little witch, the spell." He gave her a sharp little spank to the butt as he passed her. Abbey moved to retaliate but both heard the crying child outside the bedroom door just before the door opened.

Annie stood there with Nicholas in her arms. She was obviously taken aback at finding Abbey in her underwear just about to smack Jed on the rear. The girl blushed a deep red, knowing she was supposed to knock first, but she'd had no idea that Abbey wasn't alone. When it was a house full of women they took it for granted that they could come and go at will, and Nicky's pain had created a sense of urgency.

"MAMA!" the baby's plaintive cry and outstretched arms ended the awkward moment. Abbey took him from Annie.

"What happened?" She asked.

"He stubbed his toe on the step from the porch to the kitchen and it's bleeding." Abbey couldn't hold the boy and check his foot at the same time so she past the screaming baby into Jed's arms and grabbed his little foot. Sure enough his big toe was slightly swollen and the nail rimmed with blood. Abbey manipulated the toe, her expert fingers feeling for definitive broken bones.

"Sshh…it's okay, sport. Daddy's got you," Jed murmured into his son's sweaty brow. Nicholas tried to squirm and kick at his mother while he buried his face in his father's chest.

"I don't think anything's broken," Abbey finally pronounced. "He just ripped his toenail a bit. "Let's get him to the bathroom and clean it up."

Nicholas screamed the whole time Jed ran his toe under cold water. Abbey glanced up at her husband's ashen face from time to time while she cleansed their son's cut with peroxide and put a Scooby Doo Band-Aid on it. She wasn't sure who this was harder on, father or son. Jed had never dealt well with she or the kids being in pain. He could be as stoic as they came with his own pain, but watching his kids cry could truly do him in. Sometimes it still amazed her that he'd been able to push that weakness aside to be with her, coaching, supporting and comforting her through all of her labors and the births of every one of their children, along with the two miscarriages.

Nicky's cries did begin to soften as, first his mother and then his father kissed his tiny toe to make it feel better.

"You're a very brave big boy, Nicky," Abbey told him. "Do you think a Popsicle might make you feel a little better?"

Nicholas hiccuped and nodded his head affirmatively. "Possicle."

"A Popsicle before breakfast?" Jed feigned astonishment. "You're getting to be a softie in your old age."

"Watch who you're calling old, buster."

****

Back downstairs Jed put his priorities in order and moved out on to the now baby gated porch to play with his two youngest children. They were such a handful at this age. Demanding and fussy and egocentric at one moment, charming and affectionate the next. Watching them bumbling around on their still not so steady legs as they explored their surroundings then simply falling to their well padded rears when they'd had enough caused Jed's chest to swell with love and with pride. He grinned watching Nicholas single-mindedly pound his little wooden pegs into their proper holes, then glare at Aislinn when she grabbed one of the pegs.

"Mine," he told her and yanked it roughly out of her hand. Aislinn's lip began to quiver but before she could retaliate by hitting her brother Jed stepped in.

"Nicholas, that wasn't very nice. You need to share your toys with your sister. Aislinn," he turned to his daughter. "Why don't you bring Daddy your book and I'll read you a story."

The incident forgotten, Aislinn moved to get the big picture book of farm animals she'd been playing with.

By the time Abbey joined them Jed was seated with both his daughter and son on the porch swing and the three of them were laughing as they quacked like ducks and oinked like pigs. Aislinn especially liked the way her father snorted like a pig and pretended to use his snout to tickle her neck.

"Agin, dadda," she giggled, "Agin, agin."

"Sorry to disturb you guys," Abbey said, wondering if there was anything more sweet than watching your husband play with your children. "But lunch is just about ready. Then you two are going down for a nice long afternoon nap."

"No nap." Nicholas informed her.

Abbey raised an eyebrow at her son. The definitive way he had said that sounded so much like Jed it caused her to stop in her tracks. While all of her daughters had shared traits with Jed, it was simply uncanny to see the resemblance in his son. "Oh, yes, you will be taking a nap, little mister." Abbey's tone was just as definitive.

"No nap." Nicholas turned his eyes to Jed.

