Frustrated, Abbey scanned the room looking for her wayward husband. After their emotional interlude had been interrupted they had both gone their separate ways. Neither had been anxious to test the delicate control each had been able to keep earlier. So, she had been drawn into a conversation with some old friends and Jed had moved on to work the room. Now, she was losing her earlier alcohol buzz and was starting to feel the maudlin effects of what had happened tonight. She wanted to go back to the residence and have Jed love her into oblivion. She didn't want to talk and she didn't want to think. She simply wanted to escape from reality and there were only two ways that she knew to go about doing that, drink until she passed out, or lose herself with her husband's body. Since she wasn't much of a drinker and her second idea sounded like a lot more fun, she began to search for the one man who could assuage her pain. With Leo, Sam, and Josh all missing, along with Jed, she had a good idea of where she would find them. She grabbed another glass of champagne from a passing waiter and headed out in pursuit.

* * * *

"You sure Abbey's not gonna be pissed that you left her party, " a worried Leo asked.

"Nah, she was gabbing away with Phyllis and Susan so I figured I'd better hightail it out of there before their good feelings toward me rubbed off on her." Jed picked up the beer he had left sitting on the pool table where Josh and Sam were playing a cutthroat game and he turned to watch Leo take his turn with the darts.

"Well, well, well, so HERE is the testosterone crew," Abbey said sweeping into the room All the men stopped what they were doing except for Jed. His tux coat discarded and his bow tie long gone, he picked up his darts and turned his attention to the board.

"I didn't think you'd notice I'd gone," Jed said. He squinted his eye and began to take aim.

"You guys playing for money?" she asked as she moved toward him with a swish of her crinoline skirts.

"Of course" Jed said, affronted that she would think otherwise. "Now sssh… don't mess with my concentration. This is a twenty dollar shot here."

"Sorry, I didn't realize the stakes were so high." Abbey rolled her eyes and stopped just beside him pretending interest in the shot he was about to make. Then, just as Jed was about to let the dart go she tiptoed up and blew softly in his ear. Startled, Jed jumped and his shot went extremely wide.

"Abigail!" he exclaimed. "You just made me lose twenty bucks."

Abbey merely gave a soft satisfied laugh and moved to the pool table. "Care to try and win it back?" He could see now that she was still a little tipsy.

"Abbey, you don't play pool. It won't even be a contest." Jed protested.

"What about it fella's. Anyone want to take me on?" She grabbed a pool cue and leaned over the table to set up a shot. Jed noticed the spark of lusty admiration in Josh and Sam's eyes as both young men stared down his wife's dress at the ample cleavage she was exposing to them.

"All right, all right, enough of that. Eyes back in their sockets gentlemen. Abbey…" He turned to his wife and pulled her back up so they couldn't look down her dress.

"Don't you want to play with me, Josiah?" she gave him a playful, sexy pout and every man in that room knew they were just about to be booted out so the President could "play" with his provocative little wife.

"Guys," Jed nudged his head toward the door unmistakably wanting them to exit. The men complied with his wishes but not without a few raised eyebrows and sly grins. It was the thumbs up that Josh sent the President's way as he walked out the door, however, that earned him a cuff on the back of the head from Leo.

"Hey, what was that for?" Josh whined. "I can't help it if that guy gets all the luck."

"It's been a rough night for them. They need to talk."

"I don't think there is going to be much talking going on in there tonight," Sam said with a lewd smile. Leo turned and gave him a stony glare and proceeded on ahead of them. He had a feeling that Sam was right.

"What's up his ass?" Sam asked, puzzled.

"Got me," Josh shrugged.

* * * *

"Abbey, instead of playing pool I think that we should talk." Jed's tone was serious and Abbey knew exactly what he wanted to talk about.

"I don't want to talk, Jed, " she sighed tiredly. "Not tonight anyway. Tonight I want to play."

"We play for serious money, you know. Think you can cover that?"

Abbey began to dig in her purse. Jed watched with a smile as she emptied out lipstick, eyeliner, breath mints, everything but money.