"Don't look at me, sport. Your mom's the boss on naps. Besides," he whispered into Abbey's ear. "While they nap and Annie and Zoey play tennis, mama and dadda can go on a nice private sail."

So he hadn't forgotten about that massage oil after all, Abbey mused.

****

There was great anticipation on the coast guard cutter and the quick little cigarette boats that were filled with secret service agents, over the fact that the President and the First Lady were having a private sail out to Osprey Head on the "Abigail Anne". Those who had been on the detail last summer and had witnessed just what might happen on a private sail with the President and his wife were busy filling in the agents who had not been on the detail with all the lascivious tales. Most, of course, had heard the erotic rumors that had spread like a wildfire but hearing about it from the horse's mouth, so to speak, made it more real, more possible that they too might get a viewing of some type of sexual escapade. Or, if nothing else, seeing the First Lady in her bathing suit would at least be something. They knew they were the lucky ones to even be out following the sailboat, as there were several grumbling agents who were stuck back on house detail who were bemoaning the fact that they were missing out on the all the fun.

****

Jed stood at the helm of the "Abigail Anne" concentrating on maneuvering the boat through the marina. His eyes often fell to Abbey's agile form as she climbed riggings and prepared the sails for when they entered open water. She wore a pair of old cutoffs and a faded Abercrombie and Fitch T-shirt over her bathing suit. He knew with increasing awareness that she was wearing the black bikini that had won his male staff members vote as his wife's favorite bathing suit. Not that anyone had dared say that to him directly but he had heard it through the grapevine. Seeing the black top through the faded white of her T-shirt only reminded him of how much it was his favorite as well. His eyes were still on Abbey as she reached high above her head to tug at a sail, her shirt riding well up over her midriff. His brow furrowed with puzzlement as he caught a quick flash of gold. He shook his head slightly figuring it had to be some weird reflection of the sun. But, when Abbey turned and pulled at one of the riggings he saw it again. This time he knew what it was and it caused a stab of desire to go straight to his groin.

Abbey nearly jumped out of her skin when Jed grabbed her from behind.

"Jed, what…?" She gasped, as he pulled her T-shirt up and gaped at the tiny gold loop in her belly button.

"When…when did you…" He reached a tentative finger out to touch the loop.

"A couple of days ago. Do you hate it?"

"Hate it? Do you have any idea of sexy it is?"

"Then I guess Annie was right, guys do find them sexy."

"Do you know how turned on I am right now?"

"It doesn't take much, does it?" She flashed him a saucy grin.

"You didn't have anything else pierced, did you?" His fingers moved up to run over the tips of her breasts.

"No, I didn't have my nipples pierced," Abbey laughed. "I certainly wouldn't go that far. Besides, you checked that out this morning, remember?"

"Oh yeah. I do remember where I was this morning, only now there are no kids around to interrupt us." Before his lips could touch hers, Abbey pushed back gently.

"There may not be any kids but we're in the middle of the marina and if you don't get back to the helm we're going to take somebody's boat out. Try explaining that one to the press. No, I wasn't drinking when I hit the boat, Dan, Peter, Tom, I was trying to check and see if my wife had her nipples pierced. Talk about giving Bruno a heart attack."

"You'd be the talk of the Republican Convention," he grinned, as he made his way back to the wheel.

"Somehow I think I'll come up enough as it is. Now behave and get us out into open water so I can lift the sails.

Jed did as told, but it wasn't easy as they moved from the sheltered harbor into the open water of the North Atlantic and he watched Abbey fling her T-shirt off to reveal the black crocheted string bikini top that barely held the swells of her breasts. With every glance he made at that tantalizing little gold loop on her flat belly it got increasingly hard for him to concentrate on getting them to the cove at Osprey Head.

Abbey moved with the knowledge that her husbands lusting eyes were on her and she couldn't resist gazing over at him from time to time. She loved watching him at the helm of their boat, the wind blowing his thick fair hair and a relaxed smile of joy on his face as the burden of carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders was lifted, at least for a little while. She made her way back to him and sat leaning back against his legs.

Jed kept one hand on the wheel and dropped the other down to where Abbey's cheek lay against his knee. He began to run his fingers through her silky dark auburn hair trying to keep his mind from wandering off into thinking about the other parts of her body that he would love to be stroking.

Abbey began running her fingertips lightly over the crisp tawny hair on Jed's leg, enjoying the play of his calf muscle flexing under her soft touch. That sensuous touch was Jed's complete undoing and in the next moment he got to his feet and headed toward the back of the boat.

"Where are you going?" Abbey asked.

"I'm anchoring."

"But we're not even halfway to Osprey Head," she said, perplexed by his behavior.

"And it's as close as we're gonna get. Grab that massage oil and let's go below deck."

"Jed…"

"Or we could do it right here ON the deck if you want to." He knew that would spur her on. Abbey was still incredibly sensitive over being caught giving him a night under the moonlight that he would never forget.

"Okay, okay, I'm going."

****

"What are they doing?" One of the agents asked Ron. "I thought they weren't anchoring until Osprey Head."

"Looks like they anchored early," Ron said nonchalantly.

"Looks like things got heated up a little early," said the agent with the binoculars who had been watching the teasing interplay between the couple for the past few minutes. "By the way, none of you told me the First Lady has her belly button pierced."

"It wasn't pierced when we saw her last summer," said another agent.

"Well it's definitely pierced now," the man looked back through his binoculars only to have them yanked out of his hands by another agent.

"Let me see."

"You can't. They've gone below deck."

"Damn."

Neither Jed nor Abbey would ever know about the collective sighs and groans of disappointment that came forth from all the boats on their protection detail as the two of them disappeared from the deck of the "Abigail Anne" to go down to their small cabin below deck.

****

Abbey was as eager for Jed as he was for her so when he fell to his knees before her and began running his lips over her belly, she merely sighed and weaved her fingers through his hair. She felt his tongue slide around the gold loop in her belly button, teasing her, and making her ache for him to tease other parts of her body with that tongue.

"I've been wanting to do this ever since I saw this ring in the marina," he said, as he slid his tongue inside the loop and flicked it back and forth.

Abbey winced and groaned, her fingers tightening in his hair.

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you? Is it still sore?"

"A little," she admitted.

Jed gave her belly button one more soft, healing kiss then began to move his ministrations upwards. Before he could work at getting her bikini top off, Abbey stopped him and made a grab for the oil.

"Remember, I'm the one who wanted to play with you." She wiggled the bottle suggestively.

Jed swallowed tightly and nodded. "You can play with whatever part of me you want, sweetheart."

"I had a feeling you'd say that. Now take off your shirt and lay down on the bed."

"I LOVE it when you get all pirate on me." He pulled his shirt off with obvious relish and tossed it into the corner of the room then threw himself back on the bed, his arms opened wide. "Ravish me, lusty wench, I'm all yours."

Abbey bit her lip against the laughter that threatened to erupt and shook her head. The man could be absolutely adorable at times. "For the eight hundredth time my ancestor was a privateer NOT a pirate."

"Same difference."

"No, it's not, Josiah. That's like me saying the original Josiah Bartlet who signed the Declaration of Independence was a traitor."

"Okay, okay, truce. Let's not get into an ancestor war. He was a privateer not a pirate. Does that make you feel better?"

"Why, yes it does, actually."

"Good, I'm ready to play, then." He gave her a hopeful, boyish grin that was completely irresistible.

Abbey sank down on one knee on the bed beside him. ""Are you going to flip over so I can do your back?"

"Nope. I want you to do my front."

"Right down to business today, eh?" She poured the massage oil into her hands to warm it before spreading on his chest.

"I guess I am feeling a little impatient today." Jed gave a sharp intake of breath as Abbey pressed her oiled palms into his chest, kneading and caressing his pectoral muscles and running tickling fingertips over his ribcage, causing Goosebumps to rise on his flesh. "Oh God, that feels good, Abbey."

"You like it, huh?"