"Not even a nickel," she grumbled dejectedly.

"Well then I guess we'll be having that talk after all."

Abbey began putting things back in her purse then looked up at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "There is another way to make payment, you know."

"Oh really, and pray tell what might that be, Madame First Lady."

"I have a proposition for you."

"Now, that does sound intriguing. I hope that you will remember that you are a respectable married woman." He pulled her up against his body and gave her a seductive grin.

"Married, yes. But, do you really want me to be respectable?"

"Hell no. What's your little proposition, sassy pants?"

"Strip pool."

"What?" he nearly stammered.

"Instead of money, we'll play for clothes, or rather the taking off of clothes."

"Now THAT is the best idea you've had in a long time." Jed could already feel his body starting to tingle with awareness. Abbey rarely played pool, he figured he could have her naked in less than 10 minutes.

"One rule though. NO touching."

"What do you mean?"

"We can't try to throw each other off by touching each other."

"Now what kind of fun is that?"

"Those are the rules. Do you agree?" She put her hand out.

"All right, Bossy Bess" he grumbled shaking her hand. "I agree but I want my protest duly noted."

"Fine, it is duly noted."

* * * *

Abbey smiled as Jed ordered her to divest of her gown. She had known that he wouldn't have any patience and he was playing right into her hands. Had he started with her earrings and jewelry he might have been able to beat her, but she knew that the sooner she was down to her lingerie, the sooner she would be able to wrap him around her little finger. Oh yes, she knew exactly how to make him lose any and all concentration on the game.

Jed's mouth went dry as he watched Abbey step out of the gown that had pooled at her feet. She stood before him, an erotic vision in a lacy demi-bra, provocative garter belt and stockings and spiked heels. The bra impudently pushed up the swells of her breasts and barely constrained them and her legs looked about a mile long.

Abbey didn't miss the bobbing of his Adam's apple as he swallowed, or the way that he averted his gaze to work on chalking his pool cue. She smiled and leaned forward in front of him so that he couldn't miss getting a good look at her cleavage.

"Sorry," she smiled sweetly. "I'm just a little thirsty." She took his bottle of beer and tipped her head back for a swallow.

By the time Jed bent down for his shot his hand was shaking and it had nothing to do with his MS. Abbey watched him clench his fist to still the shaking and she bit back a very feminine smile. Jed gave her a quick glare and made his shot. It wasn't even close.

"Oh, that's too bad." Abbey grinned. "My turn." She leaned over to make her shot resting her breasts on the felt green table. It was all Jed could do to keep from grabbing that delectable butt of hers. Why on earth had he agreed to no touching? Abbey made her shot and turned to survey him. He thought for sure that she'd go for his pants. "Take off your socks."

"My socks?" He said with surprise.

"Yes, your socks. When I make you strip down to your boxers I want the black socks gone."

Jed was glad he had to sit down to remove the socks, for he was able to hide the evidence of what her words about stripping him down had done to his body. He looked up to see her smiling down at him full of the sexual power she held over him. That wicked girl, he mused with affection, she did love having the upper hand. Well, two could play at this game.

"Want me to turn up the heat?" He whispered into her ear as she set up for her shot.

"Why?"

"The way your nipples are poking out of that bra I figured either you're cold or you want me pretty damn bad."

Abbey put down her pool cue and turned to face him with a hand on her hip.

"You're pretty full of yourself, aren't you?"

"Hey, it's just an observation," he shrugged innocently. Abbey glanced down at herself and was chagrined to see that he was right. Her nipples were definitely straining against the lace. "Go ahead and turn up the heat, " she sniffed haughtily. "I must be cold."

Jed gave a deeply masculine chuckle and moved turn up the heat. Abbey missed her next shot.

Jed took his pool cue and surveyed the table. Pretending she didn't notice exactly where he was looking, Abbey lifted one hip up onto the edge of the table displaying a long length of garter clad thigh. Jed's eyes lifted and he watched her take the beer bottle and run her tongue all around the rim before tipping her head back and taking a drink. His pulse began to race as her delicate throat swallowed the beer and he nearly groaned aloud when her small pink tongue came out to lick a drop of liquid off her full bottom lip. His penis jumped to life, aching for the same treatment that bottle was getting.

"You're not playing fair, " he admonished her. Abbey turned to him gratified to see his eyes heavy lidded now with desire.

"I don't know what you mean, Josiah?" She was all wide-eyed innocence. "I was just thirsty."

"Sure you were, darlin', sure you were." Of course he missed his next shot, while Abbey made hers.

"Well, well…" she walked around him as if not sure what she wanted gone next. She knew all right. She wanted proof positive of the effect she was having on him. "Take off your pants." She stared him straight in the eye and ran her hand up and down the pool cue as she had stroked him so many times.

If possible Jed got even harder. "Now those are the words I love to hear. You want me pretty bad, don't you babe?"

Abbey's own pulse began to race with excitement as she saw exactly how hard Jed was for her, and she hadn't even touched him. "I'd say from the looks of things it's YOU who wants me pretty badly. It's either that or you've got a pool cue hiding in there."

"This?" Jed looked down at himself and shrugged. "Oh this is pretty much a constant state for me whenever you walk around in your underwear." He gave a knowing smile as he watched Abbey clench her thighs tightly together to ease the ache of anticipation for what was to come. She was certainly not as immune as she was pretending to be. She wanted him, and she wanted him bad.

Abbey noticed his gaze centered on the lace-covered triangle between her thighs and felt it was time to regain the upper hand. She bent over to make her shot the lace stretching over her round, delectable rear. She ran her fingers up and down the pool cue and Jed could no longer resist.

He leaned over her from behind and squeezed her rear. "God you've got a great ass Mrs. Bartlet, " he whispered into her ear.

"Jed…you're cheating, " she nearly moaned as she felt his hardness against her rear.

"I've been known to do that," he nipped her earlobe.

"Besides, I thought it was my magnificent breasts that did it for you."

"It's your magnificent everything that does it for me."

"Jed, if we quit now we'll never know who won." She groaned as he slid his hand under the lace to caress the naked flesh of her rear.

"I think if we quit now we'll both win." He stood up and lifted her to face him. "Did you honestly think that we could finish a strip anything game?" He ran his thumb over her bottom lip.

"No." She pulled his thumb into her mouth and bit the pad lightly.

"Now, it's time for the garter and stockings to go."

"You didn't win the shot, Jed."

"Well then I guess I'll have to do it myself." He grabbed her hips and lifted her to setting her bottom on the pool table. He parted her thighs and stood between them admiring the carnal sight that she made. She was leaning back on her hands in a position that arched her back and thrust her barely restrained breasts up at him. Her hair spilled back over her pale shoulders and down her back and her garter clad thighs were wide open to him.

"Christ Abigail, " he bit out. "You do realize that right now you are the epitome of any boy's wet dream."

Abbey gave a soft laugh. She felt sexy, and wanton and just a little bit naughty. It was a heady feeling, especially when she could see the desperate need for her glittering in Jed's beautiful eyes. This was exactly what she needed tonight, to see how much she was loved and needed and desired by her husband. "Yeah, well let's hope it ends a little better than a wet dream."

"Nothing premature tonight, sweetheart. I think I'm up to the task."

"Oh, I'd have to say that you are really UP for the task." She reached a hand out to play with the waistband of his boxers.

"Not yet, let's not get ahead of ourselves here." Jed ran his hands up Abbey's inner thighs caressing the bare expanse of skin where her stockings attached to her garter belt.