"Mmmm…." The more that Abbey rubbed his chest the more he felt the heating and tingling spread through him from the oil. Abbey's hands moved lower running in circular patterns over his stomach. Every so often with the back of her hand she purposefully brushed his erection, which was straining up toward the area that she was caressing. When she felt his hips begin to lift off the mattress with his need she leaned over him to run her oiled hands from his shoulders all the way down each arm until her breasts were flattened against his chest and her lips were pressed into his. The deep, tongue-tangling kiss turned the spark of desire in Abbey into a burning flame and served to make her want to pick up the pace. She poured a bit more of the oil into her palm and at the same moment she took Jed's flat nipple into her mouth she closed her hand over his penis and began to slide it up and down. The deep agonizing groan of pleasure that issued forth from him told Abbey exactly how good it felt, exactly what she was doing to him. It wasn't long before she took that heat into her, the friction building between the two into a fire that consumed them both. A fire they both cried for the other put out, while their bodies ached for it to never end.

****

Later, Abbey lay sleepy and naked in Jed's arms under one thin sheet. After the fiery combustion just a little while ago there was now only peace and contentment and the soothing rocking of the boat on the waves. Abbey's head lay on Jed's chest and she could hear that his heartbeat was still pounding rather rapidly, his breathing still not quite back to normal. Her own body was still pulsing with little aftershocks. She loved that they could still do this to each other.

"So, how long do we have until the hoards descend?" She yawned and kissed the scar under his right nipple where a bullet had pierced his skin and almost killed him.

"The hoards?" He asked, his hand continuing to gently rub up and down her shoulder. "Oh, you mean the staff?"

"Among others."

Well, of course CJ is already here at the guest house, but I'm not sure when the other's will be arriving."

"Is Leo coming?"

"He's coming for the fourth and the anniversary party. I told him to bring a date."

Abbey got up on one elbow and looked down into Jed's face. "Is he going to?"

"I don't know. I told him to call Jordan."

"Do you think he will?"

"Who knows? You know, Leo. He hates to discuss anything personal. I hope that he does. It would be good for him. He really does need to move on."

****

"Okay, Leo, so why have I been summoned to the White House," Jordan asked. She hadn't seen Leo since that disastrous New Years Eve when he had been in the process of starting to make love to her and had called her Abbey. She had been stunned to learn that the Abbey he was wanting so badly had turned out to be his best friend's, Abbey.

"Because I wanted to talk to you about this in person. Not on the phone."

"Is this personal or professional? Because if it's personal I told you not to call me until you had resolved all your feelings for Abbey Bartlet. Have you?"

"I wish I could say yes, but I am just as messed up as ever."

"Then I don't think we have anything to talk about." Jordan got to her feet to leave but Leo grabbed her by the elbow.

"Please, Jordan, wait. I need your help."

"My help?"

"Yes. I won't go into all the details but suffice it to say that the President and First Lady found out about my feelings for her. It has been an incredibly rocky few months. I nearly lost my job and my best friend. I'm trying really hard to work my way through this. I've promised them both that I will give it my best try."

"So where do I fit in?"

"I am still a part of their lives and I do okay here at the White House, but I'm afraid when I get back on personal ground it all be there again to swamp me. Now that they're aware of it I'm afraid that this time both Abbey and Jed will see it. I have to go up to their summer place in Maine for a fourth of July barbecue and their anniversary party. I'd like you to go with me."

Jordan stared into his eyes wishing that she saw more than convenience in them. "You want me to be a buffer, to try and shield you from your feelings for Abbey."

"No, I really…Yes…" Leo hung his head with shame. "I guess that is exactly what I want. That probably seems really selfish of me…"

"Maybe, but I understand self preservation. I'll go with you, Leo, but only as your friend. I can't let it go any further until I know you are over this little thing you have for Abbey. I can't open myself up to that. I can come in second to your job but I can't be second best to another woman."

Leo wanted to tell her that it wouldn't be that way but he knew he'd be lying. "I understand," he told her. "Nobody should be second best." His thoughts centered for a moment on Jenny, on how he felt about being second best to Jed.

"I appreciate your honesty." She smiled for the first time since entering his office. "And I would like to be your friend. I really hope that I can help you."

Me too, Leo thought. He knew that this visit to Maine was going to be a very difficult one for him. It would be a supreme test of his willpower to try and not feel the pain while watching Jed and Abbey and their family, and an even bigger test to see if he could keep that pain and longing from being evident to the both of them. He hoped to God that he was up to the task.

TBC...