"God, you're beautiful, " he sighed reverently. Abbey was surprised by the slight sting of tears those heartfelt words brought to her eyes. But, any thought of tears was forgotten as she watched Jed's capable fingers unfasten her garter belt. She watched with increasing desire as he intently and erotically rolled the silk stocking down her leg and pressed his lips along the soft skin of her inner thigh all the way down. He pulled the stocking off and looked up at her while he allowed it dangle from his fingertip. He looked incredibly rakish and sexy with his dress shirt unbuttoned to expose the soft hair that covered his masculine chest. His dark blond hair was hanging boyishly over his forehead, but there was nothing boyish in his hooded desire-filled eyes. With those eyes still intently on her he lifted her foot and pressed his lips to the delicate arch before he moved on to work on her other stocking. This time while he rolled the stocking down her thigh, Abbey's scarlet red painted toe began to run up and down that band of hair that ran from his naval down into his boxers stopping every so often to caress the bulge that was lifted toward his belly.

Finally with both stockings and her garter discarded Jed stood between the thighs of his completely exposed wife. Being up on her hands, Abbey was able to watch him bend his head and kiss her soft mound of curls. She gave a soft gasp at the first touch of his tongue but that was all she got as he took his quick taste and continued to kiss his way up her body. He paused briefly as he arrived at her still lace-covered breasts and he gazed up at her with glittering eyes and a half smile.

"May I grasp your breasts?" He asked, in a pretty good British accent.

"You may kiss…" Abbey teased, "…them if you like."

"Oh, I'd like." Jed covered the soft swells with his hands kneading softly before he began to work at the front clasp to release them and do away with the bra. Abbey's hand instinctively moved to cover the barely discernible pale pink scratch marks on her breast. Jed had not made love to her since Marcus Hughes and now she felt a bit self-conscious.

"Don't Abbey, " he said as he pulled her hand away. "I love all of you." He bent his head and began to press soft, healing kisses to the faded scars. Before finishing with her breasts he kissed each taut nipple. Abbey groaned with frustration, when instead of taking them into his mouth, he continued up her neck and her jaw until he at last he reached her lips. When he did finally kiss her, she opened her mouth and drew his tongue inside, wanting him with a need that was so familiar, yet still urgent. She ran her fingers through his thick hair pressing his lips harder into hers. Jed's body began to react in an imitation of what was to come as he pressed his hips against her again and again so she could feel just how much he wanted her. Abbey pushed his shirt off his shoulders needing the contact with his bare torso. Before long she had Jed moaning against her lips as she slipped a hand inside his boxers to stroke his satiny hard penis as she had stroked the pool cue earlier.

"Now…now Jed," Abbey sighed as she began to yank his boxers down over his hips.

"Back to bossing me around, are you?" He started to grin but ended up groaning as Abbey wrapped her legs tightly around his waist and pulled him to her entrance. Unable to resist the moist heat of her, he slid deeply inside her with a soft moan of her name and pulled her body up against him. As always they fit perfectly together. Abbey rested her head on his shoulder, her breasts rubbing up against his chest hair and he gripped her hips to hold her in place while he thrust within her.

Soft sighs, deep low moans, and excited whimpers soon filled the room in place of the earlier teasing banter, as all coherent thought left both Jed and Abbey in their straining need to mate. Within minutes loud cries of release were added into the mix as they both tumbled over the precipice into shattering orgasms.

Abbey's arms stayed wrapped tightly around Jed. She stroked his hair, his back, and his shoulders and with him still deeply embedded inside her, she began to cry.

"Abbey?" He pulled back from her to look into her face. "Did I hurt you, Hon?" The concern on his face only made her cry harder.

"No," she choked, burying her face into his neck. "Hold me Jed…Please just hold me." She had thought that he could make her forget and he had for a short amount of time. But now it was still there, still hanging over her head. Tomorrow her life would change forever. Tomorrow she would no longer be a doctor. She clung to Jed sobbing for all that had been and all that she was losing. Jed did as he was asked. He held her tightly, stroked her hair and her back, telling her over and over how much he loved her. It was just what she wanted and needed to hear. But, when her sobs slowed to soft little hiccups, Jed withdrew from her body and lifted her chin gently to look into her wet eyes.

"We need to talk, babe," he said painfully.

"I know," she whispered.

TBC...